“She looks me hard in my eyes
& my knees lock into tree trunks
My eyes don’t dance like my heartbeat racing
They stare straight back hot daggers.
I remember things will never be the same.
I remember things. “
With gritty and heartbreaking honesty, Mahogany L. Browne delivers a novel-in-verse about broken promises, fast rumors, and when growing up means growing apart from your best friend. I opened the book up didn’t shut it until I finished it. It’s like a beautiful piece of art. Just breath taking.
Love is a Revolution
When Nala Robertson reluctantly agrees to attend an open mic night for her cousin-sister-friend Imani’s birthday, she finds herself falling in instant love with Tye Brown, the MC. He’s perfect, except . . . Tye is an activist and is spending the summer putting on events for the community when Nala would rather watch movies and try out the new seasonal flavors at the local creamery. In order to impress Tye, Nala tells a few tiny lies to have enough in common with him. As they spend more time together, sharing more of themselves, some of those lies get harder to keep up. As Nala falls deeper into keeping up her lies and into love, she’ll learn all the ways love is hard, and how self-love is revolutionary. A true account of radical love.
Both books reminded me of this saying…
“Love Fiercely, because this all ends.”
This lead to the next stack of books pictured below.
I’ve now read these four and loved every one of them. I am always thrilled to find a new to me YA author so I can pass it along, so excited. More to come..
Tiffany D. Jackson is an American author of young adult fiction and a horror filmmaker, best known for her NAACP Image Award-nominated debut novel Allegedly.
I’d start with Allegedly and work your way through them.
Ahhh book love. 🤍
Allegedly
Orange Is the New Black meets Walter Dean Myer’s Monsterin this gritty, twisty, and haunting debut by Tiffany D. Jackson about a girl convicted of murder seeking the truth while surviving life in a group home…
Monday’s Not Coming
Monday Charles is missing, and only Claudia seems to notice. Claudia and Monday have always been inseparable—more sisters than friends. So when Monday doesn’t turn up for the first day of school, Claudia’s worried…
Let Me Hear A Rhyme
Brooklyn, 1998. Biggie Smalls was right: Things done changed. But that doesn’t mean that Quadir and Jarrell are cool letting their best friend Steph’s music lie forgotten under his bed after he’s murdered—not when his rhymes could turn any Bed Stuy corner into a party…
Grown
Korey Fields is dead.
When Enchanted Jones wakes with blood on her hands and zero memory of the previous night, no one—the police and Korey’s fans included—has more questions than she does. All she really knows is that this isn’t how things are supposed to be. Korey was Enchanted’s ticket to stardom.
Excellent reads.
All library books.
If I tell you the truth is a bookstagram recommend from the @goodancestorbookclub . I read every single book Renee Watson writes. The moon within was a recommendation from a teen I’ve mentored in reading.
If I tell you the truth. Told in prose, poetry, and illustration, this heartrending story weaves Kiran’s and Sahaara’s timelines together, showing a teenage Kiran and, later, her high school–aged daughter, Sahaara. Kiran is a young Punjabi Sikh woman who becomes pregnant after being sexually assaulted by her fiancé’s brother. When her fiancé and family don’t believe her, she flees her home in India to Canada, where she plans to raise the child as a single mother. For Kiran, living undocumented means constant anxiety over finances, work, safety, and whether she’ll be deported back to the dangers that await her in Punjab.
Ways to Grow Love. Ryan Hart and her family are back in another installment of stories about a Black girl finding her way and her voice as she grows through change and challenges. In this book, Ryan finds herself waiting on lots of things — like for her new sister to be born healthy, for her new recipes to turn out right, for that summer camp trip to go better than she fears! And of course Ryan is facing these new challenges and new experiences in her classic style — with a bright outlook and plenty of spirit!
The Moon Within. Celi Rivera’s life swirls with questions. About her changing body. Her first attraction to a boy. And her best friend’s exploration of what it means to be genderfluid. But most of all, her mother’s insistence she have a moon ceremony when her first period arrives. It’s an ancestral Mexica ritual that Mima and her community have reclaimed, but Celi promises she will NOT be participating. Can she find the power within herself to take a stand for who she wants to be? A dazzling story told with the sensitivity, humor, and brilliant verse of debut talent Aida Salazar.
All of these are beautifully written and I enjoyed reading them. Lyrical writing is a favorite of mine. TEEN section has such wonderful reads right now.
Once Upon a Tide A Mermaids Tale was my favorite of these four.
If you have a mermaid fanatic they will really enjoy this book. It’s a lot of fun. I smiled a lot reading it.
Amira and Hamza is just excellent.
This is a beautiful little story of fantasy adventure intertwining Islamic legend and history. I learned a lot. I love the writing style that will draw kids into the story.
Pahua and the Soul Stealer is so well written. Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents Lori M. Lee’s middle grade debut about a lonely Hmong girl who discovers she’s a powerful shaman warrior in this fantasy inspired by Southeast Asian mythology.
Pax follows the first book and finishes the story, if you enjoyed the first book you’ll enjoy this too.
I’ve tried to keep up with everything I read but it just is not possible. I have tried to on GOODREADS this year but even that I can’t keep up with. Alas I think I’ll just read, post what I can and enjoy the journey.
