by Angie Thomas

5 Stars

Concrete Rose is the prequel to Angie Thomas’s first novel, The Hate U Give (THUG). It doesn’t matter if you have read THUG or not prior to picking up Concrete Rose because it stands beautifully on its own.

This book follows the life of Maverick Carter, a seventeen-year-old boy whose father is a former gang legend. To help his mom pay the bills, Maverick starts dealing for the King Lords. Maverick feels as though he has it all figured out, that is until he finds out that he is a father. Suddenly, Maverick needs to learn what it means to be a man. Even after the loss of a loved one. As we follow the main character on his journey to fatherhood, we fall in love with Angie Thomas’s writing. It’s funny yet serious, romantic yet realistic. It’s very relatable and gives a strong sense of what life could be like for a teen parent.

For those who have already read THUG, you will appreciate all the small linkages and references back into that story. For those who haven’t read THUG yet, an interesting cliffhanger awaits at the end of the novel!

I think that any teen or young adult reader will enjoy this book. I read it in three days, even during school hours, as I could barely put it down! This is even a book I’ll enjoy re-reading!

Emily O.

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