This is the story of Yohance. It pretty much follows his high school days as he crashes at friend's houses or sleeps at the homeless shelter with his family and still tries to get good grades at school. He doesn't get a lot of food, but football is important to him, so he does what he can so he can be a good athlete. Yohance overcomes tremendous odds as he tries to get into college.

This was a great story. It's a story of hope and not giving up and knowing that you can do anything. As I read about Yohance's life, I couldn't help but to be surprised that children live this way, that we live in a society that doesn't provide better for the people who live here. Yohance experienced so much and I'm so grateful that he found awesome adults to be his mentors and his friends. I did hope this would be a book that I could recommend for families to have in their home library, however it has some content that parents would want to tread carefully with. See trigger warnings below. This was an incredible book though and I do recommend it for those who are trying to educate themselves and searching for "own voices" books.

I listened to the audio book, which is read by the author. He did a great job and I loved all his voices!

Trigger Warnings: Lots of cussing and a rape scene.

I give this book 3.5 Stars

This book was made for me by the narration. The voice of the author comes through because the author is narrating. You are taken out of a book and into a man telling the stories of his life. We know but don't often get to see the lives of our students. We try to make a difference but we know that many of them live in two different worlds. Here we get to see those different worlds from someone very aware of his own duality (I think he has more than two selves he goes between). There are some hard scenes to listen to and there are times when machismo and chauvinism are really strong. Women were one dimensional and had one purpose based on his relationship to them but he tried hard to get to know a lot of the men in his life, not surprising considering his relationship with his own father and his need to bring back the good memories of what his dad was in his life when he was around. Sometimes you laugh, sometimes you cringe, sometimes you cry. It was a powerful experience.

I received an audio advance copy of this memoir in exchange for an honest review. The story was read by the author and had a very pleasant voice to listen to. Yohance is one of 18 children, although only one of them is discussed in the memoir. Yohance was homeless through all of his high school years. His mother suffered from mental illness (although this was hardly mentioned) and he had an absentee father. Yohance joined every club he could and participated in sports, just to have somewhere to go after school. He managed to hide his homelessness from most of his friends and teammates. Based on the title, you know that Yohance overcame his background and secured an appointment to the Air Force Academy. However, Yohance ends his story at his high school graduation and mentions that he thinks he will write three books about his life, even though he is only in his 30s. This could be a very inspirational book for high school students, except it is a little crude in spots and has a graphic scene that would not be appropriate. By ending the book at the point in his life where he did, students would not know how well he did in life with the circumstances he grew up in.

Underprivileged Overachiever: A Crenshaw Story
by Y. A. Salimu

Narrated by Yohance Salimu ( The author)


This is a memoir relaying the day to day struggles in the life as a homeless, poverty stricken teenager living in Los Angeles. I enjoyed this book and it kept my attention.
I would say that it has scenes of a very graphic nature, not suitable for young teenagers or for people who need to avoid triggers.
Narration. The narrator has an American accent. I like the authors voice BUT he reads very fast and reducing the speed just distorted it. I did miss some words due to this and I also found it a bit to hectic for bedtime listening. Overall the narration was very good.

Perseverance, determination, and confidence. These are the words that come to mind as I finish listening to this insightful memoir about growing up homeless in south Los Angeles. The author shares significant moments in his youth that could have ended differently, and most were based on the choices he made to change the trajectory of his life. He infuses humor into his story, which kept my attention. This book can be seen as encouragement for youth in similar predicaments, yet I truly believe anyone can benefit from the message of: you are not defined by the cards you are dealt. I believe this book is best listened-to, as read by the author, because his voice adds spice to his story. Overall this was well-written, and I look forward to the other books he promises to write.

