fatgirlreads's review against another edition
4.0
This is a book that needs to be talked about more, and will forever stick with me. This story was powerful, raw, and real. Although fiction, Goodman provides an accurate picture of what it’s like when the victim of police brutality is a black woman. This book brings one of Malcolm X’s most famous quotes to life. Additionally, this book also does well in illustrating the depths of grief when something like this happens. Goodman also provides good imagery and doesn’t shy away from the realities of the setting, the Chicago projects. This story touches on critical social issues while providing readers with suspense and a twist that will make them want to jump into the book. The one con I have is that it felt like we were on a “commercial break” for a chunk of the book, which lost me for a bit. Moreover, I feel it took a bit too long for us to get back to the task at hand. Overall, this book deserves more recognition, and one everyone should read.
chars_reads225's review against another edition
4.0
This book is so important especially now and the way this book discussed race, socioeconomic status, and other important subjects really impressed me. This book follows Beau as she uncovers the truth about her sister's death and I loved every moment of it. Juliana Goodman did a fantastic job of really making me understand and feel what Beau was going through and as a black woman with a black sister this book really did hit me hard and there were even moments where I felt myself get emotional while reading. Although Beau was going through a very hard part of her life I liked that we also saw some aspects of her life that reminded us that she was a child such as her going through drama with friends and dealing with romantic feelings. At times I felt this book was a bit slow and I felt myself skimming through it but for the most part I really enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to others to read!
kendal_reads's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
apples3's review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
iffer's review against another edition
3.0
Though this didn't have the emotional punch that The Hate You Give had on me, I'm grateful that Juliana Goodman wrote this book, and that it has been published. There should be diverse depictions of what it is like to be a teenager, and a Black teenager. This book also gets at some difficult themes (in addition to the aftermath of a police shooting), such as differences in cultures/acceptable behavior, as well as the feeling of constantly fighting a losing battle because of the effects of racism and classic. I'm hoping to read more books by this author and that her writing will grow to provide more nuance for her characters. I can see where readers/reviewers are coming from with the criticism that the characters seem "bad" in a stereotypical way, but I think that this is due both to the fact that the author could've included more little details to highlight the characters complexity, but also because she wasn't pulling punches because of the way that the target readers would be able to read between the lines.
carolita1128's review
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Mental illness, Racism, Police brutality, Violence, and Toxic friendship
cyannaslibrary's review
5.0
I loved this book! It really made me pull out the water works. Only complaint is I really wanted Katia to receive the justice she deserves.
foleyzac's review
emotional
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
fadedbookmarks's review against another edition
5.0
I deeply feel like this is the story of the stages of grief at least the first few. It's beautiful and painful, lined with a dash of mystery. There are parts in this book so real and true that they heart, that my heart was aching so deeply I was disappointed by the world we live in. It's hard to run from, but this book wouldn't be the beauty that it was without the truth that lined these pages. I throughly enjoyed this one and I am so happy I was able to read it. I was so worried this book would just make me sad, but it was so beautiful in so many ways. I loved it in every aspect.
yejidereadsthings's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This was a tough and emotional read, but it was beautifully written and poignant. I didn't intend to read this book, but I found it at my local library and decided to read it. It tackled the intersection of race, class, and changing relationships. I don't regret it because it was an amazing book!
What I Liked!
✓ I liked how real and descriptive the depiction of grief was. Katia's death was a recent stain of Beau and it was constantly shown through Beau. It was tough to read, and that's how realistic the pain Beau was experiencing was written.
✓ Despite being a book on the impact of grief, Beau was an insightful and humorous narrator, who described the world through her own unique lens, and had cool takes on life. I loved the writing style and tone.
✓ This book was published recently in 2022, so there were lots of references to lots of current events and social issues in the world. The author didn't force it or try to sound "woke", but explained the nature of police brutality, racism, and poverty through a realistic lens, while not making it heavy-handed or trying to hit as many buzzwords as possible.
What I Disliked.
✕ I don't have any dislikes.
Read this book if you like: Black main characters, commentary on race and police brutality, solving a mystery, and depictions of grief.
What I Liked!
✓ I liked how real and descriptive the depiction of grief was. Katia's death was a recent stain of Beau and it was constantly shown through Beau. It was tough to read, and that's how realistic the pain Beau was experiencing was written.
✓ Despite being a book on the impact of grief, Beau was an insightful and humorous narrator, who described the world through her own unique lens, and had cool takes on life. I loved the writing style and tone.
✓ This book was published recently in 2022, so there were lots of references to lots of current events and social issues in the world. The author didn't force it or try to sound "woke", but explained the nature of police brutality, racism, and poverty through a realistic lens, while not making it heavy-handed or trying to hit as many buzzwords as possible.
What I Disliked.
✕ I don't have any dislikes.
Read this book if you like: Black main characters, commentary on race and police brutality, solving a mystery, and depictions of grief.