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Sun Keep Rising
When rent increases put a teen mom at risk of losing her home, she resorts to a dangerous game to keep her family afloat. But all games have consequences, and this isn't one she can afford to lose. A gripping story about race, income instability, and the strength it takes to survive from a critically acclaimed author.
B'onca always knew how to get by. And then her daughter is born. She wouldn't trade Mia for anything, but there is never enough cash to go around. When their gentrifying Memphis neighborhood results in higher prices and then an eviction notice, B'onca's already fragile world spirals. Desperate to make things right, B'onca forges a risky plan to help pay the bills. But one wrong move could cost B'onca--and her family--everything.
From the celebrated author of Required Reading for the Disenfranchised Freshman comes a compelling story about a teen mom navigating income disparity and racial inequality, and defying challenges to protect those she loves.
B'onca always knew how to get by. And then her daughter is born. She wouldn't trade Mia for anything, but there is never enough cash to go around. When their gentrifying Memphis neighborhood results in higher prices and then an eviction notice, B'onca's already fragile world spirals. Desperate to make things right, B'onca forges a risky plan to help pay the bills. But one wrong move could cost B'onca--and her family--everything.
From the celebrated author of Required Reading for the Disenfranchised Freshman comes a compelling story about a teen mom navigating income disparity and racial inequality, and defying challenges to protect those she loves.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published January 24, 2023
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2557 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 111 reviews
January 6, 2023
Sun Keep Rising is the story of a teenaged mother named B'Onca, who has the smarts to go to college, but due to having a child at 17, instead needs to work to make money NOW!
This book was an extremely quick and easy read, however I couldn't get behind it
There were way too many things going on at once, from the drug addiction, the save the neighborhood, and the whole scene between the two guys.
One gets threatened for breaking the ultimate street code, yet we never find out what happened to Scooter.,(Who did it?) There are just SO many questions that are left unanswered, just hanging.
I also couldn't get behind the " street slang," 🙄 that drove me up the wall. Just because you're from the projects or the "hood" doesn't mean you have to speak like that. SORRY!
Maybe it was me, but I think the message was lost due to differing problems within the storyline.
I could really go on, but truly there is no need.
You get the point.
Thank you, NetGalley /Kristen R. Lee/Crown Books for Young Readers./ For this eARC in advance for my honest review. My opinions are of my own volition.
This book was an extremely quick and easy read, however I couldn't get behind it
There were way too many things going on at once, from the drug addiction, the save the neighborhood, and the whole scene between the two guys.
One gets threatened for breaking the ultimate street code, yet we never find out what happened to Scooter.,(Who did it?) There are just SO many questions that are left unanswered, just hanging.
I also couldn't get behind the " street slang," 🙄 that drove me up the wall. Just because you're from the projects or the "hood" doesn't mean you have to speak like that. SORRY!
Maybe it was me, but I think the message was lost due to differing problems within the storyline.
I could really go on, but truly there is no need.
You get the point.
Thank you, NetGalley /Kristen R. Lee/Crown Books for Young Readers./ For this eARC in advance for my honest review. My opinions are of my own volition.
March 16, 2023
Thank you to the author Kristin R. Lee, publishers Random House Children's, and as always NetGalley, for an advance digital copy of SUN KEEP RISING.
B'Onca is a teen mom, facing all the challenges and judgments young, poor, black teen moms face when they're not teen fathers, when their rents are rising because of gentrification, when their only job prospects pay in insufficient wage. The burdens of Intergenerational trauma mean B'Onca can't count on her own mom, and the closest she has is a sister, Shana, just barely herself out of childhood, and with her own child to care for. As the pages turn in B'Onca and Shana's story, B'Onca feels more and more closed in by the lack of opportunity around her, and a future that appears more and more out of reach. Shana tries to encourage her, and she tries to take the word of this person she trusts so much-- but it's hard to feel hopeful. All those emotions finally start to affect B'Onca. Affect her judgments and choices. By the end of this book, she realizes-- she should have just listened to her big sister.
I really enjoyed this storyline! It takes an interesting shape. I don't want to spoil this book for those of you who go on to read it-- go on, read it! So I can't go into too much detail here. But I love the pacing and shape of the narrative. I was surprised to see how the action of the story (which I predicted to some extent) built to a climax, and what the climax entailed. And the denouement was amazing. It made me want to cheer and cry simultaneously.
The denouement is important in this story of a young black girl just starting her life, trying to escape the. This is a story that is powerful in part because you could feel the force of the vacuum on the other side of the plot's fulcrum just tugging at the main characters. What would happen if things had been different as they almost certainly could have been for B'Onca or Shana?
I loved the style. Epically readable. Sounds great on audio, which I use as an accessibility feature. Already downloaded Lee's award-winning REQUIRED READING FOR THE DISENFRANCHISED FRESHMAN, and I'm really looking forward to starting it!
Rating: 👶🏿👶🏿👶🏿👶🏿.5 / 5 life-changing plot points
Recommend? Absolutely!
