Can't Wait Wednesday: Like a Love Story by Abdi Nazemian

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme (that will help me remember what to buy for my library) that's hosted by Wishful Endings. It's based off the weekly meme Waiting on Wednesday that was hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. 

Boy I can't wait to read 

It’s 1989 in New York City, and for three teens, the world is changing.

Reza is an Iranian boy who has just moved to the city with his mother to live with his stepfather and stepbrother. He’s terrified that someone will guess the truth he can barely acknowledge about himself. Reza knows he’s gay, but all he knows of gay life are the media’s images of men dying of AIDS.

Judy is an aspiring fashion designer who worships her uncle Stephen, a gay man with AIDS who devotes his time to activism as a member of ACT UP. Judy has never imagined finding romance… until she falls for Reza and they start dating.

Art is Judy’s best friend, their school’s only out-and-proud teen. He’ll never be who his conservative parents want him to be, so he rebels by documenting the AIDS crisis through his photographs.

As Reza and Art grow closer, Reza struggles to find a way out of his deception that won’t break Judy’s heart—and destroy the most meaningful friendship he’s ever known.

Publication Date: June 4, 2019

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Review:The Oddball Chronicles by Michael Williams

Omar Odd is the kid who sits quietly in the back of the classroom with his headphones on. He is the kid who is always picked last for every team he tries to be apart of. He is the kid who's just searching for a little bit of peace and quiet, in a world full of chaotic noise. Omar Odd is a new transfer high school student to the town of Ridgewood. He prefers to live the life of an outsider, but even outsiders find an in crowd. As Omar grows into young adulthood he finds that his life is a series of trial and error. More often than not, he finds himself on the error side of things. With wittiness, luck, questionable judgment, and the help of new found friends, Omar attempts to navigate the road of life while avoiding oncoming traffic. These are his victories, his defeats, but most importantly, his truths. These are, The Oddball Chronicles.

This book was sent to me by the author in exchange for an honest review.

I was contacted by the author and provided a digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

The Oddball Chronicles are about new kid Omar Odd and his high school flubs, social media storms, and basically being 17 in America.

 I like the odd ball chronicles. This book was instantly intriguing to me as a Librarian because I can think of about about 4 different types of readers I can give this book to. We meet Omar, learn a bit about his past, and run straight into conflict before we know what’s happening.

While Omar is presented to us as a quiet kid who likes to fly under the radar and avoid crowds, it doesn’t take long before he’s broken the internet and starting news worth national debate over his school presentation, (that was presumably recorded by some kid from the class) on Christopher Columbus. In his speech, Omar, deviates from the information in the class textbook and explains not only did Christopher Columbus “discover” America, he stole land, slaughtered and/or enslaved those native to the country, and apparently was on board with the child sex trade??? (which is news to me and I’m going to look it up asap).

The conflict that Omar’s speech created was pretty indicative of what we see almost every day on the news and peppered throughout Social Media, I just wish we could have gone deeper down that rabbit hole. We were told that Omar’s speech sparked videos made by others, 100,000 views, and goodness knows how many comments, but I think we readers could have connected more with Omar during this backlash if we could have seen more of what he saw. Then we go to the school, and the parents reaction, to the schools reaction, was pretty confusing. That whole moment of the book was a bit touch and go for me, it felt like there were paragraphs missing, but I really liked what was there.

We migrate away from Christopher Columbus and Omar is simply trying to exist in the world and finally meets some friends! There is a motley crew of three boys and a girl, and crazy shenanigans that make you forget they’ve only knew each other for a few hours. I liked “The Crew” as they called themselves, but I’d love to see more of them, figure out who they are as individuals. Right now we have Thiago the party kid, Russ the quiet kid, Zuri the gamer girl, and Kaz the outspoken leader. I hope that as the chronicles continue, this new friendship builds, and they get in more trouble because it was a hilarious hot mess.

I would also like to shout out one of my favorite lines from the book because the imagery is just darn beautiful. “As Kaz ended his sentence I watched all of my hopes and dreams take a nosedive out of the sky and explode into heartbroken pieces of shrapnel.” Our author really knows how to paint a picture doesn’t he!

3.5 Stars

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Can't Wait Wednesday- The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme (that will help me remember what to buy for my library) that's hosted by Wishful Endings. It's based off the weekly meme Waiting on Wednesday that was hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. 

Boy I can't wait to read 

By day, seventeen-year-old Jo Kuan works as a lady's maid for the cruel daughter of one of the wealthiest men in Atlanta. But by night, Jo moonlights as the pseudonymous author of a newspaper advice column for the genteel Southern lady, "Dear Miss Sweetie." When her column becomes wildly popular, she uses the power of the pen to address some of society's ills, but she's not prepared for the backlash that follows when her column challenges fixed ideas about race and gender.

While her opponents clamor to uncover the secret identity of Miss Sweetie, a mysterious letter sets Jo off on a search for her own past and the parents who abandoned her as a baby. But when her efforts put her in the crosshairs of Atlanta's most notorious criminal, Jo must decide whether she, a girl used to living in the shadows, is ready to step into the light.

Publication Date: August 13, 2019

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Review: Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

Jane McKeene was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg and Chancellorsville—derailing the War Between the States and changing America forever. In this new nation, safety for all depends on the work of a few, and laws like the Native and Negro Reeducation Act require certain children attend combat schools to learn to put down the dead. But there are also opportunities—and Jane is studying to become an Attendant, trained in both weaponry and etiquette to protect the well-to-do. It’s a chance for a better life for Negro girls like Jane. After all, not even being the daughter of a wealthy white Southern woman could save her from society’s expectations.

