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This Is My America
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Young Adult Fiction (2020)"Incredible and searing." --Nic Stone, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dear MartinThe Hate U Give meets Just Mercy in this unflinching yet uplifting first novel that explores the racist injustices in the American justice system.Every week, seventeen-year-old Tracy Beaumont writes letters to Innocence X, asking the organization to help her father, an innocent Black man on death row. After seven years, Tracy is running out of time--her dad has only 267 days left. Then the unthinkable happens. The police arrive in the night, and Tracy's older brother, Jamal, goes from being a bright, promising track star to a "thug" on the run, accused of killing a white girl. Determined to save her brother, Tracy investigates what really happened between Jamal and Angela down at the Pike. But will Tracy and her family survive the uncovering of the skeletons of their Texas town's racist history that still haunt the present?Fans of Nic Stone, Tiffany D. Jackson, and Jason Reynolds won't want to miss this provocative and gripping debut.
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 28, 2020
405 people are currently reading
28452 people want to read
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July 20, 2020Review to come - but I very much enjoyed this!
July 30, 2020
2020 has a been crap year, but it's producing some gems!
TW: murder, off the page lynching (historical), racism, Black trauma, white nationalist groups
This Is My America is more than just a book about a young girl attempting to get her father out of prison. It is a close examination of mass incarceration and how mass incarceration affects families. Quite often we look at mass incarceration from the perspective of those that are being incarcerated never giving a second thought to the family members that are left behind. In This Is My America, Tasha not only fights to deal with the trauma of losing her dad to a faulty justice system, but she also fights to use her voice to help him gain his freedom. This book wasn't always easy to listen to. Some times it hit too close to home, but I think it's one that should be read by everyone and taught in classrooms.
On first appearance, This Is My America appears to simply focus on Tasha attempting to contact Innocence X (which is a brief nod to Equal Justice Initiative) to free her father from death row. However, as the novel continues it easily becomes an exploration of so much more. Johnson doesn't shy away from discussing generational trauma, the hypocritical side of interracial dating for Black women, mass incarceration, the faulty justice system, and so much more. Johnson even touches on the danger of being complicit. There was this conversation about how White people also deal with generational trauma when they are raised to become racists. For some, they have an instinctual feeling that it's wrong, but from fear of familial and societal judgement they opt to remain silent and become complicit. While they may not perpetuate racism, they abet those that do. I haven't really seen many YA novels take that perspective into consideration. What is most intriguing about this novel is that Johnson tackles all of these issues, but for some reason the novel didn't come across as overwhelming. Everything was woven together perfectly.
The real star of this novel was Tracy. She had this unparalleled strength and courage. Not only was she continuously fighting for the freedom of her father, she fights to clear the name of her brother after he's accused of killing a white girl. I can only imagine how taxing that could be. To write letter after letter hoping that someone hears your pleas and believes in your fight against a faulty justice system. And Tracy isn't selfish with anything that she learns along the away. She teaches classes in the community that focus on "knowing your rights" when entering into any situation involving the police. She remains steadfast in her fight against a system that even for me at times feels impossible to change. It's voices like hers that make a difference every single way.
This book is unlike any other YA book that centers around the Black experience in the sense that it provides a new perspective. I know that people will be quick to compare it to The Hate U Give and Dear Martin, but honestly it's not. This nation talks about mass incarceration and how the 13th amendment provides the loophole needed to justify mass incarceration; however, it often forgets about the families it destroys in the process. Black people have struggled with the concept of a nuclear family due to the destruction of families during slavery. Mass incarceration continues to perpetuate that trauma. And Johnson does an excellent job of illustrating that narrative on page. Yes, I know quite often you hear that Black people don't want to read about trauma and that's warranted. You grow tired of hearing one bad thing after another and Jamal (Tracy's brother) makes that very clear in this book. However, this book crafts it in a way that opens the gateway for important conversations, new conversations.
My only criticism of this book would probably be in the dynamic between Quincy, Tracy, and Dean. I understand why the love triangle was included. It's a great insight to interracial dating and the interesting dynamic that interracial dating brings Black women vs. Black men as well as dating that's laced in past trauma. However, I feel as though both Quincy and Dean had this constant need to save Tracy that was unwarranted and almost took away from her strength as a character. Other than that I thought that this book was amazing. I mean I absolutely loved it and can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy. If you haven't heard of this book please pick it up now!
TW: murder, off the page lynching (historical), racism, Black trauma, white nationalist groups
This Is My America is more than just a book about a young girl attempting to get her father out of prison. It is a close examination of mass incarceration and how mass incarceration affects families. Quite often we look at mass incarceration from the perspective of those that are being incarcerated never giving a second thought to the family members that are left behind. In This Is My America, Tasha not only fights to deal with the trauma of losing her dad to a faulty justice system, but she also fights to use her voice to help him gain his freedom. This book wasn't always easy to listen to. Some times it hit too close to home, but I think it's one that should be read by everyone and taught in classrooms.
On first appearance, This Is My America appears to simply focus on Tasha attempting to contact Innocence X (which is a brief nod to Equal Justice Initiative) to free her father from death row. However, as the novel continues it easily becomes an exploration of so much more. Johnson doesn't shy away from discussing generational trauma, the hypocritical side of interracial dating for Black women, mass incarceration, the faulty justice system, and so much more. Johnson even touches on the danger of being complicit. There was this conversation about how White people also deal with generational trauma when they are raised to become racists. For some, they have an instinctual feeling that it's wrong, but from fear of familial and societal judgement they opt to remain silent and become complicit. While they may not perpetuate racism, they abet those that do. I haven't really seen many YA novels take that perspective into consideration. What is most intriguing about this novel is that Johnson tackles all of these issues, but for some reason the novel didn't come across as overwhelming. Everything was woven together perfectly.
The real star of this novel was Tracy. She had this unparalleled strength and courage. Not only was she continuously fighting for the freedom of her father, she fights to clear the name of her brother after he's accused of killing a white girl. I can only imagine how taxing that could be. To write letter after letter hoping that someone hears your pleas and believes in your fight against a faulty justice system. And Tracy isn't selfish with anything that she learns along the away. She teaches classes in the community that focus on "knowing your rights" when entering into any situation involving the police. She remains steadfast in her fight against a system that even for me at times feels impossible to change. It's voices like hers that make a difference every single way.
This book is unlike any other YA book that centers around the Black experience in the sense that it provides a new perspective. I know that people will be quick to compare it to The Hate U Give and Dear Martin, but honestly it's not. This nation talks about mass incarceration and how the 13th amendment provides the loophole needed to justify mass incarceration; however, it often forgets about the families it destroys in the process. Black people have struggled with the concept of a nuclear family due to the destruction of families during slavery. Mass incarceration continues to perpetuate that trauma. And Johnson does an excellent job of illustrating that narrative on page. Yes, I know quite often you hear that Black people don't want to read about trauma and that's warranted. You grow tired of hearing one bad thing after another and Jamal (Tracy's brother) makes that very clear in this book. However, this book crafts it in a way that opens the gateway for important conversations, new conversations.
