Whiteout by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon

 

“Atlanta is blanketed with snow just before Christmas, but the warmth of young love just might melt the ice in this novel of interwoven narratives, Black joy, and cozy, sparkling romance—by the same unbeatable team of authors who wrote the New York Times bestseller Blackout!

As the city grinds to a halt, twelve teens band together to help a friend pull off the most epic apology of her life. But will they be able to make it happen, in spite of the storm?

No one is prepared for this whiteout. But then, we can’t always prepare for the magical moments that change everything.” - taken from Goodreads.

It almost seems like the previous collaboration between these authors, Blackout, was the warm up for the awesomeness that was Whiteout. The setting of Atlanta during a snowstorm is the backdrop for a group of friends trying to help a friend make a grand gesture of apology while making their own love connections. Working towards a common ending caused me to be more connected with the entire story arc. A definite read.

The Downstairs Girl by Stacey Lee

“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.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I instantly became fascinated with Jo Kuan's story as a young Chinese American living in 1890 Atlanta. Georgia. Not white or colored, Jo really doesn't fit into society, especially since she has the tendency to speak the truth. She and her adoptive father live in secret in the basement of the Bell’s house that was once a stop on the Underground Railroad. After overhearing how the Bell’s newspaper is in dire straits and Jo’s home is in jeopardy, she decides to write an advice column for the Bells to draw in new subscribers. Soon Miss Sweeties’ no-nonsense advice is a hit among Atlanta’s society. But when she decides to track down her birth parents, dark and dangerous secrets threaten to be uncovered and Jo must decide to make a choice: hide or to be seen.

Visit Stacey Lee’s website.