This book really spoke to me from the get-go. As a book and music lover, this book was made for people with my interests. I related to a lot of things about Angel, something that was interesting as a non-POC reader. I felt like this was a love letter to support systems outside of homes and to book lovers around the world. I wish that there would've been a deeper dive into a discussion of harder topics (i.e. abusive relationships, alcoholism). My biggest qualm with books like these is: why mention it if it's not going to play into the storyline somehow? These things were there, they were a part of the story, but I don't think that there was a chance for readers to process the depths or for Angel to process the trauma. I would've liked to see that toward the end.

Chlorine Sky, while an excellent novel, wasn't really for me - and that's okay! I'm glad that I didn't let that experience stop me from reading Vinyl Moon, because I found this book to be a truly enjoyable experience.

I read Chlorine Sky (Mahogany's YA debut) around mid January 2021, so it felt right to pick up VINYL MOON almost exactly a year later.

And listen, I liked Chlorine a lot, but VINYL? 🤯 Mahogany seriously blew it out of the water.

Written in poetry, prose vignettes, and text convos, and alternating between Angel's before (CW: domestic violence) and Angel's now, this book is both a road map to finding home, and a love letter to Brooklyn, good books, and music.

Truly, Mahogany writes such perfectly nuanced teen girl characters, such wholly Black stories, that I can only hope all high schools are carrying her books for girls like Angel to find.

Let me know if you've read this one, especially if you've also read Chlorine Sky. Love love love chatting books in verse. But also, if you're a teacher, can we talk about the EXCELLENCE of Angel's school? 😮 I could only dream of working in a school like that.

This is the second book by this author and it did not disappoint. I really enjoy the style in which Mahogany writes. I like the non-traditional chapters and the relatability of the characters. Even though her novels are short they are profound. I love the authors and artists that were mentioned and I love books that make me want to pick up classics that relate to BIPOC lives. I'm a fan.

Once again Mahogany L. Browne delivers a story that resonates. Angel's experience of trying to process her family relationships and the forced separation from the young man who seriously abused her transcends race. Her experience as a young woman of color who is exploring the richness of Black culture adds depth as does the supporting characters. of her advisory class and teachers.

This is a title that I will be suggesting for 2023 YALSA blogging teams as well as for 2024 Evergreen Teen Book Award nominee consideration.

I loved this YA tale of a high school junior growing into herself as she moves from CA to Brooklyn. While the impetus for her move is traumatic, the life she settles into with her uncle in her new school is a warm hug. Browne allows the protagonist, Angel, to have a fresh start where she finds new interests, talents, and connections. Experiencing Angel's discovery of her love of literature (and the support she receives from her teachers to do so), her talent for DJing, and her ability to build genuine friendships is the best case scenario of a new beginning.

I loved watching Angel gain confidence and seeing those around her rise to the occasion, deserving the trust she gradually puts in them. Browne's narrative structure and the way she moves around in time and space felt fluid and poetic. I enjoyed rolling with wherever she took me.

Overall, I highly recommend this read for anyone who needs to see that we're not defined by what's happened in the past, and that we deserve and are capable of good things regardless of what we've been through.

I fell in love with Chlorine Sky last year, and was so excited for another YA book from Mahogany! Vinyl Moon, which blends poetry and prose, was a completely different yet equally beautiful & moving coming of age story.

Vinyl Moon follows Angel, who has recently moved from California to New York to live with family after leaving an abusive relationship. Angel struggles to heal, both physically & emotionally, away from the only life she's ever known. But she finds unexpected solace in one of her classes, where other girls share their own struggles and her teacher connects Angel to books that speak to her.

Angel's story was utterly heartbreaking yet uplifting, and I was rooting for her the entire ride! I loved that this book was about a young Black girl who falls in love with the words of Black women writers, and heals through her connection to their work. Angel also finds comfort and solidarity in hearing stories of joys & struggles from her classmates, who are primarily girls of color (and includes several queer characters!).

Vinyl Moon is a heavy read, since it does center around a young girl in the aftermath of an abusive relationship. Angel is haunted by what she's been through, and struggles with feelings of shame. But above all else, it's a story of healing and the kind of magic that happens when girls of color can see themselves in their classmates, their teachers, and in their books.

At around 175 pages, Vinyl Moon is perfect if you're looking for a short read! Readers who enjoyed Chlorine Sky will adore this one too, and it'll also be a hit with fans of Elizabeth Acevedo, Candace Iloh, and Ashley Woodfolk.

I'm not sure where I land on this one. I really loved the characters and the emphasis placed on friendships and finding that place to call home, but felt like there was some depth missing. I was left pretty unsatisfied with the ending and didn't feel like I got the answers the book was trying to build towards. It was still an enjoyable and fun read.

