My rating is very complex on this book, so please don't pay attention to stars. I rated it three out of five because the Goodreads label of "I liked it" seemed to fit best. Well, as much as anyone can like a book of this sort of magnitude and weight.

I have yet be able to feel at home in the genre of magical realism. I do not particularly enjoy it. I've tried the genre from multiple cultural perspectives, and although I do like the cultural emersion it can bring, magical realism is just not the way that I absorb story. Magical realism tends to roll over me instead of through me, which is how I want stories like this to impact me. I want them to punch me in the gut, and this one did, but the magical realism was still a block for me.

With that said, it is NOT that way for most people. So PLEASE, do not let a solid three of five star rating from me convince you not the read this book. Actually, I don't know if I've ever rated a book in this genre so high. This is a powerful book. Those with cultural backgrounds similar to mine need to be reading books on these topics with the level of graphic descriptions this book contains.

Sing, Unburied, Sing follows the story of an impoverished Mississippi family's struggle.

From the back of the book: "
Jojo and his toddler sister, Kayla, live with their grandparents, Mam and Pop, and the occasional presence of their drug-addicted mother, Leonie, on a farm on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. Leonie is simultaneously tormented and comforted by visions of her dead brother, which only come to her when she’s high; Mam is dying of cancer; and quiet, steady Pop tries to run the household and teach Jojo how to be a man. When the white father of Leonie’s children is released from prison, she packs her kids and a friend into her car and sets out across the state for Parchman farm, the Mississippi State Penitentiary, on a journey rife with danger and promise."

I liked the idea of Leonie's brother appearing to her. It was the other ghost character, Richie, who I often found unnecessarily confusing along the way. I do feel like what Richie's character revealed could have been revealed without Richie himself, or that he could have been something more powerful and less strange in the end scenes. The group of spirits at the end did serve a powerful purpose in revealing how many stories cannot be told, will never be told, and how those spirits don't really rest. I also wanted Jojo to have the final moment, and feel that although Kayla made some sense, it wasn't as cohesive with her. So it's not the ghosts I find a little off putting, but some of their execution.

I definitely want to read more by this author. Her lyrical prose put her with the literary greats. She is an artist who paints with words and I marveled at so many of her metaphors and her ability to deeply disgust the reader with the sheer physicality of life and death the truth of violent situations.

“Don’t tell me I’m undocumented when my name is tattooed on my father’s arm.”

Infinite Country tells the story of a family torn apart by their shared desire for a dream of a better life in America.

The story begins with Talia's escape from a "prison school" for girls who have committed violent crimes. She makes her way across Columbia back to the small apartment home she shares with her father in Bogota so that she won't miss her flight to the United States, to her new home where her mother and sister and brother live. Talia's parents and older sister, Karina, were all born in Columbia. Nando and Talia were born in the United States. But once ICE deports Talia's father, Mauro, the family is split, quite possibly forever. Elena can't handle raising three small children and working full time, so infant Talia was sent to Columbia to live with her father and her mother's mother.

Can Talia bring herself to trade the life she knows with her father for a distant vision of the future and a mother she can only remember from phone calls and facetime? And if she does, will she ever see her father again?

Infinite Country is an unflinching look at the pain of being "undocumented" and of living as a transplant in a land that isn't your own and doesn't claim you the way you wish to claim it. This book brings home the threat of living of in America that so many of us do not see because we do not wish to see. When family in war torn countries worry about the random mass violence here, are we in the United States any more safe? Are we the haven we claim to be?

THIS is the book so many of my students need.

Furia follows the story of Camila Hassan, a multiracial girl in Rosario, Argenina who lives secret, hidden lives. She hides her pain at her father's abusive words. She hides her love for Diego, her childhood friend and now international soccer star in Italy. But her biggest secret is that she plays soccer and that she has talent. She is La Furia on the field, unstoppable.

From the back of the book: "But the path ahead isn’t easy. Her parents don’t know about her passion. They wouldn’t allow a girl to play fútbol—and she needs their permission to go any farther. And the boy she once loved is back in town. Since he left, Diego has become an international star, playing in Italy for the renowned team Juventus. Camila doesn’t have time to be distracted by her feelings for him. Things aren’t the same as when he left: she has her own passions and ambitions now, and La Furia cannot be denied. As her life becomes more complicated, Camila is forced to face her secrets and make her way in a world with no place for the dreams and ambition of a girl like her. "

This book sits at the intersection of sports, love, secrets, family, justice, politics, advocacy, sacrifice, ambition, and most importantly, possibility.

