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Concrete Rose
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
157 posts | 128 read | 3 reading | 99 to read
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 theres one thing seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter knows, its 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 dads in prison. Lifes not perfect, but with a fly girlfriend and a cousin who always has his back, Mavs got everything under control. Until, that is, Maverick finds out hes a father. Suddenly he has a baby, Seven, who depends on him for everything. But its not so easy to sling dope, finish school, and raise a child. So when hes offered the chance to go straight, he takes it. In a world where hes expected to amount to nothing, maybe Mav can prove hes 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. Hell have to figure out for himself what it really means to be a man.
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MysticFaerie
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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4.5⭐️/5⭐️

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TheLudicReader
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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First #bookhaul of the new school year. Damn you, BookOutlet.

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KatieRose23
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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Pickpick

5/5
So so so good. Angie Thomas does it again! ❤️

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Jen2
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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Great audiobook!!

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AlizaApp
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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This prequel to The Hate U Give follow‘s Starr‘s dad, Maverick, as he becomes a teenage father and tries to plan for his future. I was skeptical about liking it as much, but I really enjoyed Maverick‘s voice and journey.

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KateKintail
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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“Roses can bloom in the hardest conditions.”

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shxriel
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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this is such a good prequel to “the hate that you give”. i like how this story follows the males perspective and gives insight on his circumstances. its a very real and emotional read, i cried multiple times. this is a high favorite at the moment. #bookworm #bookathon #ilovebooks

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Welcome to Litsy 📚🎊🎈 9mo
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Smarkies
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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Angie Thomas writes another book that keeps me hooked and reading.
#roll100

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Chelseabillups30
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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I haven‘t read Concrete Rose yet, but I guess I better move it closer to the top of my TBR, cuz it looks like we‘ve got new Angie Thomas material coming soon!

Who else saw this announcement? Whose excited/freaking out a little bit?!?

She‘s the author who gave me a new appreciation for what we can learn from telling stories that are works of fiction when fiction reads aren‘t really my go to.

Can‘t wait for what she has for us up next!! 👏🏻

BookDragonNotWorm How did I not know this?!?!?! Super excited! Thanks for sharing! 2y
Chelseabillups30 @BookDragonNotWorm, you‘re not too far behind on the times….she did just confirm this news earlier this afternoon! I rarely want to fast forward through a weekend, but for this and another major reason I definitely do now!! 2y
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Victoriahoperose
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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Pickpick

Excellent story. Angie Thomas never fails. This was emotional and very real to read. I loved that it was written from the male perspective because it really added something to the story that was unique from her other books. I loved the fact that the characters displayed so much strength and growth in their own ways and the ending was perfect!

rubyslippersreads What a lovely Kindle rest. 😻 2y
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Karisa
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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So good! This is a sort of prequel to The Hate You Give—focusing on Maverick and Lisa at age 17. Maverick‘s story is compelling even while being about characters that are often portrayed as the “bad guys”. I couldn‘t put it down.

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Eggs
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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Clwojick Great choice! 2y
Eggs Thanks 🙏🏻 @Clwojick 2y
54 likes2 comments
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riley.hillaby
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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Concrete rose this is a thrilling gang theme book a decision between staying in the gang or to not end up like his father and provide for his new son. Dose he change everything or go down the path his dad did. This is book very good it hooked me in right Away the theme is loyalty, theme and family the theme presents them selfs when he make his decision to take care of his new family or stay in the gang.

MissYaremcio Nicely done Riley! I was just missing the recommendation! I loved this book! 5/6 2y
3 likes1 comment
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Cellestte
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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For my first post, I thought I'd make it about one of my favorite books of all time... Concrete Rose! 🌹

brittanybooks With the photos in the picture… should they be read in any particular order? 2y
Cellestte @brittanybooks hi! Concrete Rose is the prequel to The Hate U Give. The book on the far left, On The Come Up, is its own separate novel also written by Angie Thomas. Sorry for the confusion! 2y
brittanybooks @Cellestte no confusion at all, thank you so much for the clarification!! I‘ve accidentally read books “out of order” recently and it drives me nuts. Glad to hear it‘s a favorite- it‘s been on my TBR for awhile. 2y
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Sarahreadstoomuch
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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Just finished this amazing audio. The prequel to “The Hate U Give” tells the story of 17year old Maverick Carter, father to young Seven with a baby girl in the way, and a member of the King Lords. This is an excellent look at masculinity and manhood. I found myself incredibly invested in Mav‘s life and the choices he was making… even vaguely remembering the details of THUG and knowing how some things work out in the end.

