In social media posts throughout, White has perfectly mimicked the cultures of each unique platform, adding poignant depth to how the true crime industry is treated in different media spaces, professional and social alike. . . . Physical and emotional violence match in intensity, offering a consistently unsettling and engaging narrative that is angry and passionate, with a beacon of hope at the end for escaping abuse. . . . This harrowing, action-packed thriller shines a spotlight on the exploitative nature of the true crime industry. Perfect for teens frustrated by the cruelty of the world, impossible to put down, and enthralling until the very end.
--School Library Journal (starred review)

White crafts a precise and gripping plot filled with vivid imagery and dynamic three-dimensional characters. Through Morgan, who's desperate, flawed, empathetic, and sincere, he explores the violent impact of stereotypes that link neurodivergence and mental illness to murderous impulses. The resolution offers a satisfying harmony of realism, catharsis, and grounded hope for healing.
--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

White relies on curiosity and empathy to drive the reader forward through a plot thick with triggering content and the internal musings of an unlikable protagonist. And yet, Morgan is incredibly interesting and more than deserving of the reader's investment. His complexities go beyond neat labels, though autistic is an important one, to place him at a messy intersection of experiences and identities that he's learning to define for himself.
--Booklist (starred review)

White's . . . latest thriller once again tackles heavy themes with grace by centering a character who defies the narrative of the perfect victim. Morgan is given space to be messy without being either demonized or let off the hook. The novel counters stigma in its sensitive depiction of intrusive thoughts and the potential effects of grooming on abuse survivors' sexuality. It critiques the voyeurism surrounding true-crime media as well as the ableist and sexist dynamics that can trap people in abusive situations. A harrowing but ultimately hopeful read.
--The Horn Book (starred review)

Andrew Joseph White is exceedingly brilliant when it comes to chal­lenging his reader with his work in the horror genre, and his latest outing, You're No Better, is no exception. . . . White yet again interrogates not only traditional children's literature's conventions of being a "likable" protagonist, but also normative expectations of what it means to be trans or to transition "correctly". . . . White is a generous author, who has given us a fully realized, "spiteful, jagged trans kid," who messes up and lives in terrifying trans technicolor, instead of some stiff pretense of "good representation." In the end, this is a forceful and elegant pledge to cherish trans kids whatever hate is ratified by the government or state, to be angry in the right directions, and to remember that: you're no better.
--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)

The fallible, wholly authentic protagonist is a constant in White's YA novels, as is the idea that, though the story is complete, the character still has a whole life of growth ahead of them. . . . You're No Better brilliantly uses extremes to highlight and honor the intricacies and complicated intersections of adolescent and neurodivergent trans experiences, creating a novel that can speak to a multitude of teens.
--Shelf Awareness