After reading the blurb of The Black Kids, I knew I had to read it. It feels so current, so powerful and important.

Hammonds Reed has a way with words. From the first page you are transported to 1992, to a group of friends who know that one of them is different and who aren't afraid to make sure she knows her difference is what gets them in trouble. That her difference is a bad thing. But her difference is something that she is proud of, its her heritage and her culture. It's her skin.

The overall feel of this book is intense, it has your heart racing and you sitting on the edge of your seat. This book will make you feel and make you think. It is written so eloquently, in such a clever way, that it shows you how in ways easy to process, how people of colour are treated as more dangerous, as lesser, as wrong.

The Black Kids, opened my eyes and it will open yours too. Filled with amazing characters, as well as some not so amazing ones, all of which feel so real and fleshed out.

The Black Kids ending feels so bitter-sweet. As though things are finally looking up for our group of characters, but at the same time they have had to deal with so much loss and violence. Their lives won't ever be the same and they know that.

Poetically written and gritty as heck, The Black Kids is a must read

The Black Kids was a raw and emotional read for me. We follow Ashley, a Black teen in a predominantly white high school in 1992. This coming of age story takes place in the time immediately surrounding the Los Angeles riots, which were precipitated by the acquittal of four police officers who beat a Black man to death the previous year.
Ashley’s parents have shielded her from the realities of being Black, and the racism that goes with it, by presenting themselves as wealthy and privileged. Unfortunately the facade shatters in the wake of the riots, and Ashley has to come to terms with her identity, and the racism that comes with the colour of her skin. Her “friends” start treating her differently, and she has to struggle with both their micro aggressions, and the outright racism from acquaintances and strangers.
The writing was lyrical, which I liked, but didn’t always feel was the best choice. There’s fabulous diverse rep, which I appreciated. And while I didn’t always like the characters (including Ashley), I thought they were realistic.
This is an excellent YA historical novel, and I’d recommend to fans of historical fiction, those interested in anti racism, and fans of The Hate U Give and similar novels.

THIS WAS SUCH AN AMAZING READ. The writing in this was so beautiful and i was completely immersed throughout. This was really insightful behind the history of racism.

The Black Kids
Author: Christina Hammonds Reed
Genre: YA Historical
Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ • ✨ / 5
Reviewed: Maya

[Trigger Warning: racism, racist slurs such as the n-word, police brutality, suicide, death of a relative, mentions of cancer and chemotherapy, person at the last stages of AIDs]

Read this book. Go find a copy and read it. I didn’t even realise until I reread the synopsis about 25% through that this was set in 1992 because it is scaringly similar to 2020. The world-building was too realistic and I had never read a book that discussed the racism, police brutality and Rodney King’s murder during this time period, which clearly showed the way that history repeats itself. As a white, Australian teenager I have never experienced any racism or witnessed/been targeted by police brutality, so obviously I will not speak on their behalf, and instead I will read books by people who know this first-hand so that I can become more educated. The characters were written so well and felt so real; I really liked Ashley and the development that she went through. Reed has a gift because her writing is amazing and there was always a drive to keep reading this book. I nearly couldn’t believe this was Reed’s debut book and I will 100% be reading every single book that she will write in the future. This book *needs* to be read in every classroom because it is such an important read and would open up so many needed discussions. I recommend this book for everybody.

This book was absolutely PHENOMENAL!! I was so invested and hooked from the very first page to the very last. The story and characters were so incredibly written and I feel like I have learned and taken away so much from this book.

PLOT:
I think the plot in this book was very well thought out and executed and spoke of very relevant situations. It flowed really nicely and there were never any parts of the story that dragged or moved too quickly. I definitely need to give the author credit for creating a book that is both so enjoyable, heartbreaking, and moving all at the same time. This book talks a lot about racism, and racism pertaining to class, and I genuinely think the author did such an incredible job at making this book hold such importance and being very educational all the while being an incredibly well written and rounded story.