My only criticism of this book would probably be in the dynamic between Quincy, Tracy, and Dean. I understand why the love triangle was included. It's a great insight to interracial dating and the interesting dynamic that interracial dating brings Black women vs. Black men as well as dating that's laced in past trauma. However, I feel as though both Quincy and Dean had this constant need to save Tracy that was unwarranted and almost took away from her strength as a character. Other than that I thought that this book was amazing. I mean I absolutely loved it and can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy. If you haven't heard of this book please pick it up now!
February 20, 2024
i wanted this to be so much better than it actually was 😭😭😭 rtc
br this with elena for black history month! the avg rating is so high i'm excited 🫶🏻🫶🏻
br this with elena for black history month! the avg rating is so high i'm excited 🫶🏻🫶🏻
January 13, 2021
In This Is My America Tracy’s dad has less than a year on death row before his execution date, serving time for a crime he did not commit. Every week, Tracy diligently writes to Innocence X, seeking the organization’s legal assistance in pursuing an appeal.
One night, Tracy’s older brother Jamal, a Baylor bound track star, is accused of murdering Angela, a white student from school. Jamal flees, fearing a life on the run is his only option after seeing his father’s outcome.
Tracy is determined to figure out what happened that night, knowing Jamal didn’t murder Angela. The story follows Tracy’s investigation as she attempts to save both her father and her brother. This is a YA book, which I say to note, the dialogue often has a YA tone and in addition to her investigation, Tracy is balancing high school, crushes, friendships, and family life.
This Is My America is unfortunately familiar and timely. Black people unfairly mistreated, racist ideas that remain current, and of course, crooked cops. This isn’t a knock on the story either — It’s well-written, powerful, and made me feel. Tracy’s commitment to her family and to seeking justice were admirable.
The Goodreads description of this book, “Dear Martin meets Just Mercy in this unflinching yet uplifting YA novel that explores the racist injustices in the American justice system...” is spot on. Kim Johnson shares in her acknowledgements that she modeled Innocence X after the Equal Justice Initiative, which by now, many of you know, is an organization I’m passionate about supporting since first learning of it years ago through Just Mercy.
This Is My America is a gripping story — We could use more of Tracy’s determination in the real world today.
One night, Tracy’s older brother Jamal, a Baylor bound track star, is accused of murdering Angela, a white student from school. Jamal flees, fearing a life on the run is his only option after seeing his father’s outcome.
Tracy is determined to figure out what happened that night, knowing Jamal didn’t murder Angela. The story follows Tracy’s investigation as she attempts to save both her father and her brother. This is a YA book, which I say to note, the dialogue often has a YA tone and in addition to her investigation, Tracy is balancing high school, crushes, friendships, and family life.
This Is My America is unfortunately familiar and timely. Black people unfairly mistreated, racist ideas that remain current, and of course, crooked cops. This isn’t a knock on the story either — It’s well-written, powerful, and made me feel. Tracy’s commitment to her family and to seeking justice were admirable.
The Goodreads description of this book, “Dear Martin meets Just Mercy in this unflinching yet uplifting YA novel that explores the racist injustices in the American justice system...” is spot on. Kim Johnson shares in her acknowledgements that she modeled Innocence X after the Equal Justice Initiative, which by now, many of you know, is an organization I’m passionate about supporting since first learning of it years ago through Just Mercy.
This Is My America is a gripping story — We could use more of Tracy’s determination in the real world today.
Read
July 19, 2020I finished this in one sitting, and it was PHENOMENAL! I was honestly anxious and sickened throughout a good portion of this, at the actions of others and how they led to such a real situation that’s happening every single day to this day. But this story brought so much light to that, and I HIGHLY recommend reading this. Definitely one of my favorite stories of the year so far.
September 18, 2020
5 Stars!
TW: Murder, Lynching (in the past tense), Racism, Black Trauma, White Supremacists, Death Row, Police Brutality
I'm just going to come out and say it. This book was not on my radar at all in the sense of it becoming one of my favourite books of the year. If I remember correctly I'd pre-ordered it because of the topic and then I ended up reading this as part of a roll for my September Bookoplathon, and I have never felt so happy to read this.
This has a lot of trigger warnings going into this, and the topics in this are extremely difficult to read so go into this with some caution if these topics may trigger you, but especially with what is going on in the world at this moment this was a very important read.
The basis of this is that Tracy is a teenager who is living with the knowledge that her Father is on death row and the days are dwindling down. Tracy is wanting to do everything she can to build up interest in the case to get it re-opened and potentially save her dad. Alongside this something else happens resulting in her brother getting in trouble.
During the story it brings up countless different issues throughout which I can honestly say truly hit a nerve with me. I am more than aware what can happen to a person of colour if they are seen to be "going against the police" (also well aware this isn't ALWAYS the case, but it can happen). With saying that I think Quincy and his back story was very enlightening. You can see with what he has to live with because of the police's actions and on top of that how that effects him in certain situations, I just found it so so so heartbreaking.
What else I found interesting was that it called out the system with how people are in prison and stating how some people who are innocent but end up dying on Death Row. I wouldn't normally say anything relating to this, but this is such an important part of the book it would be kind of weird not to. So I'll try and form some words and please don't come for me because these are just my views. Anyway, we don't have Death Row in the UK and it's not something I agree with anyway, but hen it came to this book, it radiated the desperation that the Beaumont family felt. When I read it, I can't even explain the emotions I felt, because Tracy and her family as so so so desperate for her fathers freedom it was like you could taste it. Along with this it also partially showed how people of colour are more likely to go into prison for whatever reason (it's explained more in the book).
The flow of the story was so engaging as well, it riled up so many emotions in me and just how awful the world can truly be. I will say that I was able to piece SOME things together but not all of them, and either way the way in which it was told was what drew me in more than anything.
I don't want to go TOO much into detail with the ins and outs of characters, BUT I want to say that I liked a lot of them. There was just so much depth and you could see how tight they all were with one another. There were some moments between the characters and their story arcs that absolutely devastated me for a variety of reasons, but it was so well executed.
Overall I would highly, highly recommend this to other people to read. It was a very difficult read, but very powerful. I genuinely didn't think that this would be a favourite book of the year, but here we are.
--------------
I’m absolutely blown away by this. Totally unexpected, wasn’t on my radar and is probably one of the best books I’ve read this year.
Currently don’t have my laptop with me, but I genuinely hope I can write a full review (and give this book the justice it deserves).
Absolutely incredible.
TW: Murder, Lynching (in the past tense), Racism, Black Trauma, White Supremacists, Death Row, Police Brutality
I'm just going to come out and say it. This book was not on my radar at all in the sense of it becoming one of my favourite books of the year. If I remember correctly I'd pre-ordered it because of the topic and then I ended up reading this as part of a roll for my September Bookoplathon, and I have never felt so happy to read this.
