Happy Halloween! Asleep

Asleep by Wendy Raven McNair Book 1 of 3

Rating: 3.5/5


IQ (Incredible Quote) "My dreams had been awash in vivid colors, splashing light in the crevices, swirling away the lurking shadows. Lilac Wine had suffused my very being in its intoxicating words and rhythms." One of the prettier lines from the book :)

I always thought it would be cool to be able to fly (the whole time I read this book R.Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly" was stuck in my head). Flying is one of Micah Alexander's (he's the love interest) powers. Asleep is the first superhero book I've ever read. I decided it was Halloween themed since almost everyone has dressed up as a superhero for Halloween (I've been Catwoman). I used to be obsessed with superheroes actually (much like the main character Adisa). My siblings and I watched all these old cartoon Batman, Superman, and Justice League movies and I fell in love with superheroes. They were fearless, smart, witty and beautiful.

Asleep is a lot like Twilight, in fact it's pretty accurate to sum it up as the 'Black Twilight'. However, it's slightly better than Twilight in my opinion. The irresistible guy actually has flaws, the main character is strong and has a backbone (she's never just waiting around for Micah to rescue her and she's not too clingy). Adisa Summers has never had a boyfriend, let alone a kiss. So when the cute new guy, Micah Alexander, seems to be interested in her, she's unsure what to do. Around other people he's stiff, unemotional, unresponsive, but when they're alone, he's kind and romantic. Micah is a superhero and he teaches Adisa (albeit reluctantly) about his secretive world.

One of my favorite aspects of the book was the descriptions of the superhero world. It was very interesting and the only time I appreciated all the descriptions. In Asleep the very first superheroes originated in Africa, also some of the most powerful superheroes are Africans. It was nice seeing Africa in a new, positive light. Their world is known as the Sp. world and they are called sp. beings. The author describes new and intriguing aspects of the sp. world such as shields, burning, morality (there's an interesting conversation Micah and Adisa have where he tells her that many superheroes want to go to Heaven and that they aren't immortal) and more. I was in a state of constant suspense, wondering when Micah would reveal his secret to Adisa. The book has a good deal of action and suspense. The romance was sweet but (like in Twilight) a bit unbelievable. Micah's younger brother Jason is the typical adorable little kid, with a twist. He's six years old and adds a nice subplot to the story.

One of the main things that kept me from giving this book a higher rating was the fact that it makes too many pop culture references. That's a big turn-off in a book, because it makes the book outdated. This book mentions news anchors, singers and songs. None of that was key to the story and I could of done without it. Also the main character could be a bit irritating. The author seemed to determined to stress the fact that Adisa had good manners, (it's mentioned in at least every chapter), her family is perfect "they were their naturally charming selves" (this was said in a non sarcastic tone) and is a pretty good child (it's very hard for her to lighten up and she's very safety conscious). Another problem I had with Asleep is that it's too descriptive. Way too many inconsequential details and parts. Also (and I think this has more to do with the book being self-published, although A Wish After Midnight is the one self-published book I've read with hardly any spelling or grammar errors) there were some punctuation (especially in the dialogue), grammatical and spelling errors. I'm not a big fan of the cover either. It's slightly creepy and not very striking. My final problem with the book was that the chapters were too long. They all seemed to run together, they needed to be better and further divided up (16 total, there needs to be more).

Ultimately, I felt that Asleep is another nice addition to the fantasy genre. The author herself describes the book as her answer to Twilight and I think it does a good job of creating a fascinating new world to read about. There are few books about superheroes and rare is the YA book about a poc superhero. I'm excited for the sequel, Awake and the continuation of the character's stories. 7th grade and up (My younger sister loved this book and gives it a 5/5 rating for younger readers). I would recommend this book to all people who love superheroes, fantasy, Twilight and romance stories.

Have a fun Halloween everybody! Don't forget tonight is the last night you can enter my Halloween giveaway (click on the Halloween picture in my sidebar).

*Disclosure: I received 2 copies from the author. One to keep and one to give away.

An Award & Waiting on Wednesday: Blessing's Bead

This week I'm Waiting On

Blessing's Bead by Debby Dahl Edwardson

Released: Nov. 10, 2009

Nutaaq and her older sister, Aaluk, are on a great journey, sailing from a small island off the coast of Alaska to the annual trade fair. There, a handsome young Siberian wearing a string of cobalt blue beads watches Aaluk “the way a wolf watches a caribou, never resting.” Soon his actions—and other events more horrible than Nutaaq could ever imagine—threaten to shatter her I~nupiaq world. Seventy years later, Nutaaq’s greatgranddaughter, Blessing, is on her own journey, running from the wreckage of her life in Anchorage to live in a remote Arctic village with a grandmother she barely remembers. In her new home, unfriendly girls whisper in a language she can’t understand, and Blessing feels like an outsider among her own people. Until she finds a cobalt blue bead—Nutaaq’s bead—in her grandmother’s sewing tin. The events this discovery triggers reveal the power of family and heritage to heal, despite seemingly insurmountable odds.

-Amazon describes this as 9-12, but I think it may also be early YA (the main characters are teenagers). We need more books about the natives in Alaska!

And I received an award from the awesome Donna Bites Thanks so much Donna!

The Honest Scrap award is given to 7 bloggers. List 10 honest things about yourself. This award is given to bloggers who blog from the heart. I'm so honored to get this because I always strive to be honest! And if you're not mentioned, I still love you but I could only nominate 7! I also tried to give the award to new people :)

I nominate (random order)

1. Justine at Justine Larbalestier

2. Lee Wind at I'm Here. I'm Queer, what the Hell do I Read?

3. Briana, Arielle & Marissa at B.A.M. Book Reviews

4. Celi.a at adventures of cecelia bedalia

5. Michelle at A Reader's Respite

6. Steph at Steph Su Reads

7. Reggie at the Undercover Book Lover (Not Really)

10 Honest Things

1. I really dislike school (I'd rather read all day and hang out with friends)

2. I LOVE politics (just not all politicians!)

3. I love chocolate. If I could, I would eat a piece everyday :D

4. I'm a Chicago fan (Cubs, Bears, Blackhawks, everyone except the White Sox, bleh).

5. I want the Yankees to win the 2009 World Series. And I want the Cubs to win the 2010

6. I'm really not all that into Halloween (never have been). All the other book blogs helped get me in the spirit.

7. I love musicals and dance movies (original Fame, Mamma Mia!, Wicked, Carmen Jones, Chicago)

8. I have no idea as to what I really want to do once I graduate college

9. I don't have the patience or talent to write a book (but thank you to all who think I could!)

10. I've always wanted to go sky-diving!

Halloween Review: Eternal

Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Rating: 5/5

IQ "About Miranda. Her soul. With faith, repentance and sacrifice, anybody can be redeemed, right? Anybody. She's still somebody. Maybe it's harder for a vamp to be good. But you could say the same of the poor or the oppressed or politicians. She didn't fall, Josh. What she is had nothing to do with free will. She was taken." Zachary



This book will stay with me for close to eternity I'm sure! It was funny, sweet and thought-provoking in a very subtle way. Oh and I now officially love vampires. I understand the craze, because even though vampires are evil in Eternal there is just something about them that draws you in. Cynthia Leitich Smith does a wonderful job of creating this secret world of vampires and angels interacting with ordinary people. I liked learning about the hierarchy of the vampire world (the most powerful and important vampire is known as Dracula, not the original one of course. It's more like a title), and learning about the world of the vampire nobility (it's not a particularly happy or nice world), vampire royalty and nobility like to be called 'eternal' (hence the title!).

