"There goes the Neighborhood" offers a captivating narrative woven with diverse characters navigating the intricate tapestry of gentrification. As a middle school principal, I appreciate how the book skillfully intertwines relatable experiences of youth amidst shifting landscapes. The author's fresh perspective sheds light on the profound impact gentrification has on our students, fostering empathy and understanding. The characters, like threads in a tapestry, showcase resilience and unity in the face of change. This compelling story not only engages young readers but also sparks essential conversations about community, identity, and the power of solidarity, making it a valuable addition to our school's literary landscape.

Contemporary. Relatable. Epic Debut from a new author. I truly enjoyed listening to There Goes the Neighborhood because it was quick and interesting read as well as relatable as many neighborhoods are experiencing gentrification, but do not know how to address it or save their communities. I really enjoyed the mystery aspect of the story because I had no clue who the killer was. I had some ideas, but I enjoyed the progression of the story.

This was an excellent debut by Jade Adia. This book talks about gentrification in a really needed way. It explains the ways in which white communties will displaces communties of color. It also talks about how there are unfortnately no quick fixes for it. These characters were really fleshed out. I especially loved Malachi & Zeke's friendship. A queer mexican kid with their straight Black bestie who doesn't look at them any type of way because hes queer <3. Our main character was super hard to love at times, esepcially when she leave Marley alone with Diego at the party! Girl what is wrong with you!!!!

Overall I really apprecaited the growth of the main character because she was just rude and mean for like 50% of the book. The ending while i did not guess it was a little lackluster for me personally and the pacing was a bit hard to get into in the beginning but overally I really really enjoyed it and look forward to what else Adia writes!

A raised fist against the destructive forces of gentrification and a love letter to communities of color everywhere, author Jade Adia's unforgettable debut tells the darkly entertaining story of three best friends willing to do whatever it takes to stay together. There Goes the Neighborhood is a long-awaited young adult novel in which art imitates a confronting reality, teaching and entertaining readers from the perspective of teenagers of color growing up in modern-day America.

No blurb or summary of this story fully captures the transcending and powerful messages that exist at every level and on every page of this book. In Adia’s own words, “This story seeks to put names and faces to the human cost of gentrification without losing sight of the creativity of those resisting the tidal waves of erasure.” This foundation is padded with friendship, growing pains, love interests, skeletons-in-closets and a murder mystery, which make the tale not only a critical lesson in heavy-hitting issues, but an interesting and compelling story. The author’s passion is articulately and importantly shared via letter at the beginning of the book and provides greater context and meaning beyond just what Rhea, Malachi and Zeke are up against. I excerpt most of the letter here, because frankly, Adia says it better than I can or could ever truly comprehend:

Dear Reader,

I wrote this book while quarantined with my family during the summer of 2020. These were the months when we all witnessed an incredible outpouring of support for #BlackLives Matter, but also so much pain. Writing felt like a way to cope with the anxiety of the moment while also creating a space for myself to imagine Black and brown teens thriving alongside their found family, falling in love, and being absolutely ridiculous.

Communities of color are the culture-bearers of many cities, yet we are currently facing the threat of displacement. My own home in South LA is one of such spaces undergoing tremendous change. It’s home to West Coast hip-hop, braid shops, lowrider shows, and some of the best damn pupusas in the country. It’s a sacred place where many people feel rooted because of their connections to neighbors, local businesses and loved ones that share the block. However, it’s recently become a real estate “hot spot” where longtime residents are being pushed out….

Believe it or not, this book is a comedy! A story that finds the silliness inherent within the absurdities of capitalism and asks: How can we grapple with the systemic racisms that share our lives while still centering the excitement of being young and Black, the warmth of feeling held by your community, the euphoria of a first kiss at the weekly drum circle with the flavor of a mango paleta still lingering on your lips?

There Goes the Neighborhood is an important and educational novel. Addressing SO many issues, including the almighty influence of social media, this story is one among many that was begging to be told, and does so from the perspective and voice of protagonist Rhea, who sheds real and raw light on her experiences and those of her friends. Adia did an expertly creative and thoughtful job which serves readers of all backgrounds. As both insight and lesson, this debut novel should be added to every high school reading list.