This has a lot of trigger warnings going into this, and the topics in this are extremely difficult to read so go into this with some caution if these topics may trigger you, but especially with what is going on in the world at this moment this was a very important read.
The basis of this is that Tracy is a teenager who is living with the knowledge that her Father is on death row and the days are dwindling down. Tracy is wanting to do everything she can to build up interest in the case to get it re-opened and potentially save her dad. Alongside this something else happens resulting in her brother getting in trouble.
During the story it brings up countless different issues throughout which I can honestly say truly hit a nerve with me. I am more than aware what can happen to a person of colour if they are seen to be "going against the police" (also well aware this isn't ALWAYS the case, but it can happen). With saying that I think Quincy and his back story was very enlightening. You can see with what he has to live with because of the police's actions and on top of that how that effects him in certain situations, I just found it so so so heartbreaking.
What else I found interesting was that it called out the system with how people are in prison and stating how some people who are innocent but end up dying on Death Row. I wouldn't normally say anything relating to this, but this is such an important part of the book it would be kind of weird not to. So I'll try and form some words and please don't come for me because these are just my views. Anyway, we don't have Death Row in the UK and it's not something I agree with anyway, but hen it came to this book, it radiated the desperation that the Beaumont family felt. When I read it, I can't even explain the emotions I felt, because Tracy and her family as so so so desperate for her fathers freedom it was like you could taste it. Along with this it also partially showed how people of colour are more likely to go into prison for whatever reason (it's explained more in the book).
The flow of the story was so engaging as well, it riled up so many emotions in me and just how awful the world can truly be. I will say that I was able to piece SOME things together but not all of them, and either way the way in which it was told was what drew me in more than anything.
I don't want to go TOO much into detail with the ins and outs of characters, BUT I want to say that I liked a lot of them. There was just so much depth and you could see how tight they all were with one another. There were some moments between the characters and their story arcs that absolutely devastated me for a variety of reasons, but it was so well executed.
Overall I would highly, highly recommend this to other people to read. It was a very difficult read, but very powerful. I genuinely didn't think that this would be a favourite book of the year, but here we are.
--------------
I’m absolutely blown away by this. Totally unexpected, wasn’t on my radar and is probably one of the best books I’ve read this year.
Currently don’t have my laptop with me, but I genuinely hope I can write a full review (and give this book the justice it deserves).
Absolutely incredible.
Want to read
December 29, 2019
December 28, 2019
In short, this book is phenomenal.
Not only did the author tackle incredibly powerful, important issues of our times, she managed to do so while also writing a compulsively readable book with characters who grab you from page 1 -- who you care about and love by its end.
Add it to your 2020 TBR list, or you will be missing out on one of the best reads of the year.
Not only did the author tackle incredibly powerful, important issues of our times, she managed to do so while also writing a compulsively readable book with characters who grab you from page 1 -- who you care about and love by its end.
Add it to your 2020 TBR list, or you will be missing out on one of the best reads of the year.
October 15, 2023
‘A school shooter can come out alive but a Black kid in handcuffs on the ground can be shot, unchecked. An AK-47 in a white hand has more rights than a black kid with Skittles.’
July 30, 2020
Thank you Netgalley and Random House Children's for providing an ARC of This is My America by Kim Johnson.
Tracy writes letters to Innocence X to help get her father out of prison for a crime he didnt commit. For 7 years he has been sitting on death row. Then a crime is committed in their town in Texas and Tracy's brother Jamal is the main suspect.
This book is so revelant with everything that is happening today. With the black lives movement. Trying to get justice for these crimes that are being targeted against blacks all around the country. This is my favorite read so far this year A++
Tracy writes letters to Innocence X to help get her father out of prison for a crime he didnt commit. For 7 years he has been sitting on death row. Then a crime is committed in their town in Texas and Tracy's brother Jamal is the main suspect.
This book is so revelant with everything that is happening today. With the black lives movement. Trying to get justice for these crimes that are being targeted against blacks all around the country. This is my favorite read so far this year A++
August 20, 2020
GUYS. This book was incredible and I’m pretty sure that I have a new favorite YA book.
It follows Tracy, whose father is on death row. Her dad doesn’t have a lot of time left and she’s doing everything in her power to try and clear his name, including writing weekly letters to Innocence X, an organization that helps inmates who are on death row. There’s also Tracy’s brother, Jamal, who’s a promising young track star until the day that a white girl is murdered and he’s accused of killing her. Now Jamal is on the run and Tracy is fighting to save both her father and her brother.
This book tackles so many important themes in such an accessible way. It shows a bit of what it’s like to have an incarcerated parent and the effect that has on the rest of the family. Corinne, Tracy’s younger sister, is growing up without a father. When they have weekly scheduled visits at the prison, Tracy has to remember that she’s not allowed to touch her father. And the whole family is constantly living with a clock that is counting down the days until her father’s execution. I can only imagine the huge physical and mental toll that must take on the entire family.
The author also explores how the rest of Tracy’s family is viewed as guilty by association, since Tracy’s dad was convicted of murder. They’re given strange looks or shunned in town, and even ostracized by their own church members after Tracy’s dad is found guilty. Tracy’s dad, brother, and whole family are tried in the court of public opinion. Instead of being innocent until proven guilty, many in their community believe that Tracy’s dad and brother are guilty until proven innocent, because that’s the narrative that they want to believe. In their minds, of course a Black man is responsible for the death of a white person.
Other themes that are explored include interracial relationships, private for-profit prisons and how they’ve led to the mass incarceration of Black people, white guilt and white privilege, coded language, and more. This book tackles so many topics and I was glad these issues were being explored and discussed.
Can we also talk about Tracy and what an amazing character she was? I loved her determination and willingness to fight for what she knows is right, even when it’s difficult, and despite being scared for her family and for herself. I loved Tracy and the Beaumont family in general. Also, this book was so gripping! It truly had me on the edge of my seat and I was so emotionally invested in trying to figure out what happened in Jamal’s and Tracy’s dad’s case. I feel like I wasn’t expecting the mystery aspect of this story, but it really delivered for me.
In summary, I really loved this book and I would highly recommend it. I thought the writing was so thoughtful and really invited us into the lives of the Beaumont family. Also, don’t skip the Author’s Note at the end! From that note, I learned that she was inspired to write this by JUST MERCY, another book that’s on my TBR.
///
Loved it!!! Full review to come.
It follows Tracy, whose father is on death row. Her dad doesn’t have a lot of time left and she’s doing everything in her power to try and clear his name, including writing weekly letters to Innocence X, an organization that helps inmates who are on death row. There’s also Tracy’s brother, Jamal, who’s a promising young track star until the day that a white girl is murdered and he’s accused of killing her. Now Jamal is on the run and Tracy is fighting to save both her father and her brother.
