This new YA novel is like "The Sun is Also a Star" in terms of a chance meeting and a meaningful day spent together.

Odd that the stakes could feel so high in the abstract (voting rights) and so minor (shame over a cat’s Instagram) all at the same time.

Timelines were also a bit confusing throughout, trying to shoehorn in a lot of backstory while still fitting within the single day structure.

The ambiguous ending was frustrating but I suppose also necessary in these times where we don’t know how our own big year at the voting booth will pan out.

(2.5/5 stars)

THE VOTING BOOTH tells the story of Marva and Duke, two 18 year olds who meet at the voting booth on their first ever voting day. Some mishaps happen and what follows is a day long journey through a never ending list of social, racial, relationship, and family issues.

This book gives me hope and I’m so glad there are YA books like this being written today.

3 Stars because I’m not a fan of the flashback-slash-back story format. Plus, the romance was a bit rushed and there was just way too much “story” crammed in a 12 hour period. Cute, but also a little too predictable.

Before I start this review, this is my PSA to everyone in the USA:

VOTE VOTE VOTE VOTE.

Seriously. I'm so sick of people who say, "One vote doesn't matter. My vote won't make a difference."

You know what? You're right. Thinking logically, one vote may not matter. But when 43.1% of the population thinks the same thing, it does make a difference.

You read that right, only 56.1% of the population voted in 2016.

Yet pretty much 100% of people complain about the state of our country and government.

Here's my policy: You didn't vote, you don't get to complain. You did absolutely nothing to try and make a difference. If you don't vote, don't complain.

Okay, rant over.

Onto the actual review:

All I'm gonna say is this book was cute, easy to read, and important. It addressed important topics in our government and provided great insight into the experiences of being black in America. I think it commented on several social issues that we need to be discussing right now.

Plus, the romance was pretty cute, too. It moved really fast, in my opinion, but the book only took place in the space of 24 hours, so that's understandable.

Give this book a chance!

I really enjoyed this book! The Voting Booth tells the story of two teens trying to make their voices heard on voting day. The characters encounter various obstacles and setbacks throughout the day, but both learn a few important lessons on the way. I reminded me a bit of an 80s teen movie, with the quick action all centered around a 14-hour period. The story was lively and fun, and the book had heart!

I really enjoyed the characters created by Colbert. Duke was fun and kind, and his growth and his family's growth was so hopeful. Meanwhile, Marva is a more serious student, with big dreams and big plans for the election. She deals with an apparently apathetic boyfriend and a missing cat while attempting to get Duke to the polls-- and then his band's performance!-- all day.

While the book does have political overtones, highlighting the need for gun reform, voting reform, and other important issues, it's not too "in your face," nor does it actually endorse any specific candidate or political party. And while the main characters are a Black student and a biracial student, there are no heavy-handed lectures on race. Instead, the book shows life for a Black kid, including the microaggressions, voter suppression, and terrifying traffic stops, without losing the focus on the characters and their budding relationship.

I would love to have this book in my classroom to broaden the understanding of my white students while helping my Black students be seen and heard in literature. This is an excellent book and I whole-heartedly recommend it!

I thought this book was excellent. Marva and Duke were strong and excellent lead characters. The topics that Colbert addresses in the book are both timely and timeless. I would absolutely recommend this book to everyone- my students, colleagues, and friends. Also- I think it would make an excellent movie. Just saying.

<i>"People are complicated, little homie.[...] Nobody is all angel or devil. Dialogue between groups is good. Remember that."</i>

This book took me completely by surprise.

One--I finished it in just over 24 hours. I think it's one the shorter end, but still: I never usually read books that fast. I told my husband that I started this new book, and I was already over halfway done, and he looked at me (slightly jealous, I think) and asked, "Is that all you did today?" And the thing is -- no. I got all my work done in the morning, it was nice out (not too hot, only a little humid!), so I took my Kindle to sit outside and read one of my ARCs.

And I couldn't put this book down.

