Although I don't think it is necessary to cover LGBQT issues in every YA book, "We Deserve Monuments" does a very admirble job of blending current sexual climate issues with a family tale that covers several generations. Avery's dad is white and her mom is Black. When the family returns to rural Georgia from Washington D.C. to care for Avery's dying grandmother, old hurts and racial tensions boil to the surface. I felt like I was there as Avery, Simone, and Jade pledged their friendship to each other. I also felt like I needed to do something to bring the girls back together once their shared family history exploded. This was one of the most heart wrentching stories I have read in a long time. I would love to know what happened to each of the girls after the year in Bardell, Georgia. Maybe Jas Hammonds would consider writing a follow up to this great book!