Miranda is the main character (she's half-Asian I believe. I know she's Asian just not sure if she's fully or only half) and she becomes the princess of the vampire world after she dies only to have the King of the vampires save her. She is adopted by the current King of the Mantle of Dracula (also known as Dracula). At first she only sees the perks of being vampire royalty. She's now stunningly beautiful and she can have whatever she wants (cars, money, guys, etc.) Miranda lives in Dracula's castle and the descriptions of the castle were extremely vivid and well-done! I would love to visit Dracula's castle (but in the words of Cynthia Leitich Smith, "not without a guardian angel by my side.") Miranda's teenage guardian angel is Zachary. He's hot, caring and well, an angel (so obviously he's perfect), except not completely perfect because he fails to save Miranda from dying and becoming a vampire. Throughout the novel, Zachary is trying to figure out how to rescue Miranda, save her soul and keep from falling in love with her.

The story is told in alternating perspectives, Miranda's and Zachary's. Zachary's perspective was particularly amusing, especially when describing the duties of a guardian angel "I watch my girl slip the oversize Dallas Cowboys T-shirt over her pink bikini panties and turn in for the night, That sounds perverted, I know. But I've always watched her dress, undress, shower and bathe....it's my job to keep an eye on her 24/7. I'm Miranda's guardian angel (GA for short). A newbie created after the first atomic blast in 1945." Zach is such a sweet guy and the budding romance (more accurately described as romantic/sexual tension) between Miranda and Zach is sizzling!

While I read this book I was in constant SHUTUP AND LET ME READ! mode, but this book is worth it. It's definitely a book that you will want to read in one day so students beware (a late night/early morning lies ahead of you), but this book is fantastic so it's worth the lack of sleep. Eternal is funny, romantic, a paranormal thriller and contains a bit of political analysis. But the ending? NO! I mean it was a good ending, but it is the definition of a cliff-hanger. I was furious when the book ended, I couldn't believe the author would leave me hanging like that! But she can and she did. So I will just have to be patient and wait for the sequel. The sequel is called Blessed and it actually picks up from where Tantalize left off, but characters from Eternal are in it, so hopefully the story of Miranda & Zachary and their world will be resolved. For more info on Eternal (some spoilers on this page though!) check out the author's website

Tantalize was Ms. Smith's first YA book. Read my Tantalize review here. I liked Eternal so much more than Tantalize, but they're both good and I recommend them both (although I suggest you start with Eternal!) You don't need to have read one, to read the other. High school and up. Especially recommended for vampire lovers and everyone in the spirit of Halloween!

And here's the wonderful book trailer for Eternal If you have trouble viewing it, go here. Sorry for the inconvenience, I still don't know how to put videos that I didn't create in a blog post. I will learn!

Disclousre: Received from Candlewick Press/Cynthia Leitich Smith to review and give away one copy. Thanks so much Cynthia and Candlewick! And go enter the Halloween giveaway already ;)

Male Monday: Forged by Fire

Forged by Fire by Sharon Draper

Rating: 3.5/5

IQ "I know what you meant. Since this kid is poor and black and his mother is living alone and unmarried, his father must be long gone. Well I'm here to tell you that not all black men are like that. There's millions of black families with a mama and a daddy and two kids and the 'average' American family...But unfortunately, this ain't one of them. I don't know where the boy's daddy is, I just didn't want you to assume. You coulda been wrong, you know?" Aunt Queen

As the sequel to Tears of a Tiger, I found Forged by Fire a bit disappointing. It didn't suck me in as quickly or as well. The story was still good and the characters were good, but not great. Forged by Fire wasn't as heart-wrenching as Tears of a Tiger. A sad story, but it didn't provoke much of an emotional response.

Gerald is abused by his stepfather and ignored by his mother. When he was three, his mother left him home alone with matches and a lighter. As you can imagine, Gerald, being a curious little baby, began playing with the lighter and the apartment caught on fire. He was rescued, but taken away from his mother and put in the care of his Aunt Queen Marie Antoinette Lincoln (love that name!). His Aunt Queen is loving and strict. She takes care of Gerald until she dies on his 9th birthday. He is forced to go live with his mother, abusive stepfather and new step sister, Angel.

Gerald is a nice character, but my favorite was Angel. Angel is *small spoiler alert* (although you can see it come shortly into the story) is sexually /physically abused by her stepfather. She's such a sweet girl and the author's descriptions of her dancing are very descriptive and I can see this thin, short, sweet girl dancing to keep the pain away.

Sharon Draper is still one of my favorite authors, Forged by Fire is just (so far) my least favorite of her books. I would have liked to see her do a book about one of the other teens in the car when Andy crashed and killed his best friend Rob (Gerald was friends with them but wasn't in the car at the time). I wouldn't recommend it, but for Sharon Draper fans and those who want to learn more about the Hazelwood High Teens, I suggest you read this book.

Halloween Treat Giveaway

This is my final giveaway! *whew* I'm basically broke so after this last giveaway I will be saving up my money to have one in November for Thanksgiving and of course for the Holiday season in December!

*Note all this is being said in a thick Translavanian vampire accent (I'm not really sure why, but just go with it)

The Treats....

2 Wonderfully Scary Books (actually they aren't scary, just so wonderful that it's scary :D) 1 Lucky Winner

Eternal & Asleep


Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith

At last, Miranda is the life of the party: all she had to do was die. Elevated and adopted by none other than the reigning King of the Mantle of Dracul, Miranda goes from high-school theater wannabe to glamorous royal fiend overnight. Meanwhile, her reckless and adoring guardian angel, Zachary, demoted to human guise as the princess’s personal assistant, has his work cut out for him trying to save his girl’s soul and plan the Master’s fast-approaching Death Day gala. In alternating points of view, Miranda and Zachary navigate a cut-throat eternal aristocracy as they play out a dangerous and darkly hilarious love story for the ages.

