This is My America is a young adult novel following the story of an African-American family. The father of the family has been wrongfully incarcerated for murder, and his daughter is attempting to recruit a criminal justice organization to take his case before his time runs out and he is executed.

The story deals with many themes, including injustice, racism, friendship, loyalty, biracial relationships, and children with imprisoned parents. The author did some great character development, especially with the main character, and gave insight into an issue that has plagued America for decades. As I (a Caucasian reader) read the story, however, I did not feel attacked for being white, just more aware of circumstances involving African-American males and crime.

I would recommend this book for young (and older) adults, as it has a great message for all to hear.

What I Loved:
This. Book. UGH! It was amazing, and I loved every word, every page.

How I Felt:
This story truly impacted me. I stopped and started the reading of this to consider the words on the page. While this was a fictional story, it rings true over and over again. Tracy’s comments on the racial divides in our society were spot-on and continued to make me think. Her investigation into what really happened the night her brother was accused of murder gave so many opportunities to show readers some of the horrible injustices that are a part of America today.

The plot features a young girl, Tracy, who is trying to get her father’s death sentence overturned before it is too late. She relentlessly writes letters to Innocence X, an organization that assists people in their legal needs, but she has yet to hear back from them. Just as she is beginning to give up on them, her brother is accused of murder, and Tracy is reliving a nightmare for the second time.

The characters were wonderful. Tracy is this sassy, smart, determined young woman. I loved her relentless pursuit of justice for her father, and then for her brother. The other characters were the perfect supporting cast to complete this story and to tell it right.

Overall, I was absolutely in love with This is my America. I enjoyed the story and found it to be a quick read, as I couldn’t put it down. I think that it had some hard-hitting ideas that are important to read about, and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read it!

To Read or Not To Read:
I would recommend This is my America to ALL readers! This was a poignant book that needs to have a voice in today’s world.

I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

My blog post will be live on 7/14

This book (sadly) couldn't be anymore timely. Johnson's debut is confronting in the best way, tangible, and so so authentic. Definitely a must-read!

I loved this book! Such an important and powerful read mainly based on current events. I loved the fierce and determination Tracy showed throughout the entire book. The flaws in the justice system along with the racism described toward the Beaumont family and POC in general broke my heart. I did however, enjoy the fairy tale/ happy ending. It brought so much light and hope. A true reminder to us all that we need to do better and be better!!! This book should def be a required school reading! It was real and so so raw, definitely a must read!

Thank you so much Random House Children’s and Netgalley for the ARC! I truly enjoyed it.

This story cuts straight to the heart. In the face of Racism and police brutality , this books is right on time . It’s perfect for teens and young adults to read to continue the conversation of injustice in this country. This books highlight some keys issue Black people face such as mass incarcerations ,lack of proper representation and corruption in the police forces . This book reminds me of one of our sad realities as Black people, that White voices will be believe above our own and we are guilty until proven innocent. It is no way a book of finger pointing or accusation , but it’s an eye opener to the struggles of Black people.

The main character Tracy , albeit a teenager , is a fighter and a world changer. She spend her time not only educating herself on the law, but sharing her resources and knowledge with her community . We can all learn from Tracy, who made it her purpose to bring forth justice ,

This book will stay with me for a long time, it’s well written and if you are a fan of the hate u given then this is for you!

A story you can’t stop thinking about for days is evidence of a good book. A story that keeps your mind whirling for weeks is evidence of much more.

This one will do that for you. It truly is remarkable.

Tracy, like many intelligent strong teen girls, is unwaveringly determined. But Tracy is concerned with more than scholarships, where to apply to college, and which boy to date. Instead, She’s focused on freeing her father, who waits on death row for a murder he didn’t commit.

Tracy writes constantly to Innocence X, pleading for help to save her father. Meanwhile her brother, a record-setting athlete with college prospects is accused of murder as well. Forcing Tracy to begin investigating on his behalf as well.

This story is filled with twists, secrets, and suspense. It promotes a better America by presenting what life is like for families of color, provoking empathy and understanding. Books like these bring us closer to healing the chasms which currently devastate our country.

Additional resources are included for readers who would like to learn more about topics addressed in the story.

I received an early copy of this book on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Put this book in the hands readers who like Elizabeth Acevedo and Angie Thomas

I received an ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and were not affected by the free copy.

Tracy has been writing letters to Innocence X for seven year, in an attempt to save her father from the death penalty for a crime he did not commit. When the book begins, there is less than a year until her fathers execution. Jamal, her track star brother, is getting ready for college. But when a crime is committed in their town, Jamal becomes the main suspect, and goes on the run.

