Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.42 AVERAGE
4.42 AVERAGE
See this review and more on Books and Ladders!
Content Warning: Racism, Coming out themes, Bimisia, Child neglect & parental
abandonment, Recreational drug use, Substance addiction mentioned, Postnatal depression discussed, Teen pregnancy (theme), Abortion discussed, Grief & loss depiction, Death of a cousin, Death of a sister to sickle cell mentioned, Incarceration, Murder & attempted murder, Gun violence, Gang violence, Police brutality & violence mentioned
So I haven't read The Hate U Give, but I have seen the movie. I had SOME idea what was happening at the end of this book, but it still is a gut punch. Mav is such a relatable character, and Thomas writes him in such a way that you connect to him immediately.
Concrete Rose is a story of what it means to grow in the face of adversity and struggle, but never letting that break you. I loved this story, Thomas's writing, and the realistic look into what it means to be Black in America.
I highly recommend this!
Like my reviews? Buy me a Ko-Fi!
Content Warning: Racism, Coming out themes, Bimisia, Child neglect & parental
abandonment, Recreational drug use, Substance addiction mentioned, Postnatal depression discussed, Teen pregnancy (theme), Abortion discussed, Grief & loss depiction, Death of a cousin, Death of a sister to sickle cell mentioned, Incarceration, Murder & attempted murder, Gun violence, Gang violence, Police brutality & violence mentioned
So I haven't read The Hate U Give, but I have seen the movie. I had SOME idea what was happening at the end of this book, but it still is a gut punch. Mav is such a relatable character, and Thomas writes him in such a way that you connect to him immediately.
Concrete Rose is a story of what it means to grow in the face of adversity and struggle, but never letting that break you. I loved this story, Thomas's writing, and the realistic look into what it means to be Black in America.
I highly recommend this!
Like my reviews? Buy me a Ko-Fi!
challenging
funny
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
“The apple don’t fall far from the tree, but it can roll away from it. It simply need a little push.”
17-year-old Maverick Carter is the son of an infamous gang legend, so it’s a no brainer that he ends up following in his father’s footsteps. But when Maverick finds out he’s a father, everything changes. Staying afloat in high school, becoming a full time dad and wrestling with his loyalty to the King Lords seems impossible.
In a society that expects Maverick to fail based on the cards he was dealt, he is determined to prove them wrong.
“One of the biggest lies ever told is that Black men don’t feel emotions. Guess it’s easier to not see us a human when you think we’re heartless. Fact of the matter is, we feel things. Hurt, pain, sadness, all of it. We got a right to show them feelings as much as anybody else.”
I was a big fan of The Hate U Give, so reading this prequel was a no-brainer for me. This story is real. The characters have so much depth, and this was simply a fantastic book. Angie Thomas is an incredible story teller and this is a must read.
And hello!! Can we take a moment for a cover with a black man in a durag?? Yesssss!
4.5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
emotional
hopeful
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
This story is phenomenal. I couldn’t put it down. I read 50 pages one day, and I finished the rest in one sitting when I had more time to just dive in. The character of Maverick and his development throughout is so well-done. The exploration of fatherhood, grief, struggling to survive, family relationships, unplanned pregnancy, and men’s emotions was incredibly powerful. My main love for this book was the focus on fatherhood and men’s emotions. These are two things that are often overlooked or looked down on. The book touched these topics in a delicate, but moving way. I feel this is a book everyone should be reading and learning from. I barely can come up with the words to describe it. I didn’t give it 5 stars because I felt that it’s not a favorite of mine. I’m growing out of YA books, but it has so much weight and amazing storytelling that I highly recommend it to everyone.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy
Concrete Rose is a Realistic and gripping novel about Maverick Carter as a teenager living in Garden Heights. Maverick deals with a lot of painful situations in his life, being in a street gang, dealing drugs.
“Son, one of the biggest lies ever told is that Black men don’t feel emotions. Guess it’s easier to not see us as human when you think we’re heartless. Fact of the matter is, we feel things. Hurt, pain, sadness, all of it. We got a right to show them feelings as much as anybody else.”
Mostly what pleased me about this book is that I remembered The Hate U Give enough to know what was going on even though I read it a long time ago. But yeah a good book.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
I didn't know I needed Maverick's story until it was sitting in front of me. Beautifully written and full of those difficult decisions we have known he had to make since The Hate U Give.