Adia concludes her opening letter with the following:

My dream for you, reader, is to walk away from this book reflecting on how change shapes our lives and our connections to one another. Thank you for coming along for this wild ride and opening yourself to all the messiness and contradictions ahead.

Not only did I walk away from this book reflecting on how change shapes our lives and connections to one another, I came away with a bit more of an understanding of the lived experiences of people of color in the sorts of circumstances and situations that the characters in the novel find themselves in. While I certainly still don’t know enough, every little bit helps in trying to navigate the “messiness and contradictions” of the world around us. Another critical question I have been thinking on this week which was prompted by this book is “How can I help?” After all, are any of us ever really safe when we are fighting power with fear?

This book is a masterclass in dark comedy, deftly balancing its weighty subject matter and urgent social messaging with a funny and engaging story about an extremely charming group of young protagonists. Adia paints an evocative and loving portrait of the neighborhoods of South LA and the communities of color who populate them. I'll take a mom and pop store over an artisanal kombucha cafe anyday.

Jade Adia built a world for readers to get lost in. High stakes, fast moving, compelling and complicated characters with confounding plot twists that left me, a non-teen reader, desperate to turn the page. Non-preachy introduction to gentrification, the way different trauma responses feed off each other and fester, found family, and childhood. I want to put this book on everyone's radars. Thanks to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for an early read in exchange for an honest review.

There Goes the Neighborhood was not what I expected at all. I was expecting a light hearted read about a friend group not wanting to break up.

What I got was a book about a fake gang, gentrification, LGBT and Trans issues and a teen sugar dater, a murder and for-profit schools. I forgot over policing and detainment of Black and brown youth. There were too many weighty issuses and it was impossible to process all of these issues in one book.

I really enjoyed Rhea's relationship with her two besties, Malachi and Zeke. Rhea got on my nerves for 80% of the book and was so immature in some ways. I get many of her issues were do to her nonexistent relationship with her mother when she needed her the most. I couldn't believe how Rhea'smother never showed up for her!

This book went on way too long and the way the book was wrapped up at the end gave after-school special vibes. I was so exhausted after reading this book.

Maybe I'm too old or far too out of touch, but the plans hatched in the first 16% of the book had me shaking my head and doubting everything in the plot. There are, to be fair, some promising potential twists I may find enjoyable, but right now, working past the split infinitive isn't worth it to me.

This is an outstanding but deep book. It deals with a lot of difficult subjects, from gentrification to racism, and how they affect not just neighborhoods but the people who make them what they are.

How would it feel to be unfairly targeted to be removed from your lifelong neighborhood, to be taken away from everyone and everything you’ve ever known and loved? Yes, bad things have happened, but it’s still home—and these are your people. How far would you go to save your neighborhood? And how far is too far?

This is a book that will be eye-opening to many, and the author doesn’t pull any punches. I could think of a lot of adults who would benefit from reading this book.

My thanks to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for the advanced readers copy of this book. Please note my review is independent and my opinions are my own.

This was a solid read for me, although I started out not liking Rhea, the main character. But I liked the author's writing style, and she drew me into this beautiful neighborhood full of BIPOC folks who looked out for each other. While I didn't always agree with Rhea's choices, I understood that much of that came from a place of fear, after the traumatic experience of witnessing one of her best friends being shot as an innocent in a drive-by. It was made even worse by her mother checking out of her life in all the ways that matter. Small wonder that she didn't trust many people and she avoided change like the plague.

The author tackles some timely issues including gentrification (hence the title), racism, the savior complex, exploitation, and different ways to fight for what is right. While this could have been bogged down by these issues, the author did a wonderful job of maintaining a sense of humor throughout, making me want to come back to the book every time real life intruded. The mystery wasn't difficult for me to figure out, but there was at least one surprise for me, and I really liked the ending.

