Throwback Thursday: The Accidental Diva

The Accidental Diva by Tia Williams 2004
Putnam

Incredible Quote: "What he didn't tell Billie was how naive she sounded, telling him what hustling was about. In the fifth grade, he had more game in his size-five Adidas kicks than anyone at that party could ever hope to have. He hustled to survive. It was either get out there and sell the shit out of some crack, or eat grape jelly for dinner and hope the rat that bit you in your sleep wasn't carrying anything lethal. When Billie talked about hustling and playing the game, what she really meant was that she was ambitious. She was a go-getter. She set high goals for herself and met them, exceeded them. But the bottom line was that she had been born into a supportive, loving, comfortably middle-class family that took care of her and nurtured her and provided as security blanket. Jay came from nothing. Worse than nothing" (186).


One Sentence Review: A diverting read that is excellently paced and notable for both its now-outdated culture references and relevant social commentary on a number of topics ranging from class to fashion to race with a distinctive (in the best way possible) narrative voice.

I love this distinction Ms. Williams makes in her novel. I never realized that people describing themselves as "hustlers" bothered me until I read this passage and found myself nodding in agreement. Especially when celebrities use the term, I just find it ridiculous (excluding those who actually came up from nothing as opposed to those born to famous parents, etc etc) and Ms. Williams perfectly illustrates why. If you're thinking this quote is a bit heavy and shying away from this novel, never fear. This quote is expertly woven into a romp of a read that straddles the line between light and social commentary. It was exactly what I needed to end 2015, a lot of fun to read while making witty observations about being "the only" and exploring class issues that it managed to not only hold my attention but also cause me to pause and think after reading a passage. 

The only negative I can see is that it confirmed my fears about the beauty industry in terms of its shallowness. But it's a unique (for me) professional setting for a book so it kept me turning the pages. This book was published in 2004, 12 years later it's sad that we're still having the same conversations. Through Billie the author tackles cultural appropriation (which Bille calls "ethnic borrowing" in the beauty and fashion industry and maybe it's just because of the rise of the Internet and public intellectuals and blogging but it had honestly never occurred to me that people were having these conversations pre-Twitter. That demonstrates my ignorance and I was happy to be enlightened while also being sad that white gaze still has so much power over beauty standards. Although it is getting better because it is harder for beauty companies, fashion companies and magazines to ignore being called out when they "discover" some trend people of color have been naturally gifted with/been doing/wearing for years.

Aside from the pleasing depth of the novel, it's a quick paced read. I actually felt caught up in Billie's sweeping romance and just as intoxicated as she did, I didn't want to resurface from her studio apartment. Honestly I'd like a prequel so that we can live vicariously through Billie, Renee and Vida's college years. And I'm so happy her friends served more of a role than just providing advice at Sunday brunch. Also Billie's family dynamics were absolutely hilarious and unexpected. 

I dealt with similar issues to Billie and Jay although not on as large a scale, granted I'm not a professional (yet) but I can relate to the class issues that come up in a relationship with two different economic backgrounds. And not to be a cliche but especially when it's the woman who comes from the comfortable lifestyle and the preconceived notions that we have/that other have about us, difficulty is involved and so on a personal level I was able to really connect with Billie (and better understand Jay).

Throwback Thursday: The Fight

The Fight by L. Divine 2006
Dafina/Kensington

Rating: 2/5

IQ "These White folks hate seeing my Black self walk up the street. They probably think I'm gone steal one of their lawn ornaments or key their car or something. Sometimes I'll slow down and stare at the White people coming out of their houses in the morning to put some fear in these snooty people. I know it's wrong, but so is stereotyping." Jayd pg. 31

Sixteen-year old Jayd Jackson is a proud resident of Compton, California but even life in Compton hasn't prepared her for the drama of high school. She attends South Bay High aka Drama High, a school divided by cliques and Jayd is a bit of an anomly since she rolls effortlessly with many different cliques or crews ranging from South Central (aka the Black crew) to the Drama Club. Some kids don't like that but Jayd doesn't care and with her girls Nellie and Mickey beside her along with Mama training Jayd in the magical ways, she knows she can handle the haters. Drama High is a predominantly white school in one of the wealthiest parts of LA so Jayd's already got it tough. Her first day of her junior year dos not start off drama-free as she had hoped instead her fairly recent-ex boyfriend (KJ who dumped her for not having sex with him) has a new girlfriend (Trecee) who wants to fight Jayd. It doesn't help that Jayd's former best-friend Misty is spreading rumors about Jayd and egging on Trecee.

I've been sitting here trying to figure out why I gave this book 3 stars on Goodreads a while ago because now I would probably give it 2. Then I read a few reviews that really irritated me. One of them basically said 'notice that all the Black teens gave the book 4 or 5 stars and the white adults gave it 1 or 2.' Now aside from the fact that this Black teen gave it 3 stars not 4. How does that reviewer know the kids are Black? Most of the reviewer profiles DON'T HAVE PICTURES WITH FACES ON THEM. Anyway the review wasn't bad but that (paraphrased) comment really irritated me. I think I would like this story a lot more if there wasn't the magical element to it. Mostly because I don't understand all the cleansings, potions and spells. I'm fairly skeptical but I think I believe in curanderas and stuff so I can understand the background of Jayd's spiritual heritage but I think it takes away from what could be a really good story about a contemporary Black teen trying to straddle many different worlds. The magical elements are like a safety net, Jayd knows that because of her magical powers and her Mama (who is really her grandmother, she calls her actual mother Mom) she is safe from basically everything. Oh and of course in addition to her magic skills she's in all AP and honors classes, drop dead gorgeous, has a job and all the guys flirt with her. Perfect protagonists are probably my second or third biggest pet peeve especially when like Jayd, they have a 'woe is me' attitude. Plus the book felt outdated to me. I have lots of friends who speak like Jayd with lots of slang, I do too sometimes, but "giving up the cookies" is definitely not an expression used anymore, same with "heffa."

I do like that while the drama may be more intense than a lot of teens are used to (including myself. We don't have physical girl fights at my school), the root of the problems are the same in all high schools. The story moves quickly and while Jayd is perfect she still manages to get herself in some amusing scrapes. There's a lot of emphasis on descriptions of people and places. The focus on describing Compton and LA was a good call, I didn't particularly care for how people were described (and their outfits). Especially since the author doesn't seem to fond of white people. I choose the quote I did because it's funny and definitely true when it comes to certain neighborhoods but that doesn't mean I have something bad to say about every white person. Jayd would talk about how nice/funny a guy was BUT he was white. I could relate to her apprehension about going out with Jeremy (a nice white guy) because while race shouldn't hold you back from dating someone, there are some questions worth thinking about and trying to answer concerning the relationship (and no I don't mean 'will my friends approve'). Like any teenager for about a hot minute Jayd worried about what people would think if she started dating Jeremy but she didn't let that deter her from going on one date with him.

The Fight contain fond childhood memories for me because they were some of the earliest books I found with Black teenagers on the cover. I devoured these books. The story isn't really a 'problem novel' a few heavy problems are mentioned, but mostly this is about life in privileged high school. I have a much lower tolerance for these books now but I gobbled them up when I was younger (read: middle school), I am curious as to how Jayd is doing because it's a long series (at least fourteen books) but its length deters me from catching up on reading them. There's so many books in the series and nothing really happens. This book is fast-paced but the action takes place in a couple of days which I found irritating. Jayd's the perfect protagonist and by that I don't mean she's fun yet flawed, no Jayd has it all. Her only flaw is something I'm not so sure the author sees as a flaw, I can't tell. Jayd is very judgemental especially concerning her white classmates and after awhile I was tired of her always mentioning that they wore white people clothes, sounded white, etc.

Disclosure: Bought

Mini Reviews: In Full Bloom, The Ice Cream Girls, and The World in Half

The Ice Cream Girls by Dorothy Koomson 2010
Sphere/Hachette Book Group

IQ "Silence is the best way forward, I've found. I do not have to say anything, at least I didn't the last few times I was arrested, and I'm going to exercise that right. Even if it makes me look as guilty as sin, I'd rather not say anything that can't be taken back. Silence can always be explained away, erased almost with a single world; the wrong words in the wrong combination at the wrong time can damn you to hell. Or, at least, to prison." Serena pg. 48

When Poppy Carlisle and Serena Gorringe were teenagers they were the sole witnesses to a tragic event that ended in death. The death of a male, relatively young, teacher who told both girls he was in love with them. The teacher (Marcus) quickly became abusive both physically and emotionally. After his death the girls were discovered to have been the last ones to see him alive and they are nicknamed "The Ice Cream Girls" after a racy photo of them licking ice cream is discovered by the press. Poppy is found guilty and spends years in jail, Serena is the happily married mother of two. Poppy is determined to make Serena confess because she's convinced Serena killed Marcus. Serena does not want her family to know about her past, she changed her name to avoid that very thing but she knows she didn't do it and she wants Poppy to leave her alone. Ultimately both of them just want to forget their past and move on.

