She’s Not the Problem—He Is
Book spotlight: "The Revenge Playbook" by Rimma Onoseta
If high school drama had a group project, this would absolutely be it—except instead of studying, Uyai and Fiyin are teaming up to take down the same popular boy who managed to ruin both of their lives. Awkward? Yes. Petty? Also yes. Entertaining? Extremely.
Thank you to the publisher and author for including me on this book tour sponsored by Toppling Stacks Tours. Unfortunately, I didn’t receive the book in time for my tour date and was unable to review the book as planned.
The premise immediately caught my attention: Uyai and Fiyin may be enemies, but they share one painful truth—the same popular boy hurt them both. If they want to take him down before graduation, they’ll have to put aside their differences and become teammates.
I’m always interested in stories that challenge the damaging double standard that shames girls while excusing boys with “boys will be boys.” Girls should never be treated as sexual objects or blamed for someone else’s harmful behavior. Accountability belongs with the person who exploited, humiliated, or hurt them—not with the girls who were harmed.
Featuring Black and Nigerian representation, a boarding-school setting, enemies-to-allies tension, and a twisty revenge plot, The Revenge Playbook sounds like an important and compelling YA novel.
⚠️ Content warnings: Sexual assault and oppression
⭐ Rating: No rating—book not read (Follow me on Goodreads for my rating and review, which will be posted later)
About the book:
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publishing date: July 21, 2026
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound
Rep: Black, Nigerian
Synopsis:
In this deliciously twisty YA novel, two girls ( enemies) at a boarding school must team up to take down the boy who hurt them– perfect for fans of Ace of Spades and Do Revenge.
Uyai and Fiyin may be roommates at Blue Waters Secondary School, but they are not friends. Uyai is popular and fierce– she dominates every room she walks into. Fiyin is nerdy and quiet– she’s easy to miss. Anyone who knows them (assuming they know who Fiyin is at all) would argue that, besides that shared dorm room, the two girls have absolutely nothing in common.
But they do.
Because both girls have been hurt. Humiliated. Taken advantage of. And both girls have just one boy to blame for it.
Fiyin thinks Uyai is an irresponsible mean girl. Uyai thinks Fiyin is an uptight loser. They both think the boy that hurt them deserves to suffer. But taking down one of the most popular guys in school isn’t a one-woman task. If they want to get their revenge before graduation, Uyai and Fiyin will need each other’s help– regardless of how they feel about each other.
After all, you don’t need to be friends to be teammates.
Content Warning: sexual assault, oppression
Meet the author:
Rimma Onoseta is a Nigerian author who writes stories she wanted to read when she was younger: stories about young girls who are chaotic and fierce and who question what they’re taught.