Review: "Dear Martin," by Nic Stone

I have wanted to read a Nic Stone novel since I saw her at the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) virtual conference. With her blue lipstick and statement earrings, she exuded cool author vibes through my computer screen. Dear Martin, her YA debut novel, published in 2017, did not disappoint. 

Justyce McAllister is the central character in this novel about what it is like to be a young Black man in a world that is constantly profiling and spinning your actions. Justyce is a star student at his prep school on his way to Yale, but when a police officer sees him in the middle of the night with his biracial ex-girlfriend, the officer assumes the worst and puts him in handcuffs. The memory of those cuffs on his wrist stays with him, and he begins thinking about everything that Martin Luther King, Jr did for Civil Rights. While some things have changed, he feels that the perception others have of him as a young Black man has not. Throughout the novel, Justyce writes letters to Martin as a form of journaling to help him process the injustice he sees and experiences. 

Stone's writing is realistic in portraying an introspective teenager examining injustice and tragedy. It is thought-provoking and may disturb you as it should. 

Book Review: "Razorblade Tears, " by S.A. Crosby

Razorblade Tears, by S.A. Cosby, is an action-packed novel that will leave you rooting for
two fathers seeking justice. Set in Virginia, this is a story about two fathers, one a Black man and a White man. Both are former convicts trying to stay on the straight and narrow. What brings them together? Deep grief. Someone has murdered their sons, leaving their 3-year-old granddaughter fatherless. After the police don't get anywhere in the investigation, the two fathers decide to take vigilante justice into their own hands. I happened to be reading this book while also watching Yellowstone. They mirrored each other in their drama, violence, and protecting your family at all costs, so it was easy for me to visualize the scenes in the book. However, this novel is more than just about a story of retribution. It also looks at how race, bigotry, sexual identity, and our communities shape us. It is about understanding that we don't all live with the same privilege. Most of all, it is a story about accepting your children for who they are before it is too late. Despite some gruesome scenes, this book left me emotional at the end.