Lucci's List: February, 2022

February's Lucci's List includes romantic vibes and important viewpoints for Black History Month. Next month we will be reading about myths and legends. Happy reading!

"Through This Together" by M.E. Tudor is a modern YA novel dealing with topical issues. It would be appropriate for all teens, and would make an excellent addition to a classroom or school library.

Told in first person from the viewpoint of 17 year old Natalie, this is the story of a lesbian in high school dealing with the pandemic, lockdown, the Corona virus, the struggles on online learning, family dynamics, Black Lives Matter, and the death of a loved one. Natalie is also coming to terms with the fact that she is a lesbian, and wondering how she can or if she can come out to her friends and family.

Things get complicate when Natalie finds herself crushing on a former enemy. She wonders if this unlikely relationship will grow, or if the focus of her attraction will dismiss her in disgust.

A coming of age tale in relatable language and subject matters, "Through This Together" is well written and flows easily. It was so good, I even featured it on my vlog for tweens and teens. Well worth the read.

"A Bargain of Blood and Gold" by Kristen Jacques is a sweet male/male Victorian romantic adventure.

This story is really sweet. It has a lot of surprises in it. Fans of the fey will be excited to see them make an appearance in a very unlikely way. Whether you are a friend or foe of the fey, you will enjoy it.

Vic is a vampire, and Jonathan is a vampire hunter. They are drawn together in an unlikely truce of necessity. Their romance is a slow-burn, and is lovely and light.

Unsolved murders, missing young women, and atrocities of nature are in the duo's path.

This book is appropriate for teens and adults. It was such a good read, I featured it in my vlog for tweens and teens.

"The Lesson" by Cadwell Turnbull is a story about aliens from outer space visiting the Earth. They can be creepy, but they might be not creepy, as they take on human form.

Aliens have invaded the U.S. Virgin Islands, or rather, forced their existence among the human natives. In exchange for their home base, the aliens have gifted humanity with easy cures to deadly diseases, economy and ecology friendly fuels, and a relative peace. As long as nobody pisses off an alien. That could get a human's head bit off - literally.

There is a burgeoning romance between the alien ambassador and the Earthling who is proud to work as her right hand man. Their relationship deepens the riff between species, resulting in what could be an all-out war. The idea of love conquering all is severely tested.

The ambassador has spent centuries studying the Earth. She began posturing as an enslaved person during the Civil War. The story reaches back in time from the near future to this past to explore themes of slavery, colonization, and racism.

"The Lesson" has to do with aliens visiting the Earth, but it is not merely a sci-fi book, but more of a book about humanity.

This book has the distinction of being long-listed for the Massachusetts Book Awards.

I enjoyed this book, and featured it on my vlog for tweens and teens. I am so glad my sci-fi/fantasy book club introduced me to it.

"Barnstorming: A Negro Baseball Story," by Jonathan Carroll is a historical novel about race and baseball in the Jim Crow era of the deep South.

Through real life based characters, places, and events, Carroll takes his readers on a journey through the rural South fraught with lynchings, segregation, bigotry, and prejudice.

Leola Jones is a black woman who refuses to be chained to family life. She is educated, smart, and ambitious. As owner of the Catfish, in the Negro Baseball League, she needs her inner fire to guide herself and her team through the real life threatening dangers of being black.

Davis Sterling is a white rich playboy who snubs his newspaper tycoon father by writing about sports, and takes it even further by writing specifically about the Negro Baseball League's hometown team, the Catfish. As he researches, interviews, and spends more time with Leola, the black owner, his eyes are opened to his own ignorance.

A star-crossed love affair begins between Leola and Davis, leaving the reader alternately cheering and booing.

With surprising twists, heartbreaking true to life events, and realistic characters, "Barnstorming" is a perfect read for anyone who is a fan of baseball, black history, and American history.