Here’s My Two Cents

I have a million things I could say about the current (rightful) unrest happening in our country and being reflected around the world. But I really don’t think I’m the right person to be saying it, and others have said it all much better, and more appropriately. But this is what I can do, and will do — here are some under-recommended recommendations for reading, and viewing, to help inform, and inspire, not just now, but all the time.

With the Fire On High: 

Full disclosure — this wasn’t completely my cup of tea, purely because I am not the biggest reader of contemporary fiction. But this is a great story about the struggles of a teenage mother, and her desire to keep alive her dream of cooking professionally. With the Fire on High doesn’t shy away from addressing the stigma of trying to finish high school while raising a small child — and also provides hope for the future, even in this situation. This is absolutely an important novel, and I think it should be widely read.

On The Come Up:

Everybody’s still talking about Angie Thomas’ debut novel, The Hate U Give, but her fantastic second release is sadly out of focus. For someone who really didn’t care for the writing of the former, I loved the style of the latter. The text and the message, the story and the real-life topic, are easily woven together here, and On The Come Up feels so natural and from the heart. If this isn’t already on your TBR, it needs to be.