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Forgive Me Not
In this searing indictment of the juvenile justice system, one incarcerated teen weighs what she is willing to endure for forgiveness.
All it took was one night and one bad decision for fifteen-year-old Violetta Chen-Samuels’ life to go off the rails. After driving drunk and causing the accident that kills her little sister, Violetta is incarcerated. As a juvenile offender, her fate is in the hands of those she’s wronged—her family. With their forgiveness, she could go home. But without it? Well…
Denied their forgiveness, Violetta is now left with two options, neither good—remain in juvenile detention for an uncertain sentence or participate in the Trials, potentially regaining her freedom and what she wants most of all, her family’s love. But the Trials are no easy feat and in the quest to prove her remorse, Violetta is forced to confront not only her family’s pain, but her own—and the question of whether their forgiveness is more important than forgiving herself.
All it took was one night and one bad decision for fifteen-year-old Violetta Chen-Samuels’ life to go off the rails. After driving drunk and causing the accident that kills her little sister, Violetta is incarcerated. As a juvenile offender, her fate is in the hands of those she’s wronged—her family. With their forgiveness, she could go home. But without it? Well…
Denied their forgiveness, Violetta is now left with two options, neither good—remain in juvenile detention for an uncertain sentence or participate in the Trials, potentially regaining her freedom and what she wants most of all, her family’s love. But the Trials are no easy feat and in the quest to prove her remorse, Violetta is forced to confront not only her family’s pain, but her own—and the question of whether their forgiveness is more important than forgiving herself.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published August 15, 2023
About the author
Jennifer Baker
3 books162 followersJennifer Baker is a publishing professional, creator/host of the Minorities in Publishing podcast, and faculty for Bay Path University's low-res MFA in Nonfiction. Jennifer is the editor of the short story anthology EVERYDAY PEOPLE: THE COLOR OF LIFE (Atria Books, 2018) and the author of the YA novel FORGIVE ME NOT (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2023).
In 2017, she was awarded a NYSCA/NYFA Fellowship & Queens Council on the Arts New Work Grant (as well as their award for Artistic Excellence) for Nonfiction Literature. Her writing has appeared in Newtown Literary (for which her short story "The Pursuit of Happiness" was nominated for a 2017 Pushcart Prize). She was previously a contributing editor to Electric Literature and has written for print and online publications. Her website is jennifernbaker.com.
In 2017, she was awarded a NYSCA/NYFA Fellowship & Queens Council on the Arts New Work Grant (as well as their award for Artistic Excellence) for Nonfiction Literature. Her writing has appeared in Newtown Literary (for which her short story "The Pursuit of Happiness" was nominated for a 2017 Pushcart Prize). She was previously a contributing editor to Electric Literature and has written for print and online publications. Her website is jennifernbaker.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
August 15, 2023
When I read the description for this one I was intrigued as it seemed a creative and unique story. Overall I did think it was good, but for once I didn’t like that it was told in dual perspectives. I didn’t feel like Vince’s perspective really added to the story and it dragged on. I wanted more from Violetta and her story. I do think the book sounded more dystopian than it ended up being, but that honestly speaks to how twisted our juvenile justice system is that this didn’t seem too far from the truth. It just too one night of bad decisions for Violeta’s whole life to change. She drank alcohol and drove with her 7 year old sister in the car and when she crashed her little sister didn’t make it. Now she is in detention waiting to find out if her victims (her family) will forgive her, make her serve hard time upstate, or endure an unknown set of Trials to prove her worthiness for forgiveness.
August 7, 2023
A really great take on prison abolition with some dystopian elements. I liked the story overall (though think it could've been shorter) and there were some extremely propulsive parts of the book.
Want to read
August 21, 2021I'm sorry I'm sure this will be amazing but "teen girl drunk drives and kills her little sister" was the plot of a horribly cheesy PSA I had to watch for health class and I can't not think of that when I read this blurb-
But for real though, this sounds so good!
But for real though, this sounds so good!
July 5, 2023
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.
This was the first I've heard of this book or author, so I went into this completely unbiased and hopeful.
Let me just start with this - This author is talented.
We meet our FMC Violetta whom is currently incarcerated due to a tragedy that had occurrred when she made the decision to underage drink and drive.
The story is told through alternating POVS between Violetta and her brother Vince. And the moral and concept of this story are based around forgiveness. Violetta's future banks on that very thing.
Such a great book...
This was the first I've heard of this book or author, so I went into this completely unbiased and hopeful.
Let me just start with this - This author is talented.
We meet our FMC Violetta whom is currently incarcerated due to a tragedy that had occurrred when she made the decision to underage drink and drive.
The story is told through alternating POVS between Violetta and her brother Vince. And the moral and concept of this story are based around forgiveness. Violetta's future banks on that very thing.
Such a great book...
August 16, 2023
I want to first say that this book was great. The concept, the way this author wrote it and her reasoning behind this book. Before I received this book I was captivated by the title and the cover and wanted to know more. Forgive Me Not is about a fifteen year old girl Violetta Chen-Samuel who is incarcerated for drunk driving that led to the death her younger sister. In this justice system the family of the victim gets to determine the punishment but what happens when your own family is the people you have wronged? Forgive Me Not is the voice of Violetta and her brother Vince as her family decided Violeta’s fate when she is denied immediate forgiveness.
I loved the POV from Vince and Violetta because it gave the perspective of although one person was actually incarcerated both parties are essentially doing “time” and seeing how it not only affects the person but also the family. I liked this authors perspective about an alternate justice system of the victims deciding the fate of the people who wronged and starting first with forgiveness of which is really important and then if not how the families would move forward.
