A review by jamietherebelliousreader
Coffee Will Make You Black by April Sinclair

4.0

4 stars. This felt like I was sitting at the table being told stories from elder people in my family. My mom grew up in the same era this is set in (the late 60s) and a lot of what she has told me that she experienced happens in this which was so intriguing to me. Especially how Stevie and her family reacted whenever there was a Black person on television. My mom told me that that used to be a huge deal and the family would call each other to tell them.

I digress, this was a fantastic coming of age journey. I really liked the writing style. It’s witty and sharp. The pace is great and the story had me engaged from beginning to end. Stevie is a very likable character. She felt real and yes she had her frustrating moments but she’s also a teenager so I get it. It was interesting seeing the world around her from her eyes especially as she got older and the Civil Rights Movement began. This was a really enjoyable read and I will definitely be checking out more of Sinclair’s work.