But that’s not a life Jane wants. Almost finished with her education at Miss Preston’s School of Combat in Baltimore, Jane is set on returning to her Kentucky home and doesn’t pay much mind to the politics of the eastern cities, with their talk of returning America to the glory of its days before the dead rose. But when families around Baltimore County begin to go missing, Jane is caught in the middle of a conspiracy, one that finds her in a desperate fight for her life against some powerful enemies. And the restless dead, it would seem, are the least of her problems.

I love Jane’s character. She’s tough, defiant, and street smart. It’s easy to only see her bad-assery and miss the fact that she’s a very loving character as well, I’m not sure if I’d write my mother letters for a year even though I never got a response. She’s also an intellectual, she seeks out the written word even though it’s forbidden to her. And while this isn’t necessarily something that we should celebrate, Jane is uncertain of herself and her looks. It can be hard as a dark skinned girl with kinky hair to not feel “less than” when you’re standing next to a country’s “preferred” or traditional form of beauty, tanned skin (whatever that actually means) and loose ringlets, particularly during the time period of this book (although I'm not entirely sure when that is). I’m not sure if this is me, pushing my feelings on the character of Jane, or if this is what Ireland was aiming for, but Jane seems to really like herself 100%, but there’s that little thing in the back of her head that pops out every time she’s around Katherine that makes her feel less than for just a moment. It’s great to see a character that’s tough but also a flawed, real person.

I like the subtle elements of fantasy buried in this Historical Fiction tale. We have the obvious zombies, fantasy all the way, but the penny that only turned ice cold if there was danger nearby was slight but appreciated, and I couldn’t quite visualize those carriages but they sounded cool.

This book is suppose to be a type of alternate history. Slavery “ended” the same way it did in the history books, but these black people were then sent off to work, in a manner that was similar to that of indentured servitude, as zombie slayers. Ireland does NOT shy away from what slavery was and the way black people were treated both in real history and in her rendition, everything from passing, to dumbing yourself down, to the hanging tree. Ireland is amazing.  

“The sheriff has taken every opportunity to insult us and remind us of the circumstances of our dark skin and I’d like nothing more than to tell him what I think.”... “I know I am more than my skin color.” I love this quote so freaking much. I want to make a shirt that says I am more than my skin color. Does it already exist?? I will make one!!

This book was amazing. Please read it. 

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Readers Advisory: My favorite reads of 2018

So this is more my favorites that any books that have been requested by kids who come into the library. A list of my favorite books that I read this year, it wasn't as many as I'd hoped but I'm SUPER sleepy all the time!

They killed my mother.
They took our magic.
They tried to bury us.

Now we rise.

Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.

Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers and her growing feelings for an enemy. 

 Jane McKeene was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg and Chancellorsville—derailing the War Between the States and changing America forever. In this new nation, safety for all depends on the work of a few, and laws like the Native and Negro Reeducation Act require certain children attend combat schools to learn to put down the dead. But there are also opportunities—and Jane is studying to become an Attendant, trained in both weaponry and etiquette to protect the well-to-do. It’s a chance for a better life for Negro girls like Jane. After all, not even being the daughter of a wealthy white Southern woman could save her from society’s expectations.

But that’s not a life Jane wants. Almost finished with her education at Miss Preston’s School of Combat in Baltimore, Jane is set on returning to her Kentucky home and doesn’t pay much mind to the politics of the eastern cities, with their talk of returning America to the glory of its days before the dead rose. But when families around Baltimore County begin to go missing, Jane is caught in the middle of a conspiracy, one that finds her in a desperate fight for her life against some powerful enemies. And the restless dead, it would seem, are the least of her problems.

Careful--you are holding fresh ink. And not hot-off-the-press, still-drying-in-your-hands ink. Instead, you are holding twelve stories with endings that are still being written--whose next chapters are up to you.

Because these stories are meant to be read. And shared.

Thirteen of the most accomplished YA authors deliver a label-defying anthology that includes ten short stories, a graphic novel, and a one-act play. This collection will inspire you to break conventions, bend the rules, and color outside the lines. All you need is fresh ink.

Emika Chen barely made it out of the Warcross Championships alive. Now that she knows the truth behind Hideo's new NeuroLink algorithm, she can no longer trust the one person she's always looked up to, who she once thought was on her side.

Determined to put a stop to Hideo's grim plans, Emika and the Phoenix Riders band together, only to find a new threat lurking on the neon-lit streets of Tokyo. Someone's put a bounty on Emika's head, and her sole chance for survival lies with Zero and the Blackcoats, his ruthless crew. But Emika soon learns that Zero isn't all that he seems--and his protection comes at a price.

Caught in a web of betrayal, with the future of free will at risk, just how far will Emika go to take down the man she loves?

 8 Hours and 5 Minutes

There are three kinds of people in my world:

1. Saints, those special people moving the world forward. Sometimes you glaze over them. Or, at least, I do. They’re in your face so much, you can’t see them, like how you can’t see your nose.

2. Misfits, people who don’t belong. Like me—the way I don’t fit into Dad’s brand-new family or in the leftover one composed of Mom and my older brother, Mama’s-Boy-Muhammad.

Also, there’s Jeremy and me. Misfits. Because although, alliteratively speaking, Janna and Jeremy sound good together, we don’t go together. Same planet, different worlds.

But sometimes worlds collide and beautiful things happen, right?

3. Monsters. Well, monsters wearing saint masks, like in Flannery O’Connor’s stories.

Like the monster at my mosque.

People think he’s holy, untouchable, but nobody has seen under the mask.

Except me.

 A remarkable story about the power of choosing tolerance from one of the most important voices in contemporary Muslim literature, critically acclaimed author Randa Abdel-Fattah. Michael usually concerns himself with basketball and hanging out with his friends, but every once in a while, his parents drag him to meetings and rallies with their anti-immigrant group. And it all makes sense to Michael. Until Mina, a beautiful girl from the other side of the protest lines, shows up at his school, and turns out to be funny, smart -- and a Muslim refugee from Afghanistan. Suddenly, his parents' politics seem much more complicated. Mina has already had a long and arduous journey leaving behind her besieged home in Afghanistan, and the frigid welcome at her new school is daunting. She just wants to settle in and help her parents get their restaurant up and running. But nothing about her new community will be that easy. As tensions increase, lines are drawn. Michael has to decide where he stands. Mina has to protect herself and her family. Both have to choose what they want their world to look like. 