Powerful, thought-provoking, important and at times difficult memoir by Yohance (pronounced like Beyonce, but with a Y) Salimu. (CN for sexual assault, violence)
Growing up black and homeless in LA, the book primarily deals with the authors teenage years and his ability to overcome and excel in spite of everything he's been through. I applaud Salimu's honesty in sharing his experiences, especially being the victim of sexual assault. Men are actually more likely to be sexually assaulted, than to be falsely accused of committing sexual assault, yet too often only the latter is spoken of. True strength lies in speaking about these things, in knowing that it doesn't diminish your masculinity.
I listened to the audiobook, narrated by the author himself and he did an excellent job (and I really appreciated being able to hear the pronunciation of his name, as a non-native English speaker I have more than once been caught out by words not being pronounced how they are written). Sometimes when authors read their own work it can feel forced, doesn't flow right, but that wasn't the case at all here. It feels more like Salimu is telling you the story, rather than reading from a script. You can sense both passion, and vulnerability in the words, which really added to the overall impact compared to just reading it yourself. Having the audiobook available also makes the book more accessible to people who might not be confident readers themselves.
Definitely recommend Underprivileged Overachiever, and if you can I would go for the audiobook.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for approving me for the audiobook ARC for this book so I can leave my honest review.

I can honestly say, listening to this memoir being told by the author himself had my husband and I completely SHOOK. Learning about Yohance and his family was one of the most heartbreaking books that I think I've read this year so far. Being underprivilaged is no joke, homelessness is no joke, sexual abuse, and abuse in general is nothing to joke about. Hearing his story going from living in The Place and staying with friends, he did everything he could to make it to the top. never gave up, never looked back. Yohance made a real difference in his life for not just himself but he did it for his younger brother and helped pave the road for him and others on the robotics team.
Thank you for taking the time to tell your story, even though it was filled with sadness and heartbreaking situations. Knowing that he gave his all is what makes this book a 5 star read. I truly hope he writes the other 2 he has planned.

This was a solid biography. I enjoyed the narrator's voice a great deal. I was reading this for consideration for a state teen award nomination, and decided to pass on it despite the great narration. I found it took too long to pick up and become interesting, and I thought it would loose teens because of this.

I listened to the audiobook, read by the author, describing his remarkable quest to escape poverty, homelessness and gang infestation by working his butt off as a scholar and athlete.

The author starts his memoir as a teenager, proving himself an exemplary student and capable athlete, while bouncing around different friends’ houses and homeless shelters, and getting meals wherever he can find them.

Without a doubt, his story is inspiring but, at least to me, woefully incomplete. He briefly mentions his mother’s mental health struggles, their shared drug use, a mostly absent father and his seventeen siblings, all of which sounds like it’s own memoir waiting to be written! I would have loved to hear more about his childhood before the start of the memoir.

Thanks to #netgalley and #telemachuspress for this ARC of #underprivilegedoverachiever

This is narrated by the author. Y.A Salimu was good to listen to, he had great expression and tone.

This is the first of a three part memoir, it tells of his early life as part of a homeless family growing up in shady the districts of LA. He shuns drugs and gang life at early age in favour of education and sports.

I enjoyed listening to Y.As early life and am keen to discover the next two parts.
This memoir was tear jerking at times and funny at others and kept me interested.

This book was a beautiful tragedy! The book is different in a sense that it speaks on homelessness and trauma and not only getting through it but out of it. It gives you a very tangible look at how hundreds of todays homeless youth struggle to make it day to day. I like the fact that this memoir takes place now, it is not so far off and you can actually empathize with what the writer is going through. I loved the layers of this coming of age memoir and the truth that it encompasses. The author took a daring look at mental health, substance use and the idea of manhood. I think these topics were explored in way that were comical, endearing and honest. There was a brutal honesty and openness and most importantly a fearlessness in this book. I like how the author took us through his story but at the same time took the time to challenge his toxic and ignorant beliefs at the time. I would definitely recommend to teens and young adults.

Yohance Salimu narrates this, his autobiography, and shares some of the challenges he overcame growing up in poverty with his mentally unstable mother in L.A.
Simultaneously a talented storyteller and a young man coming of age, his story occasionally shifts from gripping novel to raw ego, putting the reader right there in the city with him. Throughout the story, I found myself hoping and cheering and pushing for him to persevere, to get a break, to feel recognized. I couldn’t put it down, finishing it in one sitting.

