Throwback Thursday: And Then Everything Unraveled

And Then Everything Unraveled by Jennifer Sturman 2009
Point/Scholastic

Rating: 3.5/5

IQ "My armor. You know. Self-protective camouflage. Everybody has armor. Even you, I bet, though I still haven't figured out what form yours takes." Quinn pg. 169

Sixteen year old Delia Truesdale's mother, T.K. has disappeared. T.K. was working on a project in Antarctica with an environmental group that she actively supported. Delia learns a few weeks later that the ship carrying her mother and the crew has vanished and they are all presumed dead. Delia refuses to believe it, especially since T.K. has a plan for everything and she's much "too organized to simply disappear" (back cover). Over Delia's objections she is sent to live with her boho aunt Charley (who has no experience raising kids) in New York City, her mother's other sister, Patience is uptight and in charge of Delia's schooling and finances. The move from Silicon Valley to NYC is a cultural shock. When the two aunts aren't battling over Delia, they are fighting over every little thing. All Delia wants is to find her mother and not fall in like with Quinn, the king of the Do-Nothings. It becomes clear to Delia that she is the only one who can do something about her mother's disappearance but the case quickly becomes much more intricate than she thought.

I'm not sure if it's an element of a mystery novel or not but I've decided that I'm really bothered when a character foreshadows something very dramatically (i. e. "I should have known..." or "How could I have been so stupid..." etc). These statements have really started to bug me and there are a few of those throughout the book. The ending was an annoying type of cliffhanger and yet as I type this review and reflect I've realized that I'm not in a hurry to read the sequel (which I own). I thought it was somewhat ironic that the ice queen Aunt Patience was a more well-rounded character to me than Aunt Charley. I found Charley to be the typical free-spirit, reluctant-to-play-mom-but-rises-to-the-occasion-beautifully aunt. Patience was more complex, in part because Delia doesn't spend much time with her so there's an air of mystery about her. Of course we have the genius best friend who is a whiz with technology and thus can crack anything. I really need to find a friend like that because they only seem to exist in books and movies.....And I have to admit I'm skeptical at the power a certain oil company yields so I was disappointed that I couldn't entirely believe the plot. The most ANNOYING part though is a *spoiler: highlight to read* that Delia finally told Quinn what was going on and not only does the author write the scene off camera (so to speak) but we don't get to read about his reaction afterward, we are just told to assume he accepts it. Ugh no!* End of spoiler

All that being said, I really liked the mystery element. It's not ridiculously dramatic (as in a teenager solving a murder or something) and while one particular villain was obvious, I was not expecting another villain (hinted at via psychic in what I thought was a clever twist). The mystery is rather complex and it's definitely original. Delia is a down-to-earth, mostly logical main character who neither wallows in self-pity nor is she overconfident about her looks. In short, she has good self esteem. I enjoyed reading about Delia's comparing and contrasting NYC to Silicon Valley having only spent four tourist-y days in NYC and never been to California. Plus as flat a character as Quinn was, he embodied typical boy in being so on and off so I definitely could relate to Delia's confusion. I did roll my eyes at the classic Romeo and Juliet scene performed in drama class of course in front of everyone.

And Then Everything Unraveled is an appealing read due to its mostly plausible mystery and the engaging voice of Delia. The setting of NYC is a vibrant one in this book as well and I liked how some of the seemingly-random occurrences were tied into the story. I have to admit I don't see why the author couldn't have made this one mystery story instead of making a sequel. I thought the book was moving slowly and knowing I had the sequel didn't appease me, it just bothered me that I knew the mystery wouldn't be wrapped up and the book would mostly be about the more mundane and the data-gathering. Most of the characters were typical, Quinn is nothing special, Aunt Charley is great fun but still typical (there was a time when she would be atypical but now that I'm a somewhat jaded reader....haha) and Thad is predictable although his motives are fuzzy. The mystery did keep me on my toes when Delia stopped thinking about Quinn. I will eventually read the sequel especially since I'm hoping Delia's half Indian side (her father died) will be explored.

Disclosure: Won (over a year ago I think which is super embarrassing) from Marjolein Book Blog and the author (autographed). Thank you both so much!

The Other Half of My Heart

The Other Half of My Heart by Sundee Frazier 2010
Delacorte Press/Random House for Children

Rating: 3.5/5

IQ "'You need to remember that these bodies we're in are just vehicles. They're part of who we are, sure. An important part. But what's riding around inside is a whole lot more important.' Mama had told them this before. Keira liked to say that if their bodies were vehicles then hers was most definitely a Jaguar. Minni had decided on a hybrid-because she was mixed, of course but also because hybrids were environmentally friendly." pgs. 219-220

Minerva and Keira King made the news when they were born. Not just because they were born in an airplane, but also due to Keira being born Black like their Mama and Minni being born white like their Daddy. The twins are now eleven and still very close and even though they receive lots of stares (they tend to look like a chessboard walking down the street), it doesn't matter because they have each other. Until Mama's mother, Grandmother Johnson demands that the twins enter the Miss Black Pearl Preteen of America program (not pageant!), Keira is gung-ho but the idea of standing in front of so many people (let alone showcasing some kind of talent) makes Minni want to hide. Minni reluctantly agrees when Keira assures her that they will get through the program together. They'll need each other since Grandmother Johnson is so strict. It soon becomes clear however that Grandmother Johnson favors Minni and Keira retreats into herself, the twins aren't each other's rocks anymore and this throws Minni into confusion. How can she do well in the pageant if Keira is mad at her? Shouldn't Keira realize by now that Minni's too shy to stand up for herself, let alone anyone else?

What really disappointed me was that the story was told entirely from Minni's perspective. I was expecting to hear from Minni and Keira, but instead we only receive Minni's side of the story. Sympathy can be roused for both characters and it's both painful and rewarding to see Minni finally get 'it', understand what it's like to be the ONLY ONE. However I felt that the book could have been much stronger if Keira also got to tell her part of the story, what was it like for her being in the majority? I was surprised at how quickly the pageant/program (a running joke in the story) was over. Minni spends all this time worrying about it and then it's over in about a chapter. I was hoping to read more about preparations for the pageant and to learn about the other participants, instead they were just used to exclude Minni and befriend Keira. I also thought the writing could be heavy-handed, especially concerning Martin Luther King Jr. Minni's initials are MLK, which was intentional. That's cute but Minni talks about him all the time which is great, but so do all the other characters and I wanted to learn about other civil rights heroes (or at least I wanted someone to remind Minni that their are other civil rights leaders. No disrespect to MLK, he's one of the most inspiring figures in the history of the world). I did learn something new, Martin's first name was actually Michael. His father changed it after a trip to Germany during which he learned about Martin Luther. Maybe I just have lesser patience when it comes to stories that emphasis civil rights leaders over and over again because growing up that's what my parents talked about, we watched movies, read books, etc. Not to mention MLK is probably one of the few Black Americans we study for a long period of time in most schools and so now I'm more impatient with the BIG NAMES of the civil rights movement.

I did like Minni's narration even though I also wanted to hear from Keira. I think the author did a great job fleshing Minni out. She has a rather dry sense of humor but she can really let loose, she's insecure, doesn't always stand up for what's right and she dearly loves her sister. These components make her seem very realistic. At one point when it's starting to become clear that Grandmother Payine-in-the-Butt Johnson isn't too fond of Keira, Minni decides that "Grandmother Johnson was no small woman, but if she tried to nab Keira, Minni would jump her. It was still two against one, and Grandmother Johnson was old." (pg. 96). I found it amusing that she and Keira didn't have the stereotypical 'twin thing' of finishing each other's sentences. Dyslexia is brought up and the topic is addressed with both humor and sensitivity, it's frustrating to see how teachers just gave up instead of really working to diagnose the disability and then work with Keira to overcome/cope with the disability. Grandmother Johnson is both a nuisance and entertaining, set in her ways, hardened by life, the twins come up with some creative schemes to get back at her. I was happy to see that Grandmother Johnson is not demonized throughout the book, she's human and not evil just to be evil (I wouldn't even go so far as to say she's evil).