 Alice had her whole summer planned. Non-stop all-you-can-eat buffets while marathoning her favorite TV shows (best friends totally included) with the smallest dash of adulting--working at the library to pay her share of the rent. The only thing missing from her perfect plan? Her girlfriend (who ended things when Alice confessed she's asexual). Alice is done with dating--no thank you, do not pass go, stick a fork in her, done.

But then Alice meets Takumi and she can’t stop thinking about him or the rom com-grade romance feels she did not ask for (uncertainty, butterflies, and swoons, oh my!).

When her blissful summer takes an unexpected turn, and Takumi becomes her knight with a shiny library employee badge (close enough), Alice has to decide if she’s willing to risk their friendship for a love that might not be reciprocated—or understood. 

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Can't Wait Wednesday: Let's Go Swimmin on Doomsday by Natalie C. Anderson

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme (that will help me remember what to buy for my library) that's hosted by Wishful Endings. It's based off the weekly meme Waiting on Wednesday that was hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. 

Boy I can't wait to read 

When Abdi's family is kidnapped, he's forced to do the unthinkable: become a child soldier with the ruthless jihadi group Al Shabaab. In order to save the lives of those he loves, and earn their freedom, Abdi agrees to be embedded as a spy within the militia's ranks and to send dispatches on their plans to the Americans. The jihadists trust Abdi immediately because his older brother, Dahir, is already one of them, protégé to General Idris, aka the Butcher. If Abdi's duplicity is discovered, he will be killed.

For weeks, Abdi trains with them, witnessing atrocity after atrocity, becoming a monster himself, wondering if he's even pretending anymore. He only escapes after he is forced into a suicide bomber's vest, which still leaves him stumps where two of his fingers used to be and his brother near death. Eventually, he finds himself on the streets of Sangui City, Kenya, stealing what he can find to get by, sleeping nights in empty alleyways, wondering what's become of the family that was stolen from him. But everything changes when Abdi's picked up for a petty theft, which sets into motion a chain reaction that forces him to reckon with a past he's been trying to forget.

In this riveting, unflinching tale of sacrifice and hope, critically-acclaimed author Natalie C. Anderson delivers another tour-de-force that will leave readers at the edge of their seats.

Publication Date: January 15, 2019

I reviewed Natalie C. Anderson's first book City of Saints and Thieves here, and I really liked it even though it isn't Own Voices. I'm really looking froward to reading her second novel.

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Review: All Our Broken Pieces by L.D. Crichton

I was provided a digital copy of this book by Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. 

Publication date: May 7, 2019

"You can’t keep two people who are meant to be together apart for long...”

Lennon Davis doesn’t believe in much, but she does believe in the security of the number five. If she flicks the bedroom light switch five times, maybe her new L.A. school won’t suck. But that doesn’t feel right, so she flicks the switch again. And again. Ten more flicks of the switch and maybe her new step family will accept her. Twenty-five more flicks and maybe she won’t cause any more of her loved ones to die. Fifty times more and then she can finally go to sleep.

Kyler Benton witnesses this pattern of lights from the safety of his treehouse in the yard next door. It is only there, hidden from the unwanted stares of his peers, that Kyler can fill his notebooks with lyrics that reveal the true scars of the boy behind the oversized hoodies and caustic humor. But Kyler finds that descriptions of blonde hair, sad eyes, and tapping fingers are beginning to fill the pages of his notebooks. Lennon, the lonely girl next door his father has warned him about, infiltrates his mind. Even though he has enough to deal with without Lennon’s rumored tragic past in his life, Kyler can’t help but want to know the truth about his new muse.

I'd like to start by saying that I don't have OCD, so any observations that I make in this review were not made through the eyes of someone who lives with this disorder, just someone who ia interested in learning about a variety of marginalized groups.

Lennon has OCD, the recent death of her mother, her move 3,000 from Maine to LA, and her evil stepsister seem to be triggered her OCD and ritualizing but she is managing. When Lennon is paired with Kyler for their English project on a modern version of Romeo and Juliet she stumbles across someone who understands her in a way that she hasn't had since her mother died.

As far as I'm concerned Kyler and Lennon are an A team. Kyler who has had a large burn scar on his face since he was a child is use to being an outsider, he's use to people looking at his large frame, oversized hoodie, and less than pleasant attitude and assume that he must spend his days smoking out back with no ambitions, but they couldn't be more wrong.

Lennon however wears her scars on the inside. She does things in sets of 5, she functions mostly with the assistance of anti anxiety medication, and her mind is plagued horrifying thought that she might be responsible for the death of a loved one.

While Lennon is struggling for control over her mind, that doesn't mean she's a delicate flower. When she's with Kyler and he dishes out sass, she throws it right back. It was lovely to see Lennon a flawed character who didn't completely lose herself to her disorder, she keeps her personality as best as she could and fought hard.

Kyler hid his hurt behind long hair, hoodies, and a snarky attitude, and I thought it was perfect. What I loved about Kyler was that while he had insecurities about how he looked (as anyone would) and did his best to hide is scars, he was always authentically himself. While he fought his own demons (many of which took the form of his dad) he helped Lennon fight hers.

I love Lennon and Kyler's, band names and slogans. I loved the moments when Kyler was able to face his fears head on in front of the whole school. I also appreciated that mental health facilities and therapist weren't villainized. It's okay to address your mental health. It's okay to ask for help. Lennon taught us that.

