I had my doubts reading this after Dear Martin, I will be honest. Not because I didn’t enjoy Dear Martin but I felt it had its flaws. But there was something about Justyce’s story that I just couldn’t get over despite everything.

Well, now I feel I know why. I was hanging on read this. What a brilliant read. It is not perfect, by any means -but what I find so impressive is the author acknowledges that. Quran’s tragic tale gets the happy ending, which feels false, and sadly, that’s because it is a lie for the majority of young African Americans in part of the US.

It really made me pause and think. Thus, in a time where listening to others and their stories, and their plight, and trying to understand are key to moving forward towards acceptable and inclusivity for all, this book couldn’t be a better starting point for discussion.

Nic Stone has done an excellent job; I am thoroughly impressed.

In this sequel to Dear Martin, incarcerated Quan writes letters to Justyce and through these and a series of flashbacks to his childhood, his story unravels. He talks about his dad being dragged away by the police when he was young, the domestic abuse his mother experiences from his new stepfather, struggling financially growing up and his experiences in the American Prison system.

Even though Quan was determined not to end up in prison like his father certain life events and struggles forced him to steal and get mixed up with the wrong people. He joined the Black Jihad because they were a new ‘family’ who supported him and offered him protection. 5 months into working for them he was detained for a crime that he didn’t commit. Quan is persuaded to enter a not guilty plea for the death of a police officer by Justyce. From a troubled childhood and bad timing to a coerced confession and prejudiced police work, Stones new novel takes a look at the flawed practices and ideologies that discriminate against African American boys and minorities in the American Prison System.

I absolutely loved this book. It gives the perspective of a black teen that isn’t given the opportunities in life that enables them to succeed (such as in Justyce’s case). It was incredibly emotionally charged and gripping and I couldn’t put it down! A very powerful and fast-paced read that really makes you think about the consequences of systemic racism especially in educational institutions and how support is needed in cases like this. Despite Quan doing everything in his power to succeed in life he was set to fail because that’s the way the system is set up.

If you read this, I recommend that you read the Authors Notes. Although this particular story is fictional, the school to prison is very much a real thing. “Many children have stories like Quan’s: an incarcerated parent, deeply traumatic home lives, and limited resources for survival, let along situational improvement.” The only things that are fictional in this book is the support that Quan is able to receive.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for providing me a complimentary copy of ‘Dear Justyce’ by Nic Stone in exchange for my honest review.

Before I start the review, I would like to clarify that I am a young white girl who has never experienced racism nor will I ever fully understand what it is like to experience it every day. I as a privileged white woman have the duty to constantly educate myself about racial injustices so I can stand with them and do everything I can to help.

‘Dear Justyce’ is the sequel to ‘Dear Martin’, which is about a young boy who write letter to Martin Luther King about his experiences with racial injustices. ‘Dear Justyce’ follows Quan who grew up near Justyce and writes him letters when he is in a youth detention centre for a crime he did not commit.
This is such an important and relevant book. It tells the reality of being a young black person and what they have to face. In one part of the book when Quan is in the detention centre, he meets another young black boy who was put in the centre for just knowing gang members and he then meets a white boy who stabbed someone and he is only in for 60 days. Quan also looks back at decisions he made in the past and wonders whether if he did things differently, became friends with a different group of people or simply was born white, how different things could be.

The book it told mainly told through a series of flashbacks, letters to Justyce and then present-day perspective. I thought this was a very affective way of telling the story, as the flashbacks linked with the present day and the letters and it all linked together. Nic Stone is such an incredible author and she really conveys all the emotions the characters are feeling. Each character is so well written, it is easy to want to protect them and root for them.

Just like ‘Dear Martin’, ‘Dear Justyce’ is one of the best books I have read in a long time. These books are so important to read as it raises awareness and educates people on the reality of racial injustices that black people experience every day.

This is such an important story to read, it’s the more uncomfortable side of the black experience that is explored way less frequently. There is a very real quality to all of the characters and although Nic Stone herself has said that the support Quan receives is not always the reality, it feels refreshing to see some positivity it what could easily have been a much darker story, something than can hopefully inspire real change.

