The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

The Hate U Give is about a young teen girl navigating her life in between two worlds. The world she "lives" in (a poor neighborhood) and the suburban prep school she attends. She is one of two black students and she changes her personality and the way she talks to acclimate in the environment she is in.

Starr is no novice when it comes to institutional injustice or witnessing the murder of someone she loves but when her best friend Khalil is murdered in front of her by the very people who are suppose to protect us she struggles to accept the world around her until she finds her voice.


This novel examines racism and our broken down criminal justice system in which some police offices can and do violate the civil rights of others in particular those of color. This book is well written, character driven and emotional. I did have issues with the way the dog breed is portrayed in this novel and a few stereotypes that popped up on occasion which gave me moments of pause and made me dislike portions/passage of the book. I don't necessarily think this would effect everyone's reading experience but if you are like me you will find it distracting and disappointing.

The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker

The Dreamers by Karen Thompson Walker

Release Date: January 15, 2019

I have been not so patiently awaiting a second novel from Karen Thompson Walker since I read
 Age of Miracles in 2012. When I was given the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of The Dreamers, I jumped at the opportunity.  Walker once again tackles a unique and imaginative topic. I was hesitant as the synopsis didn't pull me in but I am glad that I  read it as I was mesmerized from page one. 

It all starts innocently enough a young college student comes down with an illness and returns to her dorm room.  Her roomate, Mei is unable to wake her up and medics are called in. Doctors are perplexed and don't have answers and then another student falls ill. The cases multiple and a quarantine is put into place. The illness targets all ages and races no one is safe. It is determined that those who are in this unwakeable sleep are displaying unusual brain activity, activity that has never been recorded before.

This is a character driven story and is told by a variety of characters. Their point of views help to deliver an exceptionally creative and compulsive read.  It's clever yet not at tantalizing as
Age of Miracles.


* I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Lian is only fifteen years old when Soviet Officers barge into her home in Lithuanian.   The year is 1941 and Stalin is giving orders. She is forced onto a dirty crowded train with her mother, brother and strangers. The conditions are horrific as the train makes its way north crossing the arctic circle into Serbia where they are forced to work.

The winter is brutal and the conditions on the train pale in comparison to what they are about to undergo. Difficult choices are to be made by all but human nature also shows some compassion and characters surprise you with choices they make. Many scenes are shocking and some could consider them graphic (this is also true for the train ride). 

Lina uses her art as a way to cope with her life and to get word to her father who was is separated from them. This combined with some flashbacks from the author helps provide some moments of emotional relief. 

Between Shades of Gray explores  the psychological and sociological ramifications of WWII. This fictional story is almost too much for the heart to bear  especially when you stop and think that  this one story is a reflection of the 20+millions of lives lost in the genocide. 

This is a well written, informative, emotional story filled with phenomenal characters. Sepetys has written a gem of a novel and it should be mandatory reading for all school age children. We know about Hitler and the atrocities he put people  under but somehow Stalin gets glossed over and what he did is just as horrific. This is the first novel I have run across regarding Stalin and the people he harmed. I strongly recommend this read for all.  Be prepared for emotional turmoil and to shed a tear or two.