I will say that I wish we could see more of the relationship between Kyler and his dad. There was a lot left unsaid there and I was hoping for some type of resolution or at least accountability.

I give this book 4 stars and I suggest it to anyone and everyone, mental health concerns or not.

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Readers Advisory: Something Interesting

So there's a 7th grade girl that comes into the library, she actually just begun volunteering with us. When she comes in she says "Ms. Kym, can you find me something interesting." And she wont give me ANYTHING else to work with. At this point I think she finds it funny because she knows it drives me crazy. I'm finally beginning to understand what she wants that thought I'd help anyone else who has an preteen who likes to see your gears turn.Also I'll go back and look at this post when she comes back. lol.

 

This the first book that I chose for her that she really loved!

Meet Scarlett, a smart, sarcastic, kick-butt, Muslim American heroine, ready to take on crime in her hometown of Las Almas. When a new case finds the private eye caught up in a centuries-old battle of evil genies and ancient curses, Scarlett discovers that her own family secrets may have more to do with the situation than she thinks -- and that cracking the case could lead to solving her father's murder.

Jennifer Latham delivers a compelling story and a character to remember in this one-of-a-kind debut novel.

   

Another book she loved. Can you get where this is going. Weird but not too weird I guess. 

Maddie Fynn is a shy high school junior, cursed with an eerie intuitive ability: she sees a series of unique digits hovering above the foreheads of each person she encounters. Her earliest memories are marked by these numbers, but it takes her father’s premature death for Maddie and her family to realize that these mysterious digits are actually death dates, and just like birthdays, everyone has one.

Forced by her alcoholic mother to use her ability to make extra money, Maddie identifies the quickly approaching death date of one client's young son, but because her ability only allows her to see the when and not the how, she’s unable to offer any more insight. When the boy goes missing on that exact date, law enforcement turns to Maddie.

Soon, Maddie is entangled in a homicide investigation, and more young people disappear and are later found murdered. A suspect for the investigation, a target for the murderer, and attracting the attentions of a mysterious young admirer who may be connected to it all, Maddie's whole existence is about to be turned upside down. Can she right things before it's too late?

 

No idea how she feels about zombies but we'll see I guess!

Jane McKeene was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg and Chancellorsville—derailing the War Between the States and changing America forever. In this new nation, safety for all depends on the work of a few, and laws like the Native and Negro Reeducation Act require certain children attend combat schools to learn to put down the dead. But there are also opportunities—and Jane is studying to become an Attendant, trained in both weaponry and etiquette to protect the well-to-do. It’s a chance for a better life for Negro girls like Jane. After all, not even being the daughter of a wealthy white Southern woman could save her from society’s expectations.

But that’s not a life Jane wants. Almost finished with her education at Miss Preston’s School of Combat in Baltimore, Jane is set on returning to her Kentucky home and doesn’t pay much mind to the politics of the eastern cities, with their talk of returning America to the glory of its days before the dead rose. But when families around Baltimore County begin to go missing, Jane is caught in the middle of a conspiracy, one that finds her in a desperate fight for her life against some powerful enemies. And the restless dead, it would seem, are the least of her problems.  

 

I'm not sure if this has enough action for this particular girl, but it's certainly interesting.

What if the ordinary things in life suddenly…disappeared?

Aila Quinn’s mother, Juliet, has always been a mystery: vibrant yet guarded, she keeps her secrets beyond Aila’s reach. When Juliet dies, Aila and her younger brother Miles are sent to live in Sterling, a rural town far from home--and the place where Juliet grew up.

Sterling is a place with mysteries of its own. A place where the experiences that weave life together--scents of flowers and food, reflections from mirrors and lakes, even the ability to dream--vanish every seven years.

No one knows what caused these “Disappearances,” or what will slip away next. But Sterling always suspected that Juliet Quinn was somehow responsible--and Aila must bear the brunt of their blame while she follows the chain of literary clues her mother left behind.

As the next Disappearance nears, Aila begins to unravel the dual mystery of why the Disappearances happen and who her mother truly was. One thing is clear: Sterling isn’t going to hold on to anyone's secrets for long before it starts giving them up. 

It happened like this. I was stolen from an airport. Taken from everything I knew, everything I was used to. Taken to sand and heat, dirt and danger. And he expected me to love him.

This is my story.

A letter from nowhere.

Sixteen-year-old Gemma is kidnapped from Bangkok airport and taken to the Australian Outback. This wild and desolate landscape becomes almost a character in the book, so vividly is it described. Ty, her captor, is no stereotype. He is young, fit and completely gorgeous. This new life in the wilderness has been years in the planning. He loves only her, wants only her. Under the hot glare of the Australian sun, cut off from the world outside, can the force of his love make Gemma love him back?

The story takes the form of a letter, written by Gemma to Ty, reflecting on those strange and disturbing months in the outback. Months when the lines between love and obsession, and love and dependency, blur until they don't exist--almost.

I have no idea if these books will satisfy "interesting" but I'll do my best. All of these book have an unique aspect to them for the reader who wants something that's just a bit "normal contemporary". Pray for me yall. 

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Can't Wait Wednesday: With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme (that will help me remember what to buy for my library) that's hosted by Wishful Endings. It's based off the weekly meme Waiting on Wednesday that was hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. 

Boy I can't wait to read 

Ever since she got pregnant freshman year, Emoni Santiago’s life has been about making the tough decisions—doing what has to be done for her daughter and her abuela. The one place she can let all that go is in the kitchen, where she adds a little something magical to everything she cooks, turning her food into straight-up goodness.

Even though she dreams of working as a chef after she graduates, Emoni knows that it’s not worth her time to pursue the impossible. Yet despite the rules she thinks she has to play by, once Emoni starts cooking, her only choice is to let her talent break free.

