The first book I want to share is the third of a series by Suzanne Fisher Staples. I highly recommend reading the other two books before this one (Haveli and Shabanu; they are equally as strong and quick to read, too). The book is called The House of Djinn and is about the fall-out of decisions made by an older generation on two teenagers. I would especially recommend the book to those who get sick of many children's books being set in the US and are ready to learn about a different culture, a different way of life. The book itself doesn't delve super deep into cultural nuances, but you get enough of a sense to start guiding you in learning about how someone else lives.
The second book is True Believer, the sequel to Make Lemonade, and is written by Virginia Euwer Wolff (author of two other notable books Bat Six and The Mozart Season). I haven't read Make Lemonade, but it is on my reading list now. The book's structure and the text on the page aren't the in typical paragraph form, but that is what makes it such a quick read and I think it also influences how you connect to the main character, LaVaughn. She is in mid-turmoil that comes with being a teenager, and I found myself either cheering outloud or moaning to the choices she makes. It is an incredible story about understanding how to overcome struggles, the development of friendship, and even touches the struggle to understand God. The resolution of some of the elements of the plot are a bit unbelievable, but go with it. I'm sure it will make more sense in the final book of the series that Wolff is writing now.
