The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson

 

“When Springville residents—at least the ones still alive—are questioned about what happened on prom night, they all have the same explanation... Maddy did it.

An outcast at her small-town Georgia high school, Madison Washington has always been a teasing target for bullies. And she's dealt with it because she has more pressing problems to manage. Until the morning a surprise rainstorm reveals her most closely kept secret: Maddy is biracial. She has been passing for white her entire life at the behest of her fanatical white father, Thomas Washington.

After a viral bullying video pulls back the curtain on Springville High's racist roots, student leaders come up with a plan to change their image: host the school's first integrated prom as a show of unity. The popular white class president convinces her Black superstar quarterback boyfriend to ask Maddy to be his date, leaving Maddy wondering if it's possible to have a normal life.

But some of her classmates aren't done with her just yet. And what they don't know is that Maddy still has another secret... one that will cost them all their lives.” - taken from Goodreads.

I knew going in that this story loosely follows Stephen King's Carrie but throws in some social justice that is relevant to our current times. Maddy Washington is a girl who's tortured life will pull at your heartstrings. Bullied on a daily basis at school, the situation takes a horrible turn when Maddy's racial identity is uncovered. As tensions rise in small town Springville, Georgia, readers will be eagerly waiting to see what happens on prom night. 

I loved listening to this book with its multiple narrator format.

Visit Tiffany D. Jackson’s website.

Rust in the Root by Justina Ireland

 

“It is 1937, and Laura Ann Langston lives in an America divided—between those who work the mystical arts and those who do not. Ever since the Great Rust, a catastrophic event that blighted the arcane force called the Dynamism and threw America into disarray, the country has been rebuilding for a better future. And everyone knows the future is industry and technology—otherwise known as Mechomancy—not the traditional mystical arts.

Laura disagrees. A talented young mage from Pennsylvania, Laura hopped a portal to New York City on her seventeenth birthday with hopes of earning her mage’s license and becoming something more than a rootworker

But six months later, she’s got little to show for it other than an empty pocket and broken dreams. With nowhere else to turn, Laura applies for a job with the Bureau of the Arcane’s Conservation Corps, a branch of the US government dedicated to repairing the Dynamism so that Mechomancy can thrive. There she meets the Skylark, a powerful mage with a mysterious past, who reluctantly takes Laura on as an apprentice.

As they’re sent off on their first mission together into the heart of the country’s oldest and most mysterious Blight, they discover the work of mages not encountered since the darkest period in America’s past, when Black mages were killed for their power—work that could threaten Laura’s and the Skylark’s lives, and everything they’ve worked for.” - taken from Goodreads.

Rust in the Root is another great historical fantasy by Justina Ireland. Told in an alternative history of the US Great Depression during 1937, Laura Ann Langston has dreams of sing her abilities in the mystical arts to create cakes that are works of art. Down on her luck in New York City, Laura must join the Negro Conservation Corp in order to survive. Never properly trained in her abilities, she and her mentor learn that dark and dangerous forces are behind the Great Blight that will test their abilities.

Visit Justina Ireland’s website.

Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

 

“When two Niveus Private Academy students, Devon Richards and Chiamaka Adebayo, are selected to be part of the elite school’s senior class prefects, it looks like their year is off to an amazing start. After all, not only does it look great on college applications, but it officially puts each of them in the running for valedictorian, too.

Shortly after the announcement is made, though, someone who goes by Aces begins using anonymous text messages to reveal secrets about the two of them that turn their lives upside down and threaten every aspect of their carefully planned futures.

As Aces shows no sign of stopping, what seemed like a sick prank quickly turns into a dangerous game, with all the cards stacked against them. Can Devon and Chiamaka stop Aces before things become incredibly deadly?” - taken from Goodreads.com

As I started this book, I wasn't sure where the storyline was going. Aces begins by targeting Devon while Chiamaka is gearing up to make her senior year stellar. Once Chiamaka draws Aces’ attention, the plot line really explodes. This is a dark, twisted academic tale where the mystery of who and why Aces is plotting against Von and Chia leads the two of them to team up to uncover the disturbing truth. Incredible ending to a book that tackles some brutally harsh topics. 

Visit Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé’s website.

Frankly in Love by David Yoon

 

“High school senior Frank Li is a Limbo--his term for Korean-American kids who find themselves caught between their parents’ traditional expectations and their own Southern California upbringing. His parents have one rule when it comes to romance--“Date Korean”--which proves complicated when Frank falls for Brit Means, who is smart, beautiful--and white. Fellow Limbo Joy Song is in a similar predicament, and so they make a pact: they’ll pretend to date each other in order to gain their freedom. Frank thinks it’s the perfect plan, but in the end, Frank and Joy’s fake-dating maneuver leaves him wondering if he ever really understood love--or himself--at all.” - taken from Goodreads.com

Frank Li (Frankly, pun intended) is a first-generation Korean-American. His parents are racist, having disowned his older sister for marrying a black man and believing that Frank should only date fellow Korean teenagers. He knows that his parents will never tolerate him dating his white girlfriend. So when the opportunity arises to fake date a friend in the same situation that he's in, it seems like the perfect plan.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading a Korean-American male POV, especially after reading I'll Be the One by Lyla Lee. This was a heartwarming story about trying to be true to oneself while still upholding your parents’ beliefs.