I really did not like reading this book. As an American I found it hard to believe because the press, in fact the whole case was ridiculous. I'm no expert on the American justice system but USUALLY what happens over here is in a case where an adult is sleeping with a teenager (minor), it's considered rape. People do not immediately jump to the conclusion that the teenager SEDUCED the GROWN MAN/WOMAN. And yet that is exactly what happens in The Ice Cream Girls. The press is slimy and the courts are insanely harsh, judges and jury members being rude and just plain unprofessional. I was so angry at how unfairly the girls were treated that I really couldn't see much past that. I did however take note of how engaging the plot was and that it was so difficult to choose who killed Marcus, Serena or Poppy. Likewise my sympathies lay with different characters at different times, I was equally angry with them both but I closed the book admiring both girls for finally saying NO to Marcus in the past and in their present (he haunts both of them). The girls recall the events from 1987-1989 during which they met Marcus, 'fell in love' with him and were severely hurt by him, he kept them terrified of telling their family, friends, etc about him. These recollections back to the past however were choppy, it was never clear when the narration of past events ended and the present day started (their was a date that showed what year it was for the past but not the present).

The Ice Cream Girls is a chilling tale because it's so real, because there are so many women in situations where they are victims of domestic abuse because there are so many women who don't see a way out. THERE IS A WAY OUT and while this book takes a bit of an extreme approach, the lessons are extremely relevant and I really hope this book left an impact on the right people. Both girls were fifteen when Marcus took advantage of them, at first he didn't force himself on them but he paid attention to them. A handsome older man being nice to two young girls who were vulnerable. Of course they would think they were in love with them and then be too afraid to leave. This situation is sadly real, my only hope is that if anyone ends up in the same spot and takes the same way out, the press and the courts are much more sympathetic. The parents too, that was probably the second most painful thing to read about, the parents believing their daughters were killers and being unable to forgive them. I understand too that the author was just presenting the facts about the UK newspapers, tabloids and legal system but these facts ruined my enjoyment of the story. But the author tells a good story, one that is sad and yet hopeful, a fast-paced tale that will haunt you. I hope the next book I read by the author is much lighter but just as intriguing.

Disclosure: From Tricia, thank you =)

PS I really liked this quote from Poppy as well the imagery is well portrayed "Bella slips her hand in mine and Logan wraps his arms around my shoulders and we head back into the house, so close that every step we take is a step in time, a step that sews up the years we were apart, pulling the seams together until they can barely be seen, and we can pretend that they never really existed." (Poppy, pg. 455). Oh and Serena is Black, Poppy white, just a FYI.


The World in Half by Cristina Henriquez 2009
Riverhead Books/Penguin


IQ "It's more Spanish than I've ever spoken with anyone. But with limitations comes freedom. I don't have the luxury of relying on the automatic expressions I have at my disposal when I'm speaking in English. There's no default mode of communication, few standby phrases and ready-made sayings. I have to think about how to express myself. I have to be creative and take roundabout routes to get across what I want to convey. Which means that I say things I never would in English. Ideas occur to me in ways they never have before." Miraflores pg. 153

Miraflores doesn't know her Panamanian father, her mother raised her in their suburban Chicago home and never mentioned him. Mira always assumed her father didn't want to know her after all she was the product of an affair her mother had while married and stationed to her then husband in Panama. Her perspective changes however when she returns from college to take care of her mother who has succumbed to Alzheimer's disease. Upon her return home she discovers letters from her father to her mother, showing the great devotion her father had to her mother and his NEED to know his baby girl. Miraflores decides to travel to Panama to find her father who she hopes will want to meet her and can even fill in some of the missing pieces of herself. She tells her mother she is going to Washington to study volcanoes, and heads off to find herself and in the process learns not just about herself, but also about her parents, Danilo and her country.

I am completely biased in my love for this book. I am unapologetic about the fact that this is one of my favorite books of the year. First I'm biased because Miraflores is half Panamanian as am I. Then her mother is diagnosed with Alzheimer's, a disease my grandfather had. Coincidence? I don't believe in them but it was very cool to read about. Plus the feelings Mira describes upon visiting Panama and wanting to belong to that country as well as the culture shock are feelings I could relate to as someone who is half-non American (haha I don't know the proper term for it, I would have said half Panamanian but I think anyone who is half something not American can relate especially well to Mira's thoughts) as well as because I had just returned from Guatemala, which reminded me a bit of Panama. "The first thing I notice when I get off the plane is what relief it is to hear English again, to understand immediately everything someone says, to eavesdrop without concentrating, to decipher signs at a glance. I'm struck, too, by how contained everything is: lanes of traffic are perfectly orderly, grass grows in even plots, trees thrive in mounds of mulch, building faces are austere. The air smells cleaner." (pg. 260). How did she (she meaning the author) know? Haha this is precisely what I was thinking when I returned from Guatemala except I didn't notice the change in how the air smelled, although now that I think about it, I don't smell water like I did in Guatemala (the town we lived in was next to a lake). It was a shock to land in the Atlanta airport and not immediately try to start grasping for words in Spanish (I was once again accustomed to all things American by the time we arrived in Chicago). That's why I chose that Incredible Quote because I could identify so deeply with it. Trying to express yourself in another language can be excruciating because if you have to choose your words with great care and I found that it wasn't always easy to get my point across but everyone I met in Guatemala was so patient with my broken Spanish. Furthermore, anyone who has ever visited or wants to visit the country where their heritage lies or just wants to be acknowledged as having a claim on their heritage must be able to relate to the following "I'm not sure why, but I want them to know that. I want them to know that I'm not just any tourist visiting their country, that I have a claim to this place and a reason for being here, that I belong to them, at least a little bit. I wonder whether, or how, they treat me differently if they knew" (pg. 34).

The World in Half got me out of my reading rut. I was bored with what I'd been reading at worst unimpressed at best. The World in Half made me remember why I love books so much, because of the personal connections, because of their ability to transport a reader around the world. The writing flows, the characters are solid and the setting is as real and memorable as the Earth itself(heehee cheesy geological references). I cried while reading this book which is rare for me. Not just because of the Alzheimer's but also because I really understood romantic love, reading Gatun's letters to Catarina's mom....I'm speechless. They were the most heartbreaking, passionate, sweetest love letters I've ever read (not that I've read any in real life just in books but whatever). Miraflores is the name of the locks of the Panama canal, Gatun is another name for the locks and also the name of her father. I thought that was really sweet and a bit clever of Mira's mother, it was one of the few things that made me like her because for the most part I was resentful towards Mira's mother (I was making up for Mira's refusal to get truly upset at her mother which was both loving and frustrating). While Mira's mother irked me she also brought me to tears. Or at least the author did. Having seen fairly firsthand the effects Alzheimer's has on people (I believe my grandfather died from its effects, I'm not 100% sure because I don't want to ask, too painful) I could painfully relate to everything Mira described about the memory loss, and the fear she felt as she watched her mother forget basic, small things. While the parts featuring Mira's mother were sad, I enjoyed every minute Miraa (and I, the reader) spent with Danilo, a guy her age who sold flowers outside her hotel and was the nephew of the doorkeeper, Hernan. Danilo only spoke Spanish but Mira's Spanish is excellent so they didn't have a problem communicating (I'm jealous), he helps her search for her father. I'll let Mira explain the effect of Danilo on her "he teases me, fishing me out of myself, casting and recasting his line, tugging gently, holding on tight, reeling until he dredges up something real. I love his inclination for rebellion and how flippantly he uses language, as if words are something to be tossed around like confetti rather than laid out like a stone path" (pg. 154). Speaking of words, this author has quite an exceptional way with them as I think is exemplified in that quote. I also loved her connections to geology, which is what Mira is studying in college. Sometimes Mira states the 'obvious' connection between her life's events and geological terms/events, other times the author leaves it up to the reader to draw the connection. It's always fun to read about a country you have ties to, especially a country that is rarely written about. Every time Danilo or another character said something about Panama, I would ask my dad if he thought that was true or knew what they were talking about. Sometimes he agreed (Panama La Vieja is what tourists call Panama Viejo), other times he didn't (he'd never heard of Que xopa instead of Que pasa, a phrase I'm curious about. Anyone use it?). I love love love this book, my only regret is that I didn't buy it (which will have to be remedied because it's going to be my unofficial Panama guidebook). I've left so much out of this review but it is adult fiction and my rule on that is only a mini-review so I'm going to try and stop gushing (I already did on Twitter :D)

Disclosure: From the library. For me it's a must-buy.


In Full Bloom by Caroline Hwang 2003
Dutton/Penguin Group

IQ "I wasn't vehement American Ginger and I wasn't traditional Korean Lee. I was the collision of the names-the accidental adverb resulting from the clash of two worlds, gingerly, how I was meant to go through life. I was the space in between the names. I occupied the shirt pause between them, the breach between the two states, like a ghost who was neither alive nor sufficiently dead." Ginger pg. 99


Ginger Lee has moved to New York in order to further her career, to be someone. Not to be with someone, a Korean someone, which is what her mother wants. Her mother wants Ginger to put marriage before her career and she moves in with Ginger for three weeks to find her a suitable husband. Ginger goes along with it, vowing to sabotage her mother's dates and work harder to win a promotion at A la Mode fashion magazine. At 27 years old, Ginger is considered too old to be merely a fashion assistant and her mother is constantly telling her that her bloom is fading. To Ginger's bemusement, the Korean men her mother sets her up with reject Ginger before she can reject them and her mother's career advice may actually be worth listening to...


