2010 GLBT Challenge

(In an effort to clean up my sidebar, I am moving all the information about my challenges from the sidebar to a page)

The Challenge That Dare Not Speak Its Name runs from Jan. 1, 2010-
Dec. 31, 2010

I'm reading all poc GLBT YA books. I'm going to aim for the highest level which is the Rainbow Level (12 books). This list could change depending on availability of the books (it's incredibly hard to find books about teens of color who are GLBT). Books I have completed will be linked to their reviews.

1. The Necessary Hunger by Nina Revyor

2. So Hard To Say by Alex Sanchez

3. Hard Love by Ellen Wittlinger

4. Love & Lies: Marisol's Story by Ellen Wittlinger

5. M+0 4EVR by Tonya Hegamin

6. Last Night I Sang To the Monster by Benjamin Alire Saenz

7. The Vast Fields of Ordinary by Nick Burd

8. Punkzilla by Adam Rupp

9. The House You Pass On the Way by Jacqueline Woodson

10. Orphea Proud by Sharon Dennis Wyeth

11. Love is the Higher Law by David Levithan

12. A Map of Home by Randa Jarr

13. Dramarama by E. Lockhart (off color)

Alternatives

1. Into the Beautiful North by Luis Alberto Urrea

2. Babyji by Abha Dawesar

3. What Night Brings by Carla Trujillo

4. My Invented Life by Lauren Bjorkman (Is this book about a person of color?)

Wish me luck!

*I am out of town from July 24-August 1, 2010. I will have no Internet access but I look forward to reading and replying to all comments and emails upon my return.

All Eyes On: One Big Adventure

I am a failure with my blogger spotlight, but I'm going to work on bringing it back! If you're interested in being featured, email me.

As of right now I've changed the name of this feature from Blogger Spotlight to All Eyes On. What do you think of the name change? I needed something catchy and this is all I can think of at the moment.

Today all eyes should be on Najela who blogs at One Big Adventure. I first met Najela through her comments. She is a rarity in that she comments and when you reply she actually replies back and then *gasp* you are having an ACTUAL CONVERSATION. That's what I want my comment format to be. I admit sometimes I don't reply to comments all the time, but I'm working on it and sometimes I'll email you or visit your blog and comment there. Anyway, that's how Najela and I became friends, through her comments which led me to check out her blog. She is creative, fun and ambitious. To get a look at how ambitious she is, check out her 101 in 1001 in which she lists 97 goals she has, ranging from serious to fun. The goals must be completed in 1001 days. It's a great list and I plan to do one too and post it here.

Without further ado here's Najela!

To be blunt: Why should we care about your blog, how is it special?

I suppose what makes my blog special is that it's not strictly a book blog, I like to talk about other things too, like my life, school, guys (or the lack thereof in my case), opinions, writing in general, and things concerning my works in progress...a little something for everybody. The book part of the blog came in when a couple of friends of mine were passing books they normally wouldn't read back and forth and keeping a journal about them. I thought it was cool, but I had no one to pass books to so I decided to blog about the books instead. I typically read the things I enjoy, so that could range from historical fiction of the South to YA paranormal romance and everything in between. The title comes from my high school graduation essay in which I referred to life as a grand adventure, but using grand in a blog title seemed a little pretentious, so I used One Big Adventure instead.

There are so many guys out there, I bet that will change! I love that your blog covers every topic and is so honest. What 2010 debut are you most looking forward to? Non debut?

They debuted already, but I really liked Wench by Dolen Perkins-Valdez and Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves. Non-debut, definitely Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins,(the last book in the The Hunger Games trilogy). Authors should be tarred and feathered for ending books on such huge cliffhangers.

Hmm maybe not tarred and feathered but some other form of punishment is deserved! I love Bleeding Violet, one of my favorite books of the year. I still need to read Catching Fire, I'm trying to wait so that I can read it with Mockingjay beside me :)

What are your top five favorite POC books?

My top five favorite PoC books are Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston (this is the number 1, everything else is in no particular order), A Sung Flung Up To Heaven by Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, Orange Mint and Honey by Carleen Brice, and it's a tie between Highwire Moon by Susan Straight and The Girl Who Fell From the Sky by Heidi Durrow

Ooo good books! I love Their Eyes Were Watching God and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. I need to read Orange Mint and Honey since I really liked Carleen Brice's second novel, Children of the Waters. I just got The Girl Who Fell From the Sky!

Tell us about yourself, anything you want.

I'm a 4.5 year undergraduate at a state college in Southern California. I was a Neuroscience major, but changed my major to psychology. I decided to double major in Creative Writing after chickening out about graduation and graduate school. I plan on finally graduating in Winter 2011 and hopefully taking a low residency MFA for creative writing in the spring (don't tell my mom about that last part). I have had about a million jobs, my favorites of which are Developmental teacher for autistic children and Mad Scientist. I love anime and manga, I play the sax and do taiko (Japanese drumming). I like to read and write and tried my hand at drawing.

Whoa you've been through a lot! Those all sound like great experiences that have helped shape you in some way. I love the saxophone, wish I could play.

If you could have dinner with two POC characters from any book, who would it be and why?

Hmmm, I'd have dinner with Jeremiah Roselind from If You Come Softly and Behind You because he's so smart, intuitive, and so self-aware for his age. I'd also like to talk to Shay from Orange Mint and Honey because we are exactly alike (I never connected with a character so much). It would be so much fun to just chat about life or *spoiler alert for If You Come Softly, highlight to read* The lack thereof in Miah's case)

Miah would be amazing to talk to! I want a real life Miah, be sure to invite me to this dinner ;)


Do you have any advice for people who want to start reading by/about POC but aren't sure where to start? Also what advice would you share with new bloggers?

I didn't start focusing more on PoC books until I read other blogs that focused on them. (sadly, I didn't know anything about book blogs, much less PoC ones) This was after analyzing my reading reviews from the year before and noticing that majority of the authors and/or characters were white. There's nothing wrong with books written by (most) white people or about white characters, there's just an over saturation in the market and frankly, I needed some variety.

Do your research and make sure you read authors who don't resort to stereotypes. These are few and far between, but they're out there. I get a lot of recommendations from blogs such as Reading in Color and research that I do on my own. Just google in what you're looking for, check out the blogs, reviews on amazon and if possible, read a sample page. Also do some reading challenges that others are hosting or that you set up for yourself. Here's a great place to start.

As for tips on blogging, if you want to start a blog, just do it. I started my blog with intention of just keeping track of things, but it's been fun letting it progress into something more. Being a former web fiction writer, comments were my livelihood, it let me know that people were reading. As a blogger, if you want to get comments, you have to open a dialogue and ask your readers questions. And also know that just because people aren't commenting, doesn't mean they aren't reading. If you're going to be a hardcore blogger realize that it's going to take time to build an audience. Read other blogs and see what you like and don't like about them, then create your own voice and blog about the things that interest you. Don't try to be someone you're not. Most of all, have fun with it. Try to blog regularly, but don't burn yourself out trying to keep to a set schedule or it'll be like having a job.

Thanks for talking with me.

Aw thanks for the mention =) I couldn't agree more with this advice, when I started out, I got discouraged by my lack of comments and even today I still have posts with no comments. At first I was discouraged, but sometimes I'll get emails about posts or Tweets. This lets me know that even if people don't comment, they are lurking and reading! Thank you so much for joining us Najela!

