Audiobook Review: Sold

Author: Patrica McCormick
Narrator: Justine Eyre
Length: 3 hrs and 44 mins
Genre: Young Adult (Fiction)
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Version: Audiobook
Publication Date: September 2006 (first published)
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Source: Purchase

Synopsis (GoodReads):

Lakshmi is a thirteen-year-old girl who lives with her family in a small hut on a mountain in Nepal. Though she is desperately poor, her life is full of simple pleasures, like playing hopscotch with her best friend from school and having her mother brush her hair by the light of an oil lamp. But when the harsh Himalayan monsoons wash away all that remains of the family's crops, Lakshmi's stepfather says she must leave home and take a job to support her family. He introduces her to a glamorous stranger who tells her she will find her a job as a maid in the city. Glad to be able to help, Lakshmi journeys to India and arrives at "Happiness House" full of hope. But she soon learns the unthinkable truth: she has been sold into prostitution. 

An old woman named Mumtaz rules the brothel with cruelty and cunning. She tells Lakshmi that she is trapped there until she can pay off her family's debt - then cheats Lakshmi of her meager earnings so that she can never leave. Lakshmi's life becomes a nightmare from which she cannot escape. Still, she lives by her mother's words - simply to endure is to triumph - and gradually, she forms friendships with the other girls that enable her to survive in this terrifying new world. Then the day comes when she must make a decision - will she risk everything for a chance to reclaim her life? 

Written in spare and evocative vignettes, this powerful novel renders a world that is as unimaginable as it is real, and a girl who not only survives but triumphs.

Review:

Plot: A

Sold is one of those books that I have had on my shelf for so long that I did not remember what it was about.  When it went on sale on audiobook format through Audible I swiped it up.  All that I remember about the book was that it took place in India and that the synopsis was interesting enough for me to want to read it despite the fact that it was a young adult book (not that I dislike YA fiction but it is not normally my genre).

I write all that to illustrate the point that I wasn't quite prepared for Sold.  As I was walking the halls of my job entertained by the story and the narrator (who was excellent by the way, more on that later) I wasn't expecting the turn.  When McCormick  got to the part where Lakshmi is about to be sold into prostitution, I naively hoped that what was about to happen wasn't going to happen.  That her step-father wasn't really selling her into prostitution and that the "aunt" was really going to take her to be a maid in some families home.  I stopped the audio and re-read the synopsis only to find out that my prediction was right.  I wanted to stop listening right there but I didn't and I am happy that I stuck with it.

The story is overall not a happy one, but there is hope in the pages (especially towards the end) and the fact that the story was done in first person through the eyes of Lakshmi, really made it shine.

Characters: A

The main character and narrator of the story is Lakshmi.  I honestly have nothing bad to say about her, maybe it was because I was sad that a young innocent child was sold into prostitution.  Or the fact that McCormick always made sure that reader (or listener in my case) never forgot that she was a child.  One of the things that I was worried about was the fact that Lakshmi might give up hope of escape and become complacent in her situation as some of the women and girls in Happiness House were.  I didn't have to worry about that even when she was afraid and feeling her worse Lakshmi always held on to the hope of escaping her situation.

There were several other women and girls in the story.  I liked that McCormick gave them each a unique back-story and that the reader/listener got to know more about them.  None of the characters seem flat to me, all of them were well round.

Narration:  A+

Justine Eyre was a great narrator and I had my fears about the narration when I started listening.  Fears rooted in the fact that I started listening to one book set in  Saudi Arabia (I think) and the narrators accent was generic American broadcaster standard.  It through me off, so much so that I had double check the location of the book and the characters to make sure my expectations were unfounded.  Maybe I am one of a few people that would rather hear a story narrated by a actor with an accent similar to the ones that I imagine the characters would have.

I can't say if Justine Eyre's accent was right for someone from Nepal since I am not familiar with it but her attempt pulled me more into the story.  She sounded like a 13 year old girl and made Lakshmi's story come alive in my mind.  She did an excellent job at switching up the voice when she had to sound like other characters.

All in all Eyre is very talented.

Explanation of Rating:

While I liked Sold and the audiobook version. I think it is a story better read then listened too.  The subject matter is just too deep and at times I wish I could stop the audio and take it back up later like a book.  It's harder to do that with audiobooks because it's harder to judge natural breaks in the story.  I will say that the audiobook worked nicely with the vignette style of the book.

Final Grade: B+

Overall Recommendation:

Highly recommended.  I think I might re-visit this one (in a couple of years) in the print format and see if my impression of the book changes any with time and format.

Review: The New Mrs. Collins

Author: Quanie Miller
Pages: 191
Genre: Fiction (Supernatural)
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Version: eBook
Publication Date: October 2014
Publisher: Self-Published
Source: Author provided me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis (GoodReads):

In the small town of Carolville, Louisiana, no one knows that Adira Collins inherited mystic powers from her great grandmother. All they know is that she’s beautiful, poised, graceful, and ruthless—especially when it comes to love. And no one knows that more than Leena Williams, who was all set to marry the man of her dreams until Adira swooped into town and stole the man’s heart.

Being left at the altar is bad enough, but Leena and her ex share custody of their son, so she has to see the new Mrs. Collins on a regular basis.

And it burns every time she does.

But soon, Leena starts to suspect that there is more to Adira Collins than meets the eye. And it’s not because she owns some kinky lingerie shop or allegedly insulted the pastor’s wife—it’s the strange way she can make a door close without touching it, or take one look at something and make it drop dead at her feet.

Leena starts digging for answers and soon discovers that, unlike her public persona, Adira’s true nature is somewhere on the other side of grace. She also learns, a little too late, that some secrets are better left buried. 

Review:

Cover: A+

 Let's just say that I love the cover of The New Mrs. Collins. I think that it complements the story very well.  It's dark and mysterious. Yet the woman on the cover is glamours. Everything about the cover hits elements in the story perfectly.

Plot: B

What I Liked:  When the Quanie Miller first asked me to review The New Mrs. Collins. I was a bit hesitant. Miller's email mentioned that it was a paranormal story and while she knew my review policy states that I don't review paranormal she hoped I would give her book a chance.  I hoped over to GoodReads to read more about it.  The blurb doesn't really read fantasy/paranormal to me. I had the feeling that the book (based on the blurb) was more contemporary fiction with a supernatural twist.

I was right.

The overall plot of The New Mrs. Collins is something that has been done in books/television before.  The stolen romantic partner angle, that leaves the brokenhearted looked for answers to why. I loved the supernatural twist that Miller put on the story.

What I Didn't Like:  I wanted Miller to take the supernatural twist one step forward.

The plot reads that Johnny leaves Leena at the alter (after being together for years and having a child together)  because he fell in love with Adira (after knowing each-other for 6 months, affair included). I was hoping for some supernatural reason as why Johnny would leave Leena high and dry like that but there wasn't, other than all men seemed to be drawn to Adira.   There wasn't even a reason as to why Adira wanted Johnny, there didn't seem to be anything special about him at all, especially since it seemed that Adira could have any man that she wanted.

As a reader I was hoping for some supernatural explanation to why Adira and Johnny were together and why Leena was left at the alter to become a part of town gossip.  There was no satisfying explanation as to why and giving the rest of the details in the story, that left me wanting.

Characters: B

What I Liked:  The New Mrs. Collins has a great cast of characters, each unique and different.  Some of them are a bit superficial but they all have a purpose in the story and drive the plot forward nicely.  I loved the comedic element that the towns people provided, they help make a story that could have been dark more lighthearted when need.

