The Crossover. Kwame Alexander. 2014. HMH Books. 240 pages. [Source: Public library.] In my younger days, I might not have willingly picked up a book that centered a teen boy, let alone one that also centered basketball. If The Crossover were a book I chose to pass on, I would have done myself a true disservice. I enjoyed this book; so much so that I read the original 2014 release as well as the graphic novel published in 2019. While told from the perspective of Josh “Filthy McNasty” Bell, The Crossover is actually about him and his twin, Jordan “JB” Bell.  They’re just shy of thirteen, and the book sees a shift in their relationship as their individual priorities change.  The two are stars of their school basketball team, their father a former international basketball champion whose own career was cut short and their mother an assistant principal at their school. Although almost identical except for their hair, their paths are diverging in the face of academics, dating, and everything else that comes with being on the cusp of their teenage years. What immediately jumped out to me is that Alexander writes entirely in verse.  The arrangement isn’t just linear on…

Seasoned. Delaney Diamond. 2020. Garden Avenue Press. 326 pages. [Source: Public Library] Delaney Diamond is back with another summer romance, and I was ready and waiting for it. I was immediately taken with her style with my introduction to her style with Johnson family a few years ago. I was more than overdue to get away with her latest, Seasoned. Seasoned is actually a set of three stories, each following a different woman in a close-knit trio. Each woman is having her own struggles with love. Thrice-divorced Renee is a bit of self-proclaimed HOA enforcer and finds herself locked in a battle of wills with her bothersome — yet handsome — neighbor. Adelaide is unwillingly closer to her ex-husband when they have to figure out how to support their young-adult son. And Jackie still pines to add motherhood to her accomplishments that already include being a successful entrepreneur; will an old flame derail her plans? Renee was initially unlikable for me. Despite her attempts to keep property values high and the neighborhood livable, I thought she was the neighbor from hell. The battle of wills between her and Clive was interesting to see unfold, though. Both were stubborn as hell,…

Real Men Knit. Kwana Jackson. 2020. Berkley. 336 pages. [Source: public library.] Real Men Knit caught my eye months before its release for a few reasons: The title – a statement like “real men knit” is somewhat provocative, given that knitting is seen as a feminine craft, despite is origins The content – one of my primary hobbies is crocheting, so anything that centers fiber arts is worth checking out The cover, depicting a dude in Timbs. Nuff said. The book is a glimpse into the life of the four adoptive sons of “Mama” Joy, the matriarch of the Strong family and owner/operator of Harlem-based Strong Knits. She dies suddenly and the brothers have to decide whether to keep the small shop open. The least responsible of the brothers — perpetually underemployed playboy Jesse — is the most motivated to keep it running, and is lucky to have the help of Kerry. For her part, Kerry is a family friend who grew up with the brothers and has sought refuge in Strong Knits since she was young. Kerry’s also juggling her part-time job at the shop while hoping her career in art education jumps off at a local community center….

Salt: A World History. Mark Kurlansky. 2003. Penguin Books. 494 pages. [Source: public library.] I didn’t know exactly what I was getting into when I picked up Salt, but what I got was quite literally a world history of salt. At its core, this book asserts that “since the beginning of civilization, salt was one of the most sought-after commodities in human history.” I can’t say I’ve ever put that much though into salt beyond its use as a condiment. Salt is not meant to be a sexy book, but it captured the complexities of salt with more appeal than I expected. I would assume that most people think about salt for its culinary uses, and Kurlansky pays a lot of attention to how different cultures used salt for maintaining food supplies with limited technologies. By the end of the book, though, I was tired of reading about salted meat and fish. Salt is good for more than just cooking, though, so Kurlanksy gave examples of various cultural or local practices that made salt significant – these included burial practices and transportation uses. There is a significant focus on methods of gathering salt, from early solar evaporation of brine to…

Let Me Hear a Rhyme. Tiffany D. Jackson. 2019. Katherine Tegan Books. 384 pages. [Source: Public Library.] If there was ever a book written that speaks directly to the soul of 14-year-old me, it is Let Me Hear a Rhyme.  On its surface, it’s a touching story of a group of friends refusing to let their friend become another anonymous victim of street violence. But it really feels like a long-overdue homage to the New York hip-hop scene at one of its most pivotal periods. The story takes place on the heels of the Notorious BIG’s murder, and opens with the funeral of Steph, a 16-year-old aspiring rapper.  With that major spoiler out of the way, the book turns to his sister Jasmine and his two best friends, Jarrell and Quadir, as they reckon with his loss and attempt to secure his legacy as one of the best to put on for Brooklyn. During their quest, they discover that each of them knew less about Steph’s life than they could have imagined.  Let Me Hear a Rhyme doesn’t leave out any of the memorable people, places, and sounds of the New York hip-hop scene in the late ‘90s. Anyone who…