Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

I really enjoyed this sampler. It sucked me in from the start.
I found myself invested in Maverick and really wanting to know what happened with him and his son.
I will definitely be buying this book to enable me to finish it.

I loved this sampler of concrete rose and now can’t wait to read the full book. I loved the previous book by this author and this one seems like it will be just as good. The main character is introduced and you can feel a connection straight away. The book looks like it deals with difficult subject matter and the author has dealt with this well so far: looking forward to reading the rest!

This was such a good read and I love Angie Rose and her writing. The characters were built so well and the backstories were great.

Even without reading the full sampler, I'd ordered Concrete Rose...Maverick's story. How could you not want to know the origins of the characters featured in The Hate U Give?

*this is a review for the full edition of Concrete Rose*

This is so good!
I loved seeing how everything tied into THUG and getting to know the characters better. I want to reread THUG now though!
I would have liked to see a bit more about Mav leaving the Kings, as I felt we were left with a promise, rather than seeing it through. Although, I guess (if I reread THUG and refresh my memory) we should be able to connect the dots.
Characters were fantastic as always. Really loved the cameos such as a new CD by Lawless (the Dad in On The Come Up), and at the end I realised that the baby Khalil we meet is Starr's best friend who gets shot in THUG.
Fantastic, very high 4*, loved it!

I loved THUG when I read it last year so when I heard about Concrete Rose being published I was excited to know more.

In THUG Star’s father and his experiences have a big influence on her so it was really good to have a story told from his perspective and see where their family started from.

Although this sampler was only the first 8 chapters it was a great introduction to the book and has me keen to read the rest. The writing is immediate and gripping and you really empathise with the situation Maverick finds himself in even though it’s of his own making. The language feels genuine as it is written in first person and the descriptions make you feel like you’re experiencing the story alongside the characters. Another incredible book from an outstanding author.

I cannot give a full review as it would not be fair to judge the book as a whole based on just a sample but I really enjoyed this and am looking forward to reading the full novel. It’s so interesting to see what happened before The Hate U Give and am excited to see where the rest of this story goes

Fantastic start but would like full books on NetGalley so I can leave a full review.

I always recommend this author to my students and we have also read some in our book groups.

I'm not going to lie. I was terrified going into Concrete Rose, Angie Thomas's prequel to the wildly successful The Hate U Give. Just 9 months ago, there was another prequel to a much-loved book, again focusing on a young male protagonist, and I hated it, calling it the 'prequel nobody asked for'. (Yes, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, I'm talking about you). I am extremely happy to say that my fears were completely unwarranted, Concrete Rose is superb and an easy five-stars from me.

Concrete Rose takes us back to the fictional setting of Garden Heights, this time focusing on Starr's father Maverick Carter. Maverick has just turned seventeen and he has just discovered that he is a father too. Unable to cope and needing a break, Maverick's one-time hookup Iesha leaves her new born baby with Maverick as soon as the paternity test confirms he is the father. Now Maverick must learn to grow up quickly while navigating his final years of school and his membership of the King Lords gang.

He must also decide whether a life of crime and easy drug money is the life he wants for his child, especially when events take a tragic turn and gang violence comes to his front door.

Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas | Superior Young Adult Fiction | Book ReviewI enjoyed everything about Concrete Rose. I loved that it was written in Maverick's own voice, done so well that I could almost hear his accent. I realised that as a young, black teenager from a lower-income background, Maverick's is a perspective that we so rarely get to read about in YA books. More of this please.

Maverick's character development throughout the novel and his weighing up of choices amongst his increasingly dwindling options is incredible to read. Angie Thomas provides a unique window into late 90s gang culture, highlighting the allure and often necessity of joining a gang.

Ultimately, Concrete Rose is an addictive read with a powerful message about fatherhood, support and role models. Maverick is surrounded by strong men, including his father who is in prison and his next-door neighbour Mr Wyatt, and each character is explored for both their strengths and flaws.

I've noted that many readers are comparing Concrete Rose to The Hate U Give and On The Come Up but I felt I couldn't really do this. Angie Thomas has a gift of really bringing her characters to life and I felt so intimately acquainted with Starr, Bri and Maverick that choosing between the books felt like choosing between human beings, each with their own unique story to tell. I can't choose a favourite but I can say I'm ready to read Angie Thomas's grocery list by now, so invested am I in her writing.