Because Najela rocks major socks, she is hosting a giveaway right now so stop by One Big Adventure to enter! (major rhyming right there, heehee)

*I will be out of town from July 24-August 1st and will have no Internet access. I look forward to reading all comments and emails when I return :D

Throwback Thursday: Naughts & Crosses

Naughts & Crosses by Malorie Blackman 2001
Simon & Schuster

Rating: 3/5

IQ "People are people. We'll always find a way to mess up, doesn't matter who's in charge." Jack pg. 380

In this world, the Crosses rule and the naughts are treated as inferior. Crosses are Black, naughts are white. Sephy is a Cross, daughter of the aspiring prime minister. Callum is a Naught, his family is working class and his mother used to work for Sephy's family. Callum and Sephy grew up together, but as they get older, they are not allowed to hang out together anymore. But they've fallen in love and they must see each other. As they get older, the world becomes a more complex place. Callum's father and brother seemed to be linked to a terrorist organization, the Liberation Militia (LM). There is evidence that they helped plant a bomb in the mall where Sephy and her mother were shopping at. Sephy's father is determined to see them hanged. Sephy is determined to protect Callum's family and their love.

I think I'm definitely in the minority on this one, but I just couldn't get into this book. It read to much like an historical fiction novel set in the U.S. detailing the civil rights movement, the only difference was the skin color of the oppressors. I was expecting something different. I thought the author was going to bring a new perspective or something to the story, but instead she shows something that most of us already know; stereotypes are wrong (don't make assumptions) and race relations (really life in general) is complex. I suppose this would be a good read for those students who have never experience racism or tried to put themselves in the place of someone who might have experienced it. Sephy is the naive yet well meaning (white in our world, black in this one) girl and Callum is the hardened and fed up (black in our world, white in the one in the book) guy. There are many arguments of violence vs. non violence which could have easily been between members of the Black Panthers and the civil disobedience movement in America. I wasn't a big fan of the writing style either. The chapters were ridiculously short but the book was still really long and some details could have been cut out. Metaphors and similes were overused and the writing makes it seem like something intense is happening all the time, when it's really not that bad.

The story's pacing is off and towards the end you are hurtling full throttle toward a chilling event, desperate to know the outcome. I kept putting this book down and not picking it up right away, but I did want to finish it. The ending was quite well done. I thought I knew what was coming (and I was right), but you keep doubting yourself all the same, as new facts are entered into the equation. The characters are well developed and there are some surprises in people's backgrounds (like Jude, Callum's brother). I wanted to know the name of the world the Crosses and Naughts lived in, but it's never mentioned. I thought it was interesting how the Crosses celebrated Crossmas, but they believe in God. Why the name change from Christmas to Crossmas? I was always sometimes amused at the role reversals in the world the author has created. At one point Callum's dad says "If you're black, that's where it's at. If you're brown, stick around. If you're white, say good night." (pg. 113). I laughed when I read that, even thought it's really not funny (this statement is based on "if you're white you're alright. If you're brown stick around. If you're Black stand back."). The book is not exactly identical to real issues, the LM is a lot more extreme than any organization formed by Black people in America which is intriguing. I definitely didn't agree with their tactics (I wanted to smack all the males in Callum's family-his poor mum!), but it makes you wonder "if we had been more violent, would we have achieved civil rights sooner?" (personally my answer is no, I'm on the MLK and co. side of this issue but I did think about it).

Naughts & Crosses is a suspenseful look at race relations where the power is reversed and the stakes are higher. I applaud the fact that the author has created such an enthralling story that deals with issues that many readers may be unaware of or ignore. For those who think that issues of race are merely black and white this is a good book. It will make you think. It just didn't bring anything new to the table for me. I don't know how to articulately explain why I didn't like this book, I tried and hopefully it makes some sort of sense. To be clear: I am in NO way stating that I didn't like this book because 'I'm black so I already get it' (I read this review to myself and realized that message could come across). I do want to finish the trilogy, I think the series has potential especially because of what the next two books are about. I just won't rush out to read the books right away.

Disclosure: Bought

PS My younger sister read this book and absolutely loved it. She thinks I'm crazy for not liking it. Also if you've read this book, do you consider it dystopia? I don't think it fits as sci fi or fantasy but I could be wrong since I'm new to the genre.

Throwback Thursday is hosted by Take Me Away Reading

Waiting on Wednesday: Between Sisters

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme created by Jill at Breaking the Spine. It's one of my favorite memes :)

This week I-already-own-but-maybe-you-should-wait-on...

Between Sisters by Adwoa Badoe

Release Date: September 1, 2010

The future looks bleak indeed for 16-year-old Gloria. Living in a poor area of Accra, she dreams of becoming a dressmaker, but after failing 13 out of 15 subjects on her final exams it seems unlikely to happen. Then a distant relative, Christine, offers to move Gloria to Kumasi to look after her son. In exchange, Christine will pay for Gloria to go to dressmaking school. In Kumasi everything seems possible, and life is grander than anything Gloria has ever experienced. But Kumasi is also full of temptations, like the popular boutique where the owner takes a fancy to Gloria and encourages her to buy clothes on credit. There’s also the smooth-talking Dr. Kusi, who gives Gloria rides in his red Passat and invites her to bring food to his apartment. Eventually betrayed by those around her, Gloria must reconcile her future, her family, and her desires.

-I received this book for review. It sounds good, I like that it's not set in America and not about an American trying to find herself in a foreign country (although I do like some of those stories). I'm ready to visit Ghana via sofa :)

Summary from Amazon.com

What books are you waiting on this week? Any POC releases?

*I will be out of town until August 1st and will have no computer access. I will respond to all emails and comments when I get back.

Devil's Kiss

Devil's Kiss by Sarwat Chadda 2009

Penguin

Rating: 4.5/5

IQ "What else can we do but fight?" [Arthur]

"Even when it's hopeless?" [Billi]

"Especially when it's hopeless." Arthur pg. 249

Bilquis SanGreal is fifteen and facing a life of violence and protecting the weak. Her father is Master of the Knights Templar and it's Billi turn to join them, she's the first girl to become a member. She is the youngest member and she often feels alone in a world of older men especially since her own father could care less about her. When Billi's childhood friend, Kay, returns from Jerusalem she thinks things will get better. But Kay has changed. He looks better than ever but he is even more committed to the Knights Templar. Billi is thinking of leaving the Knights, so she can't understand why Kay wants to stick with the Knights. Then Billi meets Michael, he's gorgeous and understands her better than anyone else. However, there's no room for boys in Bili's life, especially if they don't know about the Order. On top of all the confusing boy drama, one of the fallen angels is determined to bring all the lost souls back to God, no matter how deadly the cost.

I'm really tempted to write a long and gushy review for this book. There are a few flaws but this book almost gave me a heart attack and I loved it every minute of it. I was disappointed at the Michael storyline, I thought it ran predictable but it doesn't really matter because once the truth about Michael is revealed, the plot quickly becomes unpredictable. The real world seemed to take a backseat to all the monsters and the work of the Templars. Billi comes to school with bruises from all her fights and her teachers wonder about the bruises, but they never press the issue. Also her father was so cruel and I thought the explanation was too convenient (I happily accepted it though in order to move on to more mystery supernatural stuff). The pacing could be a bit off as well, sudden bursts of violence and terror, than a lull of calm intermixed with a dash of real life. I wanted it to flow a little smoother.

