“Thank you SO much for such a fabulous visit on Friday. You were so funny, personable, intriguing, intelligent, articulate, and inspiring. You were open and willing to answer anything our students were curious about. You surprised us all with the news that you are also a flight attendant – it is wonderful for our students to know that they can be several or many things, and the life advice that they can continue to morph and don’t need to decide RIGHT NOW who to be was right on point. I loved when you talked about being an observer of people; your best strength as a writer seems to be your characterization skills and nuanced approach to helping us “see” people the way you do. There are so many perfect little character moments in We Deserve Monuments – I will never forget the experience of reading it for the first time. I didn’t care for one minute what the plot of that story was…the people will stay with me forever! I hope we get to work with you again on another book – you were such a joy to learn from!” ― Staci Vought, High School Teacher, 2023

“[My students] really engaged with your book and it was a pleasure to teach it.” ― Sarah Levine, Teacher, LGBTQ Writers in School, 2023

“Hammonds’s debut is an outstanding, emotional novel that uncovers decades of familial secrets in a racist Southern town. Family, love, prejudice, death, trauma, sexuality and identity are all examined with care and subtlety. Hammonds is thoughtful as they showcase many kinds of love stories, both romantic and familial, and their deliberate and steady plotting connects the lives of the three generations of women.” ― Shelf Awareness, Starred Review of We Deserve Monuments, 2023

“We Deserve Monuments gives us a complex and deeply injured family, and shows a path to healing.” ― NPR

“A gripping portrayal of the South’s inherent racism and a love story for queer Black girls.” ― Teen Vogue

“Hammonds seamlessly weaves together mystery, romance, and a town’s racist history, crafting a gripping and emotional story. A love story―romantic and familial―that is a must-read.” ― Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

“[An] absolutely stunning debut… Written from a place of love and healing, Hammonds’ definitive standout will stay with readers.” ― Booklist, Starred review

“Life, identity, love, death―it’s all here. We Deserve Monuments marks a noteworthy debut from a writer paving her own literary future.” ― BookPage, Starred Review

“We Deserve Monuments is an absolutely beautiful achievement. I felt this book in my heart, in my very marrow itself.” ― Christina Hammonds Reed, New York Times bestselling author of The Black Kids

“We Deserve Monuments is an exquisite story about the value of family, the danger of long-held secrets, and the beauty of first love. I can’t wait to read everything Jas Hammonds writes.” ― Brandy Colbert, award-winning author of The Voting Booth and Little & Lion

“Jas Hammonds’ new book is stunning, and makes for essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the generational trauma of racist violence in the South.” ― LitHub

“A pull-you-heart-out-with-its-teeth novel. . . [these] characters feel like real people, and so their big love, aches, and humor feel real too. Though the prose, plot, themes, and characters are expertly executed, Avery, the protagonist, carries the voice. Queer kids, Black kids, biracial kids ― and everyone else ― will find so much of themselves in her.” ― Chicago Review of Books