The cover caught my attention. And the premise behind the story is an interesting one, particularly how a huge component of the story is forgiveness (something that is not always prominent in our society). The story is told in alternating POV (Violetta and her brother Vin). Vin's storyline gives deeper insight to their family. There is a bit of a dystopian feel to the juvenile justice system, where crimes can be forgiven by the victims, but the accused must complete certain tasks related to their crime to gain that forgiveness. The whole process may cause the reader to ponder forgiveness in a different way, as well as consider the impact that one bad decision can make. The book also showcases a broken justice system that often discriminates based on class and race. There are a lot of parts of this book which would make it great for a discussion group, particularly among the target audience (teens), since it centers around an important topic.

Will her family forgive her after a horrible tragedy? Will they be able to move forward? They can’t change the past but what does the future look like? There was strong character development that allowed you to really connect to each character. It was a slow start but with the short chapters I was able to get more into it in the second half of the book. The dual POVs felt absolutely necessary to know what was going on within the juvenile justice system as well as on the outside. This story portrays how one decision (good or bad) can alter the trajectory of your life plan. The trials were an interesting take on serving as “punishment” and the fact that they were recorded for viewing by the family felt a bit too much but I do think it led to forgiveness.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC, this is a voluntary honest review.

A searing, emotional, and important novel that takes on the flawed criminal justice system and incarceration. Not an easy read but one that will hopefully start a necessary conversation.

Thoughts

I really, really liked the idea here. Both the blurb (which sounds particularly dystopian) and the author note (which says the book revolves around a family) spoke to a book I would have loved, and yet... the execution here wasn't for me. I wanted more dystopia. I wanted more family drama. I wanted more, whichever way this book was meant to swing, and it just kind of fell flat for me.

Pros
Best Interest: There is something so frustrating about watching these parents hurt their child in the name of her "best interest." Maybe they do want what's best for her, but they're also thinking of themselves first. They let her fall into a dark place, and they take no responsibility for that. And that's horrific--eye-opening and horrific. This is something that I'm sure will resonate with a lot of teen readers--something I experienced myself as a teen: watching a friend go down the wrong road while their parents willfully look the other way (even when their kid is practically begging for help). There's an innate sense of injustice in these pages, something that Jennifer Baker does so, so well.

Call For Reform: A punishment system is not a justice system. A real justice system, especially for minors, involves reformation. Vulnerable parties will only ever be crushed by an unjust system, and while the "justice" system in this book does not necessarily speak directly to ours, it is still a calling-out, and a calling-out I think we need. There's a major problem in this justice system (and perhaps a lot of contemporary justice systems) that punish certain demographics and kinds of people more than others--vulnerable and voiceless demographics.

Guilty: What does it mean to be guilty? And why do certain parties have to shoulder more of the blame? This book is a calling-out but also a pointing finger. Because not every crime is cut and dry. There are a lot of moving parts, a lot of considerations, and especially when a "criminal" is so young, black-and-white thinking isn't to anyone's benefit. This book wrestles with the notion of guilt, and it's hard to read because of that--in a good, soul-searching way.


Cons
Explication: A well-written world shouldn't need a classroom-style introduction to its mechanics, and that's exactly what we get here: a full scene, in the classroom, explaining how exactly we got here. Great worldbuilding will be much more natural than that. It felt forced, especially because the information, while relevant to the readers, didn't seem especially relevant to the characters. These gals have already been sentenced to the Trials. Why do they care where the Trials come from? Why does the government care about informing them of the Trial origins? It wasn't for propaganda, so... What was it for expect to give an info dump that the readers really needed?

Multi POV Woes: One of the common woes of multi-POV stories is the chance for one point-of-view to be so much more engaging than the other(s). That was, unfortunately, the case here. I found Vincent's narrative much more interesting and compelling, which was entirely unexpected since his is, by and large, so much more mundane. He isn't undergoing any Trials, after all. He's going through his regular old life. But even though I found his POV more interesting, I wasn't ultimately sure what the point was. A book entirely from Violeta's perspective might have been more impactful, though I can't be sure of that. It just felt like there was some problem here between these POVs, and I can't quite put my finger on what it was or how it could have been better.

Cruel: This book is set up like it is going to be dystopian, and it definitely has seeds of that. But really, it's just a slightly tweaked contemporary world that is particularly cruel for no particular reason. And that was this book's biggest downfall, because I wasn't given a promised dystopia or a particularly chilling indictment of the current justice system we have. The weird mix of real and not-quite that I got hooked left me high and dry, no point in sight.


Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
6/10

Fans of Teri Terry's Slated will like this new, slightly-askew justice system. Those who enjoyed Scott Westerfeld's Uglies will appreciate the calling-out that this book does.

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

A unique YA novel that draws the reader into both Violetta and her brother Vince's point of views of Violetta's hearing and trials.

