I’ve been wanting to read this book for ages so am glad I finally picked it up this week. The Black Kids follows teenager Ashley in the wake of the Rodney King trial and subsequent riots in 1992. In the beginning Ashley has a tight-knit group of friends and they’re typical teenagers but as she sees more of what is happening around her she starts to find her voice and to speak up against the casual racism her friends often use. Ashley’s sister Jo is the character that I found most interesting in this novel – she isn’t afraid to speak out and to fight for what she believes in and I was hoping to see more of this in Ashley. Ashley is a more conflicted character, which is understandable given her age and all the things you go through at her age. She is vocal in some situations but also does some not very nice things to other people at her school. I found this novel to be a much slower read than I was expecting and it didn’t explore Ashley’s feelings as much as I hoped it would but overall it was a really interesting and enjoyable novel, I recommend it.

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book.*

YA that deals with racism during Black Lives Matter protests in a town, where our Black protagonist has grown up relatively protected and goes through the usual teenage confusion.

Story-wise, it was a bit much in terms of the teenage kissing and fucking around area, but the deconstruction of toxic relationships was well done. Negotiation of racism and ally ship was well done too.

Novel made me uncomfortable a lot, which is a good sign.

3.5 stars

2.5 stars

It's 1992 and teenager Ashley Bennett is weeks away from graduating high school.
Her home of Los Angeles turns violent when the trial of several police officers, who beat a black man to death, ends with them walking away with no reprimands or time to serve.
As her older sister, Jo, takes to the streets to join in with the riots, Ashley tries to live her life as usual, lounging by the pool with her friends. But Ashley finds herself questioning what it means to be one of the black kids.

I had heard a lot of hype about The Black Kids, so I had high hopes for the novel. However, I ended up not enjoying it as much as I thought I would.
I didn't find Ashley to be a particularly likeable protagonist - she was quite selfish at times and didn't think about how her words or actions would affect other people. However, I did get the feeling that she was kind of lost and didn't really know who she was as a person.
My favourite character was Jo, Ashley's sister. She was willing to fight and stand up for what she believed in and was quite a sad person. I felt that her parents didn't support her as much as they should have.
I also liked Heather and LaShawn.
The plot was quite slow and not much really happened. The book was definitely more focussed on Ashley as a character than the plot, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but I lose interest around the middle of the book.
The themes of race, family and friendship were interesting, but there were a few times when the book felt a bit messy to me, like it didn't quite know what it wanted to be.
I found some of the events mentioned enlightening and horrifying.
The writing style wasn't one of my favourites and I found that the scene could jump unexpectedly to a flashback. There were also details that were mentioned that later seemed to be forgotten and weren't elaborated on at all. For example, Ashley was a cheerleader but there weren't any scenes when she actually did any cheering or practising.
I'm disappointed that I didn't enjoy this more, but I can see why other people have liked it more than I did.

Overall, this was a mixed read for me.

I’m ashamed to say I didn’t know a lot of what happened in this book, so you can bet when anything was mentioned I was doing my research.

Very very impactful book and so informative, it made me feel so angry because this is based in 1992 which is 28/29 years ago and the things that happened in this book are still happening today.

So so good, but it hurts my heart.

A very current read that is relatable in many ways. I loved the strong female voice the protagonist showed and feel it was very empowering and enlightening to read. Definitely would recommend this to my friends.

The Black Kids takes place in nineties, but it is truly a timely novel because in 2020 we still saw so many protests for black lives. Change is supposed to happen, but white supremacy still rules our society which is heartbreaking. Our main character Ashley lives in LA during the year of 1992. Around those times, the Rodney King protests took place.

We follow our protagonist as she explores and navigates her blackness and how her race is treated in a white majority school where her white friends always throw micro-aggressions as well as how she grows up into womanhood and loving yourself as a black woman.

I love how the city was written, it felt alive. The way the author wrote the plot was one of the best aspects of the book itself. I was easily transported back in time to the place where the story is being told. Reed’s voice in storytelling is strong and unique.

You spend the whole book rooting for a character and hoping that their future is will bloom into a gorgeous flower, which it did. I personally had never heard of the Rodney King riots and this is why its so important that white people value black voices, it made me go on google and learn more about these protests when I finished reading this story.

'The Black Kids' is a amazing story that I urge everyone to read. It has so many lessons, it especially focuses on an issue that's still prevalent in today's society. Ashley is the protagonist of 'The Black Kids'. She's always known for letting their little jokes go over her head. Ashley lived a privileged life so she really hasn't faced an injustices as well as her sister Jo. Jo has the right idea of fighting for injustice, but does she really know what those injustices are despite being privileged as well? All they both really know are parties and good times with their friends. Loved exploring LA in the time it was set and such an important idea to explore.