Ginger claims she wants complete independence from her mother, but it's easy to see that she's very dependent on her. She admires her mother and is more forgiving of her mother's actions than others might be, but it also sounds like Ginger's mom is not the traditional strict Korean mother. Ginger's mother disowned Ginger's brother, George after he married a white American woman and so Ginger is all she has left. She is determined to see Ginger marry a Korean man and is convinced Ginger needs her help to 'get a man.' (unbeknownst to her Ginger dated throughout college and grad school, just not Korean men). In describing her mother Ginger says"It was really something how in less than a week she'd leapt from coercing me to look for her future son-in-law to saying she wanted a namesake. Such great strides in so little time. It was a shame she wasn't involved in a greater, less hopeless cause than her daughter, like world hunger or female illiteracy." (pg. 69). I liked Ginger's narration, she was determined to be a feminist, but sometimes it backfired on her. She narrates her life story with a good sense of humor and it's touching how she's so willing to go along with whatever her mom wants while still engaging in small acts of rebellion.


In Full Bloom is a surprising, much-needed (says the non-chick lit expert) addition to the chick lit canon. I was really happy with the ending because I thought it was most unusual. I was also pleasantly surprised by the fact that homophobia was brought up and when Ginger tells off a certain someone for assuming she and all her Asians are 'the help' it's a fabulous moment. I especially appreciated that Ginger's mother does not fall prey to the immigrant mother stereotype. Perhaps the best part is when Ginger realizes that she's prejudiced against Koreans, I think many people of color and immigrants are reluctant to acknowledge that they look down on their culture at times or are too eager to forget where they came from. A charming, merry tale with an unconventional ending and a diverse cast.


Disclosure: Library

*I do mini-reviews of all adult fiction books I read and want to review.

Love, Inc

Love, Inc by Yvonne Collins & Sally Rideout 2011
Hyperion/Disney Book Group

Rating: 3.5/5

IQ "Relationships are like sports. If you want to compete, you have to keep in shape." Kali pg. 235

Zahra, Kali and Syd meet in therapy. Their therapy group is for the children of divorcees. Even though all the teens in the group would quickly tell you that it's their parents who need to be in therapy not them, the girls ignore the cheesiness of therapy and reluctantly become friends after a scavenger hunt throws them together. It doesn't hurt that they discover they all dated the same guy who went by a different name. Erick aka Rico aka Rick. The girls create a plan for sweet revenge and payback feels awesome. In fact their plan was so good that other teens start approaching them for help on various matters of heart whether it's breaking up with someone, matchmaking, making up or exacting revenge. Love, Inc is born and business is booming. If only the three girls could practice what they preach.

This is my second (first) Collins & Rideout novel and once again the theme here is girl-who-complains-about-not-being-very-pretty and yet she manages to get ALL THE GUYS. It's completely baffling because it's not even as if she suddenly became more confident and therefore more guys start to sit up and take notice of her. I couldn't help but roll my eyes every time a new guy began flirting with her and/or asked her out because hey she was supposed to be mousy and nothing 'special'. And *SPOILER: highlight to read* Do couples really give one week anniversary presents? That's a bit much to me, but that could just be because I don't really keep track of anniversaries. *End of Spoiler*The other thing that really bothered me was the age of the girls. They were sophomores, Zahra was fifteen but they acted like they were juniors or seniors. It just didn't make sense to me that girls so young would have gone threw almost every single relationship problem one can experience in high school. I was really skeptical as to how well Kali's matchmaking formula worked that was the only part of the business that seemed highly implausible to me. Granted there are people who love to match make (hello Emma) but that doesn't mean they are always going to be good at it. Kali's system wasn't always perfect which I liked but it was a very vague process as to how exactly she calculated their compatibility.

Surprisingly this was one book I didn't mind not having the perspectives of all the main characters. Zahra best describes the three girls' personalities "Kali bubbles over with options, so if she were in charge of mediation, no one would stay together long. She's a 'grass is always greener' type, I'm a 'look how green this grass is' type, and Syd's a 'torch the lawn' type. The balance works for us" (pg. 263), and they become fully vibrant characters through her narration. Syd and Kali's stories were fully explored, I finished the book feeling as though I fully understood each of the three girls as well as the minor characters. It's a long book and sometimes I would put it down and forget to pick it back up but I never felt lost upon resuming it and the pace was good. The story is highly entertaining, the methods of revenge are mostly realistic and quite impressive in how easily they could be replicated in real life as are the other aspects of the business except for the matchmaking. The meditation process made a lot of sense, sometimes all relationships need is a person in the middle to help bring them to their senses. And as harsh as the break up service seemed, sometimes it was handled better than what the other person might have done.

Love, Inc is a diverting read that isn't sickeningly sick, instead it's the right mix of lighthearted fun combined with accessible, genuine lessons about crushes and relationships. A bonus was the fact that Zahra was half Pakistani but her heritage wasn't the center of the plot, instead it focused on her relationship business that she started with Syd and Kali. She does complain a lot about her Scottish red hair and not feeling like a fully fledged MOT (Member of the Tribe) but she worries that her mother's parents who are visiting from Pakistan want to keep her newly separated parents apart permanently. Therefore she does everything in her power to resist her grandparents efforts to make her fully embrace her heritage, she doesn't want it to seem like shes betraying her dad's heritage and giving up on their marriage. I also loved how the setting of Austin, Texas was like a fourth main character which I love especially because I know little about Texas. Austin sounds like a vibrant, entertaining and artful city. I definitely recommend this story for the summer, not too heavy but not too light and if you liked John Tucker Must Die, you will really like this book.

Disclosure: Received from Yan, thank you so much!

PS This quote amused me and also gave me something to think about

"'You're getting brainwashed and you don't even know it. Pretty soon they'll have you wrapped up in a sari and on a plane to Karachi. They'll marry you off to the first old guy who offers a decent dowry.'
'Zahra! You're like a racist or something.' [Saliyah-Zahra's sister]
'It's not racism when you're mocking your own culture'" (pg. 133). Hmm is it or isn't it? I'm inclined to agree with her but I'm not 100% sure how I feel about mocking your own culture. Especially because someone will inevitably complain that that's 'not fair'.

Throwback Thursday: Monsoon Summer

Monsoon Summer by Mitali Perkins
Delacorte Press/Random House

Rating: 4/5

IQ "But the line had gone dead, I walked home replaying our conversation, sheltered in the privacy of my umbrella. What had those missing words been? If only the connection had stayed clear! Now the words were drifting in outer space somewhere, and I'd never find out what they were." Jasmine pgs. 110-111

Jazz Gardner has a great business going with her best friend, Steve Morales (a guy she's secretly in love with), they sell Berkley Memories and their business is doing quite well. Unfortunately (or is it?) for them both, Jazz's mom wins a grant for her and the family to travel to India and set up a women's clinic near the orphanage where Jasmine's mom was adopted from. Jazz doesn't want to go not just because she doesn't want to leave Steve but because she's not a big fan of volunteer work (after all how do you know the person you're helping really needs help?). Jazz doesn't have a cell-phone or a laptop so she will have to rely on rare long-distance phone calls with Steve and hope that he won't start dating another girl. Jazz is not, however prepared for the madness and magic of monsoon season in India, the countryside is lush and the people are a bit crazy but crazy isn't always bad.

Something that's really starting to get on my nerves about girls in books is when they constantly complain about their bodies (which I get believe, I hate my body) but then there are AT LEAST 2-3 guys interested in them. In Jazz's case, she goes to a dance club and every guy wants to dance with her and I understand that before that she thought she was ugly but after that she should have felt way better about herself. And yet she continued to believe she was ugly, it especially pained me that she thought that because she was tall. I really don't think a person's height should affect how good they feel about themselves. It was hard for me to relate to Jazz though because she's not a 'do-gooder' and while I don't do all I can to help people, volunteering is a huge part of my life so it was hard for me to fathom someone so dead set against it, even after her motive is explained. Plus who wouldn't jump at the opportunity to visit India? Yes it would be tough being without technology (I'm spending 10 days in Guatemala with no phone and I think I'm already going into withdrawal and I haven't left yet....) but this is a chance for Jazz to see a new country, learn more about her heritage and make a 'small' difference. I was sympathetic though to her being worried that Steve would start crushing on a girl while she was away. I can definitely empathize. But I was a bit peeved that Jasmine was 'in love' with Steve at the age of fifteen. *sigh*

Steve was an one-dimensional crush (well Jazz would say his flaw is that he's too nice/too caring) and that made it hard for me to take him seriously, but the other characters were well-drawn, especially members of Jazz's family and that made me happy. Granted Jazz was spending the summer with her family in close quarters so they needed to be described in great detail but I liked that their personalities were shown through their actions or Jazz's observations, not just Jazz talking to the reader. I also loved that a rich girl character we are introduced to wasn't a complete brat, she shows that she's privileged but she's nice to Jazz and as someone who is tired of the rich-girl-is-a-bully storyline I really appreciated the character. Jazz starts out the book being quite selfish so that makes her transformation all the more sweet to read about and Jazz isn't whiny selfish, she's just very cautious which leads to her being selfish. Reading about Jazz slowly opening up to the wonder and madness of monsoon season in India is cheering and India is described with resplendent detail, especially the scenes where Jazz describes the marketplace and Karthak dance.

