Review Title: Bullets, Brotherly Love, and the Brutal Hope of Kingston’s Streets

Summary:

In Better Must Come, Desmond Hall delivers a gripping and tender YA novel set in the heart of modern-day Jamaica; a place humming with vibrancy and danger in equal measure. The story follows Deja, a teen girl determined to survive, and Desmond (aka "Likkle D"), a boy caught in the clenched fists of poverty and politics. Their worlds crash together as love, ambition, and the need for freedom pull them into a whirlwind of gang violence, class tensions, and dreams of escape. The title, borrowed from a Jamaican political slogan, echoes like a prayer throughout: better must come, but at what cost?

What Worked:

A Setting that Breathes
Hall paints Kingston in full color: not just the beauty and rhythm of the island, but its suffocating systemic inequities. From overcrowded streets to the haunting presence of "dons" who control neighborhoods, the setting is visceral. You can feel the dust, the tension, the heat, and the basslines of reggae and dancehall vibrating off the page.

Nuanced Characters, No Stereotypes
Likkle D isn’t just a “badman in training.” He’s a boy who loves books, wants out, and is stuck in the vice grip of his environment. Deja isn’t just a “good girl”; she’s sharp, strategic, and grappling with privilege, guilt, and a yearning to do right. Hall excels at giving each character layers. No one is flat, not even the so-called villains.

The Politics Are Personal
The novel smartly weaves in Jamaican politics. How elections, corruption, and gang affiliations ruin lives and shape destinies. But it never feels preachy. It’s personal. It’s intimate. It’s life-or-death. It gives readers a crash course in postcolonial survival without ever losing the heart of the story.

Language That Honors Culture
Hall uses Patois authentically and fluidly, never over-explaining, trusting the reader to listen and feel. It makes the story richer. Jamaican slang, cadence, and code-switching become tools of power, resistance, and love.

What Could Be Stronger:

Pacing Toward the End
The final chapters pack in a lot—showdowns, twists, sacrifices—which makes the climax thrilling but slightly rushed. Some character arcs (especially secondary ones) deserved more room to breathe. That said, it’s clear Hall was aiming for emotional impact, and he does deliver.

Deja’s Arc Could Use More Clarity
While Deja starts strong, her role sometimes feels reactive rather than active in the second half. Her inner conflicts (especially around class and her family) are compelling but could’ve been explored more deeply for payoff.

Big Themes & Takeaways:

Hope vs. Survival: The title is a mantra. But survival often demands choices that make “better” feel impossible. This book asks: Can you dream your way out of a trap? What are you willing to lose for freedom?

Masculinity, Loyalty, and Brotherhood: Likkle D’s friendships especially with his ride-or-die, Sweets, are raw and emotional. Hall spotlights how young men are expected to be both hard and self-sacrificing, tough yet tender, killers yet protectors.

Gender and Class: Deja and Likkle D are both trapped. One by privilege and expectation, the other by poverty and politics. Their perspectives clash but ultimately deepen each other.

Favorite Quotes (No spoilers):

“The system is like quicksand, and all we have is each other to keep from sinking.”

“A boy who can’t cry has no choice but to fight.”

“The don don’t just run the ends. He run your whole damn life.”

Final Thoughts:
Better Must Come is a gritty, powerful, and necessary story that gives voice to the youth living between violence and vision, love and loss, tradition and transformation. Desmond Hall writes like someone who knows the streets, loves the people, and still dares to hope. It’s for fans of Angie Thomas and Elizabeth Acevedo, but with a Caribbean pulse that’s all its own.

Dejah and Gabrielle are seventeen and already navigating some series situations, just trying to keep their families safe. The stakes build until they're running and there's big amounts of money and more involved. This book is so fast paced, high stakes and you can't help but want these kids to get through it safe and get into a better situation.

Why Did I Listen To Better Must Come by Desmond Hall?

Better Must Come has been on my TBR from Netgalley for a while and when I saw the audiobook was available on Spotify, I knew I had to jump on it. I also chose to read this book during the month of February where I was trying to focus on reading books written by bipoc authors/featured bipoc characters.

What’s The Story Here?