If you loved The Hate U Give then you will love this book too.

Set in LA in 1992 during the riots after the Rodney King trial, this book follows a young black teenager that has to come to terms with important issues of race, prejudice, privilege and power that some people have over others.

I enjoyed this book. I found the message and storyline behind it very powerful. Although it portrayed those things, the morals, the actions, behaviours and attitudes towards the friend group with each other was troublesome but otherwise a very very good book that I would recommend to anyone.

This novel really intrigued me, it's a coming-of-age novel set in L.A. and follows Ashley as she tries to live her life separate from the events that are happening. This story had a lot of layers to it, exploring sisterhood, friendship, race, and identity.

It was compelling, smart and powerful and I look forward to reading it again when it comes out.

Unfortunately, The Black Kids didn't work out for me. 2 stars may seem like a harsh rating but it just means that I managed to finish it even though I didn't really enjoy it.

I think the main problem is that The Black Kids reads too much like literary fiction. I understand that it's historical fiction but I think that Reeds relies too much on history that she forgets to tell her own story.

None of the characters were captivating enough and the main character, Ashley lacked personality.

The writing was quite choppy and felt like the story wasn't going anywhere.

Gosh this book. Really glad I picked it up. This explores identity, racism, privilege and much more. I would definitely recommend this book to readers who enjoy YA contemporary books.

It would be difficult to say I "enjoyed" this given the themes of racism and police brutality. But it is a brilliantly written, engaging and important story. If you haven't read it yet, you should.

I love how hard hitting this book was, it was a real eye opener for someone not within the Black community. It faced serious issues which is something I enjoy in my contemporary otherwise I find it bland.

This book is extraordinary and is one I will be recommending for years to come. This book helped me and I'm sure it will help others to learn more about the Black community, who have been and still are facing hurtful and incredibly destructive, prejudice for the colour of their skin.

The Black Kids is educational and has a huge emotional impact. It is absolutely heartbreaking to read things that took place over 25 years ago and find out they are so similar to events happening currently. It isn't just a completely heavy book thought. It has its bright spots in family bonding, friendships and sweet moments.

Overall, this is an educational and emotionally impacting book. Despite its complexity, it is wildly accurate and is a must-have read for everyone. Especially to increase their understanding of both past and recent scenarios and events.

Really thought-provoking title dealing with racism in the US. Having lived in California during this era as a relatively uninformed white woman, I liked getting a different perspective on the events following the Rodney King trial and riots.

This book was extremely powerful, delving into a tumultuous history with vibrant and diverse characters.

In 1992, during the aftermath of the Rodney King Riots, Ashley Bennett is caught up in the violence which spreads through LA. As a wealthy Black teen, she's always been somewhat sheltered, but as the city burns up and her sister gets caught up protesting, she's quickly forced to open her eyes.

Ashley's a flawed person but an excellent character - early on in the novel she starts a rumour about one of the few other Black kids in the school stealing during the riots - and her struggle to fit in, on the receiving end of microaggressions from her so-called friends and divided from the other Black kids by her social status, makes this a compelling read. As a book, it's an insightful look at systematic racism, injustice, and privilege which also shows how little has changed in many ways over the past 28 years. Hugely thought-provoking.

(Review currently up on my Patreon for subscribers, will be available to the public next week and on Amazon and Goodreads.)

This is a sobering coming of age story, where Ashley is pushed to see life outside her small protected bubble. It was very introspective, with a hot and languid atmosphere at times that really felt like summer, growing up, and facing a brutal world. Set in the '90s too, it really captured the time as well as was a stark reality check that some things never change. Look on the news now and there are horrific fires, social injustices, police brutality, and classism struggles. Ashley grew up sheltered and "spoiled", her parents rich and working hard to give her and her sister this life. But Ashley self-rejects the other Black kids at school and clings to her popular white girl clique even though they treat her horribly. (Lots of slurs bantered around from them even though it cuts Ashley every time.) I kind of wish the book had been by Ashley's sister (or at least shared POV?) because she had so much pain and energy and feeling that just poured out every time she exploded in and out of a scene. Ashley did read very passive, but she grew a little by the end.

Despite being set in 1992, the topic in this book is still relevant to this day. It is sad to see that only a few things have changed since then. It was interesting to read and learn the perspective of the characters towards the issues in this book. While that was great, I think that there were so many plotlines given to Ashley that they were all over the place.