Reviews

Light It Up by Kekla Magoon

keyari's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective fast-paced

3.75

Audiobook: 5✨(Narrated by: Landon Woodson, Karen Chilton, Cherise Boothe, Eevin Hartsough, Christopher Carley, Peter Jay Fernandez, T. Ryder Smith, Julian Thomas, Kevin R. Free & Korey Jackson)

tatyanavogt's review

4.0

Another powerful book by Kekla Magoon, this takes place after the events of the first book but is focused on something different and it was really well done. Great, messages, very frustrating moments. Another good but hard read.

witchofottawacounty's review

challenging emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

moniquemaggiore's review

4.0

This book was such a powerful read!!!! I loved the plot and the plot structure. This book was so realistic, and felt that many young adults should read this book. This book had great narrative with many viewpoints told throughout the novel. Since there were many characters, I felt the character development could have been better.

morgan_day's review

5.0

This book had more perspective than "All American Boys" yet was more nuanced than "The Hate U Give," portraying the aftermath of an unarmed black girl's death at the hands of a police officer through vignettes that provide dozens of perspectives that move the story along. This book showed me how much I didn't know. It impressed upon me the importance of using my privilege to speak up and to actually put in the work and effort to be actively anti-racist. This book HURT. I knew exactly how it was going to end, but I was still left shocked, angry, and heartbroken. This book is powerful. This book is important. This book is a must-read.

missarnold's review

Needed to return loan :( 

neglet's review

5.0

Wow. Another amazing, intense book that drops you into a story of racial injustice. At first I didn’t think it was as powerful as HOW IT WENT DOWN, whose characters were more intimately connected to the shooting victim. Even though some of the characters reappear from HIWD, the number of POV characters might make it challenging for some readers to connect. But the numerous viewpoints make the ending even more powerful, as we’re made to feel the sheer weight of injustice that affects Black people in America. In HIWD, focus is more on whether shooting of a single young Black man was justified; here, we see how systemic racism, by making Black skin justification for any police action, imposes a horrific cost on all Black people—and how White people need to see that cost and recognize our privilege if we’re to become true allies. A stunning work.

shemyshines98's review

3.0

I liked this book. I love how it's told in multiple points of views, showing how one situation can affect everyone differently. Good or bad. Great book.

Favorite quote from this book: "Anti-black bias is part of the fabric of our culture. "

juli07e's review

fast-paced

4.5

mj_86's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Sexual harassment