Concrete Rose (The Hate U Give #0.5) by Angie Thomas - Restarting August 13th 2022

[Jenn]

International phenomenon Angie Thomas revisits Garden Heights seventeen years before the events of The Hate U Give in this searing and poignant exploration of Black boyhood and manhood.

If there’s one thing seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter knows, it’s that a real man takes care of his family. As the son of a former gang legend, Mav does that the only way he knows how: dealing for the King Lords. With this money he can help his mom, who works two jobs while his dad’s in prison.

Life’s not perfect, but with a fly girlfriend and a cousin who always has his back, Mav’s got everything under control.

Until, that is, Maverick finds out he’s a father.

Suddenly he has a baby, Seven, who depends on him for everything. But it’s not so easy to sling dope, finish school, and raise a child. So when he’s offered the chance to go straight, he takes it. In a world where he’s expected to amount to nothing, maybe Mav can prove he’s different.

When King Lord blood runs through your veins, though, you can't just walk away. Loyalty, revenge, and responsibility threaten to tear Mav apart, especially after the brutal murder of a loved one. He’ll have to figure out for himself what it really means to be a man.

[Brandee]

So excited to start reading and discussing this one!!

[Nicole]

Brandee wrote: "So excited to start reading and discussing this one!!"

Same.

[Ashley W]

Characters 2
(view spoiler)[ That poor baby :( just getting left like that. Glad Maverick has his mom for support. Gotta say some of this is funny. I have had my share of baby puke. Lol (hide spoiler)]

[Brandee]

10% (view spoiler)[ I know that Iesha didn't really want this baby and definitely didn't want this baby with Maverick but who the hell just leaves their child like that?! You are the mother! I am shocked but I hope that this helps Maverick turn into a better person and make better choices for his son. I can tell that deep down he has a good heart so maybe he can be part of the King Lords and still do right by his son. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Brandee]

20% I am writing down notes as I read lol (view spoiler)[ I am really starting to like the Wyatts. Mr. Wyatt may be hard on Mav but I think that he really wants Mav to be a good kid and a good father. Sometimes tough love and a good job are what someone that age needs to really see what they want for their lives. And Mrs. Wyatt is adorable with the baby!! So cute. I really hope this job works out and maybe Mav can put himself and his son above all of the bad stuff he used to do with the King Lords. He can be part of the family without doing things to jeopardize his son. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Brandee]

35% Had quite a bit of reading time this morning, can you tell? ;)
(view spoiler)[ Holy crap! Just sitting in a car talking to his fiance and he gets a bullet to the head. I know that gang violence can sometimes make very little sense or come from nowhere but who could have been around to do such a thing. Maverick said everyone was on Magnolia. Did that include the GDs? or were they around to attack Dre because they knew there weren't any King Lords around to protect him. What a terrible day/week for Mav! (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Brandee]

Ashley wrote: "Characters 2
[spoilers removed]"

There are definitely some funny parts as he learns to be a dad!! Angie Thomas is so good at adding in humor and personality to the dialogue and narrative even when she is writing about tough topics!

[Ashley W]

Ch 6-7
(view spoiler)[ I can relate to this as parent. When babies are too little to talk, you just have guess why they are crying. I can't imagine having a baby as a teenager. I feel bad for Lisa. At least, he has supportive parents, even if his dad is in jail. (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley W]

@Brandee
35%
(view spoiler)[ I have never even witnessed gang violence and feel very fortunate for that. But this got me. Knowing he has a child and is about to get married makes me realize how little they make personal comments on the news about victims of gang violence. It is just impersonal. (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley W]

Chapter 16
(view spoiler)[ another baby? And that was the wrong question to ask. I hope she isn't. (hide spoiler)]

[Brandee]

Pg. 180/Ch. 16/ 50% - what a great but terrible part to read during lunch because then I had two meetings to go to AHHHH! (view spoiler)[ I am not entirely convinced that Ant killed Dre. He seemed like someone who could do something and definitely had some beef with Dre but part of me feels like this isn't over yet. If he was capable of killing Dre, why wouldn't he have his gun during that fight?
Then....ANOTHER ONE!! I knew it! I knew it! I knew it! The minute they said they would be "careful" I had a gut feeling that something was going to happen. Now he might have TWO?! OMG! (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Brandee]

Ashley wrote: "Chapter 16
[spoilers removed]"
That is immediately what I thought. But I had a bad feeling earlier when they were together so who knows...

[Nicole]

chapter 7 (view spoiler)[ I feel bad for Maverick. (hide spoiler)]

[Nicole]

Brandee wrote: "10% [spoilers removed]"


I agree that she shouldn't have just her kid like that.