Thank you to the publishers, Nic Stone and Netgalley for an ARC of this book!

I read <i>Dear Martin</i> a couple of years ago, and I absolutely loved it. I was so thrilled when I read Stone would be writing a sequel! <i>Dear Justyce</i> is such a powerful and important book. It tells the story of a teenager named Quan who does his best to make all the right choices and yet still finds the odds stacked up against him. Quan, who is incarcerated at the novel's beginning, narrates most of the book through a series of flashbacks and letters to his friend Justyce, the protagonist of <i>Dear Martin</i>.

<b> "Based on the systems in place- the 'institutions of oppression', as my former mentor would say... how he ended up kinda seemed like destiny." </b>

I couldn't put the book down; it felt like I was right there with Quan, feeling powerless at the hands of a system so cruelly unjust. Quan's character voice was so strong, and I could almost feel him speaking to me as if he were real, not just words on a page. The book just came alive, and I found myself getting so angry- from childhood, Quan is exposed to police brutality, domestic violence and racism, and it really did seem like the entire world, the system was against him.

<b> "There's a hole inside me where my childhood should've been." </b>

This novel is so crucial especially today, and I think it really opens our eyes to the injustice so deeply rooted in society, where kids like Quan who need support more than ever are discriminated against because of their racial and socioeconomic background.

While we as readers do feel Quan's despair, he also finds tendrils of hope to hold on to. Stone ultimately shows us the power of belief, and how having a dedicated and understanding support system can make all the difference.

Having read Dear Martin recently, I was so excited to read Dear Justyce. And while it definitely stands alone nicely, I do strongly recommend reading Dear Martin first because of all the references and cameos that link the two books together. (Otherwise Dear Justyce is one big spoiler alert for Dear Martin.)

Because I loved Dear Martin so much, I had very high expectations for this and I’m pleased to report that it exceeded all of them. It’s a very different story to Dear Martin but an equally important one. Quan is a fantastic main character, I absolutely adored him and was rooting for him throughout the book.

What I loved most about Dear Justyce is how character driven it is. You really get to connect with Quan on a deeper level. We see what he goes through and how he becomes more disconnected over time because he doesn’t have a support system. So when we see him connecting with people, even Martel’s gang, you really get to see first-hand how important those relationships are to him. I think character development was done so beautifully throughout. And again, I loved Quan as a main character so much.

If you’re looking for a light and fluffy read, this isn’t it. There are a lot of heavy themes going on. You’ve got domestic violence, mental health, classism and of course the big one: inequality and systemic racism within the legal system. This is a big area for discussion and I can see both books in this series being great resources for educators teaching about racism and inequality.

I read just over a third of this book then gave up. Quan has lived a tough life as a black teenager. Some parts of his story are beautifully written and some of the description is quite harrowing. While in prison he writes a series of letters to Justyce explaining how he got there. These, along with sections of dialogue, were the parts that I found hard to follow. Creating authentic characters means they will necessarily speak in a different way to me but as I am neither black nor a teenager, I found the language used difficult to relate to (or even understand).. I wanted to like the book and I wanted to understand Quan’s Life but I just found it hard going.

"[...] people telling us how "bad" we were. Constantly looking at us like they expected only the worse. How the hell's a person supposed to give something they ain't never had?"

I enjoyed, and was blown away by, this book even more than Dear Martin. I loved Quan's POV, the insight he gives us into the injustices of the American incarceration and (in)justice system, especially as a young Black boy. I also loved that Quan is obsessed with A Series of Unfortunate Events, what a cinnamon roll

I loved the format of this book. It's told in a split between flashbacks of Quan's childhood, starting from the age of 9, and letters he's writing to Justyce (the protagonist of the first book) in the present. This format was so compelling and allows the reader to piece together what led to his current situation (if you've read Dear Martin you'll know what that situation is) and leads to the climax of this book

The portrayal of mental health in this book was explored so well. Quan goes on a journey, with the help of a few confidantes, to accept that he is suffering from both PTSD and anxiety and I think that representation is so important and needed

Both this and Dear Martin are such important reads and I think they should be on everyone's tbrs. I'm glad books like this exist now for teenagers and adults alike, either to allow people to feel represented or to help people put themselves in the shoes of others, a practice that doesn't have an age limit

Wow wow I loved this one so much! I loved dear Martin when I read it a few years back and when I saw Nic Stone was coming out with a new book apart of this world/series I knew I had to read!