This book has one of the best beginnings. It sucks you right in because it starts with Billi being assigned to murder a child. That's all I'll say about that. My favorite part of the book was probably the violent paranormal aspect of it. The author isn't trying to make nice, "sparkly" vampires or friendly monsters. Oh no, his monsters are more true to their original self; completely and utterly terrifying. There are vampires (called ghuls), werewolves, fallen angels, etc. and all of them are downright nasty. The author doesn't tell us about the wicked battles occurring, he shows us and it's INTENSE. Another part of the book that is extremely well done is how religion is handled. Billi is half Pakistani and her mother was Muslim, but when her mother died, her white Christan father raised her. The Knights Templar are Christians but the book draws upon myths and other religions. It makes several mentions of events that occurred in the Bible and the author uses his imagination to fill in conversations mentioned in the Bible (for example what Moses and the angel talked about after the unleashing of the ten plagues). It's an interesting take and provides quite a lot of food for thought.

And the ending :0 I sort of called it but I wanted so desperately to be wrong. You can't fully predict the whole ending, only bits and pieces. My heart was in my mouth and I was on the edge of my seat towards the end. Finally, you have Billi. All the characters were great (tie for second favorite character goes to Elaine or Percival), but Billi is amazing. She is spirited, the weight of the world is on her shoulders and she acts her age. Sometimes she whines a bit and makes some stupid decisions and then has to clean up the aftermath. But she's a fighter, honest and stubborn. One of my new favorite heroines. Elaine is a straightforward, loving Jewish woman who works with the Templars. She has some amusing lines and cool powers. I'm eager to learn more about her interesting backstory. Percival (Percy) replaced Billi's father, as someone for Billi to look up to. He was in charge of teaching her how to use weapons, but he was one of the few Templars (there are only nine) who remembers that Billi is HUMAN, not just a killing machine. He looks after her (sidenote: he's from Senegal) and we love him for it.

Devil's Kiss is a mesmerizing tale with a valiant and realistic main character at its heart. The monsters are scary, the battle scenes intense, the mythology and religious aspect will make you think and the romantic tension between characters is believable. Each character jumps off the page, a force to be reckoned with, unwilling to remain a background character. This is one of those special books where each time you re-read it, you will find something new to think about. Upon finishing this book, I sent out several Tweets, some to Twitter in general raving about this book and a few to the author. I then immediately looked up when the sequel was coming out. Dear readers it's coming out in 2011!!! *faints* BUT it's already out in the UK! The sequel is the Dark Goddess and I suggest that you order both books together because I'm having a hard time waiting to read the sequel. My hope is that this review does not sound completely garbled and that I have persuaded you to at least look up a summary and other reviews of Devil's Kiss.

Disclosure: Received from the wonderful Book Fairy #3. And it's autographed. Thank you so very much!

PS I own the UK cover which is cool but I love the U.S. cover. Billi looks so fierce with the sword and I love the guy in the background (is it a knight? Kaye? Michael?). Which cover do you like better, the U.S. or UK?

*I will be out of town (on a service trip!) from July 24-August 1. I have no Internet access but I look forward to reading your comments and emails when I get back.

Blog Tour: Interview with J&P Voelkel

Jon and Pamela Voelkel are the authors of the MG novel, Middleworld (the Jaguar Stones #1) It's a wonderful adventure and I can't wait to read the next book, The End of the World Club (it's a trilogy). My review

Welcome Mr & Mrs. Voelkel to Reading in Color and thank you for doing this interview :)

Thank you for asking us! We’ve discussed all your questions together, but it’s me, Pamela, doing the answering as Jon’s in a whirlwind of trying to finish up the illustrations for Book 2.

Did your travels and various adventures prepare you in any way for being authors (besides giving you great material!)? Do you prefer writing, traveling or both?

Well, both of us have always traveled, even before we met each other, so I guess we both have adventurous spirits. But I’d say it was becoming parents that prepared us for being authors because you’re always looking for great books to read at bedtime. Something I’ve always liked about traveling is the feeling of being on the outside looking in. That’s how I feel when I’m writing too. It’s a tricky question though, because I love traveling – but writing is like traveling in your head. And you don’t need to pack!

*sigh* I'm a notorious day-before-packer so I understand the appeal of traveling without needing to pack! Too bad I'm not a writer ;) It seems like most writers start writing because they can't find books that they want their kids to read. I'm grateful for that because then we are fortunate to read stories that might not have otherwise been shared!

Out of the places you've traveled, which is your favorite? What's the most daring or grossest thing you've ever done/seen while traveling?

Jon’s favorite place is the area around Calakmul in Mexico, because there are so many atmospheric Maya sites around there. His grossest moment was when he was a kid and a big rat was running down a path full pelt towards him. Not being able to stop in time, the rat ran up his leg and up his body onto his shoulder, where it looked him in the eye before springing off. It’s an episode that inspired the live rat on a platter in the Black Pyramid.

Pamela’s favorite place is probably Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain, because it’s so old and mysterious and rainy – and it has great restaurants! (Okay, so it’s not in the Maya region, but it is one of the settings in Book 2.) And the most daring thing I’ve ever done was canoe down an underground river in Belize. I had to be very brave because I don’t like caves or bats or dark places or deep water or water with fish in it. The worst thing was that we forgot to shoot any video, so we had to go back and do it again.

Caves and dark places are not my favorite things either. That stinks that you had to shoot the video again. I've been to Mexico a few times but never Calakmul. The part with the rat would have freaked me out if I was Max (or your husband)! My dream is to go to Spain one day, I'll add Santiago de Compostela as a place I want to visit :)

Which character was the hardest to write (my guess would be Max who certainly starts off as unlikable)? The easiest?

You’re right, Max was the hardest character to write. He’s bratty in the beginning, but fourteen year olds can be that way. (They can also be completely charming and adorable the very next second.) Max is a child of the consumer society and he has to learn to be less selfish. He’s come a long way by the end of Book 1 - but he still has a long way to go. The easiest characters to write were the Death Lords. They’re based on the twelve Death Lords of Maya myth and they’re completely outrageous. They have no redeeming characteristics. Like cartoon characters, they’re one-dimensional and bad to the core.

I like to think that I wasn't a bratty fourteen year old but if my mom ever reads this, she would probably be rolling her eyes right now. Therefore I won't say that I wasn't bratty ;) Max's slow growth was quite rewarding to read about, but he is not there yet. The Death Lords were crazy creepy!

What did you find to be the most fascinating thing about the Mayas and their culture?

Jon is obsessed with the Maya glyphs. He even took a short course at Harvard to learn how to read and write them – which is where he first met the professor who checks all our stuff. I think more about the modern Maya and how much they’ve lost. History is written by the victors and all that. Having burned their books, and outlawed their language and culture, the conquistadors depicted the Maya as ignorant savages. They’ve been oppressed ever since. But the main thing is that they have survived. There are still six million Maya living in Central America. I’m hoping their stars will soon be in the ascendancy again.

I was boiling mad as I read about all the Mayas suffered at the hands of the Spanish. They will continue to survive and it helps to have books like Middleworld which helps to put stereotypes to rest.

Personally I don't believe the world will end in 2012 and it's mentioned in Middleworld that there's no archaeological evidence that the Mayans believed the world will end in 2012. But if the world was to end in 2012, what would you do your last year on Earth?