This book was good and sparked many emotions (sad, angry,relived) within me especially the situation and reasoning Petra was incarcerated along with the events that happened towards the end with Vince. I think this was a creative way to get the message of how drunk driving can impact one’s life. I know maybe reading this instead of watching the same recycled videos we’d watch in high school would have been a much desired choice.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group Penguin Young Readers Group, Nancy Paulson Books for this e-ARC of Forgive Me Not in exchange for an honest review
I loved the POV from Vince and Violetta because it gave the perspective of although one person was actually incarcerated both parties are essentially doing “time” and seeing how it not only affects the person but also the family. I liked this authors perspective about an alternate justice system of the victims deciding the fate of the people who wronged and starting first with forgiveness of which is really important and then if not how the families would move forward.
This book was good and sparked many emotions (sad, angry,relived) within me especially the situation and reasoning Petra was incarcerated along with the events that happened towards the end with Vince. I think this was a creative way to get the message of how drunk driving can impact one’s life. I know maybe reading this instead of watching the same recycled videos we’d watch in high school would have been a much desired choice.
Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group Penguin Young Readers Group, Nancy Paulson Books for this e-ARC of Forgive Me Not in exchange for an honest review
July 8, 2023
3 Stars
I'm very conflicted about rating this book so low. Not that 3 stars is bad (not in my books, anyway), but it is a hard rating for me to give. Because I love the conversation that Jennifer Baker is starting here, about justice and color and youth and forgiveness. The issue is so multi-faceted, and Baker's exploration of it in this just-a-touch dystopian scenario really highlights how complex the conversation needs to be. But I felt that the commentary didn't go far enough, and the plot itself didn't really uphold the book where the commentary was lacking. In other words, I wanted more (much more) than I got here.
So, rather conflicted, hence the middle-of-the-road rating. But I'm all for getting this conversation started. More on that in my full review, available August 25, 2023 at Gateway Reviews.
Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
I'm very conflicted about rating this book so low. Not that 3 stars is bad (not in my books, anyway), but it is a hard rating for me to give. Because I love the conversation that Jennifer Baker is starting here, about justice and color and youth and forgiveness. The issue is so multi-faceted, and Baker's exploration of it in this just-a-touch dystopian scenario really highlights how complex the conversation needs to be. But I felt that the commentary didn't go far enough, and the plot itself didn't really uphold the book where the commentary was lacking. In other words, I wanted more (much more) than I got here.
So, rather conflicted, hence the middle-of-the-road rating. But I'm all for getting this conversation started. More on that in my full review, available August 25, 2023 at Gateway Reviews.
Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
July 29, 2023
This story was unique and very interesting. It felt dystopian but was realistic at the same time. I love Divergent and Hunger Games, and the reading about the Trials of Forgive Me Not gave me similar feels.
The author did a very good job of keeping the pace of the story consistent and engaging. There was strong character development, and the world building was executed quite well. You can sense the feelings and hardships of the family, and the writing style evokes sympathy. I felt the urge to punch Pascale, hug Callie, and help Vincent. I felt utterly horrible for the parents.
I usually struggle with changes in point of view, but Vincent's side of the story was necessary to see what Violetta's family was going through - and giving us his view was a stroke of genius as it lent valuable information to the plot.
The chapters ended at the appropriate times, the transitions of point of views were fluid, and I could continuously read without being distracted by page number or the time. Some of the flashbacks were a bit choppy, and it could have used more action. I think the cover could have been more appealing and eye catching, but the title fits the book perfectly. I had not heard of this author before but she is most definitely one to watch. Forgive Me Not earned a solid 4 stars from me.
Thank you to Bookish First for offering this title in their catalogue. All the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
If you like making new book friends, playing games, and reading reviews, check out LiterALLy BOOKiSh (Book Club)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/12086...
The author did a very good job of keeping the pace of the story consistent and engaging. There was strong character development, and the world building was executed quite well. You can sense the feelings and hardships of the family, and the writing style evokes sympathy. I felt the urge to punch Pascale, hug Callie, and help Vincent. I felt utterly horrible for the parents.
I usually struggle with changes in point of view, but Vincent's side of the story was necessary to see what Violetta's family was going through - and giving us his view was a stroke of genius as it lent valuable information to the plot.
The chapters ended at the appropriate times, the transitions of point of views were fluid, and I could continuously read without being distracted by page number or the time. Some of the flashbacks were a bit choppy, and it could have used more action. I think the cover could have been more appealing and eye catching, but the title fits the book perfectly. I had not heard of this author before but she is most definitely one to watch. Forgive Me Not earned a solid 4 stars from me.
Thank you to Bookish First for offering this title in their catalogue. All the opinions expressed in this review are my own.
If you like making new book friends, playing games, and reading reviews, check out LiterALLy BOOKiSh (Book Club)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/12086...
September 7, 2023
Forgive me not is about how the system constantly fails families and children who get caught into it. I had no idea this was supposed to be dystopian until later but imo it wasn’t really. This just seemed super realistic to me and not as dsytopian as I thought the trails would be. I wish for more character connections and possibly no dual POV because I don’t know if it was really needed here. I do see why it was added though but I think because of that it made the characters a bit surface level when I know this could’ve gone deeper. Overall, a good read that explored heavy but important topics.
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book!
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book!