The Other Half of My Heart is brimming with emotions and sentimentality. The story is slow, but that allows for Minni and Grandmother Johnson to truly develop as characters. I only wish the same could be said for Keira. Keira develops into a character, but always seemed to be a secondary character and I felt that she was simply 'Minni's twin' but that contradicts with this story which seems to be trying to show that each of the twins are individuals. I would have better appreciated all the sun and moon references if they were more slyly woven in (I never would have figured out what Keira meant though) but they work well with the story and enhance the telling. I loved how Keira and Minni's parents weren't abstract, absent parents. I got a real feel for their personalities and you can draw your own conclusions on who the twins most closely resemble. I would have liked more pageant details but it isn't meant to be a pageant expose, but I do think the Miss Black Pearl PreTeen preparations could have been made more interesting instead of rushed through. In a way this book airs out our dirty laundry. Even though it's the 21st century, Black people are still silly enough to try and bring each other down. There is still a very subtle message that being dark is bad, but light is alright. There's enough prejudice in this world as it is, I don't understand why we still have so much inter-cultural prejudice. A strong story about the bond between sisters (specifically twins), being color struck and growing up.

Disclosure: Received from the author for review. Thank you so much Sundee!

Male Monday: Operation Redwood

Operation Redwood by S. Terrell French 2009
Amulet Books/Harry N. Abrams

Rating: 5/5

IQ "Robin's mom always says, 'A way will open.' [Julian]

'And do you believe this?' [strange lady ;)]

Did he? He chose his words carefully. 'Maybe not on its own. But maybe, if you keep trying to really think about how to make something happen, it could happen. Not always. But if you're lucky.'" Julian pg. 326

Julian Carter-Li opens an angry email message that is intended for his uncle, Sidley Carter, a CEO of a very important company (IPX). His uncle's company has bought a grove of redwood trees that are hundreds of years old and the company intends on tearing them all down. Julian doesn't intend to get involved at first, but the sender of that email turns out to be Robin, a girl close to Julian's age (twelve). He's intrigued by someone his own age brave enough to call his uncle a jerk and stand up for what she believes in. Julian knows very little about this robin, but with the help of his best friend, Danny he is going to break into an office, live in a tree and maybe, just maybe, save the redwoods.

There is not a single thing I didn't like about this book. Some might complain that it started off rather slow but I live for slow contemporary starts, I like getting to know every little detail about the main character and their friends. Sure some things are a little too convenient (Danny speaks Spanish but Julian doesn't speak Spanish so naturally Danny must translate often. also Julian's Chinese grandmother writes for a sizable newspaper), but who cares? This story is too fun to get wrapped up in such minor things. I'm a sucker for kids and teens engaging in social justice because I think too many books only show us as selfish brats who don't care about the future of our world. That's simply not true and this author gets that. At the core of this book (or the trunk of this book, and yes there will be more annoying tree metaphors) is a message of environmentalism. Here we have three kids who don't have an extraordinary amount of resources available to them and yet they manage to come up with a plan, a plan that has the potential to work. They aren't hackers or geniuses or super wealthy, instead they have lots of heart and pool together their respective brain power to find a solution. These qualities make the book an interesting read and one that is authentic. I could easily see myself and other kids in middle school coming up with a similar plan (instead of those outrageous plots that you know would never work out in real life. Not that those can't be fun). The core has different branches that all lead back to the plan to save the redwoods but they divert (in the best of ways) to stories dealing with racism, family abandonment, strong friendships and the actual application of what we learn in school.

In addition to the save-the-trees message that rocked, I also adored the subtle displays of racism. In today's world, rarely do we see outright prejudice and Operation Redwood perfectly reflects that fact. Julian's mother travels a lot and his father died when he was seven, so when Julian's mother leaves for China for several months, he has to go live with his uncle Sibley. Sibley is his father's brother and while Sibley's young son, Preston, adores Julian, Sibley and his wife do not. Sibley's wife, Daphne, goes out of his way to make sure Julian knows he is not welcome (she has a point system. A POINTS system, but that's actually not a totally implausible situation). Of course since she never spells it out, you can't be sure that part of that dislike is race-based, but it probably doesn't help that Julian's Chinese (his mother is Chinese, his father is white) heritage 'ruins' her image of the perfect all-American blonde family. Like when Julian says '[s]omething about the way his aunt said 'half-Chinese' always made it sound vaguely like an insult-or not an insult exactly, but something that made him less than Preston, who at least in her view, wasn't half anything." (pg. 51) I had such a YES moment when I read that, I totally get what Julian's describing and I think many people from different cultural backgrounds may have a similar moment. Julian doesn't spend the entire book talking about the hardships of being a biracial kid, he mentions it, but he also talks about the joys of being biracial and how funny it can be to think about "how strange it was that he should be descended from two such different people, how weird and improbable that their DNA would end up mixed together in his own body." (pg.341). I would be remiss not to rave about Danny. I LOVE Danny, I want him to be my best friend. He is a mess, always hamming it up and yet his silly ways often help him to come up with the most outrageous-but-they-just-might-work stunts. But he can also be very practical (he's quite handy with computer basics such as sending emails in which Julian is hopelessly defunct). One of my favorite exchanges between Danny and Julian is below

"Am I good or what?' he [Danny] said with a broad smile.

'You have a real talent for lying. And you've ruined my reputation too. Congratulations!' [Julian]

'We all have our gifts,' Danny said humbly." (pg. 79) What a great kid.

Operation Redwood has many different branches that all lead back to the importance of speaking up when a wrong is being committed and the value of nature. Julian lives in San Francisco which can be a bit polluted, and he ends up going to see the Big Grove of redwood trees and is in awe of nature. I probably would be too. I don't live in the heart of the city, but I can relate to not spending much time relaxing and pondering nature, especially as we kids become older. I love that Julian has such a diverse group of friends, as the 21st century pushes on, we are going to see more diverse friendships, even now, people are rarely friends with only white people, and it's soo nice to see a book that reflects this. In fact this is the kind of contemporary middle grade I want to see more of, pretty please publishers? The ending certainly surprised me and it's realistic. Robin is resourceful, Danny is imaginative and Julian has the quiet strength that only unveils itself when push comes to shove. I could go on and on and on, but I'll stop. Ultimately this is a prime example of a book where it's the LITTLE THINGS that make it such a phenomenal read. The plot is not complex but it is revolutionary in that it so accurately depicts our world through the eyes of middle school students. A definite favorite of 2011 already.

Disclosure: Bought. One of the best purchases ever :D Printed on recycled paper for the win!

PS This is a tiny thing but it made me happen Julian is thinking about how his teacher taught them about the Miwok Indians (pg. 82). It's a brief sentence, blink and you miss, but it meant something to me that the author didn't just say Indians or even Native Americans. She specifies the tribe. Cool

Mini Reviews: The Long Song, White is for Witching, Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self

The Long Song by Andrea Levy 2010
Farrar, Straus and Giroux

IQ "My beloved son Thomas did caution, when first I set out to flow this tale upon the world, that although they may not be felt like a fist or a whip, words have a power that can nevertheless cower even the largest man to gibbering tears." pg. 23

Miss July (at the urging of her son Thomas) is putting pen to paper and describing her life as a slave in Jamaica. July is a mulatto child who at first grows up with her mother on the sugar plantation they work at, but later on, the sister of her 'owner' decides to make July her personal servant and rename her Marguerite. July is mischievous, ingenious and soon she becomes indispensable to her mistress. July learns to read from her mistress Caroline in order to better help Caroline
keep the books and run the plantation. After the Baptist War the slaves are free, but July doesn't feel any different and she still lives with Caroline. The arrival of a new (young) English overseer, Robert Goodwin, brings dramatic and subtle changes to July's world.

