Dead Ends

An electrifying new YA verse-novel by award-winning and Carnegie nominated author and poet, Ashley Hickson-Lovence. Perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds, Dean Atta and Manjeet Mann. 
 
There are stories within these storeys . . . 
 
Something is going down at Singer Court. 
 
Something big. 
 
It’s Saturday morning and fourteen-year-old Toby “Mastermind” McKenzie and his younger brother Dré are forced to evacuate their high-rise tower block by armed officers. 
 
Set over the course of a single day, this is the nail-bitingly thrilling and poetic tale of a bright young Black boy using the power of courage, friendship and unity to save his community. 
 
Ashley Hickson-Lovence's debut verse-novel, Wild East, won the YA Diverse Book Award 2025, the Two Cities Book Award 2024, the Mal Peet Children’s Award 2024 and the East Anglian Book of the Year 2024, was nominated for the Carnegie Medal for Writing 2025 and shortlisted and longlisted for multiple more prizes. 
 
Praise for Wild East: 
 
‘A powerful story of resilience, friendship, discovery and growth’ Jeffrey Boakye, author of Kofi and the Rap Battle Summer 
 
‘I loved Ronny's kindness, vulnerability, empathy, tenacity and open-heartedness’ Patrice Lawrence, author of Orangeboy 
 
‘Raw, moving, and so accessible. A powerful spoken-word style verse novel’ Rashmi Sirdeshpande, author of How To Be Extraordinary 
 
‘Welcomes all types of readers . . . Hickson-Lovence has crafted a superb piece’ DD Armstrong, author of Ugly Dogs Don't Cry 
 
‘A book meant to be heard . . . It's the fresh, “spoken word” style that makes Ronny's story’ The Times 
 
‘Heartfelt and up-to-the-minute . . . A reminder that even short lines can take you a long way’ The Sunday Times 
 
‘This empowering verse novel announces the arrival of an exciting new talent in YA fiction’ Waterstones.com

Ashley Hickson-Lovence is a novelist, poet, literary critic, and Lecturer of Creative Writing. 
Wild East was his first award-winning YA verse-novel, and was partly inspired by his time as a secondary school English teacher, his own move from London to Norwich, and tutoring a group of asylum seekers at an Arvon retreat. Wild East also weaves in Ashley’s love of British hip hop. His second YA verse-novel, Dead Ends, will publish in 2026. Ashley has also written two adult novels, The 392, and Your Show, which was longlisted for the Gordon Burn Prize and shortlisted for the East Anglian Book Awards.

Ashley Hickson-Lovence

A powerful story of resilience, friendship, discovery and growth...Ashley has that rare ability to draw you in quietly and leave you feeling totally invested. I’m certain that if I had this when I was younger it would have changed my life, genuinely

Jeffrey Boakye, author of Kofi and the Rap Battle Summer

I loved the way you name checked other writers and the power of their words...Most of all, I loved Ronny. I loved Ronny's kindness, vulnerability, empathy, tenacity and open-heartedness

For reluctant readers in need of a gentle route towards poetry...heartfelt and up-to-the-minute...A reminder that even short lines can take you a long way

A book meant to be heard...It's the fresh, "spoken word" style that makes Ronny's story special

This empowering verse novel announces the arrival of an exciting new talent in YA fiction

Loved this book. Raw, moving, and so accessible. A powerful spoken-word style verse novel

Rashmi Sirdeshpande, author of How To Be Extraordinary

A cocktail of prose, poetry and creative writing that welcomes all types of readers...Hickson-Lovence has crafted a superb piece

DD Armstrong, author of Ugly Dogs Don't Cry

Compelling coming-of-age story inspired by the author’s own experiences

An astonishing and emotional story...an amazing tale of self-reflection, acceptance, and achieving your greatest aspirations

A positive, uplifting tale that will inspire future word-smiths and those who dare to dream of better things to come

A brilliant verse novel for fans of Jason Reynolds

This book is really a love letter to words and writing, designed to help young people find their own voices as they watch Ronny embrace his

A love letter to poetry and rap lyrics. Celebrating diversity and identity, its verses are influenced by the creativity of Dean Atta, Manjeet Mann and South African writer Katherine Kilalea. Hickson-Lovence uses his personal experiences as the backbone of his narrative… Wild East empowers young adults to discover their own voices and to enjoy their creative abilities

If you've never tried a verse novel, this could be one for you as it cleverly links rap, slam poetry and verse together...an ideal read for short attention spans or anyone who loves a fast read.

