[1] Common themes include Black identity, sexual awakening, and teenage worries.

[2] Booklist's Enishia Davenport highlighted how the anthology "shirks off the literary world's tired obsession with only depicting the struggles of Black teens.

With this, readers see everyday struggles as well as the ordinary yet remarkable joys of Black teens that have nothing to do with the trauma of their history.

"[3] Similarly, Kirkus Reviews said the book is "nuanced and necessary" and referred to it as "a breath of fresh air and a sigh of long overdue relief".

[1] Publishers Weekly said, "The stories, all worth savoring, share a celebratory outlook on black teenagers fully and courageously embracing life".