The other character that was well done for the most part was Adira who ended up being the star of The New Mrs. Collins, when the last page is turned we learn a lot about her and what motivates her to do what she does.  Even in that there was still a lot of contradictions in her character that I found it hard to explain.  One instance is when she is mad at the pastor for cheating on his wife, even though Johnny cheated on Leena with her.  There is also a chapter that is written from Adira 'viewpoint' that I wish had been taken out.

What I Didn't Like:  My feelings towards Leena Williams, is a bit meh because I thought she was underdeveloped.  I wanted her to be more well rounded and fleshed out like Adira.  I was hoping for a battle of good and evil, two strong women characters.  Not necessarily fighting over the same man, but having some conflict, and being equally matched.  Maybe it was because Adira story was so fleshed out and took up a number of chapters in the book but she seemed the stronger character.  In the end I don't feel that Leena changed that much.

Writing:  B-

What I Liked:  I enjoyed Quanie Miller writing, it is very engaging and an I found myself losing track of the time as I was reading (almost missed my stop while riding the train).  Miller is a very good storyteller and I enjoyed her writing very much.  It was prefect for the story she told and she added a lot of different elements.  There was humor, darkness, love, romance, and fear.  Never once did the story seemed forced and all the elements worked well together.

What I like about Miller's writing and The New Mrs. Collins, all together that it was sort of magical realism without being too literary.  I could enjoy the story without having to worry about the symbolism in each sentence.  The story flowed nicely and I found myself searching the book out and feeling disappointed as I got closer to the end.

What I Didn't Like: I have mentioned several times that I am not a fan of pop culture references because I feel that they date a story.  There were a few in here, there weren't a lot in The New Mrs. Collins, but there were some terms that I did find dated and had me scratching my head. For example:

• mamajama
• jalopy
• jazzy

There were also times when I was confused about the time frame.  There was a lot of jumping around and it was hard to track at times.  Especially, as the story progresses and the conflict between Leena and Adira comes to head.  A couple of times I found myself finishing a chapter and having to flip back to the last chapter trying to figure out the time frame.

Explanation of Rating:     

The New Mrs. Collins could have been a solid "B" I wanted it to be a solid "B" but the uneveness of the two main characters as well as time frame issues held it back.  I was looking for a story with two strong characters.  I got one strong character (Adira) and one with potential (Leena). Since Leena's potential was never fully realized for me, it was hard to find the ending as satisfying as I would have liked it to be.  I was left feeling like "Wait there has to be more? Leena's story can't end like this with her being the same person she started out as?".

Final Grade: B-

Overall Recommendation: Read

If you are looking for something with a bit of range The New Mrs. Collins is prefect. It's funny and dark at the same time.  It has a great cast of characters and is a unique take on a common plot.  I enjoyed reading it and if it hadn't been for a few flaws it would have gotten a solid B.

Review: Futureland

Full Title: Futureland: Nine Stories of an Imminent World
Author: Walter Mosley
Pages: 356
Genre: Science Fiction
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Version: Hardcore
Publication Date: 2001
Publisher: Mysterious Press
Source: Public Library

Synopsis (GoodReads):

The citizenry of America struggles for survival in a dangerous, twisted future

In “Whispers in the Dark,” an ex-con sells his organs to ensure his brilliant nephew’s future. The boy will grow up to have the highest IQ ever recorded, but the uncle, who sold his eyes, won’t be able to see it. In “Voices,” a history professor becomes addicted to a drug called pulse, which gives him access to a world of vivid fantasy while tearing his brain to shreds. By the time the professor qualifies for a brain transplant, he’s no longer sure what’s real and what’s imagined. And in “Angel’s Island,” a convict in the world’s largest private prison reveals the facility’s chilling secrets. In this critically acclaimed collection of stories, noir legend Walter Mosley takes his unique vision of American society into the future. As the nation descends into chaos, its citizens wonder, Is the world ending, or has the apocalypse already come and gone?

Review:

Plot: D

One of my main issues with Futureland was the plot.  It seemed that Mosley had a great idea about where he wanted to go with these short stories and how to connect them but was not able to deliver.  When the collection opened with "Whispers in the Dark" I was excited it showed so much potential.  I wanted to know how the other eight stories would later to connect to the first.  I kept reading and reading, one story after another.  Waiting for the connections to happen.  There were little glimpse of connection and then finally I reached the end and was like "WHAT?... Whatever."   The ending was just out of place and I couldn't see where it came from, it was abrupt  and seemed like it was just place at the end to close the book.  I think several more stories scattered through was really needed to glue the whole thing together.

Also, the timeline seemed a bit off.  The stories take place somewhere around 2023 and the society he picks seems why to advance, especially for a book written in 2001.

Characters: B

I didn't have any issues with the characters in Futureland as individuals.  At times it was hard to keep track of them and when one would show up in a different story I would find myself searching my brain for where that character first showed up.

Overall, the characters in this book was probably Mosley's second greatest strength.  They were all so different and after each story, it felt like I knew just enough about the main character to move on.  Mosley did falter in that some of the stories hinted that the character would return in a major way and it didn't happen.  For example in "The Greatest" we are introduced to the only main female character in the collection Fera Jones.  Her storyline is quite unique and I was hoping that I would see more of her, there was a hint that she would be a major player.  But when we next see mention of her, it's just a mention and that's it.  If her story  and the one involving her father's "Voice" were removed from the book, I don't think it would have made much of a difference.

Writing: A

This is the first time I have ever read anything by Mosley, but I am very familiar with his name and his other works (mainly mysteries).  Mosley is clearly a talent writer and his writing kept me engaged enough that I finished the book quickly without a problem.  Each story was well written and I enjoyed Mosley's style.

I was excited when I read the first story because it gave me a "Twilight Zone" feel and I was hoping that he would keep that theme up throughout the book.  While the mood of the other stories in the collection was dark, the first story was the only had "Twilight Zone"ish feel.

I honestly have no complaints about his writing and enjoyed it enough that I would pick up (and plan to) another one of his books and read them without hesitation.  I just probably wouldn't read anymore SciFi written by Walter Mosley.

Explanation of Rating:    

There were too many plot problems and too many missed opportunities to bring the nine stories in this collection for me to give Furtureland a higher grade.  Mosley is clearly an excellent writer with a great talent, but Futureland did not live up to my expectations.

Final Grade: C-

Overall Recommendation:

I can't honestly say that I would recommend this book to anyone.  It's just such an odd book and I am not quite sure how I would recommend it to given the issues that it had.

Review: Sister Citizen

Author: Melissa V. Harris-Perry
Pages: 378
Genre: Non-Fiction (Women's Studies)
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Version: Paperback
Publication Date: 2011
Publisher: Yale University Press
Source: Private Purchase

Synopsis (GoodReads):

Jezebel's sexual lasciviousness, Mammy's devotion, and Sapphire's outspoken anger—these are among the most persistent stereotypes that black women encounter in contemporary American life. Hurtful and dishonest, such representations force African American women to navigate a virtual crooked room that shames them and shapes their experiences as citizens. Many respond by assuming a mantle of strength that may convince others, and even themselves, that they do not need help. But as a result, the unique political issues of black women are often ignored and marginalized.

