𝙴𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚁𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Split the Sky is easily a 5-star read! I just wish it was a little longer, but this book tackles some extremely heavy topics, and the fact that some states like Texas still have sundown towns is extremely wild. But this is our reality and real time. I didn't think this book would destroy me and make me cry the way that it did. Highly recommend.
Would love to hear this story via audiobook.

Thank you, NetGalley, and Brown Books for Young Readers for the ebook in exchange for my honest review.

This was my first read from Marie Arnold and it won’t be my last! The cover is also captivating and that made me excited for the storyline.

I appreciated the uniqueness of the plot.
It is a heavier collaboration of concepts that may not reach a wide YA audience. It seemed to have too much going on at once. It could’ve been flushed better or had a few things pulled out to make the read more palatable for the younger audience.

Overall, it was a special read.
I read a lot of YA and this is a book that I would buy for my classroom & suggest to my students.

This book is so loaded. With truth, passion, conflict, flight--touching on topics like sundown towns, modern-day KKK clans, wanting to escape racism by /making/ it in this world--and coming to the slow realization it's not something you can escape. But it is something you can fight.

The only problem with this novel is that it's trying to fit all of that==plus a romance, a mystery, family drama, and more--into less than 200 pages. My biggest critique is I feel like everything here didn't have space to breathe, and everything here would benefit from just a little more page time.

That ending nearly had me crying in a coffee shop though, and raised this ARC from 3 to 4 stars. This is a powerful novel. You can tell Arnold's put her whole self and truth in here. I just wish tjere was more meat to the story. The potentials waiting. It's only a matter of truly expanding to find it.

With another draft, it could be comparable to The Hate U Give in impact levels. It's the passion of THUG with a Black magic twist.

I rate Split the Sky 4 out of 5 stars. It's stunning, but I wish the story was more fleshed out. I recommend for readers 14+, and for fans of The Hate U Give, and honestly, The Princess and the Frog.

[Family themes, New Orleans magic, Black Justice]

I really enjoyed this book, especially because the protagonist, LaLa, is a sophomore in high school. It is so hard to find novels with a younger teen protagonist, and I think my students will identify with LaLa's voice. I can't wait to give this to students who have read The Hate You Give and are looking for their next book.

Marie Arnold’s Split the Sky follows Lala Russell, a musically gifted teen who inherits a supernatural ability called “Flashing”—visions passed down through generations of women in her family. When Lala sees the death of a young boy on her fifteenth birthday, she’s warned not to intervene, but her conscience and the rising racial tensions in her Texas town push her to act.

Set against the backdrop of a prestigious music academy and a modern-day sundown town, this novel ambitiously explores civil rights, generational gifts, Black identity, and the power of young activism. The inclusion of Black classical musicians and the focus on instruments like the cello and viola are fresh and meaningful touches rarely seen in YA.

However, the book tries to do too much in too little space. With competing threads—spiritual visions, historical references, racial injustice, grief, and activism—the story often feels rushed and underdeveloped. Character development suffers, and key moments don’t always land with emotional clarity.

Still, Split the Sky offers a unique premise and important themes for a younger audience, especially those just beginning to explore activism, identity, and their place in the world. It’s a heavy story told through a young voice—at times uneven, but undeniably bold.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Split the Sky by Marie Arnold is set in Davey, Texas—a sundown town where racism is still very present, and Confederate flags fly openly. The story centers on Lala, a fifteen-year-old cellist at a prestigious music conservatory, who is struggling with the feeling that standing up to racism is futile. Lala has a gift which is passed down to females in her family called “flashing” which lets her see glimpses of the future.

I really enjoyed the premise, and the mix of real-world issues with a touch of the supernatural was creative; however, overall, the story didn’t quite resonate with me. I wanted more depth from the characters and a stronger storyline to carry the powerful themes. That being said, I can see this book resonating with some young adult readers—especially those looking for a story that blends social justice with a bit of magic.

I absolutely loved this book! This is my first time diving into a YA book and I was captivated by the story. The author touched on a lot of topics that are current and the character Lala was invigorating! The cover is what initially made me want to read the book but the story was GOOD!!

Split the Sky by Marie Arnold
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)

Hey, hey, my favorites 😁💚. #annieethebookiee is back with another book review! This time, I’m diving into Split the Sky by Marie Arnold.

This book had such a unique concept and a strong start, but I found that it dragged in quite a few places. The pacing slowed the momentum, and while there were moments that sparked interest, they were sometimes buried under sections that felt repetitive or overly drawn out.

The main character had potential, and I appreciated the underlying themes, but I wanted a bit more energy and connection throughout. It was okay overall—not bad, just not something I’d rush to reread.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!