Again, contemporary fiction is not my thing. And this book especially is like anti-escapist reading because it was published July 2020 -- <b>before</b> all of the events of the past few weeks.
George Floyd.
Breonna Taylor.
Black Lives Matter.
🎶<i>"...this is not a moment, it's the movement..." </i>🎶

Here's what I loved about <i>The Voting Booth</i>:
✔︎ -- This is a novel that is so timely. Colbert touches on so many relevant topics -- topics which were 100% relevant while she was writing but are even more relevant <i>now</i>, in the wake of everything that's happened...I'd say it seems "prescient," but to say that would mean we couldn't have seen this coming....and we could have. But she alludes to -- she never gets overly didactic or preachy about it -- voter suppression, police brutality, white privilege.
[I think some of my favorite characters are the grand-parents: Clive, Frank, & Gertie. Although that's my one quibble...Frank and Gertie -- Alec's* grandparents -- are more tolerant and progressive than Alec is...like, when Marva is explaining Juneteenth in the car, Alec is ignorant and defensive, while his grandparents are interested and respectful. That dynamic was weird and assymetrical for me, to have the grandparents call out the grandson, as in my experience, it's usually the other way around. I <i>think</i> though, the implication may have been that Frank and Gertie (or, at least, Gertie) may have been Jewish or Romany (she briefly mentions family from Romania) and therefore more familiar with prejudice and oppression than her clearly privileged grandson....]
[*Also, sidebar: the Duke/Marva love story is quite clear from the beginning, but Alec being a douche didn't surprise me at all...mainly because all I can think of when I see the name "Alec" is Alec D'Urberville...oh, how I hope that was an intentional allusion!]

✔︎ -- But, somehow, the novel is also timeless. Even though it's a very political novel, there are very few specifics in the novel. There are no years, no specific candidates, not even specific stances. For the first half of the book or so, political issues are just referred to in passing, stated that they're important: gun control, healthcare, climate change, social justice. Even at the end, we don't know the result of the election they fought so hard to vote it. [<i>I mean, we *know,* but it's purposefully vague, so as not to alienate readers.</i>] You get inklings of where the characters lean -- Duke's sister Ida is a proud pro-choice feminist and social justice advocate, and you know that she's following in her older brother's Julian's footsteps. And you know that Marva cares deeply and passionately about voter rights, and the suppression that is clearly affecting lower-income, minority communities. (See: Mrs. Thomas, who voted before yoga.) But the political undertones, while clearly important, never overshadow the larger message about the importance of voting and making your voice count and be heard. And I imagine that that could not have been an easy way to write.

✔︎ -- Can I just say? Colbert is an excellent dialogue writer. Most of the book takes place in either dialogue -- largely between Marva and Duke -- or in their heads, where they're almost conversing with the reader. I'm sure there are stylistic analyses to be made, but all I know is that the dialogue was realist, represented and revealed the characters' personalities, and also flowed seamlessly, it wasn't awkward or forced. Which most likely contributed to the ease of reading the book.

✔︎ -- Finally: no love triangle! You could <i>maybe</i> make the argument that there's a triangle between Duke-Marva-Alec, but I'd challenge that. Marva and Alec's relationship is pretty much dead in the water when the book opens, and Marva, <i>to her credit</i>, doesn't dwell and agonize over "which boy to choose." She realizes that Alec is being petty and manipulative (trying to get her to break up with him so he doesn't come off as the bad guy), and that's it. She dumps him <i>and</i> invalidates his petty break-up revenge by owning up to the Eartha Kitty account. I so, so, so appreciate that she recognizes that it's over and doesn't try to accommodate him or compromise her values just to make it work.

So, yes. A quick, but powerful, read, which makes me want to read more by Colbert.

*I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Disney-Hyperion for a digital copy of The Voting Booth in exchange for an honest review! I was interested in this book, because I am trying to read more diversely, as well as being interested in the issue of voter suppression.

In Brandy Colbert's latest book, Marva is a young activist who has spent months canvasing to get the vote out for an upcoming election. On election day, however, she has a few problems. Her boyfriend says he won't be voting after all. Her cat, an Instagram star, escapes. And she meets Duke, as he is being denied access to voting. The narrative alternates between Marva's point of view and Duke's, as they spend the day trying to get Duke to be able to vote.