Better Must Come is set in Jamaica and takes a hard look at the darker side of the island. It follows Deja, who is known as a "barrel girl" because she and her siblings receive barrels full of clothes, food, and treats from parents that have moved to the US or Canada to make more money, and Gabriel, who is a member of a local gang and desperately wants out. When the two characters meet there are instant sparks but with each having their own baggage, they're reluctant to get involved but before they know it their worlds are colliding in ways that they could have never imagined.

What Did I Think Of Better Must Come?
Better Must Come is a face paced listen. I found myself captivated from the very beginning listening to Deja and Gabriel's stories. Each of them is only seventeen but already have so much responsibility on their shoulders. There is also so much crime and corruption through out Jamaica! Desmond Hall does a really good job at showing a realistic side of Jamaica - not just the sunny touristy side. The writing draws you in but, I also found the pacing to be slow at times. It also felt like the ending was rushed and there was not enough build up to it given what was actually going on.

How’s The Narration?
The audiobook is narrated by Jaime Lincoln Smith and is 7 hours and 58 minutes long. I listened to it at double speed and found that it was easy to listen to as I did my housework. As a listener, I enjoyed the fact that the narrator was Jamaican American. I feel like that added another dimension to the story. I would recommend this narration to anyone who is looking for an authentic narration.

I was not a fan of the audio on this one but did enjoy the story itself. The growth of Deja was rewarding and inspiring. I was cheering for Deja throughout the whole novel.

The characters make this story for me. I enjoyed seeing how they intertwine to reach their goals. The decisions they make feel real.

This was a really good story and as a child of Jamaican parents it was relatable. My mother was always sending "barrels" to Jamaica for my grandmother, and.numerous cousins. However, I had no idea that receiving those barrels came with being labeled.

The main character, Deja is a "barrels girl" and her classmates think she's rich and don't have the same struggles. But then, her mom informs her that there will never no barrels or extra money for her siblings school fees.

Then, enter a cute boy who run with gangsters, a dead body, & a bag full of money, and the drama begins.

Desmond Hall brought a fresh, new storyline to add to the Caribbean diaspora. Be sure and add this to your tbr, especially during Read Caribbean month in June!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this read. I got it through #HOV and I was so glad to read it early. I read Desmond’s first book and when I got the chance to read this I was right in. It was so good and reminded me a lot about the life in Jamaica. It was a special read and one I will remember !
Not sure why my review didn’t show before but I have come to fix that !

Better to Come is a decent YA novel with its fair share of highs and lows. The story follows Deja, a young woman burdened with responsibilities beyond her years. Her journey is filled with challenges, from navigating a difficult family situation to facing the dangers of the drug trade.

While the plot is intriguing, the pacing can be uneven. The first half of the book feels a bit slow, but it picks up significantly in the second half. The characters are well-developed, and I found myself rooting for Deja and Gabriel. However, some of the plot twists feel a bit predictable, and the ending felt a bit rushed.

Better to Come is a solid read for young adult readers who enjoy thrillers and coming-of-age stories. It's a quick and engaging read, with plenty of suspense and drama to keep you hooked.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the arc of this novel.

Rating: 3.5/5⭐️

Decent YA. I can see it being intriguing for a teen. Not much of a thrill in the "thriller" sense but definitely a little suspenseful. The novel teaches about Jamaican culture and "barrel children" . However, it was a bit slow paced for me.

Deja and Gabriel’s story ends up being a thriller with Jamaican life as the backdrop. I do not know of another book like this for young adults, and I love that it is written now for the readers who need to see themselves and for others to hear this story. Readers are going to enjoy this intense read!

Hall vividly depicts life in Jamaica and what it is like for the main character who has to take care of her siblings because her mother is working in the US. This sets the stage for understanding of how and why she makes the decisions she makes moving forward in the book, as well as motivations for other characters decisions as well. From an outside perspective the book allowed me to see a different side of Jamaica - separate from the “vacation” side we often see portrayed on ads on tv. The real lives of those struggling to make ends meet who live on the island day to day and how far they must go to do that. This book was eye opening and a great read. The use of local dialects helped to set the stage with characters but also made it a little more challenging to read and understand at times if you didn’t understand what they meant. That is why I opted for a 4 instead of 5 stars. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy!

I would highly recommend this book to my book buddies! I really enjoy this book! I would definitely read from the author gaian.

