We Deserve Monuments (Hardcover)

We Deserve Monuments follows Avery, a lesbian, biracial high school senior who moves to her mother's small Georgia hometown with her parents to help her dying grandmother, Mama Letty. She doesn't know Mama Letty and barely remembers her. Her mother and grandmother start fighting almost as soon as they arrive, and Avery is determined to discover their secrets and end the hostility. Avery initially resolves to complete her senior year with no involvement or drama, but makes two friends, one of whom becomes a love interest. This book is a deeply complex character-driven story which navigates intergenerational trauma, the ugliness of southern racism, white privilege, homophobia, police brutality, female friendships, family secrets, and identity. This coming-of-age debut novel is beautifully written, powerful, emotional, gripping and utterly heartrending. We Deserve Monuments deserves awards.

Headed into senior year, Avery's life abruptly changes as her family moves from DC to small-town Georgia to be with her grandmother who's terminally ill. Things aren't going well due to longstanding conflict between Avery's mom and grandmother and no one is willing to talk to her about it. She finds solace in new friendships with her neighbor, Simone, and Jade, a classmate. As Avery begins to discover things about her family's past, her friendship with Simone turns into romance. Will Avery keep searching for the truth about what happened years ago at the risk of affecting her relationships or will she let it go? WE DESERVE MONUMENTS was a fantastic YA contemporary fiction book. The author captured an array of emotions in a raw and vulnerable way that felt so real. The characters were great. I really loved Mama Letty and how her relationship with Avery developed. The story is very character-driven so for those used to action-packed books, it may be slow, but I felt the pacing worked well overall. Many themes are explored including family, racism, trauma, and coming-of-age. Something that was revealed toward the end surprised me and was completely not on my radar which made the conclusion interesting. Upon finishing reading and reflecting, it's easy to see why the title chosen is the perfect fit. WE DESERVE MONUMENTS would be a great read for fans of YA or queer fiction. Thank you to Roaring Book Press for the giveaway copy.