-I loved this book! Read my review here




Asleep by Wendy Raven McNair

Adisa Summers doesn't know her boyfriend, Micah Alexander, can fly. Micah's odd emotionless behavior, rigid posture, and vacant eyes are a mystery sending mixed messages to Adisa. When a flash of lightning sends a tree crashing down on her, Adisa is shocked to see Micah actually flying to her rescue! In an instant, Adisa is in his arms, looking up at the sky over his shoulder as they fly parallel to the ground. Micah shifts, shielding her completely with his body. As the tree explodes against Micah's back, Adisa feels him shudder with the impact and the air fills with wood chips and sawdust. Miraculously, they aren't smashed into the ground. They safely continue flying. Micah finally begins to open up to Adisa about his secret life as a superbeing and she discovers another shocking secret. Micah burns for her--literally as well as figuratively. ASLEEP is a superhero teen love story set in modern day Atlanta that's filled with thrills, romance, and suspense.

-Really liked this book too. Read my review here

To Enter: Must become a follower (especially for those who forget to leave their emails since sometimes you can find the email on the Follower profile page). You still get points for being a follower.

You need to answer ONE of the following:

1. If you were a superhero what special power would you want? Or

2. Would you rather be an angel or a vampire? Leave a short comment (1 sentence or so) explaining your choice.

+1 new follower

+2 Old follower

+2 leave a recommendation of a paranormal/Halloween type YA book with a poc as the main character.

+1 leaving a Halloween joke :)

+3Tell me what you are being for Halloween or just leave a creative costume idea (if you don't celebrate Halloween you can leave a comment explaining why or tell me your least favorite Halloween costume).

+3 writing a post about this contest/giveaway

+2 posting a link in your sidebar

+1 Thinking of something creative having to do with Halloween and leaving a comment (or a link). It can be anything Halloween related. Funny, scary, a book giveaway, whatever.

MUST LEAVE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS!

Ends: Halloween Night! Oct. 31 Midnight CT time.

I tried to make the entries a little more fun ;)

New Crayons & The Winner!

New Crayons was created by the wonderful susan at Color Online (an amazing blog, do check it out!)

But before I share my new books, I need to announce the winner of my Choices & Monsoon Summer giveaway!

And the winner is....

Valerie!

Yay Valerie! I'l be emailing you shortly. Thanks to all who entered and I'll be posting about my Halloween giveaway later today!

Now for the books I got this week

The Great Call of China by Cynthia Liu

Chinese-born Cece was adopted when she was two years old by her American parents. Living in Texas, she’s bored of her ho-hum high school and dull job. So when she learns about the S.A.S.S. program to Xi’an, China, she jumps at the chance. She’ll be able to learn about her passion—anthropology—and it will give her the opportunity to explore her roots. But when she arrives, she receives quite a culture shock. And the closer she comes to finding out about her birth parents, the more apprehensive she gets. Enter Will, the cute guy she first meets on the plane. He and Cece really connect during the program. But can he help her get accustomed to a culture she should already know about, or will she leave China without the answers she’s been looking for?

-I've wanted this book for a while because I like the S.A.S.S. series, but the main characters are usually white so I was excited to find a poc as the main character. Also it's autographed! (but I didn't get to meet Ms. Liu, it was already autographed when I bought it) From Barnes & Noble

Karma for Beginners by Jessica Blank

Fourteen-year-old Tessa has never had a normal life. Her mother, a frustrated hippie with awful taste in men, has seen to that. But when her mom pulls her out of school to live at an ashram in the Catskills, Tessa goes from being a freak among normal people to being an outcast among freaks. Freaks who worship an orange robe-wearing guru. And while her mom is buzzing with spiritual energy, and finding a little too much favor with the guru, all Tessa feels are weird vibes.

Unless she's with Colin, the gorgeous boy who fixes trucks for the ashram. The connection they share is the most spiritual thing Tessa has ever felt. But he's older-like illegally older-and Tessa's taking dangerous risks to spend time with him. Soon her life is blooming into a psychedelic web of secrets and lies and it's clear that something's about to give way. When it does, will she have anyone to hold on to? Will she even know herself?

-To be honest, I'm not so sure about this book. I originally thought ashram as in India spiritual center, but then I realized the Catskills is in New York. So I may or may not review this, since the main character isn't a poc nor is it by a poc author. I will review it though if it talks a lot about Hinduism.

Sent to me by Ms. Lyn Miller-Lachmann. Thanks!

That's what I got this week. What did you get?

Throwback Thrusday: Choices

Throwback Thrusday was created by Tashi (we miss you!). In it I review books from 2007 and earlier.

Choices by Katrina L. Burchett 2007

Rating: 3/5

IQ “It was sad to her she was judged so harshly for making responsible choices while her peers, who were making irresponsible choices without considering the consequences, were supposedly cool.” Bridgette

Choices tells the stories of five teenage girls and how big a role sex plays in their lives. All of the girls are Christians except Angel (although at times you couldn’t tell any of them were Christians). Shauntice’s father abuses her mother, but she still has a strong faith. Terry is interested in her, but she’s afraid to trust him, thinking all guys only want one thing and could very well likely turn out to be abusive. Angel’s mom is a workaholic, she doesn’t believe in God and she has no idea where her father is. She’s been having sex since thirteen and sleeps with many different guys. LaKeeta purposely becomes pregnant. Bridgette practices abstinence. Hope has a strict mother who hasn’t taught her anything about sex.

My favorite character was Hope. Actually, it should be rephrased as the ‘character I didn’t mind’. All the other characters bothered me immensely; therefore I didn’t have a favorite. Hope’s mother won’t allow her to watch TV, go to parties, hang out with her friends, drive or do anything else fun. All Hope does is go to school, come home and go to church. Her mom buys all her clothes and they’re plain and unflattering. I don’t know how Hope put up with her mom for as long as she did, because I would have gone crazy. Her mother was just cruel sometimes, but mostly she was just oblivious to the pain she was causing her daughter. Her husband tried to help Hope out and speak to his wife, but she ignored him. I think the dad could have tried a little harder. Also her story was the one I’m most curious about. Choices is going to be a trilogy and I want to know what happens between her and her mother.

LaKeeta wasn’t that bad of a character, I just thought she made a silly mistake. She gets pregnant on purpose, but it never explains why all that clearly. I think if it was explained better, I might have felt sympathy for her and liked her better, but it’s not so I don’t. Also she whines about pregnant and it’s annoying because it’s her own fault. I do what to find out about what’s going between her and the father of her child. LaKeeta’s very cagey about him, we know who it is, but we don’t know why he’s not around (it seems like he wants to be, but LaKeeta doesn’t want his help). She’s a very sincere Christian though and seems like a good friend.