This book was such a beautifully tragic story that is so important that everyone reads when it releases! It’s so brutally honest and shows you how much systematic racism Happens every single day no matter what age you are! Just the littlest things and someone will think the main character is doing illegal activities.

I really felt for our main character Quan throughout this whole novel has he hasn’t had the best life but he’s always pushed through even when he feels like giving up!!

I can’t express enough everyone pick this one up!

‘Dear Justyce’ continues the story Nic Stone started in ‘Dear Martin’. Quran is in jail waiting fo r his trial for the murder of a police officer. He starts writing to Justyce, who we met in ‘Dear Martin’, and gradually the story of how he arrived being involved in the shooting emerges. It is also clear that Quan has faced prejudice all his life and is forced into the arms of the ‘Black Jihad’ by a system that is stacked against him. It becomes clear that Quan is being tried for a crime he didn’t commit but can Justyce bring about justice?
A story that rings true especially in the light of recent events in the USA. A gripping sequel to ‘Dear Martin’.

What an impactful read. I*ve been a long-time fan of Nic Stone and her accessible and epic writing and Dear Justyce was no different. I had never thought that anything could top the way I felt about Dear Martin (which is a masterpiece I still want everyone to read) but this...this might have been even better.
Dear Justyce follows Quan, a young black boy who tries his hardest to succeed and thrive in a world that is determined to make him out to be a criminal, cheater and convict.
Convicted for a crime he didn't commit, he pens letters to Justyce, seeking comfort and understanding and getting even more than that - the one thing he's never really gotten from anyone - unwavering support.
I loved this story. I loved how we got to see Quan's loyalty and the unjust criminal system, the way people have to become criminals to make ends meet.
It was harrowing and painful to read and exactly what I needed.
I cannot recommend this book enough.
Reading this in one sitting was an experience I can't put into words.

After the exceptional novel which is 'Dear Martin', Nic Stone brings another gut punch with the incredible sequel 'Dear Justyce'. Both of these novels do a lot of great work exposing the reality of racism in modern society, this one in particular focusing on systemic racism in the American justice system. In fact, it it the perfect companion piece to the upcoming release of the breathtaking novel-in-verse 'Punching the Air' (Zoboi and Salaam) which has a similar hard-hitting message.

The opening author's note tells the reader that in this novel, she wanted to turn the reader's eye away from boys like Justyce, who is academically successful and flourishes at a private school then Ivy League college, to focus on boys who were not lucky enough to rise to these heights. Instead, our main character for the majority of the sequel is Quan, Manny from 'Dear Martin's cousin, who has been imprisoned for shooting and killing a white police officer. We already know this police officer was corrupt and racist, having racially profiled and wrongfully put Justyce in handcuffs for an extended period of time in the first novel, and we find out more about his aggression towards Quan and the murder in this sequel.

Gaps are filled in as we see Quan's childhood presented in parallel with his letters to Justyce from prison, growing up with an incarcerated father, domestic abuse in the home, being drawn into gang activity and the associated trauma of these events. Stone does not shy away from the brutal reality of Quan's upbringing, gaining the reader's support and sympathy for Quan whilst breaking their hearts with his feeling that an extended prison sentence for him was inevitable.

Stone herself admits that Quan's story in slightly altered from reality due to him having a solid system of support, a tutor, a therapist, legal counsel, which does not reflect the reality of many of the forgotten boys like him in prison and juvenile detention. However, she highlights the injustice of Quan's position enough to enrage and educate any reader whilst also emphasising the systems which could support happier endings to the lives of many young, black prison inmates.