In this groundbreaking book, Melissa V. Harris-Perry uses multiple methods of inquiry, including literary analysis, political theory, focus groups, surveys, and experimental research, to understand more deeply black women's political and emotional responses to pervasive negative race and gender images. Not a traditional political science work concerned with office-seeking, voting, or ideology, Sister Citizen instead explores how African American women understand themselves as citizens and what they expect from political organizing. Harris-Perry shows that the shared struggle to preserve an authentic self and secure recognition as a citizen links together black women in America, from the anonymous survivors of Hurricane Katrina to the current First Lady of the United States

Review:

I guest I should start with a little disclaimer.  I am a huge fan of Melissa Harris-Perry (and Rachael Maddow).  I have very few regrets about giving up cable, but two of the biggest regrets that I have are missing out of The Food Network and MSNBC.  So, when I saw that Harris-Perry was coming out with a book, I was excited and I put it up for selection in my book club, hoping that they would pick it. They did and it led to a great group discussion.

On to the review.

 The whole of Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women in America can be boiled down to one simple yet complex question that Melissa Harris-Perry asked on page 20:

What does it mean to be a black woman and an American citizen?

I knew that Sister Citizen was going to be a winner when Harris-Perry opened the book with  showing how Janie Mae Crawford's (protagonist) experience in Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God directly reflects that of Black women in America today. And then later comparing Hurricane Katrina and it's aftermath to the Hurricane that took place in the book.  While also I have to state that while I did not enjoy Their Eyes Were Watching God, Melissa Harris-Perry analysis of it put the whole book in a new perspective.  I didn't get as much out of Their Eyes Were Watching God as she did and now I am disappointed that I didn't enjoy it more.

Melissa Harris-Perry expertly tackles the stereotypes that black women face (The Mammy, The Jezebel, and The Sapphire) and their struggle to fight them.  Harris-Perry illustrates this struggle with a chapter that she titled "Crooked Room".

When they confront race and gender stereotypes, black women are standing in a crooked room, and they have to figure out which way is up. Bombarded with warped images of their humanity, some black women tilt and bend themselves to fit the distortion. 

It can be hard to stand up straight in a crooked room

I can honestly say that there just wasn't much that I disagreed with.  Most of it made since based on my experience as a black woman and an American.

I will say that my least favorite section was "God" and that is basically because I felt that she could have been slightly more critical.  I think she throw a soft ball (is that the right terminology?) and that it was the least organized of the sections.  I will say that I did agree with what said about the black church, but I am non-religious.  I think she hit the nail on the head when said:

The church, in the broadest and most plural sense, is a site of struggle for sisters.

I also think the the chapter on Michelle Obama was weak.  I did like how she gave examples of the First Lady trying to "stand straight in a crooked room".  But even after six years with Michelle being in the spotlight, it felt like that chapter was lacking in something (what I don't know).

Final Grade: A

Overall Recommendation:

I would highly recommend Sister Citizen: Shame Stereotypes, and Black Women in America.  My review doesn't do it just but I think I will let this one sit for a while and read it again in a couple of years.  To see if it still rings true (which I am sure it will).

Review: 16 Bars: A Short Story Mixtape

Author: Ran Walker
Pages: 
Genre: Contemporary Fiction (Short Story Collection)
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Version: eBook (epub)
Publication Date: July 2011
Publisher: Caps & Sneakers LLC
Source:

Synopsis (GoodReads):

Ran Walker's first "short story mixtape" pulls together a varied collection of stories about black men and how they are shaped by the relationships they enter. With topics ranging from break-ups to awkward first dates, 16 Bars is a bold, unflinching, and even humorous take on what goes on in the minds of black men when romance enters the picture.

Explanation of Rating:

It's been so long since I read this short story collection that I can't give it a detailed review.  Other than to say that Ran Walker is an excellent writer and I enjoyed each of the five stories (some more that others).  I would definitely recommend this collection and would read more of his work.

Final Grade: B-

Links to Individual Reviews:

• A Night with Nina Simone and Discovering Charles Buckner
• A Theory on Toilet Paper
• 16 Bars and Eight Million
• Dancing in My Dreams
• One the Eve of Tomorrow

Review: Purple Hibiscus

Author: Chimimanda Ngozi Adichie
Pages: 307
Genre: Historical Fiction
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Version: Hardcover
Publication Date: October 2003
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Source: Local Public Library

Synopsis (GoodReads):

From the outside, fifteen-year-old Kambili has the perfect life. She lives in a beautiful house, has a caring family, and attends an exclusive missionary school. She's completely shielded from the troubles of the world. Yet, as Kambili reveals in her tender-voiced account, things are less than perfect in her wealthy Nigerian home. Although her papa is generous and well respected, he is fanatically religious and tyrannical at home. He looms over his family's every move, severely punishes Kambili and her older brother, Jaja, if they're not the best in their classes, and hits their mama if she disagrees with him. Home is silent and suffocating.

But everything changes once Kambili and Jaja visit Aunty Ifeoma outside the city. For the first time they experience freedom from their papa. Jaja learns to garden and work with his hands, and Kambili secretly falls in love with a young, charismatic priest.

As the country begins to fall apart under a military coup, tension within the family escalates. And shy Kambili must find the strength to keep her family together after her mother commits a desperate act.

Purple Hibiscus is a stunning debut that captures the fragile beauty of a young woman's awakening at a time when both country and family are on the cusp of change.

Review:

Plot: B

Purple Hibiscus is a character drive novel set in the backdrop of political unrest in Nigeria.  It's the kind of novel that I tend to lends towards.  Kambili and her family and the relationship to each other are complex, puzzling and frightening all at the same time.   The bulk of the story deals with how Kambili, Jaja and their mother have been isolated and repressed by  their father and his "strong" religious beliefs.  How his immersion into the Catholic faith denominated every aspect of his life, even at the cost of his relationship with his father who believes in the traditions and faith of their tribe.

While I love the character building in Purple Hibiscus the story was very slow to stop.  The bulk of the novel is exploring the relationship between the family members and the coming of age of Kambili and Jaja.  When the action finally takes place it seems rushed and sudden.  Almost like the author ran out of space and realized that she had to wrap it up.  I wish she would have spent as much time developing the action part of the plot as she did the characters.


Characters: A+

My review of the characters is going to be short and seem somewhat inadequate.  That's because I have nothing really to say about other then that they were very well done.  They fit perfectly in the story.  There motives were clear and never did I think "why is she doing that?"  I understood, everything that they did, partially because their background was thoroughly explored but also because there was so much time spent on character building.

Writing:

Adichie writing was good enough not to make me notice all that much that the story was kind of slow.  I was able to keep reading for longs periods of time and actually didn't want to put the novel down because I wanted to see were it was going.

I enjoyed how she mixed Iboya words and did it in such a way that the reader was able to understand their basic meaning without feeling lost.  She also made the physical environment of Nigeria come alive and I could "see" some of the places that the characters visited.

Explanation of Rating:   

Purple Hibiscus gets and A- because the beginning was slow and the ending was too fast.  All the time spent exploring characters and back stories left little space for a fulling ending.  I finished Purple Hibiscus wishing that  Adichie had spent as much time on the ending as she did on the rest of the story.

Final Grade: A-

Overall Recommendation:

I would recommend Purple Hibiscus to anyone that enjoys strong character driven novels.

Review: The Lynching of Louie Sam

Author: Elizabeth Stewart
Pages: 288
Genre: Historical Fiction
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Version: PDF
Publication Date: June 2012
Publisher: Annick Press
Source: NetGalley (ARC)

Synopsis (GoodReads):

Fifteen-year-old George Gillies lives in the Washington Territory in the late 1800s, where white settlers have an uneasy relationship with the indigenous people living there. When a local man is found murdered, suspicion falls on Louie Sam, a young member of the Stó:lō tribe. George and his best friend, Pete, follow a lynch mob north into Canada, where the terrified boy is seized and hung.

