#1 New York Times bestseller · Seven starred reviews · Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor Book “For all the struggle in this book, Thomas rarely misses a step as a writer. Thomas continues to hold up that mirror with grace and confidence. We are lucky to have her, and lucky to know a girl like Bri.”—The New York Times Book Review
This digital edition contains a letter from the author, deleted … Review
This digital edition contains a letter from the author, deleted scenes, a picture of the author as a teen rapper, an annotated playlist, Angie’s top 5 MCs, an annotated rap, illustrated quotes from the book, and an excerpt from Concrete Rose, Angie’s return to Garden Heights.
Sixteen-year-old Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. Or at least win her first battle. As the daughter of an underground hip hop legend who died right before he hit big, Bri’s got massive shoes to fill.
But it’s hard to get your come up when you’re labeled a hoodlum at school, and your fridge at home is empty after your mom loses her job. So Bri pours her anger and frustration into her first song, which goes viral . . . for all the wrong reasons.
Bri soon finds herself at the center of a controversy, portrayed by the media as more menace than MC. But with an eviction notice staring her family down, Bri doesn’t just want to make it—she has to. Even if it means becoming the very thing the public has made her out to be.
Insightful, unflinching, and full of heart, On the Come Up is an ode to hip hop from one of the most influential literary voices of a generation. It is the story of fighting for your dreams, even as the odds are stacked against you; and about how, especially for young black people, freedom of speech isn’t always free.
Don’t miss Concrete Rose, Angie Thomas’s powerful prequel to her phenomenal bestseller, The Hate U Give!
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Loved Angie Thomas debut novel, The Hate You Give, so I ran across the Atlanta Airport to the bookstore on a neighboring concourse to pick this up. Fantastic. If you haven’t read Thomas yet, do so immediately. She’s a force to be reckoned with.
Angie Thomas does it again with effortless brilliance in her follow up to THUG. Back again in Garden Heights, we tag along in Bri’s life, a tough and often abrasive sixteen-year-old living in an unforgiving world and under unfortunate circumstances.
“In the Garden kids are starving, hearts are hardened, beg my pardon.”
She’s a girl with big dreams and a desperate desire to save her family—one that you can’t help but fall for from Jay and Trey’s blood-sweat-and-tears wisdom to Granddaddy’s killer zingers. Her best two guy friends’ perspectives also help round out the book beautifully.
Living in Bri’s world and witnessing her struggles and perspective only widens our eyes and hearts for greater understanding. Loved it.
Another excellent and thought provoking book from an amazing author. I’m so glad I picked up (and then watched) The Hate U Give, and I was not disappointed when I found On the Come Up and decided to read it as well. Written about people living in the same general neighborhood as the first novel, but not a sequel, OtCU explores some similar themes. That of racial profiling, that of being targeted by those in charge based on skin color and/or neighborhood you come from. These are important issues and I’m so glad that this author has chosen to write about them in such a way that brings light and gets people talking. I had people at my place of work, all adults, discussing The Hate U Give and now that I’ve read this book, I hope to get them talking again. (Also, please turn this into a film as well.) People like to think that this type of thing doesn’t happen anymore, that people aren’t still judged based on the color of their skin, but that’s just not true. I’ve seen it.
On the Come Up focuses on some of the less heard about instances of this profiling. Schools that treat students with different colored skin differently. The fact that this is just a novel should not stop people from seeing this as a wake up call to how we treat the younger generation. Unless someone sheds light (like this book) and does something to stop it, this is what will keep happening, because this is what our children are learning, this is what they are being shown.
If you enjoyed The Hate U Give, or if you are interested in reading YA drama, I highly recommend this book.
I just finished reading this book maybe…two days ago. I already read The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas which is also wonderful so i expected nothing less of this book and i got even more then what i expected.
This wonderful book tells the story of Bri who is following in her father’s footsteps of being a rapper. Though her father was an underground rapper and he died before he could really make it by Bri rapping i can tell that her father was excellent.
This inspirational page-turner has both happy and sad moments, will make you laugh and cry, and has hardships and victories.
I didn’t know if Angie Thomas could write another book as great as ‘The Hate You Give’, but this book surpassed my expectations. I read this book during my senior year of college and I put off studying for mid-terms to finish reading it. The storyline was AMAZING, and Thomas really knows how to keep you interested. She has honestly become my favorite author!