Finished: March 15 2023
Read if you like:
💜 Angie Thomas
👩🏾🦱 BIWOC authors
🤎 Diverse voices and characters
👩👧 Family drama
🟰 Social justice
B'Onca is a teen mom, facing all the challenges and judgments young, poor, black teen moms face when they're not teen fathers, when their rents are rising because of gentrification, when their only job prospects pay in insufficient wage. The burdens of Intergenerational trauma mean B'Onca can't count on her own mom, and the closest she has is a sister, Shana, just barely herself out of childhood, and with her own child to care for. As the pages turn in B'Onca and Shana's story, B'Onca feels more and more closed in by the lack of opportunity around her, and a future that appears more and more out of reach. Shana tries to encourage her, and she tries to take the word of this person she trusts so much-- but it's hard to feel hopeful. All those emotions finally start to affect B'Onca. Affect her judgments and choices. By the end of this book, she realizes-- she should have just listened to her big sister.
I really enjoyed this storyline! It takes an interesting shape. I don't want to spoil this book for those of you who go on to read it-- go on, read it! So I can't go into too much detail here. But I love the pacing and shape of the narrative. I was surprised to see how the action of the story (which I predicted to some extent) built to a climax, and what the climax entailed. And the denouement was amazing. It made me want to cheer and cry simultaneously.
The denouement is important in this story of a young black girl just starting her life, trying to escape the. This is a story that is powerful in part because you could feel the force of the vacuum on the other side of the plot's fulcrum just tugging at the main characters. What would happen if things had been different as they almost certainly could have been for B'Onca or Shana?
I loved the style. Epically readable. Sounds great on audio, which I use as an accessibility feature. Already downloaded Lee's award-winning REQUIRED READING FOR THE DISENFRANCHISED FRESHMAN, and I'm really looking forward to starting it!
Rating: 👶🏿👶🏿👶🏿👶🏿.5 / 5 life-changing plot points
Recommend? Absolutely!
Finished: March 15 2023
Read if you like:
💜 Angie Thomas
👩🏾🦱 BIWOC authors
🤎 Diverse voices and characters
👩👧 Family drama
🟰 Social justice
January 3, 2024
✨ "When you are from darkness, any little shimmer of light can draw you in."
The odds are stacked against a single Black teen mom in this hard-hitting read about strength, resilience and survival.
B'onca's situation is the reality for many and I appreciate the book highlighting what it's like to be in her shoes as she juggles school, work, relationships, motherhood, the threat of losing her child and eviction in a rapidly-gentrifying neighborhood. The author truly conveyed how difficult it is to do anything else like pursuing your dreams or thinking about the future, when you are trapped in the cycle of poverty and barely making ends meet.
I could empathise with how every decision B'onca made was for her and her daughter's survival, even when I couldn't fully support her. Watching her on a downward spiral and wondering whether she would sink any further kept me on the edge of my seat (or rather, bed, as I was so gripped by the story and up reading till 3am).
There were some loose ends that I would have preferred a more solid resolution to but nevertheless, I felt like things ended on a fitting note. Overall, this was an illuminating novel that shed light on social issues that tend to be overlooked.
3.5⭐
Thank you to TBR and Beyond Tours and Random House Children's for the Netgalley ARC.
The odds are stacked against a single Black teen mom in this hard-hitting read about strength, resilience and survival.
B'onca's situation is the reality for many and I appreciate the book highlighting what it's like to be in her shoes as she juggles school, work, relationships, motherhood, the threat of losing her child and eviction in a rapidly-gentrifying neighborhood. The author truly conveyed how difficult it is to do anything else like pursuing your dreams or thinking about the future, when you are trapped in the cycle of poverty and barely making ends meet.
I could empathise with how every decision B'onca made was for her and her daughter's survival, even when I couldn't fully support her. Watching her on a downward spiral and wondering whether she would sink any further kept me on the edge of my seat (or rather, bed, as I was so gripped by the story and up reading till 3am).
There were some loose ends that I would have preferred a more solid resolution to but nevertheless, I felt like things ended on a fitting note. Overall, this was an illuminating novel that shed light on social issues that tend to be overlooked.
3.5⭐
Thank you to TBR and Beyond Tours and Random House Children's for the Netgalley ARC.
January 17, 2023
Lee does a fantastic job of tackling tough subjects such as teen pregnancy, gentrification, drug addiction, and street violence in this short yet poignant coming of age novel.
Thank you Get Underlined for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
Thank you Get Underlined for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own.
October 19, 2022
Sun Keep Rising is multicultural interest teen and young adult fiction by Kristen R. Lee.
B’onca Johnson is a teen mother facing hard decisions. How can she help keep her family from being evicted from their home? Is she making the right choice? Is the reward worth the grave risks?
Kristen R. Lee takes on some hard topics in this novel, including gentrification and generational trauma. The fact that the main character is a teenage girl makes them even more relevant and compelling. It’s well-written, and the details are accurate for the time and place. I throughly enjoyed Sun Keep Rising and rate it 5 out of 5 stars. I highly recommend it to teen and young adult readers and to all readers who enjoy teen and young adult fiction.
My thanks to Random House Children’s, Crown Books for Young Reader, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. However, the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.