Monsoon Summer's magic lies in reading about Jazz's maturing, it's a truly captivating coming-of-age because I wasn't always sure she would come around. *Spoiler: highlight to read* Is it selfish/mean of me to say that I was happy this story didn't turn into a miraculous meeting between Jazz's mom and her biological parents? That would have been incredible but not very realistic *End of spoiler* This is an absolutely perfect summer read since it's deep but I didn't drown in the depth and there are enough light-hearted moments that the story is entertaining. It's interesting to read about Jazz's struggle to balance two very different standards of beauty, American standards and Indian standards. The author shows the ridiculous American (thin is everything) and Indian ideas (dark skin=bad) of beauty that are ingrained in the respective cultures and how they hurt girls in both cultures. And as much as I thought Steve was unrealistic, he's still adorable and a great friend. Danita was my favorite character because how can you not like someone whose a hard-worker and is determined to keep her family together, even when the monsoon affects her and makes her almost-agree to something crazy? Jazz's parents are in my top ten favorite parents in YA because not only are they vividly present but they go on a date night. And Jazz treats her parents like human beings. *Happy sigh* Read this book for the setting of India and one of the most rewarding coming-of-age stories in YA. Plus the food sounds phenomenal.

Disclosure: Received as part of Goodreads BookSwap

*I will be in Guatemala with no Internet access from June 10-20. All emails/comments will be answered upon my return.

Worst Impressions

Worst Impressions by K.L. Brady 2011 ARC
LadyLit Press

Rating: 3/5

IQ "How many people in the world would be happier for you than you'd be for yourself?" Liz pg. 244

A retelling of Pride & Prejudice with an all Black cast. Wait. Let's just take in this *moment* A quality Jane Austen retelling that features a diverse cast. The first of its kind and it's for the YA set, for the girls who at this age are usually first introduced to Jane Austen. I don't want to digress too much but NONE of my Black friends have read Jane Austen, neither has my mother nor her Black friends. I'm going to 'go out an limb' and assume that it's because teachers don't think we would be interested in Jane Austen and/or we don't have any interest in reading about a lilywhite 19th century English world where everything ends happily and the dialogue is a bit hard to follow and the romance is seemingly chaste. I'll leave it at that but I'm definitely writing a future post about this. I'm not even that big a Jane Austen fan myself. I've read 5 of her 6 books (including Pride & Prejudice) but I don't have undying adoration for any of them (Pride & Prejudice comes close as does Sense & Sensibility, I'm not a romantic so Persuasion doesn't do it for me but that might be changing...) *ahem back to review!*

Liz Bennett is an excellent basketball player whose mother won't let her play on the team. In fact, there's very little her mother will let her do, besides push her to get good grades and STAY AWAY from boys. Her mother has her hands full trying to make sure Liz, her older sister Jeni and her two younger sisters Kat and Lydia. Kat and Lydia are boy-crazy, Jeni gets all the boys but doesn't care and Liz just wants a nice guy. But they all question her sexuality due to her basketball prowess and baggy clothes so she doesn't give many of them a chance (or they just aren't worth talking to). Enter Trent Whitman, who really likes Liz and actively pursues her. He compliments her often and Liz might even go all the way with him someday. Then there's Darcell Williams the handsome star football player who insults Liz in front of everyone at Homecoming. He's a jerk and he knows it. It's only after a Bennett family crisis that everyone's true colors are revealed and maybe first impressions are right, maybe they're wrong.

There were some Pride & Prejudice updates I liked, some I didn't. I didn't like the Trent storyline. I felt that it was trying too hard to connect Worst Impressions to Pride & Prejudice and the whole thing ended up being unbearably dramatic. In fact that was a main theme of this story, lots of over the top drama and cheesy dialogue. I wanted to tell all the characters (parents and teens) to just take a breath, it's not the end of the world. What was most disappointing was the end. The romance was so fast and suddenly Liz was IN LOVE. Then we have to fast forward to the college decision process. However while I disagreed with a certain character's choice, I do think that some teens would do that (but it's a mistake I think to pick a school based on where your boyfriend or girlfriend is going). Furthermore while Mr. Darcy can say some rude things, I don't think he compared to Darcell. Honestly there were no redeemable qualities about Darcell in my opinion, which was disappointing.

All that being said, I laughed out loud so many times reading this book. SO MUCH FUN! Liz is quick to bring the quips, snappy comebacks abound. You also can't help but laugh at how easily avoidable and/or very dramatic certain situations seem to be. Liz's voice rings true and it resounds off the pages, full of life. Her reactions and actions were genuine, she didn't try to act overly brave or tough, she was at the happy medium.
"'You got me? You live in the same neighborhood I live in. You don't know a dang thing about the ghetto. What're you gonna do, hit 'em in the head with a football?' [Liz]

'I saw Boyz in the Hood three times'
'Why didn't you say so before? Now I feel safe...not'" (pg. 212) That line set me giggling until I shortly thereafter came to the next amusing line.. "'Who is it?' Trent yelled
'No esta aqui' I hollered back.
Okay was it stupid to yell, 'I'm not here' in Spanish from the wrong side of the door? Absolutely. But I was scared shitless and couldn't think of anything else to say. Seconds later, the door opened." Liz (pg. 212) Besides Liz having a strikingly real voice, I liked the twist on Mrs. Bennet. She goes from one extreme in the original P&P (trying to marry off her daughters) to the next (trying to keep her daughters from discovering boys their own age, especially athletes). Mr. Bennet was true to the original, doting on his daughters and steering clear of his wife.

Worst Impressions is one of I hope many more to come Jane Austen retellings with a diverse cast. This book will probably make more teens laugh out loud then the original...While at times the author's attempts to make the retelling work in modern times seemed to be a bit of stretch (see Trent storyline), at others time it worked (the parents, Liz's quick wit). If nothing else read this book for the humor alone, especially for teenagers who recently took the ACT and/or are preparing for the SAT or AP tests....

Disclosure: Received from author for review (with lots of excitement on my part)

PS Another great line "His diarrhea-brown skin turned seven shades of white, looking like a Twilight reject." (pg. 3) Realistic? No. Did I howl with laughter when I read it? YES

Throwback Thursday: Who You Wit?

Who You Wit'? by Paula Chase 2008
Dafina/Kensington

Rating: 3/5

IQ "Jacinta toyed with that thought as the clique joked around her, amazed at how the world kept going even when something huge was happening to people." pgs. 38-39

*Mild Spoilers from the third book, That's What's Up*

Summer is almost here but summer brings a sense of doom to some members of the Del Rio Bay (DRB) clique. For Mina it's the last summer before Brian goes to Duke and she wants to spend every minute of every day with him. Lizzie wants to avoid spending every minute with Todd because she's so head-over-heels, she might end up doing something she (thinks) she'll regret. Jacinta can't wait for summer to be over so that maybe she and Raheem can finally have some space since he's going to Georgetown. Kelly is ambivalent about summer, she looks forward to spending time with her DRB clique and maybe there will be a new guy in her life. Or an old one.

I feel bogus for saying so but what dragged this book down for me were some of the characters. That's a good thing though right? Right. Because each of these characters has redeemable qualities, they aren't one dimensional jerks. Lizzie decides to take a one-year abstinence pact but she doesn't bother to run this pact by her boyfriend, Todd. Her story goes downhill from there, she becomes annoying because she recognizes the problem but is too stubborn/proud to fix it. She's judgemental and is the only character who I don't think ever really redeemed herself. This book focuses a little more on boy problems, less on friendship issues but it never becomes completely about the guys, there's a slightly uneven balance but it's understandable. I didn't like how the clique's extracurricular activities got pushed to the side. I did think that the song lyrics were random at times, not always fitting with the content of the chapter. The last few pages were annoyingly dramatic, full of foreboding and foreshadowing which I don't care for, especially not in a contemporary novel. I couldn't remember how old any of the members of the clique are, I think sophomores? Some characters who started to become well-developed were completely ignored in this book, like Jessica and even Jessica's twin, Sara. JZ still hasn't developed as a character and Michael was a complete prop, only appearing when it was convenient (like when Mina needed a prom dress).

I could relate to Mina especially in this book. She's so terrified of Brian leaving her and then forgetting about her, sleeping with other girls that she makes a decision she might not have had made so soon. Every time I read a book in this series I feel like I'm talking to my Black/Latino friends. We laugh all the time it seems like but there's always some kind of drama going on, either between friends or between couples. The Del Rio Bay Clique series captures all the angst and fun of being a minority in the suburbs as well as just teenage life in suburbia in general. At first it was frustrating that Jacinta is still with Raheem but something occurs that (I think) makes it very understandable as to why she can't force herself to cut all ties with him. Kelly makes a good decision but goes about it in a bad way, very authentic teen :)

Who You Wit'? is a quick read that is guaranteed to transport you back to your teen years or to help you through them. The dialogue is spot-on (a few times the author sounds like she might be trying too hard considering these are suburban teens but for the most part it works). It's funny Mina was my least favorite character at first, now my favorite is either her or Jacinta. Once again, I think Mina's parents are too strict but my parents probably would have been even harsher if they found out I had done what she did so I won't talk. Haha. I love these books because they are universal but the main characters are Blacks and Latinos. Their world is completely diverse too, even the random characters that the main characters interact with have some diversity. I also appreciate that besides racial diversity these books feature economic diversity (i.e. a book about middle class ethnic cultures) and teenage diversity. By teenage diversity I mean these kids are active. I always find it hard to relate to books where the main character does little and/or has no school spirit. Mina cheerleads and writes for the school newspaper, JZ, Todd and Brian play basketball (and JZ plays football), Lizzie is active in the Drama club and Kelly tutors. All of those activities ensure that the author is faithful to teen behavior. I also really liked how a certain character described having sex. It was funny and so very teenage, I would have said the some thing! If you're looking for lighter fair with drama, romance, friendship, heart and diversity, give this series a try.