Shauntice was a nice character, but I just wanted her to stop running away from Terry. He clearly liked her and proved to her countless times that he cares about her. I’m indifferent to seeing her story continue as I think you can tell what happened based on the ending. She taught me something though; she kept her faith even though her father was an abusive alcoholic. I can barely keep my faith and I’m not going through anything nearly as tough. I admire her for that.

Angel drove me crazy. The guy she slept with (Randy) treated her like dirt, and she kept going back to him. To top it all off, they don’t even use protection. Also, she was best friends with Shauntice who had told her that mother was abused. She should know the signs since her best friend has told her stories about it! But at the same time, she made good points. She wasn’t a Christian and she was always calling out so-called Christians when they weren’t acting Christ-like, which I applaud.

Bridgette was my least favorite character. To me she embodies what is wrong with certain Christians today. She was judgmental and had a holier-than-thou attitude which I detested. I could care less about what happens in her story.

My main problem with this book was at times I felt it was too preachy. I’m not sure if that was because the teens were mostly very religious or if it’s just me. I also think there were too many details that were inconsequential. Descriptions of clothes, rooms and houses, that didn’t add anything to the story. I would recommend this book to all teens, even if you aren’t a Christian because I think some of the stories are very interesting and don’t get told as often (Hope’s and LaKeeta’s stories, everyone else’s is a bit of a cliché). And ultimately, I think the topic of sex in books is just so overplayed, that Choices could have been better if it was more original and offered a fresh, new perspective instead if reiterating the same stories and consequences. I’m not sure if I would buy the next book in this trilogy, but I would check it out of the library, because I do want to know what happens to some of the teens. Some of the endings are tidy, while others clearly leave an opening for the next book.

Disclosure: I received 2 copies of this book from the author. Thanks Ms. Burchett!

Another Faust Contest and Waiting on Wednesday: Explorer X

So authors Daniel & Dina Nayeri are hosting a really amazing contest at their website! They are asking people to write their own re-working of the Faustian bargain. You must be an un-published writer and you must write it in English. More details here What will you win? Some pretty AH-MAZING prizes!

-A signed copy of Another Faust (I'm currently reading it and I like it very much).

-An article and interview on the authors website

-An author's galley of Another Pan (Their next book which sounds awesome as well, especially because I actually know the story of Peter Pan whereas I didn't know the story of Faust).

-A handwritten deleted scene

And possibly something else!

So go enter! (I would if I could write :)

And I'm Waiting On...

Explorer X-Alpha by L.M. Preston

Released: Feb. 2010

For most kids, a trip to space camp is a trip of a lifetime, for Aadi it was life altering. After receiving a camp immunization needed for travel to Mars, Aadi finds that the immunization is the catalyst of an insidious experiment. Lucky for him, he was engineered to survive, thrive, and dominate. Without realizing he is being trained to conquer worlds, and manipulated under the guise of a camp, he unfolds the plot too late for a change of fate.

-I'm always looking for new poc sci/fi fantasy!

Another Giveaway!

I'm pleased to announce another giveaway! 1 winner, 2 books.

I've read Choices (review will be up soon) and I intend on reading Monsoon Summer.



Choices by Katrina L. Burchett

Five teenage girls make decisions about boyfriends and premarital sex.... Shauntice Johnston lives in a world of domestic abuse. Her dad beats her mom, so she doesn't trust guys. Angel Nichols feels neglected by her workaholic mother and she has no idea who her father is; she started having sex for the attention. LaKeeta Wilson is pregnant and she got that way on purpose. Bridgette Anderson feels very strongly about abstinence and nobody is going to change her mind. Hope Patterson lives a sheltered life because of her mother's strict rules. Rebellion puts her in a dangerous situation.

Choices is the first in a trilogy.

-I liked Choices and it's a good book, especially for teens.



Monsoon Summer by Mitali Perkins

Jasmine “Jazz” Gardner heads off to India during the monsoon season. The family trip is her mother’s doing: Mrs. Gardner wants to volunteer at the orphanage that cared for her when she was young. But going to India isn’t Jazz’s idea of a great summer vacation. She wants no part of her mother’s do-gooder endeavors.

What’s more, Jazz is heartsick. She’s leaving the business she and her best friend, Steve Morales, started—as well as Steve himself. Jazz is crazy in love with the guy. If only he knew!

Only when Jazz reluctantly befriends Danita, a girl who cooks for her family, and who faces a tough dilemma, does Jazz begin to see how she can make a difference—to her own family, to Danita, to the children at the orphanage, even to Steve. As India claims Jazz, the monsoon works its madness and its magic
-It sounds great and I can't wait to read it!

To Enter: Ends Oct. 24 11:50 PM CT

1 winner, wins both books.

+1 New follower

+2 old follower

+2 commenting on any reviews/interivews/misc. posts (leave a comment with the name of the review/post you commented on)

Must leave a comment with your EMAIL! AND MUST ANSWER: Which book sounds most interesting to you and why.

Best wishes everyone :)

New Crayons

New Crayons is when I share what new books I got. Hosted by Susan at Color Online

Before I share my new books I have an announcement/question:

October is Filipino Heritage Month. I didn't learn this till last night (I was researching months in honor of various cultures). I would like to review at last two books with Filipino/a main characters. I only know of one book, Fresh Off the Boat by Melissa de la Cruz. If anyone has any suggestions please leave a comment or email me.

Thanks!

Onto the books....

From Borders

Ash by Malinda Lo

In the wake of her father's death, Ash is left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother. Consumed with grief, her only joy comes by the light of the dying hearth fire, rereading the fairy tales her mother once told her. In her dreams, someday the fairies will steal her away, as they are said to do. When she meets the dark and dangerous fairy Sidhean, she believes that her wish may be granted.

The day that Ash meets Kaisa, the King's Huntress, her heart begins to change. Instead of chasing fairies, Ash learns to hunt with Kaisa. Though their friendship is as delicate as a new bloom, it reawakens Ash's capacity for love-and her desire to live. But Sidhean has already claimed Ash for his own, and she must make a choice between fairy tale dreams and true love.

-I have only seen 5s or the highest ratings possible being given to this book. Seriously, I haven't seen a single negative review. And why not? The synopsis makes it sound exquisite and the cover is gorgeous! I did another happy dance when I got this book.

From Barnes & Noble

The God Box by Alex Sanchez

How could I choose betwen my sexuality and my spirituality, two of themost important parts that made me whole?

High school senior Paul has dated Angie since middle school, and they're good together. They have a lot of the same interests, like singing in their church choir and being active in Bible club. But when Manuel transfers to their school, Paul has to rethink his life. Manuel is the first openly gay teen anyone in their small town has ever met, and yet he says he's also a committed Christian. Talking to Manuel makes Paul reconsider thoughts he has kept hidden, and listening to Manuel's interpretation of Biblical passages on homosexuality causes Paul to reevaluate everything he believed. Manuel's outspokenness triggers dramatic consequences at school, culminating in a terrifying situation that leads Paul to take a stand.

