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bex0926 's review for:
This Is My America
by Kim Johnson
WHAG THE ACTUAL F*CK THIS BOOK WAS BREATHTAKING. I DONT EVEN KNOW WHERE TO BEGIN.
I don’t even have words. This book was perfect. Top 5 favorite books I’ve read in my life FOR SURE. It Will honestly probably be my fave of 2021. THAT'S how good it is.
In this book, we follow Tracy Beaumont and her story of fighting for justice for her family. Tracy's father is put on death row for a murder he never committed and has less than a year until he is put to death. The book starts off with Tracy addressing letters to Innocence X, an affordable attorney office that Tracy believes can help prove her dad, James, innocence. But not soon after, her brother, Jamal, is convicted of killing Angela, someone Tracy works on the school newspaper with and someone who Jamal had (secretly) been romantically seeing. This makes no sense to Tracy. Her brother, her loving, caring, sweet, and determined brother could not have possibly had anything to do with this.
When the police show up one night at Tracy's house in search of her brother, she distracts them to allow Jamal to escape and go on the run. Tracy knows her brother never killed Angela, but there's still a killer on the loose, so who did it?
In this story, Tracy, as the strong and independent character she is, is determined to save both her father and her brother. Innocence X returns her letters, and his lawyer son (Mr. Jones) comes to help prove James' innocence. But then he receives threats. And once Tracy is closer to uncovering the truth about what really happened to Angela, she receives violent acts of racism right outside her own home.
Tracy discovers the racist beliefs her town was built on. She uncovers the brutality and inhumane things that people of color in her very own town faced in its history. She uncovers the truth involving racist police (blue lives DON'T matter) and the entirety of the system that sets her brother and dad up to fail.
OH MY GOD. Just thinking about this book makes my heart melt and my body shiver because of how much I enjoyed it. Let's discuss my favorite things about this book:
1. THE CHARACTERS!!!!!!!! I love Tracy and everything about her. She is determined, smart, brave, and powerful. She speaks loudly about what she believes in and does everything she can to help her father and her brother. I also love Dean and Quincey, and all they do to help and support her (spoiler: there's a tiny love triangle there too hehe). Tasha is Tracy's best friend, and I appreciate their friendship as well. Beverly (Quincey's older sister) is awesome too! Chris and Scott are assholes but they play a big part in the book, especially Scott's uncle....
2. The meaning and power of this book. While this book is fictional, it is not at all not realistic. So many families face a story similar to what Tracy went through and it breaks my heart. Reading about this opens my eyes and informs me of the severity of what people of color face. It educates me, lets me further into the thoughts and feelings of what it's like (even though I will NEVER TRULY know what it's like because I experience white privilege) and I think that part of the book is so beautifully powerful. It's still just crazy to me that the automatic killer of the Davidsons and of Angela just HAS to be the black men, despite lack of evidence or evidence pointing entirely away from them. This jump to conslusions is disgusting, it's horrible, it's terrifying. It angers me.
3. The elements of this book. This book handles social justice issues, romance, and a bit of mystery all in one. It keeps you on your feet, keeps you adoring the characters and their love interests, keeps your eyes watering, and keeps you educated, all in one.
Yes, I cried while reading. Yes, I got the chills when her dad was finally released from prison. Yes, I will be forever recommending this book to everyone I know because it is my absolute favorite. AGHHHHHH LOVEEE ITTTTTTT!!!!!!!! THANK U KIM JOHNSON
SPOILER TIME:
Scott's uncle was the real killer of Angela because she was close to uncovering the truth (the gun AKA main piece of evidence) that he--Scott's uncle--actually killed the Davidsons. He killed the Davidsons because they were working to expand land with Tracy's father and another black client, and Scott's uncle's racist self had to prevent that from happening. UGH.
I don’t even have words. This book was perfect. Top 5 favorite books I’ve read in my life FOR SURE. It Will honestly probably be my fave of 2021. THAT'S how good it is.
In this book, we follow Tracy Beaumont and her story of fighting for justice for her family. Tracy's father is put on death row for a murder he never committed and has less than a year until he is put to death. The book starts off with Tracy addressing letters to Innocence X, an affordable attorney office that Tracy believes can help prove her dad, James, innocence. But not soon after, her brother, Jamal, is convicted of killing Angela, someone Tracy works on the school newspaper with and someone who Jamal had (secretly) been romantically seeing. This makes no sense to Tracy. Her brother, her loving, caring, sweet, and determined brother could not have possibly had anything to do with this.
When the police show up one night at Tracy's house in search of her brother, she distracts them to allow Jamal to escape and go on the run. Tracy knows her brother never killed Angela, but there's still a killer on the loose, so who did it?
In this story, Tracy, as the strong and independent character she is, is determined to save both her father and her brother. Innocence X returns her letters, and his lawyer son (Mr. Jones) comes to help prove James' innocence. But then he receives threats. And once Tracy is closer to uncovering the truth about what really happened to Angela, she receives violent acts of racism right outside her own home.
Tracy discovers the racist beliefs her town was built on. She uncovers the brutality and inhumane things that people of color in her very own town faced in its history. She uncovers the truth involving racist police (blue lives DON'T matter) and the entirety of the system that sets her brother and dad up to fail.
OH MY GOD. Just thinking about this book makes my heart melt and my body shiver because of how much I enjoyed it. Let's discuss my favorite things about this book:
1. THE CHARACTERS!!!!!!!! I love Tracy and everything about her. She is determined, smart, brave, and powerful. She speaks loudly about what she believes in and does everything she can to help her father and her brother. I also love Dean and Quincey, and all they do to help and support her (spoiler: there's a tiny love triangle there too hehe). Tasha is Tracy's best friend, and I appreciate their friendship as well. Beverly (Quincey's older sister) is awesome too! Chris and Scott are assholes but they play a big part in the book, especially Scott's uncle....
2. The meaning and power of this book. While this book is fictional, it is not at all not realistic. So many families face a story similar to what Tracy went through and it breaks my heart. Reading about this opens my eyes and informs me of the severity of what people of color face. It educates me, lets me further into the thoughts and feelings of what it's like (even though I will NEVER TRULY know what it's like because I experience white privilege) and I think that part of the book is so beautifully powerful. It's still just crazy to me that the automatic killer of the Davidsons and of Angela just HAS to be the black men, despite lack of evidence or evidence pointing entirely away from them. This jump to conslusions is disgusting, it's horrible, it's terrifying. It angers me.
3. The elements of this book. This book handles social justice issues, romance, and a bit of mystery all in one. It keeps you on your feet, keeps you adoring the characters and their love interests, keeps your eyes watering, and keeps you educated, all in one.
Yes, I cried while reading. Yes, I got the chills when her dad was finally released from prison. Yes, I will be forever recommending this book to everyone I know because it is my absolute favorite. AGHHHHHH LOVEEE ITTTTTTT!!!!!!!! THANK U KIM JOHNSON
SPOILER TIME:
Scott's uncle was the real killer of Angela because she was close to uncovering the truth (the gun AKA main piece of evidence) that he--Scott's uncle--actually killed the Davidsons. He killed the Davidsons because they were working to expand land with Tracy's father and another black client, and Scott's uncle's racist self had to prevent that from happening. UGH.