So you’re saying there’s no time to excavate any more pyramids or save the rainforests, right? In that case, we’d take the children out of school, sell everything we have and blow the money on a small palazzo on the Grand Canal in Venice. Then we’d spend our last days gliding along in a gondola, eating fresh pasta and looking at great art.

That sounds amazing, can I come with? :)

Hopefully this interview has helped inspire you to want to read Middleworld. It's a treat, I highly recommend it. Also Middleworld was picked as one of Al Roker's Book Club picks. Watch the video here

*I will be out of town from July 24-August 1 with no computer access. I look forward to reading your emails and comments when I get back :)

New Crayons, Writing a Letter (Update), Blog Birthday Giveaway #4!

New Crayons is a meme created and hosted by Color Online. Crayons is a metaphor for multicultural literature.

Before we delve into what new books I got this week, I have a question. Where are all the letters? I mean this in the nicest way possible. I got many comments and Tweets saying that the idea was great and that they would spread the word. That's fantastic, it really is. I appreciate you getting the word out. But what means more to me is when you write a letter to Borders/Barnes & Noble and post it on your blog. I understand that some people may not want to post their letters for privacy, but could we get a few more public letters please? So far, I've only found one. Now you're probably wondering "well look miss high and mighty, where's your letter?" Good question. I've had writer's block. I admit to being daunted by the success of my first letter. My letter to Borders needs to be equal to or even better than the last. As I type this, I have a general idea of what I want to say and I'm determined to send and publish my letter, August 1. No excuses on my part. I'll be out of town so the letter will be scheduled and I'll have the email all set up and ready to send as soon as I get back that night. It would make my week to come back to discover a plethora of letters all over people's blogs :)

Finally, what do you think of this post? The suggestion is made to have readers get behind one book with a POC on the cover. It's a really interesting idea, with lots of potential. I'm all for buying a book to make a statement (after all, we could vote and pick a really good book so that you can make a statement and actually like the book) but I do worry that this idea could backfire. Thoughts?

Also, I will announce the winner of the Gringolandia giveaway when I get back. I have a few more goodies for you though. Author Zetta Elliott has offered me 2 copies of her book, A Wish After Midnight to give away. It's one of my favorite books so you should totally enter. Thank you Zetta!

To enter: U.S. only (unless my international readers want to pay for shipping. If so, feel free to enter), must be a follower. Ends July 31 11:59 CT. Fill out THIS FORM.

Good luck :)

Back to New Crayons


The Girl Who Fell From the Sky by Heidi W. Durrow

This debut novel tells the story of Rachel, the daughter of a Danish mother and a black G.I. who becomes the sole survivor of a family tragedy.

With her strict African American grandmother as her new guardian, Rachel moves to a mostly black community, where her light brown skin, blue eyes, and beauty bring mixed attention her way. Growing up in the 1980s, she learns to swallow her overwhelming grief and confronts her identity as a biracial young woman in a world that wants to see her as either black or white.

In the tradition of Jamaica Kincaid's Annie John and Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye, here is a portrait of a young girl— and society's ideas of race, class, and beauty. It is the winner of the Bellwether Prize for best fiction manuscript addressing issues of social justice.


-I've had my eyes on this book for a bit, but it started getting recommended to me quite often. Since it's technically adult fiction, I knew I wouldn't be able to read it any time soon since I have so many YA books to read and review. But the lovely Zetta sent me her copy which will provide incentive for me to hurry up and read it :) Thank you so much Zetta!

Won from Edi-Thank you so much Edi!

Names Will Never Hurt Me by Jamie Adoff

During one day at school, the paths of four teens will cross in ways they never imagined. There’s Kurt, the "freek" who tries desperately to escape bullying; Tisha, who doesn’t feel she fits in with anyone; Ryan, the football jock who rules the hallways while losing control of his life; and Floater, who uses his connections to gain dangerous power. On this day, teasing, racism, loneliness, and secrets bring each of them to the breaking point. Now they must help each other prevent a tragedy. The voices of these four teens weave together in prose-poetry to create a powerful read.

-Jamie Adoff is the son of Virginia Hamilton. I've only read a few books by Virginia Hamilton, but she is amazing. I have high hopes for this one, not just because of lineage (no pressure!) but because of the premise. What is the tragedy in addition to the bullying?

When Kambia Elaine Flew In From Neptune by Lori Aurelia Williams

Shayla Dubois lives in a Houston neighborhood known as the Bottom, where life is colorful but never easy. Shayla's mama kicked her sister, Tia, out of the house. Her father, Mr. Anderson Fox, has rolled back into town. And Shayla doesn't know what to make of her strange new neighbor, Kambia Elaine.
Kambia tells Shayla the most fantastic stories. As these stories become more and more strange, Shayla realizes that there may be something very wrong. What can she possibly do to help when she can't get past these stories, and when Tia still hasn't come home?

Told lyrically and gracefully by debut author Lori Aurelia Williams, this is a story that shows how complicated life can get when children are forced to grow up too quickly.

-I've heared mention of this novel but I didn't know what it was about exactly. Should be a thought-provoking, beautiful read.

What new books did you get this week? Any books by/about POC? Please share!

*I am on a service trip with no Internet access from July 24-August 1. I look forward to reading and responding to all emails and comments upon my return =)

Guest Post: Opening Doors

People are different. There's no escaping/dodging/evading that fact. I find it kind of puzzling when people try and pretend that "Hey, we're all just the same."

Um, sorry. We're not. When I hear someone say they don't see color I always have to restrain myself from calling them out. Of course you do! You're just not comfortable with the fact that you see it! But confronting someone with a truth that they really don't want to own is near impossible. It's been my experience that there are some truths that a person has to come to in their own time.

I'm not saying I don't nudge – I do. Sometimes my nudges turn into actual pushes. Today though, I'm discussing some of the more gentle ways to lead people to and through sticky truths in a relatively pain free manner. How? Educating through books.

I will tell anyone and everyone I can get to stand still long enough that I adore reading. Books are addictive for me; through books I've lived thousands of years in the past and future. I've been different ages and genders. I've died and been resurrected. I've even lived in places that have never existed outside the imagination of some terrifically creative mind.

You know what the best thing is about all of that? It's an experience that everyone can share – all they need to do is pick up a book. Reading a well-written book can literally transport a person and let them live life as someone else for a brief moment. Reading can help bridge the gulf that lies between Different and Understanding. It can demystify the Other (the Other can be defined as anyone outside an individual’s immediate experience. Other does not denote bad).

I am by no means saying that by simply reading a book that a person can understand all of the complex human experiences that another person lives. What I am saying is that

books can open a door, allowing a glimpse into something previously unrealized. Quite often, all it takes is a glimpse to know that we are more alike than different in how we love, hurt, and learn.

We are blessed to live in a time when so many different options are available to readers. There are books written by authors of every race, creed and orientation imaginable and these books are available for every genre and age group. You just have to look around. Ari's blog is a terrific place to start but it's by no means the only place to find books that can help bridge the gulf. If you are reading this then you have at your disposal one of the greatest tools of all time: the Internet. Do some searches, be experimental, read some excerpts.

What you discover may just surprise you.

Kathi Wallace is the author of Assiniboin Girl, a Young Adult book released by Drollerie Press and available from Amazon. She has two more books that will be released shortly. Kathi can found most days on her blog or on Twitter as Kathi430.

