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!

Bridge of Clay

Markus Zusah has written two of my favorite books, so I was very excited to read his newest. It is the story of a family of boys who face tragedy after tragedy. Each boy is more interesting than the last. The fighter, the thinker, the gambler, the animal collector, the protector and Clay. They collect animals named after characters in The Odyssey, they terrorize the neighborhood, they skip school and they love each other fiercely. But at it's heart, this is the story of Clay and how he holds the family together. This book is told in flashbacks and flash forwards. It is told in stories and timelines. It is told as a love story, a tragedy and a comedy. It is not for a casual reader. It is not for the feint of heart. It is for a reader who likes to go on a journey, who doesn't mind shedding some tears, who likes to be challenged. This book tells the story of what happens when all the structures that make up a family fall apart and new structures have to be built. But again, it is the story of Clay and his heart, and all the ways he takes on the troubles of those around him until he can't anymore. Then it becomes the story of the brothers who help him pick up the pieces. Happy 2019 my friends and happy reading.

Kingdom of Ash

As the year is coming to an end, it is fitting that this series, my all-time favorite, is too, coming to an end. And what an end it was. I have spent many years with these amazing characters, Celaena, Aelin, Aedion, Chaol, Rowan, Elide, Manon, Dorian- and the list goes on. I have cried, had rage attacks, smiled from ear to ear, all the things you want in a book series. Certain characters were my favorites at different times. I worried about them, rooted for them and stood by them in battle after battle. I am not going to tell you what this book is about, it is the last in a LONG series. But if you want something to take you on a  journey, adventure, romance, roller coaster- then start at the beginning with Throne of Glass. You can thank me when it's over. There are no damsels in distress here. Each woman more powerful than the next- with or without actual powers. Such a message for girls today. Don't let anyone tell you no. Don't let any problem stop you from trying to solve it. And in the end, it's okay to rely on your friends for help, no one can do it all alone. I don't think I read as many books this year as in the past. There can be a myriad of reasons for that- books are getting longer- this one is over 900 pages, my attention span may be getting shorter, life sometimes gets in the way. But there is nothing like a good book to transport you to places you may never get to go, worlds you may never get to see and meet people so different from you as to expand your vision of the world. I look forward to many more books in 2019, my shelves are literally buckling under their weight. So I wish for you in this new year, a world of books to take you wherever you wish to go. Happy reading my friends!

Girls of Paper and Fire

This book is definitely for a mature reader. That being said, this is a society of three castes. The demon caste- where demons are the highest level of society. The moon caste- where humans have some demon features. And the lowest caste- The Paper Caste- where the members are completely human. Every year the Demon King chooses 8 girls from this caste to be his concubines. They are taken from their homes and trained to serve the king. Lei has already faced the terror of this ritual as her mother was taken years ago. When they come for her, she does what she must to save her father. Lei becomes a Paper Girl and begins her training. What she finds is worse than she imagines. She fights against her fate and in the process falls in love with one of the other Paper Girls-Wren. If they are found out she will be executed. On top of this she refuses the King when he calls for her. She then must face his wrath. As she and Wren get closer, secrets are revealed that may end the reign of the King. But if things go wrong- they will forfeit more than their lives. This was a disturbing story of abuse and societal oppression. The power dynamic is horrifying when that power is so abused. I don't know that I would put this on my shelf as to the mature subject matter, but it was a very good read. Happy reading my friends!

Children of Blood and Bone

Zelie is the daughter of a Reaper mother. But magic is gone and all Zelie is now is a diviner, not a full maji. And she and her people are brutalized by the government who fears them. She and her brother Tzain are determined to protect their father after their mother was taken away in chains and hung. Amari is the princess of the realm. She and her brother Inan are being groomed to rule one day. But her father is an evil dictator and has continually shown his daughter the harsh cost of his love. When he kills her attendant, Amari decides she can no longer abide by his rule and steals a scroll that just may be the key to bringing back magic. Inan is sent to track her down at all cost. When Zel and Amari's paths cross, the race to bring magic back begins. As all the pieces of the puzzle are hunted down, Zel is betrayed by one she thought she could trust and the cost might be the loss of magic forever. The group must find a way to work together and overcome horrendous odds to bring their world back into balance. This book was a great adventure. It deals with loss, love and the oppression of anyone who may be different. The characters are multi-faceted and the story moves at a brisk pace. You never know what is coming around the next turn. Give it a try and you won't be sorry. Happy reading my friends.

Dread Nation

What was the War Between the States really about? Zombies of course. A virus has swept the nation and Shamblers are everywhere. Luckily for the citizens of America Miss Preston's School of Combat is there to protect them. Jane is an African American girl who has been sent to train at the school. She is outspoken, determined and headstrong. She doesn't really want to become an Attendant to a rich white family, but she really has no choice. All girls like her are sent to schools like this. When a family goes missing, Jane finds herself on a mission with her ex- Jackson to help him locate his sister along with her frenemy Kate. Where they wind up is not what they had been hoping for. They wind up prisoners to some Survivalists who are using the girls to defend a wall to a settlement. No weapons, little food and suspicious leaders make Jane's job all the harder. The more she finds out, the worse trouble she is in. This was an interesting take on the zombie genre. Civil war times, racism, and the undead roaming the west. It was modeled after the situation Native American children were put in to assimilate them to American culture. The things we do in the name of civilization. I enjoyed the story of Jane and her friends. No damsels in distress here! Happy reading my friends!