SISTAH’S PLACE’S BOOK JOINT

Scroll the new releases in 2023 that are a must read from women who are new and seasoned storytellers. Let’s celebrate them during Women’s History Month. All book selections in this issue are from Spark Studio at GoSparkPoint.com.

Play the Game by Charlene

Allen

(Katherine Tegen Books, January 31)

Young adult, ages 13-17

In the game of life, sometimes other people hold all the controls. Or so it seems to VZ. Four months have passed since his best friend Ed was killed by a white man in a Brooklyn parking lot. When Singer, the man who killed Ed, is found dead in the same spot where Ed was murdered, the police suspect Jack, VZ’s other best friend. Determined to complete a video game Ed never finished, and figure out who actually killed Singer, VZ teams up with Diamond — a girl he’s crushing on at work. As the police close in on Jack, the game starts to uncover details that could lead to the truth about the murder. Can VZ honor Ed and help Jack before it’s too late?

Reggie and Delilah’s dentally, sometimes not—on various holidays throughout the year. It’s almost like the universe is pushing them together for a reason. As their holiday meetings continue, the two begin to fall for each other. But what happens once they realize they’ve each fallen for a version of the other that doesn’t really exist? Their year of falling in love sees them work through their insecurities and learn to love their respective identities.

Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor

Prophecy by Angie Thomas (Balzer + Bray, April 4)

MG, ages 8-12 | Black Girl Magic | African American history and folklore

Year of Falling

by Elise Bryant (Balzer + Bray, January 31)

Young adult, ages 13-17

Reggie (D&D Dungeon Master and self-declared Black nerd) and Delilah (lead singer of the local punk band) meet—sometimes coinci-

Nic Blake is Remarkable in an Unremarkable World. It has its perks, like the pet hellhound she was given for her twelfth birthday, but it has its downfalls too – like not being trusted with magic because you might use it against an annoying neighbor. Nic wants to follow in her father’s footsteps and become a powerful Manifestor, but before she can convince him to show her how, he is being accused of crimes she refuses to believe he committed. Now, she must embark on a quest with two of her friends to find a magical tool she’s never heard of to save her father from imprisonment.

Nigeria Jones by Ibi Zoboi (Balzer + Bray, May 9)

YA, ages 13+ | Coming of age | Misogynoir | Family dynamics

Nigeria’s been raised in the Movement, a Black separatist group led by her father in Philadelphia. She’s homeschooled and vegan and participates in cultural rituals along with other children from the group meant to connect them to their an- cestors. But then her mother, the ideal matriarch of the Movement, goes missing, leaving Nigeria’s world upturned and pushing her into roles she doesn’t want.

In her search for her mother, Nigeria stumbles on a secret that causes her to question everything she thought she knew. Zoboi masterfully frames this story with remixes of the Constitution, exploring if the values America was built on really serve all.

Rhythm & Muse by India Hill Brown

(Quill Tree Books, May 30)

Cinderella meets Cyrano in this pitch-perfect YA romcom that is a celebration of Black joy, first crushes, and putting your heart on the line for love.

Darren Johnson lives in his head. There, he can pine for his crush—total dream girl, Delia Dawson—in peace, away from the unsolicited opinions of his talkative family and showboat friends. When Delia announces a theme song contest for her popular podcast, Dillie D in the Place to Be, Darren’s friends—convinced he’ll never make a move—submit one of his secret side projects for consideration. After the anonymous romantic verse catches Dillie’s ear, she sets out to uncover the mystery singer behind the track. Now Darren must decide: Is he ready to step out of the shadows and take the lead in his own life?

(HarperTeen, July 11)

From Joya Goffney of Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry, comes a stirring YA coming-of-age, best friends-to-lovers romance about a girl named Nikki who plans to run away from small-town Texas, but ultimately finds that her oldest friend, Mal, just might be the one who’s been there for her all along.

Filled with heart and humor, this novel captures complex family drama, friendship, and love. For fans of I Wanna Be Where You Are by Kristina Forest and Counting Down with You by Tashie Bhuiyan. Nikki can’t wait to leave Texas and follow her dreams of a music career . . . After a painful betrayal by her sister and a heated argument with their mother, Nikki is kicked out and finds herself homeless.

She decides to go to California to pursue her singing career. When her best friend, Malachai, discovers her plan to flee Texas, he begs her to spend the remainder of spring break with him. He believes that over the course of a week, he can convince her to stay in Texas, or to at least graduate high school. But their plans are interrupted when Nikki’s little sister Vae goes missing.

Nikki is forced to work alongside her difficult mother as they set off in search of Vae, with Malachai’s support. Will Nikki find a reason to stay in Texas, or will this spring break be the last time she sees them? Through her emotional journey, Nikki ultimately finds the love she’s always been missing and discovers the power of her own voice.