Underprivileged Overachiever is the classic underdog victory tale. And what a tale it is! Yohance describes his childhood and teenage years, living with his Mother who had mental health problems, growing up in extreme poverty, not knowing when he would get his next meal, becoming homeless, dealing with gangs, drug use, rape, and racism. All of that on top of growing up, being a teenager in a harsh society, trying to get an education, and trying to build a path for his future! What Yohance went through is heartbreaking. But what shocked me even more was that on listening to Yohance narrate his own audiobook he told his story very matter of factly. As if it was all a normal part of life. And I guess it was normal for him but it shouldn't have been. No child or young person should have to go through what he did. To have one of those challenges in life would be difficult enough to deal with but it just seemed that it was one thing after another for him and I honestly don't know how Yohance survived and became the man he is today. His resilience and determination was incredible but he shouldn't have had to suffer the way he did. I really hope that his memoir helps to open the eyes more of people who work in a position where they have contact with children and teens so that they can try to spot vulnerable kids who are struggling and put the right help and support in place.

I listened to the audiobook version of this memoir thanks to NetGalley. The audio is wonderfully narrated by the author, Yohance Salimu. I loved listening to his voice as he told his story. Yohance grew up in poverty and slept in homeless shelters throughout high school. In spite of constant battles with hunger, trying to provide for his mentally ill mother and his younger brothers, struggling to complete homework on a phone because he didn't have a computer, and other challenges, he not only preserved, he excelled. His story was tough to listen to at times, but it made me laugh at others. I wanted this book to be a good fit for my middle school students, but there was a lot of swearing and a traumatic incident which make it better suited for high school students.

This is a phenomenal audiobook, and I really recommend experiencing as an audiobook as opposed to reading. The story is narrate by the author and the organic rhythm and tempo would be lost by simply reading the book. I am a little surprised it is classified as "Teen and YA" because it does cover a lot of mature topics. However, this is the author's story so maybe it would be a great conversation starter with young readers. Finally, I love how the author begins this book by admitting his hubris and humor. Highly recommend.

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received an except of the audio book version of the book from Netgally in exchange for an honest review.

This compelling and gripping autobiography is written with the heart of a fighter! Absolute love the flow of the book though I felt the younger Yohance felt too grown up I had to remember that this kid was forced to grow up because it is what happens when people living in underprivileged circumstances wants to do better.

I’m not very familiar with the whole Biography or autobiography genre as a whole but I really enjoy this one as it’s told as a novel rather than a documentary. As it’s a coming of age story I think a lot of people would really enjoy his it. and I think it might bring some motivation into the reader’s minds.

I felt all his ups and downs and I had to stop a couple of times as there’s a part where he encounters a woman called Rachel that just made me so angry and sad at the same time.

Note that Y.A Salimu deals with racism, poverty, drug used and a plethora of opportunities to take an easy road this man didn’t take the easy road. He succeeded and created some good for himself his family and community.

The narrator of the book has a very balmy voice and manage to bring Salimu’s character to life.
No complaints about the book other than I felt there was gaps or jumps between the chapters and sometimes I felt there was information missing.

On my Top 10 of the year for sure!

Salimu's narration of his own story is powerful. Underprivileged Overachiever is an unapologetic memoir, but I think more importantly, a life model for anyone in a remotely similar situation to Salimu. Hindsight enables Salimu to create a coherent self-narrative that creates connections between each positive decision he made - in the face of great adversity - in his early life. Particularly effective to this end is his articulation of his "inner voice", as well as designating certain figures in his life as "mentors" and amplifying their guidance accordingly. As such, he implicitly teaches his reader to seek out and engage with these influences in a helpful way. This is not a book about poverty or race or education or love, although these themes feature heavily, it is one man's personal story.

Above all, this book was written with a sense of honesty.. Salimu discusses his numerous influences that shaped him and his youth, recognizes his own shortcomings, and is vulnerable in his reflections. Because the narrator for the audiobook is the author, listeners can experience yet another dimension of this sense of honesty. There are definitely parts that seem a bit more explicit than perhaps necessary to further the narrative, but never for shock value or otherwise nefarious purpose. Calling this book "inspirational" feels almost patronizing, but Salimu's persistence is admirable. It also addresses numerous themes such as masculinity and ambition with diverse perspectives. It is a book for more mature teen and adult audiences, but is a great addition to collections.