I'm not sure if it's just me, but I've never liked reading about slavery. Even if it's a great literary masterpiece, I have to work my way up to it. This one intrigued me because I had read reviews that described it as 'humorous.' A book with slavery that was humorous? Hmm. I'm glad I took a chance and read it. It's not laugh-out-loud funny but there is a dark sense of humor that runs throughout the book. Readers will smile or smirk at the quiet acts of rebellion slaves engaged in. Ranging from spitting in the dinner to using a bedsheet as a tablecloth, etc. At first I was appalled at how crude the actions could be, but then I realized that I can't even fully comprehend what slaves had to go through, so who am I to judge? I almost wish I read more about slavery so that I could compare American slavery to Jamaican slavery. I would wager a guess that Jamaican slavery was much harsher, although it did end earlier (I believe 1838). July does not like to dwell on all the horrors of slavery so it's not as graphic as it could be. I'm just really sensitive to suffering in literature so I was constantly wincing or balling my fists up. There was an excellent quote about the demise of slavery and the celebrations that ensued "As the coffin with the words, 'colonial slavery died July 31, 1838, aged 276 years' was lowered into the ground, a joyous breeze blew. It was whipped up from the gasps of cheering that erupted unbounded. When the handcuffs, chains and iron collars were thrown into that long-awaited grave to clatter on top of slavery's ruin, the earth did tremor. For at that moment every slave upon this island did shake off the burden of their bondage as one." (pg. 141)

The Long Song is a more gentle look at slavery as well as eye-opening. I'm willing to bet that not many Americans know of the Baptist War, which was a slavery uprising that lasted ten days in 1832. July lives through that and it's interesting to read her observations on it as well as to see how Caroline felt about it all. There's nothing suspenseful to this plot, but there are some surprises (especially concerning the white master). I was also shocked by the madness of some of the characters, ones who started out quite reasonable and then became someone else entirely. Also for readers who don't know much about the history of color prejudice in the Black community, this book provides a good foundation in seeing why everyone thought you were alright if you were white (or just light). July is a fun narrator to have because she is quick-witted and you can just tell that while she's sharing some of her more mischief-filled tales, she's winking at the reader and smirking to herself. Her son has to cajole her into providing more details and we're grateful he does (she records the gist of their conversations) because it offers a less than rosy picture that July was trying to present. This makes July somewhat unreliable but her son always holds her to task (and she complains about that quite a bit). July acknowledges that slavery sucked but she doesn't want to dwell on it anymore. The writing was such that I could sense July sitting next to me and hear the cadence of Jamaica in her voice and the voices of other slaves and even the poor white folks. Historical fiction at its finest, provides a firm sense of setting and characters.

Disclosure: Received from Trish. Mil gracias Trish!





White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi 2009
Picador Press

IQ "What I mean is, each act of speech stands on the belief that someone will hear. My note to Miri says more than just I'm lonely. Invisibly it says that I know she will see this, and that when she sees this it will turn her, turn her back, return her." Eliot pg. 4

The home of the Silver women is haunted. Not just haunted, but it has a mind of its own. The house does not like to be lonely and so the Silver women can never leave. Miranda Silver's mother, Lily, died suddenly, leaving Miranda and her twin brother, Eliot, hurt and lonely. Their father, Luc, cares deeply for them but he's powerless to help them against the forces of the house. When Miranda develops pica (which causes her to eat things like chalk, mud and plastic), none of the therapy or most appetizing meals cooked up by Luc, can help her. Miranda gets thinner and thinner and slowly starts to disappear, leaving Eliot and her best friend, Ore confused and scared.

This is a weird book. The writing style is both spectacular and frustrating. The author picks seemingly random words to both end the first sentence and start the first sentence but they aren't connected. Like so: "she heard the clatter of cutlery, she heard the whir of
the lift
broke down in the night." (pg. 35) It's a very cool writing style and new-to-me. Not sure if other authors do it. The writing can be frustrating though because it can be confusing. It's not always clear whose talking (the house, Miranda, Eliot, Ore?). Also a large chunk of the book has nothing to do with Ore so I'm not even sure why she's mentioned. Although she does become quite important in the end. The writing/plot can become frustrating because it's full of hidden meanings and half truths. Nothing is ever fully revealed so you have to draw your own conclusions on nearly everything. Due to this, I never felt that I truly got to know any of the characters either. They simply remained names on the page who were described quite a bit, but I just didn't have a distinct grasp of their personality (aside from everyone worrying about how odd Miranda was getting). Furthermore, I could not understand why people were attracted to Miranda. In part because I couldn't figure out her personality but also because she ate chalk and other inedible objects and she was extremely thin and could be off-putting. Mystifying, especially when she says things like this "[s]he peered up and down the broad passageways and tiptoed past the bedroom doors, feeling like dust, as if she were everywhere at once. She could pull herself tight and then explode and choke everyone in the house." (pg. 77). Elegant statement, and yet it's also chillingly mental.

White Is For Witching isn't completely dark. It has a light, almost playful quality to it because the author never flat out describes the horrors that occur in the house, they are merely hinted at. I was also intrigued by how the novel touches on the topic of immigration. I don't know much about England and immigration, but I do know it's a touchy subject and more and more people seem to be anti-immigrant. This book looks at that because the house hates foreigners and sooner or later, the house drives them away (Luc turned the house into an inn). There is a lot of talk of the Kosovans but I know nothing about this particular group of people so I was more than a little lost.I think I understood why the house was so xenophobic though and the reason was fascinating and while I thought it was completely daft, I was able to see the twisted logic. Another popular theme in this book is madness, Eliot states "I've read that madness is present when everything you see and hear takes on an equal significance. A dead bird makes you cry, and so does a doorknob. This morning I was not mad. The only thing significant to me in all the world was the creaking upstairs." (pg. 244). Everyone in this book is slowly going mad in some way and it all seems to come back to Miranda. Perhaps I will revisit this book in the future and better understand it. For now I can appreciate the complexity of the plot, the stunning writing and the questions concerning madness and immigration (even if I don't understand what exactly is being asked or what the answer is). To me the most horrifying thing about this book is how vague and unexpected everything is, the situations described are truly bone-chilling but they are never completely described. It's up to your overactive imagination XD

Disclosure: Thank you Tricia!

PS It's an off-color review because the author is Black but the main character, Miranda is white. Her best friend Ore is Black.


Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self by Danielle Evans 2010
Riverhead Books/Penguin Group


IQ "We were not so much tempting fate as barganing with it. With the sincere fatalism only teenagers can manage, we assumed that what happened before the year was out would determine what our lives would be forever after, and no one seemed thrilled about their prospects. Life became an insistent preoccupation with what happened next." Crystal pg. 218


A short-story collection about young Black people living life. Honestly that's all there is to it. There are eight short stories and while most of them focus on race and coming-of age, there are also questions of love, class, and friendships.

