Concrete Rose Audiobook By Angie Thomas cover art

Concrete Rose

A Printz Honor Winner

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Concrete Rose

By: Angie Thomas
Narrated by: Dion Graham
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International phenomenon Angie Thomas revisits Garden Heights seventeen years before the events of The Hate U Give in this searing and poignant exploration of Black boyhood and manhood. A Printz Honor Book!

If there’s one thing seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter knows, it’s that a real man takes care of his family. As the son of a former gang legend, Mav does that the only way he knows how: dealing for the King Lords. With this money he can help his mom, who works two jobs while his dad’s in prison.

Life’s not perfect, but with a fly girlfriend and a cousin who always has his back, Mav’s got everything under control.

Until, that is, Maverick finds out he’s a father.

Suddenly he has a baby, Seven, who depends on him for everything. But it’s not so easy to sling dope, finish school, and raise a child. So when he’s offered the chance to go straight, he takes it. In a world where he’s expected to amount to nothing, maybe Mav can prove he’s different.

When King Lord blood runs through your veins, though, you can't just walk away. Loyalty, revenge, and responsibility threaten to tear Mav apart, especially after the brutal murder of a loved one. He’ll have to figure out for himself what it really means to be a man.

 Crime Difficult Situations Emotionally Gripping Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Racism & Discrimination Literature & Fiction Fiction Historical Fiction

Audible Questionnaire with Angie Thomas

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Featured Article: The top 100 series of all time


The feeling of discovering that your favorite new listen is actually the start of a series is euphoric. That you can immediately hit play and re-enter a beloved new world, or love story, or era from history is a gift to the devoted listener. But how to pick just 100 of these unique and immersive listening journeys? We defined a series as having a minimum of three books, and—after some debate—we decided the titles had to be anchored in fiction. From YA to horror to historical fiction, from fresh voices to seminal tales, hours of discovery await.

Featured Article The top 100 series of all time

Editor's Pick

Worth the wait
I have been waiting for Concrete Rose ever since Angie Thomas told me in a post-interview chat back in 2019 that she was working on Maverick’s story. And—no surprises here—it has been worth the wait. This is Thomas’s first novel from a male POV, but the authenticity in her storytelling remains unmatched. And Dion Graham’s performance is transportive—he effortlessly switches back and forth between '90s slang in dialogue (set in 1998, this is actually considered historical fiction) and the emotional inner monologue of a 17-year-old who’s just learned he’s a father. Thomas’s love for this character shines through as each chapter unfolds, and fans of The Hate U Give will appreciate learning more about Maverick’s origins as well as the origins of other people in Starr’s world—including Lisa, King, and even her Uncle Carlos. —Katie O., Audible Editor

Engaging Storyline • Authentic Characters • Emotional Depth • Compelling Prequel • Realistic Portrayal

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Every young adult would love it and the true lover of books and talented writers everywhere would enjoy this book!!!

The story line was excellent

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love this book one of my favorite in this book was how Maverick came up with Seven and Star name! Love that!

love it!

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Powerful, riveting, eye opening, compassionate, and ultimately hopeful. If you haven’t read The Hate You Give, read this prequel first.

As Amazing as The Hate You Give!

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Awesome story but beware of the teen pregnancy references. Some people may want to have conversations with teens after.

great story by Angie as usual

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I loved the story. I became empathetic with the character and his plight. Too many people I know have been caught in this trap of life and cannot find a way out. The character had the right people in his life at the right time to help untoward the right direction. My hat goes off to the writer.

Excellent book. The performance was on point.

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