This book tackles so many important themes in such an accessible way. It shows a bit of what it’s like to have an incarcerated parent and the effect that has on the rest of the family. Corinne, Tracy’s younger sister, is growing up without a father. When they have weekly scheduled visits at the prison, Tracy has to remember that she’s not allowed to touch her father. And the whole family is constantly living with a clock that is counting down the days until her father’s execution. I can only imagine the huge physical and mental toll that must take on the entire family.
The author also explores how the rest of Tracy’s family is viewed as guilty by association, since Tracy’s dad was convicted of murder. They’re given strange looks or shunned in town, and even ostracized by their own church members after Tracy’s dad is found guilty. Tracy’s dad, brother, and whole family are tried in the court of public opinion. Instead of being innocent until proven guilty, many in their community believe that Tracy’s dad and brother are guilty until proven innocent, because that’s the narrative that they want to believe. In their minds, of course a Black man is responsible for the death of a white person.
Other themes that are explored include interracial relationships, private for-profit prisons and how they’ve led to the mass incarceration of Black people, white guilt and white privilege, coded language, and more. This book tackles so many topics and I was glad these issues were being explored and discussed.
Can we also talk about Tracy and what an amazing character she was? I loved her determination and willingness to fight for what she knows is right, even when it’s difficult, and despite being scared for her family and for herself. I loved Tracy and the Beaumont family in general. Also, this book was so gripping! It truly had me on the edge of my seat and I was so emotionally invested in trying to figure out what happened in Jamal’s and Tracy’s dad’s case. I feel like I wasn’t expecting the mystery aspect of this story, but it really delivered for me.
In summary, I really loved this book and I would highly recommend it. I thought the writing was so thoughtful and really invited us into the lives of the Beaumont family. Also, don’t skip the Author’s Note at the end! From that note, I learned that she was inspired to write this by JUST MERCY, another book that’s on my TBR.
///
Loved it!!! Full review to come.
October 9, 2020
I think that the slew of books on the topics of racial justice and racial inequality by ownvoices authors are very important and I'm thankful I had the opportunity to read this one. It's billed as a combination of Dear Martin and Just Mercy and while I can't say for sure that this is true (I haven't read Just Mercy yet), I would imagine that's a very accurate description.
I found Kim Johnson's book to be extremely informative, well written and heartbreaking. Similarly, when I read Dear Martin a few months ago, I was reminded just how much racism and social justice are on the minds of our young people and what a burden they carry beyond the normal challenges of a teen in today's world. I thought this book did a phenomenal job of covering all that, while providing a deeply researched and educational format inside a YA fiction book. While I have no criticisms of this book (I don't really feel I'm qualified to judge regardless), I did enjoy Dear Martin a bit better. I thought this one read a little more YA (particularly towards the end) for me than Dear Martin did.
I highly recommend this for any young reader and I think it would be another wonderful addition to required school reading.
Thank you to Netgalley, Random House for Young Readers and Kim Johnson for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review.
Review Date: 10/09/2020
Publication Date: 07/28/2020
I found Kim Johnson's book to be extremely informative, well written and heartbreaking. Similarly, when I read Dear Martin a few months ago, I was reminded just how much racism and social justice are on the minds of our young people and what a burden they carry beyond the normal challenges of a teen in today's world. I thought this book did a phenomenal job of covering all that, while providing a deeply researched and educational format inside a YA fiction book. While I have no criticisms of this book (I don't really feel I'm qualified to judge regardless), I did enjoy Dear Martin a bit better. I thought this one read a little more YA (particularly towards the end) for me than Dear Martin did.
I highly recommend this for any young reader and I think it would be another wonderful addition to required school reading.
Thank you to Netgalley, Random House for Young Readers and Kim Johnson for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review.
Review Date: 10/09/2020
Publication Date: 07/28/2020
September 21, 2020
Well that was an incredible book.
I have to say that was the most emotional I have been in a YA book that tackles the issue of community and police racism, and inequality in the justice system. At times I felt furious, at times I felt fearful and stressed, and at times I was overwhelmed by sadness. It really was an incredibly engaging story of the battle to save two innocent black men.
The author addressed quite a few issues in this book with intelligence and respect. I was so sad during the ‘Know Your Rights’ sessions where the focus for the young black teens was behaving in a way that would not give police officers cause to shoot them. I thought including how Dean dealt with the awful legacy of being in a family that had a historical involvement in a white supremacist group was a really interesting and powerful addition. The hairs on my arms literally stood on end during the burning cross scene and I felt the author really captured the fear and horror of those who witnessed the heinous hate crime. The book also touches on inter-racial relationships and how these can be perceived by communities and the families involved.
This book was just so big and important, if you know what I mean. I thoroughly recommend it.
I have to say that was the most emotional I have been in a YA book that tackles the issue of community and police racism, and inequality in the justice system. At times I felt furious, at times I felt fearful and stressed, and at times I was overwhelmed by sadness. It really was an incredibly engaging story of the battle to save two innocent black men.
The author addressed quite a few issues in this book with intelligence and respect. I was so sad during the ‘Know Your Rights’ sessions where the focus for the young black teens was behaving in a way that would not give police officers cause to shoot them. I thought including how Dean dealt with the awful legacy of being in a family that had a historical involvement in a white supremacist group was a really interesting and powerful addition. The hairs on my arms literally stood on end during the burning cross scene and I felt the author really captured the fear and horror of those who witnessed the heinous hate crime. The book also touches on inter-racial relationships and how these can be perceived by communities and the families involved.
This book was just so big and important, if you know what I mean. I thoroughly recommend it.
July 30, 2020
4.5 stars
Fantastic! The amazingly talented Bahni Turpin narrates the audiobook. I absolutely love how she narrates! She’s one of my favorite female audiobook narrators. This is My America is emotional, important, and current. I love the characters! The story breaks my heart (and makes me angry), because it happens so often. My eyes watered more than once, especially at the end. I recommend this 100%. This book is ideal for fans of Angie Thomas.
Fantastic! The amazingly talented Bahni Turpin narrates the audiobook. I absolutely love how she narrates! She’s one of my favorite female audiobook narrators. This is My America is emotional, important, and current. I love the characters! The story breaks my heart (and makes me angry), because it happens so often. My eyes watered more than once, especially at the end. I recommend this 100%. This book is ideal for fans of Angie Thomas.
July 17, 2020
Thank you NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
“I want to be angry that Jamal ran, but I can’t blame him. What else are you supposed to do when the world treats you like a monster?”
This Is My America is a book that is so relevant in today’s world and is such a heartbreaking but powerful book. This book follows Tracy as she writes letters to Innocence X once a week to help get her father off death row, which is where he has been for the past seven years. He only has a couple of months left until he will be killed for a crime he didn’t commit. While trying to do everything she can to save her father, her brother Jamal is the main suspect in a murder that happens in their little Texas town. Tracy wants to get to the bottom of what really happened the night Angela was murdered, because she knows her brother is innocent.