Want to read
October 6, 2023This book follows Violetta and her brother Vince in the aftermath of their sisters death. Violetta, or Letta for short, is in juvenile detention because of her role in her sisters death which was that she was driving while drunk with the girl in her car and they were in a car crash.
I loved this book for a number of reasons. One of the main ones is it's exploration of different topics. The book explores the justice system, substance use, grief and forgiveness in a way that is accessible to teenagers while still being impactful.
I loved the characterization and the way I could connect with the characters. Vince, for example, is the oldest child who loves his sisters and family. Not only that but I could see myself in the way he felt the need to keep secrets and maintain this perfect image while not feeling like I have a voice in what happens in relation to our family. And only being a few years older than him I can see where he's coming from 100%. I could feel both his and Letta's frustrations as they navigated this time in their lives where they felt isolated.
I think this is definitely a book that high school aged kids should have access to and be exposed to. It covers I think some of the most important topics that they'll need to learn about in a way they'd be able to understand and I think in a way that will encourage them to go do their own research.
Big thanks to Netgalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review
I loved this book for a number of reasons. One of the main ones is it's exploration of different topics. The book explores the justice system, substance use, grief and forgiveness in a way that is accessible to teenagers while still being impactful.
I loved the characterization and the way I could connect with the characters. Vince, for example, is the oldest child who loves his sisters and family. Not only that but I could see myself in the way he felt the need to keep secrets and maintain this perfect image while not feeling like I have a voice in what happens in relation to our family. And only being a few years older than him I can see where he's coming from 100%. I could feel both his and Letta's frustrations as they navigated this time in their lives where they felt isolated.
I think this is definitely a book that high school aged kids should have access to and be exposed to. It covers I think some of the most important topics that they'll need to learn about in a way they'd be able to understand and I think in a way that will encourage them to go do their own research.
Big thanks to Netgalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review
September 2, 2023
This book packs in so many different important and heavy topics, from the broken juvenile justice system, to trauma and grief, to teen drug and alcohol abuse as well as the hardships of social and peer pressure. There is sexism, racism, and classism involved, as well as BIPOC and LGBTQ+ representation.
Mainly, this book tells the story of a family that's trying to survive a traumatic event. We get to see the different ways they try to deal with grief and forgive or be forgiven. There is a slight dystopian aspect to it in the form of the "Trials" but it's realistic and believable and not far off from the current-day injustices of our justice system. I was kind of expecting more dystopian, but it really barely touched on it.
It was a little long-winded at first, and it took me a while to really get into the book, but about halfway in I was pretty invested and wanted to know what would happen to the Chen-Samuels's family. I liked that there were two different POVs and that the chapters were short, it made it feel more fast-paced and held my interest. The writing could have been more polished, and the book felt a little long, but I think that YA books like this are so important, and I appreciate that it exists. I'm really glad to have read it and recommend it to both young adults and adults.
Thank you to BookishFirst for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Mainly, this book tells the story of a family that's trying to survive a traumatic event. We get to see the different ways they try to deal with grief and forgive or be forgiven. There is a slight dystopian aspect to it in the form of the "Trials" but it's realistic and believable and not far off from the current-day injustices of our justice system. I was kind of expecting more dystopian, but it really barely touched on it.
It was a little long-winded at first, and it took me a while to really get into the book, but about halfway in I was pretty invested and wanted to know what would happen to the Chen-Samuels's family. I liked that there were two different POVs and that the chapters were short, it made it feel more fast-paced and held my interest. The writing could have been more polished, and the book felt a little long, but I think that YA books like this are so important, and I appreciate that it exists. I'm really glad to have read it and recommend it to both young adults and adults.
Thank you to BookishFirst for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 8, 2023
Forgive me not
A book about family and forgiveness. When the ultimate tragedy wrecks a family, Violetta finds herself the cause and must learn to take accountability through a system of Trials designed to reform kids, mainly kids of color.
This is such a different contemporary book since half of it takes place in a detention center focused on reforming teens and the other half taken outside with her brothers POV. It’s interesting to see both sides of the situation and how your actions affect all those around you.
The book has a slow middle with the trials not even really starting until halfway through and even then they aren’t as high stakes as the first half would have u believe.
Another issue i had was the ending which I found to be a little unsatisfying as we never really get closer for vin in the end either as the other main POV. But we are able to find and end for Violetta that was wonderful and poetic.
I really hope Violetta and Vince’s story and strength help someone who’s experienced any similar situation or have been affected by one.
A book about family and forgiveness. When the ultimate tragedy wrecks a family, Violetta finds herself the cause and must learn to take accountability through a system of Trials designed to reform kids, mainly kids of color.
This is such a different contemporary book since half of it takes place in a detention center focused on reforming teens and the other half taken outside with her brothers POV. It’s interesting to see both sides of the situation and how your actions affect all those around you.
The book has a slow middle with the trials not even really starting until halfway through and even then they aren’t as high stakes as the first half would have u believe.
Another issue i had was the ending which I found to be a little unsatisfying as we never really get closer for vin in the end either as the other main POV. But we are able to find and end for Violetta that was wonderful and poetic.
I really hope Violetta and Vince’s story and strength help someone who’s experienced any similar situation or have been affected by one.
Read
November 28, 2023I've been thinking about forgiveness a lot lately. Forgiveness and punishment. Specifically:
Do some people deserve one over the other?
Who gets to decide?
Must punishment be witnessed? By whom?
If the "victim" holds the power, are they still victims?
What differentiates a punishment from a crime?
Can forgiveness be regulated?