Disclosure: Bought =)

*I have changed my Throwback Thursday posts. Starting now, I'm going to make a throwback anything that comes from the 1st decade of the 21st century. Ideally, I want to keep the reviews to 2007 and older but exceptions may be made :)

Hosted by Take Me Away Reading

I am currently on a mandatory school retreat so I have no Internet access. I'll be back Friday evening and will try to respond all comments and emails asap!

Throwback Thursday: Sister Chicas

Sister Chicas by Lisa Alvarado, Ann Hagman Cardinal and Jane Alberdeston Coralin 2006

New American Library/Penguin Group

Rating: 2.5/5

IQ "And then the miraculous happened. It was like the seas parted or the sky opened up and cats and dogs rained down on my head. The vise that was my mouth suddenly words like bottle rockets exploded between my teeth and flew out of my mouth. There was nothing I could do to stop them" Taina pg. 13

Taina, Graciela and Elena (Leni) are sister chicas. Taina's turning fifteen and her mother is throwing her a quinceanera, something she's been dreading. Especially because the one guy (Yusef) she wants by her side is someone Mami wouldn't approve of, at all. Graciela's (Grachi) parents have sacrificed so much to give her the best they could so she naturally needs to pay them back. She will do so by becoming a teacher and making them proud. But then her college professor offers an amazing opportunity to pursue a writing career. Leni is a rebel who isn't big on celebrating her half Puerto Rican heritage after the death of her father. The Sister Chicas are trying to encourage her to learn more about her heritage and be proud of it, but Leni isn't so sure she'd be accepted and the memories/new knowledge might be too painful. Of course there is guy drama. Grachi has to sort through new feelings about an old friend and Leni's childhood friend has turned into a handsome aspiring rock star. When did all this happen?

These authors love metaphors. I like metaphors too, but I think there was one on every other page. Some of them just made no sense. For example, "the room's air suddenly the texture of a daisy touched by a little girl's fingers." (pg. 67). What does that even mean??? They also love emphasizing that these girls are SISTER CHICAS BUT NOT RELATED (in case you didn't get that from the title or the synopsis or the first chapter). Don't let me forget about the flashbacks. Just no. I understand having a few flashbacks here and there to better develop a character, but like metaphors, the flashbacks are overused. They are long and not always important. I think the authors should have tried to show more creative ways of making the same point of the flashback without the chapter long flashbacks. Plus the transitions from past to present were confusing. There were also too many inconsequential details that started to get on my nerves, little statements like "it might be getting dark, but I'm not blind!" (pg. 50) and "force a smile through my black lipstick." (pg. 44) I know that's not really a big deal, but the book was dragging on as it was so I wasn't in the mood for these minor details. Finally, I didn't understand why Taina was so reluctant to have a quinceanera. Or at least, I understood why someone wouldn't want one but she never artfully articulated why SHE did not want one. She just went on and on about Yusef, who we are told is wonderful and they are in love (he's seventeen and going to attend college in Chicago, how perfect. *sorry snappiness*). And why didn't Taina have any friends her own age? Same with Grachi? Leni was a loner but those other two were supposed to be really nice and cheerful...bizarre.

I did appreciate such a strong friendship, and I though the big fight between the girls was genuine. Most importantly each girl made her point clear about why she was upset and the friendship wasn't immediately saved. I really liked Grachi's storyline, feeling so guilty over wanting to pursue her passion even though it wasn't exactly what she thought her parents wanted (or deserved). Maybe I just happened to read her story at the right time in my life, but she was stressed over all her commitments (attending UIC, tutoring, working part-time at a bookstore) and I'm starting to get stressed over various summer program applications/class registrations. None of the girls are particularly noteworthy, but I found Grachi's voice to be the strongest. She has this quote that I could definitely relate to "other Graciela said yes to Phaedra Mondragon. The least she could've done was stick around long enough to help with this. I guess she must've stayed on the train and kept going. There's only me left, and this me is having a hard time with all of this." (pg. 84)The whole two split personalities/two different sides of a person and then watching that side of you/your personality fade to leave you to pick up the pieces? Classic. My favorite part was all the details of Chicago. The setting is present, but it's not big enough to be a character in and of itself. However it's there and I appreciated it. From mentions of the el to the girls attending Whitney Young High School, walking to Logan Square (which is where my Papi grew up is one of my favorite neighborhoods) and waiting for the bus, it made me happy :) I also thought the girls' hangout was described in excellent detail and I wish I had a local cafe like El Rinconcito (there is an actual restaurant in Logan Square called El Rinconcito Cubano), it sounds heavenly. The girls gather there every Thursday to catch up, the sip cafes con leche and chat with the charming owner, Don Ramiro. I'm not sure if all the places mentioned should use the real names though...

Sister Chicas is a genial tale of the close friendship between three girls. While the origin of their friendship is not described in much detail (and I still find it hard to believe that a fifteen year old would be friends with a freshman in college whom she had never met before high school), it is a strong one that faces authentic ups and downs. Each girl has a distinctive personality, one that every girl, Latina or not, can see a little of herself in them. Leni does have some funny moments, although I'm not so sure all the humor will be understand by people who don't know much about Latin culture such as "[I] made it through the round of obligatory dances with my arranged caballero date, Mario, who, by the way, is not a bad dancer. Could have fooled me! Underneath that slicked-back 1950s hair and railroad track of braces beats the rhythm of Tito Puente!" (pg. 228).That made me personally laugh out loud, but I'm not sure it would amuse everyone. Less usage of metaphors, smoother transitions from past to present and less details would make the story flow better. A good chica/chick lit read with the lovely backdrop of diverse Chicago.

Disclosure: Received from Mardel. Thank you so much!

Throwback Thursday is hosted by Take Me Away

Exclusively Chloe

Exclusively Chloe by J.A. Yang 2009
Speak/Penguin Group

Rating: 3/5

IQ "'So you don't care that I'm a nobody?' [Jack]
'Does my being famous mean I'm somebody?'" Chloe pg. 236

Chloe-Grace is a star. Not in her own right, but by association. Her mother is the queen of Hollywood, a major award winner, and her father was a '90s hit wonder. They are the picture perfect couple and when they decide to adopt a child from China, they begin an international adoption craze amongst celebrities. Chloe-Grace is the child they bring back and she's never wondered about her biological parents. Until her father cheats on her mother and the paparazzi won't leave Chloe alone. Plus her mother is going out to the club every night. Chloe misses her parents and she's tired of all the media attention, so she decides to have a 'make under' and go to a 'normal' high school. She changes up her appearance slightly and also opens up a search for her biological parents. But no matter how famous you are or aren't, drama is never far behind when it comes to high school.

Contrary to the back of the book, Chloe does not decide to undergo a makeunder until halfway through the book. It wasn't boring per se, but there was a lot of set up occurring and after awhile I just wanted her to leave her wealthy school and annoying best friend, Rachelle and get on with switching high schools. What's worse is that there are maybe 3-4 chapters dealing with Chloe's new life and then we hurtle towards the ending. All of a sudden, all this drama erupts and then everything is solved a chapter later. Unfortunately, unlike real life, this book ends in a cheery, ultra-neat way. I was hoping for a bit more complexity or at least some loose strings. What's worse is that there's a cheesy epilogue. What really ticked me off was *SPOILER: HIGHLIGHT TO READ: the meeting with Chloe's parents. They were just oh-so-warm and yet they never tried to contact her once and then we get cheated out of reading their conversation. Chloe just tells us that they talked for hours. I was expecting it to be a bit more intense/awkward/emotional but it's glossed over and that really bothered me.* END OF SPOILER. I was also a bit bothered by the fact that Chloe is in love with Jack by the end of the book. Jack whom, as a character, is flatter than a pancake. Angelic personality so of course they'd be in love right? No. All the other characters are equally one-dimensional, I kept expecting Rachelle and Chloe to have a fight because Rachelle is not what I would call best-friend material but to each her own. Furthermore, like Yan, I kept expecting Vicki to do something horrible, I don't know if that was just me being so wary of people or if the writing made it seem like something was going down...

I did like that this is an example of what I want to see more of: diverse YA chick lit. I was expecting to not like Chloe but she could have been far more monstrous than she was. She's obviously used to being famous and she embraces the perks of fame, but she doesn't try to hog the spotlight and certainly doesn't mind spending a quiet night at home. Sure she could annoy the reader by how she views 'ordinary' people as boring, but that makes the book and Chloe, seem more genuine. "Vickie was saying this almost in admiration, as if she thought I was a strong person for having a crazy life or something. I knew she was giving me words of encouragement, but I didn't feel strong at all. Just overwhelmed." (pg. 97). That quote shows how down-to-earth Chloe is. While most of the secondary characters were one dimensional, I did really like Luther. Luther is the typical over-the-top makeup artist, but I was so entertained by his excitement over playing Chloe's fake dad that I didn't mind.

