5/5 ✨

I want this book to be required reading in every high school in this country. This is such a powerful story and does not hold back punches.

Our main character is a very strong person but her heart does cause her to be careless but it makes sense because she is a teenager. This felt like a very realistic portrayal of a teen who is striving to make a change and save her family. I loved seeing the workshops she held, the ending where we find out she starts her own podcast. It just felt so genuine and real.

Speaking of Tracy I loved her relationship with Dean and Quincy. As someone who is POC I often think about the challenges that come with dating someone white. Because of all the history and differences in upbringings and this book had those conversations so amazingly. It broke my heart but it also made me feel so validated in some of the struggles I've gone through.

I adored the intricacies of the relationship. The dynamics with her family, friends, and Dean's family were all so well fleshed out. Also would love a whole novel on Steve who was the lawyer she writes letters too.

Overall adored this, it had me on the edge of my seat the whole time!

If you loved Just Mercy or Tiffany D Jackson's work I recommend this for you!

I was so excited to get an advance copy of this book and it did not disappoint. There was so much to love about This Is My America, . It was realistic, in a very sad way, that added a lot of credibility to the characters, as well as to the mystery and the way it's investigated. The plot and characters hooked me very quickly!

I love YA books like this with a protagonist whose life and voice aren't usually represented in YA. I'm really excited to read what Kim Johnson comes out with next.

I received this book from NetGalley and Random House's books for young children in exchange of an honest review.

TW: racism, racial injustice, police brutality, murder, Ku Klux Klan, inequality, bullying


Tracy Beaumont is seventeen years old and every week she writes a letter to Innocence X, an organization that could be able to help her and her family free her father, James, an innocent Black man, sentenced to death in Texas. After seven years and uncountable letters, the Beaumounts are running out of time, because James Beaumont has only 267 days left. Then their life is turned upside down again when her older brother, Jamal, is accused of murdering Angela, a white girl, Tracy's colleague in the school newspaper and their classmates. Desperate to do anything in her power to save her family, her brother and father, Tracy decides to discover what really happened to Jamal and Angela at the Pike, the place where she was murdered. What exposè was Angela talking about when she asked Tracy's help?
Is it possible that her murder is connected to the double murders James Beaumont was unjustly accused of? While trying to discover what really happened, helped by her friends and allies, Tracy starts to uncover an ugly truth about the past and present of her city. And the people around her.

This is my America is a powerful, searing and heartbreaking, but hopeful at the same time, debut novel.
Told from Tracy's POV and from her letters to Innocence X, this book is incredible and intense. The writing style is able to engage right away the reader, the plot is thrilling, full of twists and lies and truths and the characterization is skillfully written. I was blown away by this book, This is my America deals with complex and important topics regarding and impacting the lives of Black Americans. I found really interesting, heartbreaking and important reading the author's note, where Kim Johnson talks about the racism in the criminal justice system in America, police brutality, mass incarceration and the rise of white suprematists. This is my America is a work of fiction, but the topics discussed are current, complex and important.

I was captivated right away by This is my America. Tracy is a powerful main character, strong-willed, brave, aware of the injustices in the world, but determined to do anything in her power to educate herself and others and to fight for a better world and justice system. Tracy is surrounded by strong characters, like her brother Jamal, her friends Tasha, Dean and Quincy, while she tries everything to understand what happened the night Angela was killed and discovering some truths able to shock her and the whole city. Through her eyes the reader is able to know a determined and brilliant young woman, loyal to her family and friends, aware of the police brutality and the injustice in the system. I found her workshop, Know Your Rights, both empowering and "sad" at the same time, realizing the importance of learning their rights and how to deal with the police in various scenarios, being Black, and the fact they should have to learn how to deal in the first place.
I liked reading about funny and sweet moments between Tracy and her family and friend and between her and her love interest(s), moments well mixed in her fight and journey to justice. Through her friend Tasha's relationship with her father, the author shows how life after prison isn't easy, underlining the real-life struggles in Tracy's family too.

