This isn't just some forced romance in a day story. Marva and Duke feel like real people. Some of us were Marva back in high school or college. She's the Black girl who has to navigate white spaces while being the best face forward. She has to check her white boyfriend and friends because the color of their skin allows them to not understand the privileged they use every day. They don't have to vote when the policies are already in their favor.

And Duke knows the importance of voting. It's been drilled in his head for years. But after all he's been through in life it's just not something he's as passionate about anymore. He's doing it to appease his mother while his band's big gig is the most important concern of his day. After his activist brother's death he doesn't want to be the voice of anything. But when Marva sees him get turned away at the polling place she's determined to make sure his vote counts.

Why hasn't Disney Plus adapted this to film? This would've been the perfect movie for our current climate. Being set in election year already made it relevant. We're seeing voter suppression in real time and the media is ignoring it! The pandemic is being used to make sure that certain votes don't count. This book discusses Juneteenth and it's importance. Many people only became familiar with it last month due to the spotlight placed upon it as white companies attempted to capitalize on the Black Lives Matter movement. And best of all it's a story that calls out racism without focusing mainly on Black pain.

View full review at
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot.com/2020/07/the-voting-booth-by-brandy-colbert.html

I had another review all queued up and ready to go this morning, but once I finished this today, I knew I had to post this review today. It’s not out until the 7th, but the 4th of July is mentioned and I thought that was something that should be noted.


Marva has been ready to participate in an election since before she turned 18. It seems as if she was born for this day. And the day of the Presidential election, Marva is among one of the first to cast her vote. It’s at the polling place that she meets Duke, a guy just trying to vote where he runs into a roadblock. But Marva can’t just let him walk away. So together they find a way to help him make his voice heard, but of course, not without a couple obstacles along the way.


The main thing I loved about this was the way it was “teachy but not preachy.” This books shows teens the importance of voting without trying to beat the message into their head. Now Marva IS kind of aggressive (ok so alot aggressive) about getting people to vote, but if you read it, that’s just her personality. She is intense and passionate and rightfully worried about what could happen if they don’t vote. I’m really glad these teens have something like this to get ready for November 3rd.

Listen, the way Brandy Colbert put voter suppression, Juneteenth, police encounters, the three fifths rule, and gun violence made me teary eyed. Colbert really did the damn thing with this one y’all. I figured some of this might appear in this, especially the voter suppression, but I was not expecting her to cover all of this. And man, this made me fall for this all the more. THIS is the power of #OwnVoices. Even the smaller things like at the beginning when Marva mentions she was untying her satin sleep scarf gave me chills because I was in the process of tying mine because I was getting ready to go read in bed. If I’d have had something like that happen while I was reading as a teen, I would have lost my shit. And then there was the bigger things, like the way she mentions the talks that every Black parent gives their child about the police and the world around them. Man, that one part about Duke being lucky towards the end BROKE ME. That’s literally something I worry about my husband on a daily basis. I reached that part at about 1 am and I broke down in bed. That’s a real fear for me.


The writing style was pretty cool as well. I’m usually not a huge fan of “told in one day” stories, (I think the last one I liked this much was The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon) but this one was so good. It gave the account of their day as well as some looks into the the background of the other characters. I loved getting that small look into them and the part that each of them played in the story.


The main characters and their romance were what made this story for me though. As I stated, I’m not normally a fan of told in a day stories because I don’t like insta-love, but this one seemed ok to me. I was glad that Colbert acknowledged that they were moving fast and the fact that she still made it a slow-burn even though it was only over the course of a day. It was an interesting way to tell the story.


Politics and told in a day stories aren’t normally my favorite, but Brandy Colbert usually is, so I wasn’t surprised when I loved this one. I guess I’m not NOT a fan of books with politics, I just had to find the right one.

The Voting Booth is the perfect coming-of-age story for all the new voters out there.
When Duke gets turned away at the voting booth and runs into Marva, a beautiful all-in-one-day story unfolds.
Brandy Colbert does a superb job making the main characters relatable and likeable (even though I am almost double their age 😱).

Political awareness and engagement are now more important than ever and I’m sure this book will entice lots of young people to cast their ballots this November.

If you liked The Sun is Also a Star, then The Voting Booth is a great read for you.

The Voting Booth is an engaging read that is timely and important. Marva and Duke represent a young, activist, anti-racist movement that is relevant and speaks to the Black Lives Matter protests that have been sweeping cities and small towns across the United States. Their stories, encapsulated in single election day, are meaningful but also fun, with a sweet romance unfolding at the heart of the book.

