Review: Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas

Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Published: January 2021

This book is a prequel to The Hate U Give. This book tells the story of Maverick, the patriarch of the Carter family, and how he got to where he is now. At the age of 17, he is a senior in high school, a member of a gang has one child and his current girlfriend is pregnant. Hustling isn't going to work anymore in order to take care of his family.

I loved this book I think even before I started reading it. After reading The Hate U Give, I wanted to know more about the other characters in the book. Starting with Maverick, one of the most complex characters of THUG was a great place to start. I would also like to have a book about Seven and his complicated life that he lives with his parents who used to be friends but aren't any longer.

Maverick is leading a hard life, but one that is supported by a strong mother. His mother has his back through everything he goes through. She is supportive when she didn't have to be. We should all wish to have a mother like that. She wasn't really a part of THUG, but I would have liked to have seen more of her.

What do you do when you have so much on your shoulders and you aren't even an adult yourself? It's a lot for anyone to handle, let alone a child. If you liked THUG, you'll love this one.

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Review: The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare

The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Published: February 2020



Adunni is 14 years old and lives in a small village in Nigeria with her father and two brothers. The only thing she wants in life is to be able to get her education and teach other girls in her village as well. When her mother passed away, her father promised that he would allow Adunni to get an education, but money talks louder than promises and so Adunni is given as a bride, the third bride at that. When something happens to one of the other wives, Adunni sees her opportunity to change her life, but what she finds isn't much better and she still isn't getting her education. Refusing to give up, she spends the year trying to fulfill her dream. Will she be able to do it?

Another great read for this year. I am glad I never had to be Adunni and my daughters will not have to either. It's a terrible thing to rob someone of an education who desperately wants it. Even though Adunni is young, she sees a lot in her life. She is eager to learn and share what she learns with others. When her father tells her she is going to be married, she is terrified. This is not something she wants and this is not what her mother wanted for her either. She reminds her father of the promise that he made to her mother, but he needs the money he will get for her bride-price in order to continue to live.

Adunni's older brother is working and her friends are excited for her to get married. Her younger brother, is frightened just as Adunni is. But what can they do. Adunni accepts her fate, but still is determined to get what she wants.

This book will make your heart ache for Adunni. Think about your life at 14, if you have a daughter, think about her life at 14. Unfortunately in some parts of the world, things like this are still happening. What can we do to stop it and make sure everyone, boy or girl, man or woman who wants an education is able to get it.


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Audio Book Review: The Poet X Elizabeth Acevedo

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Published: 2018
 

Xiomara Batista is a 15 year old Dominican American living in New York. She has a twin brother and lives with both of her parents. She's at the point in her life where boys are an interest, but her parents would never approve of her dating a boy. They are strict Catholics and Xiomara's mother tells her Jesus is the only man she needs to worry about. But Xiomara needs a way to express herself that she is unable to do with her family, so she writes poems. Her teacher thinks she is talented and encourages her to share her writing. But with her mother always on her about church, will Xiomara be able to find an outlet for her writing.

This book has been on my TBR and I have heard great things about it. This is a great road trip audio book to listen to. Since it's on 3.5 hours long, you can listen to the whole thing on a plane ride or long drive which is what I did.

I liked Xiomara character. I can understand how it feels to be a misunderstood teenager. Where you want to do the things you want to do, but also you don't want to disappoint your family. How do you live in both of those worlds? How do you please your parents and yourself? Being a teenager is tough, especially when you don't have someone who you can trust to share your problems with. Writing is a good outlet to get out the emotions that are hard to share with others.

This is the first book I've read by Elizabeth Acevedo. I look forward to reading her next book, .

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