The title itself underlines a double America and the main character lives in her Black America, where Black people are more likely to get arrested, pulled over, shot or killed and where they are considered in a different way just for the colour of their skin. Unfortunately true is the comparison the main character does in the book:

"When I watch the news, I can tell without even looking at the TV if the suspect if white or Black. A "young man who lost his way" or "was afflicted by mental illness"=white. A "thug" with "trouble in school"= Black"

(quote from the earc, so subject to changes)

The double standard, the ingrained racism is another topics present in the book, a racism Tracy saw in her best friend too and in the city where she lives with her family and where people found easier point the blame to a Black man.
Because of her father violent arrest and injust trial, her father's friends death and his son Quincy being hurt at the hand hand of the police, a profound mistrust of the police is clear and understandable. The author, even underlining the police's corruptions and tampering with evidences and witness, inserts characters like Beverly Ridges and the evolution in Sheriff Brighton's and Officer Clyde's to show that exist police officers that are working to fight against implicit and explicit bias and the police oppression system.

A broken system, a powerful and intense main character, This is my America is a book that broke my heart and gave me hope at the same time. It's a powerful and empowering book and I recommend it to those who are looking for a strong female character, amazing and important plot, serious topics and hopeful and realistic ending. I suggest reading the additional resources and suggested references if you want to educate yourself on the topics of police brutality, racism and injustice in criminal prosecution.

This is my America is a book about not being silent, fighting for and demand justice and equality, about family, friendships and love.

Unforgettable.
Empowering.
Searing.
One of the best book I've read this year.

This is My America is a young adult novel following the story of an African-American family. The father of the family has been wrongfully incarcerated for murder, and his daughter is attempting to recruit a criminal justice organization to take his case before his time runs out and he is executed.

The story deals with many themes, including injustice, racism, friendship, loyalty, biracial relationships, and children with imprisoned parents. The author did some great character development, especially with the main character, and gave insight into an issue that has plagued America for decades. As I (a Caucasian reader) read the story, however, I did not feel attacked for being white, just more aware of circumstances involving African-American males and crime.

I would recommend this book for young (and older) adults, as it has a great message for all to hear.

What I Loved:
This. Book. UGH! It was amazing, and I loved every word, every page.

How I Felt:
This story truly impacted me. I stopped and started the reading of this to consider the words on the page. While this was a fictional story, it rings true over and over again. Tracy’s comments on the racial divides in our society were spot-on and continued to make me think. Her investigation into what really happened the night her brother was accused of murder gave so many opportunities to show readers some of the horrible injustices that are a part of America today.

The plot features a young girl, Tracy, who is trying to get her father’s death sentence overturned before it is too late. She relentlessly writes letters to Innocence X, an organization that assists people in their legal needs, but she has yet to hear back from them. Just as she is beginning to give up on them, her brother is accused of murder, and Tracy is reliving a nightmare for the second time.

The characters were wonderful. Tracy is this sassy, smart, determined young woman. I loved her relentless pursuit of justice for her father, and then for her brother. The other characters were the perfect supporting cast to complete this story and to tell it right.

Overall, I was absolutely in love with This is my America. I enjoyed the story and found it to be a quick read, as I couldn’t put it down. I think that it had some hard-hitting ideas that are important to read about, and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read it!

To Read or Not To Read:
I would recommend This is my America to ALL readers! This was a poignant book that needs to have a voice in today’s world.

I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

My blog post will be live on 7/14

This book (sadly) couldn't be anymore timely. Johnson's debut is confronting in the best way, tangible, and so so authentic. Definitely a must-read!

I loved this book! Such an important and powerful read mainly based on current events. I loved the fierce and determination Tracy showed throughout the entire book. The flaws in the justice system along with the racism described toward the Beaumont family and POC in general broke my heart. I did however, enjoy the fairy tale/ happy ending. It brought so much light and hope. A true reminder to us all that we need to do better and be better!!! This book should def be a required school reading! It was real and so so raw, definitely a must read!