Racked with doubts, George begins to ask questions. Was Louie Sam really a murderer? As George uncovers the truth, tensions in the town rise, and he must face his own part in the tragedy.

Review:

Plot: 

Somehow,  missed the part of the description at NetGalley that stated that The Lynching of Louie Sam was inspired by a true story.  I bring this up not because it read like an historical account of actual events (translated dull) but because it read like a  well researched fictional novel.  Stewart did an excellent job of integrating  the attitudes of the settlers and their concerns as well as touching on the attitude of the Natives in the overall story without making it seem out of place.

The first thing that caught my attention about The Lynching of Louie Sam was the premise.  I have never come across the any kind of story (fiction or non-fiction) that dealt with the lynching of an Indigenous person and the murdering having taken place in Canada.

Now, while the novel dealt with these issue, it was about George coming of age and having to answer questions about himself and the people that he thought he knew.  It was interesting to watch George deal with the event and to realize that Louie Sam's murder might have been caused by a false allegation.


Characters:

I enjoyed George Giles as a character.  He was well rounded and "real".  I could see a little boy feeling the way that he did about things and wanting to know the truth about what happened.  But at times, I had to remind myself the George was 15 years old.  Sometimes his character came off as being younger.  From some reason when I first started reading the book I thought that he was about 11 or 12  years old.  This was a problem that persisted throughout the book.  It was at time hard to believe that a kid of George's age could be so naive and unobservant.  I had a hard time trying to reconcile the fact that George did not understand certain unstated social "rules" while other children his age and younger did.

George's best friend Peter on the other hand felt like a 15 year old.  I felt really bad for Peter, he was dealt a rough hand and was dealing with it the only way that he knew how.  He was kind of a prefect contrast to George.  Peter was the more "worldly" of the two.

Writing:

The writing was about average.  I found the Lynching of Louie Sam to be an interesting read and Stewart's writing was able to keep me in the story.

I can say that in the month between reading the book and writing the review, I can't remember much about her writing style.  That could be either a good thing or a bad thing.

Explanation of Rating:    

Overall, The Lynching of Louie Sam was a satisfactory read.  I think what drag the grade down for me was George's character and the confusion about his age.  I had to remind myself too many times that George was 15 years old and not 12 years old.  It doesn't seem like a big thing but subject matter that is dealt with in the book it is important.  While the writing was solid, it wasn't quite as strong as I would have like it to been.  The research and historical facts is what saved The Lynching of Louie Sam from being a C+/B- book.

Final Grade: B

Overall Recommendation:

I would recommend The Lynching of Louie Sam to anyone that enjoy Historical Fiction and would like to read about the early settlers in the Washington region.  I found the historical setting by itself fascinating and well worth the read.

Review: The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man by James Weldon Johnson

Pages: 149
Genre: Literary Fiction
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Version: ePub
Publication Date: 1912
Source: Library

Synopsis (GoodReads):

James Weldon Johnson's emotionally gripping novel is a landmark in black literary history and, more than eighty years after its original anonymous publication, a classic of American fiction.

The first fictional memoir ever written by a black, The Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man influenced a generation of writers during the Harlem Renaissance and served as eloquent inspiration for Zora Neale Hurston, Ralph Ellison, and Richard Wright. In the 1920s and since, it has also given white readers a startling new perspective on their own culture, revealing to many the double standard of racial identity imposed on black Americans.

Narrated by a mulatto man whose light skin allows him to "pass" for white, the novel describes a pilgrimage through America's color lines at the turn of the century--from a black college in Jacksonville to an elite New York nightclub, from the rural South to the white suburbs of the Northeast. This is a powerful, unsentimental examination of race in America, a hymn to the anguish of forging an identity in a nation obsessed with color. And, as Arna Bontemps pointed out decades ago, "the problems of the artist [as presented here] seem as contemporary as if the book had been written this year."

Review:

This is a really hard review for me to write there is just so much to say about the book and I have no idea where to start.  And if I said all that I wanted to say, this review would end up a term paper instead of a simple review.

Simply stated The Autobiography of An Ex-Colored is about a mulatto man that can pass as white.  But the story is much deeper and more complex then just skin colored.  Set in the early 1900's Weldon touch on a lot of issues dealing with racial prejudice and cultural identity.  It's very interesting to watch the the narrator try to reconcile his racial background (black) with his appearance and upbringing.  At one point in the story a "friend" of the narrator makes a comment that narrator was raised as a white man and should live his life as such, that it would be much easier for him to do so.  There is a since that the narrator never really fits in anywhere, partially because of the ambiguity of his appearance and also because he really has no family or close ties.  He ends up drifting through life with nothing to hold him down to one place or tie him to one group (race, family, friends, etc).

Something that I find interesting about The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man is that the issues presented in the book are still relevant today probably even more so, given the fact that the U.S. has a black (mixed) president.  It is amazing how after 113 years very little has really changed in the regards to race and culture in the US.

The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man is not a "light" read when it comes to subject matter.  But Weldon was able to pull me in and make me want to flip to the next page.  I was surprised by how expertly he dealt with each topic and situation in such a sort book.  I think part of the reason is because that it is done in memoir form so the reader gets the feeling that they are listening to an old man reflecting on his journey through life and questioning some of the decisions that he made.

Final Grade: A

Overall Recommendation:

The Autiobiography of an Ex-Colored Man is a must read

Review: Leaves by Michael Baron

Pages: 207
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Version: ePub
Publication Date: 2010
Publisher: The Story Plant
Source: Providence Book Promotions

Synopsis (GoodReads):

Welcome to Oldham, CT, a small town rich in Colonial heritage while being utterly contemporary. Situated along the Connecticut River Valley, Oldham bursts with color every fall, as the leaves on its trees evolve into an unmatched palette of scarlet, orange, purple, yellow, and bronze. For more than three decades, the Gold family has been a central part of Oldham in the fall, its Sugar Maple Inn a destination for "leaf-peepers” from all over the country, and its annual Halloween party a stirring way to punctuate the town’s most active month. 

But this year, more than just the leaves are changing. With the death of their parents, the Gold siblings, Maria, Maxwell, Deborah, Corrina, and Tyler, have decided to sell the Sugar Maple Inn, and this year’s Halloween party will be the last. As October begins, the Golds contend with the finality that faces them, and the implications it has for a family that has always been so close. For some, it means embracing new challenges and new love. For others, it means taking on unimagined roles. And for others, it means considering the inconceivable. Complicating it all is a series of "hauntings” that touch each of the Gold siblings, a series of benign interventions that will remain a mystery until October draws to a close. 

Filled with romance, tension, and unforgettable family drama, Leaves is the first in a series of novels about a world and a family that readers will want to make their own.

Review:

Plot Grade: A-

The overall plot to Leaves is not unique. Basically, Leaves is the story what happens to a family once both parents are gone (in this cases deceased).  While the plot is not unique, I think Michael Baron handle the subject masterfully.  It did not read like the same old story and even though it was technically a family drama, the drama wasn't so over the top that readers could not relate to what was happening.  I enjoyed how Baron handled the family dynamic, in the hands of other writers this same story might have come of dull and I might not have been able to finish it.  But Baron was able to weave the past and the present in such a way that the story of the Gold was entertaining.