Read an excerpt from Assiniboin Girl

Thank you so much for this guest post Kathi! I too scoff at the notion that people don't see color. We aren't there yet and even so, seeing color can be a good thing. I think all readers love books for the doors they open. What do you think?

*I will be out of town July 24-August 1st with not computer access. I have some good posts scheduled to run while I'm gone (hopefully they will post!), so be sure to check back here :) I look forward to reading your comments and emails upon my return.

The Red Umbrella

The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez 2010
Knopf/ Random House Children's Books

Rating: 4/5

IQ "The revolution may have taken over a lot of things, but it doesn't own a color. For me, red is the symbol of strength, and that's all it will ever represent." Mama pg. 30 (talking about how red is deemed the color of the Revolution)


It's 1961 and Lucia Alvarez has a happy life filled with friends and dreaming about parties (especially her quinceaneara) and boys. She is rudely awakened from her dreams by the arrival of solders in her small town of Puertos Mijares. Changes are made; freedoms are taken away and you can trust no one, not even friends. Lucia's family is being watched because her parents refuse to enroll them in Communist groups for youth and they don't attend Communist meetings. Their situation is becoming more and more dangerous, so Lucia's parents decide to send her and her brother Frankie to America, without them. In America, Lucia and Frankie have no connections to anyone and they are sent to live with a foster family in Nebraska. They miss their parents, friends, the warmth of Cuba, Spanish and everything else that is wonderful about their homeland. Worse yet, Lucia worries that she is changing in ways that her parents may not like.

As a history buff who loves learning about Cuba, I knew a little bit about Operation Pedro Pan but I never knew how bad things in Cuba were. It's pretty well known that Castro took away people's freedom and jailed (or killed) anyone who spoke against him. However I didn't know much about Castro's efforts to brainwash children or that people thought the Revolution was a good thing at first. I gobbled up this story, but even non history lovers will find something to love in this novel. Christina Diaz Gonzalez has effortlessly transported readers back to a time and place that is glided over in American history. Lucia was a realistic fourteen year old, she has to grow up fast, but she doesn't realize that right away. She doesn't understand all the changes going on in Cuba and she doesn't really want to. All Lucia wants is to have life go back to normal (although she's perfectly happy with school being shut down), not be forced to stay inside. I enjoyed watching her slowly become more mature. I adored Frankie, Lucia's seven year old brother. Frankie is determined to protect Lucia when they first arrive in America, but as he settles into life in Nebraska, he reverts back to his childlike ways. The setting of Cuba is distinctly described, there is a sense of impending danger hidden by the lull of everyday life in Cuba. Lucia's parents are trying to protect her and her brother from knowing how severe their situation is.

The first half of the book that takes place in Cuba, slowly unravels to reveal complex people and events. The second half of the book seemed rushed (Sidenote: I'm very curious as to why the story takes place in Nebraska, seems pretty random). We start in the summer and end up shortly after 1962 begins. I wanted to see a little more development of Lucia's life at school, instead the people she meets are merely glossed over. I was disappointed in Yvette's storyline. Yvette is Lucia's best friend and she becomes a member of Castro's communist children brigade (Jovenes Rebeldes). I wish that we had gotten more of Yvette's side of the story. At first, Yvette joins Jovenes Rebeldes because her parents force her to but she has an abrupt change of heart towards the end of the story. I wanted to better understand why people supported Castro, instead we were provided with a one dimensional view of the evils of Castro (and believe me, the man is crazy).

The Red Umbrella is a stirring story about an event in history that we can still feel the effects of today. The Alvarez family is loving and memorable (especially Frankie!). The pacing of the story is uneven, but this doesn't take away too much from the events at the heart of the story. Everyone can relate to this story in some way, we are after all a nation of immigrants. The struggles Lucia and Frankie face are ones that our ancestors have faced, no matter how far back you have to go. I came away from this story with the desire to learn more about my own family's history in America. What makes this story even more powerful is the fact that Lucia and Frankie had to adjust to life in America, alone, at such a young age. They are true embodiments of unselfishness and bravery and I'm not sure if teenagers today (myself included) would be able to do what they did. Walk away from everything you know and love and get settled in a foreign country. My hope is that people who read this story (especially teenagers) will be inspired to find out more about their own family history and will better understand the situation in Cuba, if only a little bit better than before. The meaning of the red umbrella was so hopeful and warm. At a certain point, I had to hold back some sniffles :)

Disclosure: Received from the author and publisher for review. Thank you!

REview: Silver Phoenix

Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon 2009 ARC
Greenwillow Books/Harper Collins

IQ "How do I tell them that the feel of dragon sales beneath my hands is more real to me than the embroidery I'm working on?" Ai Ling pg. 331

REviews (imagine some guy yelling REMIX! at the top of their lungs, now replace that with some guy yelling REview! ahaha). A REview is when I re-review a book. I'm re-reviewing books I reviewed early on in my blogging 'career'. My original review

Ai Ling doesn't have any suitors and she doesn't mind, she's not ready to be married. Besides she has more important things on her mind, like her father's disappearance. Her father left to go to the Emperor's Palace and it's been weeks since Ai Ling and her mother have heard from him. Ai Ling decides that she must find him and on her journey she must tackle many frightening obstacles, creatures she thought existed only in books. Her journey will be perilous but with the help of some new friends and her jade pendent along with her courage, she just might rescue her father and bring them both back home.

This book needs a warning label "DO NOT READ WHILE HUNGRY." Actually "DO NOT READ WHILE NOT EATING CHINESE FOOD." seems to be more apt. All the mentions of food are both good and bad. Besides the obvious hunger pains, all the descriptions of food can get tiresome but at the same time, the attention to detail in the book is exquisite. It's a double edged sword (chopstick? heehee. Ok I'll stop). I did however love that Ai Ling loved to eat. It may be a cultural thing (Xia is loosely based on ancient China) since I think Americans are overly obsessed with losing weight, but I found it refreshing to read about a protagonist who doesn't mention her weight. She is unafraid to show her love of food, even around guys and I admire her for it. Ai Ling overall is a great character. She's brave and a food lover, what's not to love? I admired her courage so much, even while I sometimes cursed her stubbornness (which is the pot calling the kettle black in my case). My only other complaint was the nonstop action. There is so much going on, so many creatures and monsters that Ai Ling needs to save herself and her companions from, there was a lot going on. I wanted a little more interaction between the characters and to see more growth.

All that being said the world building in Silver Phoenix is one of the best (in my humble opinion). The author describes every single thing in the world of Xia, giving the reader a vivd idea as to what the world is like. You can see the food, the palaces, the beautiful scenery and even the monsters in your mind's eye. Cindy Pon has a wonderful imagination and one of my favorite parts of the whole book is the description of the Golden Palace and its gardens. The Observant Tree is creepy (eyes hanging from branches, watching your every move!) and the Love Lost Tree was a sad, yet fascinating idea. The Love Lost Tree is described thus "The sound of a hundred heartbeats thudded against Ai Ling's ears each pulsing to its own story of loss." (pg. 159) I love the main characters in this novel. Ai Ling is amazing but I have a special place in my heart for Li Rong. He was born in the wrong time period, since it wouldn't be proper for any lady to respond to his jokes and flirtations at the time he's living in ;) Li Rong is bold, sometimes foolishly so, honest, caring and such a fun character. He's not just there for comic relief however, he adds to the story of Chen Yong (his half brother). I do wish that we had learned more about Li Rong though because he didn't seem to have his own story. Chen Yong is a great character as well, reserved, brave and fiercely loyal. His feelings and experiences relating to his mixed background is one that many biracial and multi ethnic people can understand.