CHARACTERS:
Firstly I’ll start by saying that there was a lot of really great representation in this book so I definitely applaud the author for that. All of the secondary characters in this story were all written so well, and I feel as though we got a lot of really well developed and multi faceted characters which I really loved. As for our main character Ashley, I honestly adored her. I think one of my favourite aspects of this book was the journey Ashley went on throughout her life from learning what racism was, to growing up dealing with it, to understanding how it effects her and her life, as well as learning to stand up for racism both aimed towards herself and others. Seeing her experience life going to an upper class school being surrounded by rich white kids and experiencing racism on a daily basis really was such an interesting journey. Really getting a glimpse at the racism that happens when class comes into play was so eye opening, and I do feel it was actually very educational in the sense that I felt I gained so much more knowledge on how racism can impact a young person’s life especially when class and wealth comes into play.

OVERALL:
I genuinely enjoyed this book so much and would highly recommend it to absolutely everyone. It covers so many crucial topics that need to be discussed and I think it was just such a beautifully written story that everyone should have the pleasure to read!

The Black Kids is a coming-of-age novel set during the 1992 Rodney King riots in LA. The main protagonist is Ashley, a sheltered Black teenager who grew up in a nice neighbourhood, goes to a private school and has only white friends.

When four LAPD police officers are acquitted of brutally beating Rodney King half to death, violence engulfs LA. Ashley tries to continue on with her normal life, but then her sister gets arrested, her uncle's business gets looted and she gets a gun pointed at her face by a police officer.

The Black Kids is about race, class and Ashley's quest to figure out who she is and where she belongs. If I was to describe the writing in three words, I would say it was atmospheric, descriptive and honest. My only minor issue was that I would have preferred fewer characters. But otherwise, this book's synopsis is (unfortunately) just as relevant today as it was in 1992. The Black Kids is perfect for Angie Thomas and Elizabeth Acevedo fans.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Australia and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I honestly believe that this book couldn't have come out at a better time.

With all the controversial topics on the news and terms such as Police Brutality and Black Lives Matter and Racism all becoming more prominent, I believe that this book set itself up as a voice in the chaos of 2020 that spoke up against a lot of the awfulness we see on the streets and on our phone/TV screens. With praise saying it was like a 1992 version of The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (which I genuinely did enjoy reading), I knew I would want to read this ASAP.

The Black Kids follows Ashley Bennett, a fellow black girl who seems to live a charmed life. All her life, her parents have sheltered her from racism and brutality, instead, upholding a facade of wealth and financial stability. After 4 police officers are acquitted of beating Rodney King half to death, Ashley's life gets turned upside down. No longer is she indifferent to the world around her, she's now considered as one of "the black kids." Despite her sister getting involved in the protests and her best friends spreading a nasty rumour about her black friend, LaShawn Johnson, Ashley tries to live life as normal as possible. As the world splinters around her, Ashley questions who she is and who everyone else around her.

As expected, the book dealt with the major theme of race which was the main vein that powered the story. I really felt for LaShawn and for Ashley's involvement in that whole saga. It was awful and I felt the guilt that Ashley had the whole way through the novel. What I didn't expect however, was the focus on friendships specifically with all of Ashley's white friends who weren't as sympathetic to Ashley's situation as people nowadays would have been. There were so many micro-aggressions made blatant racism displayed and bullying caused by them that I was genuinely pleased with the ending and how the story unfolded.

All in all, I genuinely did enjoy this book and how everything came full-circle. It really gave insight into the issue of racism which, unfortunately, is still present today.

ACTUAL RATING: 3.4 STARS

I'm sorry but I really struggled with this one. I didn't like or connect with any of the characters (except Courtney) and I didn't find the family dynamic or their story engaging.

I also found the writing to be a bit hit and miss. Sometimes it was pretty and descriptive and flowy. Then other times it was choppy and there were no real transitions from one paragraph to the next.

It may have just been a problem with the kindle format but there were also times when I wasn't sure who was speaking, as there wasn't a new line given to each speaker.

Unfortunately, I just didn't care about any of the characters so this one wasn't for me.

