Nic Stone is arguably one of the best young adult writers of this time period. It has been such a privilege to be able to read and learn from her stories. I hope one day to be able to teach her books to my students.

Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc.

Let me preface by sharing I adore Dear Martin. Years ago, I taught it at a privileged all boys school. It was a formidable experience for me as a new teacher, and I thank Nic Stone for the incredible conversations we were able to have. The second book wasn’t quite as good for me, but I did still really enjoy it. Lastly, this book…

I have to be honest. I didn’t like it much. I appreciate the challenge of taking on a character like Jared and showing someone who has to recognize his own privilege, but the story and the writing fell so flat for me. If it wasn’t so short, I would struggle to get through it.

2.5⭐️

The third book in Stone's Dear Martin series features letters from Jared, the clueless white boy from Dear Martin, written to his friend Manny who was killed in the first book. Don't let that scare readers off, however. If they haven't read the previous books they can still enjoy this story . . . and then go back and read the previous two. Jared and Justyce are now college roommates. Jared has matured since high school and he's ready to run for junior class president against a privileged bully who would take away any benefits to minority students. Jared gets a surprise when he finds out the third candidate for the position is his Black classmate and project partner. As he wrestles with who would be better for the job, he again confronts his own privilege and worldview in an effort to do better.
This is a timely novel that will resonate with many readers who would like do the work to make our world a better place.

Jared Peter Christensen has come a long way from his high school days. He and Justyce are now roommates in college, bonding over their shared loss in their friend Manny. Jared's class schedule and club involvement have generated a lot of feelings surrounding privilege and Jared's less fortunate classmates. When he decides to run for Junior Class President against the most privileged kid in his class who wants to eliminate anything that helps minority students, Jared is sure he will win. But an unexpected third candidate, transfer student (and his class project partner) Dylan, throws a twist in the election. Secrets and privilege abound in this last installment in the Dear Martin series.

I wanted to love this book just as much as Dear Martin and Dear Justyce. I wasn't opposed to Jared as a character, and I appreciate the analysis of his introspection and privilege. Unfortunately I think the book focused too heavily on the specific event of the election and felt rushed overall. I also think that Jared hasn't changed/learned enough to redeem him at the end, and I really wanted more consequences of some kind for him.

Thank you to the publisher, Nic Stone, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Dear Manny is so much more than a book.

Nic Stone passes the test she outlines in the Author’s Note. By using her power as a writer to carefully imagine...or reimagine...Jared (Dear Martin), she takes an unlikable, flawed person and shows the ways in which one can change and grow through life's most challenging experiences; the ways in which one can positively transform by asking hard questions and looking at oneself as others see us.

As an educator, these are the kinds of books that I want to put into the hands of kids. Books that tell them it’s never too late to reflect, apologize, and attempt to repair the places we harm.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children’s, Crown Books for Young Readers, and Nic Stone for the opportunity to read Dear Manny in exchange for an honest review.

Stone does it again with yet another novel that is impossible to but down, even after you finish! Marking the third and final installment to the Dear Martin trilogy, Dear Manny follows the perspective of Jared Christensen, who prior readers will note isn’t the favorite white guy character out there. Similar to Dear Martin and Dear Justyce, Dear Manny features letters from Jared to Manny two years after the death of his best friend. Stone has written an icon of a novel, all three of which should be widely read, as this is progression at its finest.

At the tail end of his second year of college, Jared’s political science class has inspired him to run for Junior Class president as he progresses through his education. After what happened to both Manny and Justyce (who is now his college roommate), Jared wants to be a justice lawyer to help those who have wrongly accused and jailed, especially based on race. Running means going against J-whatever Preston LaPoop (or however many names Jared give the A-hole throughout the story, as well as the person he is paired with for his PolySci final: Dylan, a gorgeous and intelligent Black girl.

Jared has gotten away with many wrongdoings because of his white privilege and his rich father’s influence. He wants to make changes for the student body, especially when it comes to those considered minority groups, but both Jusyce and Dylan know Jared will never understand how much harder they have to work for their dreams or even just to get by on a daily basis just because of skin color.

Of course Jared has the hots for Dylan, which is problematic, as they are running against each other. At least their political ideologies are similar, and completely opposite from Jazz Poopton the Turd. Though an anonymous tip comes through showing that Dylan transferred from her previous school due to some type of charged assault. Jared’s investigations lead him down a rabbit hole. The guy should really watch Adichie’s TED Talk about the Danger and Power of a Single Story before he takes action.