Publication Date: May 7, 2019

Guy, I'm so excited about this book. I haven't read many books that focus on a teen mom pursuing her dreams. We have a teen mom meeting a new guy, a teen mom trying to get the old guy back, a teen mom and her regrets, but this looks different and I'm READY!

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Readers Advisory: I really liked The Hate You Give...

If I had a dime for every time a kid came to me or a kids moms came to me and said, "I really liked The Hate You Give, do you have a book like that?" I actually wouldn't have a as many dimes as you'd think. I actually had a girl tell me she only reads books that are also movies. I'm waiting until the all figure out The Sun is Also a Star is going to be a movie... that's still happening right?? I might buy more copies of it anyway. Anyway, I was asked this question yesterday and figured I'd do a readers advisory post for those of you who are struggling to think up titles. Sooooo here we go!

 

So, this book isn't so much social justice as it give the background on a character who goes on to cause people to fight for social justice. This of it as a characters background story, and it's SUPER GOOD.

The rock in the water does not know the pain of the rock in the sun.

On the corner of American Street and Joy Road, Fabiola Toussaint thought she would finally find une belle vie—a good life.

But after they leave Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Fabiola’s mother is detained by U.S. immigration, leaving Fabiola to navigate her loud American cousins, Chantal, Donna, and Princess; the grittiness of Detroit’s west side; a new school; and a surprising romance, all on her own.

Just as she finds her footing in this strange new world, a dangerous proposition presents itself, and Fabiola soon realizes that freedom comes at a cost. Trapped at the crossroads of an impossible choice, will she pay the price for the American dream? 

 

Raw, captivating, and undeniably real, Nic Stone joins industry giants Jason Reynolds and Walter Dean Myers as she boldly tackles American race relations in this stunning debut.

Justyce McAllister is top of his class and set for the Ivy League—but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. And despite leaving his rough neighborhood behind, he can't escape the scorn of his former peers or the ridicule of his new classmates. Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out.

Then comes the day Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down, music turned up—way up, sparking the fury of a white off-duty cop beside them. Words fly. Shots are fired. Justyce and Manny are caught in the crosshairs. In the media fallout, it's Justyce who is under attack.

 

When Marvin Johnson's twin, Tyler, goes to a party, Marvin decides to tag along to keep an eye on his brother. But what starts as harmless fun turns into a shooting, followed by a police raid.

The next day, Tyler has gone missing, and it's up to Marvin to find him. But when Tyler is found dead, a video leaked online tells an even more chilling story: Tyler has been shot and killed by a police officer. Terrified as his mother unravels and mourning a brother who is now a hashtag, Marvin must learn what justice and freedom really mean. 

 

 Rashad is absent again today.

That’s the sidewalk graffiti that started it all…

Well, no, actually, a lady tripping over Rashad at the store, making him drop a bag of chips, was what started it all. Because it didn’t matter what Rashad said next—that it was an accident, that he wasn’t stealing—the cop just kept pounding him. Over and over, pummeling him into the pavement. So then Rashad, an ROTC kid with mad art skills, was absent again…and again…stuck in a hospital room. Why? Because it looked like he was stealing. And he was a black kid in baggy clothes. So he must have been stealing.

And that’s how it started.

And that’s what Quinn, a white kid, saw. He saw his best friend’s older brother beating the daylights out of a classmate. At first Quinn doesn’t tell a soul…He’s not even sure he understands it. And does it matter? The whole thing was caught on camera, anyway. But when the school—and nation—start to divide on what happens, blame spreads like wildfire fed by ugly words like “racism” and “police brutality.” Quinn realizes he’s got to understand it, because, bystander or not, he’s a part of history. He just has to figure out what side of history that will be.

 

 When sixteen-year-old Tariq Johnson dies from two gunshot wounds, his community is thrown into an uproar. Tariq was black. The shooter, Jack Franklin, is white.

In the aftermath of Tariq's death, everyone has something to say, but no two accounts of the events line up. Day by day, new twists further obscure the truth.

Tariq's friends, family, and community struggle to make sense of the tragedy, and to cope with the hole left behind when a life is cut short. In their own words, they grapple for a way to say with certainty: This is how it went down.

I hope this helps those of you trying to find other social and racial justice book for your teens, or for those of you who were touched by The Hate You Give and want more! Have a good week friends! 

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Review: Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

They killed my mother.
They took our magic.
They tried to bury us.

Now we rise.

Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.

Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers and her growing feelings for an enemy. 

Guys. I literally just finished this book. I read it in two days, and I have an actual headache. Talk about a book hangover. I apologize because there's no way that I'm going to be able to coherently verbalize my emotions and thoughts about this book.

If you couldn't tell, I loved this book. I bought it way back when, but I never got a chance to read it because of this darn book award committee that I was on. I run a chapter of the Forever Young Adult Book Club and this is Decembers pick and thank goodness for that.

The only way I can write this post is to make a list. So...
What I loved:

-The diversity. Clearly I'm always hoping to find diversity in my novels, but this book easily could have fallen into the tropes of color-ism (lighter skinned "good" guys and darker skinned "bad" guys) but it didn't happen. You could be good or evil no matter what shade of brown you were. Equal opportunity brownness!

-Despite the daunting size of the book, the pacing was on point. I don't recall any moments where the book dragged, I struggled to keep the names and places straight but that's probably more my brain than anything else. I found myself pushing through the book thinking "well where the heck can she possibly go from here??!!" Followed by "Oh snap! I guess that's where she goes, okay cool."

-Amari! Talk about a fascinating character. There are many books where a character transition from sky and timid to strong and badass, but a lot of the times by the end of the book you feel like you've read about two completely different characters. Their transition can required the reader to suspend too much of their disbelief. NOT THIS TIME FOLKS. Amari had darn good reasons to be afraid and it was understandable that she let that fear guide her, but there were constant bursts of strength and resilience, and what was also lovely to see, she was a great friend, a confidant. I loved the moments between her and Zel.