I love this strong South American character. She does make mistakes and she's definitely a teenager. But she is true to herself and she stands up for what she believes in. Its' impossible to not love her. Pick up this book, and you'll love Furia too.

Once you pick this one up, you won't want to put it down.

This is the perfect book for bookworms and anyone who loves stories.

Amelia and her best (and only) friend Jenna planned to go to college together, to take all the same basic courses and electives together, and to start their adult lives together. Jenna had the plan all detailed out on huge poster board. She was always the organized one, the one so certain of where she needed to go in life and how to get there.

But then, after a freak car accident, suddenly Jenna is gone and Amelia is unanchored.

Did she ever know what she wanted to do with herself? Were Jenna's plans really her plans to? And how else is she supposed to hang onto Jenna if she doesn't follow their life plan. Jenna's parents cling to Amelia with such ferocity that she doesn't know how to move on or even if she wants to. Jenna's parents have already lost their daughter and she doesn't want to hurt them by revealing how uncertain she is in life.

But just a few days after Jenna's funeral a strange package arrives for Amelia at the local bookstore. She's certain it's from Jenna somehow. So Amelia goes to the original bookstore from where this impossible book originates.

There, just maybe she'll find answers. Just maybe she'll find friends. Just maybe she'll meet others who teach her how to be broken and beautiful at the same time. Just maybe she'll find herself.

But then what?

If she does find a dream for herself, how can she keep it when her life is already planned out and deviating from that plan would mean starting a new story when all she wants is to return to how her story should have been?

The characters in this book are sheer perfection - every last one of them. You'll fall in love with Amelia, Jenna, Alex, Nolan, Val, Jenna's parents, even the brain damaged dog.

Pick this one up. You'll be glad you did.

This book is infuriating in its ending. That's exactly how it's supposed to be.

You'll be able to work your way through this one (either it's original poetic incarnation or the graphic novel version) in about an hour or so. So if you don't have a lot of time to read but want something to really chew on for days, this is the story for you. The art makes this version come alive and straight off the page and I highly recommend it.

Will's brother has just been shot and killed before his eyes. Will is pretty sure certain he knows who committed the murder. And now that he knows, Will has three rules to follow, rules his brother passed to him from their father, going back generations.

1. Don't cry.
2. Don't snitch.
3. Get revenge.

All that's left for Will is to kill his brother's killer. But can he do it?

On Will's journey down his apartment building's elevator, he meets ghosts from his past, all dead due to gun violence. They try to impart some wisdom to Will on the long way down, but being ghosts, they can't exactly say all that needs to be said - at least not with words and not in the short time allotted to them. In the end, it's up to Will to figure out his own path.

You coming?

Thorough and detailed without being dry.

Grace Will Lead Us Home begins with the story of Emmanuel AME Church and its most devout members who decided to stay after hours of meetings for a Bible study led by a newly licensed minister. Just after the study began a slight slip of a man in a long-sleeved gray shirt, Timberlands, and a bowl cut joined in the study. The senior pastor invited the young man to sit beside him.

At the end of the study, the blond man got up, shot the pastor and eight other people, firing 77 bullets into the fellowship hall. Only three Emmanuel members survived the Bible study.

Some might think surviving such an experience would be the end of the story, but for the families of the Emmanuel Nine, surviving was just the beginning.

Hawes tells the complex story of race in Charleston from the past to the present as well as the continuing struggles of Emmanuel, the local AME's unprepared and untrained leadership, displays of racial unity that so often fizzled out before any action to repair systemic inequality, political divisions, and the mercy and grace we are all capable of extending, and in granting others forgiveness how we can grant ourselves freedom and peace.

I've rarely read a piece that wasn't specifically about race or class be so nuanced in its approach. I definitely recommend this to any and all readers.

I didn't want to put this one down. Neal Shusterman is a god among mortals.

Bruiser is the story of a fifteen year old boy who steals the pain from those he loves. He didn't choose to be able to do it, but whenever he is around people he cares for, their bruises, cuts, scrapes, and ills become his. Their anger, sadness, anxiety, and pain become his. With a life like that, it's easiest to care for no one at all. So Brewster gets the nickname "Bruiser" for his abrasive and caustic personality. In junior high he was voted "Most Likely to Get the Death Penalty", unofficially, of course.

But just because Brewster has closed himself off to the public doesn't mean he can't love or that he doesn't care deeply. He does. He reads to feel emotions without the dangerous connection to other living and breathing people. He loves his younger brother. He even cares for his abusive uncle, even when he can't understand why and wishes he didn't.