-My first Alex Sanchez book and this seemed like the best one to start with since I'm curious about the issues between religion and sexual orientation.

I just realized that both of these books are about gays and lesbians. I'm glad as I'm ready to start widening my reading horizons :) Also it's LGBT History month so even though none of these books have to do with the history, they are still about LGBT teens. But this was unintentional, I probably won't even get around to reading these books till November.

Riding the Universe

So I thought I had published my Riding the Universe review. Apparently not, so here it is. I read it over the summer. Good summer read. It's from the library.

Riding the Universe by Gaby Triana 2009

Rating: 4/5

IQ “It makes me wonder: why should we get used to anything when nothing is permanent? Even people. Why should we put our hearts way out there for them when they’re only going to die on you one day?”

Chloé Rodriguez values three things above all else—her family; her best friend, Rock; and Lolita, her Harley-Davidson 1200 Sportster. With a black body, blue airbrushed flames, and perfect sloping ape hangers, Lolita is Chloé's last connection to her beloved uncle, Seth, who left her the bike when he died last summer. So when a failing chemistry grade threatens to separate Chloé from her motorcycle, she vows not to let that happen . . . no matter what.

Enter Gordon. Ridiculously organized, übersmart, and hot in a casual, doesn't-know-it kind of way, Chloé's peer tutor may have a thing or two to teach her besides chemistry. But she has to stop falling for Gordon . . . and get Rock to act mature whenever he's around . . . and pass chemistry so she doesn't lose Lolita forever. Just when Chloé thinks she's got it all figured out, a bump in the road comes out of nowhere and sends her skidding.

I want a motorcycle. To me this book should come with a warning sign. Warning: You may have a desire to go out and ride a motorcycle after reading this book. The motorcycle scenes are described with excellent imagery. I want to go out and ride!

I liked this book. My favorite character was Chloe. I really sympathized with Chloe because, while I haven’t taken chemistry yet, I’m sure I won’t understand it either. It’s got to be tough when something you love is being threatened to be taken away. Also, like in The Kayla Chronicles Chloe (like Kayla) makes up words. Chloe’s aren’t as funny as Kayla’s, but they make more sense (in my opinion). For example, “Gordon stares at me with a look I can only describe as malevoly-something both malevolent and ‘holy moly’!” I liked the made-up words, the motorcycle aspect and I loved the title. I learned a lot from this book about stars (Chloe likes astronomy).

I didn’t give this book 5/5 because it didn’t amaze me. The plotline is very original and interesting, but the book just wasn’t fantastic to me. I’m not really sure why, but I would recommend it to everyone (I would love to hear from you after you’ve read it). I highly encourage everyone to read it though, especially because it’s so different (the love story part is pretty cliché, although there were certain parts in the love story that I didn’t see coming). 8^th grade & up

Final Thoughts on Hispanic Heritage Month from me and YOU the readers

I just wanted to share some of the responses that I got from the Celebration of Hipsanic Heritage Month giveaway.

1. The majority of people agreed that their favorite thing about Latino culture is the food. The food is definitely one of my favorites too (quesadillas, flan, ropa vieja, tres leches, paella, ochata, etc.). I also love how pretty the Spanish language is and how it unites so many people. even though not all words are the same, for the most part if you speak Spanish and go to another Spanish-speaking country you'll be able to understand everyone just fine (it may be a bit more difficult if you speak Central American/South American Spanish and you go to Spain, where they speak Castilian Spanish). Other responses were; soccer (futbol!), and the people. In my experience many Latinos are very hospitable, warm and loving. Also there is such a great diversity amongst us, especially in skin color. The white Cubans, tan Mexicans, dark Dominicans (of course these are only examples there are also dark Cubans, dark and light Mexicans tan Puerto Ricans, light Dominicans etc.). It's sad but too often in Latino culture light skin is valued more than dark skin, in fact, some Latino families don't want their kids associating with dark skinned kids(remember some of the fuss going on about J-Lo dating P.Diddy?). I've dealt with this myself. One of my Latina friends told me she couldn't invite me over to her house, because her mom doesn't like dark people, especially not African Americans. This made me sad, but I got over it because at least my friend didn't feel the same way!

We are a triumphant people. Like all cultures, we've had our bad moments (Inquisiton, way too many Latin American dicators, etc.) but we also come out ok and ready to improve! As Caesar Chavez said: Si Se Puede! We are a beautiful and proud people. We are the (or soon to be) number one minority group in America. We have power (as consumers and as voters). Let's get more Latinos in Congress, especially in the Senate!

The most common place people wanted to visit was Mexico or Spain. I've been to Mexico and Panama, but I want to see all the Spanish-speaking countries*. My highest priority is Spain, then Puerto Rico, Cuba, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Guatemala, Ecuador and all other Central/South American Spanish-speaking countries, ending with mi patria (my country) of Panama.
*Side note: Belize is NOT a Spanish-speaking country. It's an all too common mistake. They speak English and French.

Some response I want to share: Everyone's response was wonderful and I appreciate all of you sharing your thoughts and entering!

Bookweirdo: i love hispanic heritage month because i am hispanic and am very proud of my culture. People may say they like the diversity or whatever but really its the food it's too good to be true(my mom cooks the best tamales).

Isa: Well, I'm Mexican so I like September since it's the month of independence. My mom's b-day is a day before it! :)
All these books sound really cool and I'm a little sad that I haven't heard of them before. Have you read Perfect Chemistry? My favorite book ever, I think. I think I would visit Spain since that's where it all started.
-That is what Reading in Color is all about. Introducing people to books that they haven't heard of before with teenage poc.

Zetta:What I love about Latino culture is what I love about black culture: respect for ancestors and elders, the centrality of family, and the FOOD!

Wanda: I like Hispanic Heritage Month because it draws my attention to the type of books I don't normally read. I love reading different types of books.
-Yay Wanda!

YA Vampire Books: Why do you like Hispanic Heritage Month? - I think it's interesting to learn about other cultures and other ways of living, which you do when you read for example hispanic books.
2. Your favorite aspect of Latino culture - I love that the people is very nice and warm-hearted (at least the ones I met)I also love the food!!

Okibum:I am an elementary school Spanish teacher and love Hispanic Heritage Month because it reminds me not to just teach language, but culture is just important. I love to celebrate famous Latinos to show my students that there is a lot more to the Spanish speaking world than a 30 minute class three times a week

-Amen! :)

Allie: My favorite aspect of Latino culture is the literature. The literature not only debunks and deconstructs stereotypes. It is also delightful and insightful, engaging readers with plots and characters that are sharp, stirring, and scintillating.