I really like the above quote because I feel as though I'm going through it right now. Even though it's not my junior year, it seems as though now I spend at least five minutes a day trying to plot out my future or imagine what it will be like. I want to go back to living in the moment, like most of us do as kids. We are told that are scores on the SAT, ACT, PSAT and our GPAS will determine our futures because if we show that we are 'smart' enough we will get into a great college, from there we will find love, money and happiness. Yeah ok. Anyway, this quote really resonated with me and it's from my favorite story of the collection, "Robert E. Lee is Dead". I'm not going to talk about every single story in this collection. My least favorite story was Virgins. It's my least favorite because it had the least satisfactory ending for me. My fear with short story collections is that I will want MORE and I do want more, but more from this author. Most of the stories ended in a messy/open ended way but it wasn't too cliffhangerish, except for some odd reason, "Virgins" left me feeling cheated. "Virgins" is about two fifteen year old girls who hang out and decide to go to a club. With fake IDs anything is possible and both girls are going to learn some hard-earned lessons about sex and friendship. I love a quote from this story when the narrator, Erica says quote matter-of-factly "We weren't bad-looking, neither one of us, but we weren't ever going to be beautiful, either, I knew that already. We were the kind of girls who would always be very pretty if but if never seemed to happen." (pg. 10) I can totally and completely relate to that, feeling as though I would be truly pretty IF I could change...xyz (hair, nose, etc.). The story that provided the most food-for-thought regarding the complexities of class was "Harvest". It centers around abortion, "white trash", and making money by selling your eggs to fertility clinics. All of this while in college. In "Robert E. Lee is Dead", Crystal has everything going for her and she seemingly throws it all way. Definitely the story I was the most emotionally invested in.

Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self manages to sound both matter-of-fact and unsure. One minute the young narrators and the other characters are confidently expressing what they plan to do (even if they know it's going to land them in trouble) and the next they are filled with self-doubt, waiting for someone to talk them down from what they're about to (before they suffocate themselves). Yet they are also telling the readers to hold back all judgement until you've finished their story and THOUGHT about it for a few minutes. To me, the main characters asked the readers to hold off on all rash judgements. None of the people in this collection know exactly what it means to be an adult and it's not like they can ask their parents for help. Parents are rarely mentioned but it is noted that family is more than a little complicated and full of secrets. It will be interesting to re-read these stories when I'm actually in my 20s and then when I'm older and am able to actually look back. For now, most of these stories felt as though they could be happening to certain people I know and detailed experiences that I'm sure I'll come up against at some point. Most importantly of all, I appreciate an author who writes for adults treating teenagers with respect and compassion. She shows that we know more than we get credit for and that we go through a lot, internally and externally. As I'm sure you can imagine, I tend to avoid short story collections because I'm afraid of info dumps/lots of backstory and being left in too much suspense (I HATE suspense). Fortunately for me, Danielle Evans doesn't have much of any of that. Her next book is a novel, The Empire Has No Clothes and it involves politics. Best believe I will be reviewing it here. Read the poem the title comes from (LOVE the poem. Can't believe I just learned of it now).

Disclosure: My mom bought it because she liked the title. I was going to buy it anyway but I'm glad she beat me to it :)

PS Another favorite quote from my second-favorite story ("Wherever You Go, There You Are"), "It makes me happy when I recognize myself in a lyric, even if the lyric is I lied, you lied, I lied, to really love something is sucidie, because how I feel about Brian hasn't been about love in a long time, it's been about mattering the most, and as I count the songs, I'm confident I'm still winning on that scorecard." Carla pg. 188

Mini Reviews: Purple Hibiscus, A Map of Home, The Girl Who Fell From the Sky

Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie 2003
Anchor Books/Random House

IQ "His letters dwell on me. I carry them around because they are long and detailed, because they remind me of my worthiness, because they tug at my feelings. Some months ago, he wrote that he did not want me to seek the whys, because there are some things that happen for which we can formulate no whys, for which whys simply do not exist, and perhaps, are not mentioned." Kambili pg. 303

Kambili is fifteen years old and living under the thumb of her politically active, wealthy, generous and abusive Catholic father. To the outside world, Kambili's father is a hero, one of Nigeria's finest. To Kambili he is her demanding father whom she loves and wants to please, but he is also her worst nightmare. After a military coup occurs, Kambili's father decides to send her and her older brother, Jaja to stay with their university professor aunt Ifeoma. Their aunt is boisterous and treats her children with respect, she is also not fanatically religious. Aunty Ifeoma's house is filled with laughter and hard times. She is not nearly as well-to-do as Kambili and Jaja are accustomed to, but her love of life and cheerfulness more than makes up for it. Staying with their Aunty Ifeoma will change Kambili and Jaja, in both small and big ways.

I was going to try and avoid cliches to describe Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's writing by not saying it's "lyrical" and "lush." But it is. It is also teeming with life, the characters and scenery slowly rise up from the pages. Kambili quietly tells you her story and you can feel your own self getting tense when Kambili is not the number one student in her class, you feel your shoulders relax when you learn that Papa is not home yet and you will have some time to yourself. I was so utterly enthralled by this story. There are sentences that are so delectable, but I'll let Kambili describe how I felt while reading, "[m]y chest was filled with something like bath foam. Light. The lightness was so sweet I tasted it on my tongue, the sweetness of an overripe bright yellow cashew fruit." (pg.180). Not that I've ever had a cashew fruit, and Kambili is talking about happiness, but still I adored that quote :) The novel is never too overbearing. Yes there are some extremely intense scenes, but there intensity is so quiet, I never really found myself near tears due to the cruelty, by rather, I was so emotionally involved in the story, that the quiet intensity of the scenes involving Papa, Mama, Kambili and Jaja got me so worked up. I didn't cry but the story definitely left an impact. For me, the impact was in beginning to understand why it can be so hard to remove yourself from an abusive situation. At times, even I was fond of Papa, in awe at his generosity, but then, I would go back to being appalled at the hypocrisy of his faith.

Purple Hibiscus is a quietly (I know, I know, I used that word way too much) exuberant story. It threw me for a loop because while I expected some sort of dramatic climax, the way the scene unfolded and the rather open-ended ending left me surprised, but not too upset. There's nothing better than seeing slow, continuous growth, in being able to watch two seemingly taciturn children blossom into defiant men and women. There is however, a consequence that comes with being defiant and defiance means different things to different people. Kambili was not loudly defiant, that's not her way. But in her own way, her actions were a rebellion against her father. This story helped me to better understand what fuels religious fanatics and why loved ones would stay in such an environment. Furthermore, it reinforced that people will surprise you, always. I was completely and utterly shocked by Mama's actions! In addition to the heavy issues of abuse that are circulating throughout the story, the backdrop of the military coup and the tensions about education at Nigerian universities, make for a well-rounded reading experience. I only wish I knew the time period of the story. I'm afraid I'm not as knowledgeable about history as I thought and I'm not sure what time people we are in. Maybe the '70s? An absolutely must read and I will be reading every thing by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Also, when I met her, she said she didn't think her material was suitable for children. But this book has YA crossover appeal and I hope Ms. Adichie will seriously consider writing for teenagers! She has such a gift and we can handle the topics she covers. Love, LOve, LOVe, LOVE!

Disclosure: Bought. Autographed by Ms. Adichie!

PS Was anyone else sad at the Father Amadi storyline? Ahh, I had such high hopes for it!

A Map of Home by Randa Jarrar 2008
Penguin Books


IQ "I didn't understand how I could believe one thing when other people believed something else. It made me feel though as though there was no way to really know the truth. But Mama told me that this was precisely what the truth was: something too big for everyone to agree on." Nidali pg. 18

Nidali was born in America to her Greek-Egyptian mother and Palestinian father, her father moves the family to Kuwait. Nidali's name is the female version of Nidal, which means "strife; struggle". This is a story about their middle-class life in Kuwait and the antics of their family. When Iraq invades, they head to Egypt, and later on, Texas. Searching for a new home, while coming of age, Nidali and her family (Baba, Mama, younger brother Gamal) are not short of adventures.