Thank you so much Random House Children’s and Netgalley for the ARC! I truly enjoyed it.

This story cuts straight to the heart. In the face of Racism and police brutality , this books is right on time . It’s perfect for teens and young adults to read to continue the conversation of injustice in this country. This books highlight some keys issue Black people face such as mass incarcerations ,lack of proper representation and corruption in the police forces . This book reminds me of one of our sad realities as Black people, that White voices will be believe above our own and we are guilty until proven innocent. It is no way a book of finger pointing or accusation , but it’s an eye opener to the struggles of Black people.

The main character Tracy , albeit a teenager , is a fighter and a world changer. She spend her time not only educating herself on the law, but sharing her resources and knowledge with her community . We can all learn from Tracy, who made it her purpose to bring forth justice ,

This book will stay with me for a long time, it’s well written and if you are a fan of the hate u given then this is for you!

A story you can’t stop thinking about for days is evidence of a good book. A story that keeps your mind whirling for weeks is evidence of much more.

This one will do that for you. It truly is remarkable.

Tracy, like many intelligent strong teen girls, is unwaveringly determined. But Tracy is concerned with more than scholarships, where to apply to college, and which boy to date. Instead, She’s focused on freeing her father, who waits on death row for a murder he didn’t commit.

Tracy writes constantly to Innocence X, pleading for help to save her father. Meanwhile her brother, a record-setting athlete with college prospects is accused of murder as well. Forcing Tracy to begin investigating on his behalf as well.

This story is filled with twists, secrets, and suspense. It promotes a better America by presenting what life is like for families of color, provoking empathy and understanding. Books like these bring us closer to healing the chasms which currently devastate our country.

Additional resources are included for readers who would like to learn more about topics addressed in the story.

I received an early copy of this book on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Put this book in the hands readers who like Elizabeth Acevedo and Angie Thomas

I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and were not affected by the free copy.

Tracy has been writing letters to Innocence X for seven year, in an attempt to save her father from the death penalty for a crime he did not commit. When the book begins, there is less than a year until her fathers execution. Jamal, her track star brother, is getting ready for college. But when a crime is committed in their town, Jamal becomes the main suspect, and goes on the run.

This book mirrors much of what we are seeing in the news today. It was absolutely heartbreaking than this is the reality too many people face today. The book was well written, and the plot was rarely boring.

I wasn't a fan of the love triangle, it felt a little too forced to me. I did appreciate that each boy truly cared for and respected Tracy. Other than this small detail though, I really enjoyed the book and will definitely be recommending it to the others.

First of all, thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. I absolutely loved this book and it's definitely one of the strongest debuts I've read this year.

This book has everything from a compelling narrative that's relevant to current events, a sweet love story, to an enthralling small-town murder mystery. I found myself hooked on the plot from page 1. I highly recommend this book to anyone, especially younger readers looking into an introduction to real-life problems in America.

I got this book via Netgallery. I picked the book because I found the synopsis to be very intriguing, and I really liked the book over. The book was quite entertaining without any dull moments.. I think this book, is a good read for anyone, however I think it is great Read for young adults. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book, where an African American dad was facing death row. Unfortunately this is reality for some young people; I am glad that this book speaks to a situation, they can identify with

In a small town in Texas, seventeen year old Tracy Beaumont has dedicated her life to getting justice for her father because the legal system failed them. Every week she writes new letters to Innocence X, begging them to take her father’s case even though he now has less than a year before his execution date. An execution for a crime he didn’t commit. After her well-intentioned plan goes awry, her brother has his own brush with the law and now Tracy finds herself fighting not only to prove the innocence of her wrongly convicted family members, but also to find true justice for two murders.

I found this to be an extremely gripping and emotional story that clearly explained the differences between how skin color influences how people are treated in the legal system and in communities. It’s a great book to read in the current climate and I’d highly recommend every white person I know pick this up and really dig down deep into what this book is saying and how it’s being said and use it as a stepping stone for how we can help change happen and how we can make a difference. I really do want to recommend this book to people and I really do hope that it becomes a bestseller. For a debut author, I am especially impressed with Ms. Johnson’s work.