The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert was SO GOOD.

The story takes place in just one day but it never felt rushed or slow - the pacing was perfect. Important topics are brought up such as police brutality, social justice, racism, sexism, and voting during elections. I loved that Colbert was able to bring light to these issues while also having a fun and cute romance in it. The side characters were funny and I liked them all - which is pretty rare! I enjoyed this one and finished it in one day. I'm definitely going to check out Colbert's other books!

Thank you Netgalley and to the publisher for the advanced copy!

Marva Sheridan was born ready for this day. She's always been driven to make a difference in the world, and what better way than to vote in her first election?
Duke Crenshaw is do done with this election. He just wants to get voting over with so he can prepare for his band's first paying gig tonight.
Only problem? Duke can't vote.

When Marva sees Duke turned away from their polling place, she takes it upon herself to make sure his vote is counted. She hasn't spent months doorbelling and registering voters just to see someone denied their right. And that's how their whirlwind day begins, rushing from precinct to precinct, cutting school, waiting in endless lines, turned away time and again, trying to do one simple thing: vote.

They may have started out as strangers, but as Duke and Marva team up to beat a rigged system (and find Marva's missing cat), it's clear that there's more to their connection than a shared mission for democracy.- Goodreads


TW: Death of a Sibling 

If there wasn't a more timely book currently out there right now, I don't know where it is. This book is important. It focuses on the importance of voting BUT it also focuses on the importance of who you surround yourself with, race, trauma, stereotypes and community. 

This is the first book I've read by Colbert  and I was pleased with it. It packed a bigger punch the summary makes it seem and I was expecting the different issues that written. I guess I should have assumed given the fact that this is a political novel (so to speak). 

The romance was so far behind that I don't actually consider it a romance. Duke and Marva have a mutual interest but I am not sure its chemistry. The fact that voting brings them together is fantastic and I love it. But if it wasn't for the fact that Marva's boyfriend was selfish and exhibited allyship fatigue (-_-) she would have paid Duke no attention.  However, I liked the fact that there was willingness to try because not everything has to be insta love and things can take time to grow. 

The pace of the novel was great. The entire book was detailed without feeling like a run own. And going back to its timeliness. . . this book is important and not just because it stresses the importance of voting but also what someone can do for their community outside of them voting.  It was touching and thought-provoking.  It makes you think. 

Overall, I liked this book and would recommend it. 

3 Pickles

Marva Sheridan has been preparing for this day for years. She has campaigned, phone banked, and helped register voters. Now she's ready to vote in her first election because she knows it's the best way to make a difference.

Duke Crenshaw is over the election even before he gets to his polling site. His family has always been politically minded thanks to his big brother, Julian. But it hasn't been the same since Julian's death. Now all Duke wants to do is get voting over with and focus on his band's first ever paid gig that night.

Except when Duke gets to the polling place, he can't vote.

Marva isn't about to let anyone get turned away from the polling place--not even a stranger. So she volunteers to do everything she can to make sure Duke gets his vote in.

What starts as a mission to get one vote counted quickly turns into a whirlwind day filled with drives across the city, waiting in lines, hunting for one Instagram famous cat, grassroots organizing, and maybe even some romance in The Voting Booth (2020) by Brandy Colbert.

Find it on Bookshop.

The Voting Booth is Colbert's best book yet and my personal favorite. Set over the course of one hectic election day, the novel follows Marva and Duke along with flashbacks expanding key details of their lives throughout the novel.

Colbert pulls no punches as her characters confront with voter suppression and racism. Both of them also try to deal with how best to "explain their Blackness" as Marva examines her relationship with her white boyfriend and Duke navigates being biracial while living with his white mother.

The story is tense and authentic but it’s also gentle and often extremely funny. Although Duke’s life especially has been touched by tragedy before the start of the novel, you know the characters are going to be okay. Marva and Duke carry the story but they have a lot of help from excellent secondary characters notably including Duke's younger sister Ida and Marva's parents.

The Voting Booth is a hopeful, zany, romantic comedy complete with an Internet famous cat but also an empowering story about politics and pushing back against injustice. Highly recommended.