This was quite an amusing tale although at times, I wondered how it was possible for a ten year old to be so witty. I'm not a big fan of authors using children to make their points about life because it never seems convincing to me. But maybe I just didn't know many witty children growing up. Not only is Nidali witty but she's also very observant. She notices things about her parents and other relatives that I had a hard time believing she noticed. It don't bother me too much once I really got into the book though because Nidali is a gratifying narrator. The way she tells the stories of her family's history and describes them constantly cracked me up. The material comes from somewhere though and I couldn't believe some of the antics her mother and father engaged in, at times it seemed childish. No less entertaining though. I also loved the more obscure facts about Kuwait and the Middle East and the way the history facts were stated. For example, "[h]e remembers the stories about Arabia, how disputes over property, family allegiances, gold, and women were all solved by two warring poets who stood on top of a big, sturdy boulder. The poets rhymed until one was defeated, solving the case. Gamal knows he's not black, but he comes from the home of the original rap battle." (pg. 245). Very cool outlook.

A Map of Home is an admirable debut in part because it so candidly discusses the confusion of sexuality. Nidali has relationships with a guy and a girl but there doesn't seem to be an obvious answer at the end as to who she prefers. Nidali's father seemed more often than not to be unreasonable and overbearing, but there are some tender family moments. The writing style was engaging. Smooth, laced with humor and details about daily life in Kuwait, mother-daughter relationships, father-daughter relationships, first like/love, etc. it covers a lot of topics but it's never heavy handed. There was a line that really resonated with me in the book, "[t]here's a moment when most children know their childhood are over." (pg. 124), I'm not sure I every had such a moment, and if I did, I never noticed it. The thought was intriguing nevertheless. There is a lot of struggling throughout Nadali's life, perhaps more than some, since she lives during the Iraq invasion of Kuwait. The backdrop of the Middle East and the strength and independence of Nidali's voice kept me turning the pages.

Disclosure: Received from Lyn. Thanks Lyn =)

The Girl Who Fell From the Sky by Heidi W, Durrow 2010
Alongquin Books of Chapel Hill/Workman Publishing

IQ "That makes me think of how the other black girls in school think I want to be white. They call me an Oreo. I don't want to be white. Sometimes I want to go back to being what I was. I want to be nothing." Rachel pg. 148

Rachel is the daughter of a Danish mother and a Black G. I., and now the sole survivor of a family tragedy. Rachel is sent from her home in Chicago to live in Portland with her strict Black grandmother (the mother of Rachel's father). In Portland, Rachel interacts mostly with the Black community and her bi-racial heritage is the cause of my teasing, wonder and envy. Not only does Rachel stand out for being so light and "acting white, she is still grieving over the loss of her family. Rachel doesn't want to be labeled, she doesn't want to be defined by her heritage, she simply wants her family to be whole again.

I was pleased by how this book focused less on Rachel feeling caught between being half Black and half white and more to do with coming of age and the mystery of her mother's death. Rachel doesn't identify with one side of her racial heritage over another. She appreciates her mother's Danish heritage but she doesn't deny her African American heritage. She does have a hard time attempting to combine both sides of her heritage though. It was nice to read a book about a biracial main character that didn't focus solely on being torn between cultures. Instead Rachel wonders why she even has to choose, why does society pressure her to choose? I've often wondered the same thing. I got a bit tired of the whole 'all the Black girls hate me cuz I'm pretty' storyline, but I guess it is realistic. Except when it came to being called an "oreo" but for the most part Rachel is very reserved and seems detached from the story. I did however love Jamie/Brick. Besides reading for the mystery, I kept reading to find out what happened to Brick. At first I didn't like the seemingly random viewpoints the story is told from, but I loved Brick's side of the story (especially when he connected with Rachel, it was such a relief) and the other characters present a more encompassing view of what happened on the roof one day in Chicago with Rachel's family.

The Girl Who Fell From the Sky is an arresting tale of love, family, loss, race and class. I didn't love Rachel, she was a good narrator and her story was interesting, but I never felt a close connection to her. . Along with issues of race, class issues are also brought up. There are few wealthy people in this novel, it mostly focuses on life for middle/working class people. Rachel volunteers at a Salvation Army center where she meets people trying to get their G.E.D., sober up, etc. It's eye-opening for her not just in seeing all the hardship and seeing how everyone deals with challenges in different ways, but she also sees the difference in how one of the privileged white interns views the people at the center. He's disdainful and doubts they will amount to anything or change, Rachel really cares and supports them. I suppose the ending is satisfying but I'm one of those readers who either wants a clean and neat ending or I want one that is messy, but I don't like ones that end on a note where nothing is really happening (but you get the feeling that the author is trying to impart a deeper meaning). I probably just don't appreciate the simple things in life :) I would recommend this book because it's suspenseful and the writing is really good. I couldn't stop reading because I wanted to know if it was suicide or murder that caused the family tragedy, and even at the end, you could draw your own conclusion. I will end on one of my other favorite lines from the book "[w]ell, I would explain the blues this way: Like for me I image inside of a person there's a blue bottle, you know? [...] The bottle is where everything sad or mean or confusing can go. And the blues-it's like that bottle. But in the bottle, there's a seed that you let grow. Even in the bottle it can grow big and green. it's full of those feelings that are in there, but beautiful and growing too." (pg. 166) I have a greater appreciation for the blues so I very much like the way the author described the music.

Disclosure: Received from Zetta. Thank you!

*I always do adult mini reviews. I'm still playing around with style so you may notice that one week my mini reviews will be two paragraphs and the next time I do the post, they are three paragraphs. I'm working on trying to be concise in fewer sentences but there is always SO much to say!

Male Monday: The Red Pyramid

The Red Pyramid (Kane Chronicles #1) by Rick Riordan
Hyperion/Disney Book Group

Rating: 3/5

IQ "It's a rare thing when an adult admits they are wrong to a child-especially a wise, two-thousand-year-old adult. You rather have to cherish those moments." Sadie pg. 349

Carter and Sadie are siblings, but they don't live together. When their mother died six years ago, they were split up. Carter (fourteen years old) travels around the world with their famous Egyptologist fatter, Dr. Julius Kane. He's homeschooled and rather socially awkward. Meanwhile, Sadie (his twelve year old sister) lives in London with their grandparents. Both Carter and Sadie want what they other has, Carter a "normal life", and Sadie wants more time with their father. They don't get along because they only spend a few days together a year and they don't understand each other. All this changes when on Christmas Eve when their father tries to release the spirits of gods through the Rosetta Stone, which ends in a disaster. Their father has been kidnapped by Set (an evil god of ancient Egypt) and it's up to Carter and Sadie to save him and/or the world. Along with Set, the other gods of Ancient Egypt are awakening and some of them help, and some hurt Carter and Sadie's mission. They are heading on a dangerous journey of magic and secrets in which not only must they battle gods, but they must fight the House of Life (a secret order of magicians that does not like the gods). And of course, they belong to no ordinary group.


See how long that summary is? Yeah it was exhausting to write and that pretty much describes my experience reading this book. It took FOREVER. It absolutely could not hold my interest. I must have picked it up, read 2 chapter and then forgotten about it completely at least once a month (and it took me about four months to finally finish). The book starts off rather slowly because it gives you a lot of background info and then it picks up for a bit. But then it's back to an excruciatingly slow pace with lots and lots of details. At first, I didn't mind all the details because I know relatively little about ancient Egyptian gods, beliefs and hieroglyphs. However after awhile it's a lot of information to remember. In addition to all this information, you must keep straight the Kane family history because there is a lot of secrets surrounding Carter and Sadie's parents and as the answers are slowly revealed, it becomes harder to recall it all. Furthermore, most reviewers have already said this but I agree so I'll repeat it. It was hard to notice the difference in Carter and Sadie's narration. Aside from Carter commenting on a cute girl and Sadie commenting on a cute god, there was no reliable difference in their voices (both of them have a sort of dry sense of humor that is present throughout the book). Also, I wish that Sadie had reflected more on being bi-racial. It's understandable that she wouldn't "feel Black" per se, since she's been raised by her white grandparents (the parents of her mother) but I expected her to at least reflect on that side of her heritage, to at least comment on how she feels estranged from it.

