As Brave As You by Jason Reynolds

As Brave As You by Jason Reynolds is a wonderful novel that tells a story of family, forgiveness, and what it really means to be brave.  In this award winning novel, the incredible Jason Reynolds helps teach the reader about the importance of family and the bonds we share.  He teaches us about forgiveness and learning how to let go of the past.   Maybe most importantly, he shows us the real meaning of bravery and how we all show it in different ways.  You will love seeing the dynamics of this family as they grow and change and figure out how to answer the questions that are being asked.  

Reynolds tells us the story of two brothers, Ernie and Genie, from Brooklyn.  When mom and dad need to take some time to figure out their marriage, the two boys end up spending a summer with their grandparents in Virginia, grandparents that they barely even know.  The country living is a shock from the very start, but the biggest shock comes from the discovery that their Grandpop is blind.  As the summer moves on, the boys become more comfortable in their summer home and begin to enjoy the country life.  But a series of accidents will make their time in Virginia more difficult.  As their summer winds to a close, they will learn that there is a lot more to being brave than they ever could have imagined.  As usual, Jason Reynolds has given us a beautifully told story that will deeply engage the reader into Ernie and Genie's world 

From Amazon:

Kirkus Award Finalist

Schneider Family Book Award Winner

Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book

In this “pitch-perfect contemporary novel” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review), Coretta Scott King – John Steptoe Award-winning author Jason Reynolds explores multigenerational ideas about family love and bravery in the story of two brothers, their blind grandfather, and a dangerous rite of passage.

Genie’s summer is full of surprises. The first is that he and his big brother, Ernie, are leaving Brooklyn for the very first time to spend the summer with their grandparents all the way in Virginia—in the COUNTRY! The second surprise comes when Genie figures out that their grandfather is blind. Thunderstruck, Genie peppers Grandpop with questions about how he hides it so well (besides wearing way cool Ray-Bans).

How does he match his clothes? Know where to walk? Cook with a gas stove? Pour a glass of sweet tea without spilling it? Genie thinks Grandpop must be the bravest guy he’s ever known, but he starts to notice that his grandfather never leaves the house—as in NEVER. And when he finds the secret room that Grandpop is always disappearing into—a room so full of songbirds and plants that it’s almost as if it’s been pulled inside-out—he begins to wonder if his grandfather is really so brave after all.

Then Ernie lets him down in the bravery department. It’s his fourteenth birthday, and, Grandpop says to become a man, you have to learn how to shoot a gun. Genie thinks that is AWESOME until he realizes Ernie has no interest in learning how to shoot. None. Nada. Dumbfounded by Ernie’s reluctance, Genie is left to wonder—is bravery and becoming a man only about proving something, or is it just as important to own up to what you won’t do?

The Sky Above Us by Natalie Lund

The Sky Above Us by Natalie Lund is a fantastic story about tragedy, grief, and the friendships that help us deal with these things.  In her second novel, told in multiple POVs and alternating timelines, Lund gives us a story of three girls suffering from the loss of three boys they cared about in different ways.  As they deal with the tragedy and grief this accident has brought them, they find that the bond they share may be stronger than any of them thought.  Through this friendship they are able to find peace and understanding as they begin to navigate their own futures.  Beautifully written, The Sky Above Us will draw you in and keep you attached until the final pages.  

As Janie, Cass, and Izzy wake up on the beach after a beer-fueled party, they are shocked to see a small plane crash into the ocean in front of them.  What they soon find out is that the only three on the plane were Nate (a best friend/love interest), Shane (an ex-boyfriend), and Isreal (a twin brother), three boys they cared deeply about.  In the ensuing days, these girls must learn to find a future while also searching for answers to what exactly led the boys to steal an airplane.  Told in alternating view points of the girls in the days after and the boys in the days leading up to the accident, The Sky Above Us fills in the details of these three relationships and what may have caused the boys to try and find an escape from the problems of their past.  What we end up with is a beautiful story about how we handle tragedy and find a way to move forward without those we have lost.