B’onca Johnson is a teen mother facing hard decisions. How can she help keep her family from being evicted from their home? Is she making the right choice? Is the reward worth the grave risks?
Kristen R. Lee takes on some hard topics in this novel, including gentrification and generational trauma. The fact that the main character is a teenage girl makes them even more relevant and compelling. It’s well-written, and the details are accurate for the time and place. I throughly enjoyed Sun Keep Rising and rate it 5 out of 5 stars. I highly recommend it to teen and young adult readers and to all readers who enjoy teen and young adult fiction.
My thanks to Random House Children’s, Crown Books for Young Reader, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. However, the opinions expressed in this review are 100% mine and mine alone.
January 6, 2023
2.75 stars, rounded up to 3
Overall, this was an interesting story with a few different topics that I am familiar with - teen mom, addiction, gentrification, poverty and more. I can't say that I liked or disliked the main character, B'onca. She had a complicated narrative and often times made decisions that didn't make sense but she was trying to do the best she could to be 17. For example, she stated that college cost too much and she'd be better off going to cosmetology school to get her license BUT then her teacher mentioned that there were some full scholarships available at a community college nearby. Why not try to get those scholarships so that money is no longer the problem?
As a teen mom, I expected that she would struggle, but I didn't like that there wasn't really a resolution to the issues with her mom, who killed Scooter, and the custody battle with the Cranes.
And the storyline introduced other elements that didn't add to the story. Why did her mom come back in the first place? What was the point of the community meeting to save the neighborhood? Why wouldn't her sister tell her they are getting help from their neighbors? How did she make money if she had to give it back after doing the "job" with Whitney? When she took the job at the hair salon she kept missing work but then complaining that the money wasn't enough, BUT it paid more than the pizza job?? I was left with a lot of unanswered questions and plot holes.
Pacing was off and I didn’t like the way it ended at all. It felt like there were too many elements to discuss so all of them were thrown in sporadically just to say it's there... it just didn't feel like a cohesive story but it really had the potential.
Thank you to NetGalley & Random House Children's for sending this ebook for an honest review.
Overall, this was an interesting story with a few different topics that I am familiar with - teen mom, addiction, gentrification, poverty and more. I can't say that I liked or disliked the main character, B'onca. She had a complicated narrative and often times made decisions that didn't make sense but she was trying to do the best she could to be 17. For example, she stated that college cost too much and she'd be better off going to cosmetology school to get her license BUT then her teacher mentioned that there were some full scholarships available at a community college nearby. Why not try to get those scholarships so that money is no longer the problem?
As a teen mom, I expected that she would struggle, but I didn't like that there wasn't really a resolution to the issues with her mom, who killed Scooter, and the custody battle with the Cranes.
And the storyline introduced other elements that didn't add to the story. Why did her mom come back in the first place? What was the point of the community meeting to save the neighborhood? Why wouldn't her sister tell her they are getting help from their neighbors? How did she make money if she had to give it back after doing the "job" with Whitney? When she took the job at the hair salon she kept missing work but then complaining that the money wasn't enough, BUT it paid more than the pizza job?? I was left with a lot of unanswered questions and plot holes.
Pacing was off and I didn’t like the way it ended at all. It felt like there were too many elements to discuss so all of them were thrown in sporadically just to say it's there... it just didn't feel like a cohesive story but it really had the potential.
Thank you to NetGalley & Random House Children's for sending this ebook for an honest review.
January 27, 2023
Sun Keep Rising is a heart wrenching story about the love of a mother for her daughter. A teen mom, B'onca would do anything for her four-month daughter Mia, as they faced eviction from their apartment. Taking risks in keeping your family and life together does has consequences. The book deals with teen pregnancy, gentrification, and race. Sun keep rising was based on real life experiences, The author's Grandmother, Mother and aunt were all teenage parents. This is an eye-opening and important book for everyone especially teens and young adults.
"The sun keep rising when my mama had my sister at fifteen, when my sister had my niece at sixteen, and when I had Mia three months after my seventeenth birthday."
"Being Young and Black, my fight was even harder."
"When you are from darkness, any little shimmer of light can draw you in."
"College don't buy happiness. College spoils it."
Thanks to Crown publishing, author Kristen Lee and TBR Beyond the tours for the book and review.
"The sun keep rising when my mama had my sister at fifteen, when my sister had my niece at sixteen, and when I had Mia three months after my seventeenth birthday."
"Being Young and Black, my fight was even harder."
"When you are from darkness, any little shimmer of light can draw you in."
"College don't buy happiness. College spoils it."
Thanks to Crown publishing, author Kristen Lee and TBR Beyond the tours for the book and review.
December 13, 2022
Sun Keep Rising is about B'onca, a teen mom living in poverty. She has a 4 month old baby, and the two of them live with B'onca's sister and one of her sister's children. Right off the bat, it is inclusive to lived experiences that many people have, because B'onca's sister has more than one child but only has custody of one of them at the time the story takes place. It doesn't have anything to do with the plot, so I'm glad it was mentioned as part of the family's background.