This book mirrors much of what we are seeing in the news today. It was absolutely heartbreaking than this is the reality too many people face today. The book was well written, and the plot was rarely boring.

I wasn't a fan of the love triangle, it felt a little too forced to me. I did appreciate that each boy truly cared for and respected Tracy. Other than this small detail though, I really enjoyed the book and will definitely be recommending it to the others.

First of all, thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC. I absolutely loved this book and it's definitely one of the strongest debuts I've read this year.

This book has everything from a compelling narrative that's relevant to current events, a sweet love story, to an enthralling small-town murder mystery. I found myself hooked on the plot from page 1. I highly recommend this book to anyone, especially younger readers looking into an introduction to real-life problems in America.

I got this book via Netgallery. I picked the book because I found the synopsis to be very intriguing, and I really liked the book over. The book was quite entertaining without any dull moments.. I think this book, is a good read for anyone, however I think it is great Read for young adults. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book, where an African American dad was facing death row. Unfortunately this is reality for some young people; I am glad that this book speaks to a situation, they can identify with

In a small town in Texas, seventeen year old Tracy Beaumont has dedicated her life to getting justice for her father because the legal system failed them. Every week she writes new letters to Innocence X, begging them to take her father’s case even though he now has less than a year before his execution date. An execution for a crime he didn’t commit. After her well-intentioned plan goes awry, her brother has his own brush with the law and now Tracy finds herself fighting not only to prove the innocence of her wrongly convicted family members, but also to find true justice for two murders.

I found this to be an extremely gripping and emotional story that clearly explained the differences between how skin color influences how people are treated in the legal system and in communities. It’s a great book to read in the current climate and I’d highly recommend every white person I know pick this up and really dig down deep into what this book is saying and how it’s being said and use it as a stepping stone for how we can help change happen and how we can make a difference. I really do want to recommend this book to people and I really do hope that it becomes a bestseller. For a debut author, I am especially impressed with Ms. Johnson’s work.

It took me a long time to warm up to the characters in this book. All of them—I just didn’t like them at first and it took some time for anyone to grow on me. I felt like Tracy’s introduction was kind of rough—her opening action was extraordinarily selfish even if her heart was in the right place and it was for the right reasons—but she grew and I grew to like her and understand her, and I grew to like a vast majority of the people she interacted with. I especially liked this because it felt so realistic to me. I don’t meet someone and automatically like or dislike them, and sometimes people do things that you disagree with but that doesn’t make them a bad person. I loved the realism, and I am a sucker for character growth. Plus, even though I know it’s unrealistic, I love a good Nancy Drew-esque story!

I wasn’t a huge fan of the love triangle because I’m not typically a huge fan of love triangles, BUT I do want to ackowledge that I loved the way this one was executed for the respect the boys had for the girl, which you do not often see in love triangles. I’m okay with it because I get that love triangles are kind of a staple of YA books these days and you can’t get past them, and it was at least unique in that regard.

My one major dislike is extremely niche—I work in the legal field (I’m a legal assistant and even more to the point, I have experience in civil rights) and for that reason I try to avoid legal thrillers or legal books like my life depends on it, because... well. Legal stuff does not make for good, compelling storytelling, and it’s almost always painfully unrealistic and I can’t shut off the “it doesn’t work that way” part of my brain. This is a complicated concept to explain in this case because I don’t want to spoil the book with specific examples and I DO think that the MESSAGE of the book was spot on. Yes, the treatment of Blacks in the legal system is disproportionately unfair and that part was spot on and hard-hitting and accurate and needs to be read and understood.

But it’s a little like watching CSI, and the investigators solve a crime by using the angle of startingly hi-definition security footage to catch the reflection of the murderer in a conveniently mysteriously shiny doorknob that they then freeze frame and “enhance” and the murderer is put behind bars approximately 48 hours after this because he confesses? And you know this makes for great television but you also know that it just doesn’t WORK like that? Reading legal books is a lot like that for me. I’m always pulled out of the story because the courtroom scene just doesn’t play out like it would in real life. That definitely came into play here at the end of the book. And it sucks, because I get it—if the courtroom scene in this book followed the procedure of a courtroom scene in real life she’d lose her audience so fast. But... this is why I try to avoid legal stuff in books and keep my full-time job separate from my reading.