I truly loved the characters in this book and had so many emotions reading about them all. While Tracy was the main character, I cherished all of the characters like Jamal, Quincy, Dean, and Steve. The author does a spectacular job on showing what it is like being black in America. Not just with the justice system, but how everything is different for a black person, even walking down the street is completely different and a fearful act.
“It started a debate in history class when white kids asked why it’s not racist to say Black Lives Matter but a problem to say White Lives Matter or Blue Lives Matter. What they don’t get is that those lives have always mattered. Ours is treated like we’re less than equal. Like we don’t deserve the same respect. A school shooter can come out alive but a Black kid in handcuffs on the ground can be shot, unchecked. An AK-47 in a white hand got more rights than a Black kid with Skittles.”
I can’t believe this is a debut, I flew through this book in a matter of hours. My heart was filled with sadness and rage reading this book, because this is what’s happening in America. People judge you because of the color of your skin, and even if there is no evidence that you actually did the crime if you are black you will be guilty no matter what. Our system is corrupt and police brutality is a real and true thing. I really loved how the author doesn’t sugar coat anything, while it may be rough to read people need to really read the truth about what is happening in this country. While this is considered a YA Contemporary, it is so much more than that, and if it were up to me every school would have this as a required book to read.
I challenge all of you to add this to your tbr and on July 28th when this book is published please go buy and read it. You will not regret it I promise you!
“I want to be angry that Jamal ran, but I can’t blame him. What else are you supposed to do when the world treats you like a monster?”
This Is My America is a book that is so relevant in today’s world and is such a heartbreaking but powerful book. This book follows Tracy as she writes letters to Innocence X once a week to help get her father off death row, which is where he has been for the past seven years. He only has a couple of months left until he will be killed for a crime he didn’t commit. While trying to do everything she can to save her father, her brother Jamal is the main suspect in a murder that happens in their little Texas town. Tracy wants to get to the bottom of what really happened the night Angela was murdered, because she knows her brother is innocent.
I truly loved the characters in this book and had so many emotions reading about them all. While Tracy was the main character, I cherished all of the characters like Jamal, Quincy, Dean, and Steve. The author does a spectacular job on showing what it is like being black in America. Not just with the justice system, but how everything is different for a black person, even walking down the street is completely different and a fearful act.
“It started a debate in history class when white kids asked why it’s not racist to say Black Lives Matter but a problem to say White Lives Matter or Blue Lives Matter. What they don’t get is that those lives have always mattered. Ours is treated like we’re less than equal. Like we don’t deserve the same respect. A school shooter can come out alive but a Black kid in handcuffs on the ground can be shot, unchecked. An AK-47 in a white hand got more rights than a Black kid with Skittles.”
I can’t believe this is a debut, I flew through this book in a matter of hours. My heart was filled with sadness and rage reading this book, because this is what’s happening in America. People judge you because of the color of your skin, and even if there is no evidence that you actually did the crime if you are black you will be guilty no matter what. Our system is corrupt and police brutality is a real and true thing. I really loved how the author doesn’t sugar coat anything, while it may be rough to read people need to really read the truth about what is happening in this country. While this is considered a YA Contemporary, it is so much more than that, and if it were up to me every school would have this as a required book to read.
I challenge all of you to add this to your tbr and on July 28th when this book is published please go buy and read it. You will not regret it I promise you!
August 15, 2020
This is My America is a hard-hitting YA debut that is part mystery/thriller, part look at racism, the American criminal justice system, and how incarceration affects families. It's very, very good, but was also quite difficult to read at times.
Tracy Beaumont's father is on death row for murders he did not commit. Every week she writes letters to Innocence X (an organization modeled on the one led by Bryan Stevenson) asking them to take his case before time runs out. But then, her brother is accused of murdering a white girl from their highschool and he goes on the run. Tracy is determined to investigate what really happened and find a way to prove the innocence of both her father and her brother.
As a character, Tracy is determined and impulsive, often making decisions that are the farthest thing from cautious and safe. It made me worried for her, but her fierce pursuit of justice at any cost is also incredibly admirable. This book takes twists and turns that delve deeply into the insidiousness of racism in America, and the assumptions of criminality often made abut Black men and boys.
There are moments of peril involving police officers and white supremacists. And this does a great job of highlighting the serious and pernicious problems with policing in America, while not being entirely anti-police. There is a Black woman from Tracy's neighborhood who is new to the force and doing what she can to bring change from the inside. This is not portrayed as easy, but we definitely see what police work SHOULD be, versus what it all too often is.
We also get to see the complexities that can come with interracial romance, and the heavy burden that racist family history can lay on later generations. We get a bit of a love triangle that really effectively explores those issues, along with the challenges of figuring out the difference between friendship and romantic interest as a teenager. Tracy has a white childhood best friend who has always been there for her, and there may be something more between them, but his mom is clearly not a fan of the idea. She has another Black childhood friend who's interested in her, but they have complicated history. I think this is a great example of how YA can positively use love triangles to really develop a character and have them caught between worlds.
I think this is an incredibly strong debut that should be read and discussed. And it is very timely given what is happening in the world. I love seeing a few more Black authors writing in the mystery/thriller genre as well where it had been predominately white. Do use caution though as this first person narrative is quite intense. I will leave some content warnings below.
Content warnings include: racist language, threat of police violence, gun violence, white supremacist language and violence, including a burning cross and broken window, discussions of the KKK including lynching, obstruction of justice, imprisonment of innocent people.
Tracy Beaumont's father is on death row for murders he did not commit. Every week she writes letters to Innocence X (an organization modeled on the one led by Bryan Stevenson) asking them to take his case before time runs out. But then, her brother is accused of murdering a white girl from their highschool and he goes on the run. Tracy is determined to investigate what really happened and find a way to prove the innocence of both her father and her brother.
As a character, Tracy is determined and impulsive, often making decisions that are the farthest thing from cautious and safe. It made me worried for her, but her fierce pursuit of justice at any cost is also incredibly admirable. This book takes twists and turns that delve deeply into the insidiousness of racism in America, and the assumptions of criminality often made abut Black men and boys.
There are moments of peril involving police officers and white supremacists. And this does a great job of highlighting the serious and pernicious problems with policing in America, while not being entirely anti-police. There is a Black woman from Tracy's neighborhood who is new to the force and doing what she can to bring change from the inside. This is not portrayed as easy, but we definitely see what police work SHOULD be, versus what it all too often is.
We also get to see the complexities that can come with interracial romance, and the heavy burden that racist family history can lay on later generations. We get a bit of a love triangle that really effectively explores those issues, along with the challenges of figuring out the difference between friendship and romantic interest as a teenager. Tracy has a white childhood best friend who has always been there for her, and there may be something more between them, but his mom is clearly not a fan of the idea. She has another Black childhood friend who's interested in her, but they have complicated history. I think this is a great example of how YA can positively use love triangles to really develop a character and have them caught between worlds.
I think this is an incredibly strong debut that should be read and discussed. And it is very timely given what is happening in the world. I love seeing a few more Black authors writing in the mystery/thriller genre as well where it had been predominately white. Do use caution though as this first person narrative is quite intense. I will leave some content warnings below.