Exclusively Chloe is nothing extraordinary, but it delivers on being a relaxing read, a good choice for when one is in-between some heavier books. The diverse, over-the-top, secondary characters make this book both a tad disappointing and more entertaining. Plus it's the first book I've ever read that gives an idea of what life might be like for the adopted children of celebrities. There were tiny little details that made me smile too, like how Chloe's parents decorated her room in a 'Chinese style' when she was younger. It's a cute idea but it made me shake my head. The book starts off slow and ends too fast and clean, and Chloe falls in love way too quickly. While avid fans of chick lit may not see anything new in this plot, this was a new-to-me read and I can definitely see why people like chick lit.

Disclosure: Bought :)

Throwback Thursday: Honey Blonde Chica

Honey Blonde Chica by Michele Serros 2006
Simon Pulse/Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division

Rating: 3/5

IQ "Maybe it would be good if Villanueva had a dress code, despite what Dee Dee thought. Something like California Casual meets High Drama, a lightweight, knit blend of steel armor. That would be perfect, Evie figured, because it was obvious that Raquel had already declared war." pg.103

Evie Gomez is a proud member of the Flojos (Spanish for flip flops, which all the Flojos wear 18/7). Flojo also means lazy and the Flojos do absolutely nothing except go to a party every now and then. But the Flojos are Evie's crew, she can't imagine not hanging out with her best friend, Raquel everyday. Until their old best friend, Dee Dee returns to California from Mexico where she lived after her mother died. Mexico City has turned shy, thin, brunette Dee Dee into curvaceous, loud and blonde Dela. Where is the Dee Dee the girls used to know? Raquel and Dee Dee butt heads right away but Evie is determined to save their friendship. Even if it means becoming more like Dela, but if she turns into someone like Dela she could risk losing Raquel. Is she a laidback Flojo or a sexy Sangro (short for sangrona which is basically a b****)? 'How's a chica to choose?' (last part from back cover).



Evie is not a particularly endearing main character. All the members of the Flojos are well off and Evie takes many things for granted. She has a housekeeper Lindsay that she treats semi-decently, she's not mean to her, but Evie doesn't try to help ease Lindsay's workload either. Evie can also be rather clueless, bringing up memories that may be painful for the other person or just not particularly enjoyable which makes for some awkward moments (and then you wonder how she can be so clueless). At the same time, these flaws made Evie an authentic main character and while I didn't close the book wanting to be her friend, I did like that the story portrayed is a more unusual one, life for wealthy Mexican-Americans. Evie has to deal with the usual friendship and guy drama, the only difference is that in this book Spanglish is thrown around and the food sounds a lot yummier. I do wish the writing had been more original, there are pop cultures references which are dated and the whole story is told in a matter-of-fact way that seems to be just plodding along. Not much happens, like many lighter contemporary YA novels all the problems could have been avoided if there was more communication and trust. But where's the fun in that? I do wish that the 'mean girl' had been more than a caricature, there has to be more to Alejandra than just being stuck up. All the secondary characters fell flat, Evie complains about her older sister, Sabrina, who is in college, but it's never really clear why Evie is so unwilling to talk to her.

I did appreciate that this book features a diverse cast and that the main clique at Evie's wealthy high school, the Sangros, are Mexican. The girls last names all end in -A, they are the ah-migas (Fabiola, Natalia, Xiomara and their leader, Alejandra) they are all from the DF (Distrito Federal which is Mexico City) and very proud of that fact. The Sangros are known for their blonde highlights and snobbish attitude. The Sangros look down on Mexican-Americans and that is a source of contention between Evie and the Sangros, even Evie's old friend Dee Dee seems to think that Mexicans born in Mexico are better than Mexicans born in America. It's an unique conflict and portrayed well. I also appreciated the Spanglish throughout the book. Sometimes Evie talks to the reader to explain what a word like sangrona means (i.e. slang and/or curse words) but for the most part, Evie and her friends sprinkle Spanish into their English and even combine the words (i.e. pinche beyachee). Honey-Blonde Chica is also about whether or not you should try and salvage a friendship after many years apart. Evie and Dee Dee seem so different and Raquel doesn't even want to talk to Dee Dee, but Evie remembers the days when they were the best of friends and she yearns to go back to those days. The author portrays it as such that I wasn't always sure if they could make up, they all do/say some pretty silly/even cruel things.

Honey Blonde Chica is a diverting read that doesn't take itself too seriously but could use more developed main characters. There's a cute factor but I was disappointed with the secondary covers, I thought the guy Evie had a crush on was just ok and the mean girl, Alejandra is ridiculously over-the-top. However, I did think that Evie's crush progression was realistic, she starts questioning every little thing he says/does and tries not to anxiously await his calls and texts. Been there, get that. I do love the idea of the Sangros though and I wonder if the book is accurate in showing some of the drama between Mexicans and Mexican Americans (Neither Evie nor Raquel speak fluent Spanish but all the Sangros do) or if the drama's been heightened. I also really liked how class isn't so much an issue in this book, all the main characters are wealthy which makes it harder to tolerate how spoiled they can be but it's also a great equalizer when it comes to friendship woes and not feeling Mexican enough. While Evie is proud to be Mexican American (her father made his wealthy running pan de dulce shops which will make you quite hungry), her story is a universal one because we all have to face friends drifting apart and figuring out whether or not we should fight to hold on to that friendship. What's more Evie doesn't just need to prove that she can be both laidback (Flojo) and represent her culture (como un Sangro), wear blonde highlights (Sangro) with designer flip flops (Flojo).

Disclosure: Yo compre

2011 Colorful Chick Lit Challenge

As you read this post I am currently taking my last 2 finals. YES!!!!!

What better way to celebrate than by reading some relaxing, fun, chick lit by women authors of color? This challenge is being hosted by Lisa at Reads4Pleasure

Starts: Jan 1st 2011. Ends: December 31, 2011.

Junior year has been super stressful so I decided to go for the Queen of Chick lit title, which involves reading 12 or more books. That way, I can read one chick lit book a month which will help me forget about all the awfulness of ACT/SAT and other college stuff.

I'm trying to stick to YA because I'm depsertely hoping that there's more YA chick lit by and about poc than I had previously thought.

1. Who You Wit by Paula Chase Hyman

2. Belle by Beverly Jenkins

3. Drama High: The Fight by L. Divine

4. Work What You Get by Stephanie Perry Moore

5. Honey-Blonde Chica by Michele Serros

6. What I Meant by Marie Lamba

7. Who's Your Daddy? by Lynda Sandoval

8. Gamma Glamma by Kim Flores

9. Cuba 15 by Nancy Osa

10. Fresh Off the Boat by Melissa De La Cruz

11. Seeing Emily by Joyce Lee Wong

12. Nothing But the Truth (and a Few White Lies) by Justina Chen Headley

Backups (in case one of the authors turns out to not be an author of color or it's not really chicklit or maybe I just feel like reading one of the ones below instead).

13. Jason & Kyra by Dana Davidson

14. Mismatch by Lensey Namioka

15. Confetti Girl by Diana Lopez

I also decided to unoffically read 4 adult fiction chick lit books. These are books I've meaning me to read for what seems like FOREVER and this challenge pushes me to read them (or in some cases re-read and review).

1. Feminista by Erika Kennedy

2. The Dirty Girls Social Club by Alisa Valdes Rodriguez

3. Gotta Keep On Tryin' by Virgina Deberry & Donna Grant

4. In Full Bloom by Caroline Hwang

Got any recommendations for me?

Jazz in Love

Jazz in Love by Neesha Meminger 2010
Ignite Books

Rating: 4/5

IQ "I felt his arms tighten around me. I dropped my head back against his shoulder and stared up into the sky. This time I knew what he was talking about. The stars. they were like a thousand suns. And at night, that's what they felt like, little pricks prodding everyone to do what's deep down inside, and not worry about anyone or anything else. They were like a veil, letting the secret part of you be heard-the part you kept shut and quiet under the harsher light of the daytime sun." pgs. 142-143

Jasbir (aka Jazz) is a great student, an obedient daughter and a good friend. She's in the Future Stars and Leaders (FSL) program which is for the smartest of students and everything seems to be going well. One day, after school, Jazz is seen hugging one of her best friends, Jeeves. This gets back to her mother who decides that it's time for the Guided Dating Plan. The Guided Dating Plan consists of looking through headshots of 'suitable' Indian boys and picking out which ones Jazz wants to meet. Jazz doesn't want to meet any of them, but she picks one to make her mama happy and he's (Mit) not at all what she (or her parents) expect. Jazz then proceeds to develop a crush on a very unsuitable boy (i.e. not Indian enough, West Indian). It's junior year and in addition to her new crush, Jazz begins to make some unusual decisions, specifically revolving around her Auntie Kinder who's ex husband is abusive. It's going to be a very different year.