I did enjoy learning about ancient Egyptian culture and I did like the characters. My favorite characters were Bast, Khufu and Philip of Macedonia. Philip was an albino crocodile, Khufu was a basketball-playing baboon and Bast was the cat goddess. I liked that the animals couldn't talk but they still got their points across and made sure Carter and Sadie listened to them. I loved that Bast acted like a cat even in human form. It felt more authentic to me, that she would be afraid of the water and would only eat cat food. There is A LOT going on this novel. Carter and Sadie go to New Orleans and see the remnants of Hurricane Katrina along with a family of immigrants attempting to cross into America. Carter and Sadie also go to Memphis and learn about Elvis and Southern culture in addition to many other places and people. It seems kind of random, but I liked the idea of the author trying to show all different aspects of American life. I did appreciate that Carter and Sadie being bi-racial wasn't the main focus of the story, but it was a natural part of the story. It's important and not meant to be ignored. Sadie makes fun of Carter for dressing like a "old man", always in khakis and a button down shirt. But Carter's father has drilled into him that as a Black man, he must dress to impress. "'Carter, you're getting older. You're an African American man. People will judge you more harshly, and so you must always look impeccable.'
'That's not fair!' I insisted.
'Fairness does not mean everyone gets the same,' Dad said. 'Fairness means everyone gets what they need. and the only way to get what you need is to make it happen yourself. '" (pg. 67)

The Red Pyramid is a lively story but it's flow is uneven, and most of the story seems to drag on. There is a lot going on, but the author does bring it all together. It's a lot to handle and while the author does not always juggle everything successfully, the story has entertaining parts and the characters are clear and definite. I liked the magic and there's an element of satisfaction in watching Sadie and carter grow more confident in themselves and their powers. I like that they are ordinary kids who discover that there is something extraordinary about them, and that would be true even if they weren't magical. The story has some excellent twists but ultimately it just didn't make up for the long story. I'm curious as to whether or not this story has had success with its middle grade audience. Perhaps it will be able to keep their attention better than it kept mine. I'm not even sure if I care to follow up on the adventures of Sadie and Carter. It's a toss-up for me.

Disclosure: My sister bought it.

Throwback Thursday: Pirates!

Pirates! by Celia Rees 2003
Bloomsbury


Rating: 4/5


IQ "She laughed a little, and I smiled at the picture her words painted. I felt my spirits lifting. She had brought hope to me, as a wind springs from nowhere to take a ship out of a flat calm, to fill her sails and send her singing through the water, speeding on her one true course." Nancy pg. 375


Squee! You guys LOOK at that cover. Minerva's face is on the front! I would have bought this book on the spot based on the title and cover. A Black Female pirate?! Sadly I own the U.S. paperback version in which Nancy's face is on the front and Minerva's is on the back (I wonder if Nancy's face is on the back of the UK paperback?). *sigh* I wish I owned that copy instead. Besides Minerva and her one ruby earring being on the cover, I really like the font used and the purple. Plus I love that Minerva is so realistic looking. She's not airbrushed (I don't think), her hair is all over the place probably due to the wind from a pirate ship. Yeah I don't many black girls have hair that looks good windblown and it's nice to see that fact displayed on a cover ;) I also think it's cool that the cover could be a portrait. I don't know, I will investigate. However, I do like my copy too. Minerva looks very determined on the back cover and the one ruby earring that she and Nancy wear stands out more. I'm indifferent about Nancy's side of the cover.


*Ahem* Enough cover talk, back to the book. Nancy Kingston did not plan to initially become a pirate. But when she realizes that the men in her life have planned out her entire future, she realizes she must leave. The man she is supposed to marry is cruel and much older than her sixteen year old self. Nancy is living in Jamaica on her family's plantation, Fountainhead and she is attended by a slave, Minerva Sharpe. Nancy and Minerva decide to leave the plantation together and they end up being taken on by the pirate ship, Deliverance. However, the man Nancy is engaged to (Bartholome) has "pledged to follow them over the seven seas". More importantly, the man Nancy loves, despises pirates. He is a sailor in the Royal Navy and Nancy isn't sure that he will take her back or if she will ever see him again.

This book is about pirates, what's not to love? That practically guarantees that there will be lots of fights, cursing, romance, and travel. Something I really liked about this novel was when Minerva and Nancy run away, Nancy doesn't have to "adjust" to a slave not waiting on her hand and foot. It may not have been wholly realistic, but it was relief to read historical fiction about a white girl who is not used to be waited on hand and foot. The story is dramatic but in a good way. The battles are described in vivid detail as is daily (ordinary) life on a pirate ship. The attention to detail that the author has is wonderful and makes for a more engaging read.

I wish that the novel had been told from Minerva's perspective. I think it would have been even more interesting. Minerva was bold, courageous, and resolute. Nancy's side of the events made for a delightful read, but it could have really been great from Minerva's point of view. Nancy was too passive for me, she never seemed to really take charge of her destiny, instead she let it be shaped by the events occurring around her. I was also bothered by the book being told from Nancy perspective as she looks back on her past. The constant "if we had only known"... spoiled aspects of the story because you knew something big and bad was about to go down.

Pirates! is a gripping read. There is always something going on, always an air of inevitable danger. The pirates have dynamic personalities, good or bad. The men don't want women on board at first, but most of them come around. There are various incidents along the way, but they all lead up to the big showdown between the pirates and Bartholome. The historical accuracy (well I assume it's accurate since such great care was taken to report everything) makes the book an even better read. Not only are historical details about pirate life included but so are details about life in Jamaica in the 18th century as well as life in England during that time. It covers the role of women, sailors, and Black people. The only thing that detracts from the book is the wistful voice that looks back on the past (along with my personal preference of Minerva over Nancy). Nancy reflects on how Captain Broom seems to know when his men (and women) need their spirits lifted. This book has a lot of blood and unfortunate events, but it has moments of levity (some of them surprising) that keep this from solely becoming an action-based book. One of my personal favorites (it was a reread).

Disclosure: Bought with my own cash money!

Throwback Thursday is hosted by Take Me Away

Male Monday: The Young Chieftain

The Young Chieftain by Ken Howard 2010
Tamarind Books/Random House UK

Release Date: September 2, 2010

Rating: 3.5/5

IQ "Life either went too fast when you were having a good time, he reflected, or slowed to a crawl when you weren't." Jamie pg. 119

The day Jamie MacDoran's father dies, he must travel with his mother from their home in Los Angeles, to his father's homeland of Scotland. The island seems to be in the middle of nowhere, and Jamie's father did not tell his mother (Jamie's grandmother) that he married a Black woman and has a biracial son. This causes some issues. On top of it all, Jamie's father was Scottish chieftain of the island. Now the clan needs a new head and they can't agree on who it should be. Technically it should be Jamie, but he doesn't want it and the islanders don't trust him. There's a mysterious stone that leads true chieftains to an 'all seeing eye' and Jamie wants to find it. All Jamie wants is to be accepted by his Scottish family and maybe stumble upon this 'all seeing eye.' Is that too much to ask?