Content warnings include: racist language, threat of police violence, gun violence, white supremacist language and violence, including a burning cross and broken window, discussions of the KKK including lynching, obstruction of justice, imprisonment of innocent people.
March 15, 2022
This is My America is a story that you will not easily forget. Emotional, nuanced, and a fantastic mystery with a dose of critique of the American criminal justice system and institutional racism. I cried at the end. What a phenomenal and timely story.
March 21, 2020
Richie’s Picks: THIS IS MY AMERICA by Kim Johnson, Random House, July 2020, 416 p., 978-0-593-11876-4
“You might be the wrong color
You might be too poor
Justice isn’t something just anyone can afford
You might not pull the trigger
You might be out in the car
And you might get a lethal injection
‘Cause we take a metaphor that far”
-- Ani Difranco, “Crime for Crime” (1995)
“In 2018, together we’ve exonerated nine innocent people, the most ever in the Innocence Project’s 26-year history, and helped pass 17 wrongful conviction reforms in 14 states. After spending more than 215 years in prison combined, our clients are where they belong: home with their loved ones.”
-- The Innocence Project, “2018: A Record Year in Exonerations”
We occasionally hear in the news about someone--usually a black man--who has spent decades in prison but is released because of newly revealed evidence. These incidents point to the problem with executions: If the State successfully prosecutes and then executes an innocent person, nothing can subsequently be done to remedy the fatal failure of the system.
“When I talk to Daddy about his case and get too hopeful, he makes me promise not to get upset because getting an appeal grows more unlikely with each day But Daddy’s also not the type to give up. He could’ve accepted a plea deal, but he said he wouldn’t admit to something he didn’t do. God would be watching over him and set him free. He believed there’d already been tragedy enough with the Davidson couple being murdered, and him and his best friend, Jackson Ridges, being blamed. Mr. Ridges was killed by the police as they tried to take him from his home. Daddy thought God wouldn’t let more pain come from that tragedy. So he pled innocent, and life without parole was off the table. It would be a death sentence if found guilty.
I used to believe that what Daddy said about no more pain was true. Like the Messiah Himself would walk right through the courtroom and carry my daddy out. Now I know it’s up to us.”
Tracy Beaumont’s father and Mr. Ridges, who are/were black, were entering into a business deal with Mr. Davidson, who is white, when the murders took place. The police never found the gun that killed the Davidson couple and Tracy’s father never owned a gun. Nevertheless, James Beaumont was convicted of shooting the Davidsons and has languished on death row for seven years. His time until the execution is nearly up. It’s up to seventeen year-old Tracy to figure out how to prevent her father from being put to death.
If that’s not enough, Tracy’s brother Jamal is now also accused of murder. Tracy stumbled across Jamal fooling around with Angela, a white schoolmate whose official boyfriend is the redneck sheriff’s hotheaded son. Soon thereafter, Angela turns up dead and Jamal is suspected because before she died, Angela called 911 and the operator heard Angela cry out Jamal’s name.
Set in coastal Texas, THIS IS MY AMERICA is a superb white-knuckle, double-murder mystery for ages 12 and up. It’s a tale of black and white in a world of white separatist hate and violence.
After writing to the Innocence X project weekly for seven years, Tracy has finally persuaded the legal organization to examine her father’s case. The tension ratchets up a couple more notches when young attorney Steve Jones arrives in town and seeks to prove that James Beaumont was wrongfully convicted.
Tracy has one more important interaction with issues of color: She’s long been best friends with Dean, a white boy who now longs to be more than friends. Meanwhile, there’s Quincy Ridges, son of the late Mr. Ridges. Before Quincy’s father was killed by the police, Tracy and Quincy had been inseparable childhood friends. Since the police shooting, Quincy’s relationship with Tracy has never been the same, but they retain a special connection. Tracy needs to navigate her feelings for the two boys.
Can the Innocence X’s young, crackerjack lawyer Steve Jones pull off a miracle? Can Tracy’s father and brother survive their ordeals? Who really killed the Davidsons and Angela, and why?
I oppose capital punishment. Even in the extreme cases of Mark David Chapman, who stole John Lennon from an entire generation, and James Earl Ray, who deprived the world of Martin Luther King, Jr., I have never wished to have the government kill murderers as a punishment for what they did. Taking a murderer’s life doesn’t bring back the murder victim. It just takes away someone else. t urge readers to consider the statistics that Kim Johnson includes in her Author’s Note:
“Lynchings and capital punishment draw many comparisons as inhumane and unequal treatment largely applied on the basis of race. As of April 1, 2019, there were 2,637 inmates in prison who had been sentenced to death, across thirty-two states. African Americans make up about 13 percent of the US population, but are 42 percent of the people on death row. It’s important to acknowledge that, nationally, 95 percent of prosecutors are white…”
The nightmare news stories that inspired the Black Lives Matter movement come alive in this fictional but heartbreakingly, all-too-real tale of life in Black America. As with lynching, capital punishment should have ended a long time ago. It kills me that there still aren’t enough Americans of conscience raising their voices against it.
THIS IS MY AMERICA is a story that illustrates what can happen when people group themselves by skin color, look out only for their own, and shrug their shoulders at injustice. It also shows how a young person, one with sufficient persistence and tenacity, can save a life.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
“You might be the wrong color
You might be too poor
Justice isn’t something just anyone can afford
You might not pull the trigger
You might be out in the car
And you might get a lethal injection
‘Cause we take a metaphor that far”
-- Ani Difranco, “Crime for Crime” (1995)
“In 2018, together we’ve exonerated nine innocent people, the most ever in the Innocence Project’s 26-year history, and helped pass 17 wrongful conviction reforms in 14 states. After spending more than 215 years in prison combined, our clients are where they belong: home with their loved ones.”
-- The Innocence Project, “2018: A Record Year in Exonerations”
We occasionally hear in the news about someone--usually a black man--who has spent decades in prison but is released because of newly revealed evidence. These incidents point to the problem with executions: If the State successfully prosecutes and then executes an innocent person, nothing can subsequently be done to remedy the fatal failure of the system.
“When I talk to Daddy about his case and get too hopeful, he makes me promise not to get upset because getting an appeal grows more unlikely with each day But Daddy’s also not the type to give up. He could’ve accepted a plea deal, but he said he wouldn’t admit to something he didn’t do. God would be watching over him and set him free. He believed there’d already been tragedy enough with the Davidson couple being murdered, and him and his best friend, Jackson Ridges, being blamed. Mr. Ridges was killed by the police as they tried to take him from his home. Daddy thought God wouldn’t let more pain come from that tragedy. So he pled innocent, and life without parole was off the table. It would be a death sentence if found guilty.
I used to believe that what Daddy said about no more pain was true. Like the Messiah Himself would walk right through the courtroom and carry my daddy out. Now I know it’s up to us.”
