Rise to the Sun

Leah Johnson is a writer, editor and eternal Midwesterner, currently moonlighting as a New Yorker. She is a graduate of Indiana University and Sarah Lawrence College, where she received her MFA in fiction writing, and currently teaches in their undergraduate writing program. When she's not writing, you can usually find her on Twitter, ranting about pop culture and politics. You Should See Me in a Crown is her first novel

Rise to the Sun is a sweet, funny, and effervescent gem of a book. -- Nicola Yoon, author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers The Sun is Also a Star and Everything, Everything

* Johnson's strengths are on full display in snappy dialogue that sings, heart-stopping romance, and realistically flawed Black teen characters learning from their mistakes, one by one . . . Johnson pens a love letter to the healing power of music, enduring friendship, summertime love stories, and hard-won resilience. -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

Rise to the Sun is a novel that will show Black girls just how brightly they can shine, and that love, like music, is a True Thing. -- Ashley Woodfolk, author of The Beauty that Remains and When You Were Everything

Leah Johnson seamlessly harmonizes fear with hope, tragedy with healing, and betrayal wtih redemption. This book is an anthem for every queer Black teen who's ever been told they're underserving of their happy ending. -- Julian Winters, award-winning author of Running with Lions

A solid sophomore novel celebrating love that begs for a soundtrack. -- Kirkus Reviews