Overall, very good, very informative, and I would highly recommend to anyone who wants to understand the Black experience as a white person but who also can’t get into nonfiction and might feel terribly guilty about that. Or to anyone who wants to understand the Black experience as a white person in general. It’s gritty, realistic, well-done and does not at all read like a debut novel.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for the advance copy in exchance for the honest review. My review will be crossposted to goodreads; posted to amazon, barnes & noble, instagram, and twitter on release day; and posted on Youtube on my July wrap-up as well as on a video highlighting the ARCs I’ve read in the past few months which will be live at the end of July.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the advance Kindle copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. For seven years, Tracy’s father has been in prison. Soon he will receive the death penalty for a crime he didn’t commit. Ever week she writes a letter to Innocence X, begging for them to take her father’s case and finally prove his innocence. But when her brother is framed for the murder of a classmate and goes on the run, Tracy starts digging into things. What she discovers is generations of systemic racism and police misconduct - and someone knows what she is after and does not want her to find the truth. This one is out on 7.28.20 and is perfect for fans of The Hate U Give and All-American Boys. I will definitely be recommending it to my 8th graders.

Tracy tries to get representation for her father who is wrongfully imprisoned and sentenced to death. With less than a year before he is scheduled to die, Tracy’s father is running out of time. As Tracy tries to navigate an appeal, two very different boys vie for her affection, and her brother is on the run to avoid arrest for a crime he did not commit. This is a heartbreakingly honest portrayal of the unfair treatment of Blacks in the US. It is a timely novel and a must read for ms/hs teachers and their students.

This book was outstanding! I couldn’t read it fast enough. So many emotions. This is My America covers powerful and absolute vital issues that are and have been going on in our country. Johnson weaves this story perfectly, drawing you in from the first page and leaves you hanging on the edge of your seat until the very end, all the while you’re walking away with knowledge that every person needs to hear and learn. This needs to be on everyone’s TBR. I highly, highly recommend this book!

Another powerful BLM story for teens! Can't wait for publication so I can add it to my library and get it into kids' hands.

Tracy Beaumont's life revolves around saving her father from being wrongly executed after spending the past seven years on death row. She writes weekly letters to Innocence X - a project that helps exonerate the wrongly convicted, but with less that a year until the execution she knows time is running out. Then the unimaginable happens when the police show up at her house in the middle of the night looking for her brother Jamal as a suspect in the death of a white girl. Instead of being the promising track star, Jamal is now literally on the run for his life. Determined to save both her brother and father, Tracy becomes an amateur investigator and ultimately uncovers secrets even she didn't expect.

This Is My America is an incredibly relevant story for the current movements and conversations taking place surrounding systematic racism in America. I was instantly invested in the story from the first chapter and I couldn't put it down. Johnson excels at writing a compelling book while weaving a meaningful message throughout its story beats.

The story is mainly focused on Tracy's efforts to clear her brother's name and to get InnocenceX to help get her innocent father off death row. When her pursuit of justice leads to confronting the truth about her town and it's occupants, Tracy's hunt for the truth becomes even more important.

One of my favorite things about this story is that it really shows all the types of racism that fall under the umbrella of systematic racism. As Tracy investigates the murder, readers see first-hand the way she combats the many faces of racism, some people are bold while others are quiet & micro aggressive and Johnson does a good job of highlighting why quiet racism is just as harmful as bold racism. It's even discussed in a way that is easily recognizable throughout the story and really does a good job showing how racism permeates throughout all the systems in America.

Another I enjoyed about this story was that the characters were all varied in their experiences and in personality. While many side characters have stereotypical personalities at some points, each of them have these incredible strengths that enable them to support Tracy throughout her investigation. The story itself starts off feeling more like a teen drama but then as events happen it starts getting more twisted. Characters that seemed one way would turn out to be totally different then the audience expected. Other characters show their true colors the entire time and are still used in the narrative to show how multi-faceted racism in America is.


However, I was glad that the villain was never a surprise nor were they sympathetic in any way. I’d read in one of Leah Johnson’s (author of You Should See Me in a Crown) tweets, she discussed how when it comes to racists in stories, there is no need to make them multidimensional because there are evil people in the world who exist to uphold a racist system. In this story there are plenty of multi-dimensional characters, the villain is not one of them. That character solely exists to uphold white supremacist values and show just how dangerous the rhetoric of the far-right is.

Overall I felt the story was told well, it blended the elements of mystery & taking down racist systems in ways I haven’t seen many YA novels tackle. This Is My America stands apart from its other YA mystery counterparts because Johnson doesn’t hesitate to talk about the very real and ugly side of America that many readers either don’t know about or want to think about. I’d highly recommend this story to anyone who enjoys a good contemporary novel that discusses social justice issues with a side of mystery.

