You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson

Liz never cared about being prom queen. She has tried to keep herself out of the spotlight at school. But when she does not get a scholarship for her dream college, getting that crown is the only path to make it happen. Being Black and gay is not going to make it any easier. 

In her small hometown, prom is a huge deal - and the competition for king and queen is even bigger. The winners get a scholarship, so it's not just a popularity contest. Way before the students vote, contestants must earn points by attending events and doing volunteer hours all while being publicized on social media. 

Ever since her best friend Jordan unceremoniously shut her out freshman year, Liz has tried to hide: get good grades and lose herself in her music. So making herself visible to the whole school is not easy. If she doesn't get the scholarship, the grandparents who raised her will mortgage their house and who knows what else, and Liz will not let that happen. 

So what else is going on with Liz? Her mother died of sickle cell anemia, and her younger brother has it, too. Jordan has popped back into her life as one of the prom king contestants. Her friend Gabi is driving her to be someone else just to win. And who is the cute new girl Amanda who is also running for prom queen? 

I really enjoyed this book. Great story with unique (not stereotype) characters. 

For more info, check out the Indianapolis Public Library catalog and the author's site.