[Ashley W]

Finished
(view spoiler)[ I could not stop with this book! Normally I don't read much realistic/comtemporary fiction, but I couldn't get enough of this one. By the end I was okay with them having another baby. Maverick seems to have finally gotten his plan in motion and Lisa is pretty level headed. Definitely better off that Iesha's new baby. I had a feeling he wouldn't go through with shooting his cousin's murderer and I am so glad. Eager to read The Hate U Give, which has been on my list for a while now. (hide spoiler)]

[Ashley W]

Nicole wrote: "chapter 7 [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ Me too. I mean, he definitely needs to be responsible for his own child, but this was all at once and heartless the way she just left the King/Seven with him. (hide spoiler)]

[Brandee]

WOW! A lot happens in just two chapters, whoa! 62% Ch. 19 (view spoiler)[ Was totally not expecting Mav's Dad to respond that way. I thought he might get mad but he seems furious. But also what is Mav doing? Starting a fight with not only his father but a prisoner and King Lord. Doesn't he know better? He sure hit his Pops with some low blows. Now the question is will he stay good and provide for his family.
Whoa, why is Lisa doing this to Mav? She has every right to be mad but Mav wants to be a good dad. Maybe he just needs to prove that to her. Because he better be in that baby's life?
WOW! What a Thanksgiving! First King shows up with Iesha. I can't believe she just showed up acting like she did nothing wrong and she can just jump back into her son's life. And if it couldn't get any worse, Carlos beats the crap out him. Again, he has a right to be angry but why can't anyone believe that Mav wants to be a good dad and would do anything for Lisa and his kids?!?!? (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Brandee]

I wish I could have stayed up all night to keep reading! Ch. 21 (view spoiler)[ I KNEW IT!!! I had a feeling that Ant wasn't the killer. But Red? I mean he has a reason to be angry since they messed with his merchandise but that leads to murder?! And if there is a slight chance that he didn't do it, how did he end up with Dre's watch and why did he run the minute Mav figured it out?? Ooooh, I can't wait to read more!! (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Brandee]

Don't read the spoiler if you haven't read The Hate U Give (view spoiler)[ I had forgotten some details of that book so I went back and looked at my review...Khalil is the one who was shot by a police officer and we are just meeting Khalil as a baby!! My guess is that Lisa and Mav are having a girl...a girl who will be named Starr and will grow up to fight for justice! Gettin chills already!! (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Brandee]

Finished! (view spoiler)[ Although I definitely thought there was going to be a different ending, I am glad that it ended the way it did. I am so proud of Mav for not shooting Red. Red had it coming but I think it honestly would have eaten Mav alive. I am glad that he is showing that he is a man to everyone around him. The ending was perfect and a perfect lead into the Hate U Give, since the main character's name is Starr :) I never normally reread books but I kind of want to reread it now just to see how the book reads now that I know the background of these characters! (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Nicole]

finished (view spoiler)[ I overall loved this book. I enjoyed reading about Maverick as a young person. (hide spoiler)]

[Jenn]

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Date changed. Restarting March 7th 2021. Happy Reading ☺

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[Elizabeth Emily]

Upto chapter 10

(view spoiler)[ Only 10 chapters in and so much has happened already. I can’t believe Dre has been killed. I know that someone had beef with him and spoke to Mac at school about it but I didn’t think that they would kill him. It must be so scary to grow up in that kind of neighbourhood. I hope Lisa gives him another chance. I know he was wrong but he seems genuinely sorry about it and he’s struggling on his own. (hide spoiler)]

[Elizabeth Emily]

Upto chapter 16

(view spoiler)[ Okay so... how is this fool dumb enough to get caught out twice? I mean he might have got Lisa pregnant even though he was ‘careful’🙄. There’s no way when you’re exhausted from one baby that you make that mistake again surely? Anywho. I hope this means Lisa and Mav will give things another go. (hide spoiler)]

[As You Wish]

Chapter 7
Once again, gonna give props to any and every single parent out there, especially teen parents trying to finish high school. Any single parent (no matter how many kids) does more than I do in a day, even if just because I know if I need a break I have a partner to take over. That alone is worth its weight in gold.
Anyway on to the book......
(view spoiler)[ I'm really liking this on point perspective of life with a tiny baby. I've been looking forward to this book since I heard it was coming out. I loved The Hate U Give and On the Come Up and a much better perspective on what life is like in the hood outside of "drugs and gangs are bad." This author brings a lot of nuance to the idea that everything in life is a choice between good and bad. Sometimes the choice is between bad and not quite as bad. (hide spoiler)]

[As You Wish]

Chapter 13
(view spoiler)[ I'm glad that Mr Wyatt isn't just a hardass but there for Mav to talk to. Such an important piece missing from his life otherwise--someone from the older generation to talk to about what he's feeling. I know this is good for him, and I'm feeling the feels. (hide spoiler)]

[As You Wish]

Elizabeth Emily wrote: "Upto chapter 10"

Yeah, can't imagine being in a world where someone could tell me my family member's gotta watch their back and then the worst happens. :(

[Elizabeth Emily]

Upto Chapter 18

(view spoiler)[ I don’t know how Mav managed to cope with one baby let alone two. I know it would be hard if it was me. I love how Mav stepped up for both of them. (hide spoiler)]

[Elizabeth Emily]

Upto chapter 21

(view spoiler)[ Shit is about to go down. Red has Dre’s watch?! Mav is about to whoop his ass. Ain’t no way he’s gonna let that slide. Although if he loses his temper Lisa is not gonna be happy. Especially when Khalil is in the room. (hide spoiler)]

[As You Wish]

Chapter 18:
"Granny do them long prayers, man. She act like God don't know what's going on and it's her job to fill him in."

