For all the roses growing in concrete. Keep blossoming. 

Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas, is the prequel to her New York Times bestselling book The Hate U Give. The book is set in Garden Height and follows the young adult life of Maverick Carter, Starr’s father. The book shows the coming of age for Maverick, and how he came to be the man is. In the book, Maverick is forced to grow up faster than he expected. He is also faced with many challenges such as death, betrayal, and teenage parenting. 

The book as a whole was fulfilling. It helps define Maverick’s background and set the base for many of the characters who were introduced in The Hate U Give. Thomas does a fantastic job at keeping the reader interested in the book. Thomas doesn’t sugarcoat anything in the book when it comes to Maverick’s difficulties. She allows the reader to experience his anger and fears with the specific details she gives. This story keeps the reader on the edge of their seat the entire time.

Although the book does touch on Maverick’s struggles, Thomas makes sure it is not the main focus of the book. I admire how it is more of a timeline for Maverick, seeing him develop as a whole, especially mentally. The book is a must-read for anybody, especially the people that fell in love with the first.