Silver Phoenix is an action packed story that is hard to put down. Not only will you keep reading to find out what happens next, you will also want to stay in Xia and mentally savor all the food ;) The story is enthralling and well developed, the author does not reveal the villain right away which keeps the reader guessing. I do wish the novel had slowed down at some point and more character interaction occurred. An excellent China inspired fantasy (with a lovely cover!) that people should read if only to visit Xia and meet the hilarious Li Rong, brave Ai Ling and loyal Chen Yong. My only regret is reading this book in July and having to wait till March for the sequel!

Disclosure: Received from author. Thank you so much Cindy!

PS Have you written your letter to Borders/Barnes & Noble yet? My letter will go up August 1.

Waiting on Wednesday: When the Stars Go Blue

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme created and hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine

This week I'm waiting on...


When the Stars Go Blue by Caridad Ferrer

Release Date: November 23, 2010

Dance is Soledad Reyes's life. About to graduate from Miami's Biscayne High School for the Performing Arts, Soledad plans on spending her last summer at home working in a dance studio, saving up money, and eventually auditioning for dance companies. That is, until fate intervenes in the form of fellow student Jonathan Crandall with what sounds like an outrageous proposition. Forget teaching. Why not actually dance, in front of an audience, in the intense environment of competitive drum and bugle corps? The corps is going to be performing Carmen, and the role of the sultry gypsy is Soledad's dream role. She joins the troupe and she and Jonathan grow closer. But a competitor for her affections soon makes himself known: Taz, a member of an all-star Spanish soccer team. One explosive encounter later and Soledad finds not only her relationship with Jonathan threatened, but her future as a professional dancer.

-Look at that cover. It is fantastic! I love the rose in the hair and the petals falling down around her. Seriously I love it, reminds me of a flamenco dancer. The book is based off of Carmen, which I've never seen but I know the story well and I'm excited to see the story take place in a drums corps with a dancer as the main character. I don't know anything about bands so it should be quite intriguing. And of course the romance sounds like it's going to be hot ;) I wish it was coming out this summer, it seems like a perfect summer read. *sigh*

Summary from Amazon.com

What books are you waiting on this week? Any POC releases?

Tell Us We're Home

Tell Us We're Home by Marina Budhos 2010
Atheneum/ Simon & Schuster

Rating: 4/5

IQ "This was it, the steely truth of her life. What she had been fighting ever since they'd come to America. This was a lonely land of firsts, where no one, not even your parents, could help you cross over. [...] You pushed ahead, in the chilling rain, hoping you didn't die from being first." Lola pg. 236

Jaya, Maria and Lola become fast friends when they discover that they all share something in common, their mothers are maids. They are in 8th grade and they stick out, they are never invited to any of the parties or other social events in the 8th grade. They are good friends and they want to fit in with everyone at their school, but it's hard to do when your classmates are the people your mothers babysit or clean up after. When Jaya's mother is accused of theft, Jay's world crumbles. Along with this issue, tensions over immigration are starting, some events resulting in violence.

Jaya is from Trinidad, Maria is from Mexico and Lola is from Slovakia. I liked that each girl's cultural background was different, and yet their experiences were similar. I've read many books about Mexican immigrants and I have many Mexican friends so I was familiar with Mexican culture, but I knew very little about Slovakia or Trinidad. The reader spends the most time with Jaya and learning about her family and life in Trinidad (you would only want to visit Jaya's Trinidad, not live there. Contrary to the misconception that life in the Caribbean is easy and relaxing), I did want to know more about Slovakia. Lola was probably my least favorite character out of the three main characters. Lola is obsessed with history (which I can understand) but she is so frustratingly socially awkward. It was almost like she deliberately set herself up to be rejected by her classmates and sometimes she just lacked all common sense. Lola never thinks about the consequences of her actions. The way she treated Maria just because she had a crush was awful. Towards the end of the novel, I did grow to like her more (my heart completely broke when I read the Incredible Quote). If it weren't for Lola's break down and wake up, I may not have liked her at all, but part of what makes Marina Budhos such a good author is how she doesn't make any character 100% perfect or lovable. At times I forgot that Jaya's mother is accused of stealing, that mystery plays a smaller part than the synopsis makes it sound. The story deals more with the attitudes held toward immigrants by their suburban neighbors along with the girls friendship.

The story is told in alternating points of view that really help the story, it would have been duller if it was told from only one perspective. However, the girls all seemed distant and I think this was due to the third person narrative. I think this book would have been stronger if the alternating points of view were in first person. Most of the book covers the friendship between the girls as well as their relationships with their mothers. The story isn't particularly light hearted but Maria makes some ironic observations that on the surface seem funny and then you realize that it's really not funny. "Gringos went all that way to dig dirt for free, while her cousin came here to do the same, for money." (pg. 25). I actually understood why Maria had a crush on Tash (a gringo) which was nice, sometimes in YA I don't understand the attraction at all. The strength in this story lies in the fact that it describes a way of life for a group of people that many teenage readers may not know about. I had babysitters when I was little and I can't say that I ever paused to think about what their home life was like or to wonder about how their kids felt about having mothers who were nannies. As I grew older my eyes were opened, but this book opened my eyes even wider and it will probably open up the eyes of other readers. The actions of some of the girls white classmates and neighbors are absolutely awful and do not at all embody the American spirit of welcoming immigrants to her shores.

Tell Us We're Home is a potent story with a vital message about the American Dream and the struggles of immigrants. Unfortunately, after moving to America, life is only a little better for most immigrants. Yes we should all have to work hard, but some of us have to work a lot harder than others, due to circumstances of birth and that's not fair. Where you were born should not affect your chance of success, but it does. While I didn't connect emotionally with the characters, their situations and ordeals that they went through were described so well that it didn't matter. The author has a powerful way with words. This story will not allow you to look at "the help" in the same way. The story definitely has middle grade crossover appeal. In fact I would encourage people to give it to middle school aged children because that is the time when they should start becoming more aware.

Disclosure: Received from Book Fairy #2, thanks Lyn!

PS I've actually read Ask Me No Questions by Marina Budhos, but I never reviewed it (it's on my never ending need-to-review list). I loved it and yet hated that situations like that had to happen. Can we please fix our immigration system and stop thinking that every Muslim is a terrorist? Thank you.

PPSS Some of my other favorite lines from the book;

"He carried himself like a white boy, as if his whole body could part the air, make things happen." (pg. 24) This statement is thought by Maria and it's probably my second favorite line from the book. Another one of Maria's keen observations about white male privilege.

"For the first time Jaya understood that this is what love could do: It could change your inner shape, make you curve to another." (pg. 68)

Male Monday: Deadly Unna?

