Dear Martin by Nic Stone - Restarting July 28th 2020

[Riddhi]

Raw, captivating, and undeniably real, Nic Stone joins industry giants Jason Reynolds and Walter Dean Myers as she boldly tackles American race relations in this stunning debut.

Justyce McAllister is top of his class and set for the Ivy League—but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. And despite leaving his rough neighborhood behind, he can't escape the scorn of his former peers or the ridicule of his new classmates. Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out.

Then comes the day Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down, music turned up—way up, sparking the fury of a white off-duty cop beside them. Words fly. Shots are fired. Justyce and Manny are caught in the crosshairs. In the media fallout, it's Justyce who is under attack.

[Riddhi]

Starting this now.

[Karen]

Opening chapter highlights so well the issues this is going to explore. It makes me both sad and angry.

[Karen]

Up to ch8. Can’t put this down. Style is really easy to read. Thoughtful approach and it definitely will get people talking.

[Karen]

Up to ch11. Horrible sense of things building to a head. Justyce is being labelled by his peers, but the presentation of him trying to make sense of his experiences and feelings is hard to read.

[Karen]

Up to ch15. Didn’t see that coming. Needless, senseless violence. Not sure you’ll be able to convince me this is okay.

[Karen]

Up to ch22. This is making me both angry and sad, but I’m liking the way secondary characters are being used to explore ideas about race.

[Karen]

Finished. Review on home page. Thought-provoking and definitely one to get people talking. Not quite as engaging as but definitely one to recommend.

[Riddhi]

25% done.
(view spoiler)[
This book is getting interesting. I like how the professor raised so many questions.
I hate Jared. He is so pretentious, it boils my blood.
I also love the budding friendship between Sarah and Justyce.
I like how there's a letter from Justyce to Martin Luther King after every chapter.
I need to read more.
(hide spoiler)]

[Rae]

I can not stand the format of this book, like at all! Grrrrrrrr.

[Rae]

This book makes me want to scream, every chapter so far is just making me more and more upset! How do people think this way!

[Rae]

Chapter 1-11 (view spoiler)[ Blake and Jared get on my nerves. But in the same aspect I feel so sorry for them! I also want to know what exactly happened with SJ. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Rae]

WHAT THE FUDGE!!!!!! You can't be serious! Chapters 12-14 (view spoiler)[ Did that really just happen! You get shot for giving someone the middle finger? I am so angry right now, just upset that this is the world that we live in and even though this is just a book I am sure this has happened somewhere. I am so upset. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Rae]

I want to cry.

[Rae]

Chapter 15-18 (view spoiler)[ I knew that freaking costume was going to get him in trouble! I knew it! This is such BS! I hate this book so much! in an overly emotional don't want to put it down kinda way. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Riddhi]

50% done.
(view spoiler)[
Firstly, all hail the Queen, Miss Sarah Jane. The way she put Jared in his place, man, I am a little turned on to be honest.
I have book marked the entire thing she said.
Chapter 8, reading the whole conversation between Justyce and Manny is fun.
The incident at the party is sick. I feel bad for Justyce.
I NEED DOC LIKE PROFESSOR ASAP
(hide spoiler)]

[Rae]

Chapter 19 -fin (view spoiler)[ I don't want to say good for him, but.... GOOD FOR HIM! Its not justice but he deserved to get punished for that. I don't even know how to feel about Jared showing up at Manny's grave. I feel like if he was really resentful he would have spoken up at the trial. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

Karen wrote: "Opening chapter highlights so well the issues this is going to explore. It makes me both sad and angry."

I totally agree, it got my attention quite fast, and it shows how well it tackles all these topics.

[[deleted user]]

If I hadn't set chapters, I might have finished this already, but I like taking it slow because even though it's so easy to read, I am appreciating it way ore.