Friendships and romance are strained as the election comes down to the debates and the final counts. This novel is a true icon for social justice and progression that every young person should read. It offers an understanding of varying political views and how to address those opposing one’s own in a dignified way. This novel also explores the power of privilege and the consequences of actions.

While Jared is in college, the style still fits the young adult audience, though new adults will devour this as well. It has been fun to follow Stone’s style throughout the trilogy and to explore these novels from an educational perspective. In the author’s note, I was surprised to find that these books have been banned in schools across the nation, often due to the fear of progression. Luckily, I have a lot of freedom of choice with my curriculum or my lending library, and these need to be available to the youth of the United States.

Thank you Nic Stone for writing such a beautiful, powerful conclusion from the trilogy, writing a challenging perspective, and offering your unique and eloquent style to today’s youth. This is a must-read for ALL!

Nic Stone is the QUEEN of YA realistic fiction PERIOD. How she managed to make Jared Peter Christensen a character you actually care about after the first two books AND the knuckleheaded choices he makes in this one? NIC HAS MAGIC. I love her way with words and how she humanizes the “them.” As a white woman who wants to be a good ally but is always falling short despite my best intentions and heart, Jared’s journey resonated authentically. Parts of his letter to himself at the end could have been written to me from me. Overall, I preferred the first two books, but this one is needed and incredible too.

I absolutely love Nic Stone's books! She does not shy away from tough topics that need to be discussed in today's society. In this 3rd installment of the Dear Martin trilogy Stone tackles the challenge of taking on Jared's story as he begins his sophomore year of college. As many know from the first two books Jared is not a well-liked character, and I was a bit leery of how Stone would approach this story. Needless to say, she did a beautiful job in illustrating that even the most flawed characters can grow from their experiences. Jared realizes that his white privilege has insulated him from having to face what injustice feel like. I love how Stone places Jared in between two extreme characters and pushes him to think about his mistakes and if he can live with them and like who he is. Lastly, Justyce warms my heart and is such an essential friend in Jared's life. My wish is that everyone finds their own Justyce to lean on in times of need.

Thank you, Nic Stone for writing this story. And, for writing it from Jared's point of view. Set during Jared's junior year in college, we find that Jared has come a long way, but as with us all is still a work in progress. Stone addresses social justice once again in superb style. The emotional intelligence of Jared and the other main characters is visible in their words and actions. Stone immediately grabs readers, with realistic, flawed characters, in real-life situations. Jared is running for Class President and the election has many similarities to recent national elections. Morals and character, avoiding being judgemental, believing the first thing that pops up on an internet search about people, and the influence of money, legacy, and race in colleges give plenty of opportunities for self-reflection and discussion.

Although categorized as a young adult novel, Nic Stone's narrative transcends age boundaries and presents a compelling, relevant tale that I believe everyone should experience. In this book, Stone masterfully crafts the story of Jared, a character whose journey is essential reading—particularly for white audiences. Jared's experiences are crafted with a remarkable blend of authenticity and relatability, portraying a character who, despite his best efforts, is imperfect and continually learning.

Stone's narrative doesn't shy away from the uncomfortable; it plunges into the heart of challenging conversations about privilege and systemic inequities. Jared, surrounded by a circle of genuine and honest friends, navigates through various encounters and obstacles that challenge him to reevaluate his perspectives and confront his privilege. This process of questioning, failing, and striving for better encapsulates the difficult yet necessary work of self-improvement and social awareness that the book advocates.

This story is not merely a narrative but a mirror held up to the reader, urging a reflection on personal biases and a call to action toward personal and collective change. It is a pivotal read that encourages the reader to continue the hard but vital work of introspection and reform. I highly recommend it to readers of all ages as a must-read that challenges, educates, and inspires.

I am a big fan of Nic Stone's work and, as a white woman, appreciated how her Dear Martin has had me examine my own privilege and challenges with kindness, genteelness, and understanding that this is a process. The trilogy's final book, *Dear Manny*, continues the story through the perspective of a white character, Jared. Throughout the trilogy, we have witnessed Jared's growth as he learns from the harmful stereotypes he was raised with and strives to become an ally. This latest installment follows his journey in college, alongside his friends from the previous two novels, as Jared faces tough lessons about building character. He contrasts his current worldview with those of individuals who see others as inferior and wish to maintain their privilege at the expense of others.