Overall, this is even more emotionally effecting than 'Dear Martin' and should certainly be given to readers of any age to read but I can see it being particularly impactful with young adults. I cannot wait to bring this to students in my classroom to spark frank discussion about race, injustice and Black Lives Matter.

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

Loved this books, and how relevant it is in the modern day. Though i did not realise this was the sequal to another book, dear martin when I initially started reading it, I still was able to follow along with the story perfectly fine, with the help of a small amount of googling of some of the plot of the other book. The writing style was great and i easily finished the book in one sitting. I will be going back and reading the first book in the series, but i recommend this book to anyone wanting a good educational read.

Dear Justyce is a story about a young boy/teenager called Quan. His your average boy whose life has been turned upside down when his father is arrested while his staying over. Events after his father’s arrest and sentencing lead Quan to join a local gang, which never ends well. In Quan’s case he ends up in prison for something he didn’t do. While in prison Quan ends up writing letters to Justyce.

Dear Justyce is a well written book. It is easy to read and follow. Although we a lot of the book is based one Quan, parts of the book are told from Justyce’s perspective. It was good to have Justyce’s character in the book, but I personally would have liked to just about Quan’s story. It was also nice to see some of the other characters from the previous books.

This was a very good read, it’s a very timely and important read which I think should be read at least once. Although this is a sequel to Dear Martin, it can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend you read both books.

I would like to that NetGalley and the publishers Simon & Schuster for a copy of my eARC in return for an honest and unbiased review.

'Dear Justyce' is a fantastically moving story, told partly in letters from Quan to his friend Justyce. Nic Stone has created very realistic characters whose lives develop in very different ways, but who retain a deep bond of friendship. In his letters Quan explains the choices that led him to his arrest for the shooting of a police officer; his complex relationships with family, friends and his gang - a life of abuse, neglect and discrimination. However, there is hope, and Quan is lucky to have some adults in his life that strive to support and believe in him and are prepared to take on the system. This is a brutal look at the American criminal system and highlights some of the inequalities that African American boys and others face.
I've not read 'Dear Martin', the first book in this series but I am desperate to get my hands on a copy. Not knowing Justyce's back story did not distract from my enjoyment or understanding of 'Dear Justyce' but it is so good and so well written that I want to go back to the beginnning and discover his story too.

Thank you to the publisher for gifting me an eARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Shortly after teenager Quan enters a not guilty plea for the shooting death of a police officer, he is placed in a holding cell to await trail. Through a series of flashbacks and letters to Justyce, Quan’s story unravels.

This is a heartbreaking and incredibly powerful book. Nic Stone has yet again written a book you just cannot put down. It wasn’t too long ago that I read Dear Martin so the events of that novel were fresh in my mind whilst reading Dear Justyce. This book takes place not long after the events of Dear Martin. I love the mix in this book between flashbacks, letters to Justyce and the present situation Quan is in. It kept me so engaged with the book all the way through.


Dear Justyce shows us as readers that even whilst being in the same environment, being a person of colour automatically can have you being treated differently. This book was incredibly eye-opening for me as a cis white straight woman. It helped me in my journey to be more understanding and have more knowledge of the things that so many many black people face on a day-to-day basis.

Unlike Dear Martin, Dear Justyce isn’t filled with any of the lightness or luck that breaks through the pages of the first novel. In fact Quan lives the complete opposite life to Justyce. I felt as though this book is a more accurate representation of what a larger volume of the black community in the US experience or at least are at higher risk of experiencing. This book is incredibly important and opened my eyes a lot to the injustices people like Quan face daily. Dear Justyce tackles important topics such as how domestic abuse, gang affiliation and poor support systems can really affect young people, especially those young people of colour. It also covers the systemic racism and prejudice that a large portion of the black community face. Dear Justyce heavily focuses on the judicial system and really helped to open my eyes.

Although in page length this book is quite short, it leaves a lasting impact and you fly through the pages. I just couldn’t put this book down, it is beyond captivating. Nic Stone is such an incredibly talented author and makes you hang on every single world. The writing of this book grips you and never lets you go.

I love the characters in this book all of which are well rounded and well written. You instantly bond with them and want to protect them all. You feel all the feeling that the characters do and this book makes you think, not only whilst reading but for a long time afterwards as well.