This a quest novel. The plot moves along fairly quickly as Duke and Marva visit various polling places and other locations. There are lots of conversations in a vintage car, and a clear sense of achievement at the end. While a lot of social justice issues are brought up, there isn't a lot of time spent unpacking any one issue. The book brings up voter suppression, inequality in education, race relations, and police brutality. None of the issues feel like Colbert trying to educate the reader, but rather something that Duke and Marva would already be able to discuss. Also, I appreciated how Marva has darker skin than Duke, as this is an issue seen in representations of black women (and how it isn't made into a huge deal in the narrative).

Another theme in the book is appearances versus reality. One place where Colbert's narration really shines in the interjecting flashback chapters. They do not seem obtrusive. She does a great job tying the flashbacks to the action in the proceeding chapter, only using flashbacks that honestly seem like something Duke or Marva would be thinking about in the moment. Through these flashbacks, we slowly realize, along with Marva, that her boyfriend only wants the appearance of being an activist, not the emotional or physical work that comes with deeply caring about issues. In addition, Marva accepts that her image does not need to be one-note. She can be known as a serious activist and someone who runs a silly cat Instagram page, without one overwhelming society's image of her. Finally, there are persistent appearances of voter suppression that could never be completely confirmed or denied. What happened to Duke's registration? Why did the polling place run out of ballots? Why did a different polling place close? Are these all administrative issues, or do they build a case for systematic voter suppression in an area inhabited by people of color? Anyone with political awareness knows the real answer here.

There were some shortcomings in this book. First person narration is hard to pull off, and Marva is difficult to sympathize with at first. She seems like a difficult and pedantic person to be around, and makes some insensitive comments. In addition, the first few chapters are clunky, and have some unnecessary info-dumping, like Marva reading out her mom's shirt in her head (ostensibly to let us know that her mom is a nurse, a piece of information that has no bearing on the plot). There are also small moments that do not make sense. Duke makes fun of Marva for being rich, using as evidence that she has a Volvo. How does Duke, or anyone for that matter, mistake a car from the 90's for a new car? At the end of the book, Marva's parents let Duke, a person that one of them spent maybe a half an hour with, sit late at night, unsupervised, in their living room. I know her parents are meant to be "cool," but what adult is cool with going to bed with a stranger in their home?

Overall, this is not a sophisticated narration. Instead, it is an enjoyable quest story that would be a decent introduction for a teenager on some basic social justice issues.

The Voting Booth came out earlier this week and I’m gla d

Discussion of the importance of voting? Voter suppression? No uterus, no opinion? How to be a better ally? Check, check, check, and check.

The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert is a fast-moving YA novel that provides timely commentary on why it’s important, especially for young people to use their voice in voting.

It's election day and Marva is here for it. She’s a warrior for social justice and using your voice and vote to speak up for what you believe in. Then Duke gets turned away from the polling place and Maya steps in to make sure he isn’t being prevented from casting his ballot.

When it turns out he’s at the wrong polling place it unfolds into an all day adventure to try to get Duke’s vote counted amidst a host of obstacles. Marva’s got her own set of problems-

I love this book for the Own Voice YA representation, fast-moving story, and the way it tackles a bunch of important topics. There’s a lot of insight and real talk here. I appreciated it, but I feel like it’s even more important for teens and young adult readers right now.

A few things that didn't work for me: Unfortunately, while the characters did have layers and I admire their passion and dedication to the things that are important to them, the didn’t really come alive for me in this book. Also, I didn’t really feel that the flashback scenes flowed as well as I’d like. And then there’s the romance aspect. I wasn’t quite feeling it, and my general opinion is to either go for it or leave it alone when it comes with romance. This book stayed kind of in the middle. i found it so refreshing that the book was more about the teens’ passions and activism than their love lives and I wish it had just let Maya and Duke stay platonic to really let this shine.

But, even with those few technical things, this is still a solid four-star book for me. I’ve seen a lot of praise for The Voting Booth and it is definitely worth reading- and putting in the hands of young voters this year.

