I'm slowly reading the 2011 Nebula Awards Nominees for (science fiction & fantasy) books in the Young Adult & Novel categories.

Weekly Reading With Akata Witch

Recently Finished Reading

Akata the Witch, Nnedi Okorafor. Twelve-year-old Sunny lives in Nigeria, but she was born American. Her features are African, but she's albino. She's a terrific athlete, but can't go out into the sun to play soccer. There seems to be no place where she fits. And then she discovers something amazing-she is a "free agent," with latent magical power.

One of my favorite things about this book is how different it is from many of the other YA paranormal novels I've read - the setting is Nigeria, Sunny, one of the main characters, is albino, there is an underworld of magical society complete with unique customs, and there is a mixture of languages involved - English, Igbo, Efik, Yoruba, English, French, Arabic and Hausa. So much detail - but it didn't feel academic, and instead flowed naturally.

Much of the book was spent explaining the unique magical society and the place of Sunny her 3 friends in it, but I still felt the story moved at a comfortable pace. However, since so much of the book was spent setting things up - the ending, which was a battle, felt very anti-climatic as it didn't take long at all. Honestly, I didn't even think the "main plot line" had to be so dark - dude was killing children, removing eyes & all sorts of craziness. But, I'm not disappointed - I got a rich, engaging book, and I would read more from this author. (Amazon| Goodreads)

*** If you're interested in seeing the other books I've read so for for the Nebulas, check out => Reading the 2011 Nebula Awards Nominees {2012 Reading List} ***

Currently Reading and Next

Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self, Danielle Evans. I didn't even mean to start reading this book, but I started the 1st story and literally cannot put this book down.
In each of her stories, Danielle Evans explores the lives of young black people in contemporary America. (Amazon| Goodreads)

Chime, Franny Billingsley. Before Briony's stepmother died, she made sure Briony blamed herself for all the family's hardships. Now Briony has worn her guilt for so long it's become a second skin. She often escapes to the swamp, where she tells stories to the Old Ones, the spirits who haunt the marshes. But only witches can see the Old Ones, and in her village, witches are sentenced to death. Then Eldric comes along with his golden lion eyes and mane of tawny hair. He's as natural as the sun, and treats her as if she's extraordinary. And everything starts to change. As many secrets as Briony has been holding, there are secrets even she doesn't know. (Amazon| Goodreads)