Tracy Beaumont’s father and Mr. Ridges, who are/were black, were entering into a business deal with Mr. Davidson, who is white, when the murders took place. The police never found the gun that killed the Davidson couple and Tracy’s father never owned a gun. Nevertheless, James Beaumont was convicted of shooting the Davidsons and has languished on death row for seven years. His time until the execution is nearly up. It’s up to seventeen year-old Tracy to figure out how to prevent her father from being put to death.
If that’s not enough, Tracy’s brother Jamal is now also accused of murder. Tracy stumbled across Jamal fooling around with Angela, a white schoolmate whose official boyfriend is the redneck sheriff’s hotheaded son. Soon thereafter, Angela turns up dead and Jamal is suspected because before she died, Angela called 911 and the operator heard Angela cry out Jamal’s name.
Set in coastal Texas, THIS IS MY AMERICA is a superb white-knuckle, double-murder mystery for ages 12 and up. It’s a tale of black and white in a world of white separatist hate and violence.
After writing to the Innocence X project weekly for seven years, Tracy has finally persuaded the legal organization to examine her father’s case. The tension ratchets up a couple more notches when young attorney Steve Jones arrives in town and seeks to prove that James Beaumont was wrongfully convicted.
Tracy has one more important interaction with issues of color: She’s long been best friends with Dean, a white boy who now longs to be more than friends. Meanwhile, there’s Quincy Ridges, son of the late Mr. Ridges. Before Quincy’s father was killed by the police, Tracy and Quincy had been inseparable childhood friends. Since the police shooting, Quincy’s relationship with Tracy has never been the same, but they retain a special connection. Tracy needs to navigate her feelings for the two boys.
Can the Innocence X’s young, crackerjack lawyer Steve Jones pull off a miracle? Can Tracy’s father and brother survive their ordeals? Who really killed the Davidsons and Angela, and why?
I oppose capital punishment. Even in the extreme cases of Mark David Chapman, who stole John Lennon from an entire generation, and James Earl Ray, who deprived the world of Martin Luther King, Jr., I have never wished to have the government kill murderers as a punishment for what they did. Taking a murderer’s life doesn’t bring back the murder victim. It just takes away someone else. t urge readers to consider the statistics that Kim Johnson includes in her Author’s Note:
“Lynchings and capital punishment draw many comparisons as inhumane and unequal treatment largely applied on the basis of race. As of April 1, 2019, there were 2,637 inmates in prison who had been sentenced to death, across thirty-two states. African Americans make up about 13 percent of the US population, but are 42 percent of the people on death row. It’s important to acknowledge that, nationally, 95 percent of prosecutors are white…”
The nightmare news stories that inspired the Black Lives Matter movement come alive in this fictional but heartbreakingly, all-too-real tale of life in Black America. As with lynching, capital punishment should have ended a long time ago. It kills me that there still aren’t enough Americans of conscience raising their voices against it.
THIS IS MY AMERICA is a story that illustrates what can happen when people group themselves by skin color, look out only for their own, and shrug their shoulders at injustice. It also shows how a young person, one with sufficient persistence and tenacity, can save a life.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
March 23, 2021
Excellent book, important story, and so well-written! Narrated by the Queen - Bahni Turpin!
December 24, 2020
This was just one of those books that became apparent pretty early on that it wasn't for me, but I held out hope that maybe the investigation aspect into Angela's death would turn things around for me. While that was the part of the book I was able to latch onto and enjoy the most as the other plot lines felt raw a little too close to say I enjoyed them, it still wasn't enough to raise my overall enjoyment of the book. In a lot of ways this story felt average and in other ways as though I wasn't the actual demographic for this book. Not that it really does anything wrong? Tracy as a main character was one that I liked. I felt that as a person I enjoyed her. I could clearly understand her motivations and what was driving her in the story. Aside from the minimal romance, the book was so well realized.
The moments in the story where we were able to see the Beaumont's a family and their dynamic were the best. I really loved how even in the moments were they were upset with one another they were still there, it was the very thing that I loved to see in books.
Definitely think that a younger, and actual intended audience might be able to walk away with something more than I was. Still a book I would recommend to others even though I don't really have a lot to say about it myself.
The moments in the story where we were able to see the Beaumont's a family and their dynamic were the best. I really loved how even in the moments were they were upset with one another they were still there, it was the very thing that I loved to see in books.
Definitely think that a younger, and actual intended audience might be able to walk away with something more than I was. Still a book I would recommend to others even though I don't really have a lot to say about it myself.
August 11, 2020
so many emotions from the very first chapter.
February 18, 2021
This was a really strong and really necessary exploration of systemic racism in the US criminal justice system and how deeply white supremacy is rooted into it. The story is told in a very realistic style, which makes it a heavy, emotional read at times, but it had me crying from happiness towards the end - it's ultimately hopeful as well.
October 29, 2022
Trigger warnings: racism, murder, wrongful incarceration, police brutality, racial profiling, incarceration of a parent, white supremacy.
23/10/2022
This is a fantastic mixture of a crime novel, a contemporary novel, and a social justice novel all wrapped up into one neat package. An absolutely cracking read.
3/2/2021
When I initially finished reading this, I gave it 4.5 stars. But the more time passes, the more I find myself thinking about this book and how powerful it was, so I'm going with 5 stars. The characters were wonderful and while it took me a while to warm up to Tracy as a protagonist, she's so fierce and so determined in fighting for her dad's freedom.
There are so many social justice issues in one story, and all of it felt absolutely authentic. I cried multiple times reading this book and the author's note at the end hit me in the feelings incredibly hard. Basically? I would love this to be studied as a set text in schools because it's incredibly powerful and incredible current and kids would actually read it.
23/10/2022
This is a fantastic mixture of a crime novel, a contemporary novel, and a social justice novel all wrapped up into one neat package. An absolutely cracking read.
3/2/2021
When I initially finished reading this, I gave it 4.5 stars. But the more time passes, the more I find myself thinking about this book and how powerful it was, so I'm going with 5 stars. The characters were wonderful and while it took me a while to warm up to Tracy as a protagonist, she's so fierce and so determined in fighting for her dad's freedom.
There are so many social justice issues in one story, and all of it felt absolutely authentic. I cried multiple times reading this book and the author's note at the end hit me in the feelings incredibly hard. Basically? I would love this to be studied as a set text in schools because it's incredibly powerful and incredible current and kids would actually read it.
Read
August 16, 2020This book was a lot and filled me with anxiety. It sheds light on what black people continuously go through in this country. And it’s not pretty.
August 12, 2020
*Please check Caidyn’s review before diving into this book as he has listed all the trigger warnings for topics contained in this book!!!!*
This book just flat out sucker punched me and the author’s note states best - to leave you with hope but also realise the very real life struggles that mass incarceration leaves on those imprisoned and the families on the outside.
Tracey is our protagonist who writes letters to innocence X in an attempt for them to take on her father’s case as his execution date looms for a murder he pled not guilty for. At the same time, tracey’s family is once again ripped apart when another crime is committed and all eyes point to her family.
