Wow. This book was phenomenal. it completely lived up to the hype.I have a lot of thoughts on this so here they are (keep in mind this is coming from an Asian American from the Bay Area):I loved how educational it was. It really made you understand the Black Lives Matter movement and the reality of it. It hit every single point and put you right in the middle of it.I also liked how Angie Thomas made brought up big points in really subtle ways. For example, “Funny how it works with white kids though. It’s dope to be black until it’s hard to be black” (11). That is so true. People only like black culture when it’s cool , but the minute something bad happens to the black community, they distance themselves from it. But the quote that really hit hard was, “Funny. Slave masters thought they were making a difference in black people’s lives too. Saving them from their ‘wild African ways.’ Same Shit, different century. I wish people them would stop thinking that people like me need saving” (246). I read that quote and was like, damn, preach it girl!The minority alliance between Starr and Maya made me so happy. It was so good to see a black girl and her Asian best friend team up. Angie Thomas could have done a bit more with it, but it was still nice to see it included. Personally, I think we need more minority alliances because there is more that unites us than divides us and together we can make a big impact. #Asians4BlackLivesI also liked that this tackled interracial dating. It added an extra layer to the complexity of this novel.The pop culture references were a really nice and unexpected touch. I was definitely not expecting High School Musical and the Jonas Brothers to be mentioned in this book.Overall, this book was everything. It should be taught in schools because despite being fiction, it was so informative, thought provoking, and leaves the door open for a lot of discussion.

Okay, this review is probably going to be short and sweet since it has been so long since I read this book.What I DO remember about this book is that it was SO good! It will make you angry, it will make you sad, it will open your eyes and enlighten you. Starr is such an amazing character. She has to go through things that no kid should have to go through. But she's so strong and handles it so well, despite the strong (likely) possibility of an unfavorable outcome.I loved the family dynamic in this book. I loved how much Starr's family all loved and cared for each other. It's so refreshing to see a full, functional family for a change.Another thing I really liked about this book was the sense of community in Garden Heights. I loved all the interactions between the different people and seeing how much they all loved their community. That's not something I recall seeing in really any books and I enjoyed it.A couple of things I remember wanting to talk about regarding this book:-While I was reading this book, I remember thinking that Sekani was an odd name. And I love that this was actually addressed in the book and that it totally put me in my place. I don't remember exactly what was said, but I remember I liked it. But I feel like I can't really say anything about anyone's name because I feel like Cyra is an odd name.-I was so so so glad when Starr stopped putting up with Hailey's crap. She was a really rotten friend and it made me sad to think that Starr had to be a different person around her white friends at school.Overall, this book was fantastic! I was a bit late to the party on reading this one, but I would definitely recommend it if you are also fashionably late to this party. It is powerful and deserves every single ounce of hype that it gets and MORE!

Angie Thomas has written an amazingly provocative debut novel. It ranks with Victoria Christopher Murray's Stand Your Ground and Jody Piccoult's, Small Great Things. The novel has believable characters, realistic dialogue, and a slice of life.Starr Carter lives in Garden Heights, where gunshots, drug dealers, and gangbangers are a part of her life. In an effort to protect her and her brothers, Seven and Sekani, and for a better education, their parents send them to Williamson, a private school. Starr has learned to negotiate both worlds, but with different personae. At Williamson, Starr doesn't want to be "ghetto" or "the angry black girl". At home she hangs around the house or works at her father's neighborhood grocery store.The last weekend of Spring Break, her friend Kenya talks Starr into gAsoig to a party. While at the party, Starr runs into an old friend, Khapulls hey are catching up and reminiscing, a fight erupts. Khalil gets Starr out of house and into his car. On the wag to Star's house, they talk and listen to some Tupac. Khalil explains to Starr why Tupac is still relevant. Then the blue lights flash behind them and Khalil pulls over. What happens next terrifies Starr, changes Starr in so many ways.

I wanted to tweet @ you, Angie, but I couldn't limit my characters enough! I followed you bc of an automated Twitter recommendation, and when I started seeing all the buzz about The Hate U Give, I finally had to see what the big deal was all about. I was sucked in on the first page. Not only are you an incredible story teller, but you got your message across clearly without ever being pushy or preachy. I loved your characters, the depth each one had, the unique perspective everyone offered and all the angles you approached the situation from.I'm a white girl who grew up in a predominately white midwestern suburb, and I feel like you offered me and others like me an opportunity to peek inside another world and build a better sense of empathy and understanding of this national problem. You handled an extremely controversial subject with grace, wisdom, and integrity and I honestly feel like everyone who reads this should finally "get it."Thank you- Haddi

I haven't actually cried while reading a novel in quite some time. There are some things I will never truly understand because I have never and will never experience them. All I can do is try to understand and empathize. While non-fiction articles and stories are necessary to understanding society's current climate, a well-written novel like this can really bring it home for people (myself included). The story was so engaging and the characters all felt so real: both flawed and relatable.Obviously, the main storyline was powerful as h**l but I liked some of the other dynamics in the story as well. For one, I think this novel did a much better job at illustrating family dynamics in modern America than any other novel I've ever read. The awkwardness of having half-siblings was there and relevant without being overly explained either. Their family is no less real or "normal" because it doesn't fit into the perfect cookie-cutter suburban picture.Secondly, I love the portrayal of healthy relationships throughout the novel (and unhealthy ones as a contrast). Starr's parents are adorable despite the fact that their relationship isn't without its lows. (view spoiler).This book did so much right and it didn't even feel like it was 400+ pages. I think every young adult should read this book, especially right now when it's so relevant. Hopefully, when my (currently non-existent) children are old enough for me to encourage them to read books like this, it will be more historical than relevant.