Characters: C+

The hardest element of Leaves for me was the characters.  There were just so many of them and while it was  easy to tell them apart and get to know their stories.  It was hard to adjust at times.  One minute, the reader is in the kitchen with Deborah and the next the reader is playing the guitar with Corrina.  I understood why Baron wrote the story in alternating characters (all within the same chapter) but it did not help with the flow.

While, I like all the characters and enjoyed their stories, I had a hard time connecting with them.  Mainly because there was five of them and secondly because so little time is spent with each character.  It would have completely changed the Leaves to read Leaves from the point of view of only one character but at times I wished that their were smoother transitions from character to character.

All of the characters had distinctive voices and stories.  The only character that I found inconsistent was Corrina.  In the eyes of her siblings she is a control freak that rules that family.  But when the story is told from her "point of view" I just didn't see behavior in her day to day interactions with others to support that characterization.

Writing: A

There is not much to say about Baron's writing other than he has skills.  There was never a point where the story dragged or I was bored and felt like I should skip a few paragraphs or pages.  In fact, I was engaged the whole time.  One element that I really enjoyed was "hauntings"  only two of them would be considered "big deals" the others were sort of like small hallucination that they characters could have easily imagined.  They did not seem out of place with the story and helped to move the story forward while at the same time providing insight into the characters and their background.

Explanation of Rating:
     
Overall, I enjoyed Leaves by Michael Baron.  It was the story of a family going through a rough transition without being over the top and dramatic (no soap opera here).  The characters were realistic and likely but the fact that their were five of them prevented the true connection.  As a family the Golds were great but overall the lack of connection sort of dragged down the overall grade.

Final Grade: B-

Overall Recommendation:

I would not hesitate to recommend Leaves by Michael Baron.  In fact, I think I would not have a problem with reading other books by him in the future.  At the end of the book Baron mentioned writing follow-ups or sequels for Leaves, featuring some of the characters and what happens to them.  I probably wouldn't read it because I felt that the story had a prefect ending, loose strings and all.

Disclaimer:  I reviewed a free copy of Leaves by Michael Baron in exchange for an honest review in connection with Providence Book Promotions.  All opinions stated above are my own.

Review: Little Bee by Chris Cleave

Pages: 284
Genre: Literary Fiction
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Version: Paperback (ISBN: 9781416589648)
Publication Date: August 2008
Original Title: The Other Hand
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Source: Personal Collection

Synopsis (Book):

Little Bee, a young Nigerian refugee, has been released from the British immigration detention center where she has been held under horrific conditions for the past two years, after narrowly escaping a traumatic fate in her homeland of Nigeria.  Alone in a foreign country, without a family member, friend, or pound to call her own, she seeks out the only English person she knows.  Sarah a posh young mother and magazine editor with whom Little Bee shares a dark and tumultuous past.

They first met on a beach in Nigeria, where Sarah was vacationing with her husband, Andrew, in an effort to save their marriage after an affair, and their brief encounter had haunted each woman for two years.  Now together, they face a disturbing past and an uncertain future with the help of Sarah's four-year-old son, Charlie, who refuse to take off his Batman costume.  A sense of humor and an unflinching moral compass allow each woman, and the reader, to believe that even in the face of unspeakable odds, humanity can prevail.

Review:

PLOT GRADE: A

     The main theme behind Little Bee is nothing new, basically it is a story of what happen when two people from completely different worlds collide.  But it was done in a such a unique way, I have a hard trying to find a book that has the same "feel".  Maybe it is because I don't often times read books about immigrants and their experience.

    One of the things that made this story work was that it was told from alternating point of views.  Cleave, started the out from Little Bee's point of view and from alternated every other chapter between her and Sarah as the story progressed.  It was a well done move, that showed his talent, but also gave readers a chance to see not only what each character was thinking but also how they viewed the events that ultimately brought them together.

    The one gripe that the timeline.  Even though it is not that huge of a deal everything seemed to happen so fast.  From the time that Little Bee showed up on Sarah's doorstep to the time they take a trip to London, about a week had passed (if that).  I felt that the time frame was not long enough for some of the strong emotional attachments that had formed to be realistic.

    One thing that might turn some readers off of Little Bee, is that it is not a happy story.  There are no nice little ribbons and HEA (happily ever after).  The best way to describe it is that Cleave is not one of those writers that is afraid to little the story end where it is suppose to.  Sometime, while reading a book, I feel like writers have a fear of not end with an HEA, so the take out the ribbons and the bows and the wrap everything up nice and neat.  I hate that, which is probably why I liked Little Bee so much.  Because as a reader, even though I was rooting for some glimpse of sunshine and butterflies mixed in with the darkness, I could tell that Little Bee was not going to be one of those stories.  And Cleave was not afraid to take it all the way, even it meant disappointing some readers that need/want their book ending to be tied up nicely in a pretty bow.

CHARACTER GRADE: A

Let's start with Sarah.  The best way that I can describe my feelings is through a Venn Diagram.

The green circle is like, the blue is indifferent, red is dislike.  Sarah falls in the tiny little space where the three circles meet.  I did not like. I did not dislike her.  And I was not completely indifferent about her. There were a few times where she was in the red ( most of the time).  Times that she was in the blue (often enough).  But there was only one occasion that I can remember that she was in the green.  I don't think a character in a story has ever ended up in this little space before.  Her character was rather shallow, yet she didn't know that she was shallow.  She thought she was a deep person that cared about others and felt deeply, but she selfish and only cared about what she wanted.  The only unselfish thing that she probably ever did in her whole entire life was on the day she met Little Bee on the beach in Nigeria.

On the opposite end sat Little Bee.  It was at times to believe that she was only 16, at most.  But considering some of the stuff that she had went through it was no wonder.  She was a very mature girl and some of my most favorite quotes come from her.  Like

We must see all scars as beautiful  Okay?  This will be our secret.  Because take it from me a scar does not form on the dying.  A scar means, I survived. 

I also like Little Bee because she was a good person.  She truly wanted to be helpful and even though some of the things that happened were not her fault she still felt the need to redeem herself for them.  Little Bee character (at least for me) was the complete opposite of Sarah's.  While Sarah's good deeds seemed to be motivated by how it would look (or make herself feel), Little Bee's good deeds were because she felt that she was in the wrong and had to makeup for what she had done.

Charlie (mentioned in the synopsis) is destined to spend some of his adult years lounging back in a shrinks chair.

WRITING GRADE: A+

The true beauty of Little Bee is the writing.  Which showcases Chris Cleave's talents off superbly.

First:  Little Bee is written in first person.  In my experience not to main writers can pull that off and do it well.  Little Bee is an example of the first person narrative done at it's best.  I have opened several book while shopping in the book store and read the first two paragraphs and could tell instantly that I would not be able to tolerate it because it was in first person.  I did until the end of chapter one that Little Bee was in first person.   Add to the fact that he was able to refer to the reader without taking me out the story.  Yes, Cleave success used words like "you":

 Your system is cruel, but many of you were kind to me.  You sent charity boxes. You dressed my horror in boots and a colorful shirt.  You sent it something to paint its nails with.  You posted it books and newspapers.

Without making me want to throw the book at the wall and walk away.  It is very rare when I enjoy a first person narrative, I normally avoid them like the plague.

Second:  I don't think I have ever read a novel were stream of consciousness played a major part.  There were times when Little Bee would go off and just start rambling and I enjoyed it.  I enjoyed her chapters the most because the voice sounded authentic and when she would go off and just like her mind wander, she would say the most amazing things.

Third:  Amazing Quotes:

You have seen trouble too, Sarah.  You are making a mistake if you think it is unusual.  I am telling you, trouble is like the ocean.  It covers two thirds of the world.

