Go With Your Heart by Savannah J. Frierson

Go with Your Heart by Savannah J. Frierson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In 1870s Oklahoma Shiloh, a freed black woman and Nashoba, an Indian in the army and how he befriends her and teaches her and her brothers how to defend themselves. Slowly Nashoba falls for Shiloh but he always keeps control because he does not want to scare her off. Shiloh comes off as shy but happy to be alone and she blooms under Nashoba's gentle ways. A short novella that I absolutely loved!!!

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Loving vs. Virginia: A Documentary Novel of the Landmark Civil Rights Case by Patricia Hruby Powell

Loving vs. Virginia: A Documentary Novel of the Landmark Civil Rights Case by Patricia Hruby Powell
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I LOVED this illustrated novel in verse about the love story and fight to stay married between black Mildred Jeter and white Richard Loving who grew up together in Virginia. What a testament to race relations, enduring love, marriage, and family. Patricia Hruby Powell's novel in verse was delivered with raw emotion, drawing on legal proceedings, as well as the historical background of the times. A must-read by all!

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My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really liked this book but disagreed with the ending...that said Korede is a strong but conflicted character with a sister, Ayoola, who uses her beauty and personality to fool everyone. Even Korede can't believe the lies her sister tells about her...but on to other parts of the book...I could not put down this slim book because I like to read books about serial killers. But that said I feel the author took Korede's strength of character and used it against her. The reader does not find out far into the book about their family dysfunction, maniacal father with his beatings and perverse thoughts on marriage, family and what people think about him. As Korede has no friends, she confides in a comatose patient in her hospital all that bothers her about her sister, her killings, and her own part in these. She is in love with Tade who has no idea she even exists, until her sister, the serial killer, comes into the hospital and he falls hard for her. What to do, tell Tade about Ayoola or keep silent? You read the book. I just feel Korede standing by her sister is a HUGE mistake! It is taking family love and caring for your sister no matter what too far.

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Rules of Attraction bySimone Elkeles

Rules of Attraction by Simone Elkeles

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This multicultural YA book was so intriguing, I couldn't put it down. It involves a Mexican American teen, Carlos, who is taken out of his family home in Chicago, then Mexico, and placed under his brother Alex's watchful eye.
He is assigned a peer guide to help him the lst week of school and Carlos tears this girl, Kiara, up by snubbing her, being rude to her and mocking her every chance he can. But Carlos has a soft, vulnerable side and I really liked how he protects people, he has a strong sense of family loyalty and when he is interested in a girl, watch out! There is alot going on in this book, Carlos' brother got jumped out of the Latino Blood gang to be with his white girlfriend Carlos can't stand. Carlos is framed with drugs in his bookbag and then recruited to sell drugs and if he won't his family in Mexico and Kiara's family will be threatened. Kiara is a well adjusted girl from a wonderful family (imagine that???) who loves a challenge, loves to fix cars, got text-dumped by her boyfriend, has a gay best friend Tuck, and is falling for Carlos, despite his attitude, his Mexican ideas of macho and whatever he can do to turn her on and then turn her off. There are alternating chapters of Carlos and Kiara, this book will not disappoint and I think the reluctant readers and some urban readers will enjoy the drug/gang connection.

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