On the Come Up

by Angie Thomas

We slap palms and end with the Wakanda salute. Wakanda forever.

i think i have aged past young adult fiction truly. i cant.

I’m glad I have my big brother to go through it with me.

now i know im being nitpickey but god everything in this book is just so literal, like everything is explained in such a black or white fashion

I sit on her lap. I should be too big for this, but somehow, I always fit perfectly in her arms.

this is something a 12 year old kid would say about sitting on someones lap, bri is fully 17 sitting on her aunts lap pls.

You can’t stop me on the come up. You can’t stop me on the come up. You can’t stop me on the come up. You can’t stop me, nope, nope. You can’t stop me on the come up. You can’t stop me on the come up. You can’t stop me on the come up. You can’t stop me, nope, nope.

guys i actually cant do this this is so YA i am struggling

Run up on me and get done up.

LIKE PLZ I CANT NOT CRINGE

“They’re gonna think it anyway. If you can get something from this, forget the nonsense and go for it.”

okay im scared that this book is trying to convey the message that this is the wrong way of thinking about it, and that malik and her aunt are right about how she;s rapping about stuff thats not her life but like isnt this her life though she is surrounded by gun violence and she’s obviously playing to the stereotype. curtis is just right

He turns around. “Sure, Jan.” Did he just meme me?

reading some of these lines really feel like im chewing on bricks rn 🥰

I get props from every direction. If my dad is the king of the Garden, I really am the princess.

Okay I’m going to stop complaining about every line but HOLY SHIT I CANT DO ITTTT

“You started a riot!” Malik screams in his face. “You realize what you’ve done?”

no he was just chanting babes the person who PUNCHED STARTED A RIOT oh my god i hate malik

“Yeah, because if you were me, you’d prefer that that video was released instead of videos of you acting ratchet at the Ring,” Shana says. “But those videos are okay, right?”

this is literally anti black and coonery, why is black activism being portrayed like this. that the correct way to act is “white” lets be honest here!!!

“Screw y’all,” I mumble, and throw my hoodie over my head.

her friends are legitimately doodoo garbage. yeah i get wanting to use something to push out your message but you are asking for something at the expense of SOMEONE ELSES TRAUMA, how is verbally jumping her and shaming her the route youre going down to try and convince bri to help like hello

It’s the fact that they were reciting a song?

istg if the message of this book is to change how you act and watch absolutely everything you say so that others don’t perceive you as a hoodlum no good gangbanger i will riot

“You don’t get that luxury, Brianna! We don’t! They never think we’re just playing!”

ugh. with this mentality we wont ever be ABLE TO PLAY! TAKE THE CHANCES TAKE THESE FREEDOMS FOR YOURSELF AND ITS NOT SHAME ON ME ITS SHAME ON YOU FOR NOT GETTING IT

“He can’t focus worth a damn lately. But that’s a whole ’nother discussion for another day.”

#milesisRapid

“After thinking about how everyone reacted to it at school though, I realized you were right,” he says. “You already spoke up for us, Breezy. Not your fault if other people don’t get it. So”—he shrugs—“why don’t we use the song to stir some shit up?”

great thank you Angie Thomas you were scarin me for a bit!

I’ve got them rapping about guns and shit. Is that even okay?

mmm, its dactually due to poor parenting!

I’m still losing Malik, and it still hurts.

lets talk about malik then bri. first, tries to use your undealt with trauma as a way to further put out a message (albeit for a good cause, still at the expense of his so called best friend), completely shits on your first recorded song, deciding on calling you out and shit on your song instead of actually trying to understand the meaning of the lyrics, then AGAIN tries to force you to release this video this time having others also jump on you to do so, THENNNN kisses you while he is literally dating someone and has the audacity to be mad at you for flirting w someone else to “make him jealous”??? and again im kind of confused on what his ass is even mad at rn, like yeah maybe keeping this secret is a big ask but who wouldnt do so for a friend they call close like Malik IS SO WEIRDDD

It’s Miles. Supreme’s son-the-rapper-with-that-annoying-song Miles. “Holy shit,” I mutter.

the fact that i literally knew boyyyyy book predictable as hell

“See, that’s the problem. Lately, you only care about money. Money isn’t everything, Bri.”

MALIK BROTHERRRRR im actually sick that this boy’s character is supposed to be social justice warrior esque and this is how he talks to someone whos family is what two months behind on rent, no food, no gas, no electricity hes actually so sick

I hold my fist out to Sonny and Malik. They knock theirs against it, we give each other dap, and chunk the deuces. We’re still the Unholy Trinity.

the amount of times that unholy trinity has been said in this book. NO TEENAGERS ACT LIKE THIS PLEASEEEEEEEEEE

“Yeah,” I say, and look at my mom. “Long as I can do it my way.”

why did i ever read this