She also addressed the very real situation of girls choosing to sell themselves in order to fulfill their dreams and that while it can be dangerous, it is by choice. I liked that while one of the main characters did this, her friends still loved her and didn't judge her for it. The transgender woman who played the Auntie to all the kids in the neighborhood provided a safe space for kids who were often kicked out of their families after coming out. I loved the romance between Zeke and Lou which provided all the feels, even when Lou was upset over something Zeke thoughtlessly said. I liked how the author resolved the situation.

Overall, this was a solid debut novel and I can't wait to read more from this author!

I received an advance review copy for free from the publisher and NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

It literally took only the first line for me to be hooked to this story. And being honest with you, I still think about it. This book is still living rent-free in my head. And I think anyone else that reads it will have the same problem. This book is just that good.

Now I did have one issue with this.... So let's discuss that. The main character Rhea was annoying lol I had to keep reminding myself she was a teen. I knew she had something going on and I knew that there were deeper reasons behind her actions. But geez, it was never addressed until the end of the book. Usually that doesn't bother me, but when you're able to recognize the faults of everyone else, it just makes you seem stuck up and mean. And it made her mad annoying. All the other characters were fine. They all needed a stern talking to, but they were teens. But she was the only one that I found myself yelling at through the book.

Now everything else about this book was good. Starting with the plot. I LOVED what they did for their friend. To be honest, it was something I would also do. The lengths they went through to save their friends and their families was amazing. For them to be kids I was amazed that they came up with this type of scheme. And the way they executed it was just, *chef's kiss* They were only looking out for each other, but they learned so much about gentrification (and each other) through this process as well. Did I wish they had chose something other than a gang? Yes. But this entire thing was genius. It was truly something that would divert people from wanting to live there. It was also enough to get me hooked.

The mystery was very cool. But I did think it took too long to get there. And then it was a bit too spread out. Like it took too long for each clue to come up. And it didn't really start making serious moves until it was almost the end. But it wasn't boring or anything like that because of the entire gang thing that the characters were trying to pull off. I was never bored because there is literally something happening all the time in this book. I could not put it down. But when it finally gets to the mystery, you'll never guess who it is. I thought I did, but I did not think it all the way through. So basically, once you think you've got it figured out, you don't.

There's also a romance in this. And although I thought it was a part of what made her annoying, I thought it was still cute. I didn't care for it, but I know the plot called for it. To throw a little more confusion onto the reader for the mystery. And tho I didn't really care for it, I know it was necessary. Well, it's not that I didn't care for it. It's more like I didn't like she made the lives of everyone so much more messy when all she had to do was just open her mouth to ask or say something and not be rude. But again, this was a teen so I let it go. I know they're moody. There's another romance in this that made me smile from ear to ear. It's an LGBTQ couple and one of them is autistic.

This is the other thing that made me fall in love with this book. There was so much diversity in this. The main characters are Black and LatinX. (They could also be Afro-Latina, but it's never confirmed) And there's another character who is a wheel-chair user, someone else is autistic, like I said there's an LGBTQ relationship, and more. It's filled with representation and that made me so happy. Another reason I was so immersed into this book.

The narrator was also good. Their accents were good, their pronunciation was good, and the way they did everything else was good lol No matter what gender, how old the person was, or whatever, they did a really good job. I found myself wanting to do nothing but listen to this book. It was really great. I really enjoyed this more as an audiobook than I did when I was actually reading the book.

Now that I've rambled about all the things, I just want to say this is on track to being one of my faves of the year so far. Like Top 5. I really hope more people read this and love it as much as me! It and Jade deserves all the hype!

This book is everything and really relevant to today's climate. I loved the humor and mystery of it all but found it to be especially important due to the handling of race topics from a YA perspective. I will be recommending this to everyone. It will definitely be inspiring for young adults wanting to make a difference.

Very unique book.

A good mix of humor, mystery, and current race relations. I like that this was done from a YA perspective, but some of it felt a little unrealistic with what teenagers are actually able to do. I'll recommend this for my students though.

This book was centered around gentrification and it hit every topic perfectly. Each character had a purpose and it felt like I was reading about the news because of how real this story read.