Overall, this book is powerful, raw and real and shows the reality of what it is like to be a black man in the US. It takes on a different and well needed angle as oppose to the lightness of Dear Martin. It is incredible and I cannot recommend it and the first novel in the series enough!

I was super excited to see that Nic Stone had written a followup to Dear Martin. Although I was a bit behind, and only read Dear Martin this year, that meant I had very little time delay between the first and the second. Lucky me! Only a couple of months between two very different, but both very brilliant, novels focusing on young black men.

Quan is a relatively minor character in Dear Martin - the cousin of Justyce's best friend Manny, he plays a role in the choices Justyce makes over the course of the book, but does not loom large in the narrative. Dear Justyce brings him to the fore as Nic Stone uses Quan's experience growing up impoverished and finding the security of support wherever he can. Told through a mixture of flashbacks and letters Quan writes to Justyce from his prison cell, the narrative skilfully intertwines Quan's formative years with his bleak situation at present - charged with the murder of a police officer, and with a confession on record, the future looks very bleak for Vernell LaQuan Bank Jr.

Through a series of anecdotes from Quan's childhood, Stone unravels what growing up in poverty means, and how the system is stacked against certain people - young black men in particular. Where acceptance and support are presumed for middle-class white young men, Quan finds barriers every time he turns around, so it's no wonder that he latches on hard to the first people who accept him and support him and his family. Quan's father is stuck in a cycle of poverty, Quan's mother is stuck in a cycle of poverty, and Quan has no way out. This is a bleak, upsetting tale, as we see how Quan's life led to his sitting in a jail cell, awaiting trial for murder.

But that's not all that Dear Justyce is. The beauty of Nic Stone's writing is that even with the stacking of the system and the bleak realities of the American justice system, this book is more than just a diatribe. It's a very human, very real, very moving account of one young man's experience of growing up and the value of support.

The post-script in this book is damning - Quan's experience is not that of the average young black man, and Nic Stone makes that very clear. But even with that bleakness, it is delicately, empathetically handled, and tackles a variety of tough topics with deftness and buckets and buckets of skill.

The deck was stacked against Quan when he was a child, too many bad hands were dealt, and he took the only path that was available to him. When your choices have been obliterated, it’s too easy to get swallowed up into the vicious cycle that so many black teens are forced into.

I loved that this was a companion piece to Dear Martin instead of a direct sequel. You sometimes wonder what direction the supporting or minor characters could take if the spotlight was on them. Choosing to follow someone else’s life instead of continuing with Justyce’s was a cunning way to show another strand to the complications of life that most of us can’t truly understand or fully appreciate.

This illuminating fictional tale echoes the lives of far too many young men & women who are forced into desperate choices. This story will break your heart while make you rage at the injustices on the page as real life sadly keeps echoing the oppression and brutality. An honest, rallying cry for those that are unheard of and unseen.

The Quan’s of this world matter just as much as the Justyce’s. And we all have to fight for every one of them.

I received the ARC copy of this book from Netgally in exchange for an honest review.

I was so happy that Netgally gave me the opportunity to read the sequel to Dear Martin which I read in one day. Having a proper roller coaster of emotions, after that one, I indeed have a lot of emotions towards this story.

This book tells the story of Quan, who is a black teen with a troubling background he unfortunately took some really bad decisions guided by what he thought was lack of choices.

The story is very simple and doesn't jump abruptly between preset and past, to the contrary the flash backs are well describe and you can feel Quan distress. As this is a character driven book we are in his head most of the time and gives you some proper insight to how is it like to be some one like him. Having his thought process mixed with PTSD was a little scary at time, but that's the intention isn't it?

What I loved about the book was that it has a nice message and Quan has a good support system that helps him go back to his feet but he keeps fighting, his patience and tenacity are admirable. I'm sure that loads of people wouldn't like that aspect of the book as it doesn't ring close to reality. But for me this book can bring some light to younger people's lives when they are in distress.
I'd love to see some links and resources that black kids can go to if they feel they need to. Help lines and websites.
I highly recommend this read!

