Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas
5/5⭐️

Thank you to @harpercollinsca for my e-ARC for being an Indigo bookseller!

My initial review on Goodreads, after I finished this book, was “I finished this book a few hours ago and I swear I’ve just been staring at a wall thinking about it since then (and will probably be thinking about it for days/weeks on end).”

Well if that doesn’t convince you to read Concrete Rose what will?! Need I say more?

But I’ll say more.

Concrete Rose follows Maverick “Mav” through his last year of high school as he finds out he’s a father, that he wants to start moving away from drug dealing and as he deals with an incredible tragedy.

I loved Mav’s character from the very start; he’s hilarious, caring and sensitive to those around him. He’s a wonderful character to root for and cry with. I was completely engrossed with Mav’s story during the two days I read (binged) Concrete Rose. The characters that supported and uplifted Mav throughout the story were also so vivid and wonderful to read.

If you’re already a fan of Angie Thomas, the Hate U Give or just want to read an amazing (and incredibly important) YA title then look no further.

And truly look no further, this book is so well-written you won’t want to miss it.

CW: gang violence, gun violence, drug dealing, racism.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CKHkRyGAEnG/

Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for my copy of Concrete Rose. All opinions are my own.

Coming in a little biased- but I will say that I love Angie Thomas. I would (and will) read anything that has her name on it. The Hate U Give left me wanting more, and I was in a book-hangover for weeks... so I'm thrilled this is out. This is a hit, just like everything else she writes. I cannot recommend her books enough.

I was so happy to revisit the world of Garden Heights. After hearing an interview from Angie Thomas I was especially excited to read Concrete Rose. She said that she wanted to portray a young black father that was really there for his kids. They do exist and she wanted to make sure that young adults could see that in what they were reading. The whole story felt like a warm family reunion. The characters were not without conflict, and I appreciated how the conflict played out. I would definitely recommend this read and this series.

A brilliant prequel to The Hate U Give. Thomas's exploration into Maverick's life and decisions is beautifully written and compelling.

I absolutely loved seeing Mavs story, his struggle growing up in G. H. And raising seven. I love who he became with his son and seeing him step up and grow up for seven. It made you understand the man he became. This book is a must for anyone who read and loved THUG.

Angie Thomas does NOT disappoint with this novel. What a wonderful story about a young father and the struggles of trying to raise your kids. Maverick was lovable AF in THUG, but Angie Thomas has now cemented the idea that Maverick really is a G with a heart of gold. He will go down as one of my favorite book characters. An important story, giving a voice to those we typically don’t hear from.

I can’t stress enough on how much of a fan I am of Angie Thomas. She definitely did not disappoint with this latest work. The realism of Maverick’s situations and actions will resonate with readers. Don’t sleep on this book.

I absolutely loved this book. It broke my heart so many times but it was also funny in parts and very touching. Thank you to Netgalley for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Written with the same style and tone as The Hate U Give, Maverick is given the spotlight. I really enjoyed reading where his fire started and where his knowledge and reasonings for things came from. This title WILL be used in my classroom and allow for many discussions on equality, social issues, and diversity. Thank you for this ARC!

After devouring Angie Thomas' first two novels, I needed little convincing to pick up her third book. Once I got into the rhythm of the story, I found I couldn't put it down. The novel is a prequel to Kim's debut novel "The Hate U Give", and focuses on Starr's father and his path to creating a life for himself despite becoming a father two times over at the age of seventeen. This was an illuminating window onto a world so different than my own. I found myself caring so deeply for the well-nuanced characters and their stories. I can't wait to hand this book to teens and adults alike.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

As much as I loved The Hate U Give, I felt Concrete Rose was even better. It may be my age, just a few years older than Maverick and Lisa today, but I loved the late 90s setting and the story told in this prequel.

Concrete Rose is the story of Maverick, the son of a gang member in prison. Maverick is following in his father's footsteps, but finds himself thinking about his future. Focusing on what is happening to Maverick, while emphasizing his relationships and the life of a young Black man, Thomas tells a compelling story.

Educators, please put Angie Thomas's books (and Tiffany D. Jackson's) in your curriculum immediately. Especially if you are teaching in predominantly white communities.

This book was amazing. I was initially a little hesitant about a prequel starring Maverick, but Angie Thomas does not disappoint.
Maverick Carter is 17 years old. His mom works two jobs to take care of him and his dad's in prison. Maverick is trying to take care of his family the only way he can, selling drugs for the local gang. However, when a paternity test reveals that he has a son, it's time for him to grow up and be a dad. This proves difficult since his current girlfriend is not the mother, and the mother almost immediately disappears.
This might be my favorite book in the series so far. Angie Thomas creates characters and situations that are so real. If you have already read The Hate U Give and On the Come Up, you may know what will happen, but that does not take away from the book at all.