Deadly Unna? by Philip Gwynne 1998
Penguin

Rating: 3/5

IQ "What had Dazza said? Play with fire and ya gunna get burnt. Maybe, Dazza, but not burnt to death." Blacky pg. 228

Dumby Red is a Nunga (Aboriginal), Blacky is white. Dumby is the star of the footy team, Blacky isn't the most aggressive player. Dumby is popular, Blacky is not. They don't seem to have much in common, but they're friends. In Australia, Aboriginals and white people are not friends, they stick to their 'sides' (Aboriginals at the Point, Blacky at the Port). The friendship between Blacky and Dumby is a problem, the question is: how big of a problem?

This book just moved too slowly for me. Also contrary to the description on the back of the book, this book did not talk much about the friendship between Dumby Red and Blacky. It talked more about the racial tensions between Aboriginals and white Australians, which is fine. I just had a hard time understanding the friendship between Blacky and Dumby Red, since it wasn't touched upon that much (they were odd friends). This is one of those books where it's hard for me to put a finger on why I didn't love this book exactly. I think it was a combination of the book moving too slowly and being annoyed with the main character. It was interesting because unlike books I've read set in the UK that are easy to understand based on context, this book was much more confusing. I had to look up what footy is because it sounded like soccer (or football) but they used their hands to tackle and grab the ball. However, I don't hold this against the book, but it did make it an even slower read because I wanted to be sure I understood what was going on.

Blacky has a humorous voice and that is the only thing that kept me reading. Not much seems to happen in the book, it's mostly about day to day life in Australia with some random racial issues and footy competitions. I wasn't as much of a fan at some of the crass humor in the book (a lot more than I'm used, mostly dealing with male body parts) but I just moved past it. Blacky is torn between following the crowd and doing what he thinks is right by not discriminating against Nungas. Blacky makes many sharp observations about the world around him and the hypocritical nature of the adults and white people in his life. I was quite surprised by how terribly the Aboriginals were treated since the book is set in the late 20st century. I knew they must have been treated badly early on, but they were still mostly ignored and racial slurs were made openly. It was an eye opening read to a part of the world that we learn absolutely nothing about.

Deadly Unna? isn't laugh out loud funny but there are many scenes that will leave you with an amused smile on your face. I would recommend it but especially to American readers, who may not have known about how Aboriginals are discriminated against (I certainly didn't know about it, some incidents are almost worse than things that occur in America!). I would also say it's a great book to introduce Americans to parts of Australian culture. I loved learning about footy and learning about Australian culture. Blacky's family is a riot (except for his father, grrr) while his friends are kind of annoying. I do intend on reading the sequel (Nukkin Ya) because I think it will touch even more upon racial issues in Australia. By the way, this book was made into a movie called Australian Rules.

Disclosure: Received from Justine Larbalestier. Thank you so much Justine!

PS Next month I will do a feature about POC books published in Australia, please email me with suggestions because I don't even know where to start!

Blogaversary Giveaway #3, Winners, Update

I'm baaaaaaaaacccccckkkkkkk =) I had a blast (I visited Brown University). I didn't get a chance to check my mailbox
so I'm not sure what I got, but I'm excited to check on Monday.

The winners of the POC on Covers/Whitewashing giveaway are...

Katie PB! (Magic Under Glass)
Diana Dang! (Liar)
Niranjana Iyer! (Silver Phoenix)
Vidisha! (His Own Where)

Congrats to all winners and thank you to all those who entered! Of course I realized for the Whitewashing giveaway that I forgot to include a space for your email address. So winners of that giveaway please email me within 48 hours, but since I messed up I will allow you an extra day for 36 hours, but 48 is ideal.

If you didn't win, cheer up, I have another giveaway! Author Lyn Miller Lachmann has kindly offered a signed copy of Gringolandia. It's U.S. only My REreview of Gringolandia My original review

To enter: Must be a U.S. follower. Fill out THIS form Ends: July 24, 2010 11:59 CT

I was pleased to see that most people who entered my giveaways so far are old followers. I'm not throwing these giveaways to get more followers, I want to thank my followers, the people who have been with me and supported me for quite some time. Besides, if you only follow me for giveaways, you may want to unfollow me now because after July ends, giveaways will be over for awhile (unless an author offers to mail out the book) due to my lack of a steady income.

I also want to share my Summer reading list updates.

Classics Reading List

1. Middlemarch by George Eliot (currently reading, longer than I expected!)

2. Kindred by Octavia Butler

3. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

4. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

5. Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes

6. Persuasion by Jane Austen (I want to read this by August)

7. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

8. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

9. Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw (I want to read this next)

10. The Living is Easy by Dorothy West (I want to read this next along with The Wedding)

Adult Fiction

1. Bless Me Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya

2. The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende

3. Children of the Waters by Carleen Brice

4. Sag Harbor by Colson Whitehead

5. Tryin' to Sleep in the Bed You Made by Virginia DeBerry and Donna Grant

6. Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley (Book 1 in Easy Rawllins series)-currentyl reading

7. White Teeth by Zadie Smith

8. Waiting to Exhale by Terry McMillan

9. Feminista by Erica Kennedy

10. Bloody Waters by Carolina Garcia-Aguilera (Book 1 in Lupe Solano Mystery series)

Off Color (To reiterate: These books will not be reviewed here. I may review them on Goodreads)

1. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver (plan to read next)

2. Graceling by Kirsten Cashore

3. Rampant (Killer Unicorns #1) by Diana Peterfreund

4. Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev

5. The Deathday Letter by Shaun Hutchinson

6. The Daykeeper's Grimoire (Prophecy of Days #1) by Christy Raedeke

7. Violet on the Runway by Melissa Walker

8. The Eternal Kiss: Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire (anthology), edited by Trisha Telep

9. White Cat by Holly Black

10. Levithian by Scott Westerfield

As you can I'm not doing so well. Ideally I want to read every book I have listed, but I'll settle for reading all the books on my adult fiction list and half on the classics list.

Check out this fun link, it lists 50 novels to read when you need a good laugh. I haven't read any books on the list but I do intend on reading many of them. I would also add Catcher in the Rye to the list and a host of other YA books. What would you add? Leave a comment here or at that post.

South Asian Author Challenge

This will be the page where I link to all my reviews for this challenge. My hope is to finish at least one challenge by the end of the summer and I think I might be this one.



Hosted by S. Krishna from Jan 1, 2010-Dec 31, 2010

The rules



There are four different commitment levels and I'm going with the highest one which is 10. I'll review 10 YA books by South Asians and I'm also going to read 2 MG books by South Asian authors.

1. Indie Girl by Kavita Daswani

2. Secret Keeper by Mitali Perkins

3. Beneath My Mother's Feet by Amjed Quama

4. Monsoon Summer by Mitali Perkins

5. Ask Me No Questions by Marina Budhos

6. Climbing the Stairs by Padma Venkatraman

7. Wanting Mor by Rukhsana Khan

8. Child of Dandelions by Sheenaz Nanji

9. Born Confused by Tanuja Desai Hidier

10. A Group of One by Rachna Gilmore

11. Naming Maya by Uma Krishnaswami (MG)

12. Neela's Victory Song by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (MG)

Off Color: The Cinderella Society

The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy 2010
Egmont USA

Rating: 4/5

IQ "It's ironic how failures in life are often preceded by warning signs that we don't pick up on, either because they're not loud enough or we're not paying attention. [...] When the little warnings fail to do their job, the universe simply bumps up its campaign to get you back on track. Even if it means clocking you over the head with a major disaster to finally shake some sense into you." pg. 269

Jess Parker is the new kid and her sophomore year stunk. She's an outsider and Lexy Steele is determined to make her life a nightmare in order to get back at Jess for taking Lexy's cheer leading spot. Jess is looking forward to spending the summer before her junior year hiding, working, volunteering and going to cheer camp. Maybe just maybe, the other cheerleaders will finally accept her. However her plans change when she receives an invitation to attend a meeting for a secret sisterhood, The Cinderella Society. The Cindys are not just about makeovers, they want to do good deeds, change the world and make every girl feel confident. Jess is thrilled to be part of the group, but she still has to deal with Lexy who leads the Wickeds. It's the never ending battle of good versus evil, the Cindys vs. Wickeds high school style.


