On the Come Up

If you loved Angie Thomas's The Hate U Give, you are about to take another trip into the Garden. This is the story of Bri. She is the daughter of a slain rapper. She is the daughter of a drug addict who has finally gotten clean. She is the niece of an affiliated drug dealer. She is the best friend of Malik and Sonny. She is the sister of Trey, who has just graduated from college and can't find a job. She wants to help her family get out and has to decide what or who she is willing to become to achieve her goals. Bri has inherited her father's rapping skills. When she goes to battle in the Ring, she becomes a neighborhood sensation. But at what cost? The girl she portrayed in the rap isn't her and the neighborhood is coming to their own conclusions about what her words mean. Bri is torn between the need for money and success to help her family and remaining true to her own voice. This novel is timely, relevant and another reminder how even the simplest things can go terribly wrong if you are the wrong color in society's eyes. The issues are straight from the news and the answers are not always readily available. I couldn't put this down and know my students will devour this book like they did the last. Nothing resonates more with teens than stories that could be happening to them. Happy reading my friends.

Queen of Air and Darkness

And the Shadowhunter saga continues. This is the third volume in the third series inside this world. It picks up where the last one left off with the Blackthorns reeling from the death of Livvie at the hands of Annabel. Julian and Emma are fighting their love for each other lest their parabatai bond burn them out. Ty and Kit are in the throes of a new friendship that could be something more. Mark, Kieran and Christina are deciding what their relationship will become and oh, there is a group of Shadowhunters trying to register all Downworlders. So not much going on at all. Plus there is a parallel world that may or may not be the answer to all Emma and Julian's problems. This over 800 page book is filled to the brim with love, mystery, grief, intrigue and bravery. You can't start with this one so it doesn't really matter what I tell you about it, you need to go back to the beginning and start there, otherwise you will be as lost as Jace would be without Clary. See- to even get that reference you need to start at the beginning. You won't be disappointed, there is much to celebrate at the conclusion of this book. But unfortunately, the ending will leave you in fear for one of the original's lives. Darn you Cassandra Clare. So enjoy my friends no matter where you are in the journey of the Shadowhunters from Will to Jules to Kit and everyone in between. Happy reading!