Black Sheep by Na'ima B. Robert

I read Black Sheep back in September this year, but wrote down some notes in my trusty reading journal to remember how I felt about this book :)

Book description from the back: Dwayne, 16, meets high-flying, uni-bound Misha, and sparks fly.

To Misha it feels like true love, but her mum is adamant that Dwayne is bad news and forbids her to see him. When Misha decides to follow her heart, the web of secrets and lies begins to tighten.

For Dwayne is not quite who he says he is. And as he struggles to turn his life around while hiding his darker side from Misha, his ties with Trigger, Jukkie and the rest of his boys draw him deeper and deeper into gang violence, more serious and bloody than any he has ever seen. One night, Dwayne’s two lives collide, with devastating consequences.

Fast, furious, and unflinching, Black Sheep explore the fatal attraction of gang life, and the redemptive power of love, hope, and self belief.

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I was really looking forward to reading Black Sheep because I enjoyed Na'ima Robert's other book, Far From Home a lot. After reading it, I gave Black Sheep 4/5 stars, which to me means it was really good (2-3 things disliked about the book).

Throughout Black Sheep, the point of view switches between Dwayne and Misha. This could be a good or bad thing, but it didn't bother me. The length of the story and the subjects makes it a good read especially for teenagers/ high school students in my opinion.

I hadn't read a gang related book in a long time, so Black Sheep was interesting and different, and I was curious to know if all the trouble Misha was going through was worth it for Dwayne. This book also got me interested again to read Malcolm X's autobiography.

While reading, I felt Misha's mother was the typical overprotective helicopter parent who means well, but wants to control their children's life. Dwayne's mother seemed the opposite; not expecting any good from her son and thinking he is worthless! This book is a great example and goes to show that hanging with the wrong crowd, especially if they are "friends", can get a person in a lot of trouble!  

I loved Leona's advice and talk with Misha around pgs. 228-233. However, the dialogue throughout Black Sheep was a little hard to decipher because of the British/ Jamaican accent. I liked that the ending wasn't a rushed "happily ever after" for the two main characters, but I did want to read more about what happened to Dwayne.

These are my thoughts on Black Sheep by Na'ima B. Robert. If you want to purchase this book, order a brand new copy from Books by the Dozen to support by business :)