TheLudicReader Loved this book. Maverick is one of my all-time favourite characters. 2y
Suet624 Oh! I liked this one too. 😊 2y
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mjtwo
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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3-5 Apr 22 (audiobook)
Prequel to The Hate You Give, this is the coming-of-age story of 17yo Maverick, Starr‘s dad, and the many challenges he faces as he is forced from being a teen into premature adulthood. Gang-banging, the lure of drug money, teenage pregnancy, battling the legacy of his father, the violent death of those he loves and all whilst juggling school.
I really loved this. The narrator was superb and Maverick is a great character.

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Kshakal
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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A powerhouse of a book… it perfectly illustrated the struggles of a young man who is trying to balance being a father with the expectation of his family and community. Beautifully told in a way that makes you feel the struggle along with the characters!

actualdisneyprincess Man, I LOVED that book. 😭 2y
TheLudicReader Maverick is one of my all-time favourite characters. 2y
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kera_11
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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The prequel to “The Hate U Give”. Maverick is a low level dealer until a surprise paternity test proves he has a 3 month old son. Growing up with his father in prison for dealing, Maverick wants a different future for his kid. But he struggles in school, struggles with money and the guilt of people telling him he needs to avenge the murder of his cousin. The apple doesn‘t fall far from the tree but maybe with a push, it can roll far enough away.

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lostinwords
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
Pickpick

The audio reader definitely brought the characters to life. The main character, Maverick, & his girlfriend, Lisa, reminded me of some of a few people I met and befriended along my adolescence and, at times, myself. As a black youth, growing up in the inner city, one is constantly faced w/ the question, am I this, or am I this. We look to the elders in our environment to support our belief in ourselves until we can stand without the scaffolding♥️

lostinwords I think many, not all,youth struggle through adolescence; a stage of individuating & developing who you are. During that time, we all attempt to look for mirrors to reflect who we think we are, & who we want to be. It‘s so critical to have people who believe in who you are when you‘re not really believing in yourself. Maverick reflects this challenging process. As a former teacher, I looked for & saw the strengths of each st. As adults,we must (edited) 2y
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lostinwords
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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lostinwords “Son, one of the biggest lies ever told is that black men don't feel emotions. Guess it's easier not to see us as human when you think we're heartless. Fact of the matter is, we feel things. Hurt, pain, sadness, all of it. We got a right to show them feelings as much as anybody else.” (edited) 2y
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rileymaclean
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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Over the next few weeks, Maverick worked hard to be the father his son deserved; he focused on school, worked for Mr. Wyatt and took care of his son, whom he renamed Seven. All seemed to be going well for Mav, but it all fell apart just as things began to improve. After an evening with his cousin Dre, Maverick quickly ran inside to check on his son but was caught by the sounds of gunshots echoing in his street.

rileymaclean Dre had been shot and killed. Knowing his cousin‘s murder would just become one of many in Garden Heights, it became his duty to get justice. Dre was a husband, a father, a son, a cousin, and he deserved better. After the funeral, Maverick and Lisa reunited for the first time since their messy breakup. The two later had unprotected sex which caused Lisa to become pregnant, and Maverick, a father of two. 2y
rileymaclean Mav's responsibilities were once again pilling up, and selling drugs became his only way to make ends meet. With the overwhelming stress of his life, he began to flunk out of school and dedicate his time to finding Dre's killer. When the suspect was found, and the plan to kill Red had been made, Maverick could not pull the trigger and instead ran straight to Lisa, where he told her everything. (edited) 2y
rileymaclean At that moment, Maverick decided to turn his life around for the future of his new family. He enrolled in classes where he would get his GED, he began to work full time for Mr. Wyatt, and although his life wasn't perfect, he was proud of who he had become and his little Starr on the way. If books about loyalty, family or friendship interest you, I‘d highly recommend this novel! (edited) 2y
rileymaclean Concrete Rose is written in first-person point of view, with Maverick Carter telling us the story and giving insight into his thoughts.
2y
MissYaremcio Nicely done Riley! I loved this book! 6/6 2y
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CBee
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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Angie Thomas is my hero, I swear. I‘ll read anything she writes and I‘m SO glad I finally got to this one. Amazing book 🌹♥️