From Amazon: 

"A compelling, well-voiced look at how teenagers deal with tragedy." -- School Library Journal
 
"Powerfully crafted and captivating." --Midwest Book Review

From the author of We Speak in Storms comes a compelling mystery about three friends searching for the truth in the aftermath of a plane crash.

The morning after their senior year beach party, Izzy, Cass, and Janie are woken by a thundering overhead. Then they and their classmates watch in shock as a plane crashes into the water. When the passengers are finally recovered, they are identified as Izzy's twin brother, Israel, Cass's ex-boyfriend, Shane, and Janie's best friend, Nate. But Izzy can feel when her brother is in pain, and she knows he's not really dead. So she, Cass, and Janie set out to discover what actually happened that day--and why the boys were on the plane.

Told in alternating timelines and points of view, this powerful and captivating novel follows the three boys in the weeks leading up to that fateful flight, and the girls they left behind as they try to piece together the truth about the boys they loved and thought they knew. A spellbinding story about the ripple effects of tragedy, the questions we leave unanswered, and the enduring power of friendship.

Ghetto Cowboy by G. Neri

My latest read is Ghetto Cowboy by G. Neri.  This is an inspirational coming of age story about family, friends, and doing what's right.  Based on the real-life black cowboy culture of Brooklyn and Philadelphia, Neri gives us a story about a young boy who discovers himself while learning the ins and outs of doing things the Cowboy Way.  He learns about forgiveness and family and how friends will always have your back.  In growing up, he finds his voice in the face of great adversity.  This is a fast-paced read that will leave you wanting to know more about the real inspiration of this tale.

Ghetto Cowboy tells the story of Cole, a young man who has found himself in constant trouble.  His mom, who has raised him by herself since Cole was a baby, is at her wit's end.  When Cole gets in trouble again at school, she decides to drive him to Philadelphia and leave him with his father, a man he doesn't even know.  Cole is shocked to find out that his father is part of a deep-rooted black cowboy culture, right in the heart of the city.  This is so far from what Cole has known growing up in Detroit.  He fights it at first, but soon finds himself with a growing admiration for his new life.  When the city decides they are going to shut down the stables, Cole takes matters in to his own hands and decides to fight this injustice the only way he knows how, the Cowboy Way.  

 

From Amazon: 

Now a feature film, Concrete Cowboy, starring Idris Elba

“Original in theme and inspirational in tone and content.” — Booklist

From a Coretta Scott King Author Award Honor winner comes a street- smart tale about a displaced teen who learns to defend what’s right — the Cowboy Way. Inspired by the little- known urban riders of Philly and Brooklyn, this compelling tale of latter- day cowboy justice champions a world where your friends always have your back, especially when the chips are down.
 

Switch by A.S. King

Switch is the newest novel from the incomparable A.S. King.  Like usual, Amy delivers an incredible novel that will make you think about the world we live in as you frantically turn the pages.  In this novel, King has us contemplating time and how we use that which we are given.  She makes us consider how we treat each other and how that might make a difference in the world around us.  And maybe most important, she helps us understand trauma and how we can heal from it.  I can't tell you how many times I had to set this book down and think about what I had just read.  This story is so beautifully an A.S. King book that I would have known she had written it without ever being told who the author was.  

In Switch, time has stopped.  The world continues to go on, but time no longer exists.  Kids in school have been tasked with finding a solution to this problem.  Truda Becker believes the problem lies entirely with how we treat each other and maybe even more so, how we treat ourselves.  And as her family deals with the aftermath of a destructive sibling, her life continues to turn (quite literally) out of control.  There is a switch inside Tru's house that nobody is allowed to touch.  In fact, her father has build a wooden box around it to keep it safe.  He then built a box around that box, and he continued to do the same thing over and over until the house was just a series of boxes, one inside of the other.  But as she works to heal her family, she is determined to find out what will happen when she flips that switch.  Just maybe, the world will be right-side-up once again. 