B'onca's baby's dad is named Scooter - he and B'onca dated for 3 years (god knows how many other people he was dating during those years) and they got pregnant their first time having sex. The two of them are not together anymore at the time of the book, but he still wants to have some control over what B'onca does, which is especially frustrating to her because he doesn't want much to do with their baby. Scooter's parents have money, and so does Scooter (he boosts things - takes orders for people and shoplifts what they want), so it's a shame that they don't support B'onca and the baby.
This story basically follows B'onca through the time in her life where she's graduated high school, is going to be the first person in her family to go to college, but doesn't want to go to college because it's not only expensive but also takes time to start making money... like, ya know, four years. Four years she doesn't really have to wait around to start supporting her family.
It's a really good depiction of the way that too many teens live in our country. Having to pick between eating for the week and buying medicine for your sick baby. Having to miss out on regular teenage social life because you have to work any time there's spare time. Having to take your baby with you, even sometimes to work, because there's no way to even come close to affording daycare. And honestly, it's not just teens that live this way. But there's an even higher chance that teen mothers will be in poverty just because of the impossibility of getting a job that can support a family.
Especially with this being such a short book, I think it's definitely worth the read for both teens and grown ups. My only issue is the way it wrapped up so quickly, but I mean, it's not like I could follow B'onca and the baby for the rest of their lives lol
B'onca's baby's dad is named Scooter - he and B'onca dated for 3 years (god knows how many other people he was dating during those years) and they got pregnant their first time having sex. The two of them are not together anymore at the time of the book, but he still wants to have some control over what B'onca does, which is especially frustrating to her because he doesn't want much to do with their baby. Scooter's parents have money, and so does Scooter (he boosts things - takes orders for people and shoplifts what they want), so it's a shame that they don't support B'onca and the baby.
This story basically follows B'onca through the time in her life where she's graduated high school, is going to be the first person in her family to go to college, but doesn't want to go to college because it's not only expensive but also takes time to start making money... like, ya know, four years. Four years she doesn't really have to wait around to start supporting her family.
It's a really good depiction of the way that too many teens live in our country. Having to pick between eating for the week and buying medicine for your sick baby. Having to miss out on regular teenage social life because you have to work any time there's spare time. Having to take your baby with you, even sometimes to work, because there's no way to even come close to affording daycare. And honestly, it's not just teens that live this way. But there's an even higher chance that teen mothers will be in poverty just because of the impossibility of getting a job that can support a family.
Especially with this being such a short book, I think it's definitely worth the read for both teens and grown ups. My only issue is the way it wrapped up so quickly, but I mean, it's not like I could follow B'onca and the baby for the rest of their lives lol
January 28, 2023
A moving and emotional story about a young Black teen mother trying to break the cycle of intergenerational trauma. Fighting to keep her young daughter and succumbing to questionable means to keep a roof over her head as their neighborhood deals with increasing gentrification. Great on audio and perfect for fans of Concrete Rose.
January 27, 2023
This book was soooo good I devoured it in a couple of hours🥹💞
November 6, 2022
First things first, thank you @netgalley for approving this ARC for me. Ive had my eye on this book for awhile. It did not disappoint. Reading this book made me so sad and I could relate so much to it. I was a teen mom. I had my son at 17 and when I became pregnant in high school, everyone looked at me crazy, judged me and told me I wouldn’t amount to anything; including family! In this book B’onca dealt with the same things. She got pregnant at a young age and everyone gave her dirty looks and claimed she wouldn’t be able to do things “normal” teenagers do because she has a baby. I felt for her because hearing people close to you doubt you and tell you that you wont amount to anything because you had a baby at a young age hurts. B’onca’s mom wasn’t a great role model for her. I had high hopes for her mom while reading but she ended up disappointing me.
B’onca is such a strong individual and although she did things that she shouldn’t have done, she went to any extreme to make sure her and her daughter didnt go without. Alot of people judged her as a bad mom based on some of the things she did, but when your back is against the wall and you have nobody to help you.. the only thing you thinking about is making sure your kid is good. I did not like her babys father. He was no good and also his parents were no better. I wish their was a part 2, so i can see what happens with his parents and B’onca. Another sad part in this book is that ytp people were trying to increase prices in her neighborhood to get most of the black people out. I get so upset when I read or hear about stuff like this. The things black people have to deal with are EXHAUSTING!
B’onca is such a strong individual and although she did things that she shouldn’t have done, she went to any extreme to make sure her and her daughter didnt go without. Alot of people judged her as a bad mom based on some of the things she did, but when your back is against the wall and you have nobody to help you.. the only thing you thinking about is making sure your kid is good. I did not like her babys father. He was no good and also his parents were no better. I wish their was a part 2, so i can see what happens with his parents and B’onca. Another sad part in this book is that ytp people were trying to increase prices in her neighborhood to get most of the black people out. I get so upset when I read or hear about stuff like this. The things black people have to deal with are EXHAUSTING!
January 25, 2023
Book Tour: Sun Keep Rising by @kristenleebooks
Book Review & Favorite Quotes:
4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This story captivated me from the beginning, because as a now single mother of 3, the main character — B’onca was me. I was resilient, determined, and motivated to do WHATEVER I had to do as a mom, fresh out of high school. NO MATTER THE COST!