megnews I‘ll read anything by her too. ❤️ 2y
CBee @megnews if I ever met her I‘d fangirl so hard 😂😂 2y
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kspenmoll
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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During Wider Reading ( silent reading of a book of choice) I began this book. Only 39 pages in and I am hooked. #AngieThomas #booksandcoffee

megnews I loved this. 2y
Karisa Ooh, that‘s on my tbr. Can‘t wait! Wait. Your school is still going this week?! Not out for Winter Break? 2y
kspenmoll @Karisa Not yet. CT believes in short breaks! 😱 we go until Thursday, 12/23. 2y
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Karisa @kspenmoll 🙀😱🙀😱🙀 Wowza! Hang in there! 💗 2y
kspenmoll @Karisa it‘s such a slowwwww week!!! 2y
Karisa I bet! Our last day was Friday and some of our 6th graders were barely hanging in there all week. The only thing keeping them in the game was prepping for a unit culminating event (India Cultural Day). Do you still get two weeks off though? 2y
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Butterfinger
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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I truly enjoyed this story of young parenthood. Maverick tried so hard to be a man and I appreciated his journey.

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rileymaclean
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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Sequel to The Hate you Give, Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas follows the life of seventeen year old Maverick Carter as he experiences the struggles of adulthood. Being the son of a former gang member, Mav struggles to find his balance between school, life and the King Lords. When an unexpected DNA test confirms he is the father to a 3 month old, Maverick‘s whole life turns upside down.

rileymaclean Determined to be a better father than his own, Mav takes on the challenge of parenthood. He discovers very early on that this isn‘t going to be any easy task but with the encouragement of his cousin Dre, Mav is able to quit selling drugs with the gang and gets a part time job from the local grocer. I am only half way through this novel but it has so far been an amazing read! 2y
rileymaclean I found themes of growing up, adulthood and identity through the book as we see Maverick Carter become a father and the maturity it takes to raise a child on your own. If you enjoy books about growing up that will make you laugh and cry, I would definitely recommend Concrete Rose!
2y
MissYaremcio Thank you for the review Riley! I loved this book too! 6/6 2y
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Karisa
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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Wowza, @MidnightBookGirl ! You sure know how to spoil a fellow Litten! I was reading @wanderinglynn ‘s post about it being the 30th in Japan, and my son (who is usually too cool to bother) ran to get the #HHS package. From dancing solar skeleton to The Raven chocolate bar and pumpkin spice candle to fuzzy socks, there are so many awesome goodies! Then there are also 4 books that look fantastic! You really captured my style! I‘m spoiled. Thank you!

wanderinglynn Fantastic! 🧡🎃 2y
MidnightBookGirl I love that your son was that excited about it! And I'm glad you liked everything! This was the first big swap I've done in quite awhile, but I had a lot of fun stalking your posts and shopping! 2y
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MMFinck
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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Absolutely perfect. A perfect gift book because I honestly can‘t think of a person who wouldn‘t enjoy it. I didn‘t know it was the prequel to The Hate U Give until halfway through. It‘s wonderful that it is, but it stands alone just fine.

TheLudicReader I love Maverick. Have you read The Hate U Give? If not, it‘s worth the read. 2y
MMFinck @TheLudicReader Me too. You know, I haven‘t. I saw the film and thought it was phenomenal. I have a hard time reading books after I‘ve seen the film. I wish I‘d gotten to that one. 2y
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MMFinck
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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I am loving every second of this one. Absolutely perfect.