Can rehabilitation?
Are we, as humans, capable of good?
FORGIVE ME NOT was spectacular, truly, and the premise blew me away. Highly recommend this dual POV novel for teens, adults, and mature middle schoolers interested in the above questions, and how they can be applied to not just daily life, but global politics.
This one is definitely a conversation starter.
Do some people deserve one over the other?
Who gets to decide?
Must punishment be witnessed? By whom?
If the "victim" holds the power, are they still victims?
What differentiates a punishment from a crime?
Can forgiveness be regulated?
Can rehabilitation?
Are we, as humans, capable of good?
FORGIVE ME NOT was spectacular, truly, and the premise blew me away. Highly recommend this dual POV novel for teens, adults, and mature middle schoolers interested in the above questions, and how they can be applied to not just daily life, but global politics.
This one is definitely a conversation starter.
August 17, 2023
Tough
I was leaning more towards three stars but I believe I was because of the dystopian feelings I got from the book. This is not the type of book I would normally purchase but I’m really glad I decided to give it a shot. However my case maybe I found the novel very interesting. The concept of victims choosing the offenders offense was new. I imagined what if that was our world. What if we lived in a world where a punishment is chosen by victims and not by jury.
My expectations of the trails were not met. To be honest I really didn’t know what I was expecting. (To clarify a lot of people in reviews said hunger games type trails and I’m a fantasy reader so my mind was thinking this)
I was glad to see some representation for the lgbtq+ community.
I do love that there were two point of views! I know if we didn’t have Vins point of view I believe the reader would have been lost of the home life Violetta had to leave behind. This is a realistic idea I’m glad the author added.
So all in all I think it’s a book teenagers really need to engage in. I want the children of our world’s future to read this book and think about the modern day consequences of their actions. You only get one life.
Note: ARC provided by Bookishfirst
I was leaning more towards three stars but I believe I was because of the dystopian feelings I got from the book. This is not the type of book I would normally purchase but I’m really glad I decided to give it a shot. However my case maybe I found the novel very interesting. The concept of victims choosing the offenders offense was new. I imagined what if that was our world. What if we lived in a world where a punishment is chosen by victims and not by jury.
My expectations of the trails were not met. To be honest I really didn’t know what I was expecting. (To clarify a lot of people in reviews said hunger games type trails and I’m a fantasy reader so my mind was thinking this)
I was glad to see some representation for the lgbtq+ community.
I do love that there were two point of views! I know if we didn’t have Vins point of view I believe the reader would have been lost of the home life Violetta had to leave behind. This is a realistic idea I’m glad the author added.
So all in all I think it’s a book teenagers really need to engage in. I want the children of our world’s future to read this book and think about the modern day consequences of their actions. You only get one life.
Note: ARC provided by Bookishfirst
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Shelved as 'dnf'
September 2, 2023DNF at 56%. I think the pacing is off for me. It’s dual POV and it’s repetitive. The beginning was interesting and then it was just boring. I skimmed the last 100 pages or so but won’t count it as reading. It was too long. I did not care for the adults.
It’s feels dystopian set in our world sometime in the future so that was cool.
The author rights well and I may pick up something in the future. This just didn’t work for me.
It’s feels dystopian set in our world sometime in the future so that was cool.
The author rights well and I may pick up something in the future. This just didn’t work for me.
July 19, 2023
Thank you to PenguinTeen and Netgalley for an eARC, all opinions are my own
This was a solid book overall. It tackled how our justice system is honestly broken and mistreats black and brown folk very well. This isn't a complaint, but I was a bit surprised to see her brother's perspective as well as the main characters.
Overall, pretty enjoyable.
This was a solid book overall. It tackled how our justice system is honestly broken and mistreats black and brown folk very well. This isn't a complaint, but I was a bit surprised to see her brother's perspective as well as the main characters.
Overall, pretty enjoyable.
May 21, 2024
I really don't like to slander books because I recognize how much effort an author has put into it, but this one? There's a lot to say. First of all, this book was really confusing and jumbled. I really don't know what the message the author tried to give the reader was. Literally for the first 1/4 of the book, NO GRIEF IS MENTIONED ABOUT THE DEAD SISTER. NONE. Especially in Letta's perspective, who should have full-blown trauma and nightmares and guilt about killing her sister. She's just mentioned by name and blown off as insignificant. And Vince's perspective? Literally useless for the entire development of the book. I feel like the depiction of juvenile is really underdeveloped versus other books and documentaries I've seen of the place. LETS NOT FORGET HOW LETTA'S FAMILY IS TOTALLY UNFORGIVING OF HER AND THEN RANDOMLY OUT OF THE BLUE DECIDE TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR DAUGHTER. And the guy that gives them updates on Letta (forgot his name, idc to be honest) acts like a highschool bully. Everything in this book is just a NO for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2023
4.5 stars rounded up!
My first Jennifer Baker and definitely not my last.
"Forgive Me Not" is an engrossing and emotional journey that beautifully explores human emotions and the power of forgiveness. The characters are flawlessly flawed and relatable.
The strength lies in its exploration of self and interpersonal forgiveness, intricately woven into the narrative, leaving a lasting impression. The setting adds depth and authenticity to this intense (but necessary) story. While its emotional depth may not suit everyone, it's this unapologetic honesty that gives the narrative its powerful impact.
In essence, "Forgive Me Not" offers a deeply moving and thought-provoking exploration of human nature and forgiveness, promising to captivate readers long after its end.
I can't wait for this novel to be shared with the world.
Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion!
My first Jennifer Baker and definitely not my last.
"Forgive Me Not" is an engrossing and emotional journey that beautifully explores human emotions and the power of forgiveness. The characters are flawlessly flawed and relatable.
The strength lies in its exploration of self and interpersonal forgiveness, intricately woven into the narrative, leaving a lasting impression. The setting adds depth and authenticity to this intense (but necessary) story. While its emotional depth may not suit everyone, it's this unapologetic honesty that gives the narrative its powerful impact.
In essence, "Forgive Me Not" offers a deeply moving and thought-provoking exploration of human nature and forgiveness, promising to captivate readers long after its end.
I can't wait for this novel to be shared with the world.
Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Young Readers Group for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion!
August 3, 2023
So so far this is a really sad and tragic book. The ache for retribution and fixing what she did is so hard to read through it’s extremely hard to read. I think that’s what makes this worth reading as well. I can honestly say I’m a little broken from reading this but the ending made it well worth it. One of the best reads of the year so far!
November 3, 2023
Thank you to Nancy Paulsen Books for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
CONTENT WARNING: death of a child, incarceration, substance use, suicide attempt, grief, sexual assault
This is one of those books that magically appeared in my mailbox one day, and although I hadn’t heard of it before then, I read the synopsis and was immediately intrigued. And while I normally read my physical ARCs in order of release, I’ve been going through a bit of a pre-slump and decided to go rogue and grabbed this one. It was probably one of the best decisions I’ve made this month.
It wasn’t long ago that I read Chain-Gang All-Stars, and this book does for the YA crowd what that book did for the adult crowd. Both books force us to take a long, hard look at our broken justice system, explores the even longer distance we have to go to fix it, and envision two different ways in which efforts could go horribly wrong.
Violetta Chen-Samuels is caught right in the middle of this broken system and the efforts to improve it. She’s a good kid from a good family, a freshman in high school, and an AP student. But all it took was one bad decision to wind up in juvenile detention waiting for a decision on which hinges the rest of her life: whether she is going upstate to prison, has to complete Trials, or will receive forgiveness and can return home. Her case is complicated by the fact that her family is torn because her parents are the victims deciding her fate as well since her crime was driving drunk and killing her sister in an accident.
This book really made me think about the nature of crime and forgiveness. If someone commits a crime against us, how exactly do we decide what they have to do to earn our forgiveness? And as the book demonstrates, it doesn’t solve the problem of the justice system being stacked against Black and Brown people. The majority of the young women in juvenile detention read as POC, and there’s a scene where systemic racism comes into play between a white character and a mixed race character.
We get to see the story from the POV of both Violetta and her brother Vincent. Initially, this seemed to be a strange choice to me, but I quickly realized that this allowed us to see how the family was affected by Violetta’s actions as well. And there was so much to see within the family—not just their grief over the loss of a child, but so many conflicting emotions about Violetta. Violetta’s parents were not just angry with her, but also worried about her welfare, and concerned about the care she was receiving in detention.
This is the kind of book that makes you really think and will stay with you long after you read it. I couldn’t put it down and found myself reading until 4am because I had to see how things ended. There’s great representation, with both MCs being mixed-race, and their Black and Chinese heritage being equally represented in the story, and one of the MCs is queer. Additionally, it discusses pressures that teenagers face, including academic pressure, peer pressure, and the struggle to find oneself. Overall, this was fantastic, and beautifully written.
CONTENT WARNING: death of a child, incarceration, substance use, suicide attempt, grief, sexual assault
This is one of those books that magically appeared in my mailbox one day, and although I hadn’t heard of it before then, I read the synopsis and was immediately intrigued. And while I normally read my physical ARCs in order of release, I’ve been going through a bit of a pre-slump and decided to go rogue and grabbed this one. It was probably one of the best decisions I’ve made this month.
It wasn’t long ago that I read Chain-Gang All-Stars, and this book does for the YA crowd what that book did for the adult crowd. Both books force us to take a long, hard look at our broken justice system, explores the even longer distance we have to go to fix it, and envision two different ways in which efforts could go horribly wrong.
Violetta Chen-Samuels is caught right in the middle of this broken system and the efforts to improve it. She’s a good kid from a good family, a freshman in high school, and an AP student. But all it took was one bad decision to wind up in juvenile detention waiting for a decision on which hinges the rest of her life: whether she is going upstate to prison, has to complete Trials, or will receive forgiveness and can return home. Her case is complicated by the fact that her family is torn because her parents are the victims deciding her fate as well since her crime was driving drunk and killing her sister in an accident.
This book really made me think about the nature of crime and forgiveness. If someone commits a crime against us, how exactly do we decide what they have to do to earn our forgiveness? And as the book demonstrates, it doesn’t solve the problem of the justice system being stacked against Black and Brown people. The majority of the young women in juvenile detention read as POC, and there’s a scene where systemic racism comes into play between a white character and a mixed race character.
We get to see the story from the POV of both Violetta and her brother Vincent. Initially, this seemed to be a strange choice to me, but I quickly realized that this allowed us to see how the family was affected by Violetta’s actions as well. And there was so much to see within the family—not just their grief over the loss of a child, but so many conflicting emotions about Violetta. Violetta’s parents were not just angry with her, but also worried about her welfare, and concerned about the care she was receiving in detention.
