It's hard to believe that There Goes the Neighbourhood is a debut novel, because it is written with such assurance and flair. Jade Adia has created a wonderful trio of characters in Rhea, Zeke and Malachi, POC teenagers who have known each other since childhood and grown up to become best friends - even if Rhea has been finding it a little hard to adjust to how much female attention Malachi has been attracting of late!

But the three friends have far more serious issues at hand to deal with. The forces of gentrification are having an increasingly unsettling effect on their little corner of LA. People of colour, including Black inhabitants like Rhea and Malachi are feeling the heat, while Zeke and his mother are directly affected, as Hispanic families like theirs find themselves being pushed out by the more prosperous newcomers.

As a result of the changes underway, all three of these youngsters are adversely affected, even though they are among the area's long term residents. The unwelcome changes in the composition of the community are mirrored by the mushrooming of yoga studios and pseudo-ethnic restaurants, which are quickly replacing mom and pop stores and taco stands.

Faced with the prospect of being separated, the 3 friends start feeling desperate. Out of their determination not to allow gentrification to push out families like Zeke's emerges a somewhat extreme plan of action. Since gang activity can be a serious disincentive wrt white people moving into POC neighbourhoods, Rhea, Malachi and Zeke refuse to let the lack of gangs in the area sabotage their pushback effort against the takeover attempt mounted by outsiders!

Despite the fact that this book touches on some very serious issues - alienation, racism, unequal opportunities for those belonging to communities of colour and the impact of barbarian capitalism on diverse neighbourhoods, to name a few - Adia tells her story with a surprisingly light touch. One that belies the depth of her passion regarding the issues. As a bonus, along the way, the reader is also taken on a virtual culinary tour and introduced to some delectable ethnic foods.

The result is a story that is funny, charming, and creative, yet undeniably hard-hitting. Not to mention timely, given the factors that have given rise to the Black Lives Matter movement. This story should be recommended reading for its target group, and is actually an interesting read for people of any age.

Note: I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a fair review.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me review this story. My opinions are entirely my own.

At first, I was taken aback by the language and tone of the first chapter. Then it clicked to be this is how an actual young or actual adult would think and speak in this situation. I think it not only keeps kids interested when an author doesn't sugar coat things, it gets them talking. It encourages discussion, it encourages questions asking to others and themselves.

I loved this book, and think teenagers would too

A trio of childhood friends need to stop the gentrification of their South Los Angeles neighborhood before they get evicted from their homes. The plot of this book is a bit wild and convoluted but kept me reading despite a writing style that I did not really like - I skimmed a lot. I actually think this book would work better as a movie than a book. Mature teens who like books that keep them guessing should like this book.

I really can’t review this book because I really disliked it. There were so many over the top offensive aspects that angered and disgusted me,

I am very sorry and hope this doesn’t compromise my relationship with your company. Thank you in advance.

This book calls out toxic white behaviour in the best way possible for young readers. The message of the story smacks readers in the face with the first chapter. Overall, this book will be a valuable resource for white people learning on how to be better as a community.

Rhea and her friends decide to create a fake gang to try to stave off gentrification and eviction in their LA neighborhood. However, when a real body turns up, the fake gang is blamed.

I think it took a bit longer than I wanted to get to the fake gang and mystery part of this. It had promise but I think it could’ve been faster paced!

WOW. THis was a hilarious, thoughtful, layered, page-turning narrative about what a group of teens will do to save their gentrifying neighborhood. I laughed out loud multiple times, and this group of characters feels as real as the kids I know. Not just an important book, but a really, really fun one.

I really enjoyed this book. It is a beautiful story about found families and close-knit neighborhoods. Rhea was definitely a prickly character, but her voice and actions were authentic based on past trauma and current neglect. The mystery felt a bit rushed at the end, but it was complicated enough to keep me guessing.

Jade Adia writes with wisdom and a rich voice in a story that explores questions of culture, power, and identity. Adia confronts realities of the inequities in the world, and includes literary character building in the process. A novel I would gladly share with young adult readers in my classroom -- highly recommended for critical conversations.

Three best friends, all that they have are each other and the neighborhood they have grown up in all their lives. When they find out that the creepy landlord is going to kick everyone out of the building, they decide to maybe start a gang. Not a horrible gang, it just maybe gives an idea that there is a gang, so no one will want to move into the neighborhood. The idea is great; who wants to move into a neighborhood with gangs? That means violence, and no one would be safe. However, people deal with this daily in the real world. What starts out as an idea becomes more, especially when a body turns up. It is more than what Zeke, Rhea, and Malachi bargained for, but if it helps not gentrification their neighborhood, let's go for it. We see how this friendship goes through a lot, especially when newcomers come into their circle.
This book was everything; I even loved the secondary characters that came into play. You could feel they were wholesome characters. I really loved how nothing was downplayed. It makes you really think about what is happening in neighborhoods across the states and how many are truly being erased and upscaled.