Many thanks to Book Group, Disney-Hyperion, and NetGalley for the advance copy.

This book could not be more timely, with the atrocities faced by Black people in America today and with one of the most important elections in recent history on the horizon. Brandy Colbert deftly tackles these topics (the oppression of Black and Brown bodies in America and the crooked electoral system that makes it almost impossible to elect people that will/can evoke change) in a sweet, endearing, and heartwarming young adult romance novel. I would LOVE to see this adapted for screen.

I received a complimentary copy of The Voting Booth from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This novel was short and sweet, but covered quite a deluge of heavy (mainly race related) topics. I always enjoy a touch of young love, and, as an outsider, I had a deep appreciation for the discussion of the issues facing these two young characters.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

(Disclaimer: I was offered an early copy of this book from Disney Publishing Worldwide through Netgalley. All opinions are my own!)

First and foremost, I loved the premise of this book from the beginning. From the cover and summary alone, it was obvious that it was going to be a great contemporary YA romance. And it held up to its standards! I enjoyed both Marva AND Duke’s character arcs, which can be difficult for authors at times to make both romantic interests likable but they definitely were. They both had their own storylines and struggles, but still they came together as a couple effortlessly. I also enjoyed reading about the causes they believed in, especially during the tumultuous times we are living in right now. I believe anyone at any age could read this book and enjoy it as much as I did! Now I need to read more of Brandy Colbert’s works. A great 4 out of 5 stars read!

I loved this book and included it in my recent roundup!
https://mashable.com/article/summer-book-roundup-what-to-read/

The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert is a cute read. I featured it as Book of the Day across all of my social media platforms.

The Voting Booth


I was excited to receive a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

I am loving the recent onslaught of political books in YA. The voting booth did not disappoint, tackling big issues like voter suppression, while still including light and funny moments. Even as Marva and Duke run into obstacle after obstacle, the overall tone of the story remains optimistically hopeful about the difference that one person can make in a democracy. It’s a particularly timely read with the increased challenges that have been seen in primary elections lately and increased voter suppression efforts emerging as we near November. It also does an excellent job tackling issues of activism, social justice, interracial relationships, white privilage, and grief, just to name a few.

One of the biggest strengths in this book was the characters. Marva and Duke were well constructed and nuanced characters. The image that Marva presents at school does not fully show who she is, and throughout the book she explores why she chose to hide or adjust aspects of herself to fit in. Duke’s story delves into his past and how it has shaped who he’s become. Interactions with Marva’s and Duke’s families give even more insight into their characters.

I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in politics or looking for the inspiration to get more involved in the current election cycle! It certainly made me want to get out and canvass this fall!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed this tale of two teens trying to vote on election day! Their back and forth banter was fun and interesting. The issue of voter suppression is dealt with in an accessible manner for young people and even adults to understand (and be enraged about)! Will be recommending for Project LIT for this year.

The Voting Booth
Brandy Colbert


Buy This Book
Stellar prose, a fascinating hero and a deep dive into contemporary issues make The Voting Booth an intriguing young adult read.

Political enthusiast Marva Sheridan has been looking forward to this election day – the first one she can vote in – almost her whole life. She gets up extra early and is the first in line at her polling place. Her passion extends far beyond her own vote, though. She’s spent months “text banking, canvassing and visiting senior centers” to get people registered. She’s also spent hours researching – and discussing – the issues and candidates on various websites. Which makes her boyfriend Alec’s betrayal especially infuriating. They had done all that together and now he’s decided not to vote because “the two party system is antiquated and useless”. She refuses to let it ruin her moment. She also refuses to text or talk to him till she receives some kind of decent explanation for his sudden lack of civic interest.

Duke Crenshaw just wants to cast his vote and get on with his life. “There are no jokes when it comes to politics in my house. Just nonstop talk about candidates and policies and campaigns” he tells us. But for Duke, this vote is about family, not the system. Politics was his dead brother Julian’s passion and for his mom, supporting his brother’s interests is the last link they have to him. Which makes Duke’s being turned away at the polling place a very big deal.

