So Done audiobook

I can't believe that this is my first Paul Chase book! I should be ashamed of myself for waiting so long to start this series.So Done is the first book in a middle grade series told in dual POV that focuses on two characters Tai and Mila. They are best friends, but things change when Mila comes back from spending time in the suburbs with her aunt. Tai immediately feels as though Mila looks at their low income housing project differently and is more focused on their dance audition than their friendship. Unfortunately, Mila is holding in a secret that has potential to destroy her relationship with Tai. One thing that I loved about this book is that it is unapologetically Black. From the character development to the plot development, it is easy to tell that Chase wrote this novel with Black kids in mind. While the scenarios of the main characters is universal for a lot of middle grade students, the actual sequencing of events definitely makes it clear that Chase attempts to capture the Black experience. Seeing Pirates Cove through the development of the story was interesting. Chase didn't shy away from showing readers the good, bad, and ugly providing a rich and vibrant perspective of the community. The relationship between Tai and Mila is interesting and very true to a lot of middle grade experiences. As an adult reader, Tai drove me CRAZY, but when I thought about how I was at her age she didn't bother me as much. A lot of the narrative focuses on her attempting to figure out why her relationship with Mila is no longer the same. In a way, I think she feels left behind without realizing that it's a pretty traumatizing experience that is making Mila reconsider her place in Pirates Cove. Actually, I think that a lot of readers will find the dynamic between these two characters to be extremely interesting as they read as polar opposites. Chase is known for touching on topics that are considered taboo in middle grade books and I think that's apparent in this novel. She doesn't shy away from those difficult conversations, but they are things that impact this particular age group especially those involving family dynamics. Mila is being raised by a single father while Tai is being raised by her grandmother. Her father is present on page, but really is in and out because of his own battles with addiction. Nevertheless, I appreciated the balance that she gives readers with the incorporation of the arts program. It was so interesting watching all of the kids talk about their passion whether that was ballet/dance, drama, playing a musical instrument, etc. They were all so determined to do well at their auditions to qualify for placement into the program. Chase also did a great job utilizing this specific aspect of the book as a jumping place for the next book in the series. Overall, I really enjoyed my read of this and it definitely won't be my last Paula Chase novel.

Edelweiss provided me a DRC of this book in exchange for an honest review.Do you know how hard it is to find middle grade fiction where African American girls and their culture feature prominently (as in not a sidekick or black-girl-in-a-white-town)...that's NOT historical? (Or about hurricane Katrina?) As a middle school librarian, I have found it's VERY difficult. I'm not saying they aren't out there--but they are hard to find.So Done features two girls from the same neighborhood--best friends who are headed in different directions. It really does an excellent job of exploring the way friendships (and kids) change during middle school using authentic voices. These characters look and sound like a large portion of our school population who are normally under-represented in literature.I knew within a few chapters that it was a must-have for our school library. There are a couple of other important topics covered (drug dealing/abuse, sexual harassment/assault, difficult family dynamics) but the focus is really on Metai and Jamila and how their friendship is forced to evolve.

Everyone remembers that one childhood friend, their ride-or-die, that travels with them from childhood to adolescence. It's a challenging phase for kids as staggering changes wreak havoc on their bodies and minds, molding them into new people with new passions, desires and fears. I think we'd all agree that even the most rock-solid childhood friendships are sorely tested through this metamorphosis. Sometimes they survive the turmoil, coming out on the other side as something new but stronger. And some times they don't. So Done is the story of Mila and Tai, BFF's for life until this transition into adolescence threatens to break their friendship beyond repair.I loved almost everything out this book, especially the author's use of AAVE which was absolutely brilliant. The story poured off the page and it was practically impossible to put this book down! Told from the perspective of both girls, it was easy to slip into each of their minds and see their side and feel their frustrations and hurts. The writing was magnificent in it's authenticity. The only thing I had an issue with was one plot device that I thought wasn't necessary and to me, spoiled the ending. It felt like the author thought she needed to create an external reason for what triggered the crack in their friendship. I wish they had trusted themselves more and simply stuck to telling the fascinating story of how these girls struggled to sort through the cacophony of psychological and physiological noise puberty brings to their lives. The struggle is actually real because puberty is nothing short of an explosion of change. The overarching question of will they grow together or will they grow apart was what I found so compelling. It didn't need anything more to move the story along.Overall, an excellent book and I'm definitely going read more from this author. What a voice!