Possible Pairings: The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life by Tara Altebrando, Now That I've Found You by Kristina Forest, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith, Today, Tonight, Tomorrow by Rachel Lynn Solomon, The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

*An advance copy of this title was provided by the publisher for review consideration*

Marva lives for politics, and this is the first election in which she is eligible to vote. Duke, not so much. They run into each other when Marva hears that Duke has been turned away from what he believed was his polling site. They spend a day together in search of the correct polling site, and getting to know each other. Marva is a little intense, but the budding romance is sweet if predictable. This will be popular as we approach the November elections.

Who doesn't love a meet cute with a healthy dash of civic engagement and an Instagram famous cat? I didn't even know about the cat until it happened, but I'm so glad I read The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert. I've heard such good things about her as an author and I know she has a reworking of Little Women coming out in the future, and this book was just a delight to read. While it touches on some heavy topics (aka; death, grief, disenfranchisement) it was overall a really uplifting read that made me really hopeful about the future. 

It's election day for two very different teens in this meet cute/activism story with shades of Nicola Yoon, Angie Thomas, Jason Reynolds, and Renee Watson. Marva has been working diligently the past two years to get people excited about this election, and she's at the top of the line at her polling place that morning. But as she's leaving she overhears Duke getting turned away, and she can't abide disenfranchisement. This moment leads them both on a day-long journey to get Duke's ballot cast, find a missing internet-famous cat, figure out what's up with their respective relationships, and learn a lot about themselves and each other along the way. By the time the results start pouring in, neither of them will be the same. 

I really enjoyed this book! I love contemporary YA and this was poignant, well-done, thought-provoking, but also just fun. I loved the bits about the missing cat, Selma, I thought the "day long journey" was really compelling, and I loved the side characters---especially the parents. Also, this book is great and well done political engagement without leaning into the "this entire book is about bashing Trump" because it's not--it's about the importance of voting and making your voice heard no matter who you're hoping loses that election. Because she never names Trump or a specific candidate but leans into ongoing debates about voter disenfranchisement, racism, prejudice, and such, I think this book will be a long-lasting hit! I love a good meet cute, I love dual POVs, I love a TASK to complete, and therefore I really enjoyed this book!

The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert is on sale everywhere July 7, 2020.

3 stars (release date 7-7-2020)

You can read all of my reviews at https://www.NerdGirlLovesBooks.com.

This is a quick and easy read about two 18-year-0lds trying to vote for the first time in the general election. Set during a 24 hour time period, the two teenagers discuss such weighty topics as voter suppression, voter apathy, being black in america, white privilege, grief, interracial couples and other tough issues.

This is a good contemporary YA romance that also addresses social issues. Marva is an activist that spent months before the election helping register voters and spreading information about the upcoming election. She is excited about voting in her first election and is looking forward to college where she hopes to eventually go to law school and have a career in politics. She's upset with her boyfriend who has suddenly decided not to vote, so when she sees a young teenager having difficulty voting at her precinct, she is determined to make sure that he is allowed to vote.

Duke has promised his mother that he would vote before school, but when he tries to vote at the local precinct, he realizes that he's at the wrong place. When cute stranger Marva asserts herself into his predicament and insists he exercise his right to vote, he accepts her offer to help.

The rest of the book follows Marva and Duke's exploits as they run into one road block after another to Duke voting in the election. Along the way the couple talk about issues in their lives and we learn the back story into why Marva and Duke feel such a deep need to vote in the election. Most of the topics arise due to a personal experience from one of the two, and while the topics are important and deep, the duo only discusses them superficially before moving on to another topic. This makes it seem more like the topics were artificially raised so they could be checked off a list of current events, rather than an authentic part of the story.

The secondary story line about Marva's cat Selma didn't really work. It was inserted to soften Marva and make her more likable, but it just felt awkward and stilted to me. Same thing with Duke being a drummer in a band.

Overall this is a quick and easy read that discusses current events in a digestible way for YA readers. It stresses the need for everyone to participate in the election process so their voice is heard, and that's a great message to get out.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely love Brandy Colbert. And her newest release, The Voting Booth, is no exception. This whirlwind book takes place on Election Day and features two strangers who, by the end of the day, become friends.

Marva Sheridan is a staunch activist. She's spent her whole life leading up to the day when she was legally old enough to vote. She's the first in line to cast her ballot. And then she notices a young man about her age who is having some problems checking in to vote - he's not on the list.

Duke Crenshaw knows how important voting is. He pre-registered at sixteen and now is angry that the woman at the desk is telling him he's not on the list. Marva jumps in - no voter suppression on HER watch - and when Duke realizes he used his OLD address to register, he has to go vote elsewhere. But his car won't start, and he has to take his younger sister, Ida, to school.

