This was one of the most beautifully written books I've come across lately. I loved the family and all the nostalgia that the book delivered.

So happy I went with the audiobook on this one as it made the reading experience much more enjoyable.

This book felt like a warm hug. From the family dynamics, the history, the music references. This being the author's first book makes me so hopeful for all her future work we have yet to discover from her.

LOVED!

Redwood Court is at it's surface a book about a multi-generational black family living in Columbia, SC. Underneath is a glimpse of what it's like to be coming of age as a young black girl in the 1990's.

I loved Mika and both her grandparents Teeta and Weesie. I loved that the story was mostly through Mika's POV but with other family member's chapters woven in. This author is such an incredible writer that not only did I feel like I was right there at the family BBQ, or in Weesie's kitchen, or fishing with Teeta, but also - even though nothing really ...happened, I still couldn't stop turning pages to get to know these characters and their experiences better. Excellent book!!!

I highly recommend for readers who enjoy velvety rich character development and interested in understanding more about family and community dynamics in Black America.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read in exchange for my honest review.

This was a very good book, and I highly recommend it. It was a nice journey with sufficient character development. I passed it on to a family friend who also enjoyed this.

This book really just took me for a ride. I loved the build up, the character development, and the writing. I would definitely read more from this author!

Full disclosure, I've been in quite a reading slump lately and just haven't been enjoying anything. This had been on my shelf from NetGalley for a long time so I finally started it and it grabbed my attention at first, but then I kinda just didn't care about the story - I did keep reading because I wanted out of my reading slump but I think I probably would have enjoyed this a lot more if I had just quit and come back to it later.

Redwood Court is beautifully written, it's a southern Black family saga full of wonderful characters, we mostly follow Mika, the youngest of the family as she comes of age. There is an exploration of Black family history. The book starts with Mika struggling with a school project where she feels like she doesn't have anything to share about her ancestors - she doesn't know exactly where her ancestors are from, she doesn't have any family heirlooms/objects to share with the class. And this theme is present throughout the book; how tracing genealogy and family history is not the same for Black Americans as it is for Whites. I really enjoyed Weesie and the ways she created community and bonds within her neighborhood; I thought it was just so special to see how they all supported and helped one another and were there for each other during big moments.

I think this may be something I'd like to re-read in the future when I'm in a better place because I just didnt' love it and it has all the things I should love in a book. So, I do recommend it and maybe with time or a re-read I might change my rating.

Thanks Swift Press and NetGalley for the eARC!

This family saga told from multiple POVs covers three generations. It’s a story about the characters, their relationships, and the love of family.

Redwood Court looks at one Black family and their life in South Carolina, primarily in the 1990s. It's a character drive novel with most of the short stories told through the eyes of the youngest family member, Mika. It goes through years showing the ups and down in their lives. While I don't mind character driven novels, I was hoping for a little more from what was presented. I think some of it was because of the young eyes the stories are told through. I did enjoy Dameron's writing style and would read more from her in the future.

If you're looking for short stories with the same central characters, this would be a good pick. It can easily be read throughout a given period instead of reading in one sitting.

I really enjoyed this look inside of a family’s life spanning generations and how the dynamic between them plays out. I thought it was well written and kept my attention.

"Redwood Court" by DéLana R.A. Dameron is my first read by this author, and I was introduced to her work through NetGalley. The novel offers a poignant exploration of a Southern Black family through the eyes of its youngest daughter, Mika, as she comes of age in the 1990s. The character development is strong, with each family member and neighbor adding depth to the story. Mika's relationship with her grandparents is central to the narrative. Weesie and Teeta, who moved to Redwood Court in the 1960s, are pillars of the community. They instill in Mika a sense of history and resilience, teaching her important life lessons through their own experiences of overcoming segregation and building a supportive neighborhood.
Mika's parents work long hours at multiple jobs, striving to provide for their family while ensuring their children experience the joys of family vacations and community life. This dynamic highlights the sacrifices and dedication of working-class parents. The contrast between Mika and her older sister, who prefers Alanis Morissette over the family's beloved Motown, adds a layer of generational and cultural tension. This relationship explores themes of individuality and the different ways family members connect with their heritage. While I appreciated the rich, atmospheric writing and the heartfelt portrayal of family bonds, I found the pacing a bit slow at times. Despite this, the emotional resonance and the vivid depiction of community life kept me engaged. I look forward to reading more from DéLana R.A. Dameron in the future. #netgalley #redwoodcourt

This book is alright. The characters were alright, but I didn't see the plot develop in a meaningful way.

