[2] On behalf of BookPage, Heather Seggel similarly noted that "Colbert’s light touch with weighty subjects results in a novel that dives deep into the impacts of racism, particularly microagressions, with subtlety and nuance."

Publishers Weekly further stated that "Colbert employs a compulsively readable style to convey the sometimes difficult experience of young friendship, and the power and peril of claiming one’s identity out loud".

[5] School Library Journal's Desiree Thomas called the novel "nuanced" and highlighted how it "skillfully depicts the ways friendships can be shaped by common experience and racial proximity".

[6] On behalf of Shelf Awareness, Clarissa Hadge offered a similar sentiment, writing, "Colbert's well-articulated prose captures the difficulties of tween years without skirting around tough topics like racism, menstruation and bullying".

[7] Like other reviewers, Deborah Stevenson, writing for The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, discussed how "Colbert capably combines a familiar tale of middle-school friendships under pressure with details about ongoing racial microaggressions".