-Junot Diaz, Isabel Allende, Gabriel Garcia Marequez, Julia Alvarez. Amazing!

Ladysilver: Why do you like Hispanic Heritage Month? I love learning about all heritages. unfortunately it is only during HHM or BHM that the world allows that extra peek into our cultures.
2. Your favorite aspect of Latino culture...The food..can not say enough about the yummy diverse options.

Paradox: Your favorite aspect of Latino culture - I love so much about it! The art, history, the beauty of the Spanish language, and the food (especially tamales)!

Nancye: I would like to visit Guatemala to see the country where my nephew was born (& adopted from as a baby).

-Awww :D

Lisa: Hispanic Heritage Month is a great opportunity to share history and culture that otherwise does not get enough time in the spotlight.
2. Performing and visual arts get all tied up in a beautiful, interrelated bundle for me.

Finally, I urge everyone to remember that HHM should be celebrated 365 days of the year (as should Black/Asian/Native American Month). I hope to see more reviews and comments of books with poc all year round, not just during their 'special' month!

PS Do check out my links to contests in my sidebar! There are a few books with Hispanic main characters or important secondary characters being given away. The more entries these contests get, the more contests similar to that particular one will be held. Lots of entires=lots of interest! Let's show bloggers, publishers and authors that we want to see more books with poc!

Waiting on Wednesday: Payback

Waiting on Wednesday was created by Jill

Release Date (paperback): Oct. 27, 2009

Payback by Rosemary Hayes

Like some of her friends, 18-year-old Halima, a Muslim, has moved with her family to London, and her horizons are beginning to expand. Then, just as she is about to start university, she discovers her father's secret plan: to marry her to the son of a distant relation in Pakistan who once did him a favor. Halima is to be the repayment of the debt, and it's payback time. The question is, will Halima, who is now immersed in a new life far from her former village, find the inner resources to resist? Or will she give in to the pressures of family and culture and forsake her new life in London, along with her dreams? This timely book offers an exciting story of courage and friendship set against a background of traditional cultural attitudes in conflict with contemporary feelings. Payback questions the custom of arranged marriages and Hindu and Muslim attitudes toward them, while inviting young readers to do the same.

It sounds interesting and I'm curious to learn more about arranged marriages, but I'm not a fan of the cover.

Sidenote: Is it just me or has anyone else noticed how hard it is to find YA books with poc to be 'waiting on' (I have a hard time finding books that haven't already been released and I rarely get ideas from other blogs).

Male Monday: Muchacho

Muchacho by LouAnne Johnson 2009

Rating: 5/5

IQ "Being a good example is hard work but at least it makes me feel like I'm doing something and not just taking up space. I'd like to take up a real big space someday, so big that people would have to stand back when I walk into the room, but I would act like I didn't even notice they were looking at me. That way, people wouldn't feel embarrassed and they could take a good long look at me and maybe they would see something in me that is so good I can't even see it myself."

Como se dices amazing? Muchacho! Translated: How do you say amazing? Muchacho!

Eddie Corazon is definitely one of my new favorite guy characters of all time. He's such a great kid with a lot of heart (fyi: Corazon means heart in Spanish)! Eddie is a really smart, but angry kid. He hides his love of reading and hangs out with his cousins instead. His cousins are usually in jail, or doing stuff that will result in jail time. Then Boy Meets Girl. Eddie meets Lupe. Lupe blows his mind away. She's smart, independent, beautiful and she wholeheartedly believes in Eddie. She sees potential in him that he himself does not see. Lupe is going places, with or without Eddie. She encourages Eddie to start writing poetry and not to hide his intelligence. But Eddie's cousins and friends say Eddie is "whipped", completely under the control of Lupe and who cares about school? "Gripping, thought-provoking and hopeful, MUCHACHO is a rare and inspiring story about one teen's determination to fight his circumstances and shape his own destiny." (last part is from the jacket flap).

I added that last sentence from the jacket flap because Muchacho is all that and it's a good description of how I felt about the book. In the beginning I'm not so sure I could be friends with Eddie. He's well on his way to being a juvenile delinquent, he's one of the toughest guys at school. But after he meets Lupe, he changes and I think after that change I would have been his friend. The character development in this novel was so good. It was gradual process, but not boring, it unraveled at its own pace and it was a complete delight to watch Eddie flourish. He makes mistakes, but he always gets back up ready to fight and try again. That is what makes him such an endearing character.

The dialogue is the key element that makes this book so fantastic. I talk (well not all the time)and think the way Eddie does. Especially about school. "They should teach us the stuff we really need to learn-like how to make somebody really love you, and how to turn off that little voice in your head that tells you what a loser you are, and how to teach your dog to pee where it's supposed to and how to get over being sad when your little cousin dies, and how to talk to your father without both of you getting so mad." Exactly (except for the dog part!), schools should help kids deal with the real world, teach them survival skills, especially those who live in rough neighborhoods and are barely surviving. But sometimes when schools do that, they go about unrealistically, like with abstinence (I won't even start on my rant about this, I'm saving it for my Choices review!), drugs or alcohol Like Eddie says "People shouldn't be allowed to go around telling little kids to Just Say No to drugs because that could be dangerous. Besides, Just Say No has to be one of the lamest ideas ever invented in the first place and I bet it was invented by somebody white who never had to sleep in the same bed with four other people who hardly don't ever take a shower because there wasn't anyplace else to sleep. If just saying no worked then people would go around just saying no to stuff they didn't want to do anymore. Papi could just say no to being poor and unemployed. People would just say no to cigarettes...And all those white girls wouldn't be puking up French fries in the bathroom behind the cafeteria." No offense to white people, it's not your fault really. It's just that often, white people hold the positions of power and they make unrealistic policies. Just Say No is a decent start, but after you say No, then what? You get hurt, maybe even killed. Also, I do realize that anorexia and bulimia are not just issues for white girls, but girls of color too.

Another great thing about Muchacho is all the characters. You can't hate anyone. Or even really dislike someone. All the characters give you food for thought. For example, T.J. Ritchie is a jerk but one day in class the kids are talking about a Black guy who was minding his own business, but got killed by the police right before he was to get married (I think he's referring to the Sean Bell case). The kids wonder why that kind of stuff happens and T.J. says "Because you people let it happen....I'm serious. The cops don't do nothing about it and the government sure ain't gonna do nothing about it, so the regular good black people need to do something about it." He then goes on to say the Black people should kill the cops, which I vehemently disagree with (obviously you can't kill people who wrong you!) but he has a point. People have to organize, step up and take a stand. I also like how all the characters have a story, you learn about almost all the characters mentioned.