The Incredible Quote I shared features a good way of describing how different it can feel to stare at the stars. One of the most inspiring things can be a night sky full of stars and it can lead people to self-reflect and do things they might not normally do. This book is almost like the veil letting the secret part be seen. It seems to be some kind of secret that teens of color want chick lit and contemporary fiction that isn't SO INTENSE ALL THE TIME. The stories of tough neighborhoods, alcoholism, drug use, abusive parents, etc. are vital for ALL teens to read. But it's nice to be able to relax and just read about a teen who happens to be a teen of color, living life. That is why I love this book. Yes Jazz has additional troubles of having very tradition Indian parents who are secretly planning out her marriage, but she also has crush troubles like everyone else and like many teen girls today has to deal with parents who don't want her to date. Jazz isn't trying to constantly rebel against her parents or complaining about them, she just wants a little more freedom to have a crush on whoever and to be able to act on her feelings.

Bonus points for Jazz having a crush on Tyler R., who is West Indian (yes a two-culture [bicultural?] romance!). The author introduces a bit of tension that exists between West Indians and Indians but it doesn't overwhelm the reader with details, it's very succinct. While not all readers have to deal with ethnic cultural pressures, we all have to deal with feeling like an outsider and being true to ourselves, the whole coming-of-age deal. "But did it take courage to just keep doing what you're told, without asking any questions? Did it take a different level of courage to not love the person you loved, and do what was considered appropriate-as Auntie Kinder had done? Or to pretend you were something you weren't-like what Mit was doing?" (pg. 105). At times Jazz in Love threatens to be overwhelmed by a second plotline, one involving Auntie Kinder and her abusive ex. I didn't mind all the time, since that plotline kept me feverishly turning the pages, afraid that Jazz's plan would blow up and hoping, hoping that it would all work out. The story with Auntie Kinder has an 'aww' factor (it's never too late for true love), but it does at times, overshadow Jazz and Tyler. Tyler only seemed to come up when it was convenient, sometimes he was pushed aside (and at the most inopportune times!) and I wanted more from him because he was cute and a bit of jerk but he had some family drama that needed to be explored.

Jazz in Love is a splendid read, perfect for those readers who think the only books about poc are 'problem' novels. It's also an essential read for those who like excellent contemporary novels, it's not issue driven. There are some issues underlying this book, but they do not take over the book. At the heart, this book is about being in-like, having a crush and navigating those treacherous waters while not neglecting your family and friends. It's also about deciding how far you will go to make your family happy. The treatment of GLBT people in ethnic communities is addressed as are other unique difficulties to growing up Indian in America. For the most part (more Tyler details!), the major and secondary characters (Auntie Kinder and Dr. Babaloo) are well-thought out, three dimensional. The Jeeves storyline reads like the same old story but it completely surprised me. It was so nice to see the strong friendship between Cindy and Jazz, no guy drama, no self-esteem issues that could ruin their friendship. Their friendship is a strong one and it was lovely to read about. A sequel is a necessity I think (well not really since this book stands strongly on its own but a sequel would be nice). I want to see more of Jazz, Jeeves, Tyler and Cindy.

Disclosure: I may or may not have Tweeted my excitement to my small world when I found out I was in the acknowledgements (ahhhh!!). Received for review, thank you Ignite Books :D

PS Another favorite quote "I decided, right then and there, that I would do anything-anything at all-to have what I was feeling right this moment, as a permanent part of my life. How could a person marry someone not knowing if they'd ever feel like this in their arms, on the hood of a car? So many kids in the world got to do this without hiding it. Without being afraid that someone would immediately force them into a marriage they didn't want if they ever got caught. I liked this feeling. It was huge like the sky above us, and I wanted to follow it to see where it led." (pg. 141)

PS One of my favorite reviewers and all around people in the history of the world, The Rejectionist reviewed Jazz in Love today over here and the equally fantastic Zetta has an interview with Neesha Meminger. AND the spectacular Edi has an interview with Neesha and a giveaway (!)

Throwback Thursday: Haters

Haters by Alisa Valdes Rodriguez 2006
Little, Brown and Company/Hachette Book group


Rating: 3.5/5


IQ "He makes me want to experience everything. I stare at the table and hope that my dad can't hear me thinking about Chris. My thoughts are so clear and colorful that I can't imagine anyone not being able to just by looking at me what's in my head." Paksi pg. 247

Pasquala (Paski) Rumalda Quintana de Archuleta is different. Not just because she moved from the calm and steady pace of life in Taos, New Mexico to the busy life of Los Angeles. She's the new girl who has never really liked shopping, dated much and she likes to eat. Padre Loma High School is ruled by the Haters; Jessica Nguyen, Haley Williams and Brianna Sarantopoulos. At her old school, Paksi was part of the popular crew. But Jessica has decided that Paksi is not going to be popular in California and Jessica will do anything to keep Paksi down. The problem is, Paksi has psychic abilities and she keeps having visions of something happening to Jessica. Jessica hates her, so Paksi should just keep quiet, she deserves it right? Wrong.

This was just what I needed since I've been in a back-to-school funk (well I've been in it since school started but it's getting worse). It's not cotton candy light but it didn't make me pause at any revolutionary/extraordinary thoughts. I would like to state however that this book could be a lot shorter. There seemed to be a lot of excess information and while it didn't take away from the plot per se, it wasn't something I needed to know. I found the dialogue to be repetitive and too much TELLING and not enough SHOWING. Furthermore, the author tells you what conclusions she wants you to draw through Paksi or she explains something through her. For example, "'Wow' he [Andrew] says. 'Hi I say. I blush because I can tell he likes what he sees." (pg. 155). I hope I'm not coming off as picky, but I think based on the wow and just hearing that Paksi blushed we could figure out what Andrew meant by 'wow'.

Other than what I listed above, I really enjoyed this novel. I love that the most popular girl in school (head of the Haters) is Vietnamese and that it's a diverse little clique at the top (Brianna is Greek, Haley is bi-racial). In addition to the popular girls, the popular boys vary in cultural backgrounds as well. It was quite refreshing because it's so effortless, the author doesn't overstate the character's ethnicity, but you know their cultural identity. The book moves at a fast and fun pace and what helps it stand apart from standard chick lit is its diversity and Paksi's supernatural abilities. Paksi only wants to be normal so she tries to ignore her visions in the hopes that they will leave her, but that is usually not the case. The question is not whether or not Paksi will act on these visions, but how far will she go to tell the person that is concerned? Perhaps what draws me to Paksi the most is that she is an athlete. She rode on her grandmother's Harley back in Taos but not very often and in this book she learns how to race motocross (which is on a motorcycle so I didn't totally get the difference. But that's what Google is for. haha). She's not afraid to work up sweat whether on her bike or a motorcycles and that's awesome.

Haters avoids being dismissed as mere 'chick lit' (not that there's anything wrong with chick lit!) by having an extra layer of supernatural occurrences and motorcycles. A competitive Latina motocross racer is enough of rarity for me to get excited about reading it. The predictability does not run rampant throughout. There's a lot going on this novel and at times it does seem to be like the author wants to talk about too many different things at once (Taos vs. Los Angeles, Japanese internment camps, motocross, date rape drugs, etc.) but the story has many unique moments to capture (and hold) your attention. The dialogue is realistic of teenagers, although I did want fewer explanations. Paksi is the quintessential teenager; embarrassed by her father (her mother is not around), torn between her desire to fit in and be unique to herself, confused about boys and a strong urge to ride a motorcycle (and do it well). And it doesn't hurt that the book has one of the cutest love interests.

Disclosure: Bought!

Throwback Thursday is hosted by Take Me Away Reading

Mini Reviews: 32 Candles, Devil in a Blue Dress, (Off Color) Moonshine

32 Candles by Ernessa T. Carter 2010
Harper Collins

IQ [Chloe] "'Are you crazy?'
[Davie] 'Yes, I said.' 'Yes I am. That's pretty much been proven already. But I think you're a little off, too, which is why I cannot watch you kill another relationship with kindness.' I semi-quoted from a book I had once read about supposedly kind people in a supposedly kind relationship who still ended up crashing and burning into a love wreck. 'Killing with kindness is still murder.'" pg. 265

32 Candles is one of my favorite books of the year. Everyone should read it (the hardcover is SO worth the money). I don't know what else to say. Can I just leave it at that? I wish I could list 32 reasons you should read 32 Candles but I'm not that creative. The list would end up simply saying 'read it' 32x. Instead I'll do 16 reasons

1. Davie is one of the most unforgettable heroines ever. She's funny, crazy, a bit vindictive and vulnerable. I was so proud of her (you can tell I'm really losing it when I'm proud of a book character, heehee) when she reinvented herself. Screw the dorky kids from her high school days.

2. Davie loves 16 Candles. Really she likes all John Hughes films. Even though they don't have any black people in them. I completely understand :)

3. James! He is an excellent leading man/crush whatever you want to call him. He has a few jerk moments but for the most part he is justified (except in not recognizing Davie. I understand it but I was mad at him for awhile). And he understands Davie so well. *happy sigh*

4. Did I mention Davie is crazy? You read up till the middle of the book and everything is going swimmingly (for the most part). Then all hell breaks loose. It's great. It will make your head spin and it will make your heart hurt because Davie has clearly lost it a little bit.