This book is not only thought-provoking but also timely, especially given the current polarization in the USA and a political climate that seems more divisive than healing. The experiences and outcomes of their class election draw striking parallels to the recent presidential election. Much like the first two books in the series, I strongly recommend this book to everyone!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the third, and according to the author, final book in this trilogy that began with Dear Martin. My students, I have taught Dear Martin, for years were excited for this book but felt a bit frustrated when I told them that it was going to be from Jared’s point of view. Why? Because they hated him- he seemed on a trajectory of growth in the second books but still- would anyone root for him? The answer for me reading this book was yes, I was rooting for Jared to acknowledge the tough things about himself, the ugly things in fact, that no white person wants to admit to. These are truths that society and privilege have taught and have to be actively unlearned and I believe that is a learning curve, but the best and only thing people can do is to continue to learn, to grow, to ask people to be brutally honest with them and to be better. This world we live in has gotten scarier and more hatful in the past week, books like this one, and the others in this trilogy, are absolutely crucial to society becoming better. I loved the book, it made me think about harsh truths about myself, I hope others will so in the “uncomfortable silence” as Jared reminds himself to do to grow and always learn.

The final book in this YA series:
“Because the only person I gotta spend my life with is me.”
🗳️
Jared has decided to run against his nemesis for Junior Class President, but when he realizes a third candidate enters the mix, he’s thrown for a loop. When it turns out Dylan M. Coleman is female, Black and stunningly gorgeous, Jared is instantly smitten. Through a class assignment in Constitutional Law, he gets to know Dylan better, but as the election continues he realizes she has secrets, just like he does. Jared, our anti-hero, makes many mistakes in his journey to escape his past and make better decisions for his future, but his privilege and feelings for Dylan are getting in the way.
🏫
There are no words for how much I loved this novel! This entire series is a gift to the young adult readers’ community. I love that this was set later, when our main characters are now in college. Jared has had some time to change (still has lots of work to do), but I found myself rooting for him and seeing the kind of human he could be. I want every white teen to read this story, ESPECIALLY now, because we need to do better. White people: we have to do better. This amazing, life-changing book releases March 4.

CW: sexual assault, physical assault, racism, sexism, classism, arrest, death (recounted), grief, loss, alcohol, public intoxication, cheating, DUI, microaggressions

I've enjoyed Nic Stone's books and have all of them in our HS school library, so I was excited to read this ARC of #DearManny. This final installment of the Dear Martin trilogy doesn't require you to have read the previous two books--and it's been a while since I have read them both--but it is helpful if they are more fresh in your head to get the full effect and understand all of the references. This story follows Jared, a white boy from the previous books, who is now in college and roommates with Justyce. He is running for student class president and wrestling with the things he has learned over the past few years about race and privilege; however, through the course of this election, and his experiences with Dylan, a black student who is also running for office, Jared continues to demonstrate that he still has work to do as he makes mistakes and harms others and himself. Stone, in the Author's Note, explains how she took on this "third-person" perspective of a white boy to explore him as a character, but also to challenge the book bans of her book and others and to cause others to reflect. An important book for an important time, as always. Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for the ARC.

Dear Manny is yet another masterpiece by Nic Stone. Jared, who we met in Dear Martin and Dear Justyce, has grown tremendously from the entitled piece of work who first graced the pages. Now, as a well-intentioned ally- he has to face down the reality of his privilege as he runs for junior-class president of his college. Against a boy who he knows represents the worst of everyone and a girl who deserves to win but likely cannot. As he struggles to make the "right" decisions, Jared continuously struggles to be the good person he wants to be when the other path would be so much more comfortable. Jared, upon a suggestion from Justyce, begins to write letters to his deceased best friend Manny as he works through his feelings about everything happening around him.
Nic Stone is an incredible story teller and builds in the reader a combination of empathy and disgust, often both for the same character, that carries you through the end- hoping that everything will end in a way that satisfies. Oh, and don't forget those heart-wrenching moments she oh-so-skillfully weaves in perfectly.

I am torn about the writing of Jared's story- a flawed character who is growing and learning- as we hope all people will. But as the publication of this book approaches and Stone posts on social media "When they ban your stories about Black boys... so you send the same message through a white boy"- it reinforces how many people are not growing and learning. I appreciate Jared's story and loved reading it. But we shouldn't need it. We shouldn't be struggling through book challenges and bans and moving backward in our universal understanding of race, bias, prejudice, and everything carried along with them. Don't take that to mean this book isn't of the highest quality- because it is. Instead, think about what you can do to support authors like Stone and the messages we, and all the young readers, very much need through the point of view of Black boys and girls.