I recently followed/found tracybrownwrites and saw her post something that said “Read Hold You Down if you liked Last Summer On State Street” and she’s right! Y’all know I LOVED LSOS so Hold You Down did not disappoint. Similar LSOS, Hold You Down was real. It was a specific. It was DRAMA. It was vivid. Tbh I cried/had tears welling up several times through this book. Hold You Down is a story about the choices we make when we don’t really have a choice. It’s a story about maintaining family values and playing your role. Although the story is filled with loss, betrayal, pain and all the things the crack epidemic did to our community, the end presents us with an opportunity to heal. Brown reminds us that you do not have to be your trauma. The trauma of your predecessors does not have to be your trauma. She also reminds us that children deserve to live full emotional lives, especially Black boys who are often taught to grow up too fast. Basically, this is your sign to heal. Happy ...