Challenge Corner discussion

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

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

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

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

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

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

I'll probably start tomorrow! The Hate U Give was great!

Chapter 8:

(view spoiler)[ I'm really enjoying the story as of now. Maverick's backstory is a lot calmer than I had expected when reading 'The Hate U Give'.
I also really like how he took responsibility for his son and did not reject the paternity to be able to date Lisa. It's nice seeing a respectful and loving family dynamic in relation to POC because I often feel like a tragic and/or abusive family background in novels is the norm for them. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 19:

(view spoiler)[ Lisa's and Maverick's situation are absolutely shit. I totally understand his wish to get back to dealing drugs so he can support his family, although it will most likely bring more problems than solve any. Lisa is in a tricky situation but i don't think it helps much for her to never defend Maverick in anything... it can only worsen their relationship to be honest.
And I do think it unfair that all of the financial responsibility is put on Maverick. He is not the one insisting on keeping the child, so, although he of course as to co-provide, he sould not be expected to be the only one. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 23:

(view spoiler)[ Maverick really is trying his best but that boy just cannot catch a break, damn.
It was really brave of his mum to out herself and I hope that she can move on with Moe... she really shouldn't have to put her life on 'standstill' only because her husband is in prison. On that note, I deeply hope that Maverick won't kill Red or at least that he'll cover it up well enough as to not go to prison for too long. (hide spoiler)]

Finished:

(view spoiler)[ The ending was really sweet. It's nice to know that Lisa and Maverick will make up.
It was also for the best that Maverick is trying to leave his gang past behind him and move on for his children, it's a really brave thing to do.

In general, it felt like a independant story and was a nice (although not detrimental) addition to the backstory of 'The Hate U Give'. (hide spoiler)]

I am starting tonight. I loved The Hate U Give. Really looking forward to this.

Ushashi wrote: "I am starting tonight. I loved The Hate U Give. Really looking forward to this."

I really enjoyed it! Not quite the masterpiece The Hate U Give was but it was worth reading.

I'll start tomorrow or Monday for sure. Looking forward to it!

Chapter 12 (view spoiler)[ It is good so far. Seeing Maverick as a new dad is adorable. I know his action was stupid, but the way he owns up to it it great and shows the kind of father he became in THUG. I loved the Carter family dynamics in the first book, and the same is true for the Maverick and his parents. I really find it interesting how Thomas takes these characters who are dealing in drugs and makes such nice common people out of them. It goes a lot in showing how they end up getting involved in this life due to lack of options and that they know it not a good way of life.
I just wish the book blurb didn't give away the imminent murder. I guessed the victim too soon and it took away the shock value of it. (hide spoiler)]

Hi How do I join with y’all. ? What is the name of the book?

End of part 1 (Chapters 1 - 11) (view spoiler)[Okay, that was a lot to happen in a single section. It's really interesting to see Maverick as a young father, and especially his relationship with Lisa.

That's really sad about Dre though. I was wondering why I'd never heard of him in The Hate U Give.

Speaking of which, I definitely need to reread that one after this.

I'm interested to see how Maverick is going to take the hit for King, and how King changes into the villain he is in The Hate U Give. Also, was Starr just conceived? Lol. (hide spoiler)]

Amylynn wrote: "Hi How do I join with y’all. ? What is the name of the book?"

Hi Amylynn. This is the buddy read thread for by Angie Thomas. If you want to join in with this book, just jump in. If you're interested in other buddy reads on this group, you can check out this link to see if anyone wants to buddy read anything you're reading: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Isabel wrote: "Chapter 8: (view spoiler)[I'm really enjoying the story as of now. Maverick's backstory is a lot calmer than I had expected when reading 'The Hate U Give'.
I also really like how he took responsibility for hi... (hide spoiler)]"

I definitely agree. This is what I loved about The Hate U Give, and I do hope to see this portrayed more in POC stories in general.

End of Part 2 (view spoiler)[ I feel bad for Maverick. That boy has got too much on his plate and he has bad luck getting girls pregnant that easy. I like Lisa, she is already a lot like the strong mother we saw in THUG. I wish Maverick didn't get back to dealing drugs but his situation is rough. When he quit initially, I was wondering how he ended up in prison after all, but now I can guess where it's going. (hide spoiler)]

Celia wrote: "End of part 1 (Chapters 1 - 11) Okay, that was a lot to happen in a single section. It's really interesting to see Maverick as a young father, and especially his relationship with Lisa.

That's rea..."

I totally agree about the King part! I also think that (view spoiler)[ both their relationships to Iesha lead to a lot of arguing and friction in their friendhsip. (hide spoiler)]

Ushashi wrote: "End of Part 2 [spoilers removed]"

I think it also represents the abusive and trapping cycles of people in socio-economic compromised situations. That aspect was well-done.

Isabel wrote: "Ushashi wrote: "End of Part 2 [spoilers removed]"

I think it also represents the abusive and trapping cycles of people in socio-economic compromised situations. That aspect was well-done."

I agree. That was the message in THUG too, about people getting trapped in the cycle. It's more prominent in this story.

End of part 2 (view spoiler)[Okay, I kind of figured it would end up this way, but it's still sad to see the way Mav came to this decision. I feel really bad about his and Lisa's relationship, but I'm happy to know this fixes itself, since I've read The Hate U Give.

I'm excited to see how everything works out, especially the issues with King that I know are coming up. (hide spoiler)]

Ushashi wrote: "End of Part 2 [spoilers removed]"

Same here about that last point. It's interesting that he and King still have this kind of relationship, especially after Thanksgiving and Iesha.

End of part 3 (95%) (view spoiler)[Okay, I really liked how that turned out. That was a big twist with Red, I honestly thought that was solved, and they had accepted it was Ant.

I wondered if killing Red would have something to do with the hit Mav took for King. I was sure Mav wasn't going to do it, but I suspected King would step in, or something of that nature. I guess we aren't going to find that out in this book.

I loved the glimpses we get of Khalil, DeVante, and pre-Kenya that we get in the end. It's really cute to imagine them as little kids at the very beginning of life. (hide spoiler)]

FINISHED

Okay, I'm definitely crying at that knowing what's to come.

(view spoiler)[I'd really love to see an 0.5, even if it's short. Maybe with alternate POV from Mav and Starr or Seven, or from Lisa's POV, going through the hit Mav takes for King and the aftermath with Starr and Seven's growth, and the way Carlos steps in, as Starr says sometimes he felt more like a father to her growing up in THUG. (hide spoiler)]

Anyone want to move this to a series BR? I want to reread The Hate U Give after this.

Finished. I totally agree with Celia. Would love to see a 0.5.
(view spoiler)[ I couldn't believe Thomas ended the story there. Of course if she chooses to write Mav's time in prison and how Lisa and the kids deal with it, that could be a great book. I really hope she does. (hide spoiler)]

I wanted to reread The Hate U Give too. But I am packed till end-August. Committed to more than I should have.

Celia wrote: "End of part 3 (95%) [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ I also thought the same thing about King interfering about Red and that leading to Mav taking the hit. But that didn't happen. King is not exactly a nice guy here, but he has his moments. I wonder how he turned so terrible in the next 17 years.

I just wish we got some POVs from Lisa. That girl is so cool and strong, it's amazing. (hide spoiler)]