"I've seen it happen over and over again: a black person gets killed just for being black, and all hell breaks loose. I always said that if I saw it happen to somebody, I would have the loudest voice, making sure the world knew what went down. 
 Now I am that person, and I'm too afraid to speak." 
 Starr Carter navigates the world with two different personas. There's the girl who goes to Williamson, a fancy, private school in the suburbs, and has a Caucasian boyfriend. Then there's the girl who grew up in the poor neighbourhood of Garden Heights, who rarely speaks up about her life here, partly out of embarrassment, and partly out of the fear of being ostracized by her school friends. 
 However, when Star's childhood friend, Khalil, becomes the victim of an unprovoked police shooting, the precarious balance between Starr's two worlds is shattered. Apart from the police, Starr is the only one who witnessed Khalil's death. She must decide now whose side she's truly on - even if speaking up might cost her everything. 
 The first thing I thought of after finishing this book is that THE HATE U GIVE needs to be taught in high schools across America. 
 Angie Thomas pulls no punches in her writing, exploring the weighty topics of institutionalized racism, classism and police brutality, and portraying them authentically through the eyes of a sixteen-year-old African-American girl. There were scenes in this book that left me speechless, that many times broke my heart. #BlackLivesMatter is more than a hashtag or a movement and THE HATE U GIVE does an incredible job of expressing just that. 
 I also loved the lighter moments in the novel, especially Starr's interactions with her family (I adore Star's momma!), her banter with Chris and DeVance, and her obsession with fancy sneakers. 
 Angie Thomas is going to be an important voice in YA fiction and I look forward to more books from her in the future.