It took me a long time to warm up to the characters in this book. All of them—I just didn’t like them at first and it took some time for anyone to grow on me. I felt like Tracy’s introduction was kind of rough—her opening action was extraordinarily selfish even if her heart was in the right place and it was for the right reasons—but she grew and I grew to like her and understand her, and I grew to like a vast majority of the people she interacted with. I especially liked this because it felt so realistic to me. I don’t meet someone and automatically like or dislike them, and sometimes people do things that you disagree with but that doesn’t make them a bad person. I loved the realism, and I am a sucker for character growth. Plus, even though I know it’s unrealistic, I love a good Nancy Drew-esque story!

I wasn’t a huge fan of the love triangle because I’m not typically a huge fan of love triangles, BUT I do want to ackowledge that I loved the way this one was executed for the respect the boys had for the girl, which you do not often see in love triangles. I’m okay with it because I get that love triangles are kind of a staple of YA books these days and you can’t get past them, and it was at least unique in that regard.

My one major dislike is extremely niche—I work in the legal field (I’m a legal assistant and even more to the point, I have experience in civil rights) and for that reason I try to avoid legal thrillers or legal books like my life depends on it, because... well. Legal stuff does not make for good, compelling storytelling, and it’s almost always painfully unrealistic and I can’t shut off the “it doesn’t work that way” part of my brain. This is a complicated concept to explain in this case because I don’t want to spoil the book with specific examples and I DO think that the MESSAGE of the book was spot on. Yes, the treatment of Blacks in the legal system is disproportionately unfair and that part was spot on and hard-hitting and accurate and needs to be read and understood.

But it’s a little like watching CSI, and the investigators solve a crime by using the angle of startingly hi-definition security footage to catch the reflection of the murderer in a conveniently mysteriously shiny doorknob that they then freeze frame and “enhance” and the murderer is put behind bars approximately 48 hours after this because he confesses? And you know this makes for great television but you also know that it just doesn’t WORK like that? Reading legal books is a lot like that for me. I’m always pulled out of the story because the courtroom scene just doesn’t play out like it would in real life. That definitely came into play here at the end of the book. And it sucks, because I get it—if the courtroom scene in this book followed the procedure of a courtroom scene in real life she’d lose her audience so fast. But... this is why I try to avoid legal stuff in books and keep my full-time job separate from my reading.

Overall, very good, very informative, and I would highly recommend to anyone who wants to understand the Black experience as a white person but who also can’t get into nonfiction and might feel terribly guilty about that. Or to anyone who wants to understand the Black experience as a white person in general. It’s gritty, realistic, well-done and does not at all read like a debut novel.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for the advance copy in exchance for the honest review. My review will be crossposted to goodreads; posted to amazon, barnes & noble, instagram, and twitter on release day; and posted on Youtube on my July wrap-up as well as on a video highlighting the ARCs I’ve read in the past few months which will be live at the end of July.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the advance Kindle copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. For seven years, Tracy’s father has been in prison. Soon he will receive the death penalty for a crime he didn’t commit. Ever week she writes a letter to Innocence X, begging for them to take her father’s case and finally prove his innocence. But when her brother is framed for the murder of a classmate and goes on the run, Tracy starts digging into things. What she discovers is generations of systemic racism and police misconduct - and someone knows what she is after and does not want her to find the truth. This one is out on 7.28.20 and is perfect for fans of The Hate U Give and All-American Boys. I will definitely be recommending it to my 8th graders.

Tracy tries to get representation for her father who is wrongfully imprisoned and sentenced to death. With less than a year before he is scheduled to die, Tracy’s father is running out of time. As Tracy tries to navigate an appeal, two very different boys vie for her affection, and her brother is on the run to avoid arrest for a crime he did not commit. This is a heartbreakingly honest portrayal of the unfair treatment of Blacks in the US. It is a timely novel and a must read for ms/hs teachers and their students.

