The book was ok. I would say a 2.5 for me. Interesting premise and definitely some parallels in governor Roth and a certain president. I think that the potential of the story was there and it was enough for me to finish reading the entire book, but not enough for me to be curious about what happens in the follow-up book.

So I was really unsure about this book when I started it and I wasn’t sure if I would like it, but honestly it was pretty good. Things really picked up around the halfway point, which is when I really started to get into the story itself. I’m definitely glad I kept reading and gave it a chance. I will definitely be picking up the sequel.

Pride and prejudice meet Black/Afro-latinx America meets gentrification is real. Best way I can describe this book. I completely understood Zuri’s feelings on the changes in her neighborhood and what they meant for her world and family. I really loved following Zuri on her journey and I got a kick out of the descriptions of DC because that’s where I’m from. Reading about Bus Boys and Poets, Georgia Ave, and Ben’s Chili Bowl was hilarious for me.

SPOILERS:

I do wish some things hadn’t been so glossed over, like Warren’s interactions with two girls who are way too young and/or Darius’s perception of Ainsley and his motives behind telling his brother to leave her alone (which we can guess, but still). And it may be small, but I feel like Darius’s actions at the party and how uncomfortable Zuri was didn’t even really get resolved or acknowledged fully. It’s like because he got into a fight for her and her sister all should be forgiven by the reader. Ummmm nah, let’s talk about it please because I need a real apology and clarity.

SPOILERS OVER:

Even so, I still loved this book and I’m so glad I’ve added it to my collection.

Drops you right into the middle of the organized chaos and never lets you leave. Honestly, I felt just as mesmerized by Ayoola as everyone around her, but for different reasons. And Korede....well let’s just say she takes her responsibilities as a big sister above and beyond the call of duty. Definitely worth the quick read.

Definitely not the story that I thought it would be, which I suppose is a good thing. It didn’t focus on the sexual assault allegation, but the aftermath in everyone’s lives instead. I loved the letter portions of this book and I think the story told through those letters were my favorite parts. I was not a fan of the three main characters themselves. I think it’s great that they were each flawed in their own way because it was clear they were human and humans make decisions, right, wrong and otherwise, but I just didn’t care for any of them as people. I can’t explain it without going into too much detail, but essentially I just didn’t find them likable, though I will say that this was more true for Andre and Roy than Celestial. Still, I really enjoyed the story and I think it was a pretty good read.

I really loved this book and I think it would be a great addition to any and everyone's library. Angie Thomas's narrative doesn't just paint a picture of one aspect of black life in America, but several. While this book certainly lends itself to the concept of the BLM movement, it goes beyond what most people think of when they hear "Black Lives Matter". She not only tells the story of a young boy senselessly killed by the police and the aftermath it causes in the main character Starr's life, but she hits on the many microaggressions that we deal with on a daily basis, the difficulty of blending two different worlds, and the struggles so many African-Americans deal with in their every day life including self-esteem, gang life, living in impoverished neighborhoods, drugs, abuse, neglect, etc. I keep saying this but it's so true: This book was so real that it hurts.

I wasn't sure it was possible, but reading Misty's memoir only made me fall even more in love with her. From her life growing up to her discovery of her love of ballet to her trial and tribulations making it to principal dancer, I honestly hated when I had to put this book down. It's beautiful, at times unbelievable, but most of all it's real. All I can really say about this is:

"This is for the little brown girls"

And it really, truly is.

Even though I loved Everything, Everything, I didn’t expect to love this book as much as I did. It was beautifully written and the three POVs: Natasha, Daniel and the Universe all worked together to tell a story of just how closely everything in our lives are not only intertwined, but how everything we do and say has an influence and a history whether we know it or not. Nicola Yoon did an amazing job of turning what could’ve been a basic run of the mill love story into so much more.