B’onca was young when she became a mother and did whatever she had to do to protect her baby girl… even at the expense of everyone she cared for. This book was very well written, and most importantly very relatable to the world today. Teen pregnancy is definitely an epidemic that this world is faced with each and everyday.
In this book, B’onca is faced with eviction, being financially stable, and race issues. This book highlights all of the things that I have personally experienced in my life which is why this book will always be so dear to me. The best part is the fact that B’onca overcame rhe adversities and diversities of life as a teen mom.
This book was definitely worth the read. Slide to see some of the quotes that related so precisely with me💭
Disclaimer: I was in no way influenced to writereview.
This review is solely my opinion in exchange for an advanced reader copy. Sun Keep Rising released January 24, 2023. Thank you so much for my advanced copy✨
@hearourvoicestours
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#bookstagram #quotes #bookstagrammer #book #books #reading #writersofinstagram #writer #booklover #bookworm #romance #fantasy #read #kitap #bookish #instabook #booknerd #bookaddict #author #booktour #booktours #sunkeeprising #blackgirlsreadtoo #HearOurVoices #HOV @hearourvoicestours
Book Review & Favorite Quotes:
4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This story captivated me from the beginning, because as a now single mother of 3, the main character — B’onca was me. I was resilient, determined, and motivated to do WHATEVER I had to do as a mom, fresh out of high school. NO MATTER THE COST!
B’onca was young when she became a mother and did whatever she had to do to protect her baby girl… even at the expense of everyone she cared for. This book was very well written, and most importantly very relatable to the world today. Teen pregnancy is definitely an epidemic that this world is faced with each and everyday.
In this book, B’onca is faced with eviction, being financially stable, and race issues. This book highlights all of the things that I have personally experienced in my life which is why this book will always be so dear to me. The best part is the fact that B’onca overcame rhe adversities and diversities of life as a teen mom.
This book was definitely worth the read. Slide to see some of the quotes that related so precisely with me💭
Disclaimer: I was in no way influenced to writereview.
This review is solely my opinion in exchange for an advanced reader copy. Sun Keep Rising released January 24, 2023. Thank you so much for my advanced copy✨
@hearourvoicestours
.
.
.
.
.
#bookstagram #quotes #bookstagrammer #book #books #reading #writersofinstagram #writer #booklover #bookworm #romance #fantasy #read #kitap #bookish #instabook #booknerd #bookaddict #author #booktour #booktours #sunkeeprising #blackgirlsreadtoo #HearOurVoices #HOV @hearourvoicestours
August 23, 2023
All opinions are my own. I was lucky enough to receive advance copy through a book tour hosted by HearOurVoices.
I had my first child at 17 years old. I was also a foster kid. I was an honor student and stayed an honor student while graduating high school. The neighborhood I went to high school wasn't the best and wasn't the worst for my area. This book was an eye opener in a way. Life definitely could've been much worse in circumstances were different. B'onca's story is more common than people can imagine and not many have the second chance she was blessed with. I have had a relative and some acquaintances who ran the streets and didn't make it out unscathed. As a mother I understand doing whatever it takes for my child. However, I won't compromise my well being and the chance they won't have me for anything. I always make things work even if I have to go without.
I had my first child at 17 years old. I was also a foster kid. I was an honor student and stayed an honor student while graduating high school. The neighborhood I went to high school wasn't the best and wasn't the worst for my area. This book was an eye opener in a way. Life definitely could've been much worse in circumstances were different. B'onca's story is more common than people can imagine and not many have the second chance she was blessed with. I have had a relative and some acquaintances who ran the streets and didn't make it out unscathed. As a mother I understand doing whatever it takes for my child. However, I won't compromise my well being and the chance they won't have me for anything. I always make things work even if I have to go without.
September 15, 2024
This book told the story too often in told about teen pregnancy and all that comes with that. From the dad not wanting to be a part of the child’s life to trying to finish school and work to feed your child. I feel like the story isn’t done yet but this was a quick, easy novel.
February 12, 2023
Thank you so much to Hear Our Voicestours and to Kristen Lee for giving me access to this book in return for an honest review (and the tour I participated in).
B'onca is a struggling teen, from a struggling family in a home in how struggling neighborhood. She winds up turning her dreams upside down when her daughter is born and pushes to still accomplish her dreams while not doing down under the pressure of society's expectations, being a single mom, doing what's expected, and figuring out everything while still being a teen.
The book is very raw, mostly for the way it's written but also because of the complex issues it approaches. And I appreciate how the main character and a lot of the others are in a gray area while still showing B'onca trying to do the best for her daughter.
In general, I especially liked how this can be read as a memoir of sorts and how it gives a voice to people just like B'onca and the other characters, often overlooked, and marginalized not only for being black and also for women and teen moms. It also analyzes themes like crime, substance abuse, family abandonment, and others so be mindful of any triggers.
B'onca is a struggling teen, from a struggling family in a home in how struggling neighborhood. She winds up turning her dreams upside down when her daughter is born and pushes to still accomplish her dreams while not doing down under the pressure of society's expectations, being a single mom, doing what's expected, and figuring out everything while still being a teen.