I give Concrete Rose a superb five out of five stars and recommend to fans of Angie Thomas and lovers of superior own-voices young adult fiction.

I was so excited to receive this sampler, so much so that I ordered a copy of the book after reading the first chapter!

Concrete Rose is the prequel to The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas. Set in the late 1990's, before Star Carter was born, this is the story of her beloved father, Maverick. Mav is still only a teenager in Concrete Rose but he has grown up fast, as many of his peers were forced to. Following an ill advised one night stand while on a break with his girlfriend, he realises that his best friends son actually belongs to him. He's forced to grow up even faster as he struggles with this new responsibility, as well as so many problems in his family.

Something I really enjoyed about this book is how it is written so completely in Maverick's voice, and his slang and turns of phrase bring you closer to the character right away. My book club gave two interesting reasons for this change from the style of the first book. One is that Thomas is a more established writer who doesn't have to cater to what language may be familiar to her readers, and the other is that Maverick has grown up entirely in his own community, but Starr goes to a primarily white school where she must speak differently to how so speaks at home, and code switching is a huge part of that book in a way that isn't as present in Concrete Rose. I also had forgotten that Thomas is a funny writer and her great asides and one liners are a welcome relief from some of the more serious points the book makes about class, race and masculinity.

The most striking element to the novel was for me how Thomas makes Maverick a real sweetheart, despite all the trauma he has gone through and how tough he is expected to act. He finds it so difficult to reconcile how he should control or show his emotions (unless it is rage) and though he makes some pretty stupid choices at some times, I wanted to reach into the book and give him a hug. I hope that young readers, especially readers like Maverick, are able to learn something from this brave, sensitive and loving character.

I can't judge the whole book on a simple sampler of course, but it's already a great start and really sets great scene. Can't wait to read more.

Angie Thomas takes us back to Garden Heights in this prequel to The Hate U Give. It tells the story of Maverick, Starr’s father, as he becomes a young dad and is pulled in multiple directions by school, fatherhood, a real need for money and the brotherhood he feels he has with his boys on the street. Maverick is one of my favourite characters from The Hate U Give so I love that Angie Thomas has explored his history here. Brilliantly written and full of heart, it looks at what it means to be a young Black man in a world that tries to define you, rather than letting you define you. The Carter family are buzzing in my mind – they are so alive in there! I really recommend re-reading The Hate U Give or watching the film adaptation before reading this; I watched the film and it reminded me of some of the characters who make appearances in Concrete Rose, like King and Iesha.

[review of the full book. purchased after reading the sampler]

Although this was only the first eight chapters it is a moving read. Set in America it tells the story of a young man who suddenly finds he is a father. Mav has to grow up quickly. Angie Thomas has written a thought provoking book about fatherhood, the hood, family and friendship. At this point I do not know how the story is going to end, except that I do have some idea because I have read “The Hate U Give’.

“Concrete Rose” is the prequel to “The Hate U Give”. As long as you as the reader can cope with the dialect and slang words which abound the book will be a compulsive read. I will certainly be adding the complete book to my to be read pile. The subject matter is important and should provide plenty of discussion points.

The preview of this book has made me want to read this book in full. I am especially excited to read this as I am a fan of the author and all their other books have been amazing.

Concrete Rose sounds absolutely incredible if this sample is anything to go by, I can't wait to read the full story !

The book was absolutely incredible! It was refreshing seeing the story of the Garden Heights world from the view of the character who started the story! I loved Maverick and seeing him growing from a teen into an adult was really interesting! Would highly recommend this book to people!

This has just made me so excited to read 'Concrete Rose'! Angie Thomas is one of my top auto-buy authors and I just know I am going to love this one just as much as the others!

Can't wait to read the whole book. Angie Thomas is a fantastic writer and a master of familial relationships, and I am looking forward to reading about Maverick and what made him the father he is to Starr in THUG.

I absolutely loved The Hate U Give and I think I am going to enjoy Concrete Rose just as much - I have pre-ordered myself a copy.
This extended sampler gets straight into the story of Big Mav and gives a great insight into his younger years. After finishing the sample, I was desperate to get my hands on the remainder of the book. Thomas writes fantastic novels and this one will definitely follow suit.