Marva offers to drive them, and once Ida is dropped off, she and Duke begin an adventure that takes them all over town in pursuit of Duke's right to vote. In the interim, Marva's cat, Selma - whose online persona is Eartha Kitty - gets out of the house. So in addition to getting Duke to his polling place so he can cast his vote, Marva now needs to search for her missing feline.

The whole book takes place over the course of one day, but in one day, a lot can happen. Colbert weaves the plot expertly, and includes bits of history relative to her characters - in a flashback it's revealed that Marva celebrates Juneteenth and has to explain it to her white boyfriend - without it being didactic. The characters are engaging and interesting and though the plot is basic, the subplots move everything forward so the book isn't just about getting Duke to vote before the polls close.

Another winner from Brandy Colbert. I recommend.

This was absolutely phenomenal, and I am utterly, UTTERLY blown away.

The Voting Booth tackles social justice, being Black in America, white privilege, grief, being mixed-race, interracial relationships, and the compassion fatigue of activism—and it does it with wit and banter and characters who are relatable, passionate, and compelling as heck.

In the tradition of The Sun Is Also a Star, this book takes place in the span of one day, as Marva and Duke face down obstacle after obstacle to cast his vote. They maneuver around voting registration mix-ups, Marva's asshole boyfriend, running out of ballots, a missing cat who's Instagram famous, and the wrath of Duke's parents.

All the while, sparks FLY. Their chemistry is in every word they speak. They talk about activism and the loss of Duke's brother, Julian. They discuss the myriad ways that anti-Blackness manifests in America, and the frustration of creating change in a system that's set up for failure. There is fried bologna sandwiches and the beach and Duke's band's first-ever show (Drugstore Sorrow). Interspersed throughout are chapters that talk about the past and fill in backstory, which really fleshes out the book beyond just one day.

My absolute favourite thing about this book is how social justice infuses every chapter, settles into each turn of the story. The book doesn't proselytize: it compels, with a story of two individuals who are navigating the nuances of activism.

What if I don't fully agree with a cause?
What if someone I love doesn't?
How do I cope with the dangers that come with protesting?
What can I even do?
And what if the worst happens, even after I've done all that I can?

The Voting Booth by no means spills all the answers. But it is uplifting and electrifying—a call to action. There is much to be done, big and small; and like Marva and Duke, we will get through it, no matter what.

But to even get there? We gotta start somewhere. And a voting booth might just be the perfect place.

Nice rom-com read that hits some heavy subjects. Colbert does an excellent job of hitting some heavy subjects like race and expectations without taking away from the romance of the story.

I am glad that I was able to read this book during this time. This story helped me understand what has been going on this world politically, particularly with the Black Lives Matter Campaign. A lot of issues that the author mentions has been overlooked upon by the world, and it is disappointing that society has become this way. It is nice to know that these books exist to educate readers and help them understand what needs to be done. I also love how this book teaches young readers on the importance of human rights, freedom of speech, and the importance of VOTING. Every vote counts, and every small positive thing you do for your community makes a difference in the long run. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

How important is this book?!? This comes at the perfect time where young people are mobilizing in greater numbers, engaging in political spheres and really making change in their communities. The issues in this book have always been issues and now they are being put in the spotlight under justifiable scrutiny. As a teacher and librarian, I loved everything about this book.

This is a very fun book that also addresses serious issues and topics. I loved the two main characters and the plot. If anything is going to inspire young people to vote, it's books like these. I couldn't truly picture any 18-year-olds as enthusiastic about politics as these two, but hopefully reading stories like this one will encourage young people to become involved in their communities and the political system. I've never read another YA fiction novel about young people wanting to vote and that's what makes this book so important.

It's no question that this book is coming at an incredibly telling time. Ten years ago a book about newly eighteen high schooler's going out of their way to ensure their votes are counted and heard wouldn't have really been popular, let alone written in the first place. I remember where I was in my life ten years ago. I and a great many of my peers had absolutely <em>no</em> interest in things like politics or voting. I think that just goes to show how poorly taught and unfortunately disillusioned we were. But I am honestly so thrilled to see that books like this are being written, published, and marketed to young adults. You'd be hard-pressed to find a more important trend right now.

Brandy Colbert's <em>The Voting Booth</em> is an incredible story with some deeply meaningful messages. And at the core of those messages is one simple truth that is imperative for young voices to learn; ensuring your voice is heard within the government of the country you live in is <em>immensely </em>important. And there are a lot of issues discussed within the pages of this book, many relevant and crucial topics that we find ourselves facing today. And the fact of the matter is that if we are to have any progression and positive change on these issues is that we have to vote to get it.

