It's hard to write a character that is so flawed and regularly makes the wrong decisions that make situations harder and still make them understandable and relatable. Not because those things aren't understandable and relatable, but because people often don't want to see themselves that way. I imagine it's even harder when tackling difficult topics like Angie Thomas does in her books.

Bri is a teenage girl. She's not perfect; she's got a smart mouth, a quick mind, and some attitude - none of that would really be remarkable. But she's in a "white" school and she isn't white. Everything she does seems to be scrutinized and that wears on your very being over time.

I ugly cried through parts of this book just like I did through "The Hate U Give" and I loved every moment of it. This author is officially on my "auto-buy" list for future books.