My Thoughts:

Snaps to black girl magic in this multi genre book about Angel, a teen sent to Brooklyn after an incident with her abusive boyfriend. In New York, she lives with a loving, hard working uncle. At her new school, she finds a teacher who guides her to reconnect with herself and reimagine her future through the books in her room as well as through the other girls in Ms. Gʻs H.E.R. advisory (Her Excellence is Resilience & Honoring Everyones Roots). The vignettes and poems are about Angel, her dreams, her awakening, her friends, her music. But it is also a song for Brooklyn in the same way that House on Mango Street is a song about Chicago.

For English teachers, this is a mentor text for your writers, as well as a book list of what should be in the literary American canon. If as high school English teachers, we have not offered these books to our students, are we preparing them?:
James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time, Notes of a Native Son
Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye, Sula
Zora Neale Hurston, Their Eyes Were Watching God
Ms. Browne, through Angel, brings these writers back into the consciousness of new readers in a format in a way that will make them curious and perhaps pick it up on their own. As an educator and a former AP teacher, I appreciate that. I remember giving my public school students The Bluest Eye for summer reading, then spending the whole summer wondering if I was going to get called in by the principal or an irate parent. I had my intention and justification papers ready, and although I never got questioned, I knew it was a risk. I also enjoyed the little rant Angel has with the librarian about what is classic and should be read and what is not valued. Using this book as a pep talk for English teachers to pay attention to this kind of student who uses reading as a window, a mirror, a sliding glass door, as well as a healing stone is an important reminder as we start to think again about creating our own curriculum and our own resources for these times of upheaval.

Bring Vinyl Moon into the classroom as a mentor text for writing workshop. Bring it in as a stepping stone for other books. Pair it with House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros or the Oceania vignettes of Girl in the Moon Circle by Sia Figiel. Let black and brown girl magic from the diaspora vibrate through your classroom. Wouldn't that be fabulous? I am already excited to create curriculum.

Finally, when authors bother to write letters in the beginning of the book, I like to read it. I like to hear others talk about their intentionality and their "why," so I also want to honor that.
This is a story about finding your way. This is one of so many of our stories. I hope it brings you closer to sharing your voice. I hope it lights a candle in the cavern where you hide yourself. I hope it feels safe to read these voices and know they are thinking about you being and breathing. Wherever you are. --Mahogany L. Browne
From the. Publisher:
When Darius told Angel he loved her, she believed him. But five weeks after the incident, Angel finds herself in Brooklyn, far from her family, from him, and from the California life she has known.

Angel feels out of sync with her new neighborhood. At school, she can’t shake the feeling everyone knows what happened—and that it was her fault. The only place that makes sense is Ms. G’s class. There, Angel’s classmates share their own stories of pain, joy, and fortitude. And as Angel becomes immersed in her revolutionary literature course, the words from Black writers like Toni Morrison, James Baldwin, and Zora NEale Hurston speak to her and begin to heal the wounds of her past.

This stunning novel weaves together prose, poems, and vignettes to tell the story of Angel, a young woman whose past was shaped by domestic violence but whose love of language and music and the gift of community grant her the chance to find herself again.

Vinyl Moon is Mahogany L. Browne's sophmore novel. This is a perfect choice for high school readers who enjoy novels written in verse. Recommend to fans of Jason Reynolds & Elizabeth Acevedo..

This was really a great book. I loved that it was told in vignettes and poetry. The author did a great job of making the reader feel immersed in the story...the sights, the sounds, the emotions. The H.E.R. class and its teacher and students were great. I wish there was something like this available at all schools. Fans of Acevedo's The Poet X would likely enjoy this one.

Exquisite poetry and prose intertwine in this uplifting novel about a Black trauma survivor finding herself through the powerful voices of BIPOC artists. Writers like Cisneros, Morrison, and Angelou influence both the character on her journey to becoming a musical artist and the style of narration, a combination of vignettes, poems, and conversations. Browne also surrounds her protagonist with a community of Black women and girls, each with her own developed identity and arc, who flesh out not only the world of the story but the message about the strength, resilience, ingenuity, and above all value of Black girls, despite how society has conspired to put them down or teach them that they don't matter or can't achieve. This book is an essential purchase for any YA collection and an emotional, uplifting literary read for teens and even adults.

Written in a mixture of prose, poetry and vignettes Vinyl Moon did not disappoint! I enjoyed so many aspects of this story; Angel's growing love of reading, the dynamics of the H.E.R Leadership Advisory, and Angel's relationship with her Uncle Spence. After a traumatic event forces her to move across the country, I appreciate Angel's willingness to give her new neighborhood and school a chance. I felt the authenticity in Angel's growing friendships at her school and the balance of sharing who she believed she was and who she was growing into. It was a great read.
Thanks Netgalley!

Vinyl Moon offers a much-needed perspective about Black girls exploring their passion, building purposeful friendships, and navigating traumatic events. I thoroughly enjoyed Mahogany’s ability to bring the reader in to Angel’s world. What I most appreciated was the way that her journey/experience with domestic violence was carefully handled. It wasn’t until the book was wrapping up that we learned the full context of what happened to her. I appreciated that the details were not too graphic.

