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samanthamurk's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
With every one of tiffany d jackson’s books i read i fall more and more in love with her work. This book is definitely a new favorite. I loved the story start to finish. I loved the multiple points of view, the pop culture references, the appreciation for ms lauryn hill, the wonderful lyrics intertwined in the story, everything about this book is wonderful. I might be a bit biased since books and music are my two favorite things in this world and the combination of them makes me ridiculously happy, but this is one of the best books i have ever had the pleasure of reading!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Child death, Death, and Violence
Moderate: Police brutality and Sexism
Minor: Death of parent
emily_mh's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Tiffany D. Jackson is an auto-buy author for me, okay? She is SO TALENTED and I can just trust that her books will be a hit with me. This was no different.
There are two major parts to the plot of this book: Jasmine, Quadir, and Jarrell trying to get their dead brother and friend Steph a record deal, and them trying to solve his murder. The music side of the plot paced the story well from the beginning. It brought some levity to it as the MCs were made to navigate the challenges brought about when you’re trying to get a record deal for someone who is no longer alive. It still had a huge emotional impact though, because it was through Steph’s music that the MCs were processing their grief and mourning for him. The murder mystery plot line mirrored the music one in that through trying to solve Steph’s murder, the MCs were seeking closure and also justice for Steph. And it certainly kept me guessing till the end! Inextricably woven into all of this was nuanced discussion of racism, classism, and sexism, and the way they manifest in social issues (that directly impacted and influenced the story itself) such as police brutality, lack of access and opportunity, and gun violence.
The MCs were excellent. Individually they all had amazing character development, coming so far from where they started out at the beginning of the book. This really is a coming-of-age story, where Jarrell, Quadir and Jasmine are learning a lot about themselves, each other, and the world around them.
The friendship shown in this story was beautiful. Not only was it written so naturally, but the MCs had such loyalty and love for one another, and for Steph. The lengths they went to make his dreams come true and get justice for him spoke to their deep devotion. I also liked the romance between Quadir and Jasmine, and generally loved how community was depicted in people showing up for others when they needed it.
Finally, I loved learning about 90s hip hop culture, like what different artists were known for and the impact their music had on listeners. On that note, Malik “Malik-16” Sharif’s lyrics were incredible in how expressive they were and and how they perfectly tied into the narrative.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Child death, and Murder
Moderate: Police brutality, Violence, Cursing, Racism, and Grief
Minor: Infidelity, Bullying, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Ableism, Body shaming, Misogyny, Fatphobia, Vomit, Drug use, Racial slurs, Confinement, Colonisation, Death of parent, Slavery, and Gun violence
Major: loss of a loved one Moderate: fainting Minor: texturism, internalised misogynytahsintries's review
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Police brutality, Death of parent, Hate crime, Murder, Gun violence, and Racism
Minor: Drug abuse
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