Welcome to Litsy!

#2023Book32
While I still liked this book, it didn‘t pack the same punch re-reading it.

March #bookspin complete! Told from alternating points of view from two different authors, two teen girls must navigate and rely on each other during a violent riot. This YA book was a fast paced read and gave plenty of thought to how we all approach things and think differently based on the color of our skin.

#2022Book37
I read this for the first time while teaching it to my sophomores. We all loved it! The main characters are flawed, but so well-written that you want them to succeed. The side characters help move the story along and there‘s so much tension throughout that it was hard to put it down at the end of class every day. This was my first time reading either of these authors, but I hope they continue to write together for years to come.

My #12booksof2021 #march choice is my library‘s community read, which I found thought-provoking. Honorable mention to Ghost by Jason Reynolds, which was an alternate title for the community read.

I flew through this book in 2 1/2 hours. It‘s the primary book for my library‘s Community Read and I‘m so glad I made the time to read it. An action-packed, moving story about two girls, one black and one white, practically strangers, surviving a night of chaos in their city together. This is a powerful story illuminating different perspectives and lived experiences. A must read.

This young adult novel was co-authored by a Black woman and a white woman and tells from dual POVs the story of two high schoolers who must depend on each other to survive a riot in Atlanta. I don‘t read much YA but I had to grab this debut from Kimberly Jones after seeing her unforgettable speech “How Can We Win.” This book is so attentive to the issues that divide and unite these two young women—and us all. A riveting, urgent, powerful read.

This is an important relevant book about races understanding each other. People are more alike than different, but it's so easy to make assumptions when you don't know each other. Lena and Campbell are put in a position where they are forced to be together in a night of danger - shooting, rioting, looting. Through this experience they learn more about someone who doesn't look like themselves and more about themselves. A great YA read!

I feel like this one is very timely. Based on true events this gives an inside look at issues of race, riots, and our internalized bias. Well written. I really wanted to know what happened next.

A decent #YA novel centered around a riot that breaks out at a high school football game in Atlanta. The story is told by two girls. One black and and one white. #BLM , peaceful protesters, looting, rioting, and police are all discussed in this story. Good book to start a discussion with teens.

One more square on my #bookspinbingo card filled.

The #manpanion is watching WWE while I finish this #bookclub pick. It was very interesting and there should be some good conversation on Thursday.

Here are #3Books #IveReadInADay. All were read this summer!

#3Books I plan to read this month
(Just starting this photo challenge; 💕 it)
@OriginalCyn620 @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

Another fun mail day. Yarn for a mystery knit along and this book which I‘m looking forward to.

EXCELLENT!! At a football game, when a fight turns into rioting & looting, we see it through the eyes of two teenaged girls: Lena, who is Black, and Campbell, who is white. They have to work together to get through the night, and in the process they learn to see the world and each other more clearly. https://cannonballread.com/2020/07/im-not-dying-with-you-tonight-elcicco/

A very timely listen: this book follows two teenage girls over a single night as a fight breaks out at a football game and the city erupts into protests, violence, looting, and unhelpful policing. Love that it‘s co-written by a Black and white author, and the story unfolds by the girls‘ alternating POVs. Tense and powerful, there‘s a lot packed into this short book, and the two narrators did a great job with the audio.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A few books I‘ve read that could be described as #ephemeral, since they take place over a single day (or night).
#beautifulwords

A relevant read. This book gives understanding and a thought process on 2 different girls 1 white and 1 black as they survive a night in a riot together. They come to understand and learn from another gaining understanding that was needed from both sides. I highly recommend a read of this book addressing riots and police brutality.

I loved how relevant this story is, showing how tensions mount & can explode suddenly. The action was super fast-paced, making it nearly impossible to put down, esp. in the second half. Each new obstacle adds another layer of tension btwn the girls & in their journey to get home. The girls themselves are very real too.At the end though, what I wanted was more, esp. of the aftermath & what happens to the girls & Marcus. Really engaging read though.

I loved how relevant this story is, showing how tensions mount & can explode suddenly. The action was super fast-paced, making it nearly impossible to put down, esp. in the second half. Each new obstacle adds another layer of tension btwn the girls & in their journey to get home. The girls themselves are very real too.At the end though, what I wanted was more, esp. of the aftermath & what happens to the girls & Marcus. Really engaging read though.

This was a pretty timely read! The dual perspectives were very interesting, and it was fast-paced. I read the whole thing in one sitting. I‘d definitely recommend it to YA loyalists, or to someone who‘s looking for a read that‘s relevant to the current political climate.

Got a nice view of the moon directly in front of my hammock.

When a fight breaks out at a football game and mass chaos ensues, Lena and Campbell (who aren‘t friends and barely know each other) must rely on each other to get home safely. The night gets even worse as they get caught in a riot on their way home, and they both wonder if this is the night they die. So much tension and I found myself worrying about both girls. A real page-turner!
#popsugar2020 - set in a city that has hosted the Olympics

This was 1 of the 2 books I bought for the #BlackPublishingPower movement, and while this one has mixed reviews, I loved it. It was fast-paced, tense, and exciting. Co-written by both a black and a white author, this YA book provides unique insight into racial tension while also being a suspenseful thriller. I did wish that the characters had a little more depth, and the ending felt a little sudden, but the story kept me breathless, so I‘m happy.