3.5⭐️ - what an intro to Jamaica. This was an intense topic, but a little uneven in terms of pacing. Some of the happenings were a little too "convenient", but overall I really enjoyed the story and look into a very different world.

An intense YA thriller where the characters are really put through it all. This is a good read, albeit tough at times, and I definitely will be recommending to others. Thank you netgalley for the arc.

This book was absolutely thought provoking and I loved every minute of reading this book. It is a must read!!

✨Book Review @hearourvoicestours✨

Better Must Come by Desmond Hall @desmondhallauthor
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🎵Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0FtyGU0uzrytQRjMkfDEm0?si=W4ZDXUI1TJWWduOhLBT-AQ&pi=u-J0FFCthPTaq1
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✨Rating & Review✨: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Fair warning for those who pick up this book, find you a Jamaican grandmotha to help you understand the patois. Or, be engaged to someone with one 😏. Okay, but for real, this I’m apparently in my thriller era because there was no reason for this book to be so good, I stayed up until 3 am to finish it. I mean!! The pacing is perfect, the character growth is there and the love for friends and family?! What more could you ask for. And to make it even better, set in the beautiful country of Jamaica where the people are proud of their home and just want to live. I’m so thankful I was able to read this book and provide a playlist for y’all. Speaking of… I had to stay on theme with my playlist, all Jamaican born artists to go with this book set in Jamaica. Take a listen and read along to the stories of Deja and Gabriel.
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#Books #BookRecommendation #BlackGirlsReadBooksToo #BlackGirlsRead #Bookstagram #BlackBookstagram #BooksAreAGirlsBestFriend #QueerReadersOfInatagram #ReadersOfInstagram #BookishGirls #BookReviews #BetterMustCome #HOV #HOVBookTour #HearOurVoices

I like the setting in Jamaica so i gave this a 3.5 star. The main MC Deja was likeable but otherwise this story was just interesting but nothing spectacular. Sometimes it was a little hard to understand because of the language but you can kinda figure it out using context clues. I did feel the pastor was a very interesting character and i loved his involvement in the end but the ending dragged so much.

This was a fast paced contemporary YA with thrilling elements that had me on the edge of my seat at some points. We meet Deja, a 17yr girl, who has had to take on a lot more responsibility than she should have too at her young age. Unfortunately, she meets Gabriel, who she's possibly interested in, but circumstances won't let things be that easy for them. Throughout this novel, we see Deja and Gabriel navigate obstacles and essentially fight for their freedom.

I enjoyed the commentary of Deja being a barrel girl and the societal expectations and biases she had to face. I liked that was able to speak about being away from her mother and the void that material things would never fill for her and her siblings. I also enjoyed hearing Gabriel's perspective on being in a posse and the unease and daily uncertainty that comes with that life.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing for the e-arc of this novel.

For this book to be YA it was definitely a wild story. Nobody expects a teen to go through or deal with situations both Deja and Gabriel encountered in this book. But these are the harsh realities for many growing up in Jamaica. The struggle to survive, a desire to provide, but being forced to take on adult responsibilities was something Deja honestly wasn't prepared for.
Taking the drug money might have been a mistake that could've cost her and her family their lives. But when you're in a tough spot and have others depending on you like her siblings then you do what you got to do to make it. Gabriel had no one so being apart of a posse was a way to take care of himself.
Overall, it was an intense but great read and being from the Caribbean, I was truly wrapped up into the storyline .

I had to sit with this one for a little bit. There were a lot of aspects of this story I enjoyed. I didn’t really get a thriller vibe from this, but that was fine. What I loved, though, was that Jamaica felt like it was also a character; you got to see Jamaica through the eyes of a native.

Deja was a phenomenal character. She was intelligent and brave. I loved the bond she has with her family and friends. Deja and Gabriel dealt with some very adult issues, but such is life. Given the situations these teens are dealing with, it’s a pretty intense book, which, at times, had me sitting the book down for a short spell. Another aspect I enjoyed was that there was nothing romantic between Deja and Gabriel; they just had a strong connection.

The pacing wasn’t always great. There were moments when the pacing was slow, but the ending felt rushed. I would have loved to learn a little more about Deja’s mom. That was a topic that I would have loved to explore, but it wasn’t really touched on.

Overall, this was enjoyable and intense. It covered several important topics that Hall covered exceptionally well.