This is the kind of book that makes you really think and will stay with you long after you read it. I couldn’t put it down and found myself reading until 4am because I had to see how things ended. There’s great representation, with both MCs being mixed-race, and their Black and Chinese heritage being equally represented in the story, and one of the MCs is queer. Additionally, it discusses pressures that teenagers face, including academic pressure, peer pressure, and the struggle to find oneself. Overall, this was fantastic, and beautifully written.
July 28, 2023
This isn’t my usual type of read, and I was pleasantly surprised with how much I loved it. Violetta’s struggles in incarceration broke my heart and I loved the dual POV with Letta and Vin so we could see what she felt and how Vin and the family felt. The themes of grief and forgiveness are the main topics.
Letta’s life is forever changed when she decides to get in a car after she’d been drinking with her boyfriend. She should have been watching her little sister. Next thing she knows, she’s in the hospital and her sister is dead. Her parents can either forgive her for her crime and she can come home, or she can be sent to upstate prison. The third option is the Trials, where she will be set out to do tasks in order to prove she is worthy of the forgiveness of her family. While she is in jail, her family falls apart without her little sister.
I really enjoyed the idea of the Trials. Reading about it for the first time. I expected a sort of Hunger Games like event that would determine if a criminal would be able to be set free. However, thought of the victims having the power to punish the perpetrators is both interesting and terrifying, especially when the “victim” isn’t really a victim. The direction it ended up taking was even better. Did the Trials fail in their rehabilitation? Were they there to rehabilitate or humiliate and torture those kids in jail? I appreciated the look of how folks are treated in jail, POC especially. The Trials was supposed to make it better but it’s even more broken.
One of the little things I liked was how nobody reacted badly to Vin being gay. His parents accepted him and his friends in school and on his team accepted him. I wish we could have gotten more of him and Levi. The scene with Letta at the school with her ex talking about her has my blood boiling. I was literally trying not to scream in my frustration. I was so glad she has a good friend there who was able to stay with her and help her through what she was going through, because her family wasn’t.
The ending was great and bittersweet. Sometimes grief will never go away and nobodies lives will be the same after what happened. All you can do is move forward and remember the person you’ve lost.
Letta’s life is forever changed when she decides to get in a car after she’d been drinking with her boyfriend. She should have been watching her little sister. Next thing she knows, she’s in the hospital and her sister is dead. Her parents can either forgive her for her crime and she can come home, or she can be sent to upstate prison. The third option is the Trials, where she will be set out to do tasks in order to prove she is worthy of the forgiveness of her family. While she is in jail, her family falls apart without her little sister.
I really enjoyed the idea of the Trials. Reading about it for the first time. I expected a sort of Hunger Games like event that would determine if a criminal would be able to be set free. However, thought of the victims having the power to punish the perpetrators is both interesting and terrifying, especially when the “victim” isn’t really a victim. The direction it ended up taking was even better. Did the Trials fail in their rehabilitation? Were they there to rehabilitate or humiliate and torture those kids in jail? I appreciated the look of how folks are treated in jail, POC especially. The Trials was supposed to make it better but it’s even more broken.
One of the little things I liked was how nobody reacted badly to Vin being gay. His parents accepted him and his friends in school and on his team accepted him. I wish we could have gotten more of him and Levi. The scene with Letta at the school with her ex talking about her has my blood boiling. I was literally trying not to scream in my frustration. I was so glad she has a good friend there who was able to stay with her and help her through what she was going through, because her family wasn’t.
The ending was great and bittersweet. Sometimes grief will never go away and nobodies lives will be the same after what happened. All you can do is move forward and remember the person you’ve lost.
October 15, 2023
Interesting conversation about forgiveness, recidivism, and the juvenile justice system. Violetta was a great character who really showed the human side to youth offenders.
I didn't think the story needed the dual POV. While Vin had his own issues, I was more interested in what would happen to Violetta.
This was a tough book to stick with. I was definitely in my feelings about these Trials and how Violettas family struggled to forgive her. I kept asking myself: Is forgiveness really necessary for repentance? Some people may never forgive, but that doesn't mean the offender isn't sorry, right?
Great read!
I didn't think the story needed the dual POV. While Vin had his own issues, I was more interested in what would happen to Violetta.
This was a tough book to stick with. I was definitely in my feelings about these Trials and how Violettas family struggled to forgive her. I kept asking myself: Is forgiveness really necessary for repentance? Some people may never forgive, but that doesn't mean the offender isn't sorry, right?
Great read!
August 12, 2024
Eighth grade and up appropriate. A weird mash of social justice commentary and the Hunger Games. The concept of the story is fascinating and the author hints at some of the problems with the system without getting too far into it. This is a tough read dealing with a lot of grief and guilt but ultimately it is not as super dark of a dystopic novel as it could have been. As someone who is feeling a little more anxious these days and doesn’t really want to read super dark reads, I appreciate that. I can explore the concept and how much further it could go without having to experience it. Good intro to dystopic fiction for those who need a bit of a lighter touch.
September 30, 2023
Jennifer Baker is a genius I must say that, but the whole story wasn’t executed well and I just had a hard time keeping my focus on the book
October 28, 2023
This book was definitely an eye-opening book for me. I knew about juvenile detention centers, but I never really thought about them until this book. Violetta and her friends experience in the detention center show me that not every child deserve to have 2 years of their life wasted because of a mistake they made. Telling a person that they did something wrong over and over is not very useful if the person already realizes they did something wrong.
I think this book also did a good job portraying forgiveness in families. Violetta’s family had a hard decision to make about whether they should let her come home or do the trials so she could really think about the consequences of her actions. While I did really enjoy Violetta’s POVs, there were many times when her brother Vince’s POVs fell a little flat to me. I wish I got to read a little more about Violetta than Vince, but overall it was still a solid book to me.