In Concrete Rose we meet Maverick who is I7 and a single Father. We witness his
struggles with a child, school and relationships all against the back drop of gangs and poverty.
I wasn't sure what I was getting into starting this book, but it was so powerful. Mav's voice
was real and his struggles relatable. And the character growth throughout the book was phenomenal. At times heart breaking, this was
definitely one of my favourite books this year.

Everything Angie Thomas writes is gold and she does not disappoint in Concrete Rose. I loved The Hate U Give and was beyond excited to see Concrete Rose tell the story of Maverick. Maverick is one of my favorite characters in THUG and he has such a wisdom that he imparts on Seven and Starr, that it always made me wonder how he became so smart. From reading THUG, you know that Maverick had a bumpy teenage life and made some choices along the way that might not have been the best for his future. Thomas does a great job of holding Maverick accountable while discussing the challenges he faces. Thomas has fantastic storytelling and loveable characters which makes this book a must read.

The thing that I love most about Thomas as an author is her ability to transport me to a place I have never been and help me to understand a way of living that is so different than mine. She also happens to be one of the best authors for character writing; her characters become living, breathing people. This book was hard to read at times, but it was so real. I appreciated that, and I appreciate the empathy I gain every time I pick up one of her books.

The prequel to The Hate U Give tells the story of Maverick at 17. He finds out he is a father and is given a chance to go straight, but can he just walk away?

I knew how the story would end, well, at least I thought I did since I have read The Hate U Give. It was so good! I still went on the emotional roller coaster that I experienced with The Hate U Give, just different emotions.. It was everything I wanted in a Maverick back story. I cannot wait to read it again, I have already purchased the audiobook.

I loved that you saw both sides of raising a kid. Angie Thomas showed the good and the bad. There isn't any judging or sugar coating what it is like to be a parent. I laughed at times remembering when my own children did things similar to Seven.

Summary: International phenomenon Angie Thomas revisits Garden Heights seventeen years before the events of The Hate U Give in this searing and poignant exploration of Black boyhood and manhood.

If there’s one thing seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter knows, it’s that a real man takes care of his family. As the son of a former gang legend, Mav does that the only way he knows how: dealing for the King Lords. With this money he can help his mom, who works two jobs while his dad’s in prison.

Life’s not perfect, but with a fly girlfriend and a cousin who always has his back, Mav’s got everything under control.

Until, that is, Maverick finds out he’s a father.

Suddenly he has a baby, Seven, who depends on him for everything. But it’s not so easy to sling dope, finish school, and raise a child. So when he’s offered the chance to go straight, he takes it. In a world where he’s expected to amount to nothing, maybe Mav can prove he’s different.

When King Lord blood runs through your veins, though, you can't just walk away. Loyalty, revenge, and responsibility threaten to tear Mav apart, especially after the brutal murder of a loved one. He’ll have to figure out for himself what it really means to be a man.

Honest Review:
Concrete Rose will be adopted into my school's English I and/or English III curriculum as soon as the budget allows. In the meantime, I will facilitate this text as a lit circle option in my Social & Racial Justice Lit Circle Unit.
Mav is the Black man we need to be studying and discussing---not Tom Robinson, or Crookshanks, or the nameless servants in Gatsby.
Mav tells the story of a community broken by the systemic racism and oppression that keeps families enrolled in generational poverty.
Mav also demonstrates one man's choice to choose the type of man and father he ultimately wants to be for his family and for himself.
Mav tackles all the presumptions and misconceptions about Black men, Black Love, and Black families.
I know my students will relate and appreciate Mav's struggle as they look to him for guidance is surviving their own lives.

This prequel to The Hate U Give is the story of Starr's dad Maverick and his senior year of high school. He's a new dad --unexpectedly-- and having a kid is expensive! He's got some tough choice to make: selling drugs is easy money, but it doesn't make him a good role model, and it means he could be killed or locked up and then he wouldn't be there for his son. When other things happen and Maverick's life is further upended, he's got a lot of really difficult choices to make. Can Maverick go against the grain of gang life in the Garden to be a true man?

Concrete Rose is beautifully executed! Thomas really does a stellar job of bringing the whole story full circle and making everything fit for what will happen in THUG. I love the imagery of the "concrete rose" and how Maverick start working with Mr. Wyatt and his garden. This would be a great story to teach in an English classroom.

Diverse reads:
- Maverick and the whole cast of characters are BIPOC-- generally African American.

I have read The Hate U Give as well as On the Come Up, so I was very honored to receive this NetGalley arc of Concrete Rose.
This book follows Maverick in the assumed 90s as the younger version. It is interesting how well-written Concrete Rose is, and how the world of THUG was well-developed to the point where the characters are loved regardless that we are so quick and willing to read a prequel. I find that writing prequels are hard to do, and it's so beautiful how nice the story flows.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an eARC of this title.

If you enjoyed The Hate U Give, Concrete Rose is a great book to get the backstory of Maverick Carter. This book allows the reader to see how Maverick became the man and father he is in The Hate U Give.