<b>A day of fighting to have your voice heard.</b>

<em>The Voting Booth </em>follows two characters, black Americans Marva Sheridan and Duke Crenshaw as a chance encounter sends them on a day-long excursion to ensure that Duke is able to exercise his most basic right as a citizen of the United States: voting. Issues like black rights to life and liberty, voter suppression, gun control, abortion, and many more are present within this story. None of it feels like a talking point or as though Colbert is trying to force in as many issues as she can. Instead, everything melds and flows expertly within the confines of the story and the world we are experiencing.

This is something I've often found novels have an incredibly difficult time with. It is very rare for me to say that important issues being discussed in politics today are written seamlessly into a novel. For that, I have to give Colbert a lot of credit. She includes a lot of these and she does it <em>well.</em> Several years ago I don't think I could have said I would be found reading a fictional book about voting and politics and enjoying it, but I'm so thrilled that I now can say so.

<b>Life-changing connections.</b>

Alongside a brilliantly executed center-plot of voter suppression and the struggles one faces to ensure their voice matters is an incredibly touching story about two people sharing an experience. They literally spend a single day together, not even a full 24 hours, and you can feel their connection seeping from the pages. It's such a quick snapshot into their lives and yet these characters are so brilliantly fleshed out and developed that you feel like you're watching someone's real life.

And while I will admit that the romance aspect of this novel was definitely not <em>great</em>--<spoiler>I frankly do <em>not</em> think they should have kissed at all, but rather the novel could have ended <em>brilliantly</em> had they simply ended the story reaching for and holding each other's hands</spoiler>--I definitely loved the connection these two built. I think Colbert wen't a little too far in the end, solidifying something that should have remained more of an inclination and a promise of a future to come.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm always waiting for the culmination of a relationship at the end of things. I watch a rom-com and I expect the couple to be together and kiss before the end credits roll. But I just don't feel like that was the right direction for this book. A hopeful promise was all we needed for the perfect ending considering certain aspects of how Marva began the story. Since voting ended on a hopeful note, so too should the relationship.

But, considering the characters were fantastic and the rest of the book was pretty excellent, this is really a minor complaint.

<b>I hope this book becomes the inspiration it needs to be.</b>

In the political climate that we face today, books like this are so essential to the growth and development of teens today. We <em>need</em> books like this. And I want this book to exist as an inspiration to all who read it. I truly believe that <em>The Voting Booth</em> has the possibility to help bring into existence a group of enlightened young adults who genuinely have a possibility to make real and positive change in the world. They can help shape the future of this country and this book is a push in the right direction.

I could not be more thrilled that it exists.

<em>I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</em>

This review will go live on the Reader Fox Blog on July 2, 2020.

In The Voting Booth Marva Sheridan, an African American teen activist, meets Duke Crenshaw on Election Day, when he is turned away from voting. Marva is ardent about politics and has worked hard to make sure everyone gets the opportunity to vote. She spends the day helping him work out his registration issues, so that he can get to a drumming gig that night. As they get to know each other, they share their struggles with racial tensions. Her white boyfriend refuses to vote and Duke is still trying to cope with his radical brother's death in a drive by shooting. Meanwhile, Marva's cat Selma, an internet star known as Eartha Kitty, has gone missing. Her many followers get involved in the search, outing Marva's role in creating the site. As the day progresses, Marva and Duke's problems bring them closer together. The story is told in alternating first-person narration, allowing readers to easily sympathize with the two teens. With the 2020 election ahead, there is great concern about adequate polling places, especially for minorities. After the Supreme Court dismantled the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and with concerns about voters' health causing the shutdown of many voting places, people might find themselves struggling to cast their vote if mail-in voting is not allowed. This timely novel sheds light on the issue, as well as how important it is to make one's voice heard through voting.

This is a terrific book for young adults to read to learn the importance of voting. This felt a little younger than I am used to for the age the MCs are but there are so many important lessons in this book and an entertaining story.

This book was a great read that covered many important topics. I loved how the book highlighted the importance of voting, especially for young adults. This book also discusses many difficult topics such as voter suppression, gun violence, and racial injustice. This book is such an important read, especially with presidential election in November. While it covers many important and difficult topics, it’s still a pretty light and easy read and perfect for young adults/teenagers.