Ken Howard is a screenwriter and it shows in this novel. The action moves quickly, never allowing for a dull moment. The story ends with a dramatic flourish that is expected and yet the exact way it works out is unexpected. The author is determined to make sure the reader gets a feel for Scotland, emphasising how old the island of Doran is, and yet it's very beautiful with its lochs, boats and Scottish Games. He doesn't tell the reader, he shows the reader. The boys act like your average teenagers, the clowns who sit behind you in class. Their dialogue made me smile, especially concerning Scotland. Jamie and his friends Lester, Chico, and Jeroo don't know much about Scotland and they don't have much respect for the country either (which is sad). The boys really came off the page, never regulated to merely being a background character. The same with the Scottish people Jamie met, they all had somewhat murky pasts, that they gradually shared.

Something that really struck out at me (not in a good way) was how Jamie and his friends from L.A. talked. They used "reckon" and "cos." I don't know many American born teens (especially not born in American Black teens) who speak like that. It's understandable for Jamie since his father is from Scotland, but it was unrealistic for his friends. Also this is a more minor point, but the boys have basketball practice at the end of the year. Basketball season starts in late fall and really picks up in the winter. It ends in the spring. Unless they play a summer league (which is plausible). The crush bit was predictable but it's nice all the same.

The Young Chieftain starts off as realistic fiction and ends up reaffirming the wonder and magic of Scotland. The characters are strong and the villains are not uncharacteristically evil, just as the good characters struggle. The issue of Jamie's race is not ignored, he's the only Black person on the island of Doran (besides his mother) and this causes quite a stir. Not to mention the fact that he's observant and not at all shy. I'm not sure how accurate the depictions of Scotland and issues that clans have are, but they seemed authentic. Some want the island to modernize, others want it to maintain its traditional appeal. All want a clan leader to step forward and tell them what to do. This story does not grow tedious and if you are able to suspend your disbelief at the language used by Jamie and his friends, it flies by, so sit back and enjoy your trip to the island of Doran, in Scotland.


Disclosure: Received from Tamarind Books. A division of Random House UK that specializes in multicultural literature, yay! Thank you so very much :)

Male Monday: Losing My Cool

Losing My Cool: How a Father's Love and 15,000 Books Beat Hip Hop Culture by Thomas Chatterton Williams 2010
Penguin



IQ "It is more accurate to say, however, that the mood of black culture doesn't need to change into something wholly new so much as it must simply find a way to reclaim what it once had. One of the most fascinating paradoxes the student of black history every observes, as well as a tremendous justification for black pride, is the extent to which this culture, against all likelihood, has customarily embodied a joyful, soulful, affirming approach to life and not a spiritually bankrupt or self-defeating one. [...]In other words, it is only after the tremendous civil rights victories of the '60s, only after desegregation, only after affirmative action that black America has become so militantly provincial and nihilistic." pg. 214

Sorry about that long quote, but it's some great food for thought. It seems like almost every other sentence in this book makes you think. I looked within while I was reading this book because I love hip hop. I've mentioned this before, but I will use this review to elaborate a little further. I love hip hop artists for their wordplay, a truly clever line will make me laugh and/or will become my status on Facebook. I love to share these lines with everyone. Some examples of clever hip hop artists; b.o.b., Drake, Eminem, Kanye West, Jay Z and Tupac. There are others but these are the first ones to come to my mind. I also like rap and hip hop for the great beats. Yes I know that many rapers are misogynists and yes their lyrics do bother me. And yet, I can't bring myself to give up this genre. I don't want to be disrespected, but I don't want to be at a party and have to listen to alternative/country/metal music that no one can dance to. I love rap/hip hop because I can dance to it, the clever lyrics are a bonus. Like many people (girls?) my age, I have conflicted views on rap/hip hop. While the author of Losing My Cool and I have some differences when it comes to our background (and age), we both have a sort of love/hate relationship with hip hop. Our reasons are both different and similar. Whoa this became a lot longer than I thought it would. On to the review....

Teenager Thomas Chatterton Williams is into being a playa, getting money, wearing the best clothes and listening to hip hop music. His father, Pappy, wants him to read more (he has plenty to chose from, his father owns 15, 000 books!) and work in pursuit of academic excellence. Williams wore whatever was considered cool at the time, "dumbed down and thugged up his speech" and worked hard to be a part of hip hop culture. "Like all his friends, he knew exactly where he was the day Biggie Smalls died; he could recite the lyrics to any Nas or Tupac song and he kept his woman in line, with force if necessary." However, Pappy insists on Williams studying for the SATs and working hard academically everyday after school. Pappy grew up in the South (he read classic works of literature secretly) and he knows how important it is to have a good education, especially for Black people. Williams lives in two worlds; the world of hip hop and the world of Pappy. Set in the 1980s this is a memoir of Williams life until he graduates from college. It looks at the appeal of hip hop culture and the strong bond between a father and son. (Quotes in parenthesies are taken from the book jacket).

When you finish this book, you realize that it really is amazing that Williams went from "thug wannabe" to a graduate of Georgetown. The funny thing is, he continued trying to live the thug lifestyle when he first got to college. I don't want to give the whole book away, but I loved how candid Williams was about his journey from thug to gentleman (I'm not even sure if that's the right word). I've always understood why Black people imitate rappers. It's all about acceptance. No one wants to be called an oreo. But I never realized how far some people go in imitating the lifestyle rappers describe. In that regard, this book was eye opening. Williams touches upon many thoughts that I've had about certain aspects of black and hip hop culture (just far more eloquently!) but he also expresses sentiments that I've never really considered (see the Incredible Quote. I'd never really thought about how hip hop culture has ruined some of the victories of the Civil Rights movement, but it does make sense. Rappers are telling kids that you don't need to get an education to be successful in life. So much for Brown vs. Board of Education, Ruby Bridges, etc.). I would like to share an excellent quote in which Williams explains what being Black means. "Despite my mother's being white, we were a black and not an interracial family. Both of my parents stressed this distinction and the result was that, growing up, race was not so complicated an issue in our household. My brother and I were black, period. My parents adhered to a strict and unified philosophy of race, the contents of which boil down to the following: There is no such thing as being half-white, for black, they explained, is less a biological category than a social one. It is a condition of the mind that is loosely linked to certain physically features, but more than anything it is a culture, a challenge and a discipline. We were taught from the moment we could understand spoken words that we would be treated by whites as though we were black whether we liked it or not, and so we needed to know how to move in the world as black men. And that was that." (pg. 5)

Aside from Williams thoughtful insights on race and hip hop culture, Pappy's story makes this book even better than it already is. He is an amazing father. He trusts his sons and he lets them make mistakes. He doesn't like Williams' girlfriend Stacy or a lot of his other friends who are so into hip hop culture, but he never forbids Williams to hang out with them. Instead he tries to counter their influence by having Williams study all year round. They work on math, reading comprehension, vocabulary, reasoning and analogies. I can't imagine being forced to study all year round (I need my summers off!) and yet, Pappy's sons turn out well (I'm not so sure I'm capable of getting into Georgetown). Through it all, Pappy is strict, but fair, for example, "If we just did what he asked without too much complaint, he would do us some real solids in return, such as paying us generously for our time ('studying is your job, and an honest day's work deserves an honest day's pay), intervening on our behalf when our doled out chores ('studying is their only job'), and tolerating a slew of hair, clothing and dating choices that were in flagrant violation of his personal tastes." (pg. 13-14). I'm with Pappy 100%. We should get paid for studying, but then again he pays them because they study after school. He doesn't pay them for going to school. Pappy clearly loves his sons and its heartwarming to see. I do love a good story with a strong father present. Williams' mother isn't mentioned much and I would have liked to know a little bit more about her. Other than that, I loved learning about Williams, his brother Clarence and all their friends (especially Charles and Stacy). They remind me of people I know or that I have met oh so briefly. We need more Pappys in this world.