Finally, I adore Eddie's English teacher Beecher. This review is long as it is, so I will leave you with two quotes that sum her up perfectly and explain why I love her. "Beecher was too busy trying to show us how smart we were instead of how smart she was, so by the time we wised up to how smart she was, she was already gone." And "I choose to live within the law because I could never survive being incarcerated, but if you don't mind risking your freedom in pursuit of a life that offers you fulfillment, that is your choice, However, analyzing literature will not help you become a more successful drug dealer, which is why I suggest that if you seriously wish to pursue that avenue, you focus your efforts on your criminal career. The sooner you start, the better chance you have of being successful-until you are incarcerated or killed." Brilliant response. Beecher is calm and poised. No yelling on her part, nor does she go into a state of shock or worse, denial (acting like he said nothing). This is how a teacher should be in my opinion.

*Side note: Why are the awesome teachers always English teachers? A good topic to ruminate on in a post someday.

Lupe is just fabulous. There's nothing else to say about her, READ MUCHACHO to find out more. I'm sure guys (and girls) will be laughing and nodding their heads in agreement with the thoughts Eddie expresses, especially those on dating. A must-read for all teens, but especially disadvantaged guys. High school and up.

New Crayons

Wow this was an absolutely fantastic week of books! It more than made up for me not getting any last week :( (although technically I did have some of these, but they were in my P.O. Box which I didn't get a chance to check till Thursday).

New Crayons is all about the new books I got this week.

Bought at Borders with $40 gift card from my Tio (Spanish for uncle)!
Summaries courtesy of Amazon, unless otherwise specified.

Sunrise over Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers

Robin "Birdy" Perry, a new army recruit from Harlem, isn't quite sure why he joined the army, but he's sure where he's headed: Iraq. Birdy and the others in the Civilian Affairs Battalion are supposed to help secure and stabilize the country and successfully interact with the Iraqi people. Officially, the code name for their maneuvers is Operation Iraqi Freedom. But the young men and women in the CA unit have a simpler name for it:

WAR

-I think this will be one of the first books I've ever read about the Iraq War. And I love Walter Dean Myers so I'm very excited to read something new to me by one of my favorite authors!

I Am Apache by Tonya Landman

After watching helplessly as Mexican raiders brutally murder her little brother, fourteen-year-old Siki is filled with a desire for vengeance and chooses to turn away from a woman's path to become a warrior of her Apache tribe. Though some men, like envious Keste, wish to see Siki fail, she passes test after test, and her skills grow under the guidance of her tribe's greatest warrior, Golahka. But Keste begins to whisper about Siki's father's dishonorable death, and even as Siki earns her place among the warriors, she senses a dark secret in her past — one that will throw into doubt everything she knows. Taking readers on a sweeping and suspenseful journey through the nineteenth-century American Southwest, Tanya Landman draws on historical accounts to imagine the Black Mountain Apache as a tribe in a fight for survival against the devastating progress of nations.

-I had to do my part and buy a book about a Native American female as they are such rare books! And it sounds amazing :)

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkes

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more.

In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.

-I have seen this book on so many blogs getting great reviews (like at the epic rat, where Cecilia gave it a 5 and I totally trust Cecilia's judgement) and it's been recommended to me by so many readers (most recently by Isa) that I finally decided I must get it.

Forged by Fire by Sharon Draper

Will Gerald find the courage to stand up to his stepfather?

When his loving aunt dies, Gerald suddenly is thrust into a new home filled with anger and abuse. A brutal stepfather with a flaming temper and an evil secret makes Gerald miserable, and the only light in his grim life is Angel, his young stepsister. Gerald and Angel grow close as he strives to protect her from Jordan, his abusive stepfather, and from their substance-addicted mother. But Gerald learns, painfully, that his post can't be extinguished, and that he must be strong enough to face Jordan in a final confrontation, once and for all....

-I loved Tears of a Tiger and I love Sharon Draper. The sequel to Tears of a Tiger by Sharon Draper? A win-win!

Does My Head Look Big in This? by Randa Abdal-Fattah

Sixteen-year-old Amal makes the decision to start wearing the hijab full-time and everyone has a reaction. Her parents, her teachers, her friends, people on the street. But she stands by her decision to embrace her faith and all that it is, even if it does make her a little different from everyone else.

Can she handle the taunts of "towel head," the prejudice of her classmates, and still attract the cutest boy in school?

-Sounds like an interesting, good read. Also I need to expand my reading into more about Middle Eastern culture! *EDIT 10/11/09: I need to expand my reading into more about Muslim culture. thanks for the clarification susan! Hope I didn't offend.

Amor and Summer Secrets by Diana Rodrigeuz Wallach

"For fifteen-year-old Mariana Ruiz, it's not so much an unexpected vacation as a literal "guilt trip"-her father's way of atoning for ignoring his Puerto Rican roots. But freedom from her parents is little compensation for being forced to spend two months with complete strangers rather than with her best friends in Philadelphia.

Once on "vacation," her worst fears come true. The heat is merciless, the food is spicy, and her great aunt and uncle's mountain house teems with relatives, only one of whom-her distant cousin Lilly-speaks English. Bored, and hoping to make up for missing her best friend's star-studded Sweet 16, Mariana offers to help in the planning of Lilly's Quinceañera. Soon, despite herself, Mariana clicks with new friends who open doors to romance and long-hidden secrets. Suddenly the summer she dreaded is ending way too quickly. It might turn out that the last place she ever wanted to go is the one place she truly finds herself.s

-I read this book a while ago (before I had my blog) and I recall liking it a lot so I decided to buy it and re-read/review it, especially because Diana is so funny and nice. Also she was kind enough to donate a copy of the 2nd book in this series to be given away (in my HHM giveaway).

Received

Black Angels by Linda Beatrice Brown

from Stacy Barnes at Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers.

The compelling story of three young orphans who must survive on their own during the Civil War.

It's near the end of the war, and rumors of emancipation are swirling. Eleven-year-old Luke decides to run away to freedom and join the Union Army. But he doesn’t find the Yankee troops he was hoping for. Instead, he finds nine-year-old Daylily, lost in the woods after suffering an unspeakable tragedy. Her master set her free, but freedom so far has her scared and alone.

Also lost in the woods is seven-year-old Caswell, the son of a plantation owner. He was only trying to find his Mamadear after the Yankees burned their house with all their fine things. He wanted to be brave. But alone in the woods with two slave children, he quickly loses all his courage, and comes to greatly depend upon his new friends. In the chaos and violence that follows, the three unrelated children discover a bond in each other stronger than family.

-Sharon G. Flake and Nikki Giovanni loved this book. Enough said.

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
No summary available online (that I could find) since (I suppose) it's not released till Jan. 2010

Back Cover

It's the summer of 1968 and eleven-year-old Delphine is wondering why she and her younger sisters have to go all the way from Brooklyn to Oakland, California, to visit the mother who abandoned them. When they get there, she makes them eat Chinese takeout dinners, forbids them to enter her kitchen, and never explains the strange visitors in Afros and black berets who knock on her door.

