The hate u give, by Angie Thomas

Title: The hate u give
Author: Angie Thomas
Genre/ issues: YA contemporary fiction. Racism. Black Lives Matter. Family.

Shop local where you can: For Australian readers, search Indies to locate your closest independent bookstore, or find it on Booktopia. US readers, check out Bookshop.org.

June saw me reading books by BIPOC authors as I focused on decolonising my bookshelf, and I finished the month with The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. What a sensational book. Focusing on the personal and community responses in the wake of the shooting of a black teen by a white cop, this book is gripping. Whilst we see mostly through the eyes of Starr, the main character and friend of the young man who was killed, we also get significant insight into the motivations and reactions of a range of people who are impacted by this. Why do people protest? How do good cops, like Starr’s uncle, respond when someone they know is in the firing line? How do white friends show their support? I was really moved by this book, and by its subtle insistence that the most powerful weapon we have is our voice. Let’s use it to speak up for what’s right, and to speak out against what is wrong.

#TamaraReads #2020readingchallenge 38/52

Happy reading,

Everything, Everything, by Nicola Yoon

Title: Everything, everything
Author: Nicola Yoon
Genre/ issues: YA, contemporary fiction, romance, families.

Shop local where you can: For Australian readers, search Indies to locate your closest independent bookstore, or find it on Booktopia. US readers, check out Bookshop.org.

What a lovely read this was! I bought Everything, Everything for Tayla when we were in San Francisco, and it’s been sitting on the shelf since. It’s been popping up on my radar over the past few weeks, though, so I started reading it the other day. Maddy has a rare immune disorder, so has lived her entire life in the bubble of her house with her doctor mother. When Olly moves in next door, what follows is a love story which gets you thinking about what is really worth living for. A twist at the end that I didn’t see coming – although apparently other people did! – and a main character with a suitable appreciation of the power of stories made this a really enjoyable read for me. Also, how pretty is that cover?

#TamaraReads #2020readingchallenge 37/52

Happy reading,

Scythe, by Neal Shusterman

Title: Scythe
Author: Neal Shusterman
Genre/ issues: YA, dystopian.

Shop local where you can: For Australian readers, search Indies to locate your closest independent bookstore, or find it on Booktopia. US readers, check out Bookshop.org.

It’s no secret that I love a good dystopian fiction series. They’ve been hard to read lately though – life is too closely imitating art. I’ve had Scythe by Neal Shusterman for over a year now, and finally decided to read it this weekend. I’m so glad I did!
Humanity has eradicated death and disease, and as a result people can now basically live forever. To combat over-population, Scythes are recruited to “glean” a quota of people each year, to help maintain some sense of balance on the planet. When two apprentices are given the opportunity to earn the profession of scythe, they learn far more than they bargained for.
I really enjoyed this book. I know there are 2 more in the series, and I’m very much looking forward to reading them, but the end of book 1 felt extremely satisfying, in ways that I’m not really used to in a YA series. Often you get the nail-biting cliffhanger, and whilst there were certainly elements of “to be continued”, Scythe has a solid resolution. If you’re after a good YA dystopian novel to read, but aren’t sure if you want to commit to a series, this would be a great one to dive into – solid enough to stand on its own two feet, but with some more to come if you get hooked. And bonus – the rest of the series is already out, so no pesky waiting for release dates!

#TamaraReads #2020readingchallenge 36/52

Happy reading,