Death, of course, is a refuge.  It's where you go when a new name, or a mask and cape, can no longer hide you from yourself.  It's where you run to when none of the principalities of your conscience will grant you asylum.

Explanation of Rating:
     
Even though Little Bee has the makings of being a instant favorite, it did not stick to me.  And all my favorite books stuck to me after I finished reading it.  Maybe that is a plus because it meant the story was finished and I could go on to another book.  But if you have read Little Bee, you will know why I should at least wonder a tiny bit what happens with the characters when the last page was done.

Final Grade: A

Overall Recommendation:

I would recommend this book to anyone that likes literary fiction and is not disturb by a story that is gloomy throughout.  If you like your stories to take you away to a happier place, this is not for you.  If you need your characters to go riding off into the sunset, keep moving.  But if you are not bothered by the fact that things might not get better or might just even get worse for your characters, then this might be the book for you.  Great writing, a unique plot, a to old for her age refugee girl, and no nice little bow endings.

Review: Christmas in the Bottoms by Charles Harvey

Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
Pages: 28 pages
Genre: Short Story (Fiction, Christmas)
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Version: eBook (ePub)
Publication Date: October 2012
Publisher: Self-Published
Source: Personal Collection

Synopsis (Smashwords):

Christmas in the Bottoms--you’ll laugh like the Dickens. A very soulful and satirical version of the classic: A Christmas Carol. Narrated and commentated by a pair of jive talking "Dozens" Players named Madd and Dog2020 aka Maddog2020. It's a bit of fantasy and a bit macabre. Scrooge is the miser Ebenezer Jenkins who owns Glad Wrappings Funeral Home and BBQ joint. What's Cooking you may ask. 

Review:

*Quick confession:  I have never read Charles Dicken's A Christmas Carol but I have seen several movie versions.  So, this will not be a comparison of the two.

Plot:

I came across Harvey's Chirstmas in the Bottoms by accident.  I was at Smashword purchasing another book that was on sale and since it was only $0.99, I decided to make my whole transaction around $5 and so I needed to find more books.  Since I had not read any Christmas themed books this year, Christmas in the Bottoms seemed like a good choice.  And I was curious to see what a hood version of A Christmas Carol would look like.

I found Harvey's retelling overall enjoyable.  There were many moments when I had to hold back a laugh. Mostly, through the first part of the book and during Madd2020's interruptions.  I think Harvey did a good job of creating a funny unique version of a holiday classic for the first section of the short story.

Where the story failed and why it only got 3 stars was in the dream sequences.  They were overall short and weak.  Again, since I have never read A Christmas Carol, I can only use movie version as a comparison   So, I am use to the three dreams taking up the majority of the story, being elaborate and overall setting the tone for the overall story.  It seemed that Harvey just throw in the three dreams.  There weren't three different ghost and I couldn't figure out how the dreams played a part in Jenkins overall redemption at the end.

Characters:

Madd and Dog2020 were hilarious.  In fact, their back and forth was one of the best parts of the story.  For me, they were the highlight.  I could just envision them sitting on the steps, watching people pass by and drinking out of a brown paper bag.  Old harmless drunks, wasting away the days.

Ebenezer Jenkins, was a trip.  He did the worst thing to save a dollar.  Like combine his three business (Funeral Home, BBQ Restaurant  and Pawn Shop) to save money.  And rumor had it the meet for his BBQ was probably from his deceased clients.  He was also mean and stingy to his only employee Bob Crutchet, a felony having trouble finding a better job.  But while Jenkins was memorable for his action, his character overall was one dimensional.

I think my overall favorite character was Ebenezer Jenkins gay nephew.  He was flamboyant and a bit of a stereotype but for the brief scene that he was in.  I loved him.

Writing:

The true strength of Christmas in the Bottoms is displayed in Charles Harvey's writing.  It is clear that he knows what he is doing and knows how to tell a story.  I honesty wish that this had been longer and more flushed out.

Explanation of Rating:  

I struggled with trying to decided if this should be a 3 star or a 3.5, unfortunately the flaws in the story (mostly the bad dream sequences) outweighed the excellent writing and humor.

Overall Recommendation:

Recommended for a light humorous Christmas read, and an interesting take on a Charles Dicken's classic.

Review: Flight of the Blackbird by Faye McDonald Smith

Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
Pages: 352
Genre: Fiction (Women's Fiction)
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Version: Hardcover (ISBN: 9780684829715)
Publication Date: November 1996
Publisher: Scribner Book Company
Source: Personal Purchase

Synopsis (GoodReads):

In her remarkable debut novel, Faye McDonald Smith gives us a portrait of American family life in the nineties that is at once startlingly realistic and superbly entertaining. In it we meet the Burkes, an upwardly mobile, attractive, near-perfect family made up of Mel, an accomplished Atlanta executive who is beloved by her friends and family; her husband Builder, a hard working entrepreneur who is also a loving husband and a wonderful father; and their twelve-year-old daughter, Sasha, an only child who is an excellent student, popular and happy. All appears well in this African-American household, whose inhabitants have pretty much achieved the American dream. But one day Mel walks into her boss's office at the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and by the time she walks out again everything has changed; she is told that the office is being downsized and that her position will be eliminated. This event triggers a downward spiral in the life of the Burke family and it soon seems that the foundation upon which their American dream has been built is not very solid. Mel and Builder begin to question everything about their heretofore seemingly idyllic lives and it is on this journey that we accompany them.

Review:

Plot:

Flight of the Blackbird was published in 1996 but the topic was relevant to financial instability that the world is experiencing today and that was the thing that intrigued me the most about this novel.  It's about a family's struggle with financial hardship and how it takes a toll on the relationships they have in their social/economic circle and also the toll it takes on the family as a whole.

One of the things that I like most about Flight of the Blackbird was the plot.  It was interesting to see how the downturn of the Burkes finances accelerate the already deteriorating relationship between all the family members.  Once Mel loses her job, and she finds out that her husband's Builder has basically been robbing Peter to pay Paul for months, and then things get interesting.  It was completely believable and what I enjoyed watching it happen (that sounds bad).

On the other hand, when I finished the reading Flight of the Blackbird, I got the feeling that McDonald Smith took the easy way out.  McDonald Smith brought up some heavy issues in this book.  Issues that would have made for a great emotionally touching read.  But in the end it seemed that she was not prepared to handle these issues and provide solid solutions.  So, she just avoided them or took the easy why out.

(Warning Spoiler Alert)

For example:

Mel's mother sent her to a mental facility after the death of her father.  It tainted their relationship forever.  Because of her action, Mel and her mother had not spoken in years.  And the fact that her mother had sent her away instead of helping her deal with her father's death left Mel to  believe that her mother favored her brother.  There is a scene in the book where Mel and her mother have this confrontation on this issue.  About how her father died and how it affected Mel.  It was a chance for mother and daughter to finally connect.  But basically, it fell flat.  While Mel's mother told her that she loved both of them equally it did not ring true.  When the moment was over, it was over.  Like nothing had happened.

Characters:

Another place where Flight of the Blackbird, failed to meet my expectations was the characters.

The main character Mel was a bit confusing.  Her family seemed to think of her as a unyielding bitch, who bulldozed over the wish of others and the only way to stop her was to gang up on her and make her feel ashamed.  In reality (at least to me) Mel was a push over.  She allowed her family to manipulate her in everything.  Even when it came down to her daughter, she allowed herself to be manipulated. She never stood up for herself, even when her husband committed a crime (that I felt was unforgivable), she allowed herself to be railroaded into going back home and trying to make it work.

