Concrete Rose

By: Angie Thomas

4/5 🍼

(Yes, I did inspire my nails off the title/cover colors)

As the prequel to The Hate U Give, Concrete Rose follows seventeen-year-old Maverick as he navigates life as a new father, reluctant gangbanger, and hesitant drug seller. Caught up with the King Lords, Mav is doing what he knows it means to be a man. As a new father, he needs to provide not only for himself and his son, but also his mother. Visiting his father in prison only solidifies Mav's beliefs... or so he thinks. Everyone calls him a coward, but Mav knows he's doing right by his mom, his family, and his community. What tough decisions did Starr's dad truly face?

Angie Thomas is a genius and this book does not disappoint! Her writing truly captures your interest, and if you liked THUG, you'll love this book! I'm having trouble putting my thoughts into words, honestly. All I can say is that Thomas does an excellent job of addressing stereotypes and implicit biases. She always gets me thinking about my privileges and ways I can be an ally. If you remember my post about THUG, you'll recall that that book completely changed my outlook on BLM and police brutality - something of a sore subject where I grew up. Reading her book truly showed me the other side in a way I had never been exposed to before. Concrete Rose was no different.

Honestly, this book made me sad. It made me think of all the children who are overlooked because they're "thugs." It made me think about how some people have to resort to crime just to making a living because everything is so damn expensive. All in all, this book just made me think and it was so, so powerful. I'll be thinking about it for many months, if not years.