-I haven't read any books about the Black Panthers so I can't wait to read this one! It's MG too. From HarperTeen.

8th Grade SuperZero by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich

Ever since a deeply unfortunate incident earlier this year, Reggie's been known as "Pukey" McKnight at his high-intensity Brooklyn middle school. He wants to turn his image around, but he has other things on his mind as well: his father, who's out of a job; his best friends, Ruthie and Joe C.; his former best friend Donovan, who's now become a jerk; and of course, the beautiful Mialonie. The elections for school president are coming up, but with his notorious nickname and "nothing" social status, Reggie wouldn't stand a chance, if he even had the courage to run.

Then Reggie gets involved with a local homeless shelter, the Olive Branch. Haunted by two of the clients there--George, a once-proud man now living on the streets, and Charlie, a six-year-old kid who becomes his official "Little Buddy"--he begins to think about making a difference, both in the world and at school. Pukey for President? It can happen . . . if he starts believing.

-Sent to me by the author. Thank you! I gave a copy away already and now it's my turn to read this book which sounds fabulous :D

Secret Saturdays by Torrey Maldonado

A poignant look into one fatherless twelve-year-old’s struggles with friendship and trust.

Sean is Justin’s best friend, at least Justin thought he was. But lately Sean has been acting differently. Sean’s been telling lies, getting into trouble at school, and hanging out with a tougher crowd, even getting into fights. This isn’t like Sean at all.

When Justin finally discovers that Sean’s been secretly going to visit his father in prison and is dealing with the shame of that, Justin wants to do something to help before his friend spirals further out of control. But what if confronting Sean means Justin loses his very best friend? In the end, he decides it doesn’t matter; he’s got to man up.

Set in one of New York’s most dangerous neighborhoods, Secret Saturdays is an affecting read highlighted by strong characters and an authentic, heartening voice.

-Another amazing sounding MG book. Sent to me by Stacey (same who sent me Black Angels).

Another Faust by Dina & Daniel Nayeri

One night, in cities all across Europe, five children vanish — only to appear, years later, at an exclusive New York party with a strange and elegant governess. Rumor and mystery follow the Faust teenagers to the city’s most prestigious high school, where they soar to suspicious heights with the help of their benefactor’s extraordinary "gifts." But as the students claw their way up — reading minds, erasing scenes, stopping time, stealing power, seducing with artificial beauty — they start to suffer the side effects of their own addictions. And as they make further deals with the devil, they uncover secrets more shocking than their most unforgivable sins. At once chilling and wickedly satirical, this contemporary re imagining of the Faustian bargain is a compelling tale of ambition, consequences, and ultimate redemption.

-I've wanted this book So.Badly.And now I have it! Why? Go re-read the summary! Thanks so much Cecilia. I'm not sure if the main characters are poc, but the authors are so I'm reviewing it anyway.

Whew lots of reading to do (my tbr pile has fallen over twice already)! What did you get this week? Leave me a comment.

New Crayons is brought to you by the dynamic susan, at Color Online!

Ganador!! Winner of Celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month Giveaway!

Ganador is Spanish for winner :) Picked by random.org

And here they are......

1. austenfan!

2. misusedinnocence!

3. susan!

4. Jo Ann Hernandez!

5. evelyn n. alfred!

Congrats all my winners and thank you everyone who entered! I'll be contacting you guys shortly, but I'm too tired to right now. Feel free to email me! Remember if you don't reply within 48 hours, I pick a new winner. *Edit: Sorry guys, here's the list!

You may be wondering why the giveaway ends a few days before Hispanic Heritage month ends, but the books will not likely arrive till after HHM ends. Why did I do this? It was intentional becuase I think that HHM should be celebrated 365 days a year and I want to encourage people to read books with Latino/a main characters all the time, not just during Hispanic Heritage Month.

Stay tuned for another contest soon!

Throwback Thrusday (Yes I do realize it's Saturday): Graffitti Girl by Kelly Parra

Graffiti Girl by Kelly Parra 2007

Rating: 4/5

IQ "The other day I tried to put a fat cap on my spray can, but when I pressed the nozzle nothing came out. I shook the can and pressed, still nothing. Miguel finally told me the cap was clogged. That was kind of how I felt with my art, a spray can full of color and ideas ready to paint, but stuck-clogged-with no place to create." Angel

I wish I had artistic talent. That was my final thought when I finished this book. The art described by the author of Angel, Nathan, Miguel and others made me ache for artistic talent and to see their artwork for myself.

Graffitti Girl is about junior Angel Rodriguez who loves art, especially painting. She's being raised by a single mom who seems to care more about the random, hurtful men in her life, than her daughter's own life. The only family member who seems to care about Angel is Nana. A contest is held to paint a community mural and Angel loses. She's crushed, especially when her art teacher describes her art style as "whimsical." (although that's not why she lost the contest). Angel sees the term "whimsical" as an insult, almost saying that her artwork is done in a cartoony, not very well-done style. Angel's guy friend (who she would love to be something more with), Nathan Ramos tries to console her and he also becomes interested in her art. He's an athlete (track), talented artist and a good student. Enter "Badman" aka Miguel Badalin. Miguel is also in Angel's art class. He's your typical Sexy Bad Boy, who is a great artist. His main style is graffiti and he leads Angel into the dangerous, tumultuous world of graffiti art.

Something I love about Kelly Parra's books is the interesting way she mixes it up between chapters. In Invisible Touch she uses blog entries, in Graffiti Girl she headlines each chapter with a term used by graffiti artists. I loved learning about the words graffiti artists use, especially ones that you think you already know the meanings of, like writer. A writer is a practitioner of graf art. Also I enjoyed the commentary Angel added after each term. For example: Character is a figure used to add something to a piece. Angel's commentary: I seemed to know a lot of these.Learning about graffiti was absolutely fascinating. The culture, the designs, the terms, the different perspectives and the creative tag names. Some viewed graffiti as vandalism, others viewed graffiti as an expression of their artistic freedom.

The love triangle added a nice level of drama into the story, but it wasn't the key element. We never really saw the characters of Nana and Angel's mother become fully developed and I felt their relationship could have been expressed a little better, more details. Watching Angel grow on her journey as an artist and a person was an engaging read.

I would highly recommend this book to all art lovers, non-artists and people interested in graffiti as well as those who view graffiti artists as criminals. 7th grade and up. I'll be thinking of my own tag name, even though I'm no artist!

- Graffitti Girl was donated by Kelly Parra to be featured in my Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration giveaway. Thanks for your generosity Kelly! Also don't forget my HHM Celebration giveaway ends tonight at 11:59 PM CT!