The Scammer out now from Quill Tree Books; 368 pages
Content Warning: Assault, foul language, drugs, manipulation, suicide
About the Author: “Tiffany D. Jackson is the New York Times Bestselling author of YA novels including the Coretta Scott King — John Steptoe New Talent Award-winning Monday’s Not Coming, the NAACP Image Award-nominated Allegedly, Let Me Hear A Rhyme, and her 2020 title GROWN. She received her bachelor of arts in film from Howard University, her master of arts in media studies from the New School, and has over a decade in TV/Film experience. The Brooklyn native is a lover of naps, cookie dough, and beaches, currently residing in the borough she loves, most likely multitasking” (Bio from author’s Goodreads profile).
Find Tiffany D. Jackson on the following platforms:
Jordyn is an incoming freshman at Frazier University, a distinguished HBCU, and is ready for a fresh start after growing up in a predominantly white suburb in Connecticut. She wants to reconnect with her identity and find a sense of belonging at this new point in her life. Jordyn meets her roommates, Vanessa, Loren, and Kammy, and the four instantly form a sister-like bond. That sense of comfort changes when the girls return to their dorm one day to find Devonte, Vanessa’s brother, who has recently been released from jail. At first, Devonte’s captivating presence feels harmless as he gives passionate speeches about African-American history and identity. But over time, his influence becomes overwhelming as he overstays his welcome in their dorm, invites other students over every night, and continuously spreads misinformation disguised as empowerment. When Devonte’s teachings start to grow more controlling and restrictive, Jordyn begins to question what is true and whether she can help her new sisters before things spiral out of control.
This is definitely one of the darker psychological YA books I’ve read, but oh my gosh, it was so good! By the end I didn’t trust a single character, not even Jordyn. Some of Devonte’s statements about African-American history seemed far-fetched, but I started wondering if they were actually true and looked them up. Tiffany D. Jackson does an amazing job showing just how easily Jordyn and her roommates fall for his manipulation, especially as freshmen who think they’re learning more from Devonte than their professors. The way his influence spread so quickly through the campus was insane, and there were even moments I felt manipulated myself. Even when Jordyn fact-checked him, Devonte wouldn’t back down; he’d just switch topics to something all of his followers agreed with, making him the definition of manipulation. I also found Nick, the only white student at Frazier University, pretty interesting. Jordyn and Nick begin to develop feelings for each other, but even he is emotionally conflicted and cautious, which makes it hard to know if he can truly be trusted. The ending left me completely stunned, especially because Jordyn at first seemed trusting and focused on making friends, but the conclusion revealed just how strategic she was. The Scammer shows just how easy it can be to fall for someone’s charm, no matter your background. It asks an important question: just because someone shares your culture or history, does that mean you should blindly trust everything they say? Honestly, I don’t know if I could avoid a situation like that myself, which made this story both terrifying and relatable.
Keonte Emerson, Pine Reads Review Writer, Editor, and Social Media Manager