The book is very raw, mostly for the way it's written but also because of the complex issues it approaches. And I appreciate how the main character and a lot of the others are in a gray area while still showing B'onca trying to do the best for her daughter.
In general, I especially liked how this can be read as a memoir of sorts and how it gives a voice to people just like B'onca and the other characters, often overlooked, and marginalized not only for being black and also for women and teen moms. It also analyzes themes like crime, substance abuse, family abandonment, and others so be mindful of any triggers.
April 5, 2023
SUN KEEP RISING by Kristen R. Lee is an insightful young adult novel that interrogates the double-standard between (teen) mothers and (teen) fathers while also having the levity of following a teenage girl trying to make it through life and grow up a little bit at a time. B’Once feels like a real teenager; she’s being confronted with the injustices of the adult world way too early and knows certain decisions are wrong, yet still makes these poor decisions impulsively without thinking it through or thinking to ask for help. This quick novel paints an insightful look at how systemic poverty is often cyclical and impacts everyone involved, perhaps in vastly different ways.
April 8, 2023
DNF @ 60% / B'onca is at a crossroads. She's incredibly smart and was accepted into college. The problem is she has a 5-month-old daughter and she just learned she's being evicted. Her neighborhood is succumbing to gentrification. Her financial situation is spiraling out of control. So B'onca turns to desperate measures.
TW (as far as I read): postpartum depression, racism, death, parental abandonment, drug use, poverty
I love reading single parent stories. Even though I will never have children, I love reading their resilience and how love really can keep you going through the worst of it. I even wrote up a post about my favorite single parent stories.
It's not a long book at 240 pages, but it certainly packs a punch. I loved that a YA book discussed postpartum depression!! However, I could not stay invested. It took me too long to read and I don't think my short life is worth sticking around for books I'll *maybe* give 3 stars to. Would still recommend, I just didn't connect with the story and couldn't stay engaged. I'll still give the author another chance though.
Thank you Hear Our Voices Tours for the tour invite and to the publisher for the arc. All opinions are my own.
TW (as far as I read): postpartum depression, racism, death, parental abandonment, drug use, poverty
I love reading single parent stories. Even though I will never have children, I love reading their resilience and how love really can keep you going through the worst of it. I even wrote up a post about my favorite single parent stories.
It's not a long book at 240 pages, but it certainly packs a punch. I loved that a YA book discussed postpartum depression!! However, I could not stay invested. It took me too long to read and I don't think my short life is worth sticking around for books I'll *maybe* give 3 stars to. Would still recommend, I just didn't connect with the story and couldn't stay engaged. I'll still give the author another chance though.
Thank you Hear Our Voices Tours for the tour invite and to the publisher for the arc. All opinions are my own.
December 16, 2022
What was the last book you read that made you cry?
Sun Keep Rising by Kristen R. Lee (book review)
Sun Keep Rising is a heart wrenching story that reached out and touched my soul. Although this is not a true story, it represents so many people. Lee does a wonderful job of illustrating the pain of poverty and racial inequality.
After her daughter Mia is born, B'onca, a teen mom, struggles to afford food and necessities. When she learns they are facing eviction, she is devastated. In order to pay the bills, B'onca devises a perilous scheme, but at what cost?
Sun Keep Rising is available on January 24th.
4/5 stars
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's (Crown Books for Young Readers) for sharing this book with me. Your kindness is appreciated.
#SunKeepRising #bookishcommunity #bookstagramcommunity #readingcommunity #Books #bookfriends #booksbooksbooks #booksta #bookstagram #newtobookstagram #bookreview #bookreviews #Audiobooks #instabookstagram #bookish #bookishielife #Audible #newtobookstagram #newtoinsta #newtoinstagra #Bookishcom #trending #bestsellingbooks
Sun Keep Rising by Kristen R. Lee (book review)
Sun Keep Rising is a heart wrenching story that reached out and touched my soul. Although this is not a true story, it represents so many people. Lee does a wonderful job of illustrating the pain of poverty and racial inequality.
After her daughter Mia is born, B'onca, a teen mom, struggles to afford food and necessities. When she learns they are facing eviction, she is devastated. In order to pay the bills, B'onca devises a perilous scheme, but at what cost?
Sun Keep Rising is available on January 24th.
4/5 stars
Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's (Crown Books for Young Readers) for sharing this book with me. Your kindness is appreciated.
#SunKeepRising #bookishcommunity #bookstagramcommunity #readingcommunity #Books #bookfriends #booksbooksbooks #booksta #bookstagram #newtobookstagram #bookreview #bookreviews #Audiobooks #instabookstagram #bookish #bookishielife #Audible #newtobookstagram #newtoinsta #newtoinstagra #Bookishcom #trending #bestsellingbooks
January 5, 2023
An interesting story about the struggles of teen pregnancy, particularly trying to navigate poverty, gentrification, and limited academic abilities. Initially, I was unsure about this story and whether or not I would finish. In the end, I am glad that I saw through the story. It is a bit all over the place leaving the reader unsure of what exactly is going to happen next. But that uncertainty is what keeps the reader engaged. In the end, I want to know if Mia is okay, did B’onca get into any more trouble or did she go to college, was the family able to get out of poverty?