 

From Amazon: 

A surreal and timely novel about the effects of isolation and what it means to be connected to the world from the Printz Award-winning author of Dig.

Time has stopped. It's been June 23, 2020 for nearly a year as far as anyone can tell. Frantic adults demand teenagers focus on finding practical solutions to the worldwide crisis. Not everyone is on board though. Javelin-throwing prodigy Truda Becker is pretty sure her "Solution Time" class won't solve the world's problems, but she does have a few ideas what might. Truda lives in a house with a switch that no one ever touches, a switch her father protects every day by nailing it into hundreds of progressively larger boxes. But Truda's got a crow bar, and one way or another, she's going to see what happens when she flips the switch.

The Initial Insult by Mindy McGinnis

The Initial Insult by Mindy McGinnis is the newest novel from another one of my favorite authors.  McGinnis is a master at creating dark and disturbing stories, and I mean that in the best way possible.  The Initial Insult is another incredible tale of a friendship lost and the plot for revenge that comes along with that.  Drawing inspiration from Edgar Allan Poe (there are SO many references to his work), this is the first book in a duology.  I can't wait to find out what the second book has in store.  

The Initial Insult is told in alternating points of view, that of former best friends Tress Montor and Felicity Turnado.  When they were in fifth grade, Tress's parents mysteriously disappeared without a trace.  Felicity was with them, but seems to have no memory of what happened.  But as their senior year is winding down, Tress is determined to get answers and she is willing to do anything to get them, even commit murder.  

With the intensity that Mindy McGinnis always brings to her writing, The Initial Insult will appeal to fans of McGinnis and Poe, along with those who love a good revenge story.  As usual, McGinnis has delivered another incredible story!

 

From Amazon:  

In the first book of a suspenseful YA duology, award-winning author Mindy McGinnis draws inspiration from Edgar Allan Poe and masterfully delivers a dark, propulsive mystery in alternating points of view that unravels a friendship . . . forevermore. Perfect for fans of One of Us Is Lying and Truly Devious!

Tress Montor’s family used to mean something—until she didn’t have a family anymore. When her parents disappeared seven years ago while driving her best friend home, Tress lost everything. The entire town shuns her now that she lives with her drunken, one-eyed grandfather at what locals refer to as the “White Trash Zoo.”

Felicity Turnado has it all: looks, money, and a secret. One misstep could send her tumbling from the top of the social ladder, and she’s worked hard to make everyone forget that she was with the Montors the night they disappeared. Felicity has buried what she knows so deeply that she can’t even remember what it is . . . only that she can’t look at Tress without feeling shame and guilt.

But Tress has a plan. A Halloween costume party at an abandoned house provides the ideal situation for Tress to pry the truth from Felicity—brick by brick—as she slowly seals her former best friend into a coal chute. Tress will have her answers—or settle for revenge.

The Project by Courtney Summers

My latest read is The Project by Courtney Summers.  As I have stated before, I am a sucker for cult books.  Summers never disappoints, and The Project is no different.  While I call it a cult book, this really is a story about love and the connections between sisters.  It is a story about how far we will go for those we care most about.  It is beautiful and haunting and a story that is going to stick with me for a long time to come.  

The Project is the story of Lo Denham.  When she was just thirteen, she was in a car accident that took the lives of her parents, but spared her own.  Her older sister, Bea, was not with them, but was lost to Lo all the same.  It was at this time that Bea became fully immersed in The Unity Project and its leader, Lev Warren.  Years later, Lo is still yearning for the lost connection to her sister, but all attempts to contact her are shot down by The Project. When the opportunity arises for this aspiring journalist to get an in depth look at Lev and his group, she goes for it in the hopes of finding her sister. But can Lo resist the manipulation of Lev long enough to discover the truth about Bea, or will she lose sight of her purpose? Courtney Summers has once again given us an enthralling story that will keep you turning the pages as you follow Lo's journey to find the truth about the person she loves the most in this world.  

