Sun Keep Rising by Kristen R. Lee (Interview & Review)

When rent increases put a teen mom at risk of losing her home, she resorts to a dangerous game to keep her family afloat. But all games have consequences, and this isn't one she can afford to lose. A gripping story about race, income instability, and the strength it takes to survive from a critically acclaimed author.

"Kristen R. Lee is a miraculous story weaver" — Mahogany L. Browne, author of Vinyl Moon

B'onca always knew how to get by. And then her daughter is born. She wouldn't trade Mia for anything, but there is never enough cash to go around. When their gentrifying Memphis neighborhood results in higher prices and then an eviction notice, B'onca's already fragile world spirals. Desperate to make things right, B'onca forges a risky plan to help pay the bills. But one wrong move could cost B'onca—and her family—everything.

From the celebrated author of Required Reading for the Disenfranchised Freshman comes a compelling story about a teen mom navigating income disparity and racial inequality, and defying challenges to protect those she loves.

Genre: Contemporary Young Adult Fiction | Publication Date: January 24, 2023 | Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers/Penguin Random House | Page Count: 240 (Hardcover) | Disclosure: I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1. What is your favorite quote or scene in the novel?

One of my favorite scenes in the novel is when B’onca confronts her mother in the park. She has this revelation that she can’t think of her as her mother anymore because that person no longer exists. Having to grieve a parent that isn’t dead is honestly one of the hardest things to do, and that path B'onca takes from being a daughter to just being a mother is quite powerful.

2. If any of your books became a movie, which actors and actresses would you cast and why?

I love this question! The only person I have a clear picture of is Storm Reid playing B'onca. I've fallen in love with her acting over the past few years, and after seeing her in Euphoria I know she could handle the gritty material that SUN KEEP RISING has.

3. Which element came first to you while drafting Sun Keep Rising, the plot, the characters, or the general theme of teen motherhood?

The general theme of teen motherhood! I knew I wanted to write a story that deals with motherhood, but I didn't have the current plot or even characters. Fun fact: SKR was originally supposed to begin with a teenage girl who discovers she's pregnant, but I wanted to focus more on the after that comes when being a young mother.

4. Compared to your debut novel, Required Reading for the Disenfranchised Freshman, what are some new challenges and triumphs you faced writing Sun Keep Rising?

Since RR is loosely based on my personal experiences, I did not have to dig too deeply when coming up with material to write. However, with SKR I had to be more delicate and mindful of how I portrayed some of the things I was writing about. Although I am the product of a teenage mother I was not one. I wanted to be sure that I was humanizing and not stereotyping.

5. Do you have another young adult book in the works or plans to branch out into another age demographic?

I'm currently drafting a new young-adult novel. I can't say much, but it is set in the same universe as RR and SKR. My current dream goal is to branch out to middle-grade and even picture books!