Up in Smoke

“If there was ever a time to use my words, it was now. Things needed to change in this city. No, in this country. Better yet, around the world.”No truer words were spoken in this powerful story about justice, loyalty, and the urgency of speaking up. When an innocent Black teenager is killed by a plainclothes police officer and the city of D.C. scrambles to cover it up, tensions boil over. Protests erupt, and friends find themselves on opposite sides of the peaceful vs. violent resistance debate—until one of their own is wrongfully accused, forcing them to unite.Brooks keeps it real, emotionally and socially, with twists that hit hard and loyalties that get tested at every turn. A timely and thought-provoking read that definitely sticks with you.

This is an engaging and well-rounded dual POV YA mystery! The publisher compares it to The Hate U Give, which feels right. The main characters are grappling with the issue of police brutality corruption along with other social issues in a similar way.My favorite thing about this book is how complex the characters are. Despite the fact that it’s YA, Brooks doesn’t simplify tricky moral issues to talk down to his audience. I also so appreciated how he modeled a healthy teen dating relationship without sermonizing or sacrificing romantic tension.Highly recommend!

This audiobook hooked me right from the first chapter. Up in Smoke is a fast-paced, emotional YA mystery that blends suspense with real-world issues in a way that feels raw, honest, and totally unflinching. The dual narrators bring Cooper and Monique’s voices to life with so much emotion, it felt like I was listening to real teens in a real crisis—not just characters in a story.The plot kicks off with a protest that turns deadly. A woman is killed, and Jason, Monique’s brother and Cooper’s friend, gets arrested. Cooper knows Jason didn’t do it, but he also has secrets that could put him in danger. With Monique’s help, they set out to uncover the truth—and what they find is way deeper than they ever expected.This story doesn’t shy away from heavy topics like police corruption, racism, and what it means to be a young Black teen trying to survive in a broken system. But it balances those hard truths with moments of heart, friendship, even love. Monique’s poetry adds depth, and Cooper’s quiet struggle to do the right thing makes him incredibly relatable.What really stood out to me was how real these characters felt. They mess up, they grow, they care about each other in ways that are messy and true. The pacing never slows, and the ending delivers a punch I didn’t see coming. If you want an audiobook that keeps you guessing while making you feel something, this one’s for you. I’d recommend it for teens and adults alike—especially anyone who loves a mystery with meaning. Powerful, gripping, and unforgettable.

Thank you to #netgalley for the ARC! I am always looking for books for my school book club, and this one will definitely make the cut. It's timely, engaging, and the characters are spot-on. The action, plot, and narration kept me on the edge of my seat. Our only issue might be NOT reading the whole book in a week!

UP IN SMOKE by Nick Brooks tells the story of a sister trying to clear her brother’s name. When Cooper King is convinced by his friend, Jason to join in a looting expedition during a demonstration, shots ring out and a young woman is dead. When Jason is arrested for her murder, his sister Monique decides that she needs to clear his name. She enlists Cooper’s help, but he is harbouring the secret that he was actually there when the shots were fired, although Monique believes he was long gone. Cooper is also trying to hide his attraction to his friend’s sister as this goes against the ‘bro code’. As their investigation intensifies and takes them into the underbelly of their town, they learn that they live in a world much different than they thought. I really struggled with this one. While the plot was good, I seemed to have trouble staying focused and found I was dragging myself through in places. I kept wondering how old these kids were anyway. If it said so in the beginning, I missed it. The writing was clear and concise, it just didn’t hold my attention for long periods of time. Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Publishing for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

A nice murder mystery with a little bit a romance thrown in. I enjoyed the two different povs. A strong girl and his friend fighting to save her brother.

Up in Smoke is Nick Brooks' second book after Promise Boys. Like Promise Boys, Up in Smoke is a mystery told in alternating points of view. Cooper is good friends with his long time best friend and crush's brother, Jason, but when Jason asks him to be a part of a robbery Cooper is conflicted: Cooper has just lost his summer job and feels compelled to help his father with his mother's medical debt after her death. When Jason assures him he'll just be a lookout and won't actually steal anything Cooper reluctantly agrees, but as Cooper and Jason's crew start looting during a protest that Monique, his crush, is leading, things don't go as planned. Cooper flees the protest and makes it home only to discover that Jason has been arrested for murder. Can Monique and Cooper clear Jason's name and prove that something larger is happening? Or will Jason go down for murder and will Cooper be caught up in it? I really liked that the characters in this were nuanced. Cooper and Jason both made mistakes but there was a lot more to the story than an outsider might have seen -- and both were trying to learn from their mistakes and better themselves. The larger mystery and suspense of trying to figure out the murder was engaging and will keep readers invested in the story. I really liked how everything came together in the end and enjoyed reading this one. If you like mystery or Brooks' other novel, pick this one up! Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

A powerful story of what people can do if they have the passion and persistence to right wrongs. I could have been ripped from the headlines; the killing of young men of color, the incarceration of young men of color for crimes they didn’t commit, and police corruption blend together and tell a compelling story. And in the middle of it all young love blooms.I received an arc of this book and voluntarily provided a review.