 

From Amazon: 

The #1 Spring 2021 Kids’ Indie Next Pick

An Amazon Best Young Adult Book of the Month for February Selection

A Rolling Stone Top Pop Culture for March Pick

A Book Riot Most Anticipated Books of 2021 Selection

Three starred reviews from Kirkus, School Library Journal, and Booklist!

Featured in over 20 “Most Anticipated” lists, including BuzzFeed, Den of Geek, Book Riot, Bustle, Publishers Weekly, PopSugar, Entertainment Weekly, Frolic, and B&N Reads!

"In this compelling and absorbing YA novel, two sisters make the most painful of choices based on their love for one another." ―Shelf Awareness

From Courtney Summers, the New York Times bestselling author of the 2019 Edgar Award Winner and breakout hit Sadie, comes her electrifying follow-up―a suspenseful, pulls-no-punches story about an aspiring young journalist determined to save her sister no matter the cost.

Lo Denham is used to being on her own. After her parents died in a tragic car accident, her sister Bea joined the elusive community called The Unity Project, leaving Lo to fend for herself. Desperate not to lose the only family she has left, Lo has spent the last six years trying to reconnect with Bea, only to be met with radio silence.

When Lo’s given the perfect opportunity to gain access to Bea’s reclusive life, she thinks they’re finally going to be reunited. But it’s difficult to find someone who doesn’t want to be found, and as Lo delves deeper into The Project and its charismatic leader, she begins to realize that there’s more at risk than just her relationship with Bea: her very life might be in danger.

As she uncovers more questions than answers at each turn, everything Lo thought she knew about herself, her sister, and the world is upended. One thing doesn’t change, though, and that’s what keeps her going: Bea needs her, and Lo will do anything to save her.

"This book is brave and raw and exciting and wise―wise about girls and women, weakness and strength, and the bittersweet beauty of being human." ―Melissa Albert, New York Times bestselling author of The Hazel Wood Series

"This is a beautifully-written, compelling book about the lengths to which someone will go in order not to lose their sense of belonging. It’s full of twists and turns, keeping its readers guessing until the very end. The characterization is masterfully done and so empathetic that the reader will find it almost impossible not to sympathize with the characters even if they are seemingly going down the wrong path. It’s a tour de force, unflinchingly posing uncomfortable questions and forcing its readers to dig deep into themselves in order to find the answers." ―The Nerd Daily

 

Those Who Prey by Jennifer Moffett

I am a sucker for cult books, and Those Who Prey by Jennifer Moffett fits the bill perfectly.  This story is a slow burn that builds to a great ending.  Emily is a lonely college student, far from home.  As she is approached one day, she quickly finds a group of friends that accept her and welcome her.  As a reader, you can see the slow build as these friends draw her into The Kingdom.  And as Emily becomes more enamored with them, she becomes blind to the manipulation and control The Kingdom is starting to assert over her.  And when someone close to her dies, her eyes finally start to open to the true ways of The Kingdom.  Can she find a way out before it's too late? 

 

From Amazon: 

Sadie meets The Girls in this riveting debut psychological thriller about a lonely college freshman seduced into joining a cult—and her desperate attempt to escape before it’s too late.

College life isn’t what Emily expected.

She expected to spend freshman year strolling through the ivy-covered campus with new friends, finally feeling like she belonged. Instead, she walks the campus alone, still not having found her place or her people so far away from home.

But then the Kingdom finds her.

The Kingdom, an exclusive on-campus group, offers everything Emily expected out of college and more: acceptance, friends, a potential boyfriend, and a chance to spend the summer on a mission trip to Italy. But the trip is not what she thought it would be. Emily and the others are stripped of their passports and money. They’re cut off from their families back home. The Kingdom’s practices become increasingly manipulative and dangerous…

And someone ends up dead.