I received a eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for this honest review.

I really wanted to like this book but I honestly felt that the overuse of profanity took away from the plot. I liked the premise of the story and feel like it's an important one but the author was all over the place with introducing character flaws. I believe she was just trying to add possible suspects to the murder mystery but I found it all over the place.

I work in an alternative education environment with vulnerable kids. I have been spouting about this book the entire time I've been reading it. The kids are loving the premise. We are probably going to buy some copies for them once it's published. It's well-written, humorous and a good model to get out there and do something. It's also a great conversation starter about where the kids in the story messed up and what they could have done differently.
**I received a free ARC from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.**

The author skillfully weaves together several difficult topics. Jade creates a protagonist whose thoughts and actions evoke memories of being an angry teen, furious at injustice and lashing out at the guilty parties. The protagonist has several events occurring that rock her already shaky world.
The perspective shift was educational and eye opening.

High school sophomores Rhia, Zeke, and Malachi have been best friends since pre-school. When gentrification threatens to force Zeke and his family out of their apartment, Rhea comes up with a plan. Start a fake gang to scare away the white, hipster investors who have been taking over the neighborhood and edging out the long-standing Black and brown businesses. Since it's a fake gang, there's no real concern about violence. But when a man ends up dead, things take a turn that Rhea wasn't expecting. This book was a bit longer than I would have liked and the murder mystery aspect got pretty twisty and hard to follow, but overall I really liked this book. It's one of the first I've found that really explains gentrification in practical and meaningful ways that teens will not only grasp but want to take action against.

Thank you to Disney Publishing and NetGalley for a review copy of this book.

This is a timely debut novel that deals with gentrification, racism, and other issues in a way that is incredibly obvious and over-the-top (as other reviewers have pointed out), but I don't think the plot is unbelievable based on reality. Our three teen protagonists are realistically flawed and have conviction in their goal to protect their neighborhood from changing and becoming overpriced, and I also enjoyed the aspects of sexuality and neurodiversity Jade Adia introduces--I think the target audience will really identify with these characters and appreciate reading about the neighborhood.

It's hard to believe that There Goes the Neighbourhood is a debut novel, because it is written with such assurance and flair. Jade Adia has created a wonderful trio of characters in Rhea, Zeke and Malachi, POC teenagers who have known each other since childhood and grown up to become best friends - even if Rhea has been finding it a little hard to adjust to how much female attention Malachi has been attracting of late!

But the three friends have far more serious issues at hand to deal with. The forces of gentrification are having an increasingly unsettling effect on their little corner of LA. People of colour, including Black inhabitants like Rhea and Malachi are feeling the heat, while Zeke and his mother are directly affected, as Hispanic families like theirs find themselves being pushed out by the more prosperous newcomers.

As a result of the changes underway, all three of these youngsters are adversely affected, even though they are among the area's long term residents. The unwelcome changes in the composition of the community are mirrored by the mushrooming of yoga studios and pseudo-ethnic restaurants, which are quickly replacing mom and pop stores and taco stands.

Faced with the prospect of being separated, the 3 friends start feeling desperate. Out of their determination not to allow gentrification to push out families like Zeke's emerges a somewhat extreme plan of action. Since gang activity can be a serious disincentive wrt white people moving into POC neighbourhoods, Rhea, Malachi and Zeke refuse to let the lack of gangs in the area sabotage their pushback effort against the takeover attempt mounted by outsiders!

Despite the fact that this book touches on some very serious issues - alienation, racism, unequal opportunities for those belonging to communities of colour and the impact of barbarian capitalism on diverse neighbourhoods, to name a few - Adia tells her story with a surprisingly light touch. One that belies the depth of her passion regarding the issues. As a bonus, along the way, the reader is also taken on a virtual culinary tour and introduced to some delectable ethnic foods.

The result is a story that is funny, charming, and creative, yet undeniably hard-hitting. Not to mention timely, given the factors that have given rise to the Black Lives Matter movement. This story should be recommended reading for its target group, and is actually an interesting read for people of any age.

Note: I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.