Marva has already cast her vote when she sees Duke being turned away. She immediately springs into action, questioning the volunteers as to why it is happening and offering to help Duke fix the problem. He almost refuses – he has school that day and he figures he can deal with this dilemma afterwards. But the temptation to spend time with the beautiful, passionate Marva is one he can’t ignore and he finds himself skipping so he can get to know his fascinating new friend.

Sometimes it’s easier to open up to complete strangers than those we love and that’s exactly what winds up happening here. Duke and Marva’s conversations are painfully honest and intensely personal, letting our hero and heroine understand each other better than many couples do even after months of being together. The fact that they are complete strangers who will only ever have to see each other again if they choose to means that they’re more their authentic selves during their encounter than is typical in relationships, which gives them rare insight into themselves and into each other.

Marva and Duke are both going through big moments in their lives. Voting might be their first official adult activity but they’ve reached the age where they are facing a lot of those moments. Julian’s death has forced Duke to realize that focusing on the people around him is what really matters. I loved this aspect of his personality since it doesn’t just make him thoughtful and emotionally mature but means that he doesn’t just respond hormonally to his interest in Marva but slows down enough to give it thought. He’s careful to weigh what it would mean to be with her and think through whether or not that is something he wants to do. Marva has spent the last two years in a near perfect relationship that she is starting to question. Weeks before, she and her white boyfriend Alec had agreed on the colleges they would be applying to, and then he had gone behind her back to send an application to a university at which she had been treated to painfully racist behavior during a summer pre-college program. It was something of which he was very aware, since many of their phone conversations during that time had been spent with her literally sobbing about the issue. The fact that he doesn’t talk to her about his application, nor seems to consider how she would feel about visiting him in such a place, followed by his dismissal of voting, has her wondering if she’s clinging to a bond which is already broken. At the very least it seems he is sending a message that what matters to her isn’t necessarily a priority to him. Realizing that makes her appreciate how much Duke seems to listen to her and care about her feelings, which has her thinking that maybe she needs to reassess her idea of what constitutes a good relationship.

Duke loved his brother but he doesn’t love that Julian’s death has become such a focal point in his own life. Julian’s “name always seems to be on the tip of (his) mom’s tongue” and while a lot of things changed after his brother died, his dad is:

the biggest change of all. He wasn’t always so irritated and impatient and his temper wasn’t always so quick.

The changes to his parents’ personalities, the recent implosion of their marriage, and the fact that people treat him differently once they learn of the tragedy have caused him a lot of anxiety. His therapist recommended taking up a hobby and that’s the one thing that has worked really well for him lately. Becoming a drummer and forming a band called Drugstore Sorrow has focused his anxious energy into something positive but that too has recently become a source of stress. He and band manager Kendall have a history that is causing problems in their present and he isn’t sure he can handle more problems.

Speaking of problems, I had one with this tale. My complaint isn’t about any one aspect of it – every individual facet is well handled – but about the multiplicity of aspects that are crammed into this one day relationship. There are the voting issues, political issues, issues with Duke’s sister, issues with Marva’s beloved missing pet, issues with significant people in their lives, their growing romance as other relationships fell apart – I felt overwhelmed by it all. I would have preferred the author kept the focus on the romance and politics or spread the story over a longer period of time. Crammed into such a tight timeline, the book felt, well, overbooked.

Not problems but issues worth noting are that this is very much a YA book and that the politics of the story are liberal. Adult readers may be turned off by the youthfulness of the tale and conservative readers may not enjoy the one sided look at the political issues.

A little more concentration on any one of its myriad plot lines and a little less action would have left me a more satisfied reader. In spite of its flaws, I think fans of the author will still enjoy this tale and teens in the political bubble The Voting Booth was written for will appreciate it as well.

A quick and fun read about the struggles of voting in America. The characters Marva and Duke both have their stories and life problems, but they share the passion for voting to make a change. I really enjoyed their adventurous day to fill out Duke's ballot. It was a book that touched upon important issues throughout!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Disney-Hyperion (Disney Book Group) for providing me with an early e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review! The Voting Booth is out today, July 7.