I had to hear more of Kimberly Jones' voice after seeing her recent YouTube video. The plot is nothing too original, but the writing (and performances for the audio) is excellent. I liked that the story progressed with each change in POV, and didn't retread each scene from each perspective. Excellent YA option for these troubled times.

This book wasn‘t really on my radar, mainly due to it being YA, but I‘ve watched author Kimberly Jones‘ viral video so many times since first seeing it on John Oliver last week... very powerful, and I have the utmost respect for this woman and what she‘s saying...

https://youtu.be/sb9_qGOa9Go

Now, I own the book and will listen to it soon.

(For the record, this IS book related, and it‘s not political—racial equality is not a political issue.)

This was a super intense, emotionally-charged book. Except for a couple minor details, there was nothing wrong with this YA novel, and it is especially thought-provoking in the wake of the protests all across the country right now. I read this book cover to cover tonight because I literally couldn't put it down.

From my TBR but I‘ll be getting to it pretty soon!
#sideprofile #bibliomaynia

Two authors + two protagonists = one excellent story about race, class, high school, violence, “love”, and friendship.

This quick read brings up insightful and, I think, accurate misunderstandings centered on race. The single night the protagonists spend together reveals so much about their identities.

Highly recommend this YA novel.

A fast moving story about two girls who most definitely aren‘t friends, but are thrown together when a fight breaks out at a school game and end up in the midst of a riot on their way home. Reminiscent of Ferguson and Charlottesville, Jones and Segal write a moving story about trauma, survival, racism, and friendship. #netgalley #quarantinereads

I could have read this in one sitting...if work wasn‘t a thing. Lmao. This was a quick and fast paced read. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Just starting this tonight, and so far, I can‘t put it down.

I have family who like in Ferguson, and this book conjured up a lot from the time following Michael Brown‘s death. This felt authentic. Jones did a good job with this emotional read!

So good! I loved the dual narration and the way these two young women bond during a very traumatic night. Can't wait to discuss this is book club!

Listened to it in one sitting. It‘s a fast, thrilling, read from start to finish. Well done, every thing from the moment where Campbell and Lena meet to the end where every thing calms down.

I do wish there was more after, but I also get why there isn‘t.

Almost forgot to read this for YA Book Club next weekend! #YABookClub

Two unlikely allies are thrown together, trying to survive being trapped in the middle of a riot situation. Lena and Campbell are unforgettably vivid characters that stick with you. An incredible, unputdownable book! You can tell the authors wrote this with compassion and a realistic view of our current times. It was a fast paced story that was on point in so many ways.🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Follows 2 high school students, Lena & Campbell, over the course of a few hours. Lena & Campbell aren‘t friends & hardly know each other. But one night at a football game a fight breaks out & soon the city is in chaos, forcing these two to rely on one another if they intend to survive the night.

Fast paced & told in alternating perspective, I‘m Not Dying with You Tonight shines a light on racial tension that is currently happening today.

Started this #audiobook late last night, and it's been hard to stop! Reading it for book club later this month.

This book is fantastic, it is beautiful written with two narrators. This book highlights a massive divide among the americans because of the colour of their skin. Everyone is guilty of stereotyping and are not even aware that they are doing it and this is clear in this book.

I read this book as part of the big library read and i am really glad i did! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Big Library read! Fast pace read!

Told in alternating chapters in the girls‘ distinct voices, I‘m Not Dying with You Tonight shows how Campbell‘s challenges are not quite the same as Lena‘s—and that the community‘s perception and prejudices of them both will either aid or hinder their journey. They may be together physically, but their paths are divergent because of their race.

I love this book for older middle school and high school. There was barely any cursing and although there is violence, it's not graphic.

Campbell and Lena are pushed together when a violent fight starts at their high school football game and they seek shelter together. As they attempt to get to a safer place, they discover rioting in the streets. While an interesting premise, I found this a bit superficial and lacking the punch and depth of a book like The Hate You Give.

I had seen a blurb about this book awhile ago and thought it sounded good so when it was the #biglibraryread, I went ahead and downloaded it. A quick YA listen but with compelling fast moving storyline. The characters did lack some depth but I liked the story a lot.

Did anyone else feel like the ending was really rushed?

All in all, I did enjoy the book, but just wish the ending was a little longer. I still have so many questions! 🖤

Putting a short pause on my #NFNov reads to take advantage of the fact that there‘s an audio version of this book included in the Big Library Read. Who else is reading this right now?

Just finished this up for this year's #BigLibraryRead. It felt a little thin in world-building and resolution, and the writing itself was underwhelming (especially coming straight out of The Hate U Give), but I think it could be a very useful text for middle grade and high school conversations about contemporary Black-white relations in the US.

A timely read that could be all too real...the most interesting aspect of this book is being able to see through the eyes of each girl and knowing their thoughts throughout. Having each character written by a different author made the differences in the characters even more tangible. This is available at most Overdrive Libraries as part of the Big Library Read, but only through the 18th of November.