On the other hand, there was Builder.  Builder was a selfish, whinny baby at the start of the book.  He allowed the mismanagement of his building to threaten the happiness and safety of his family.  While in the end I felt indifferent about his character.  He did grow and learn from the error of his ways.  He tried to make himself a better person.

I just wish that both Mel and Builder's characters were equally balanced out and both of them had learned the lessons that they needed to grow.

Writing:

Faye McDonald Smith's writing showed promise.  My research (Goodreads and basic Google Search) uncovered that Flight of the Blackbird was her first and only novel ever published.  While I didn't find her writing spectacular, I did enjoy it enough to be engaged in the novel and did not encounter any serious issues.


Explanation of Rating:
     
While the premise of Flight of the Blackbird was interesting the characters, plot issues, and average writing weren't enough to carry the novel to it's full potential.  It was rather, Meh.

Overall Recommendation:

I don't know if I would recommend this book.  It was just okay and forgettable.

Reviews: 32 Candles by Ernessa T. Carter

Rating: 3.5 Stars
Pages: 335
Genre: Women's Fiction
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Version: Hardback
Publication Date: June 2010
Publisher: Amistad
Source: Library

Synopsis (GoodReads):

Davie--an ugly duckling growing up in small-town Mississippi--is positive her life couldn't be any worse. She has the meanest mother in the South, possibly the world, and on top of that, she's pretty sure she's ugly. Just when she's resigned herself to her fate, she sees a movie that will change her life--"Sixteen Candles." But in her case, life doesn't imitate art. Tormented endlessly in school with the nickname "Monkey Night," and hopelessly in unrequited love with a handsome football player, James Farrell, Davie finds that it is bittersweet to dream of Molly Ringwald endings. When a cruel school prank goes too far, Davie leaves the life she knows and reinvents herself in the glittery world of Hollywood--as a beautiful and successful lounge singer in a swanky nightclub.

Davie is finally a million miles from where she started--until she bumps into her former obsession, James Farrell. To Davie's astonishment, James doesn't recognize her, and she can't bring herself to end the fantasy. She lets him fall as deeply in love with her as she once was with him. But is life ever that simple? Just as they're about to ride off into the sunset, the past comes back with a vengeance, threatening to crush Davie's dreams--and break her heart again

Review:

Plot:

     I came across 32 Candles when it was initially in 2010, I loved the cover and that got me to read the synopsis.  I am not new to women's fiction or chick lit.  I have read a few chick lit books in the past.  I normally don't review them, but I do read and enjoy them.  32 Candles was unique to me because it is the first chick lit book that crossed my path that had an African-American main character (Davie).  And the fact that Davie was a little nerdy black girl as a child reminded me of myself.  I was sold and 32 Candles was placed on my TBR List.

     Did Carter pull it off?  

     Yes and No.

     Yes, because 32 Candles was a engaging and funny read.  Everything seemed to fit perfectly (which not a bad thing in this case), it was kind of like watching a movie about the nerdy girl and the mean girls.  In fact, it was exactly like that.  The reader knew what was going to happen but when it happened it an emotional reaction was still achieved.  There were an few unexpected twist, but I think they made the story more interesting and gave it a darker tone.  I liked the darker tone, because it gave the book more depth and explained some of the characters reactions.

     The No part of the answer is because of the darker tone.  Some major issues were brought up in 32 Candles and they were just sort of swept up under the rag.  They were just sort of thrown in as a way of saying "this is why Davie and her mother's relationship is awful" on to the kick scene.  I can see this being done in order to keep the overall feel of the book light and funny, but I wish it had been executed better.

Characters:

The real strength of 32 Candles is the characters.  All the characters were unique and well rounded.  Carter was really successful in giving each character a distinctive personalities which readers where able to see through Davie's eyes.

Davie's character was very likable   She was quirky and funny, yet smart. She came off as a real person, very three dimensional.  What I like most about Davie is that just when the reader thinks that they know her, she hits them with another side of her personality.   Which was great because I ended up liking her even more.

While Davie was the main character, I think the one that I enjoyed most was Nicky.  Mainly because he provided great laughs.  He was completely comfortable with him and without even trying was hilarious.

The one character that I thought could be a little bit more developed was Davie's love interest, James.  He just seemed to stay the same throughout the book.  Never really growing or changing.

Writing:

For a debut novel, this was well written.  It is clear that Carter has a talent for writing and has a great sense of humor.  I found her writing to be so engaging that I read this book in two days.  I just could not put it down and I had to see what was going to happen next.

Explanation of Rating:
     
Because of some of the unexplored, glanced over dark topics of this book and the fact that James was sort of flat.  I took off half a star.  I understand that as a chick lit book, the atmosphere is suppose to be a light and funny, but I would rather have had the dark topics not brought up at all instead of glanced over.

Overall Recommendation:

If someone asked me if I would recommend this book.  I would tell them yes.  In fact, I am looking forward to reading Ernessa T. Carter's future works.

Review: Lucretia and the Kroons by Victor LaValle

Rating: 4 Stars
Pages: 104 Pages
Genre: Young Adult (Fantasy)
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Version: eBook
Publication Date: July 2012
Publisher: Spiegel & Grau
Source: NetGalley (Advanced Reader Copy)

Synopsis (GoodReads):

Lucretia’s best friend and upstairs neighbor Sunny—a sweet pitbull of a kid, even as she struggles with a mysterious illness—has gone missing. The only way to get her back is for Lucretia to climb the rickety fire escape of their Queens tenement and crawl through the window of apartment 6D, portal to a vast shadowland of missing kids ruled by a nightmarish family of mutants whose designs on the children are unknown. Her search for Sunny takes Lucretia through a dark fantasyland where she finds lush forests growing from concrete, pigeon-winged rodents, and haunted playgrounds. Her quest ultimately forces her to confront the most frightening specter of all: losing, forever, the thing you love the most.

Lucretia and the Kroons is a dazzlingly imaginative adventure story and a moving exploration of the power of friendship and the terror of loss. This all-new novella serves as the perfect companion piece to The Devil in Silver, a thrillingly suspenseful work of literary horror that continues the story of Lucretia.

Brief Review:

The first thing that came to mind after reading Lucretia and the Kroons was that it reminded me of Alice in Wonderland, but darker and in the hood.  I read Alice in Wonderland as an adult and while I liked it, I did not like it enough to pick up the sequel.  But I will be reading the follow up piece The Devil in Silver.

(this review is shorter because it has been a while since I read Lucretia and the Kroons and I can't remember everything I wanted to say about it.)

Overall Recommendation:

I would recommend giving it a try.  Since it is a novella depending on reading speed it can be read in one or two sittings.

Review: Who's Afraid of Post-Blackness? by Touré

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Pages: 252 pages
Genre: Non-Fiction (Sociology)
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Version: Hardback
Publication Date: September 2011
Publisher: Free Press
Source: Personal Collection

Synopsis (Book Jacket):

In the age of Obama, racial attitudes have become more complicated and naunced than ever before.  Inspired by a president who is unlike any Black man ever seen on our national stage, we are searching for new ways of understanding Blackness.  In this provocative new book, iconic commentator and journalist Touré tackles what it means to be Black in America today.    

Touré begins by examining the concept of "Post-Blackness," a term that defines artist who are proud to be black but don't want to be limited by identity politics and boxed in by race. He soon discovers that the desire to be rooted in but not constrained by Blackness is everywhere. In Who's Afraid of Post-Blackness?  he argues that Blackness is infinite, that any identity imaginable is Black, and that all expressions of Blackness are legitimate.  