Grateful to author Paula Chase for sending me an ARC of this moving middle-grade book! SO DONE follows two friends, Metai and Jamila living in a low-income Housing Project. Although, inseparable from childhood, things change when Jamila returns from a summer in the suburbs. Both girls are dealing with secrets and Mila appears to be different after her time in the suburbs, throwing her self into dance auditions for their new afterschool program.I LOVED this book. I'm embarrassed to report that this is the first book by Paula Chase that I've read, but I loved it. Chase's writing is so fluid and original. Metai and Mila's voices were so distinct throughout the story that I could see them easily in my mind's eye. I also enjoyed how big a role the entire Pirates Cove neighborhood plays in this book. Now, while reading Elena Ferrante's My Brilliant Friend, I can easily say that Chase's Pirate Cove, just like the neighborhood in Ferrante's novel is in itself a living character in this novel. The dynamic between the girls and their friends is so reminiscent of that turbulent age between middle school and high school.More importantly, SO DONE tackles the struggles experienced even in adult friendships, the importance of stepping up to pursue your goals and the need to speak up even when you're afraid. I loved this book (have I already mentioned that?). Definitely top five reads of the year!

Jamila (Mila) and Metai (Tai), who live across the street from each other in a low-income housing project, have been good friends for a long time. Their friendship is strained these days, however, for a variety of reasons. After staying with her aunt in the suburbs for a few weeks, Mila suddenly objects to being called her childhood nickname of Bean and she doesn't want to spend time at Tai's house. Tai, on the other hand, is becoming more and more interested in getting a commitment out of her long-time crush, Rollie, while she also deals with the erratic behavior of her drug-addicted father. Additionally, both girls, and many of their other friends, are interested in auditioning for the new Talented and Gifted (TAG) program, but worry that with so much competition they may not be accepted.I immediately recognized Paula Chase as the author of the Del Rio Bay Clique series, which I remember ordering for my library back when I was a teen librarian, and which was hugely popular. This book, though written at the middle grade level, is set in the same community, and judging from how well-written it is, it is also likely to be very popular. So many middle grade friendship stories are set against very generic middle class backgrounds where all the characters talk, act, think, and sound the same. This book, by contrast, makes great use of slang and local color to make the characters sound real and authentic, and develops its setting in such a way that it is not just the backdrop of the story, but an integral part of the way the plot unfolds. Despite the fact that I wasn't familiar with a lot of the slang or subject matter, I was completely drawn into this world and fully invested in the well-being of both girls and in their hopes for getting into TAG. I can imagine that kids who do get the cultural references will be that much more immersed in the story.There is some mature subject matter in this book that definitely places it at the higher end of the middle grade spectrum. Both Tai and Mila have parents who use drugs, and though it is never explicitly stated, it is clear that Tai's mom and dad were teen parents. There is also a troubling incident involving Mila and Tai's father, which, while handled gracefully by the author, with a clear-cut resolution, might be too much for some readers, especially those who are used to lighter friendship books. For that reason, I think of it as more appropriate for middle school than elementary school readers. Still, there are plenty of positive role models in the story, and the overall focus is on hope and healing, not on darkness and despair, as is fitting for a middle grade novel. So Done is yet another wonderful 2018 middle grade book (there are so many good ones this year so far!) and certainly a strong middle grade debut for Paula Chase. I'd be happy to see more books like this one in the years to come! (Thanks to Edelweiss for the digital review copy!)This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.

