When I heard that Angie Thomas had a new book coming out earlier this year, I was so excited. I loved Thomas’s debut novel, The Hate U Give, when I read it last year, and I anticipated more great things from this novel.
When I saw that this book was available as an audio book, I was even more excited. The narrator, Bahni Turpin, was exquisite performing The Hate U Give on audio, and I just knew she would elevate the experience for On the Come Up as well, especially considering the amount of song lyrics involved.
I was not disappointed.
On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
| 2019 Book #13 | Length: 464 pages |
| Season: Any | Genre: Young adult fiction |
| Read via: Scribd audio book | Recommended by: Favorite author |
Please be aware that this book contains racial injustice, recreational drug use, strong language, violence, and death.
Bri Jackson has music in her blood. She dreams of following in her father’s footsteps to become a famous rapper, but she is determined to make a name for herself as an individual outside of his shadow. When her mother unexpectedly loses her job, Bri’s dream of fame and fortune becomes a necessity to provide for her family.
Bri uses the injustice she faces every day as inspiration for her lyrics, but she soon finds that people will begin twisting her words and their meanings to fit their own assumptions about her based on her race and background. Should she feed into the stereotypes and ride the viral controversy to fame?
On the Come Up was a powerful read. Bri is real and flawed and a bit naive at times, but let’s be honest — we all were when we were seventeen. Her story is heart wrenching in its believability as we see this young woman fight for her passions and for the chance to be taken seriously as a human being and not just brushed off because of the color of her skin or her gender.
I hope more young women will read Bri’s story and understand what it means to face their daily battles with courage, and I absolutely hope to see this book adapted into a movie in the future!
Do you love Angie Thomas’s work, too? Let me know what you think in the comments below!
These Parted Pages 