At times this book can read too much like a self-help manual. The message of girl power is very strong throughout the novel and this is both good and bad. At times it can seem cheesy or heavy handed, but at the same time, it's a message that we don't hear often and girls need to hear it constantly. It's very much about boosting your self esteem and it's what's on the inside that counts. I was disappointed that there was the cliche of the cheerleader falling in love with the football player but at least the main character realizes it "Besides I was practically a walking, talking stereotype: the cheerleader drooling over the quarterback. Except I wasn't popular. At least it wasn't a total cliche." (pg. 11) I didn't like how hi-tech everything was. I think the story could have been even more appealing if the Cindys had the same tools at their disposal that all girls have, they just had more confidence. Instead the Cindys have many luxuries that prevent the story from seeming even more plausible.

Normally I don't read much chick lit but this book sounded very unique and I wanted to give it a try. When I listed it as a book for the Chick Lit Challenge, I stated that I wasn't sure if I would review because I didn't know if there were any POC in it. Ms. Cassidy commented that she was glad I was reading her book for the challenge and that it was multicultural. I was skeptical, what if our definitions of multicultural were different and she only had the token black friend? Well I was very wrong and in this case I loved being proven wrong. One of the co captains, Kyra, is half Cuban, other members of the Cindys are Indian and African American. I love that Kyra was one of the most popular girls at school and she happened to be a Latina. The cultural background of the characters is no big deal, Ms. Cassidy could have easily not mentioned the cultural background of her characters by simply stating that the Cinderella Society accepts everyone. But I think that people of color like myself would have assumed that everyone was white (it's what we've sadly become used to), so I was ecstatic that the various cultures were mentioned.
I loved the Rule of Fives "Every time something embarrassing or horrible or stressful happens, stop and take five slow, deep breaths. Then ask yourself the 'five' questions: Will this matter in five hours? Will this matter in five weeks? Will this matter in five years? You'd be surprised by how things that seem earth-shattering at the time don't even pass the five-week test." (Audrey, pg. 87) It's a great way to keep things in perspective.

The Cindrella Society is a fun and inspiring novel that is quite creative. I love the idea of Cindys vs. Wickeds and the Reggies (regular kids) aren't excluded either. The Wickeds are not 100% bad, the Cindys are not 100% good and the Reggies have the potential to be more powerful than both groups. This keeps the book from seeming too elitist or unrealistic. It was feminist and fun (how often do those two words go together in today's society?). I look forward to learning more about the Wickeds, discovering what Jess sees in Ryan (I really don't understand it besides his good looks) and the ultimate battle between good and evil, high school style ;)I finished this book wanting to be a Cindy and that's the greatest power this book has, I'm convinced that it will inspire a generation of girls regardless of cultural or economic background. As cheesy as it sounds this book does send the message that all girls can be Cindys.

Disclosure: Won from Jill at the O.W.L. Thank you so much Jill and Daisy!

Throwback Thursday: Growing Yams in London

Growing Yams in London by Sophia Acheampong 2006

Picadilly Press


Rating: 3.5/5


IQ "Makdiva: Not LOL! Totally embarrassing-my lips were left in the air before I realized we had company.
PartyBharti: Ha! Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Makdiva: Bharti?
PartyBharti: Sorry, I fell off my chair and my finger got stuck on the 'a' key.
Makdiva: Liar! There's an exclamation mark
PartyBharti: Ok, but I did fall off my chair. " pg. 59 An IM conversation

Makeeda is enjoying her life in London. She has friends and even a potential boyfriend. Besides juggling strict parents, trying to figure out if DJ Nelson likes her and maintaining her friendships Makeeda also struggles with her Ghanaian culture. She doesn't know much about it and this never really bothered her. But things are starting to change, and life is getting more complicated.

As usual I was charmed and fascinated by everyday life in London, especially since this one was less serious drama and more of the drama that results from misunderstanding and lack of communication (still not sure about her relationship with Nelson, it was a bit weird). This was a relatively easy read, the British terms could be figured out based on contest. I gathered that the GCSE is like a high school entrance exam? I do wonder if all the British bands mentioned were real or made up (like Fairytale, 221). Does anyone know? I loved how everyone says "All right?" in place of "hey" or "what's up". I think I got a better feel for how teenagers in London interact with each other. The author did a good job with IMs and text messages. Sometimes authors include technology and it just doesn't work because they mix up what goes with what. Sophia Acheampong makes no such mistake and the IM conversations were particularly entertaining.

One of my favorite parts of the novel was the emotional and family aspect of it. Makeeda isn't overly rebellious of her parents and Ghanaian culture, but she does resist some of their rules. The reader isn't talked down to as the author talks about Ghanaian culture, the explanation of Ghanaian terms is very subtle, it comes from conversations or the context around it.Her relationship to her parents felt authentic and I'm glad that her parents weren't ghost figures, they had an active presence in her life. Not only were her parents active, but Makeeda actually spent time with her younger sister, Delphina. Sometimes they get along, sometimes they don't. Their relationship was refreshing because while Makeeda is annoyed by Delphy, she doesn't hate her (too many times siblings in YA books only seem to hate each other). It seems obvious to the reader right away that Makeeda has two admirers. However, as the novel continues, I began to doubt if a certain someone really did like her, since he dated other people. I was suspicious about DJ Nelson for most of the novel and I didn't always buy their relationship, it just seemed odd. I also thought her teacher's resistance to Makeeda researching Yaa Asantewaa (A Ghanian Queen) was puzzling. That particular storyline did not go where I thought it was going and I wasn't satisfied with the result. SPOILER, highlight to read: I thought Makeeda's teacher was so against it because she was a bit racist. What I mean is that she didn't think Ghanaian culture (or even African culture) had any important figures to learn about, therefore she didn't want Makeeda to do the project. Instead she claims that she just thought there wouldn't have been enough reference material. The author could have really done something with that storyline and I was disappointed that she did not. *End of Spoiler

Growing Yams in London is a beguiling novel that looks at life in London for Ghanaian teenagers. It's yet another novel that emphasizes that even if we have different cultural backgrounds, the struggles we go through are mostly the same, especially as teenagers. It can seem a repetitive message but it's one that some people obviously still need to hear. Makeeda is a funny, sometimes awkward main character. She is someone that everyone can relate to, especially in her struggles with her parents, and in trying to juggle school, friends and her slowly blossoming love life. All the characters are well developed and a lot of fun to read it (especially Nelson's friends and Makeeda's best friend Bharti). The IQ shows the humorous side of this novel and it's a very fun read. I look forward to learning more about them. I'm eager to start reading the sequel to see what's next for Makeeda and to learn if her little sister was able to grow yams in London :)

Disclosure: Received from Book Fairy #3 Thank you Kaz! *hugs*

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