Angel of Greenwood

"Stand up against what you don't believe is right. Fight, punch, protest, whatever you want to be is ahead of you completely." ~ 66%

I'll be honest. This new book caught my eye for everything but it's description. I adore the author's name: Randi Pink. I haven't researched whether it's a pen name or real name, but I figured a story by a chick named Randi Pink has to be worth reading. Next, the cover art is striking! Beautiful brown skin girl with thick natural hair. Bold primary colors of red and blue background with white writing. I correctly assumed the story was historical fiction based on the title. I didn't need to read the description since I was already interested by this point. Advance copy accepted!

Seventeen-year-old Isaiah is the town troublemaker with a secret: he is actually an avid reader and poet. He never leaves home without his journal and is a follower of W.E.B. Du Bois. He believes black people should rise up and claim their place as equals. Sixteen-year-old Angel is known as a goody-goody church girl. She follows Booker T. Washington and believes black people should rise slowly without conflict. The two opposite teenagers are offered a chance to work together on a mobile library.

On May 31, 1921, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a white mob storms the town in what becomes known as the Greenwood Massacre of 1921. The town is left destroyed and thousands displaced. Isaiah and Angel then realize they aren't each other's enemy and must agree in order to survive. The amount of black history, black literature references and activism methods are what makes this book a good read. The themes explored may open your mind to how others think, regardless of their race. The main message I walked away with is: pride in your community!

Bookhearts, add Angel of Greenwood to your reading lists for Black History Month 2021. Do additional research while reading to get the full context then share it with others. And to the powers that be, please consider adapting Angel of Greenwood on film. It will make a powerful picture!

Happy Early Pub Day, Randi Pink! Angel of Greenwood will be available Tuesday, January 12, 2021.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins.

Title: Angel of Greenwood
Author: Randi Pink
Published: January 2021
Pages: 304
Edition: Galley
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