It was the best book I ever read.
Urbandictionary.com shows the definition for on the come up as “something that’s not quite happening yet, but on the verge of blowing up or making some serious noise.” This phrase definitely applies to Angie Thomas’ newest heroine Bri in her goal of becoming a rapper… and in her life in general. If only she didn’t have so much weighing her down.
Hip-hop is where she finds her solace. Creating deeply felt lyrics allows her to cope and communicate freely all at once. It gives her a voice when she feels invisible and misunderstood, and she is so very good at it. But when her lyrics get taken out of context and used in a way that “the majority” expects of her zip code, she must decide which direction she will go at this forced crossroad. Will she claim the role of villain that has already been laid out for her or will she choose to define herself?
Located in the familiar neighborhood of Garden Heights, On the Come Up is set one year after the events that occurred in The Hate U Give. The murder, legal outcome and rioting from The Hate U Give are revisited in reference as a way of explaining how the neighborhood has been impacted, but this is not a sequel. It is a standalone novel and can be enjoyed as such. And enjoy it you will! Freestyle rap battle scenes meet themes related to identity and overcoming. Full of amazing characters, an engaging story, and a spotlight on racial inequality, On the Come Up is an excellent read. Check it out.
It was very entertaining and u never really new what came next
I love Angie Thomas writing. This is the third book that I have read from her. I will continue to read her books. This audiobook is amazing the narrator does amazing job. Highly recommend any of Angie Thomas books. If you haven’t read her books your won’t be disappointed reading her books.
About Book:
Bri is a sixteen year girl with dreams. Bri loves music and writes all her own music. Who lives two different lives. Goes to amazing school in a nice neighbor. Bri comes from a not so good neighborhood. But when Bri is attacked by one of the security. She is pissed because they are always questions the Latino’s and the black kids. I won’t spoil anymore. Highly recommend this book. All the character’s are amazing!!!!
THUG was an important book published at a good time in our history but there seemed to be a pressure not to be critical of the writing and story because of the theme and characters. I enjoyed it enough to get this. Angie is refining her storytelling – the story has more solid characters and is a page turner. I liked the homage to the Rap community and although it was a happy ending, not what I expected. Angie promises to become a master story teller.
very relevant. Characters aren’t as easy to like as “The Hate U Give” but might even be a better story.
*Trigger warning: This book contains gang violence, drug addiction and gang shootings*
16 year old Bri lives in Garden Heights with her mother and brother. A rapper by trade, she takes after her late father who was a well known rapper. She has had a pretty rough upbringing. Her father was shot and killed by a gang when she was a kid, her mother fell into the drug scene and had gotten so bad, she had to live with her grandparents for some time while she focused on getting her act together. Now her mother is sober and doing her best, but it doesn’t take from the fact that they’re struggling. Her brother put aside his dreams of going to graduate school and making something of himself to work at a pizza place to help his mother try and pay bills. With bills falling behind, some utilities cut off, shut off notices, and very little money for food, Bri is doing her best to stay positive, and believes it is up to her to take matters into her own hand and help out the family, so she seeks the guidance and help of her fathers old agent, Supreme. After a powerful run dueling with Supremes’ son, he is ready to take her places, places her father was so close to getting. The problem? Her mother knows nothing about this. Has she taken this to a level that she is going to regret? How far is she willing to go to make it big?
I read this via audio book. I absolutely love Angie Thomas! Her books speak volumes! This book is one that should be on a school reading list. She really paints a vivid picture that is a reality for some. This book includes relationships, poverty, black lives matter issues, gang rivalries, and more. I really loved this book and had so much empathy towards the characters. I highly recommend it! I’m rating this book
i could not stop reading ( read it 20 times
I just love this author!!
This book wasn’t as good as I had hoped that it would be
Listened to it on audiobook. Really great. Definitely recommend!
Amazing book!! Definitely a must-read for teens and adults alike.
Loved it.
As I said on Twitter, this is a stellar example of voice (Angie Thomas is unmistakable) and deep POV (Bri’s character infuses the page).
Spectacular book!
You don’t have to love rap and hip-hop to love 16-year-old Bri as she fights to be who she is instead of who everyone else thinks she should be. This book takes place in the same neighborhood as The Hate U Give, and I want to go reread that one to see if Bri is in it. I think she might be. Angie Thomas did it again.