false 3 1 false false Thu Nov 05 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sat Oct 31 15:23:11 -0700 2009 Sat Nov 07 16:50:02 -0800 2009 Avery was an A student and had been accepted into the accelerated academic program at Baltimore Central High. He looked forward to going to college with his brother, Rashid, who wanted to be a lawyer so he could fight for justice. After losing Rashid, Avery went numb. Family life began to fall apart, his grades no longer mattered to him and he increasingly secluded himself in his bedroom. It was only the memories of good times spent with Rashid that helped him make it through each day.
Life became somewhat bearable for Avery when he joined Straighten It Out, a program for youth, and even more bearable when he met Natasha Mayfield. Still, he wasn't going to be satisfied until he confronted the person who killed young Rashid, robbing him of life and the chance to live his dreams.
Even though Avery's mother, Yvette, was referred to as crazy, I fully understood her reaction to her son's death and totally sympathized with her. I felt for Natasha and all she had been through in her life. Ricardo (aka Pretty Ricky) I'm not sure what to say about him but he sure wasn't the type of guy Avery needed to be around. And Trevor? It wasn't in his heart to be anything like his dad but he had to front to please him - that was disappointing. It did help to know why he did what he did and how he felt about it afterward but I couldn't sympathize with him because the boy did make a choice to take a life.
This is realistic fiction. The characters are believable, the profanity isn't pervasive, I learned a bit about Baltimore and the author includes important messages for young people (Two thumbs up for Chapter 22!)]]>