The Great American Read: Day 33 The Coldest Winter Ever

Here is another book I am not familiar with at all- The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah.  We are back in Brooklyn.  I was just here about 100 years in the past with Francie Nolan (A Tree Grows in Brooklyn) and now I am back with a girl named Winter and the year is around the early to mid 1990s.  Could these two girls be any different?  Francie is white, Winter is black.  Francie loves learning, reading, and going to school, Winter barely attends school and would rather be getting her hair and nails done than read a book.  Francis' mother works herself to the bone just to get by and Winter's mom basically does nothing but throw parties and dressed up in designer dresses.  But both these girls are from Brooklyn and have strong, complicated fathers.  Francie's father is an Irish town drunk and Winter's pop is the drug kingpin. 

As I didn't know what to expect from The Coldest Winter Ever I was worried about another book that was not my style.  First of all it is an easy read, so that is a plus, but it is not wholesome.  There is already too much cussing, sex at the age of 12, teen pregnancy, drugs, and gang violence.  Winter is a brat.  And if there isn't any growth or learning experiences in this book I will honestly be disappointed.  But let me say again- because I need the positivity- it is an easy read.  Easy to understand, easy flow, no flowery language, and no pretension so I could easily give this book a try.  I can see why it was highly acclaimed.

I got this book from the library and I have to assume it will not be an easy to find in used bookstores because I had never heard of it or seen it before.