Thank you to NetGalley, Nick Brooks, and Macmillan Children's Publishing for the eARC. This was such an emotional and heavy read—it really got to me. With everything going on in the world right now, the story hit even harder. It’s one that’ll stay with me for a while.

This was a very real read, so much of this mirrors, I wouldn’t say society today because this has been going on for generations. The loss of innocents, shady dealings in the background, & the framing of the minority. The injustice of it all… Truly sickening. This really captures it all, whilst uplifting the readers w/ beautiful poetry & adding mystery solving to bring JUSTICE for once. Now only if the world mirrored that… Overall, this was an amazing book w/ a moving message to back it up. The narrators at Macmillan did phenomenal, I would love to listen to them again!!

What a great mystery in the backdrop of a powerful narrative. This was my first book by Nick Brooks and I thoroughly enjoyed his exploration on poignant topics such as police brutality, systemic oppression, and racism. I liked that there was a mystery but appreciated the focus on the tough topics and the relationships between the two main characters. Both of the main characters were well developed and easily came to life. I particularly loved the addition of Monique’s poems. If you’re looking for a fast paced YA thriller, definitely check this out! 4⭐️

Two young people on the same side of an investigation to clear their friend/brother from murder charges will work both sides of the details. Cooper knows Jason was not there during the protest but'll implicate himself if he steps up. Monique trusts her belief that her brother is not a murderer. As they work together, more details become evident, and they will risk their lives before it's over. This was an engrossing read. Just when I thought I had solved it, a twist changed my mind. I'd not read any of Brook's back library, but I'm adding him to my TBR list.

I received this ARC from Netgalley curtsey of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group.Thank youBefore I start my review, I want to say that I am not the intended reader for this book. I am fully aware of this fact and my review should not hinder anyone from giving it a try if it sounds interesting to them.Up in Smoke is about Coop and Mo, childhood friends, trying to solve a murder to get a loved one out of jail.This book had a good thriller vibe going for it and it was a fast easy read with important undertones.Unfortunately, the delivery fell short for me. Spelling out sound effects instead of just telling the reader that the car horn honked or that someone knocked on the door always takes me out of the book. This book had a lot of that. The slang, although true to real life I am sure, also took me out of the story.

Nick Brooks is a gifted writer who brings a story to life. Up in Smoke gives readers different perspectives of characters and their actions to make us think about the choices we make. This book left me understanding life from a different perspective than my own.It is a page-turning mystery that will keep you reading until the end!Thank you to the publisher for a digital ARC.

When Jason gets framed for a crime he didn't commit, his sister Monique and friend Cooper are in a rush against time to figure out who committed the crime. This book takes a serious look at racial issues and police corruption.This book FLEW by. I read this on one afternoon, I had to know what happened. Cooper and Mo are a great team, and I love the whole trying to figure out the crime ala One of Us is Lying. It is definitely upper YA, but I think could be a great point of learning about some ongoing racial issues in the USA. I received a copy from the publisher. I left this review on my own.

Bought this for my 16 YO son and he can't stop talking about it! I haven't read yet but that's a good sign.

4.5 ⭐️ | Excellent story! This book touched on some heavy subjects such as crime against black and brown boys/men, police corruption and protests gone wrong. The story was raw, real and drew out a lot of emotion. The characters are well developed and authentic, especially Cooper the protagonist, whose voice was unforgettable. The narrators in this audiobook did an amazing job, bringing life to both the male & female main characters in this story. From the very first page, this author captures the intensity of a young man’s struggle to stay true to himself while navigating the chaos of his environment.When a peaceful protest turns deadly, Cooper’s good friend Jason is arrested for the murder. Although he’s been harboring secrets, no one that knows Jason feels that he committed this crime. Cooper teams up with Monique, Jason’s sister solve this crime as Coop is also trying to ensure his own freedom, considering he was present during the protest. Turning into junior sleuths, they uncover corruption so deep, it will make your head spin! Are they in over their heads? Or will they uncover the truth before they potentially become the next victims?Overall a great read that I would recommend! Solid writing style that drew me in from the beginning and continued to hold my interest. I absolutely loved Monique’s poems, they definitely resonated. Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this advanced listening copy. All opinions are my own.This is a review of the audiobook.