In The Black Kids Ashley is coming of age in her senior year of high school in 1992 in LA, against the backdrop of the Rodney King Riots. Scarily mirroring recent world events nearly 30 years later.

This book is powerful. It had my heart beating fast. It’s a must read for everyone, because of it’s severe relevancy to our world today. I once heard that the only way to touch someone’s heart in a way that enacts change is to tell them your story and get you them to understand you. Looking at people and at their misfortunes on mass isn’t as effective.

Sometimes you think you understand how someone feels because they tell you. But, you really don’t know how they feel, how they’re seeing the world or how they are responding to the world around them and how the world around them is responding to them until you take a look inside their mind, which is exactly what you get to do with this book with Ashley.

The characters were all well crafted and realistic. I found at times that the author would jump back in time when Ashley would reflect upon how a present event related to a past event and that I would get a little lost. But, this doesn’t diminish the power of this book.

If you’re white and you want to read more about racism, because of the injustice it cause even now, don’t turn to To Kill A Mockingjay, it’s written by a white woman, it will confirm what you already know. Read The Black Kids; it’ll open your eyes.

"We have to walk around being perfect all the time just to be seen as human. Don’t you ever get tired of being a symbol? Don't you ever just want to be human"

The Black Kids is a coming of age story about a young black teen navigating the end of high school in the midst of 1992 riots in LA. We follow our main character Ashley deal with college applications, friendship drama, familial tension and finding her own place in the world. The relationships are messy, but incredibly authentic. The characters are not always the most likeable, but they feel real and raw.

"I'm beginning to think that's kind of what being an adult is- learning that sometimes people are a little bit wrong, but not for the reasons that you think they are, and also a little bit right, and you try to take the good with the bad. Right now, we're young and still figuring out how to be good."

Despite the historical fiction label on this book, replace the name Rodney King with George Floyd and The Black Kids could easily be set in 2020. As someone who is neither American nor black, I had no knowledge of the riots prior to reading this. Almost thirty years later and history is repeating itself, demonstrating the criticality of not only learning about history but learning from it. It is horrifying how little has changed in terms of the racism and micro aggressions present.

"Since it's an election year, everybody's coming to see the damage for themselves, to walk their shiny leather shoes among the ruins and proclaim what's wrong with Los Angeles and how their party's gonna make it right, or how the other party made it wrong."

The writing was incredibly well done. It was lyrical but effortless in its beauty. I highlighted countless passages and quotes that resonated deeply within me. I have a feeling that every reader will take something unique from it, the sign of a layered and intricate story.

"If all the heroes in our stories are white, what does that make us?"

The characters were all uncomfortably realistic. I could objectively appreciate the reality of their personalities but it didn't translate to a completely enjoyable experience. As a character driven reader, I couldn't latch onto many characters, which is typically what keeps me engaged in a story and caring about the outcome. This is obviously a personal issue, so if you can get past unlikeable characters I think you will find this book even more impactful.

The Black Kids is an educational and enlightening story woven in between a coming of age story that lends it a human perspective and personal connection. It is my hope that more books like this can emerge and educate young adults, telling the stories of the oppressed so that one day they can truly be historical fiction.

"Even though you finally enact a Civil Rights Act not even thirty years ago, it doesn't erase centuries of unequal access, unequal schooling, unequal living conditions, unequal policing. You can't tell people to pull up on bootstraps when half of them never had any boots to begin with, never even had the chance to get them. Or when you let people burn whole, thriving black communities to the ground and conveniently forget about it. Because maybe the problem isn't with 'bad' people; maybe the problem is with the whole system."

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Australia for this ARC

Release Date: 5 August 2020

This book is everything I thought it would be, and more. It's an #ownvoices book by a strong Black woman about the coming-of-age story of a young, rich, Black girl living in LA during the Rodney King riots. I knew nothing about the riots before starting this book, and I've come away from it wanting to learn so much more.