This book was outstanding! I couldn’t read it fast enough. So many emotions. This is My America covers powerful and absolute vital issues that are and have been going on in our country. Johnson weaves this story perfectly, drawing you in from the first page and leaves you hanging on the edge of your seat until the very end, all the while you’re walking away with knowledge that every person needs to hear and learn. This needs to be on everyone’s TBR. I highly, highly recommend this book!

This Is My America is not your typical YA book I requested it from NetGalley because I heard about it from a colleague. Although is is fiction, it deals with current events in a way that I believe many young people will understand and feel connected to. The characters are well developed and are truly relatable. Tracey and the other characters in the book deal with issues that are in the news daily. The author gives the teens positive ways in which they are able to impact their community. I can see this book being used in high schools to help give students a voice to what they may be feeling during this turbulent times.

Another powerful BLM story for teens! Can't wait for publication so I can add it to my library and get it into kids' hands.

Tracy Beaumont's life revolves around saving her father from being wrongly executed after spending the past seven years on death row. She writes weekly letters to Innocence X - a project that helps exonerate the wrongly convicted, but with less that a year until the execution she knows time is running out. Then the unimaginable happens when the police show up at her house in the middle of the night looking for her brother Jamal as a suspect in the death of a white girl. Instead of being the promising track star, Jamal is now literally on the run for his life. Determined to save both her brother and father, Tracy becomes an amateur investigator and ultimately uncovers secrets even she didn't expect.

This Is My America had me flipping pages nonstop from beginning to end. It's perfectly paced, with all the twists and tension of a fantastic thriller, but the story is also filled with complex characters, layered teen relationships while exploring the often corrupt nature of small-town politics, racial inequality, and the town's corrupt justice system. And throughout, the story is peppered with one-liners that made me chuckle and tender moments between characters that had a lump in my throat. Recommend highly, 5/5

This Is My America is an incredibly relevant story for the current movements and conversations taking place surrounding systematic racism in America. I was instantly invested in the story from the first chapter and I couldn't put it down. Johnson excels at writing a compelling book while weaving a meaningful message throughout its story beats.

The story is mainly focused on Tracy's efforts to clear her brother's name and to get InnocenceX to help get her innocent father off death row. When her pursuit of justice leads to confronting the truth about her town and it's occupants, Tracy's hunt for the truth becomes even more important.

One of my favorite things about this story is that it really shows all the types of racism that fall under the umbrella of systematic racism. As Tracy investigates the murder, readers see first-hand the way she combats the many faces of racism, some people are bold while others are quiet & micro aggressive and Johnson does a good job of highlighting why quiet racism is just as harmful as bold racism. It's even discussed in a way that is easily recognizable throughout the story and really does a good job showing how racism permeates throughout all the systems in America.

Another I enjoyed about this story was that the characters were all varied in their experiences and in personality. While many side characters have stereotypical personalities at some points, each of them have these incredible strengths that enable them to support Tracy throughout her investigation. The story itself starts off feeling more like a teen drama but then as events happen it starts getting more twisted. Characters that seemed one way would turn out to be totally different then the audience expected. Other characters show their true colors the entire time and are still used in the narrative to show how multi-faceted racism in America is.


However, I was glad that the villain was never a surprise nor were they sympathetic in any way. I’d read in one of Leah Johnson’s (author of You Should See Me in a Crown) tweets, she discussed how when it comes to racists in stories, there is no need to make them multidimensional because there are evil people in the world who exist to uphold a racist system. In this story there are plenty of multi-dimensional characters, the villain is not one of them. That character solely exists to uphold white supremacist values and show just how dangerous the rhetoric of the far-right is.

Overall I felt the story was told well, it blended the elements of mystery & taking down racist systems in ways I haven’t seen many YA novels tackle. This Is My America stands apart from its other YA mystery counterparts because Johnson doesn’t hesitate to talk about the very real and ugly side of America that many readers either don’t know about or want to think about. I’d highly recommend this story to anyone who enjoys a good contemporary novel that discusses social justice issues with a side of mystery.