Up to chapter 8:
(view spoiler)[
Love the teacher and the conversations they're having (though not certain imputs). I like, however, that we see all points of view, and even though it is frustrating to read and they do not always say when something is wrong, you clearly get it andd it helps to show it.
Jus, darling, why do you continue with Melo? I can't get her. SJ and him are so sweet though.
(hide spoiler)]

[Riddhi]

75%
(view spoiler)[
Woah. Manny died. Mr and Mrs Rivers were so generous with Justyce. I feel bad for them. I can't imagine what they must have been through.
And now Justyce is being accused.
I am worried what's gonna follow next.
I don't know how I will get through the last segment.
(hide spoiler)]

[Riddhi]

@Anna, I totally agree with you.
I like the professor's approach.

[Riddhi]

100%
(view spoiler)[
This Justyce dude is going to see Martel and Trey, err, I meant he has lost his mind. I am worried things won't end well.

Thank goodness, he left Martel's place.

Wait. What?
That officer died?

Okay. I still can't make peace with the fact that suddenly Jared turns into a good guy. I still hate him.
The ending is hopeful. God, I miss Manny.
(hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

Chapter 16: (view spoiler)[ That dinner scene :( I feel for the parents so much, that must have taken a lot of strenght. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 18: (view spoiler)[ and on top of everything, he gets fired? They were surely waiting for an excuse to do so. (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

Rae wrote: "Chapter 15-18 [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[I had a bad feelin about the whole thing too. He even said it was the worst idea they ever had but they still did it. It must had been awful to walk around like that. (hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

Rae wrote: "WHAT THE FUDGE!!!!!! You can't be serious! Chapters 12-14 [spoilers removed]"

Oh, same! (view spoiler)[ What angers me most though is that I am sure there are multiple cases like that one in real life and I just don't get it. WHY?
Yeah, of course the black kid had a gun and was yelling at the poor white dude, of course. And for sure the white dude did nothing wrong and was defending himself and the whole city, how noble of him. Such bullshit, to be honest.
(it's not a criticism against the book)
(hide spoiler)]

[[deleted user]]

The ending
(view spoiler)[
THAT EPILOGUE! Such a chance in Jared but I like that it ends in such a positive note (though I wonder why he did not speak on Jus or Manny's behalf).
We will never know now what happened to the Officer.
(hide spoiler)]

[roselovestoread]

Aghhh Jared is so annoying T.T

[roselovestoread]

ch 7 : bless SJ for reasoning about black and whites to Jared. Jared is such a douche..

[roselovestoread]

(view spoiler)[ omg what Manny died because of a fight over loud music :O (hide spoiler)]

[roselovestoread]

I like the ending but the deaths )':

[Lane]

Chapter 5 (view spoiler)[ Whew, so this is already emotionally taxing. I would laugh at this as ridiculous satire if I hadn't experienced half of it. Being extremely smart/educated and black is such a precarious position, and it will never make sense to me. The Equality Brigade literally blew my mind, and thank God someone punched Blake in the face because it really released all of the animosity I was building towards this whole book. Like it's almost too real. (hide spoiler)]
End of Part One (view spoiler)[ Excuse my language but WHAT THE HELL? For music? Ugh I hate people. (hide spoiler)]
Chapter 20 (view spoiler)[ I mean Justyce and SJ are kinda cute. She suffers from common ally problems but I support it. His mom is going to flip though. (hide spoiler)]
Finished (view spoiler)[ Well that ended exactly as I anticipated it would... I didn't find Jared's transformation convincing though. Maybe I just hate him too much. (hide spoiler)]

[Anna 'Bookbuyer']

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Date changed. Restarting February 5th 2020. Happy Reading ☺

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[guiana!]

will be starting tonight! :)

[Cate]

Sorry, very busy yesterday so only getting to this now!! Excited to start. This book has been on my TBR since before it came out!

[guiana!]

that's totally alright! I only got a few pages in last night. my schedule filled up so I'm most probably going to get through this slowly.

[Cate]

Slow is great! I just got very unexpectedly busy in work and have not had a chance to ever pick up a book in the past few days!

