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antonique_reads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Homophobia, and Racism
Minor: Death of parent
asterylu's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Emotional moving and relatable in all the good ways. I ugly cried two times.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, and Death of parent
noeandnovels's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Racism, and Murder
Minor: Sexual harassment
crazybookishcool's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Terminal illness, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
okayinmybook's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Thank you to Libro.FM for my complementary audio copy of this book!
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My reading year has started off with a 5 star read, We Deserve Monuments by Jas Hammonds.
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Brief Synopsis: Main character Avery is forced to leave her comfortable life in Washington, DC to move to the home of her terminally grandmother in Georgia. Faced with family secrets, new friendships, and big realizations…will Avery discover the truth she’s seeking?
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My thoughts: This is a powerful, emotion driven YA novel. The author’s writing is beautiful and the novel is a perfect mix of character driven and plot driven. The story includes romance, a city’s racial tensions, family secrets, and an ongoing mystery. I loved the characters and was truly invested in them. A true 5 star read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Homophobia, and Racism
mezzythedragon's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Racism, Toxic relationship, Grief, Lesbophobia, and Alcohol
Minor: Terminal illness
CW // intergenerational trauma, abuse, racism, death, internalized queerphobia, alcohol and drug use This is some hard-hitting, heavy stuff. A clear example of “hurt people hurt people.” Even though both Zora and Mama Letty have gone through/are still going through their personal traumas, they too have done some terrible things to each other, and in Zora’s case, to Avery as well. I will say the endingbetweentheshelves's review against another edition
challenging
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? Yes
5.0
I basically read this entire book in one sitting last night, so that should tell you a lot. Before reading this, I felt like it had gotten a lot of buzz in professional publications and on anticipated lists, etc. I'm always nervous with books that get a lot of hype, but trust me, this book is worth it.
Not only is the cover of this book gorgeous, but the writing inside matches. This is Jas Hammonds first novel, but I hope they keep writing becuase there's so much to like about this. Strong characters, beautiful writing, strong emotions. There is almost a story within a story in this book, adding a little mystery to Avery's story.
At its core, this is a book about generational trauma related to racism, how racial violence can affect a family for years down the line. You are sure to fall in love with the characters, even the ever stubborn Mama Letty. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll gasp. You'll find it all in this book.
Since we're at the end of 2022, put this on your 2023 TBR. You won't be disappointed.
Not only is the cover of this book gorgeous, but the writing inside matches. This is Jas Hammonds first novel, but I hope they keep writing becuase there's so much to like about this. Strong characters, beautiful writing, strong emotions. There is almost a story within a story in this book, adding a little mystery to Avery's story.
At its core, this is a book about generational trauma related to racism, how racial violence can affect a family for years down the line. You are sure to fall in love with the characters, even the ever stubborn Mama Letty. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll gasp. You'll find it all in this book.
Since we're at the end of 2022, put this on your 2023 TBR. You won't be disappointed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Racism, and Grief
Moderate: Death, Homophobia, and Murder
Minor: Alcoholism, Infidelity, and Police brutality
albon's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Racism, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Murder
amandalorianxo's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
But at the end of it, the only thing I could say was, “ I love you.”Then the ice broke, the tears came, and I was drowning.” 4.5 stars
You can tell how much love and emotion it took for this debut to come together and I can’t thank Jas enough for creating this wonderful young adult novel. It centers around 17 year old Avery Anderson, a biracial teen from DC who moves to Bardell,Georgia after finding out that Mama Letty (Avery’s mother) has terminal breast cancer. The relationships we uncover in this book have a lot of deep rooted, repressed trauma and sometimes acknowledged verbal /emotional tendencies that lean towards abusive. Avery along with the audience unpacks a lot within the several months she is living in Bardell. This definitely leaves you thinking and wishing that more people of color did in fact have monuments dedicated to them because lord knows the Confederates of the past have no business being glorified. My only critique were the random flashbacks that weren’t necessarily needed or could have been implemented a different way.
You can tell how much love and emotion it took for this debut to come together and I can’t thank Jas enough for creating this wonderful young adult novel. It centers around 17 year old Avery Anderson, a biracial teen from DC who moves to Bardell,Georgia after finding out that Mama Letty (Avery’s mother) has terminal breast cancer. The relationships we uncover in this book have a lot of deep rooted, repressed trauma and sometimes acknowledged verbal /emotional tendencies that lean towards abusive. Avery along with the audience unpacks a lot within the several months she is living in Bardell. This definitely leaves you thinking and wishing that more people of color did in fact have monuments dedicated to them because lord knows the Confederates of the past have no business being glorified. My only critique were the random flashbacks that weren’t necessarily needed or could have been implemented a different way.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death, Terminal illness, and Death of parent
Minor: Drug use, Homophobia, Infidelity, Racism, Medical content, Murder, Lesbophobia, and Outing
kays_reading_journal's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book was insane. I read it in one day, and spent the last 60 pages bawling my eyes out. I’m not even a teenager anymore, but this threw me right back to when I was 15, terrified to come out to my parents, terrified of the future. This book was filled with love and hurt and pain and trauma and it was done perfectly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racism, Grief, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Alcoholism, Police brutality, Religious bigotry, and Murder