In This Is My America by Kim Johnson, we evacuate from Louisiana to Texas with the Beaumont family and fight against injustices that find us when we arrive.

I’d like to thank NetGalley, Random House Children’s Books, and Kim Johnson for the eARC and the opportunity to read This Is My America before release date! Here is my honest review.

Bite-Sized Summary

This Is My America follows the life of Tracy Beaumont, as she fights for her father’s life while he waits on death row for his execution. As he waits for a punishment for a crime that he didn’t commit. Seven years pass before we enter the story with Tracy and he has nine months left to live. Tracy has been in contact with Innocence X, in hopes that they will lend their legal expertise to help her family; she’s sent letters for seven years straight. Cut to her brother, Jamal, as he gets dragged into a modern murder that their community is ready to sentence him for. He didn’t do it, but he knows better than to go in. While on the run, Tracy gets word from Innocence X. They’re finally picking up her father’s case… and just maybe they can help Jamal.

Going In Expectations

I expected to be shocked and disgusted with our legal system while reading This Is My America. This book exceeded my expectations in that department.

Raves & Critiques

I tend to read diversely naturally, but lately I’ve been making a conscious effort to read books by Black authors and I knew that requesting this one from NetGalley would make me feel things. Oh, did I feel things.

Many of the books I’ve been reading lately have hinted at the discrimination and injustices that our Black community faces on a daily basis through microagressions or witnessing police brutality, but This Is My America goes about this in a completely different way. This Is My America is brutal and blunt. There isn’t much symbolism or reading into certain events. What you see is what you get and you’re not going to like it.

We see police brutality up close with shots flying at innocent and unarmed individuals. We see the role that Black police officers play and how their hands are tied in certain areas, but looking to break the injustices in others. We see the cost of white privilege. I want to elaborate on the white privilege a bit: This Is My America highlights what white silence can do and the impact that it makes, in the most devastating ways. We also see the fear of police officers; there’s genuine and heartfelt fear, not just the hatred that we see on the media.

I don’t want to give away too much of the story, but damn. Also, if you have the opportunity to read the author’s note at the end… do it. There’s tons of information about the story, where it came from, as well as information that you may find useful.

As far as critiques go, I only have one: I would’ve liked to see an elongated ending. I feel like the ending crept up on me a bit and I didn’t have the chance to wind down in the “new normal” that the story offers. I would’ve liked a scene or two more in the “after” world.

Reason for Rating ~ Should You Read It?

This Is My America is brutal and in your face, but you should read it. I rated it five stars because the writing was amazing, the characters were well rounded, the plot line was incredible, and it’s a page-turner for sure. This story will make your heart melt with certain scenes, while it twists your insides with others. Highly recommended.