I think Forgove Me Not will appeal to many teens as it moves fairly quickly and it's something they haven't read before

this book was so sad. I just couldn’t imagine committing a crime and having the victims family be the one in charge of my fate. I really enjoyed how the author explored forgiveness , the juvenile justice system and abolition. I felt for all the characters in this story.

If I’m being honest, I couldn’t get into this one at all. I have no idea why I’m supposed to care about these characters. They’re boring and their voices are generic. I will probably put a copy of this in my class library because kids like dystopian books and this one has a lot of fodder for discussion and research, but I found it boring.

I received the arc of this ebook from Netgalley and absolutely wanted to finish and have it reviewed within the first week of its release.

First let me start that by saying as a reader, I get where the author was going with this storyline, but as a mother,I absolutely despised the Chen-Samuels parents as a unit. I'll further explain why farther in my review.

Violetta or Letta for short made a horrible mistake and now its up to her family to decide how her life should precede on after causing the death of her 7 year old sister Vivian. Her parents and brother Vincent make the decision that she should learn from this experience and I absolutely agree that she should be rehabilitated in some form. But these parents are so standoffish and oblivious that you can practically feel the favoritism jumping off the pages. They are completely blind to the actions of their children and hold no accountability for their role in their daughter's life. And that is my biggest hang up about them.

The story is told from Letta's and Vince's point of views I like this as it shows not only her inner turmoil but his and his parents as well. For a YA novel the drama was pretty mid. Like there isn't gun violence or anything that a parent of say a 13 year old wouldn't want their child to read. There are some triggers in this story though. All in all i would rate this one a low 4 out of 5 stars as it was an uncorrected copy and again i didn't like the parents lol. I would check out more works from this author.

I want to first say that this book was great. The concept, the way this author wrote it and her reasoning behind this book. Before I received this book I was captivated by the title and the cover and wanted to know more. Forgive Me Not is about a fifteen year old girl Violetta Chen-Samuel who is incarcerated for drunk driving that led to the death her younger sister. In this justice system the family of the victim gets to determine the punishment but what happens when your own family is the people you have wronged? Forgive Me Not is the voice of Violetta and her brother Vince as her family decided Violeta’s fate when she is denied immediate forgiveness.

I loved the POV from Vince and Violetta because it gave the perspective of although one person was actually incarcerated both parties are essentially doing “time” and seeing how it not only affects the person but also the family. I liked this authors perspective about an alternate justice system of the victims deciding the fate of the people who wronged and starting first with forgiveness of which is really important and then if not how the families would move forward.

This book was good and sparked many emotions (sad, angry,relived) within me especially the situation and reasoning Petra was incarcerated along with the events that happened towards the end with Vince. I think this was a creative way to get the message of how drunk driving can impact one’s life. I know maybe reading this instead of watching the same recycled videos we’d watch in high school would have been a much desired choice.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group Penguin Young Readers Group, Nancy Paulson Books for this e-ARC of Forgive Me Not in exchange for an honest review

3.5 stars

I have previously worked in the juvenile justice system, in a detention center a lot like the one Violetta is in. I've seen charges from truancy to murder and know that resources are lacking to help these kids. I thought the idea of the book was incredibly interesting, examining the biases of the JJS and whether a person can be forgiven or even forgive themselves.

I wasn't sure at first that I liked the dual POV, but I understood that Vince's parts were important to show how her family (who are also the victim's family) are coping with everything and the broader effects of the trials on Violetta's peers and community.

There are a lot of good points that start to be made here, but I felt like they didn't quite hit all the way. This is a conversation starter, but I wanted to go deeper into the racism of the system, as well as see more kids in the trials and their outcomes.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Nancy Paulsen Books and NetGalley for the copy.

When I read the description for this one I was intrigued as it seemed a creative and unique story. Overall I did think it was good, but for once I didn’t like that it was told in dual perspectives. I didn’t feel like Vince’s perspective really added to the story and it dragged on. I wanted more from Violetta and her story. I do think the book sounded more dystopian than it ended up being, but that honestly speaks to how twisted our juvenile justice system is that this didn’t seem too far from the truth. It just too one night of bad decisions for Violeta’s whole life to change. She drank alcohol and drove with her 7 year old sister in the car and when she crashed her little sister didn’t make it. Now she is in detention waiting to find out if her victims (her family) will forgive her, make her serve hard time upstate, or endure an unknown set of Trials to prove her worthiness for forgiveness.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for this ARC of Forgive Me Not in exchange for my honest review.

This novel follows a teen girl who made a mistake that caused grief for herself and for her family. It shows the future potential of the juvenile justice system and it is a scary thought. Jennifer Baker created an extremely believable flawed system where juveniles that are in the system can either be forgiven, put through trials or sent upstate.

I think the concept of the trials was interesting, though I thought as I started to read the book that they were going to be much worse, or different than they actually were. Regardless, they were effective in showing the potential cruelty of the system.

This story was written with 2 person point of view: Violetta's view and her brother Vince's view. I think it added so much value to this story to see the affect the system had on both sides of the story.

