A great coming of age story. I loved the island vibe and the fact that we get to see the island through the eyes of a native, which is really different than through the eyes of a tourist. I think this book is great for teens who are coming into themselves.

Black Beach is a beautiful coming of age novel that hits on some of the heavy things that women experience. I absolutely loved the description of La Cresta and could almost smell the beach throughout the story. This novel was a slice of life, and what a slice it is! I think this book tried to focus on too many heavy topics all at once. I wish it had narrowed them down to focus on a few and dive deeper into those experiences. I felt like we didn't truly get to know how Tamera really felt about all of these events happening in her life. But the thing is, Tamera was dealing with a lot!

Tamera is a young 16 year old girl who lives in La Cresta. Her mother had some mental issues. This one touches on so many things that young girls should learn about. I kinda felt like it had too many big things going on through out the book. I wished it had focused more on one or two issues like more on the mental illness. I did find it interesting and a fast read. Thanks to ECW Press Audio and NetGalley.

Reading this book reminded me of a section of Kimberly Drew's Black Futures that pointed out the connection between ocean health and marginalized communities. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson speaks about ocean justice and brings the receipts with fact after fact. Guevara puts a face on this global issue and tugs at our heart strings through the residents of La Cresta, Jamaica.

Besides addressing this issue Guevara also incorporates mental illness, child abuse and the treatment of women into her novel. Tamera is a young girl coming of age who endures all of these obstacles through her life and those of her family and friends. Through her eyes we get to see island life through someone who has lived it and not through the eyes of a tourist as most books set in the Caribbean are wont to do.

I feel that this is a perfect book for teens because it gives insight without preaching. Life just is "what it is". But we get to experience Tamera's growth emotionally as she makes her way through these travails and at the end we see that there is hope as she decides her future.

In Black Beach, readers are introduced to Tamera, a sixteen year old trying to figure out who she is in a world full struggles. Tamara is not an active hero, seeking out truth and answers at every turn. She is, however, a relatable one. Tamara balances the emotional labor that comes with her mother's mental health struggles, changing romantic relationships, and disappearing female students at her school. It's easy to relate to Tamara as she watches her friends move on with their lives and become successful, and it's rewarding to see Tamara find things she grows passionate for throughout the novel.

This book focuses on a slew of topics, and its easy to feel as though you are also caught up in Tamara's whirlwind on her small island in the Caribbean. This book covers the foundational musts of any Young Adult novel, such as identity, family, and school-- but also goes one step further to bring up topics of social justice in an authentic and meaningful way for a small rural community. This is a great read for teens struggling to figure out how they can make a meaningful impact on issues in their community.

Aside from story elements, my favorite aspect of this book was the narration, which highlighted the local colloquiums beautifully. This book is a diverse read filled with BIPOC and realistic struggles for the area. Combining the narration with the detailed descriptions in the novel, it was easy to feel as though the reader was a silent observer in another country's way of life.

This book was a mystery wrapped up in a cultural diamond. I loved reading about the island nation and its culture as well as following Tamera’s life as she evolved. This is a great book for readers who are coming of age.