-There was just so much darn adventure and so many twists and turns. One day Zel stumbled over Amari, then they're the chosen ones (and not in a dumb way) and have to bring back magic, all the while Inan is chasing them, there are ships, a secrete camp, there are even more ships, it just goes and goes and goes. There are also weird large cat creates I guess. Dude I don't know but it was all awesome.

-Okay, let's talk about Inan without spoilers (but there might be small spoilers). A more troubling guy you'll never meet. First off, we never quite understand what happens to him at the temple. I can only assume we'll learn more in the next book. He makes this weird transition from a loyal Prince of the crown, to team Zel. That transition makes sense based off what happens in the temple, and what he learns from Zel about the struggles her people have faced. Then stuff happens at the camp, and he transitions again. As horrible as it sounds, I can understand his fear, I can understand his reasoning. From the beginning Inan has always been a weak character (although we love those heart throb moments) which may be easy to miss when you compare him to his sister Amari. But... it is what it is. Then we get to the end, and... I don't even know... I feel like the overall ending (like the entire book) I kind of predicted, but the end of the book with regards to Inan, I'm still not sure what to think... how to feel. TOMI ADEYEMI HELP ME OUT GIRLFRIEND!!

-Yall, there was so much destruction. I don't necessarily like that, but I think it took the book to a place of realism that some authors are afraid to go. Good people died. Innocent people died, and we readers weren't hidden from those details or from that heartbreak. It's a part of what made the book real.

What I need more of that I'm sure if going to be in the second book:
I struggled to understand the history of Zel's people and I'm sure that is mostly my brain struggling to adapt to the high fantasy that we readers were inundated with. I wish we could see more of the magic. I wish we could understand it more. That being said, I'm sure more of that is coming in the next book.


Guys, I apologize for all of my feelings, this post is a hot mess, but It's only been about 20 minutes since I've finished it so I'm struggling.

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Readers Advisory: Poetry and Short Stories

Surprise! Poetry. It's kind of forgotten in the world of YA and MG book suggestions except for when a teacher has assigned homework. I few years ago I went to a workshops on Conversational Read with a woman names Diane Frankenstein. She spoke about not only the importance of reading but the importance of the conversation that take place after reading. We librarians know all about that. If a kid wants to shout out all the yellow things they see in Bear Sees Colors, we let them, as long as things don't cross a line and destroy storytime. However, conversational read gets a bit murky as kids get older. We don't read bedtime stories to our 12 year old. What's to be done? Diane suggested poetry and short stories. They're short, sweet, and NEVER to the point which provides a lot of opportunities for conversation over dinner or in the car on the way to soccer practice.

I bestow to you lovely readers, after a LONG absence due to commitments to my book award committee, readers advisory for poetry and short story readers, and parents hoping to communicate with children through literature. 

I felt a lot of obligation to add this. TeeHeeHee

Where the sidewalk ends, Shel Silverstein's world begins. There you'll meet a boy who turns into a TV set and a girl who eats a whale. The Unicorn and the Bloath live there, and so does Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout who will not take the garbage out. It is a place where you wash your shadow and plant diamond gardens, a place where shoes fly, sisters are auctioned off, and crocodiles go to the dentist.

Shel Silverstein's masterful collection of poems and drawings is one of Parent & Child magazine's 100 Greatest Books for Kids. School Library Journal said, "Silverstein has an excellent sense of rhythm and rhyme and a good ear for alliteration and assonance that make these poems a pleasure to read aloud."

The illustrations are so beautiful and so full of hope and life!

ncluded in Brightly.com's 2017 list of recommended diverse poetry picture books for kids. "Highly recommended for home and school libraries," commented Brightly's Charnaie Gordon. "Each melodic poem eloquently conveys the beauty of different skin tones and complexions. There are also themes of family, traditions, feelings, self-love, and acceptance echoed throughout this book."

We are color struck 

The way an artist strikes

His canvas with his brush of many hues

Look closely at these mirrors

these palettes of skin

Each color is rich

in its own right

Maybe it's the long, lazy days, or maybe it's the heat making everyone a little bit crazy. Whatever the reason, summer is the perfect time for love to bloom. Summer Days & Summer Nights: Twelve Love Stories, written by twelve bestselling young adult writers and edited by the international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins, will have you dreaming of sunset strolls by the lake. So set out your beach chair and grab your sunglasses. You have twelve reasons this summer to soak up the sun and fall in love.

Featuring stories by Leigh Bardugo, Francesca Lia Block, Libba Bray, Cassandra Clare, Brandy Colbert, Tim Federle, Lev Grossman, Nina LaCour, Stephanie Perkins, Veronica Roth, Jon Skovron, and Jennifer E. Smith.

In partnership with We Need Diverse Books, thirteen of the most recognizable, diverse authors come together in this remarkable YA anthology featuring ten short stories, a graphic short story, and a one-act play from Walter Dean Myers never before in-print.

Careful--you are holding fresh ink. And not hot-off-the-press, still-drying-in-your-hands ink. Instead, you are holding twelve stories with endings that are still being written--whose next chapters are up to you.

Because these stories are meant to be read. And shared.

Thirteen of the most accomplished YA authors deliver a label-defying anthology that includes ten short stories, a graphic novel, and a one-act play. This collection will inspire you to break conventions, bend the rules, and color outside the lines. All you need is fresh ink.

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Blog Hop: Book Characters at the Bar.

Book Blogger Hop

This blog hop is hosted by Coffee Addicted Writer.

Question:

"You meet an interesting person of the opposite sex at a club. Suddenly they start acting as if  they're a character in a novel you've read and they are firmly convinced thy ARE that character. First, which character is it, and second, how do you react."