Overall this was a good read and would recommend it to someone who likes something with dystopian vibes.

First of all thank you netgalley and penguin group for approving me for this ARC.

Since I did not grow up in the US I had no idea - until the authors note - that this prison/court system was fictional. It did sound unbelievable - but then again some things in US court system and prison system sound like that - so I truly had no clue that the author made up this whole situation. She created an interesting system and thought every detail through. I also think she described the emotions and situations very authentic , in this horror scenario that one sibling ends up killing another. Sometimes the story felt a bit lengthy and I did not care much for the brothers story/perspective but all in all it was a good book and I liked the ending. Especially the authors note, in which jennifer Baker (author) shines light on the fact how racist the prison system is and that BIPOC people are more likely to be incarcerated and face higher sentencing than white folks.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This story follows 15 year old Violetta Chen-Samuels. Her decision to drink and drive one night changed her and her family’s lives forever. Her little sister is killed and that leads Violetta to be put in jail. She has the choice of sitting in juvenile detention for an undetermined amount of time or participate in The Trials. She is desperately seeking the chance to earn her family’s love again.

This was unique because you get the point of view of Violetta who is dealing with grief and loss while being the very person responsible for causing it. She embarks in the journey or seeking forgiveness from her family but herself as well. You also get the point of view from Vince, who is Violetta’s older brother. This POV helps to us a readers see what the family is going through since the accident and the difficult decisions the family makes. While this pacing at the beginning was a little slow for me it did not disappoint.

Thank you PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, Nancy Paulsen Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Really smart and unique take on mass incarceration for young people. I liked the characters and the world and the ways that it had speculative elements. It was a touch long in places.

“Forgive Me Not” is an exploration of the juvenile justice system in a near future reality where the victims of the crimes are the judge and jury. The victims decide whether to forgive the perpetrator, send them to prison for a specified amount of time, or assign them to The Trials, a penance meant to teach them what they did wrong and prevent it from happening again. Our two main characters are siblings. Violetta killed her little sister in a drunk driving accident and landed in prison awaiting her sentencing by the victims - her own family. Vince is Violetta’s older brother who struggles with perfectionism and holding his family together especially after the tragedy. Chapters alternate between Violetta and Vince.

The premise of the book is interesting but unfortunately the execution was lacking. The pacing was very slow at times and I didn’t care about Violetta’s POV because it was so boring (which is disappointing because she’s the one on the inside of the system - there could have been more commentary and insight into juvenile detention center).

4.5 stars rounded up!

My first Jennifer Baker and definitely not my last.

"Forgive Me Not" is an engrossing and emotional journey that beautifully explores human emotions and the power of forgiveness. The characters are flawlessly flawed and relatable.

The strength lies in its exploration of self and interpersonal forgiveness, intricately woven into the narrative, leaving a lasting impression. The setting adds depth and authenticity to this intense (but necessary) story. While its emotional depth may not suit everyone, it's this unapologetic honesty that gives the narrative its powerful impact.

In essence, "Forgive Me Not" offers a deeply moving and thought-provoking exploration of human nature and forgiveness, promising to captivate readers long after its end.

I can't wait for this novel to be shared with the world.

This was a extremely unique book that featured three dimensional characters and a interesting plot that kept me hooked till the very end. The book really makes readers think about crime, forgiveness, rehabilitation, and the prison system as it currently is. If you read the first few chapters and the book seems even the slightest appealing to you, then you’ll definitely wanna pick up Forgive Me Not.

This story was unique and very interesting. It felt dystopian but was realistic at the same time. I love Divergent and Hunger Games, and the reading about the Trials of Forgive Me Not gave me similar feels.

The author did a very good job of keeping the pace of the story consistent and engaging. There was strong character development, and the world building was executed quite well. You can sense the feelings and hardships of the family, and the writing style evokes sympathy. I felt the urge to punch Pascale, hug Callie, and help Vincent. I felt utterly horrible for the parents.

I usually struggle with changes in point of view, but Vincent's side of the story was necessary to see what Violetta's family was going through - and giving us his view was a stroke of genius as it lent valuable information to the plot.

The chapters ended at the appropriate times, the transitions of point of views were fluid, and I could continuously read without being distracted by page number or the time. Some of the flashbacks were a bit choppy, and it could have used more action. I think the cover could have been more appealing and eye catching, but the title fits the book perfectly. I had not heard of this author before but she is most definitely one to watch. Forgive Me Not earned a solid 4 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley for offering this title in their catalogue. All the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

While yes this is a story of forgiveness and how to move on from a terrible tragedy its also a story on the justice system.
The system is biased against POC both in real life and in this book. It's set up more for punishment than reform and that's something that needs to change in both places. It's kind of a tough read but definitely worth it and everyone should.
My only issue here is pacing. It's kind of a slow start and the time jump at the end makes me feel like we missed big chunks of the forgiveness aspect.