4 sweet, growing up stars
“You have all these stories inside you – that’s what we have to pass on – all the stories everyone in our family knows and all the stories everyone in our family tells….The ones you’ll live to tell someone else. That’s a gift that gives and gives and gives. You get to make it into something for tomorrow. You write ‘em in your books and show everyone who we are.”

Redwood Court is a story of Black families growing up in the South. It is like taking your time and looking at a friend’s old photo album. (Since the story covers time between the Korean War and Y2K, I appreciated the helpful character list in the beginning.) It is slices of life – good, uncomfortable, hopeful, sad.

I liked teen-aged Mika’s voice - an honest slice of teen life friends and family, but unlike mine, her life had racial issues I never had to deal with. “When they were growing up, all the folks we socialized with abided by the same set of Black-people codes; everyone is eligible to correct you if they see you out in the world acting a fool.”

In the acknowledgements, Author Demeron says, “Like my own experience, Redwood Court’s interior world is help up by Black women who love each other…Growing up in a Southern suburban town as a dark-skinned Back girl was made bearable and sweet by the community of friends, elders, and of course my family who supported my dreams in ways I’m still uncovering.” Her light shines through the book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Beautiful prose, expansive story, and wonderful characterizations in this debut novel by DeLana R. A. Dameron.

This book is incredible. There are a lot of moving parts and time skips, but not in a way that was overwhelming. There were cozy moments, awkward moments, sad moments, and everything in between. This is one that I’m going to be recommending to many other readers. This is a very episodic novel, if you’re looking for something with a single narrative through line, you probably want to look elsewhere.

I really enjoyed this glimpse into the generations of one Black family in the south. I especially loved the relationship between Teeta and his granddaughters. While this wasn’t action packed I liked the real life day to day challenges and triumphs the all went through. It was very well written.

REDWOOD COURT
DéLana R. A. Dameron

I liked this generational expose of a black family in America revolving around a house, an address, and a home. I liked the stories each family member gave and the characters were memorable.

I'm glad I had a chance to read REDWOOD COURT this year. I recommend it to readers looking for a multigenerational reading experience by a talented author.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House | The Dial Press for the advanced copy!

REDWOOD COURT...⭐⭐⭐

This was a beautifully written exploration of family. Of storytelling. This was definitely more character driven, which I really enjoy. But not much happened. I think I just wanted more, rather than different interludes into this family’s history.

This book took me a while to get into as the beginning is a series of 'slice of life' moments about a black family living in Columbia, South Carolina. I enjoyed it more towards the end when it became more of a coming of age story about 16 year old Mika. It did open my eyes to the amount of racism still present in the 1990's (and today), as I kept having to remind myself the book was not set in the 1950's. While I did not love the book, it was still worth my time. Thankyou to NetGalley for the digital ARC. 3.5/5

Told in short story format, Redwood Court explores the three generations of a family. The book demonstrates the importance of community and family. The book took me awhile to get into, but then became quite compelling. I liked Mika's stories the most, as they portrayed her close relationship with her grandfather, Teeta, and adolescent challenges. A really beautiful book!

Whew this book and the full cast of characters were a lot to take in. I love a good multigenerational family story but when to many characters are involved it leaves room for confusion. I had to reference back to the beginning a few times to remember who is who. But after a while most of the book is told from Mika’s POV which helps keep things in perspective.

The timeline jumped around quite a bit which I didn’t like because I felt the author could’ve gone in more depth on certain things before changing the topic. I did love the characters and getting to know their backstories especially the grandparents. Grandma was the glue that held the family and community together which many people can relate to.

The pacing was rather up and down for me and I felt the last quarter of the book didn’t hold up like the rest. I think what may throw many off is how the book is written. Rather than it solely focusing on a single topic we get a lot of stories told about or from specific family members that make up their family history. Which was probably done purposely since many Black families can’t trace far back in their lineage.

Overall, I enjoyed the book I increased my rating from a 3.5 to a 4 by the end of it. If you’re a fan of family sagas or books about multigenerational families you’ll enjoy this one. Special thanks to the author & @thedialpress for my gifted copy‼️

A beautifully written story of a family over three generations and a great deal of tumultuous times.
Weesie (Lousie) and Teeta (James) meet at a farmers type market and so begins their story. We meet their multi-generational family (children and grandchildren) over three decades and learn of their life experiences from various points of view. The stories are at times like vignettes that the author weaves together to create their family history. Lots of up, downs and the goings on of the times made for an interesting emotional read.