I think this book also did a good job portraying forgiveness in families. Violetta’s family had a hard decision to make about whether they should let her come home or do the trials so she could really think about the consequences of her actions. While I did really enjoy Violetta’s POVs, there were many times when her brother Vince’s POVs fell a little flat to me. I wish I got to read a little more about Violetta than Vince, but overall it was still a solid book to me.
July 17, 2023
Author Jennifer Baker introduces a new form of juvenile justice in Forgive Me Not. One bad decision changes the course of 15-year-old Violetta's life. Underage drinking led Violetta to drunk driving and causing an accident that kills her little sister. Instead of the traditional route of incarceration, she is faced with two options—remain in juvie detention for an uncertain sentence or participate in Trials to regain her freedom and family's forgiveness.
All I could think while reading was, "What if the victim or victim's family were to decide the fate of the accused rather than a judge or jury? How effective could this forgiveness program be in real life?" If the author's intent was to raise awareness on second chances and the juvenile justice system, then well done!
Forgive Me Not is especially recommended for young adults and teen book clubs. The writing is concise, relatable and thought-provoking. Told in alternate points of view, the narration helps readers experience what Violetta and her family is feeling. Bookhearts, after reading Forgive Me Not, you will walk away with a different outlook on forgiveness, consequences and most of all, family.
Happy Early Pub Day, Jennifer Baker! Forgive Me Not will be available Tuesday, August 15.
Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie
All I could think while reading was, "What if the victim or victim's family were to decide the fate of the accused rather than a judge or jury? How effective could this forgiveness program be in real life?" If the author's intent was to raise awareness on second chances and the juvenile justice system, then well done!
Forgive Me Not is especially recommended for young adults and teen book clubs. The writing is concise, relatable and thought-provoking. Told in alternate points of view, the narration helps readers experience what Violetta and her family is feeling. Bookhearts, after reading Forgive Me Not, you will walk away with a different outlook on forgiveness, consequences and most of all, family.
Happy Early Pub Day, Jennifer Baker! Forgive Me Not will be available Tuesday, August 15.
Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie
September 3, 2023
Intriguing concept, not executed well. The plot seems unfinished and left it feeling unfinished.
August 5, 2023
I love the concept of this book, but the delivery on it wasn’t my favorite. The beginning was really slow, and it took way to long to get to what the Trials actually are (and it was far less dystopian than I think it leads you to believe). When it did get to that point, I ended up reading the rest of the ~230 pages in one sitting so I would say the middle is great and held my attention. At the end though I felt some things were not as resolved as I would have liked.
It makes some great commentary on the flaws of the justice system, which is great! But that is the only thing it did well in my opinion. I didn’t like the fact it’s duel point of view, Vin’s point of view felt entirely unneeded, even with everything that happened with his character, and especially since some of what happens with him feels glossed over at the end. The addition of his chapters also made the book feel overly long to me. I wish it has stayed more focused on Violetta.
It makes some great commentary on the flaws of the justice system, which is great! But that is the only thing it did well in my opinion. I didn’t like the fact it’s duel point of view, Vin’s point of view felt entirely unneeded, even with everything that happened with his character, and especially since some of what happens with him feels glossed over at the end. The addition of his chapters also made the book feel overly long to me. I wish it has stayed more focused on Violetta.
May 24, 2023
This one really gives you something to think about and how we treat young offenders in terms of trying to “rehabilitate” them. It also shows insight into how people of color are treated differently compared to those that are white and have money. There is so much diverse character representation as well. There are lessons about peer pressure, parent oversight, communication, drinking, drug use and so much more. I can’t wait to get a physical copy of this one.
August 27, 2023
All my reviews can be found at: http://www.jessicasreadingroom.com
This review will appear on my site on August 28, 2023.
~~~~
Forgive Me Not is a YA novel with a bit of dystopian touches that shows the problems the juvenile justice system (and also our adult system) has in regards to sexism, racism, classism, and more.
We have two povs: Violetta and Vince. They are siblings and Violetta (also called Letta) made a huge life changing error: She did some underage drinking and driving. There was an accident and she killed her seven year old sister in the process. Therefore Letta is in detention. The chapter’s from Letta’s pov include how many days she has been in detention. Vince’s pov shows how many days since Letta has been in detention. This was we have two povs: The ‘victim’ and the ‘offender’.
In this world that both Violetta and Vince live in, underage offenders serve in detention while they await their sentencing. This sentencing comes from the victim/ family of the victim. The choices the victim’s side has:
Forgiveness
Serve hard time upstate
‘The Trials’ where the offender has to prove themself.
In Violetta’s case she is the offender and her family is the victim with the loss of her little sister. With the two povs we get to see both sides of the story: ‘offender’ and ‘victim’.
There are so many issues dealt with in this story. In addition to the issues with the justice system which we see extreme injustices with one particular character we also experience drug use/abuse, peer pressure, LGBTQ representation and a variety of family dynamics.
Vince seems to be the ‘dream child’ to his parents, but he is far from perfect himself with a variety of problems of his own. Some of these issues are left open even though we do have a reasonable conclusion.
I highly anticipated ‘The Trials’ and what was going to happen. The family of the ‘victim’ chooses the type of trial(s) the ‘offender’ goes through but not what the Trial is made up of. Everyone’s Trial is different and had no idea what to expect for Violetta. This is where the dystopian elements come in to play. Could this possibly be what juvenile offenders deal with in the not to distant future?
