Summer Reading: Melissa

As the days grow hotter, I, too, am looking forward to reading (and re-reading) some great books and drinking tall glasses of lemonade.

Big Girls Don't Cry
by Connie Briscoe

Shortly after I read this novel I deemed it to be one of my faves but I haven't thumbed through it in a while. The story is revolves around Naomi Jefferson, flashing back to her teenage years in the 60's, her college days and political involvement in the 70's and her present decision to focus on her career because love and live can be fickle. Her life is shaped by a series of events and the story follows her responses to her beloved brother's death and love's betrayal. I don't want to say too much other than I picked up the book in middle school when I saw my sister reading it and finished it that weekend.


Everytime a Rainbow Dies

by Rita Williams-Garcia

This young adult fiction follows Thulani and Ysa, a young woman he sees being attacked from his roof top one day. Williams Garcia magnificently explores "loss and love, identity and self-determination" of a young Black immigrant boy in NYC as the story unfolds. I saw Nikita use an excerpt in a previous post and wanted to add one from the book's first page. I love the imagery from the description of Ysa's skirt to Thulani's hair and his birds. I felt like I was witnessing the story.

Everything is Illuminated
by Jonathan Safran Foer

I saw this book on Nicole's list and wanted to add it to mine. Thanks, Nicole!

And of course, our current group read: Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce. I won't attempt to sum up the book as I have yet to finish it and I don't want to spoil it. Read along with us!

What books are you waiting to sink your teeth into?