In all, this is a book that would be a great match for readers young and old— Angel’s story is one that deserves to be shared and devoured. Angel’s story is one that is sure to resonate with Black girls trying to navigate the world of friends and romance.

Thanks to Net Galley for this ARC is exchange for an honest review.

Vinyl Moon is the story of Angel, who has recently made the move from California to Brooklyn. She arrives in Brooklyn with a sling, and scars both physically and mentally. Angle has a hard time figuring out her new life. She feels like everyone knows what happened and that it was her fault. She finds refuge in Ms. G's class with other female teens who share their own stories of pain, joy, and fortitude. She finds a love of literature and music which slowly help her to heal.

Overall I enjoyed this book. I love Mahogany Browne's use of language. Her prose is always beautiful and I enjoyed the interspersed poetry, letters, and text messages. I also liked that she introduced many tough topics, angel's parents had an abusive relationship, her mother was neglectful and an alcoholic, and Angel was in an abusive relationship that landed her in Brooklyn. The issue I had was that I didn't think each of these was tackled as thoroughly as they could have been. The ending almost felt rushed. The majority of the book was a great amount of setup and then all of a sudden in one class period Angel opens up to her classmates and then is healed. That is a bit of an oversimplification but I felt as if the conclusion could have been a bit slower with some more details of her recovery.

Vinyl Moon is the story of Angel, who moves to Brooklyn after a traumatic event in California. The story is told in fairly short chapter, flashbacks, poetry, and text messages, which I did enjoy. This is a great book for teen readers, as it is short, but allows the reader to witness a young person begin to heal from trauma, forge new friendships, and discover new things about themselves.

This was a great end of the year read for me. I loved the story of Angel, who moved from CA to NY after some troubles at home. She found a love of reading through her new teacher who introduced her to new POC authors. I absolutely LOVED this quote:

“I’m looking for stories that remind me of me…my teacher says whatever book that makes you feel like you are home can be a classic.”

I feel this so much. We learn “the classics” in school- most of which are by white men, and so many students are left feeling underrepresented.

Overall a great book! Would have loved to know more about her background so we could understand her previous trauma, but definitely enjoyed the read.

In Vinyl Moon we meet Angel, who has just relocated to Brooklyn after an injury to live with her uncle. She misses her younger siblings back in California but has a strained relationship with her mother, who she addresses by her first name, Elena. As the story unfolds we learn more about Angel's circumstances and before Angel can admit to herself that her experiences in California were less than ideal, we the reader begin to surmise her history and some of the struggles she has been forced to deal with. In Brooklyn, she begins to heal, both physically and mentally. She is placed in a special program for at-risk students and begins to form bonds with friends as well as find trust and support from her teachers.

I loved this book, especially the voice of Angel and her friends. Their unique slang and attention to specific hip hop artists really helped shape them as characters. Everyone had unique backgrounds and ethnicities that helped portray the rich diversity and culture within New York City. I will definitely recommend this to my patrons and anyone who enjoys YA. This will be a hit with readers.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children's, Crown books for Young Readers, and Mahogany L. Browne for the opportunity to read Vinyl Moon in exchange for an honest review.

This novel is told in a combination of vignettes with eloquent prose, and moments sprinkled here and there of poetry.

After an incident with her boyfriend in California, Angel moves to New York to stay with her uncle. In a new city with a new school, she struggles to find meaning. 

Angel learns very quickly that the other students at her school have all had their own struggles, and they find solace in talking to each other in an openly safe environment. Angel quickly makes friends, but still can't seem to share her story. When ta teacher shares her collection of books by Black authors with Angel, Angel finds so much more meaning to being a young Black woman. The words of writers like Toni Morrison and Zora Neal Hurston bring inspiration and ambition to Angel's new life and help her find ways to move on from the past. Their words are impactful and help guide the choices she continues to make in her young life.

When she meets Sterling, she is certainly interested, but also feels like it's not time for a boyfriend yet. How can she be with someone when she can't struggles to share the story of her past relationship and the whole reason for her being in New York anyway?

This is a fantastically written novel, easy to read, and packs a powerful message about our experiences and how we choose to move on from the hardships of the past and make new memories in the present. A great work of art.

After a violent incident with her boyfriend Darius, Angel’s mom sent her away from their northern California home to live with her uncle in Brooklyn. Now, she’s trying to make her way in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people, while at the same time trying to heal, both physically and mentally, from her trauma.

This short, beautiful novel stitches together brief vignettes, all written from the point of view of Angel, along with several poems and a few text exchanges. As the book progresses, the nature of the “incident” and the abusive relationship that led to it becomes clear, as do her feelings of guilt, self-doubt, grief, anger, and resentment, as well as her PTSD. But Angel finds hope and life in the books that she reads – powerful works by female authors of color like The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison – and in the music she listens to. This book is in part a love letter to books and music, and the powerful effect they can have on our lives. She also learns a lot about how to love herself by finding people who love and support her in healthier ways than she is used to.

Representation: People of color, black main characters and side characters, lesbian and bisexual characters, main character has PTSD

CW: Domestic violence and abusive relationships