ARTBA 2020 discussion

Discuss the book here!
What did you like? Dislike?

Don't forget to read each book as your teen self!

4/5 Reading this book at this time was a little odd, yet revealing. It's a heavy book with topics of racism, religion, and just trying to figure out where you belong in life. One part from early on in the book has stuff in my head and many nights as I was trying to go to sleep, it is what I was thinking about. So, I wouldn't read it close to bedtime, though maybe your mind doesn't work as crazy as mine.

** spoiler alert **
One part has me conflicted because I think it should have elaborated on the issue at least a bit. After Nevaeh danced with Jesus he was turned on. Yes they were grinding and that makes sense but when she wouldn't have sex with him he pressured her into giving him a blow job. She felt like she had to because she got him excited so it was her fault. That is all that was said on the topic and I think there should have been something stating that no means no and she didn't have to do that. It's one thing if she wanted to but you knew she did not but she just ended up letting him guide her to get it over with.
1 like

This book deals with a lot of issues that are relevant to today's teens -- divorce, race and white-passing, religion, a new neighborhood, internal struggles, and family dynamics. Interspersed with poetry throughout makes it even more personable. 4/5