Overall, this is a powerful book that will be the cause of discussions and more. Will Violetta’s family be able to forgive her for what she did? Even more so, can Violetta forgive herself with the decisions she made that changed so much.
Many thanks to the publisher for granting me a copy to read and review via Bookish First.
This review will appear on my site on August 28, 2023.
~~~~
Forgive Me Not is a YA novel with a bit of dystopian touches that shows the problems the juvenile justice system (and also our adult system) has in regards to sexism, racism, classism, and more.
We have two povs: Violetta and Vince. They are siblings and Violetta (also called Letta) made a huge life changing error: She did some underage drinking and driving. There was an accident and she killed her seven year old sister in the process. Therefore Letta is in detention. The chapter’s from Letta’s pov include how many days she has been in detention. Vince’s pov shows how many days since Letta has been in detention. This was we have two povs: The ‘victim’ and the ‘offender’.
In this world that both Violetta and Vince live in, underage offenders serve in detention while they await their sentencing. This sentencing comes from the victim/ family of the victim. The choices the victim’s side has:
Forgiveness
Serve hard time upstate
‘The Trials’ where the offender has to prove themself.
In Violetta’s case she is the offender and her family is the victim with the loss of her little sister. With the two povs we get to see both sides of the story: ‘offender’ and ‘victim’.
There are so many issues dealt with in this story. In addition to the issues with the justice system which we see extreme injustices with one particular character we also experience drug use/abuse, peer pressure, LGBTQ representation and a variety of family dynamics.
Vince seems to be the ‘dream child’ to his parents, but he is far from perfect himself with a variety of problems of his own. Some of these issues are left open even though we do have a reasonable conclusion.
I highly anticipated ‘The Trials’ and what was going to happen. The family of the ‘victim’ chooses the type of trial(s) the ‘offender’ goes through but not what the Trial is made up of. Everyone’s Trial is different and had no idea what to expect for Violetta. This is where the dystopian elements come in to play. Could this possibly be what juvenile offenders deal with in the not to distant future?
Overall, this is a powerful book that will be the cause of discussions and more. Will Violetta’s family be able to forgive her for what she did? Even more so, can Violetta forgive herself with the decisions she made that changed so much.
Many thanks to the publisher for granting me a copy to read and review via Bookish First.
September 27, 2023
Thank you Penguin for this ARC
A great concept and message, but the execution of it fell flat for me.
I did like the characters, and found the story incredibly relatable. I most enjoyed the beginning of the book, all the uncertainty and strife made for many tense scenes.
I really had a hard time with the dual POV. Every time it went to Vince's pov, I just kinda sighed and was hoping it would go back to Violetta's. I know the author is trying to show how the justice system impacts families and those on the outside, but I truly wish we had gotten less of Vince, or ideally just stuck with Violetta's pov. It felt like it didn't add much to the story, and the pacing of it slogged on for me. There were several times I kept "waiting" for something to happen.
I really liked the premise and concept of what the author was trying to show and the point she is trying to make, but the execution of it fell flat for me, and by the end I truly think it is a swing and a miss. By the end of the story there truly isn't a major point made. I do think it would have had a bigger impact and stronger message if Violette I really thought we were going to learn more about the trials, and have more of a commentary on how minority communities are unfairly and unjustly targeted for such laws but that didn't happen either. There is so much talk about how terrible the Trials are, and how traumatic, and I honestly expected Violette to have to go through something akin to the endurance trial, or just show how what she went through impacted her to reoffend again. Instead she just ends up
With a story and concept like this the bittersweet ending came off too happy and hopeful for the message it was trying to get across. I'm glad I'm not a blubbering mess after reading this, but it didn't stick in my head and make me keep thinking about it.
I would definitely read others books by Jennifer Baker, and if you're interested in the premise I would say check this one out and see if you like it! But I wouldn't personally say this is a book I would recommend.
A great concept and message, but the execution of it fell flat for me.
I did like the characters, and found the story incredibly relatable. I most enjoyed the beginning of the book, all the uncertainty and strife made for many tense scenes.
I really had a hard time with the dual POV. Every time it went to Vince's pov, I just kinda sighed and was hoping it would go back to Violetta's. I know the author is trying to show how the justice system impacts families and those on the outside, but I truly wish we had gotten less of Vince, or ideally just stuck with Violetta's pov. It felt like it didn't add much to the story, and the pacing of it slogged on for me. There were several times I kept "waiting" for something to happen.
I really liked the premise and concept of what the author was trying to show and the point she is trying to make, but the execution of it fell flat for me, and by the end I truly think it is a swing and a miss. By the end of the story there truly isn't a major point made. I do think it would have had a bigger impact and stronger message if Violette I really thought we were going to learn more about the trials, and have more of a commentary on how minority communities are unfairly and unjustly targeted for such laws but that didn't happen either. There is so much talk about how terrible the Trials are, and how traumatic, and I honestly expected Violette to have to go through something akin to the endurance trial, or just show how what she went through impacted her to reoffend again. Instead she just ends up
With a story and concept like this the bittersweet ending came off too happy and hopeful for the message it was trying to get across. I'm glad I'm not a blubbering mess after reading this, but it didn't stick in my head and make me keep thinking about it.
I would definitely read others books by Jennifer Baker, and if you're interested in the premise I would say check this one out and see if you like it! But I wouldn't personally say this is a book I would recommend.
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