Read Your Way Homewood

The Color of Earth (Color Trilogy, #1)   by   Kim Dong Hwa ,  Lauren Na Artwork - beautiful. Writing - soft, gentle, cautious, beautiful. Characters - full, varied, nuanced Story - historical snapshot of life, engaging, interesting, addictive Coming of Age - for girls, but also for boys, is handled with humor and realism. The way the main young lady learns about her body in a piecemeal way, is so indicative of the way some girls learn, and really funny, too. Love - believable love triangle for the youth. So slow and sweet. Love - EXTRA slow and just as sweet - the mom and the traveling salesman. The shoes at the door? Leaving a brush behind? I loved it. Review by Kelly

Violet is on the run. After the Duchess of the Lake catches Violet with Ash, the hired companion at the Palace of the Lake, Violet has no choice but to escape the Jewel or face certain death. So along with Ash and her best friend, Raven, Violet runs away from her unbearable life of servitude. But no one said leaving the Jewel would be easy. As they make their way through the circles of the Lone City, Regimentals track their every move, and the trio barely manages to make it out unscathed and into the safe haven they were promised—a mysterious house in the Farm. But there’s a rebellion brewing, and Violet has found herself in the middle of it. Alongside a new ally, Violet discovers her Auguries are much more powerful than she ever imagined. But is she strong enough to rise up against the Jewel and everything she has ever known? The White Rose is a raw, captivating sequel to The Jewel that fans won’t be able to put down until the final shocking moments.

Strange Fruit: Uncelebrated Narratives from Black History by   Joel Christian Gill I was flipping through this book at work one day, rather flippantly, (Hee Hee) when I stumbled on that story, and I started reading it. I immediately passed it to my coworker. She read it and immediately passed it to another coworker, who read it, and passed it to a library patron. A group of restless teens passed by, and I gave it to them. They turned into focused teens. THAT my friends is the power of this book and the stories it tells. Insanely amazing. The "Two Letters" tale is achingly, heartwrenchingly beautiful. In a "you mess with my child I will kill you" sort of beauty. Review by Kelly