Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'

Dear Justyce by Nic Stone

33 reviews

osoordinary's review

challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

A great sequel to Dear Martin! Really enjoyed this one!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Gun violence and Racism

taliatalksbooks's review

challenging emotional hopeful 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

3.5

Dear Justyce by Nic Stone was a powerful sequel to Dear Martin. Though shorter books, both of these novels effectively and succinctly highlight the impact of race in the US Justice System. These ramifications create a complex web of emotions, that Stone allows readers (especially those of us who are not people of color) to get a first hand glimpse into the thoughts and reasonings of someone in these positions. This book does a great job communicating the fear, distrust, and discomfort associated with our justice system, and gives readers a new outlook, even if they’re not from areas like the setting of this book. I really loved the character development and writing of this book, and I think the pair are absolutely must reads. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Drug use, Violence, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Grief, and Racism

kaerene's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I really enjoyed Dear Justyce. It took me a minute to remember the characters and the story/situation as I read Dear Martin last year and apparently remembered none of it as I’m pretty sure I sped read it in one setting. ANYWAY! Unlike last year, I enjoyed the switch from third to first person as it really helped the story along. I liked reading Quan’s letters and then learning about his history and the life events that led him in his journey throughout the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Police brutality

Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Child abuse, Confinement, Gun violence, and Abandonment

stacy_27_'s review

hopeful inspiring 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism

Minor: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders

kiahsbooks's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence

Moderate: Murder, Violence, Racism, Police brutality, Panic attacks/disorders, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Cancer

katelynprice's review

challenging reflective 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

4.0

Nic Stone is a fantastic writer and has given us another well-written book about black teen incarceration, police brutality, and systemic racism. Her books are so readable, relatable, and downright necessary. I didn't love this one quite as much as I did Dear Martin, but I still consider both to be beneficial reading. If I could require people to read particular books, both in this series would be on the required reading list. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Cursing

Moderate: Racism, Confinement, Gun violence, Murder, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Terminal illness and Police brutality

caterina's review

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-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? It's complicated

4.0

A strong sequel following a character from the first book who had much less support, and yet this book too is hopeful, full of lovable characters, and even more than the first imagines a better world. If there's ever a surprise book #3, I'm reading it too!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, and Confinement

Minor: Domestic abuse and Death

honeyvoiced's review

hopeful reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Police brutality, and Racism

Moderate: Death, Child abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Cancer

ajason06's review

challenging emotional reflective fast-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 was thoroughly excited for Nic Stone's sequel to Dear Martin. 

My favorite aspect of the book was the camaraderie of the support within the community. This is a powerful realization and an important thing to remember. Even this book's themes are heavy and hard to deal with. Everyone has the right to be heard. I really appreciated the two colliding stories (the good and the bad) of Quan and Justyce and how they affected them both differently.

Great follow up to Dear Martin  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Violence

Moderate: Child abuse and Domestic abuse

travelseatsreads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I finished Dear Martin and immediately picked up Dear Justyce as I did not want to leave any of the characters behind. Sometimes a sequel doesn't live up to the first in a series but Dear Justyce sure does that and so much more.

Continuing on the theme of racial prejudice and oppression, Dear Justyce looks further at the characters of Justyce and Quan. While Stone shows the struggles that the boys face she doesn't try to portray them as either all good or all bad and honestly shows both the good and bad sides to their characters.

The last section where Stone discusses the two books adds so much, I'd recommend if you usually skip afterwards to give the time to this one, it's worth it.

A powerful, tense yet hopeful follow up to Dear Martin. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Racism

Moderate: Child abuse and Domestic abuse