‘I’m Not Dying With You Tonight’ is a powerful, quick read destined for lots of conversation and many classrooms and library bookshelves.

Following two young girls, thrown together by a high school football game that deteriorates into chaos and a night of city rioting, this YA novel addresses issues of race and class and reflects the fragile state of the domestic climate right now.

Lena, a popular black student, and Campbell, a white teen new to town, who knows no one and is unsure of herself, live in the same world, but seemingly come from different worlds. The book is set over one single night, really over several hours, and that’s what it took me to read this captivating book.

Over those few hours, they rely on each other to survive unimaginable circumstances, facing down riot police, looters, vagrants, and gunfire. The perspective shifts back and forth between the two characters throughout and the chapters are short, keeping the action moving quickly and the pace fast.

While it may seem as though there's no time to dig deeper into the enormous issues that come up in this book, all revolving around the race relations canon, debut authors Kimberly Jones and Gilly Segal have written a relatable novel that can serve as a great jumping-off point for conversation.

When Lena and Campbell have awkward moments that remind them of their (often ill-conceived) preconceptions and assumptions of each other, the subtext taps into the dialogue we are having as a country and also serves to point out how easy and necessary it is for all the walls to come down. The two girls end up being emblematic of how we work through things better when we work together.

I expect that others reading this will recognize how it reflects the racial divide in this country (and some shocking recent current events), yet feel the hope that I felt when I read it. I honestly raced through this, it placed me right in the action myself; it's a poignant read for teens or anyone who needs to have a quick reexamination of their thinking about how we are all judging each other.

Racing Savannah
by Miranda Kenneally
Paperback, 304 pages
Expected publication: December 3rd 2013 by Sourcebooks Fire

GoodReads † Amazon † BN

They’re from two different worlds.

He lives in the estate house, and she spends most of her time in the stables helping her father train horses. In fact, Savannah has always been much more comfortable around horses than boys. Especially boys like Jack Goodwin—cocky, popular and completely out of her league. She knows the rules: no mixing between the staff and the Goodwin family. But Jack has no such boundaries.

With her dream of becoming a horse jockey, Savannah isn’t exactly one to follow the rules either. She’s not going to let someone tell her a girl isn’t tough enough to race. Sure, it’s dangerous. Then again, so is dating Jack…

Out of all of Miranda Kenneally books, Racing Savannah has to be my second favorite -- Catching Jordan being the first, of course.

I have to admit that the last two books Kenneally has released weren’t horrible, but did not blow me away either. Ever since Catching Jordan I have been waiting for her to release something just as good, if not better, but it just hasn’t happened. However, I never gave up hope. I love her writing style; I love the characters she creates, so I will always read what she puts out in the world.

I jumped into Racing Savannah a little hesitant because of this, though. I really, really wanted to love it. After I finished reading it I asked myself “What the heck was I worried about?” It rocked my socks!

One thing I love most about Miranda Kenneally’s characters is that they seem so real. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again. There is always at least one character that I can say hey, I know someone like that. You can easily compare them to someone you know in real life. It is so easy to connect with them and put yourself in their shoes. No surprise that with Racing Savannah I quickly fell in love with all the characters. Another thing I love is that the author always gives readers an update on past characters. It brings back all the emotions I had while reading the other books in the series.

Racing Savannah felt a lot like Catching Jordan to me. It was different in so many ways, but the same feelings I got while reading Catching Jordan, I got reading Racing Savannah. I’ve been waiting for this book since forever. It had everything I hoped and more!

I need more! I also love the cover. It fits the story perfectly! A Good Choice for Reading. :)