My Answer:

Okay, I'm going to have to be real honest, I half want this to happen more than anything in the world, and half would lose my mind.
I think my character would be Kenji from the Shatter Me books. I love him so much. If I met a real human with Kenji's personality we'd have to get married. That being said, if I met someone who said they had magical powers like Kenji, we'd have a BIG BIG problem.

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Can't Wait Wednesday- Watch us Rise by Renee Watson and Ellen Hagan

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme (that will help me remember what to buy for my library) that's hosted by Wishful Endings. It's based off the weekly meme Waiting on Wednesday that was hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. 

Boy I can't wait to read 

Jasmine and Chelsea are sick of the way women are treated even at their progressive NYC high school, so they decide to start a Women's Rights Club. They post everything online—poems, essays, videos of Chelsea performing her poetry, and Jasmine's response to the racial macroaggressions she experiences—and soon they go viral. But with such positive support, the club is also targeted by online trolls. When things escalate, the principal shuts the club down. Jasmine and Chelsea will risk everything for their voices—and those of other young women—to be heard.

 

Publication Date: February 12, 2019

I'm a big Renee Watson fan! See my review of Piecing Me Together as proof. I've also been on the lookout for more middle grade novels and books for younger teens and I get a feeling I'm going to love this!

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Blog Hop: Taking Notes

Book Blogger Hop

This blog hop is hosted by Coffee Addicted Writer.

Question:

"Do you takes notes about the book you're reading as you read?"

My Answer:

Nope, even if I should. I Just finished up on a book committee that lasted a year and I didn't take one note even though it would have helped me if I had. I've also been slowly working on another project with a friend and they take notes on the book we're reading together and I just can't. I get too caught up, but I like it that way!

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Fresh Ink Edited by Lamar Giles

In partnership with We Need Diverse Books, thirteen of the most recognizable, diverse authors come together in this remarkable YA anthology featuring ten short stories, a graphic short story, and a one-act play from Walter Dean Myers never before in-print.

Careful--you are holding fresh ink. And not hot-off-the-press, still-drying-in-your-hands ink. Instead, you are holding twelve stories with endings that are still being written--whose next chapters are up to you.

Because these stories are meant to be read. And shared.

Thirteen of the most accomplished YA authors deliver a label-defying anthology that includes ten short stories, a graphic novel, and a one-act play. This collection will inspire you to break conventions, bend the rules, and color outside the lines. All you need is fresh ink.  

Having finally found the time to read this book, I was not disappointed. There were stories that showed the realities of gentrification, meet cutes within the LGBT community, unrequited love that's actually requited. Interracial relationships, super heroes, Black Lives Matter. This book has so much to offer and something for everyone. With such an amazing cast of contributors and great Editor I'm not even remotely surprised.

On a readers advisory note, Short stories are also a great way for parents and teens to read and discuss books together. I highly suggest it! I'd honestly like to get a copy of this for everyone in my Teen Advisory Board. Everyone will find something to love!

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Can't Wait Wednesday: I Wish You All The Best by Mason Deaver

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme (that will help me remember what to buy for my library) that's hosted by Wishful Endings. It's based off the weekly meme Waiting on Wednesday that was hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. 

Boy I can't wait to read 

When Ben De Backer comes out to their parents as nonbinary, they're thrown out of their house and forced to move in with their estranged older sister, Hannah, and her husband, Thomas, whom Ben has never even met. Struggling with an anxiety disorder compounded by their parents' rejection, they come out only to Hannah, Thomas, and their therapist and try to keep a low profile in a new school.

But Ben's attempts to survive the last half of senior year unnoticed are thwarted when Nathan Allan, a funny and charismatic student, decides to take Ben under his wing. As Ben and Nathan's friendship grows, their feelings for each other begin to change, and what started as a disastrous turn of events looks like it might just be a chance to start a happier new life.

At turns heartbreaking and joyous, I Wish You All the Best is both a celebration of life, friendship, and love, and a shining example of hope in the face of adversity.

Publication Date: May 14, 2019

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Waiting on Wednesday: The Wicked King by Holly Black

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme (that will help me remember what to buy for my library) that's hosted by Wishful Endings. It's based off the weekly meme Waiting on Wednesday that was hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. 

Boy I can't wait to read 

You must be strong enough to strike and strike and strike again without tiring.

The first lesson is to make yourself strong.

After the jaw-dropping revelation that Oak is the heir to Faerie, Jude must keep her younger brother safe. To do so, she has bound the wicked king, Cardan, to her, and made herself the power behind the throne. Navigating the constantly shifting political alliances of Faerie would be difficult enough if Cardan were easy to control. But he does everything in his power to humiliate and undermine her even as his fascination with her remains undiminished.

When it becomes all too clear that someone close to Jude means to betray her, threatening her own life and the lives of everyone she loves, Jude must uncover the traitor and fight her own complicated feelings for Cardan to maintain control as a mortal in a Faerie world.

So fun fact, I really like Fantasy, but mostly Urban Fantasy because I already know half the rules. These high Fantasy novels have a habit of confusing me. THE CRUEL PRINCE DIDN'T.  If you're someone who's easily confused by the strange names of things in high fantasy, read The Cruel Prince then hit me up. Then we'll read this sequel together and LOVE IT. 

P.S. I know it's not diverse but... I don't care. I really want to read it!!

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I'M BACK AND READY TO READ!!!!

I think I've mentioned this from time to time, but for the last year I've been on a book award committee. Honestly I didn't count up how many books we read but it was somewhere in the realm of 80. I was so glad to be chosen but OMG it took up so much of my time. Every three months or so we got another list of books to read. Every list was a little longer than the last and while there were diverse books on the list, it's not like it was 50/50 so I tried to squeeze in some diverse reads for this blog but it wasn't easy.