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BennettBookworm
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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A great backstory to The Hate U Give! Glad I finally read it! #bookspinbingo

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betsyhaddox
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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I love when books can help me see how someone else lives. 🌹🌹🌹
This book follows a teen boy who becomes a dad. Not having had this experience myself, I can‘t say if it was accurately written, but it felt real when I was reading it. The characters and relationships were deep and complex and so fulfilling to follow through the story. Well written, wouldn‘t change a thing. Thanks to the author for sharing this world with me! :)

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Rachel.Rencher
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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This was SUCH a perfect prequel to The Hate U Give. 👏👏

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wideeyedreader
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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Finally finished my #bookspin! Absolutely loved it, like I thought I would. Angie Thomas is a brilliant author.

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3y
Jari-chan This book is so awesome 🤩 3y
wideeyedreader @Jari-chan I agree! 3y
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Rachel.Rencher
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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Happy Sunday 🤗 Has anyone taught Angie Thomas in a high school setting? I have a group of students who would respond really well to her writing, I think.

Reign_5.0 Does homeschool teaching count? This book is definitely a great recommendation for students in my opinion. 3y
Rachel.Rencher @Reign_1982 Of course that counts! I have a suuuper small class for remedial English (3 students). They got into a surprisingly mature discussion about BLM protests and I thought The Hate U Give would be a great book for them. 3y
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Rachel.Rencher
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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I ordered Concrete Rose from Book Outlet, and they sent me a signed first edition. 😍 I totally didn't expect that!

Rachel.Rencher If you're shopping on Book Outlet, here's a $10 off coupon for you! 😍📚 http://bookoutlet.com/Loyalty/Referral?raf=4TdIHXqT&c=url 3y
kspenmoll Fantastic!!!! 3y
Twainy I got a similar Clive Cussler!! 3y
Rachel.Rencher @Twainy That's awesome! I love those surprises 🤗 3y
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MandaMT
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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This was hard to read, but SO worth it. In The Hate U Give Maverick Carter is the no-nonsense father of the MC. He‘s an ex gang member, formerly incarcerated man who fathered two children as a teenager. He has become a pillar of the community and works hard to help his kids avoid the kinds of mistakes he made.
In THIS book though, we meet him as a teenager as he is learning all these difficult life lessons. Great book. Makes me want to reread THUG

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MandaMT
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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Loving this book so far- especially these details that make Garden Heights come to life. Lawless the MC‘s father in On the Come Up- set in the same neighborhood.

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AileenRR
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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Liked Maverick‘s story better than I thought I would. I want to rewatch The Hate U Give now that I know the back history.

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Jari-chan
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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Thank you for the tag, @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 🌹 💗

I'm tagging all my friends that come along here 💗 🌹

#ThinkPositiveBePositive

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 🌹🌹🌹 3y
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Jari-chan
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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I rarely give 5 stars, it needs a lot, but this book deserved each and every star. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me forget the world. In the midst of mostly 2.5-3 stars books, this book saved me from a reading slump. I just couldn't get enough of Mav, and adore the way Thomas describes his development ❤

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BekaReid
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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Excellent! Angie Thomas comes through again with such an impactful book as we get to learn Maverick's backstory. Definitely recommend!

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SarahBradley
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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Book 20 #YApril Maverick‘s younger days...a hopeful coming of age story amidst the harsh throes of Garden Heights.

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perfectsinner
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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Starting this new purchase

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megnews
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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Pickpick

Angie Thomas really makes characters come alive.

#YApril book 13

Allylu Really like Angie Thomas‘ books! 3y
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mcctrish
Concrete Rose | Angie Thomas
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Finished this while weeding and edging in the backyard. I‘ve come across 2 nests rabbits built wanting to put their babies in! Hard Pass! Keep those flower eaters out of my yard 🤣 cool coincidence that gardening is what saves Maverick in this book 🙏🏻 thankful it ended positively