Books I've Read This Season

I've read a lot of books this season. There are a couple reasons why. One, I am (again) addicted to another crime series. Because of that, I get caught up in the characters and have to keep reading the books back-to-back-to-back. I can't stop. Two, we have started our own version of Read Woke in the library media center (where I work). Because of that, I get to read "for work" to recommend books to our high school readers ... and stay "woke" about issues and people who are different from me in the world today. I'll do a quick review!

Triptych - Fallen. I had only read Pretty Girls by Karin Slaughter a while ago (2017). Loved it ... was terrified while reading it ... but couldn't stop. While talking about books with my friend's mom, she mentioned that she had read a crime series by that same author. Enter the Will Trent Series. Well, it's now 2019. I don't know why I put it off for so long, but I'm making up for it now. It is amazing the way Slaughter can weave a story and yet, at the same time, build strong characters that you want to know more about. I'm literally in love with Will Trent. In love. I know he's a fictional character, but I don't care! Without giving too much away: each book is a specific case that Will Trent is trying to solve. He is a special agent for the GBI (Georgia Bureau of Investigation). He has a tragic past. He has a secret. READ THEM to find out more. I've read the first five in the last couple of months, and there are nine total. There is a tenth coming in 2020 as well. Warning: This is a crime series, so there are some graphic/disturbing descriptions occasionally.

These books I read for the Read Woke challenge are totally different from the ones above.

Dear Martin is a great, but humbling read. The entire book deals with different situations Justyce (the main character) is dealing with his senior year. Then he turns around and writes letters to Martin Luther King Jr., wishing for advice on how to handle these issues. What would Martin do? The author expertly deals with same-race issues as well as different-race ones.

A Girl Like That. This book was a combination of every-day teen challenges and angst mixed with more extreme issues of class/religion and race. The story itself was hard for me to read because the very beginning of the book lets the reader know that it would not be a happy ending. We get a view of Zarin's life in Saudi Arabia told by multiple characters: her friends, boyfriends, enemies, and herself. Is she really "a girl like that" ... the type a person should stay away from? Or is she simply misunderstood?

Sugar. This one hit me the hardest. It was a fairly heavy read. Not only does it deal with obesity/eating disorders, it touches heavily on verbal, physical, and sexual abuse, bullying, and death (and how to handle the death of a loved one/friend). I had to take frequent breaks from this book. Many times tears came. Definitely worth a read ... so good, but so heart-wrenching. It makes you wonder how many children and teens deal with these sorts of issues at home in the world today. It makes me even more thankful for my upbringing.

I am now reading the sixth book in the Will Trent series: Criminal. I am also juggling Dracul (personal) and With the Fire On High (Read Woke). I would definitely recommend any of the books above. Heavy topics or not, they are all worth a go!