This was such a phenomenal YA contemporary! I had not read Brandy Colbert before, but I definitely will be diving back into her backlist after enjoying this one so much. In The Voting Booth, we follow Marva Sheridan, a senior in high school turned political activist who has spent months canvassing to encourage people in her community to register to vote and make it to the polls, and Duke Crenshaw, another high school senior who wants to vote in his first election to remember his older brother’s legacy, as he was a young activist killed by gun violence. The novel begins with Marva who, after voting herself, sees Duke turned away from the polling place. What follows is a heartfelt, whirlwind story over the course of Election Day as the two take on the mission of getting Duke the chance to cast his vote.

This novel touched on so many important themes including political engagement in young people, the privilege of abstaining from voting (cough, cough, looking at you, young “progressive” white people), voter suppression, gun violence, being biracial, and so much more. Brandy Colbert tackles these issues with ease and encapsulates them in a fun romp with a romance at its center to boot. In terms of its writing style, I would say this read a bit younger to me than some YA (with the occasional f word), but that didn’t bother me. If you work with teens who are, or are a teen yourself, questioning whether voting is really worth it, I would highly recommend you give them this book!

A fast, funny, incredibly relevant look at teenagers and voting in today's America. Marva Sheridan is the kind of responsible straight-A student whose entire life revolves around how she can make a difference. She's super-focused and organized, to the point where her parents wish she would let loose and just be an irresponsible teenager every once in a while. Her boyfriend Alec is the cutest guy at the private school they attend, and though he's white, he totally understands and supports her political activism. Or so she thought. Because today is voting day and he's decided he's going to sit out the election because he no longer believes in America's two-party system.

Duke Crenshaw just wants to do his civic duty and get on with his day. His band has their first paying gig tonight, plus he's got a big test at school, but voting is important to his family, so much so that he's been pre-registered to vote since he was sixteen. He is thus utterly gobsmacked to discover that he isn't on the precinct rolls at all. Overachieving Marva steps in to help, launching the two on a day-long journey of conversation, self-discovery and romance.

This was such a terrific book, covering so many aspects of being Black and biracial in America, as well as the many complex issues surrounding voting today. Marva and Duke are adorable both singly and together as they race around their county to ensure that Duke gets to vote. It's the perfect book to spur the apathetic person in your life to go line up at the polls -- tho having myself recently discovered the joys of the mail-in ballot, I cannot help but think it the superior way to have your voice heard and opinion count. Being able to sit at my kitchen table and have a cup of coffee while looking up each candidate and measure, and then only needing to mark my ballot once and mail it in at my leisure was pretty freaking sweet. Trying to eliminate this option instead of spreading it is a particularly evil form of voter suppression.

My only issue with the book itself was the fairly short shrift both Alec and Kendall got in the narrative. I know that part of the appeal of The Voting Booth is that it takes place on a single, defining day, but I felt that Alec's change from awesome boyfriend to jerkface was way too abrupt. Also, having been in Kendall's position, I feel that she deserved way more from Duke than whatever the hell he managed to say before the gig. Heroes of romance novels shouldn't fuck around with people's feelings like that, ijs.

Clunky romantic speed bumps aside, this was a really great book about young Americans voting. It deserves to be read widely, and will hopefully encourage more civic participation from its readers (psst, fellow Americans here at home, also visit <a href="https://www.vote.org/">Vote.org</a> to check on your own registration and other voting info ahead of November.)

I really don't think I could have picked a better time to listen to this story than after reading Stacey Abram's Our Time Is Now: Power, Purpose, and the Fight for a Fair America which talks about everything relating to voting you could hope for, it really gave me a greater appreciation for the struggles and determination Marva and Duke go through.

Marva is a politically engaged girl who has been counting down the days until she could vote for the first time. When she sees Duke turned away from his polling place, the two criss-cross town trying to make sure he gets the chance to vote. The Voting Booth explores the democratic system and how the system is often rigged against people of color and poor people who's lives are disproportionately effected by voting malpractices. The strong political focus was very informative and never felt preachy. And the growing relationship between Marva and Duke added the right amount of levity.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.