This was a saga that I flew through in a few hours. It was staggering and brilliantly written from start to finish.
This book just flat out sucker punched me and the author’s note states best - to leave you with hope but also realise the very real life struggles that mass incarceration leaves on those imprisoned and the families on the outside.
Tracey is our protagonist who writes letters to innocence X in an attempt for them to take on her father’s case as his execution date looms for a murder he pled not guilty for. At the same time, tracey’s family is once again ripped apart when another crime is committed and all eyes point to her family.
This was a saga that I flew through in a few hours. It was staggering and brilliantly written from start to finish.
Read
June 10, 2020This is an important and powerful look at the criminal justice system's historic racism in America. It's going to mean a lot of things to a lot of readers, and that it's hitting shelves right now is painfully timely....and, as it stands right now, unfortunately timeless.
That said, I wish it had been edited better. The characters aren't super well developed and there's not an emotional honesty to Tracy outside the letters she writes, which aren't as many as the book led me to believe. That story line was compelling, where I felt the mystery underlying Jamal's story didn't come together nor fit the book until about 300 pages in. This was an editor issue, not a writer issue. The romance, too, didn't feel real or necessary.
I'd absolutely hand this to readers who love Dear Martin or The Hate U Give or who want a story about the racial prejudice of the American judicial system and specifically how it harms and kills Black men and boys.
That said, I wish it had been edited better. The characters aren't super well developed and there's not an emotional honesty to Tracy outside the letters she writes, which aren't as many as the book led me to believe. That story line was compelling, where I felt the mystery underlying Jamal's story didn't come together nor fit the book until about 300 pages in. This was an editor issue, not a writer issue. The romance, too, didn't feel real or necessary.
I'd absolutely hand this to readers who love Dear Martin or The Hate U Give or who want a story about the racial prejudice of the American judicial system and specifically how it harms and kills Black men and boys.
August 2, 2020
It is Kim Johnson's debut novel #gifted and it is everything, so so good. The story opens up with Tracy Beaumont who writes letters to Innocent X on behalf her father, an innocent Black man on death row. As Tracy is consumed with helping her father, navigating her friendship with Dean and trying to navigate her way through school and writing for the school's paper, something happens down at The Pike with her brother Jamal, and Angela, their white classmate.
This novel addresses a few important issues really well such as activism, advocacy, being Black, experiencing the reality (for so many Black kids) of having an incarcerated parent and how that shifts the family dynamic, racism and social justice. If you appreciated Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson, or loved Nic Stone's Dear Martin, then I would recommend you to read this one too, you will not want to put this down #GetUnderlinedPartner
https://www.instagram.com/p/CDMYfKbg2...
This novel addresses a few important issues really well such as activism, advocacy, being Black, experiencing the reality (for so many Black kids) of having an incarcerated parent and how that shifts the family dynamic, racism and social justice. If you appreciated Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson, or loved Nic Stone's Dear Martin, then I would recommend you to read this one too, you will not want to put this down #GetUnderlinedPartner
https://www.instagram.com/p/CDMYfKbg2...
September 18, 2020
Kim Johnson is a powerhouse. Is this her debut novel??? Cause baaaaby... she KILLT it.
If one person asked me what book would I recommend for 2020.. it’s This Is My America. The themes, plot, story line, characters... they are all relevant to today. This was a fast paced book through and through. I was reading this EVERYWHERE because I couldn't put it down. This gripping story of a family dealing with our (un)justice system is so true even today. I can’t believe (I mean I can believe it) that this is a YA novel. If you have a teen, high schooler or even yourself, please read this.
5/5 stars.
If one person asked me what book would I recommend for 2020.. it’s This Is My America. The themes, plot, story line, characters... they are all relevant to today. This was a fast paced book through and through. I was reading this EVERYWHERE because I couldn't put it down. This gripping story of a family dealing with our (un)justice system is so true even today. I can’t believe (I mean I can believe it) that this is a YA novel. If you have a teen, high schooler or even yourself, please read this.
5/5 stars.
September 18, 2020
The title of this book perfectly sums up its content. I listened to this book on audio and I was beyond impressed. I found myself scared for Tracey, she was scared and steadfast. I was vulnerable and felt exposed to reading this book. I also understood the struggle that came along with having a community against you and being black in America. I am still in the deciding stages if I will make a video review of this book. Tracey's love triangle & the questions she asked herself were valid and I supported the choices she made in this regard among others.
Pick this book up if you are still thinking that all lives matter.
Pick this book up if you are still thinking that all lives matter.
August 13, 2020
Update: Review written for Pine Reads Review
Trigger Warnings: Murder, racism, (off the page) lynching, anti-Blackness, police brutality, death of a parent
“A school shooter can come out alive but a Black kid in handcuffs on the ground can be shot, unchecked. An AK-47 in a white hand has more rights than a Black kid with skittles.”
Tracy Beaumont is a unyielding high school junior determined to prove her father’s innocence. Every week for seven years she writes letters to Innocence X, who she hopes will one day assist in exonerating her beloved father. In her fight to bring her father home Tracy is met with another hurdle; her classmate was found dead and her brother Jamal is made the prime suspect. Now, she must work even harder to keep her family from falling apart. Tracy is a beacon in her community. She leads “Know Your Rights” workshops and writes about major issues in her column known as “Tracy’s Corner.” Even when faced with intimidation by police and white supremacists Tracy does not give up. She is passionate and resilient and works tirelessly to protect the ones she loves and to inform her community about safety precautions in the face of police and police brutality.
Johnson’s novel delves into what families are left with after one of their own has been taken by a corrupt justice system and threatens to take another. Other topics include interracial relationships and stigma, intergenerational trauma, white passivity and general complacency. The Beaumonts’ story takes place in Texas, a place where law enforcement has a malign history fraught with violence. Kim Johnson does not shy away from this history especially when considering the prejudice the Beaumonts face as Black Americans.
Her novel is an examination and mass incarceration and wrongful imprisonment. She crafts a beautifully woven piece full of hope that demands change that history dare not repeat itself. The character Tracy is a steadfast activist whom I adore and admire.The cast of secondary characters including Quincy, Corinne, Tasha, Dean, Steve and the teens parents all captured my heart with their own complexities and personal turmoil. This is My America was everything and more, I was left in complete shambles. This is one of the best novels I’ve ever read and I cannot stress it’s value.
Initial Review:
This was one of my most anticipated books of the year and it was OUTSTANDING. For much of this novel I was filled with anxiety and dread, because of how much I yearned for the happiness and safety of these characters. The character of Tracy Beaumont is one I hope to one day live up to, with her dedication, passion and overall compelling power to lead. I adore her. Johnson’s own passion shines through the pages of the novel. She brings to readers the all too real dilemma that is mass incarceration and wrongful imprisonment. I cannot stress how important this novel is. Make this the next novel you read!!
More thoughts to come.
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