January 2022 TBR

Time to start a new year! New year, same stinking books! Can the new year start February 10? Anyway, I've got some books for the award that I need to prioritize so here they are.

Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim - This is a retelling of a fairy-tale about a girl whose brothers get turned into swans? I don't recognize it, but apparently it's a known thing? Anyway, this gives it an Asian twist and they are cranes. I have yet to hear of anyone who didn't like this, so here's hoping. Also, this one is waiting for me at the library right now.

You'd Be Home Now by Kathleen Glasgow - Why is this 400 pages??? Ugh! Anyway, this is about a girl whose brother's addiction leads to a deadly wreck and she is living with the aftermath in their small town. I'm second on the list for this one, so I'm hoping it will come in in the next couple of weeks.

Instructions for Dancing by Nicola Yoon - I have already read half of this book. I was listening to it on audio and I just wanted to listen to podcasts instead of a book. Anyway, it's getting rave reviews from the other award readers, so I guess I need to go on ahead and finish it. I'll probably read it with my eyes this time.

Off the Record by Camryn Garrett - This is a story about a high school girl who wins a writing competition that means she gets to follow a celebrity around and write about him. While she's doing this, she begins to hear stories from women that are horrifying and shocking. This is a #metoo book. I'm not sure how I feel about a teenager being in the middle of the situation, but we'll see how it's handled.

When You Look Like Us by Pamela N. Harris - This one is about a teen boy who is dealing with his missing sister and the apparent uncaring of the city; it's just another missing black girl. He feels a lot of guilt because he hung up on her the last time he talked to her. Now he vows to bring her home.

This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron - So this one is about a girl who is really good with plants. A great-aunt dies and leaves her an estate in rural New York. Once there, she finds out the locals think she's something of an apothecary. And some more nefarious folks want her to make them an immortality drug. Blah Blah Curse, blah blah most deadly plant on earth. You get the idea.

Revolution In Our Time: The Black Panther Party's Promise to the People by Kekla Magoon - I was super excited when this showed up from the publisher. I want to read it for the African-American Heritage Bowl prep for 2022. The theme is African-Americans in Health and Wellness or something. The Black Panther party started a lot of social services that are still going today, like Free Breakfast for Children.

Except for the last one, all these books are getting rave reviews from the other readers on the team. Hopefully, they will all be winners.