This hard-hitting verse novel convinces from the first page...Powerful and memorable.

Winner of the YA Diverse Book Award 2025, the Two Cities Book Award 2024, the Mal Peet Children’s Award 2024 and the East Anglian Book of the Year 2024, and nominated for the 2025 Carnegie Medal for Writing. 
 
A soaring debut YA verse-novel by novelist, poet, and former secondary school teacher Ashley Hickson-Lovence. A perfect next read for fans of Jason Reynolds, Dean Atta and Manjeet Mann. 
 
‘A book meant to be heard . . . It's the fresh, “spoken word” style that makes Ronny's story’ The Times 
 
Pen in one hand, on my wrist, a ticking clock 
I've got to make this work, just need a little luck . . . 
 
When fourteen-year-old Ronny’s life is struck by tragedy, his mum decides it’s finally time they move out of East London. 
 
In his new city, as a Black teenager in a mostly white school, Ronny feels like a complete outsider and struggles to balance keeping his head down with his ambition of becoming a rapper. 
 
But when a local poet comes into class, Ronny discovers a world he’s never considered before. Rap is like spoken word, bars equal poetry – and maybe the combination of both could be the key to achieving his dreams? 
 
Praise for Wild East: 
 
‘A powerful story of resilience, friendship, discovery and growth’ Jeffrey Boakye, author of Kofi and the Rap Battle Summer 
 
‘I loved Ronny's kindness, vulnerability, empathy, tenacity and open-heartedness’ Patrice Lawrence, author of Orangeboy 
 
‘Raw, moving, and so accessible. A powerful spoken-word style verse novel’ Rashmi Sirdeshpande, author of How To Be Extraordinary 
 
‘Welcomes all types of readers . . . Hickson-Lovence has crafted a superb piece’ DD Armstrong, author of Ugly Dogs Don't Cry 
 
‘Heartfelt and up-to-the-minute . . . A reminder that even short lines can take you a long way’ The Sunday Times 
 
‘This empowering verse novel announces the arrival of an exciting new talent in YA fiction’ Waterstones.com

Ashley Hickson-Lovence

Praise for Wild East

A powerful story of resilience, friendship, discovery and growth...Ashley has that rare ability to draw you in quietly and leave you feeling totally invested. I’m certain that if I had this when I was younger it wou ...

I loved the way you name checked other writers and the power of their words...Most of all, I loved Ronny. I loved Ronny's kindness, vulnerability, empathy, tenacity and open-heartedness

For reluctant readers in need of a gentle route towards poetry...heartfelt and up-to-the-minute...A reminder that even short lines can take you a long way

A powerful story of resilience, friendship, discovery and growth...Ashley has that rare ability to draw you in quietly and leave you feeling totally invested. I’m certain that if I had this when I was younger it wou ...

I loved the way you name checked other writers and the power of their words...Most of all, I loved Ronny. I loved Ronny's kindness, vulnerability, empathy, tenacity and open-heartedness

For reluctant readers in need of a gentle route towards poetry...heartfelt and up-to-the-minute...A reminder that even short lines can take you a long way

A powerful story of resilience, friendship, discovery and growth...Ashley has that rare ability to draw you in quietly and leave you feeling totally invested. I’m certain that if I had this when I was younger it wou ...

I loved the way you name checked other writers and the power of their words...Most of all, I loved Ronny. I loved Ronny's kindness, vulnerability, empathy, tenacity and open-heartedness

For reluctant readers in need of a gentle route towards poetry...heartfelt and up-to-the-minute...A reminder that even short lines can take you a long way

Books by Ashley Hickson-Lovence

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