The main character, Ashley - her identity seemingly a contradiction in terms - was extremely well developed by the author. Although at the beginning of the book she and her friends seemed to be one-dimensional "popular kids", Reed didn't shy away from introducing complicated situations to develop Ashley's character. There was nothing predictable about the way she tackled the subject of high school friendships crumbling, or the way she painted a picture of a complicated, raw, family struggle to belong. Even the romance in the book wasn't immediately predictable, which is really saying something for YA books. Better yet, Ashley found herself in a lot of moral grey areas, some of which I'm not even sure were resolved by the end of the book. It makes Ashley real and three-dimensional, and I loved reading more about her story.

Outside of that, Ashley is accompanied by a whole cast of characters you love to root for, and whose plotline is well developed: Lana, who gave me some serious Perks of Being a Wallflower vibes; Jo, the sister and perfect foil to the main character's experiences of prejudice; and Lucia, whose story is still undiscovered. I also loved the development for both the mum and the dad that happened around mid-way through the book - parental development is also something rare in a YA book.

The setting was nostalgic, beautiful historical fiction in the 90s, and although I've never liked LA as a city I felt like I was transported back to my own senior year of high school. The author's writing style was filled with fluid flashbacks - sometimes scenes were so well-executed I had to stop and put down the book to process it all, or wipe away my tears. The whole second half of the book escalated so well that I couldn't stop reading.

In conclusion, this book is similar to The Hate U Give, but possibly even better. It deals with racial themes, and so much more. It deals with friendship, family, love, feminism, growing up and learning to live with not just injustice, but your reponse to it. And on top of that, it's incredibly well written. I would highly recommend this astonishing debut novel to anyone I know.

Here are a few of my favourite quotes from the book:
"Sometimes when your grown-ups are sad, their sadness feels even heavier than your own."
"Don't you ever get tired of being a symbol? Don't you ever just want to be human?"
"Maybe Jo and I are more alike than not, just broken in different places. I miss my sister in the present tense."
"Sometimes there is an us, sometimes there is a them, and sometimes it's okay to be a we."

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Australia for the advanced reader's copy of the ebook, which I received in exchange for an honest review.

This book was powerful and raw and brutal to be completely honest.

I took many small breaks while reading because it got incredibly intense and emotional and didn't ever really slow down.

The book follows our protagonist during a the 90's riots after the murder of black man at the hands of police.

The characters come from a wide range of backgrounds, diversities, sexualities and lifestyles and we explore how they all interact and their identities change and flow with the society around them.

This contemporary novel is brilliant. I don't really have adequate words to explain it but it is certainly a must read particularly given the current social climate.

Review will go live on socials first week of August.

”We have to walk around being perfect all the time just to be seen as human. Don’t you ever get tired of being a symbol? Don’t you ever just want to be human?”
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This book couldn’t have come at a more timely moment and sadly shows how little growth we have done since the 90s (and even earlier) to stop the systemic racism towards those of colour. I really enjoyed following Ashley’s story and seeing her personal growth throughout and I thought Christina’s writing was wonderful and really made me feel like I was right there with the characters. A cross between YA contemporary and historical fiction this is a book that I recommend everyone add to their TBR lists this year as although the subject matter is heavy, I really think the topics it touched on like race, class, mental health, family issues etc are all written in a way that can be relatable to all ages and hopefully will encourage some necessary conversations. A wonderful debut and I can’t wait to see what Christina writes next!
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A big thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Australia for this advanced digital copy to read and review!

4.5 Stars

It is heartbreaking that something set in 1992 is so relevant today. This book presents the realities of systematic racism in a clear and thoughtful way. We follow Ashley a black high school senior in a predominantly white high school, Ashley struggles with fitting in on many levels and I think finding your place and finding your family are also themes in this story.

I was not born at the time of the Rodney King riots and I wasn't born in America. Although I was aware of the riots happening this was a great way for me to receive a perspective on these events. Reading this book has also prompted me to find out more about the Rodney King riots. It is up to us to build a better future and we have a responsibility to do so.

I was given a Netgalley ARC in exchange for a review.