Visit David Yoon’s website.

Daughters of Jubilation by Kara Lee Corthron

 

“Follow a black teen as she finds her place among a family of women gifted with magical abilities.

In the Jim Crow South, white supremacy reigns and tensions are high. But Evalene Deschamps has other things to worry about. She has two little sisters to look after, an overworked single mother, and a longtime crush who is finally making a move.

On top of all that, Evvie’s magic abilities are growing stronger by the day. Her family calls it jubilation—a gift passed down from generations of black women since the time of slavery. And as Evvie’s talents waken, something dark comes loose and threatens to resurface…

And when the demons of Evvie’s past finally shake free, she must embrace her mighty lineage, and summon the power that lies within her.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I had high hopes for this book but was only slightly disappointed by the fantasy aspects. This story leaned more towards the historical uncurrent of being an African American living in South Carolina in 1962, the height of the Jim Crow era. I plowed through the book to see how Evalene would master her abilities at jubilation(magic). Unfortunately, the ending broke my heart.

Visit Kara Lee Corthron’s website.

Lovely War by Julie Berry

“It's 1917, and World War I is at its zenith when Hazel and James first catch sight of each other at a London party. She's a shy and talented pianist; he's a newly minted soldier with dreams of becoming an architect. When they fall in love, it's immediate and deep--and cut short when James is shipped off to the killing fields.

Aubrey Edwards is also headed toward the trenches. A gifted musician who's played Carnegie Hall, he's a member of the 15th New York Infantry, an all-African-American regiment being sent to Europe to help end the Great War. Love is the last thing on his mind. But that's before he meets Colette Fournier, a Belgian chanteuse who's already survived unspeakable tragedy at the hands of the Germans.

Thirty years after these four lovers' fates collide, the Greek goddess Aphrodite tells their stories to her husband, Hephaestus, and her lover, Ares, in a luxe Manhattan hotel room at the height of World War II. She seeks to answer the age-old question: Why are Love and War eternally drawn to one another? But her quest for a conclusion that will satisfy her jealous husband uncovers a multi-threaded tale of prejudice, trauma, and music and reveals that War is no match for the power of Love.” - taken from Goodreads.com

This was not my typical read/audio listen. I almost gave up on this story early on but soldiered on (pun intended). Lovely War is a complex tale taking place during the two World Wars between mortals and the Greek gods. Love, war, history, and mythology make up this tale of two couples who meet during World War I, as told by Aphrodite during World War II. Lots of historical facts are planted throughout the book as evidenced by the extensive notes at the end. Overall, I'm glad that I stuck with this book until the end.

Visit Julie Berry’s website.

 

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi

“A timely, crucial, and empowering exploration of racism--and antiracism--in America

This is NOT a history book.

This is a book about the here and now.

A book to help us better understand why we are where we are.

A book about race.

The construct of race has always been used to gain and keep power, to create dynamics that separate and silence. This remarkable reimagining of Dr. Ibram X. Kendi's National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning reveals the history of racist ideas in America, and inspires hope for an antiracist future. It takes you on a race journey from then to now, shows you why we feel how we feel, and why the poison of racism lingers. It also proves that while racist ideas have always been easy to fabricate and distribute, they can also be discredited.

Through a gripping, fast-paced, and energizing narrative written by beloved award-winner Jason Reynolds, this book shines a light on the many insidious forms of racist ideas--and on ways readers can identify and stamp out racist thoughts in their daily lives.” - taken from Goodreads.com

This is a book that everyone should read. Outlining the history of racist ideas in America, I know that I now won't be able to think about the people, events, and ideas presented in this book the same way again. Very enlightening.

Visit Jason Reynolds’ website.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

“Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.

Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil's name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.

But what Starr does or does not say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.” - taken from Goodreads.com

This is the book that everyone should read! I listened to the audio version and when I started I didn’t know if I could get into Starr’s dialect, but it didn’t take long for me to be invested in her story. The author was inspired to write this story by the Black Lives Matter movement. As a reader, I dove into Starr’s story and learned more about various cultures and challenges than I dreamed possible. Ms. Thomas didn’t skip any punches in this book. The one part where Starr’s white boyfriend asked a question about names caused me to chuckle and think about what was said. Towards the end, I was on pins and needles hoping that Starr and her family would come their this ordeal unscathed. Definitely a book worth reading.

Visit Angie Thomas’s website.