5. All the secondary characters are awesome. Especially Mama Jane. her presence can be felt at key moments in the story even though she doesn't have that many appearances.

6. Nicky is also a wonderful character. Gotta love the tough guy who refuses to part with his money. And who is willing to fire you over stupid stuff. A golden friend

7. It gives a pretty good glimpse of life in LA for those who are struggling to become famous. well I don't know how true it is, but it seemed authentic to me. (I loved the part about the self-help coach. If you've read the book you know what I'm talking about)

8. Life in Mississippi. My mother is from the South so I'm familiar with a lot of the expressions/ways of life but I obviously don't know everything about life in the South and this was both sad and enjoyable to read about.

9. This quote (goes with #8): "You see, in the South, football is like the army. You don't question orders, you just do whatever the coach tells you to. So James refusing to sit down was a big deal. Unheard of. Like a black child suddenly saying in an English accent to its mama, 'No, madam, I will not retrieve a switch so that you may beat me with it. I believe your request to be not only abusive, but absurd.' And say that did happen. Of course country logic would say that the mama must now beat her child even worse than she first intended, so that they would never have to have that kind of conversation again." pg.45 (LOL at the child trying to get out of a beating! As if that would ever work. I still giggle when I see that line)

10. All the nightclub scenes. I have a love/hate relationship with the '20s-'40s. I LOVE the music from that time period and Davie sings it all. I want to go to Nicky's nightclub.

11. Even the villains of the story become human. Maybe not really nice humans, but they aren't just evil through and through. I'm mainly thinking of a certain character who gets in a fight and messes up his/her nose. I wanted to slap him/her 98% of the time and then the author had to go and give him/her a 2% decent storyline.

12. Cora is Davie's mother and she is horrible. Well sort of.

13. It's blurbed by Carleen Brice. Listen to Carleen. She is an amazing writer herself so her word is bond ;)

14. Davie is dark skinned and most of the popular kids at her school are light skinned. Yes we have to keep talking about the world's fixation with light skin. In this book it's discussed seriously but with a hint of humor (and sadness).

15. The ending scene is SO PERFECT. I had a goofy grin on my face when I read it

16. When you see this book in a store, it's an Invitation to Crazy. If you know what's good for you, you will accept. After all, it'd be terribly rude not to.

I CAN NOT wait to see what Ernessa T. Carter writes next =)

Disclosure: Won from the amazing Jeanette at Today's Book On the Train. Thank you so much Jeanette!

Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley 1990
Pocket Books/Simon & Schuster

IQ "'Easy, walk out your door in the morning and you're mixed up in something. The only thing you can really worry about is if you get mixed up to the top or not. '" Mr. Albright pg. 19

I finished this book feeling dazed. Not confused, but dazed. I knew the basics of what was going on, but I never could guess who did what and why they did it. There isn't a lot going on this novel, but everyone spins lies with ease (heehee, sorry). It doesn't help that Easy is a flawed main character and while I love him for it, it does make the narrative a bit frustrating. He gets distracted by liquor and women a few times. I really liked Easy because of how reacted to some dangerous situations he got himself in. He was afraid. Sometimes I like the constantly-brave-main-character, but more often than not, I like the genuine character who shows a little fear. Easy is also very clever. He knows a lot more than he lets on and can read people extremely well. In addition to Easy, Mouse also stands out. Mouse is crazy and he's scary. I'm not sure I completely understand why they're friends, but I'm not sure Easy understands it either. I liked that the author through Easy explains the basic story of each person Easy comes into contact with. It does interrupt the flow of the story at times, but it's helpful.

Besides the deceptively simple plot (that turns into a great big mess over a few days), and the wonderful main character, the setting really makes this book stand out. I don't read many mysteries (this is the third one I've ever read) but I think what makes Easy Rawlins such an interesting detective of sorts is that he has a lot of extra crap to deal with. Sure it's hard for a woman during the 1950s (I think that's when this book is set, it's post WWII) to be a detective but it's even harder for a Black man. The police won't work with Easy, they are too busy trying to pin him to various murders or coming up with any excuse they can think of to get him arrested and eventually killed. It's infuriating to read about the racism Easy has to face at the hands of the police. He has to deal with it from other people, but you would at least expect the police to try and protect ALL its citizens. There's a great quote about racism in the book, "[i]t was the worst kind of racism. The fact that he didn't even recognize our difference showed that he didn't care one damn about me." (pg. 119)Like many people, I both enjoy reading about post-World War II society (the music, the dancing, the fashion) and dislike reading about it (the racism, sexism). Regardless, the author's writing is excellent, there's a good attention to detail about life in California in the 1950s. The characters are chilling and authentic, the setting is fantastic and the mystery (made my head spin, but I might be a bit slow when it comes to mysteries) is well thought out. I look forward to reading the next book in the series ( I think it's A Red Death). After you finish the book you MUST watch the movie. Don Cheadle as Mouse is one of his greatest parts. He made the character come more alive for me. Although the plot and ending changed significantly from that of the film. So maybe watch the film first.

Disclosure: We own the book (I didn't know we owned it so I bought my own company. Then I found my mother's old copy and promptly returned my new one.) The move was free On Demand ;)



Moonshine by Alaya Johnson 2010
St. Martin's Press

IQ "For all her faults, Lily was an excellent reporter. She observed, instead of just grafting her own expectations onto events. She dug beneath the surface. Enough of that, and no matter what sort of drivel she'd been raised with, she would understand the living nightmare that gripped so many people in this city. It was happening already. In some ways, I felt sorry for her. It was hard knowledge to live with, and even harder to experience every day." Zephyr pg. 207

Zephyr Hollis is known as the "singing vampire suffragette." She is dedicated to helping all those in need, even if it means giving away all her money. Zephyr soon realizes that she needs money in order to maintain a decent lifestyle of living (meals, clothes, a roof over her head) and still help people. The rent is almost due and with no money to her name, Zephyr accepts a proposal from Amir. He was a student in her class for one day (she teaches night school to immigrants and Others). He wants her to use her job as a social activist to bring down a notorious vampire mob boss (Rinaldo). Zephyr goes undercover, tutoring a member a child member of Rinaldo's gang, attending parties thrown by New York's most elite. She also has a side project of trying to learn more about a new street drug for vampires, called Faust. It gives vampires an euphoric high that is blood based and it doesn't last long. To top it all off, Zephyr must defy some social norms, and try to learn more about the mysterious Amir and the world of Others (paranormal creatures, consisting of djinns, vampires, skinwalkers, etc.)

First of all, this cover is awesome. The blood red lipstick and two neck bites contrasted with the pale skin give the book a very dark and appealing cover. That's what really drew me in at first. To top it all off, the book is set during the Prohibition Era. Zephyr is going to speakeasies, listening to jazz, promoting the equal rights of immigrants and taking up a host of other issues that needed to be addressed during this time. The setting of the 1920s is meticulously researched and it never seems to be inauthentic or completely improbable. It's only natural that vampires do exist and live in New York City's Lower East Side, they are not supposed to feed off humans, instead they go to blood banks. Naturally there are some renegade vampires and the gangs all consist of vampires. I was sucked in (heehee pun not intended) immediately by Zephyr's narrative. The book does start off rather slow and there's a lot of details, but Zephyr is marvelous, so it doesn't matter. She is so passionate and yet not naive. She knows that she can't save everyone, but she does want to help everyone she can while still having a little fun. I love Zephyr. She is so independent, outspoken and occasionally impractical, which makes for the most winning combination. She is not perfect, she has her own biases that she needs to get over and she has some family issues (she's from Montana and comes from a family of famous demon hunters. She refuses to demon hunt anymore). One of the questions Zephyr struggles with is over who is evil. "It occurred to me for the first time that Nicholas didn't see himself as evil. But did anyone?" (pg. 107)

Amir is another fascinating character. He shows very little emotion and refuses to tell Zephyr why he wants to see Rinaldo taken down. Learning more about him and his world is one of the highlights of this novel. Although Zephyr and Amir are the main characters, the supporting characters are just as interesting. They aren't simply flat people in the background, they have their own dramas unfolding. I was a bit bothered by how the action was interrupted. A dramatic scene would start to unfold and then the scene would change and we would learn about it from Zephyr. I would have rather been shown the scene than told about it. Other than that, this entire novel is a WIN. I love Zephyr, the setting of 1920s NYC, the presence of social activism, cool yet scary paranormal creatures, twisted and clever mysteries and Amir. Oh Amir. *happy sigh* I need to get my hands on the next book in this series (surely it will be a series, there are so many loose ends and good stories waiting to be told!).

Disclosure: Won from the wonderful Terri at Brown Girl Book Speak. Thank you, thank you, thank you Terri!

PS This is an off color review since the author is Black but the main character is white.

PPSS To show off the wonderfulness that is Amir, I will share an exchange about his love of hot dogs (which I don't understand since I think hot dogs are kind of gross, but nevertheless the dialogue is entertaining)

"'let him burn your carpets. Give him some hot dogs.'[Zephyr]
Kardal billowed in surprise. 'Djinni don't benefit from animal sacrifice.'
Amir's laugh seemed to warm the room. 'A snack, brother. A strange human snack, that might involve actual dogs but everyone hopes doesn't.'" (pg. 234)
bahahahahaha