[guiana!]

packed here too. school has been hounding me the last couple days and the next few as well. suddenly, it seems like people have been asking for tutoring left and right just when I wanted to get books finished! I'm hoping to get at least a tidbit of progress done this weekend. :D

[guiana!]

chapter 3

(view spoiler)[I've not gotten far into it, but that heated discussion was a significant one. I can't say I find Jared exactly likeable. also, I'm intrigued by this whole writing to Dr. King thing. I didn't have much information going into this, and I'm looking forward to the growth in them. and Melo! if Manny was accurate in his descriptions of her, I'm not sure I'm rooting for Jus' relationship with her. (hide spoiler)]

[guiana!]

chapter 8

(view spoiler)[okay, yeah, Jared is a douche. so is Blake and crew. that Halloween costume thing was disturbing. awful. I feel for Jus, he's feeling stretched from all sides and neither is making it easy for him. I hope he figures things out with SJ though, despite his mother's views. or, you know, at least cut things off with Melo. I realized how much shorter this book is than I first thought, so I'll hopefully be finishing in the next few! :) (hide spoiler)]

[guiana!]

chapter 14

(view spoiler)[WHAT? that was heart-stopping. an ominous feeling was building up inside my chest the whole of the previous chapter, but I didn't think it would be as sudden and blunt as this. I'm going to desperately hope those BANGBANGBANGs missed their aim. if Jared dies, my tears are to be expected. (hide spoiler)]

[guiana!]

chapter 18

(view spoiler)[ahh, everything seems to be in disarray. maybe not totally, if this Jared thing is genuine and if it comes to fruition. even then, I'd guess, there won't be as many believers as we'd like there to be. I'm still not really over how Manny's just gone. and his loved ones have not seemed to have a moment's rest because society makes it difficult to do so. cases like these in real life and how they are handled piss me off. besides that, Manny's dad has just stepped down and I'm not entirely sure if it was a "mutual" agreement to part ways. I'm crossing my fingers for things to start looking up from here. (hide spoiler)]

[guiana!]

chapter 22

(view spoiler)[I had an extremely visceral reaction against that lawyer, of which includes resorting to a backhanded slap. it feels hopeless, the retrial on murder. I want justice desperately, and if the court continues to refuse and delay to see Tison's actions as a crime, I will be sorely upset. (hide spoiler)]

[guiana!]

finished!

(view spoiler)[that was riveting! things unfolded differently much, much more than I thought they would. I'm still heartbroken over Manny, but the resulting change that grew within the people, although admittedly still hasn't reached a place where one could call it a safe place for those, was welcome. the book was significant, and I believe its impact will last for a long, long time. (hide spoiler)]

[Evelyn]

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Date changed. Restarting July 28th 2020. Happy Reading ☺

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[Aaron]

Hi. Please could I join this. Been meaning to read this for a while.

[Evelyn]

Aaron wrote: "Hi. Please could I join this. Been meaning to read this for a while."
Of course! Sorry for the late reply, didn't check back here since last month. I'm a lil behind on this BR right now, but I'm planning to start tomorrow or the 31st :D

[Aaron]

Evelyn wrote: "Aaron wrote: "Hi. Please could I join this. Been meaning to read this for a while."
Of course! Sorry for the late reply, didn't check back here since last month. I'm a lil behind on this BR right n..."

Cool. I am just finishing another book. It’s taken longer than expected. I will probably start on the 31st

[Evelyn]

Chapter 6
(view spoiler)[ Wait, do 16+ year olds like Jared actually exist? tHerEs nO sUCh tHiNG aS rAciSM, eVEryoNE iS EQuaL.
As much as I wish it were true, it is sadly far from reality and I'm glad this book is really delving deep into the conversations. (hide spoiler)]

[Aaron]

Evelyn wrote: "Chapter 6
Wait, do 16+ year olds like Jared actually exist? tHerEs nO sUCh tHiNG aS rAciSM, eVEryoNE iS EQuaL.
As much as I wish it were true, it is sadly far from reality and I'm glad this book i..."

(view spoiler)[ I think that’s a pretty common opinion, especially where I am in the UK. If people don’t see it they don’t want to believe it. Or they find other excuses for it. I feel like schools should offer more education into issues like racism. They could use books like this to do that. (hide spoiler)]

[Aaron]

Chapter 7
(view spoiler)[ The KKK costume is very clearly insensitive. The other white guys should’ve been able to see that. It’s gotta be tough being stuck between 2 worlds but I hope Jus does what he wants. Him and SJ go together pretty well. (hide spoiler)]