Blade Morrison’s mom died when he was ten years-old. Her death left a void in his life that no one could to fill. He certainly can’t relate to his negligent, drug and alcohol addicted rock star father, Rutherford Morrison, who craves the limelight like flowers crave the sun. And, Blade hates the paparazzi that keep him from living a normal life. The only thing Blade shares with his father is their ability to create great music. Now seven years later, several events occurring in quick succession push Blade in a direction he never thought he would take. At Blade’s high-school graduation ceremony, Rutherford shows up drunk and makes a big, super embarrassing scene. In the fight afterwards, Blade’s sister reveals that Blade is adopted. He’s not even Rutherford’s biological son, and his mother is not really his mother. Then, when Blade decides to find his biological mother in Ghana, he discovers that his girlfriend is secretly dating someone else which makes sense because her parents distrust Blade because of his father’s reputation. And, the graduation fiasco just made everything worse. So, with no one to hold him at home, Blade travels to Ghana in search of a past that will determine his future.
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com ( )

Blade Morrison wants to live his own life by leaving behind his father who suffers from drug addiction and his sister. He grows up in a well-off family but wants to provide his own way. Blade doesn't want anything to do with his father. The death of his mother affected him. Named for the black superhero, Blade shares his family’s connection to music but resents the paparazzi that prevent him from having an open relationship with the girl that he loves. However, there is one secret even Blade is unaware of, and when his sister reveals the truth of his heritage during a bitter fight, Blade is stunned. He goes on a search that will lead him to a small, remote village in Ghana. In this book, you will learn about different music and cultures. During his trip, he meets Joy, a young girl from Ghana who helps him despite her suspicions of Americans. This novel is full of the music that forms its core. Will he ever be able to form a relationship with his father? What will he learn on his trip to Ghana? This book is a must-read for anyone. ( )

Thank you to Kwame Alexander, Mary Rand Hess, Blink Publishers, and NetGalley for this free honest reviewer copy of "Solo."

I was absolutely sold from go about this new Young Adult novel being written entirely in poetry and music. This novel was powerful in its impact and incredibly needed in a world where poetry is seen increasingly as an esoteric language but where song (which is poetry set music) is the reigning king, that no one sees the earlier shadow and shining crown of.

This whole novel was heart felt, painful, perfect and I hope that the author writes many, many more like this. ( )

Wow...just wow...❤️ ( )

I've been wanting to read a Kwame Alexander book for a while, and the blurb on this one caught my eye! In this free-verse book, Blade has had a pretty interesting upbringing: his dad, Rutherford Morrison, is a former-rocker, now-alcoholic, so growing up for Blade meant a lot of "sex, drugs, and rock and roll." Even though his dad has been on a steady decline of DUIs and arrests, especially after Blade's mom died, Blade has made it to his high school graduation as salutatorian! After his dad continues his rock and roll ways and manages to crash the graduation, Blade doesn't think his life can get any worse... until he finds out (mini-spoiler alert! about 1/3 into the book!) that he's adopted. The book is split into two parts at this point-- Pt 1. Hollywood and Pt 2. West Africa-- as Blade goes on a quest to find his birth mom. Somehow, it comes as no surprise when his dad manages to show up in Africa, too. Will he manage to destroy this journey for Blade, or will Blade finally be able to find out who he really is?

One neat feature that Kwame Alexander utilizes throughout is a "playlist" of songs that match the mood or situation in the story. I played the songs as I read that part of the book and enjoyed what they added to the story. One song, for example, also contained African history, and one was about Hendrix playing Star-Spangled Banner at Woodstock. Blade and his father are both musicians, so there are also original lyrics/songs throughout.

There aren't really dialogue tags or standard formatting since it's written in free-verse, so conversations with more than 2 people could get a little confusing. I also didn't like one character's story line/one resolution for a character. I took off stars because this element of the end felt unnecessary and like it was trying to force extra emotion that the story didn't need. ( )