Here, Touré divulges intimate, funny, and painful stories of how race and racial expectations have shaped his life and explore how the concept of Post-Blackness functions in politics, society, psychology, arts, culture, and more.  He knew he could not tackle this topic all on his own, so he turned to 105 of the more important luminaries of our time for frank and thought-provoking opinions, including Conrel West, Henry Louis Gates Jr., Malcolm Gladwell, Melissa Harris-Perry, Harold Ford Jr., Kara Walker, Kehinde Wiley, Gleen Ligon, Paul Mooney, former New York Govenor David Paterson, Greg Tate, Aaron McGruder, Kamala Harris, Chuck D. Mumia Abu-Jamal, and many more.    

By engaging this brilliant, electric group and employing his signature insight, courage, and wit, Touré delivers a clarion call on race in America and how we change our perceptions for a better future.  Destroying the notion that there is a correct way to be Black, Who's Afraid of Post-Blackness? will change how we perceive race forever.

Review:
I really don't know where to start my review of Who's Afraid of Post-Blackness?  because there is so much to talk about.   A picture of what my book of what  looked when I was done will probably show you why this review is going difficult for me to write and probably very wordy.

I first became aware of Who's Afraid of Post-Blackness? when Touré mentioned it on the Rachel Maddow Show.  When I saw that he was going to talk at the Miami International Book Festival, I jump at the chance to see him.  I even remember to pre-register for a ticket (which is major for me).  Let's just say that listening to Touré talk about his book, read a section of it, and then answer question made me buy the book and wait around to have it signed (the wait wasn't long).  I was impressed.

But it took me almost a year to actually read it.  Mainly, because I wanted to be able to discuss it with someone.  So, I made it August Book for my book club.  Which consist primary of Black-American and Haitian-American women.  It was an interesting discussion that not only focused on the book but how we saw pieces of ourselves in it.

Who's Afraid of Post-Blackness? and I got off to a rocky started.  Before I started attending Book Club Meetings I never read the foreword but my Book Club has changed my reading habits slightly.  So, the foreword is written by Michael Eric Dyson. There is no easy why to put this but when Michael Eric Dyson comes on the television I turn the channel or set it to mute.  He annoys me.  Mainly, his voice and speech pattern annoys me.  I have heard him talk enough times that as I was reading the foreword I could hear his voice in my head and I cringed the whole way through.  Which is sad because there was very little wrong with the foreword  it was actually pretty good and he did not do that annoying thing where he throws in random "big" words to show how smart he that often.

The first chapter lessened my fears but then I read Chapter 2 and thought "Touré WTF?".  In short, Chapter 2 explores the term "Post-Blackness" and it's roots in the art community.  How this idea of Post-Blackness, has transformed who black artist define themselves in relationship to their art and their audience.  That is what I think the idea was but I just ended up thinking "What?".  In the end, I wondered if these artist were just trying to minimize their "Blackness" in order to gain a wider audience.  Because in essence a painters lively hood depends on an person wanting to put a painting on a wall.  If painter only appeals to on culture/ethnicity then they narrow their audience.  Now add in the fact that your audience may not frequent art galleries or have the disposable income to purchase pricey wall hangings.  The painter is not doing themselves any favors by casting a small net.  At the end of this chapter Puff Daddy and Notorious BIG song "All About The Benjamins" came to mind.

Chapter 3, "The Rise and Fall of a Post-Black King" was about the Dave Chappelle (I'm not a fan).  While I am not familiar with Chappelle's work and probably have watched less than 5 of his skits and never could finish a complete episode, I did find Touré's thoughts on the man and his art interesting.  I just did not find him funny.  I thought his work was interesting and thought provoking but that is all.  I could never understand the hype or why people found him to be comedic genius.  Touré did not change my thoughts on Chappelle or sway them in the least, but I thought his theory on why Chappelle left his show (and millions of dollars) might be somewhat true.  (If you want to know the theory you will have to read the book)

Chapter 4 (I promise this won't be a chapter by chapter review) is where things really picked up for me (and several other members of my book club).  This is where Touré talked about his own experiences as growing up black.  There was an incident in this book that reminded me of Joyce Carol Oates Black Girl/White Girl.  But there were moments when I was reminded of myself and my own education.  I was reminded about why I decided to go to a HBCU and am happy that I did. (For those of you wondering I got tired of people questioning my intelligence).

The rest of Who's Afraid of Post-Blackness? was filled of stories and reflections of other people's experience of being black in America.  There experience were wide and brought out tons of emotions in me. Some made me laugh out loud.  Some made me want to cry.  Others pissed me off.

I think one important thing to understand is that Who's Afraid of Post-Blackness? is not about "post-racism", which I don't think exists or ever will.  It's about breaking away from the stereotypes of what Blackness is and understanding that Blackness cannot be defined by others (both in and out of the black community).  So, if you are looking to read a book that confirms your beliefs that we live in a "post-racism" society this is not the book.  .

Explanation of Rating:
     
This could have easily been a 5 star read for me if it had not been the beginning.  Touré is a great writer and I was engaged throughout the book and would have finished it much sooner if it had not been for the fact that I had to stop and mark everything that I had found interesting.

Overall Recommendation:

A highly recommended read.  In fact,  I am going to let what I read marinate for another year and read it again.  This time I am not going to be afraid to highlight sections that I love.

Review: The Cursed by LA Banks

Rating: 3 out of 4 Stars
Pages: 468
Genre: Paranormal
Series/Standalone: Series (Vampire Huntress Legend #9)
Publication Date: July 2007
Version: Mass-Market Paperback
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Source: From Private Collection

Synopsis (GoodReads):

The Chairman has been slaughtered, along with Hell’s first almost-successful attempt at creating an Anti-Christ, using Carlos Rivera’s body-double. Dante’s son has also been vanquished. Now the evil Lilith sits on Dante’s old throne, a prize won in her negotiations with Cain. She is The Vampire Council’s new Chairwoman—and Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

All Lilith needs is Damali’s newly discovered angelic powers to allow her evil progeny to walk through the veil between worlds and usher in the true Anti-Christ. Damali and her crew enter a desperate race against time to stop Lilith—even if doing so brings the Neteru Councils out of the clouds and into the Biblical Holy Lands…and kicks off the Armageddon.

Review:

I am taking a break from my normal format and am going to make this short and sweet.

The Cursed only gets 3 stars because it is one of my least favorite books in the series.  Nothing much happens.  All the prerequisites were there, fighting, romance, sex, etc.  But it fell flat.  Mainly, because The Cursed felt like a "filler" book.  All the events that took place in this book were just setup of the final events to come, possibly in book 12.  This alone made The Cursed one of the most difficult books in the Vampire Huntress Legend for me to read.  It took me almost a week to get this one done. Normally I can plow through one of these novels in a weekend, if I have nothing else to do.

It all felt a little drawn out.  I like that Banks could have achieved her goals in this novel in fewer pages.  There was way to much crying.  There was tons of crying.  It was driving me insane.  Every scene someone was brought to tears.

I did like how Banks handled Lilith's as the new Councilwoman.  Instead of using brute force think her male Council members to achieve her goals.  She used mind games and cunning.  Which was neat to see.

Overall Recommendation:

Overall, The Cursed was just so-so.  It's a means to a necessary end, the furthering of the series.  I thought that it could be have been shorter.  If it wasn't part of the series I would say skip it but I am sure it will be needed to understand future books.