But somehow Bronte and her twin brother Tennyson push past all his walls and suddenly Brewster has friends and the world becomes more dangerous for him than it has ever been before.

And as much as his friends love him. As much as his brother cares from him (and even his uncle, in a twisted way) everyone can't help but use him. Brewster soaks up their pain and no one can seem to help giving it all freely to him. But what if our pain, physical and emotional, is necessary to be who we are, to change, to grow into better people? What happens to us if we just stagnate in false contentment?

The story raises so many ethical questions and dilemmas. I know this one will be siting with me for a while.

Also, if you're a teacher and want to teach these themes without the length of a full novel, I recommend [b:The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas|92625|The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas|Ursula K. Le Guin|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1389866872l/92625._SX50_.jpg|89324]. Or if you teach that in class and want something to recommend to kids after finishing the short story, this is the perfect book.

I greatly enjoyed this new world by Elise Kova. There wasn't as much world building as I'd like, but this is the first book in a five book series with a couple of spin off series, so there's time for that, I suppose. The magic system in this world is intriguing and unique. I hope to learn more about it as Vhalla discovers more about it herself. Vhalla is far too trusting and not as developed as I would normally expect a main character to be. I feel like this book could have contained another 50 pages of character and world building and would have really been something special. That said though, I greatly enjoy Kova's writing style and although underdeveloped, the characters all feel unique from one another and sympathetic. I have a feeling I'll like the characters more as I learn more in the next books.

Air Awakens tells the story of an unassuming library apprentice who, because of her quick skill in reading and research, saves the life of the crown prince. In doing so she is swept up in a world of sorcery she had always been taught to fear. Upon learning that she has magical gifts herself, Vhalla is faced with an impossible choice - live the life she's always known or jump into a new world of frightening and wonderful possibility? In making her choice Vhalla will explore friendships old and new and discover who she truly wants to be.

Oh, I am absolutely broken.

Fire Falling is the second book in the Air Awakens quintet. I felt that the first book didn't have nearly enough character or world development. This book definitely builds up our characters and although there isn't a whole lot of additional world building in this installment, the characters were so absolutely lovely that I didn't care if anything else was lacking. I know more world building is coming, so I can wait, especially while falling in love with the entire cast of the book.

Vhalla has been made property of the empire in order to "atone" for her "crimes". She has been made to march to war against the North. Since she has no combat training and very little training as a sorcerer, this basically amounts to a death sentence. But Vhalla's friends won't let her march alone and she does have a little bit of time to get herself together and hopefully learn how to survive.

But surviving might be the least of her worries.

This book ripped my heart out more than once. And if you read it, be prepared, because it will rip your heart out as well. I don't feel like I can say more without spoilers. I wish 18 year old me had been able to read this book because I would have become a rabid Vhalla/Aldrick stan.

Who am I kidding, at 30 I'm still a pretty rabid fan of this series so far. Let's see where it goes next! I'm not waiting another moment to get past this literal cliff hanger ending.

I'm fairly certain I read this back in 2004 or shortly after the English translation came out. It's the first shojo manga I ever read.

It's very fast paced, and at only 3 volumes long, the story and action is PACKED in. It's perfect for light, fun reading though. To get everything possible out of the short page count, you'll have to look closely at absolutely every panel. The emotion and character building is there, but it's sometimes subtle, in the eyes, placement of the feet, or tiny words outside of speech bubbles. I love the style though. I feel like this could be read more than once with something new to discover in subsequent readings.

Magic Knight Rayearth tells the story of three girls summoned to Cephiro to save that strange, new world from the evil priest Zagato. There's an allegory to the story, but it isn't completely revealed in the first installment. Essentially a person's will is the strongest force in determining what they can do and the effect they can have on others and on the world around them. Peace and harmony were maintained throughout Cephiro through the power of the princess Emeraude's prayers. Now that she's been imprisoned and her power (possibly her will) is depleted, it's up to the three she has summoned from another world to become the legendary magic knights who can save Cephiro. In order to do so, these three junior high students will have to grow up quickly. Only if they're successful in saving Cephiro can they have a hope of returning home.

The manga acknowledges its own plot and its similarities to a video game, which makes it easier to suspend belief and go along for the ride. All three main characters are funny and engaging but do manage to have unique personality traits even in such a compact story.

If you're looking for a quick (three volume) manga, this is a great one. It's an excellent entry point into the genre and perfect for my classroom library because I can purchase it all at once. When I am limited on both funds and shelf space, like this story, I have to cram in as much as possible.

Try this one out. You'll be glad you did.