That being said today was MY LAST MEETING!!!! I'm free!! I can read whatever I want and BOY do I have a list. I'm so overwhelmed with my freedom that I've only been able to watch Investigation Discovery all day. It's like I'm afraid of my books. But I promise I'll get over that like... tonight. So here are the books on my coffee table right now that I can't wait to start.

Tight: Lately, Bryan's been feeling it in all kinds of ways . . .

Bryan knows what's tight for him--reading comics, drawing superheroes, and hanging out with no drama. But drama is every day where he's from, and that gets him tight, wound up.

And now Bryan's friend Mike pressures him with ideas of fun that are crazy risky. At first, it's a rush following Mike, hopping turnstiles, subway surfing, and getting into all kinds of trouble. But Bryan never really feels right acting so wrong, and drama really isn't him. So which way will he go, especially when his dad tells him it's better to be hard and feared than liked?

But if there's one thing Bryan's gotten from his comic heroes, it's that he has power--to stand up for what he feels . . .

Torrey Maldonado delivers a fast-paced, insightful, dynamic story capturing urban community life. Readers will connect with Bryan's journey as he navigates a tough world with a heartfelt desire for a different life.

In partnership with We Need Diverse Books, thirteen of the most recognizable, diverse authors come together in this remarkable YA anthology featuring ten short stories, a graphic short story, and a one-act play from Walter Dean Myers never before in-print.

Careful--you are holding fresh ink. And not hot-off-the-press, still-drying-in-your-hands ink. Instead, you are holding twelve stories with endings that are still being written--whose next chapters are up to you.

Because these stories are meant to be read. And shared.

Thirteen of the most accomplished YA authors deliver a label-defying anthology that includes ten short stories, a graphic novel, and a one-act play. This collection will inspire you to break conventions, bend the rules, and color outside the lines. All you need is fresh ink.

Zuri Benitez has pride. Brooklyn pride, family pride, and pride in her Afro-Latino roots. But pride might not be enough to save her rapidly gentrifying neighborhood from becoming unrecognizable.

When the wealthy Darcy family moves in across the street, Zuri wants nothing to do with their two teenage sons, even as her older sister, Janae, starts to fall for the charming Ainsley. She especially can’t stand the judgmental and arrogant Darius. Yet as Zuri and Darius are forced to find common ground, their initial dislike shifts into an unexpected understanding.

But with four wild sisters pulling her in different directions, cute boy Warren vying for her attention, and college applications hovering on the horizon, Zuri fights to find her place in Bushwick’s changing landscape, or lose it all.

In a timely update of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, critically acclaimed author Ibi Zoboi skillfully balances cultural identity, class, and gentrification against the heady magic of first love in her vibrant reimagining of this beloved classic. 

They killed my mother.
They took our magic.
They tried to bury us.

Now we rise.

Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.

Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers and her growing feelings for an enemy.

These are at the top of my list. But I also just found like three books about pirates and mermaids sooooo... I'm going to be all over the place. I also just started watching Anime again. I have so much freedom!!! Anyway, reviews will return, Readers Advisory will return, and we'll get back to business as usual.

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Review: Song of the Current by Sarah Tolcser

 Caroline Oresteia is destined for the river. For generations, her family has been called by the river god, who has guided their wherries on countless voyages throughout the Riverlands. At seventeen, Caro has spent years listening to the water, ready to meet her fate. But the river god hasn’t spoken her name yet—and if he hasn’t by now, there’s a chance he never will.

Caro decides to take her future into her own hands when her father is arrested for refusing to transport a mysterious crate. By agreeing to deliver it in exchange for his release, Caro finds herself caught in a web of politics and lies, with dangerous pirates after the cargo—an arrogant courier with a secret—and without the river god to help her. With so much at stake, Caro must choose between the life she always wanted and the one she never could have imagined for herself.

From debut author Sarah Tolcser comes an immersive and romantic fantasy set along the waterways of a magical world with a headstrong heroine determined to make her mark.
 
Props to this book because from the description I really didn't think I was going to like it. Full disclosure, I listened to the audiobook version of this book and I know that audio can sway a persons opinion.

Caro is a child of the river, she and her dad live on their wherrie sailing up and down the river on various missions and voyages. But when Carro's father is jailed for smuggling, the only way Carro can free him is to deliver a mysterious box to another land. When Carro opens to the box, the one thing she was told not to do, she discovers a boy with a mission all his own. As Carro and Markos rush to save what is left of Markos' family, they battle pirates, traitors, suspicious family members, and their growing feelings to each other (awwwwwww).

I really liked this book, and I realized I was going to like it when (small spoiler) Markos, tried to kiss Caro like two days after she sprung him from his box. I like it because she called him on his bull. He claimed he thought she wanted him to kiss her, and she promptly fired back (I'm paraphrasing) "why be cause I'm a breathing girl, I don't want you" (yeah heavily paraphrasing but it was something to that effect). Any seasoned reader will know that these two are going to get together at some point, and when they do, Markos makes darn good and sure that he has her consent before doing anything. He repeatedly asks her "yes?" and wont make a move until she verbally responds with a "yes". Thank you Sarah Tolcser.

The wold building in this fantasy was pretty good. Tolcser was able to provide the details of her world by showing us and not always stopping the story for an explanation. It wasn't perfect but I was pleased.

I also liked seeing Caro interact in both of her worlds. The life Caro has when she's with her father (which is most of the time, as a daddy's girl I also liked that), is very different than the life she has with her mother. I don't want to say anything else because it's kind of funny to watch, but I was a fan.

The surprise ending was nicely done. Readers had an inkling that something weird was going on, but when "all was revealed" I actually said out loud "oh, okay." Over all this debut was well executed and well received. I actually can't wait to buy it for my library. The ending also feels like we might be able to expect a sequel. I'm all about it. What can I say, I was a pirate in another life!

3.5 stars... or maybe like 3.75 stars.

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