Thank you Simon and Schuster UK Children’s and Netgalley for gifting me this book in Exchange for an honest review.

I read Dear Martin at the beginning of the month and it genuinely touched my heart, I couldn’t stop reading it and it left me eager to read Dear Justyce. Well... Dear Justyce did not disappoint!

Just to repeat my disclaimer from my Dear Martin review: I am incapable of fully understanding the trials and tribulations experienced by people of colour due the privilege afforded to me by my own skin colour. It is my duty though to continually strive to educate myself on the experiences of others so that I can stand with them and educate others.

Dear Martin, is a story based on Justyce, who can be seen as incredibly lucky as to where his path took him. Starting in a poor area, Justyce was pushed by his mum to work hard at school and ended up receiving a scholarship at one of the best schools in town and moved into residence on the “right side of the tracks”. There he is surrounded by supportive teachers and friends and his ambition. Despite everything that happens in Dear Martin to Justyce he succeeds and goes to Yale University to study Law. The book shows us that even being in the same environment (where white privilege is rife) that being a person of colour automatically gets you treated differently from your white counter parts. If you’re reading this and haven’t read Dear Martin yet, go buy it immediately, it is a must read!

The story in Dear Justyce is not filled with any of the luck or any of the lightness that broke through in Dear Martin, in fact, the main character Quan seems to experience the complete opposite life to Justyce. I’m really glad that Nic Stone chose to write this book, in a section before the story starts Nic tells her readers of two young boys who asked her to write a book about people like them and this is how we got Quan’s story. From my understanding (which could be wrong, if I’m wrong please correct me so I can learn) this book is a more accurate representation of what a larger volume of the Black community in the US experience or are at a higher risk of experiencing. She also references how writing Dear Justyce was hard for her and involved pulling on emotions from her own experiences. This book showcases the impact of coming from a poor area, where a parent may be in jail, domestic abuse, gang affiliation and poor support systems impact young people, usually this is young people of colour. How the need to survive and/or find support in these environments can lead to going down the wrong path or put people in situations they don't want to be in.

If Justyce’s story touched my heart, then Quan’s story broke it!

This book is around 368 page, but it feels like a much shorter book simply because it’s one you cannot put down! I read the first in conjunction of a readalong with a book club which delayed my progress with this book, but I read the last 50% in less than half a day. It is that captivating. Nic Stone still makes user of every single page, making Quan’s experience give you a reality check. The writing just pulls you in and doesn’t let go!

This book picks up not long after Dear Martin ends, Justyce and Quan were friends when they were younger. For the first part of the book the narrative is a mix of Quan writing his story and experiences in letters to Justyce from jail, flash backs on some of the trauma Quan’s experienced in his short life (he was only 16ish when he was arrested) and his present situation. The second half of the book see’s Justyce have a bigger role after Quan drops a bombshell in one of his letters. I literally don't think I can say much about the second half of the book without a risk of spoilers and I want to be as spoiler free as possible.

It is truly eye opening how events in Quan’s childhood and not having a support system lead to his present and what’s harder to digest is that these are common experiences for others with similar backgrounds. This book, like its predecessor, covers the systemic racism and prejudice faced by a large portion of the Black community, and has a more focused perspective of those issues within the judicial system which just blows my mind.

The characters are still extremely well rounded and formed. It’s so easy to bond with them and end up wanting to protect them! It was nice to see some of the characters from the first book also have a part. I felt the fear and anxiety Quan had about his situation and the impacts his past also has on his mental health. I’m so glad that Nic also chose to put some strong supportive new characters in to help Quan because there has to be people on these young lads side, there just has to be, otherwise as a society we are failing.

I cannot fault this book, it is just as potent, power and raw. Another book you simply have to read about the reality of being a Black man in the US. The book covers racial profiling, racial injustice and white privilege from a slightly different angle than Dear Martin but a very much important angle. The two books show how Black people suffer under racism regardless of if they are a “success” or not, regardless if they are guilty or not. It is our responsibility to educate ourselves and do our parts to change systemic racism.