This is My America is an incredibly timely story that should be on every library and classroom shelf. Like The Hate U Give, this book will connect to readers and represent teens who feel like they've never been seen before. The story is perfectly paced and suspenseful. A blend of social justice and YA thriller, this novel will keep readers turning pages.

This book is certainly being released at the time for it to make a maximum impact.

Tracy is rightfully obsessed with getting her dad off of death row. After all, he has less than a year, and her family doesn't have anything left to fund an appeal.

Jamal, her track star brother, gives her a chance to appear on national TV, and she steals his spotlight while hoping to attract a lawyer, leading to tension in the family. And then the police show up in the middle of the night, looking to arrest Jamal for murder.

This book delves into what it means to dig into your past, as well as what the "justice" system actually looks like for Black people.

There is a lot for teachers to use in this title, especially paired with non-fiction titles like The New Jim Crow or Just Mercy, or other fiction titles like Dear Martin, The Hate you Give, or The Black Kids.

Oh my, where to begin... this book is brilliant! I kept abandoning my family and my to-do list in favor of a few more pages of this wonderful book. "This is My America" is a timely reminder of the failures of the American justice system and the steps we still need to take to do better. At the same time it is a compulsively readable mystery with romance, family, and secrets. Packaged all together - you will have a difficult time putting this one down.

Tracy is a high school junior in Galveston County, Texas. She is a columnist for her school paper and leads workshops in the community related to social justice. She is part of a tight-knit, loving family, but she only gets to see her dad once or twice a week because he is on death row in Texas penitentiary for a crime he didn't commit. Tracy writes weekly to Innocence X in the hopes of attaining their help to turn over his wrongful conviction before it is too late; Tracy's father's sentence is to be carried out in about 9 months. Then, as if things weren't already looking grim for the family, Tracy's older brother is accused of a violent crime against a local girl and is on the run. Tracy immediately knows something is fishy about the situation and starts digging into what really happened with the help of her friends. But, their investigation digs up some secrets it seems some members of the small town will do anything to keep buried. Tracy can only hope she finds enough to help her brother and hopefully still get help to save her dad.
P.S. Be sure to read through Kim Johnson's terrific acknowledgements for a great list of further reading and resources used in the writing of the book.

Don't wait to get your hands on this beautiful book! Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children's for an ARC of this title in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this novel.

This is one powerful book, guys. It's been a few months since I've read it, but it has stayed with me since, especially in light of what is going on now.

Tracy is a high school student who is trying to get Innocence X to re-evaluate her father's case for a crime he didn't commit. He is sitting on death row with only so many months and Tracy is desperate. At the same time, her brother is also accused of a crime Tracy is sure he wasn't apart of.

I could not put this book down. It captured my attention from the very first chapter and was a fast paced story from the very beginning. There were so many twists and turns, and they were executed perfectly. Johnson doesn't hold back on the injustices African Americans face, especially when it comes to crime. I've also got to note that everyone should read her acknowledgments. Johnson recommended so many other books that deal with a lot of different topics and I've added most of them to my TBR pile.

This is the book that I did not know I needed. It is as if this was destined to come about/release during this time of high racial tensions. Kim Johnson does a phenomenal job of breathing life into the characters of the book. This follows the story of teenager, Tracy Beaumont (shout out to Texas), her father on death row, her brother who was athlete-turned-suspect, and several others. Tracy was set to work with a fellow student, Angela, on an exposé, but Angela's death put an abrupt halt to it. As a result, Tracy is having to take on additional tasks to prove her brother's innocence, plead for her father to be taken off death row and exonerated, while having to deal with the realities of being Black in a neighborhood/school that caters to the white citizens. As a native-Houstonian, I can easily put myself in the position of the characters, and it broke my heart/allowed me to feel their emotions.

This is My America highlights the realities of Black people around the country, as we are guilty until proven innocent. Several men, women, and children are unjustly arrested, convicted, and sentenced to death (despite lack of evidence) simply because of their background/the color of their skin. This book hit me hard in a way that so many other books have not. I will make it a point to bring this into the classroom, because this is a book that the Black Youth in America needs. As a secondary teacher, there is not one student that I have taught that knows their rights or what to do when they approached by police. This book motivated me to organize sessions/lessons for students to know their rights and what to do in particular situations. I know there is no way that I could not keep this book on my bookshelves.