After reading the book, I also kind of want a better cover.
After reading the book, I also kind of want a better cover.
January 25, 2023
I wish this book was a hundred pages longer so that everything could've had more development
May 6, 2024
This book was all over the place.
Starting with a teenage mom, a dead beat dad.. project issues..
I can name so many issues with no resolution to be honest.
It was a quick and easy read however it was way too much going on.
Starting with a teenage mom, a dead beat dad.. project issues..
I can name so many issues with no resolution to be honest.
It was a quick and easy read however it was way too much going on.
April 24, 2023
This book was literally all over the place and it was like so much was happening but at the same time nothing at all?? 2 stars only because it brought awareness to important issues.
May 15, 2023
"Sun Keep Rising" follows the life of new teenage mom, B’Onca Johnson, who is struggling to make ends meet in order to provide for her baby girl, Mia. As gentrification threatens her home and the rest of the Memphis neighborhood where she lives, B’Onca must choose between going away to college or staying at home to follow her dream of having her own hair salon.
In this emotional novel, Lee tackles topics of teenage motherhood, drug addiction, gang violence, poverty, gentrification, and intergenerational trauma. Dealing with all of these situations is difficult and B’Onca tries her best to power through. As in many cases of adolescence, naïveté and stubbornness
cloud B’Onca’s judgment and lead to some questionable decisions that may put her on a path to becoming the one thing she is trying to avoid: being an absent mother.
"Sun Keep Rising" serves as a reminder that life is all about choices, but those choices are significantly harder to make when you are a young, Black, single mother who lives in poverty and doesn't have the support of a financially stable household. Overall, this book has the potential to inspire necessary conversations about systemic injustice, navigating complicated lifestyles, and transitioning to adulthood. Even though it was a moving story, there were a few unanswered questions that left me feeling a bit unfulfilled. Maybe that means we’ll see B’Onca again in the future.
Rating: 👩🏽🍼👩🏽🍼👩🏽🍼.5/5
Thank you to Kristin R. Lee and Crown Books for Young Readers for providing me with this e-ARC via NetGalley. All opinions in this review are 100% my own.
In this emotional novel, Lee tackles topics of teenage motherhood, drug addiction, gang violence, poverty, gentrification, and intergenerational trauma. Dealing with all of these situations is difficult and B’Onca tries her best to power through. As in many cases of adolescence, naïveté and stubbornness
cloud B’Onca’s judgment and lead to some questionable decisions that may put her on a path to becoming the one thing she is trying to avoid: being an absent mother.
"Sun Keep Rising" serves as a reminder that life is all about choices, but those choices are significantly harder to make when you are a young, Black, single mother who lives in poverty and doesn't have the support of a financially stable household. Overall, this book has the potential to inspire necessary conversations about systemic injustice, navigating complicated lifestyles, and transitioning to adulthood. Even though it was a moving story, there were a few unanswered questions that left me feeling a bit unfulfilled. Maybe that means we’ll see B’Onca again in the future.
Rating: 👩🏽🍼👩🏽🍼👩🏽🍼.5/5
Thank you to Kristin R. Lee and Crown Books for Young Readers for providing me with this e-ARC via NetGalley. All opinions in this review are 100% my own.
February 8, 2023
This was a pretty good read to me. It was a real depiction of what’s it’s like for a lot of black teen moms especially in Memphis.
I really wanted to read the book because the author is from my city and that’s where the story is based. It’s well-written and was a true exploration of what it’s like for black teen moms growing up in the hood. No real parental guidance, opportunities, or financial resources to maintain let alone make it out.
The book follows teen mom B’onca struggling to graduate high school and ensure her daughters needs are met. On top of dealing with personal problems of her own she finds out they’re about to be evicted. B’onca does what any mother would do to protect and care for her child. She made a way out of no way and did what needed to be done. But her misguided actions could put everything she’s worked for in jeopardy including her daughter.
It was easy to relate to B’onca’s character because I know so many teens like her in real life. The authors depiction of Ridgecrest and the situations teens get themselves involved in was real. I didn’t agree with a lot of the choices B’onca made but then I looked at it as what other choice did she have?
Overall, I enjoyed the book it was an easy read and I think would be very relatable for many. I finished it rather quickly because the story was interesting and kept me engaged guess you can say it was a page-turner.
Special thanks to the author, randomhousekids, & netgalley for my advanced readers copy!!!!
I really wanted to read the book because the author is from my city and that’s where the story is based. It’s well-written and was a true exploration of what it’s like for black teen moms growing up in the hood. No real parental guidance, opportunities, or financial resources to maintain let alone make it out.
The book follows teen mom B’onca struggling to graduate high school and ensure her daughters needs are met. On top of dealing with personal problems of her own she finds out they’re about to be evicted. B’onca does what any mother would do to protect and care for her child. She made a way out of no way and did what needed to be done. But her misguided actions could put everything she’s worked for in jeopardy including her daughter.
