If you’re looking for something to read this month, consider reading There Goes the Neighborhood by Jade Adia.
The book is a raised fist against the destructive forces of gentrification and a love letter to communities of colour everywhere. Jade Adia’s riveting debut tells the darkly hilarious story of three best friends willing to do whatever it takes to stay together.
The gang is fake, but the fear is real.
Rhea’s neighbourhood is fading away―the mom-and-pop shops of her childhood forced out to make space for an artisanal kombucha brewery here and a hot yoga studio there. And everywhere, the feeling that this place is no longer meant for her. Because while their small corner of South L.A. isn’t perfect, to Rhea and her two best friends, it’s something even more important―it’s home. And it’s worth protecting.
But as more white people flock to their latest edgy, urban paradise for its cheap rent and sparkling new Whole Foods, more of Rhea’s friends and family are pushed out. Until Rhea decides it’s time to push back. Armed with their cellphones and a bag of firecrackers, the friends manipulate social media to create the illusion of gang violence in their neighbourhood. All Rhea wanted to do was protect her community. Her friends. Herself. No one was supposed to get hurt. No one was supposed to die.
But is anyone ever safe when they fight fear with power?
There Goes the Neighborhood is a witty coming-of-age story with a thrilling mystery. With its uplifting tone, yet not shying away from necessary truths, this book is a delight to read.
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