this audiobook review was prepared for and appears in AudioFile Magazine.Tai and Mila have always been best friends, but differing interests threaten to break them apart in the weeks leading up to the start of eighth grade. Though the audiobook alternates viewpoints between the two girls, Bahni Turpin uses the same narrative voice throughout. Tai's and Mila's perspectives are so different that listeners won't be confused by the consistency in narrative voice; they'll instead be delighted by Turpin's skill in crafting individual speaking voices for each character. Superficially, this seems like a story about cliques and crushes. But Chase takes character development to a deeper level, particularly in demonstrating the girls' approaches to coping with a shared trauma. Turpin flawlessly balances gravity in narrating difficult scenes with playfulness when the girls are with their friends.

"A beautifully written and achingly realistic portrayal of the growing pains even the best friendships often must endure. Tai and Mila’s journey felt as real and messy and ultimately hopeful as all true friendships are." [author Jo Knowles]

I can finally talk about this book now! Lol. Oh my days, Paula Chase has been one of my favourite new-to-me writers for the year. She has such incredible craftsmanship and knows how to seamlessly do multiple points of view without ever missing a beat. Everything about this book, from the subject matter, to the language, to the moments of tension and release were perfect. Tai was extremely frustrating at times, but once you begin to understand why she's so disappointed with everyone treating her like a charity program for 2 years then cutting... well... points were made. Her difficulty expressing friendship and her feelings without being a bully to protect herself was so well done, I don't think I've read a book that dealt with the small aggressions of bullying and what it can look like when you (or a close friend) does it. Mila was a bit more likeable, and watching her grow into a character that stands up for herself with her friends and family was admirable, but what a gyal can keep secrets. These secrets borderline lying and at many points in the book she tries to delude herself and I'm like 'baby girl please, just go talk to someone'.Anyway, this book tackles issues of poverty and take a systematic look at how it affects communities and individuals, child molestation (not graphic, nor in the moment, just mentioned as something that happened in the past and how the character responds to it), using kids for drug trafficking and the systematic reasons this happens, and bullying. I'm almost done with Dough Boys now and I thnk Paula Chase is easily climbing up the list of one of my favourite middle-grade writers.

I loved So Done. I am particular about what "mature" topics make it into my library, and I felt this book handles serious topics in an important way. Drugs, addiction, and molestation/ assault are all touched in. It was just enough and such a great window into the world for me. In the beginning, I struggled with the slang Tai and Mila used, but as the story went on I felt more and more immersed in their world. I enjoyed seeing both imperfect narrative perspectives, and the tension between the two girls as their friendship shifts. I found the relationships to be authentic and universal, while the glimpse into life in the Cove was like entering another world, one I am grateful for getting a glimpse of.

This one sucked me in right away - wanting to know why Metai (Tai) and Jamila (Bean)'s friendship was strained this summer before eighth grade. I loved getting to know (and love) the characters - their toughness and how they related to each other in the crew. I found myself rooting for most of the characters.

A unique and wonderful exploration of friendship, growing apart, and figuring out what you want out of life. There are a lot of issues in this I haven't really seen explored in a middle grade book before—drug dealing, some hints about teen parenting, and a storyline about sexual assault. This is definitely a book that will click with a lot of middle schoolers and early high schoolers.

The lessons and message in this story are phenomenal. This is a book that needs to be in hands of so many as a mirror and window. My only disclaimer would be to make sure that the students whose hand you are putting it in is mature enough to handle the substance and/or are not currently suffering from PTSD due to events that are portrayed in this story. I immediately thought of a young girl I have taught who I know desperately needs to read this story to know everything is and will be okay, BUT I would have to make sure and give her the backstory first in case it triggers emotions from her experience that I know she's worked hard to work through. Overall though, I highly recommend it to be put in your upper grade libraries. If you are unsure, I would read first. (Bonus: Bahni Turpin is the audio reader!)

So (well) Done!

This book is really really good so go read or listen to it immediately. Also if you are not a youth have Google at the ready because you're about to feel really old and will need Google's help with some of the text speak and slang.