LOL there's one in every family. Love this!

[Elizabeth Emily]

JBask wrote: "Chapter 7
Once again, gonna give props to any and every single parent out there, especially teen parents trying to finish high school. Any single parent (no matter how many kids) does more than I d..."

I honestly don’t know how single parents do it. Especially teen parents like you said.

[Elizabeth Emily]

JBask wrote: "Chapter 13
[spoilers removed]"

Me too. He’s definitely like a father figure. Which Mav 100% needs.

[Elizabeth Emily]

JBask wrote: "Chapter 18:
"Granny do them long prayers, man. She act like God don't know what's going on and it's her job to fill him in."

LOL there's one in every family. Love this!"

Yesss that made me giggle haha

[Elizabeth Emily]

I haven’t read On The Come Up yet but I have read THUG and loved it!

Just come across Justyce isn’t she in THUG?

[Elizabeth Emily]

Finished

(view spoiler)[ I’m so happy that Mav didn’t do it. His life is worth more and I’m glad he realised that it’s more important to be around for his family. I know he felt like it was a weakness but he showed such strength. This was such a good book! I loved it just as much as The Hate You Give if not more. (hide spoiler)]

[Aaron]

Elizabeth Emily wrote: "Upto chapter 10

[spoilers removed]"

Chapter 10
(view spoiler)[ It’d be nice if Lisa did come around. He needs someone to talk to. I can’t imagine having a kid on top of school and work never mind grieving at the same time. I’m already emotionally invested in the characters. Dre’s death hit hard and the funeral was worse. (hide spoiler)]

[Shae]

14%(view spoiler)[ I really wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this book, like I didnt know if i would be that interested in Maverick's story, but I am really enjoying it so far and keen to find out more about his life.

I can't believe Iesha just left her baby! (hide spoiler)]

[Aaron]

Chapter 16
(view spoiler)[ I’m glad Mav is stepping up and doing everything he can. He’s a good guy. He’s pretty unlucky to get a kid both times he could’ve gotten one. I wonder what Mav’s dad is gonna be like. (hide spoiler)]

[Aaron]

Elizabeth Emily wrote: "Upto chapter 21

[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ Mav best not do something dumb. He can’t afford to mess up right now. He’s gotta provide for his kids. (hide spoiler)]

[Aaron]

Elizabeth Emily wrote: "I haven’t read On The Come Up yet but I have read THUG and loved it!

Just come across Justyce isn’t she in THUG?"

Justyce is the guy from Dear Martin. I liked the link.

[Aaron]

Done
(view spoiler)[ I’m glad this ended on a happy note. This was a really good book. I like Maverick a lot as a character and I’m glad he made the right choice in the end. (hide spoiler)]

[As You Wish]

Finished!
(view spoiler)[ I agree I'm so glad he didn't shoot Red, whether or not Red had it coming. Now I'm wondering what Mav ended up having to do to get outta King Lords. (hide spoiler)]

[Shae]

Elizabeth Emily wrote: "Upto chapter 10

[spoilers removed]"

I agree with so much happening already! (view spoiler)[ I can't believe Dre is dead. It would be so scary to grow up living that way and I can't imagine what it would feel like raising your kids in that environment, I guess that is what Mav has to think about when he wants to take revenge, is that he has seven to look after. I hope Lisa gives him another chance too! (hide spoiler)]

[Shae]

chapter 15 (view spoiler)[ Lisa is pregnant!! (hide spoiler)]

[Shae]

finished (view spoiler)[ loved this one! Love how the story ended (even though I knew how it would end because of the next book, I am still glad it ended that way with everything that happened (particulalry Lisa and Mav). I loved hearing how Star got her name as well! (hide spoiler)]

[Evelyn]

Started yesterday and I'm loving it already!

[Evelyn]

Chapter 5
(view spoiler)[ Already SO invested in Mav's story. I found him sooo interesting in THUG. Really looking forward to seeing all the adults in THUG when they were teenagers. I don't remember Dre, but I hope he's not gonna die. The synopsis says someone is though so I am REALLY scared. (hide spoiler)]

[As You Wish]

Evelyn wrote: "Chapter 5

This book really brings home the sad reality of gangs and the violence that goes hand-in-hand. I shed more than a few tears. There's lots of hard stuff for Mav and lots of growth. Good parenting is learned, usually the hard way. :)

[Evelyn]

Chapter 16
(view spoiler)[ahh, I knew right when they did it without protection, embryo Starr would be made. It is already soooo hard for Mav taking care of 1 child, now 2. If I was him or even his mom, I would be sad and disappointed. He's not even 18 yet and he's still doing drugs. He needs the money even more now to support his family, but I really hope he learns. (hide spoiler)]