Losing My Cool is a triumphant story that will give readers hope that hip hop culture can be beaten. The author recognizes that hip hop culture is tied closely to black culture and he's never too negative of hip hop culture. There's a reason rap music is so popular and the author deftly explains why that is. His honest portrayal of his life experiences reward readers with valuable lessons and analysis. Williams is a great narrator. His story moves along quickly and his explanation about people and events never disrupts the flow of the story. At times I worried that he would never stop trying to be a thug, and that made his story all the more genuine. He certainly had me nodding my head in agreement. Because black culture is not just hip hop culture.

PS I believe that part of the idea of this book came from an article he wrote for the Washington Post, Black Culture Beyond Hip Hop. It's a fascinating article and the discussion in the comments are well worth reading as well.

Disclosure: Received from Kathy. Thank you so much Kathy!

Bleeding Violet

Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves 2010
Simon & Schuster

Rating: 5/5

IQ "I was biracial and bi cultural-a walking billboard for adaptation." Hanna pg. 23 (there are so many awesome quotes in this book, it was impossible to pick just one. I didn't want it to be spoiler-y or too long)

Hanna may be crazy, but just like everyone else, she wants to be loved. Her father has died, so she sets out to find her mother. She knows that her mother, Rosalee Price, lives in Portero, Texas. Hanna spent many years of her life in Finland with her Finnish father, she's never connected with her African American mother. When she arrives Hanna's mother is more than reluctant to accept her, especially when she finds out that Hanna hallucinates and has manic depression, but it's OK because she has lots of medicines and when she remembers to take the medicine she's fine. Really. However, Portero may be even crazier than Hanna. It's filled with secrets and terrified people and no one will explain to Hanna the history of the town or what is going on. All Hanna wants is to be accepted by the people of the town and most importantly, her mother.

Hanna is a fantastic character! She's pretty and self-assured and she's not afraid to play up her beauty. She enjoys torturing boys by showing them what they can't have and while her vanity borders on being obnoxious, it never fully crosses the line. The author does a good job of keeping Hanna from ever getting annoying by showing her vulnerable and some-what odd side. Also, it was most refreshing to see a YA heroine who doesn't see having sex as a big deal. She's open to having sex, she uses protection and she enjoys it (*gasp of horror* ha). Even with all this, the sex in the book is not graphic, it's handled tastefully. Another thing that was handled well, was having a mental illness. I'm not an expert, but I thought the author was very respectful, she never dumbed down Hanna. Mental illness is not often portrayed in books and I enjoyed this glimpse into the various types of mental illness and the thought process they might go through. The rest of the characters make this book even better. Another rarity in YA: a mother who abandoned her husband and child. I was really curious as to why she left them and if she would ever acknowledge that deep-down she does love Hanna (I think every parent loves their child since they are a part of them. Some parents just try to deny/hide it). My heart went out to Hanna because she tries so hard with her mother and Rosalee is cold. Their relationship is realistic with breakthroughs and setbacks. Wyatt was a sweet-heart, although I had the same first impression of him as Hanna. Shoko was very cool as well and I loved that "she had too much self-confidence to be in high school" (pg. 35), she could be distant but she had a softer side to her as well, much like all the characters.

The world of Portero is a delightfully haunted world. I was so intrigued by everything there and I was so glad we got to experience each new and foreign thing with Hanna. There are monsters and alternate worlds (sort-of) and lots of mystery enveloping the town. It's eerie but not in a nightmare-ish way (trust me, I can't watch horror movies or read horror books), it's compelling. The author has such a way with words "The man's arms were outstretched, his see-through palms flat against a long stretch of window that wasn't nearly as crystal clear as he was. Numerous bloodlike, gelatinous stains pinwheeled hypnotically at either end of the long window, like two giants outside the school had blown their brains out against the glass." (pg. 32) Alluring imagery, I can see exactly what's being described in my mind's eye! *shivers*

Bleeding Violet is a book that you will not be able to put down. The never-before seen creatures, eccentric characters, unique setting and unforgettable heroine (and her fascination with the color purple) all make for a wonderfully bizarre read. It doesn't end on a cliffhanger which I was really happy about and I'm eager to visit Portero again in the author's next book! As for the IQ, can I get an Amen from those who are bi racial/bi cultural or both? ;) It was nice to read a book where the main character just happened to be bi-racial, there's not a huge deal made over Hanna's heritage (with the exception of the pronunciation of her last name Jarvinen, with an : over the a). Hanna is so different with her background (raised by a single father), mental illness and incredibly poised and confident along with self sufficient (she sews her own clothes). I love the tagline "Crazy never looked so beautiful" and the cover is exquisite. I love this book.

Disclosure: Bought it, one of the best purchases of my reading life :) Definitely a top read of 2010

PS Stop by tomorrow for my interview with the fabulous Dia!

Male Monday: The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation: Volume I, The Pox Party

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation: Volume 1, The Pox Party by M.T. Anderson 2006
Candlewick Press

Rating: 5/5

IQ "He replied, 'What is in my Heart is not simple'.
& I says, 'Then you han't listened.'
& He says, 'I listen, & cannot understand its Speech.'
& I says, 'Then it ain't your Heart you hear. '" Private Evidence Goring pg. 260

I can't describe this book. If I do, it will give something away. So if you haven't heard of this book, read it. If you want to read this book and something is stopping you, read it now. If you've already read this book, what did you think?

Octavian is being raised by a group of philosophers and scientists. He lives in luxury, with the best of clothes and food. His mother is charming, an African princess and treated like royalty. Octavian is happy in his home but he does not understand what his guardians are studying and he wants to find out. He searches the house and the answer and journey that the answer sends him on is truly horrifying.

M.T. Anderson is a truly gifted author, the way he describes things is just sigh worthy, starting on the first page, "I was raised in a gaunt house with a garden; my earliest recollections are of floating lights in the apple-trees. I recall, in the orchard behind the house, orbs of flames rising through the black boughs and branches; they climbed, spirituous, and flickered out." You can turn to any random page and find an example of language being used beautifully, "The breeze itself was warm; the islands soft with moss; the loons calling melancholy in forgotten bays, and Life in all its operations seemed unspeakably generous." pg.95 However, I do think the way language is used in this book can make it a difficult read. The words are true to the 18th century (both in spelling and meaning) and references are made to classic Greek and Latin writings and events. The book is long and I imagine it would be a most frustrating read for a reader who is forced to read the book and continuously stumbles over incomprehensible words.

I also think this book did an excellent job of detailing most of the worries people had in the days leading up to the American Revolutionary War (the book ends in 1775). It shows the attitudes of the Tories, the Patriots and slaves. The events chronicled will make you cringe. The pox party concept is absolutely disgusting and the author describes the smallpox disease in a nauseating way. And it gets worse. But through it all, I was unable to put the book down.

The story is mostly told through Octavian writing in a journal, but it is also told through letters, stories, Psalms and public announcements. at one point, Octavian crosses out six pages of writing, all the reader sees is black ink. The result is heart-wrenching because you can imagine what has happened and you feel deeply for Octavian. An issue that is never explained is why the book is called Octavian Nothing. Octavian's last name is Gitney. My guess is that Octavian did not want to be associated with the last name of Gitney and felt that he never truly belonged to any family thus resulting in him naming himself Nothing.

This is historical fiction at its finest; authentic, captivating and more than a little appalling (the details described not the way the book is written). I'm eager to read the sequel and I think this book is a must-read even if you don't like historical fiction, Octavian's story is compelling and will suck you in. High school and up.

This is perhaps one of my shortesr reviews, but all I can say is READ THIS BOOK.