It was easy to relate to B’onca’s character because I know so many teens like her in real life. The authors depiction of Ridgecrest and the situations teens get themselves involved in was real. I didn’t agree with a lot of the choices B’onca made but then I looked at it as what other choice did she have?
Overall, I enjoyed the book it was an easy read and I think would be very relatable for many. I finished it rather quickly because the story was interesting and kept me engaged guess you can say it was a page-turner.
Special thanks to the author, randomhousekids, & netgalley for my advanced readers copy!!!!
October 28, 2022
A high-interest book for teens that covers hard topics like teenage pregnancy, shoplifting, and gentrification.
B’onca Johnson is a teenage mother who lives in a bad area of her city with her sister and their two children. Her drug-addicted mom has been gone for years, so they are on their own.. And recently, rich people have come into their neighborhood and have started buying up properties and flipping them; pricing out all of the neighbors who have called this neighborhood their home for years and years.
B'onca has dreams of owning her own hair salon some time, but working a part-time job and buying all of the baby's essentials (food, diapers, clothes) with no help from the baby's father, there isn't anything left at the end of the month after the helps her sister with bills. Will she ever get to college or beauty school on her own if she doesn't join the local gang members in boosting products for quick cash?
B’onca Johnson is a teenage mother who lives in a bad area of her city with her sister and their two children. Her drug-addicted mom has been gone for years, so they are on their own.. And recently, rich people have come into their neighborhood and have started buying up properties and flipping them; pricing out all of the neighbors who have called this neighborhood their home for years and years.
B'onca has dreams of owning her own hair salon some time, but working a part-time job and buying all of the baby's essentials (food, diapers, clothes) with no help from the baby's father, there isn't anything left at the end of the month after the helps her sister with bills. Will she ever get to college or beauty school on her own if she doesn't join the local gang members in boosting products for quick cash?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 6, 2022
Not too much happens in Sun Keep Rising in terms of your typical plot elements and it is a little slow, but I enjoyed this one anyway. This digs into a lot of important topics that you don’t necessarily see in many YA books—gentrification, teenage pregnancy, parental abandonment, and addiction.
Overall, this is a story of a mothers love for her daughter. B’onca, at just 17, is forced to make hard decisions to ensure her and her daughters survival. She faces obstacles that no one, let alone a teenager, should be dealing with.
The ending was abrupt in my opinion. It didn’t feel like B’onca’s story was over for me, but at the same time, this isn’t one of those stories that just gets wrapped up in a happily ever after bow. This is real and raw and so much more.
Thank you TBR & Beyond Tours, Kristen Lee & Random House Children’s Books for allowing me to participate in this tour and for providing a Netgalley ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Overall, this is a story of a mothers love for her daughter. B’onca, at just 17, is forced to make hard decisions to ensure her and her daughters survival. She faces obstacles that no one, let alone a teenager, should be dealing with.
The ending was abrupt in my opinion. It didn’t feel like B’onca’s story was over for me, but at the same time, this isn’t one of those stories that just gets wrapped up in a happily ever after bow. This is real and raw and so much more.
Thank you TBR & Beyond Tours, Kristen Lee & Random House Children’s Books for allowing me to participate in this tour and for providing a Netgalley ARC in exchange for my honest review!
June 3, 2023
The moment I read “teen pregnancy” in the plot, I immediately added it to my tbr and borrowed it.
B’onca went through so much in this short novel so I highly commend her resilience. I feel like the book being too short wasn’t a good thing because so much was happening. It would’ve been better if certain plot lines were stretched out so we could get to know everyone better. Then the ending would’ve had more of an impact on me. (Also wish we got more of an ending ngl).
B’onca went through so much in this short novel so I highly commend her resilience. I feel like the book being too short wasn’t a good thing because so much was happening. It would’ve been better if certain plot lines were stretched out so we could get to know everyone better. Then the ending would’ve had more of an impact on me. (Also wish we got more of an ending ngl).
January 7, 2024
2.5 starts rounded up to be a 3 just for the pace of the book. I saw a comment from one a GoodReads user that said this would have been better as a Novella and I think that sums this up perfectly.
Not a bad story, just not that interesting for me. Like a long episode of a UPN tv show.
Not a bad story, just not that interesting for me. Like a long episode of a UPN tv show.
December 18, 2022
The Sun Keeps Rising is a story so many teenagers know as their lives. It’s a sad reality in this day and age.
This story tackles teen pregnancy, property, gentrification and the consequences of just trying to survive. No decision any child should have to make. I believe this is a great story for teenagers and adults alike so we see both perspectives.
While it does carry themes it was necessary to tell the story. Thank you to NetGalley and PenguinTeen for allowing me to review the ARC of this book! The review is my own thoughts and opinions.
This story tackles teen pregnancy, property, gentrification and the consequences of just trying to survive. No decision any child should have to make. I believe this is a great story for teenagers and adults alike so we see both perspectives.
While it does carry themes it was necessary to tell the story. Thank you to NetGalley and PenguinTeen for allowing me to review the ARC of this book! The review is my own thoughts and opinions.
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