New Crayons (1st Time in a Long Time)

Whew finally a New Crayons post! I missed posting about new books. Borders closing has hurt my wallet significantly but ah well, it's for the greater good haha :)






From Borders (1st trip)

Till You Hear From Me by Pearl Cleage

From the acclaimed Pearl Cleage, author of What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day . . . and Seen It All and Done the Rest, comes an Obama-era romance featuring a cast of unforgettable characters.

Just when it appears that all her hard work on Barack Obama’s presidential campaign is about to pay off with a White House job, thirty-five-year-old Ida B. Wells Dunbar finds herself on Washington, D.C.’s post-election sidelines even as her twentysomething counterparts overrun the West Wing. Adding to her woes, her father, the Reverend Horace A. Dunbar, Atlanta civil rights icon and self-described “foot soldier for freedom,” is notoriously featured on an endlessly replayed YouTube clip in which his pronouncements don’t exactly jibe with the new era in American politics.

The Rev’s stinging words and myopic views don’t sound anything like the man who raised Ida to make her mark in the world. When friends call to express their concern, Ida realizes it’s time to head home and see for herself what’s going on. Besides, with her job prospects growing dimmer, getting out of D.C. for a while might be the smartest move she could make.

Back in her old West End neighborhood, Ida runs into childhood friend and smooth political operator Wes Harper, also in town to pay a visit to the Reverend Dunbar, his mentor. Ida doesn’t trust Wes or his mysterious connections for one second, but she can’t deny her growing attraction to him.

While Ida and the Rev try to find the balance between personal loyalties and political realities, they must do some serious soul searching in order to get things back on track before Wes permanently derails their best laid plans.

-To be perfectly honest I picked this book up because it said "Obama-era" I love hearing/reading those words! But I also picked this book up because people (specifically Doret) speak highly of Pearl Cleage. I'm not going to be able to read a lot starting (basically now) but I'm hoping to finish this book at least before school starts.

Substitute Me by Lori Tharps

Zora Anderson is a 30-year-old African American middle class, college educated woman, trained as a chef, looking for a job. As fate would have it, Kate and Brad Carter, a married couple, aspiring professionals with a young child are looking for a nanny.

Zora seems perfect. She’s an enthusiastic caretaker, a competent house keeper, a great cook. And she wants the job, despite the fact that she won’t let her African American parents and brother know anything about this new career move. They expect much more from her than to use all that good education to do what so many Blacks have dreamed of not doing: working for White folks. Working as an au pair in Paris, France no less, was one thing, they could accept that. Being a servant to a couple not much older nor more educated, is yet another. Every adult character involved in this tangled web is hiding something: the husband is hiding his desire to turn a passion for comic books into a business from his wife, the wife is hiding her professional ambitions from her husband, the nanny is hiding her job from her family and maybe her motivations for staying on her job from herself.

Memorable characters, real-life tensions and concerns and the charming—in a hip kind of way—modern-day Park Slope, Fort Greene, Brooklyn setting make for an un-put-down-able read.

-I love Lori Tharps' blog My American Melting Pot and that played a big part in me deciding to pick up this book. Plus Terri had a glowing review that made me curious enough to pick up the book.

Life, After by Sarah Darer Littman

After a terrorist attack kills Dani’s aunt and unborn cousin, life in Argentina—private school, a boyfriend, a loving family—crumbles quickly. In order to escape a country that is sinking under their feet, Dani and her family move to the United States. It’s supposed to be a fresh start, but when you’re living in a cramped apartment and going to high school where all the classes are in another language—and not everyone is friendly—life in America is not all it’s cracked up to be. Dani misses her old friends, her life, Before.

But then Dani meets a boy named Jon, who isn’t like all the other students. Through him, she becomes friends with Jessica, one of the popular girls, who is harboring a secret of her own. And then there’s Brian, the boy who makes Dani’s pulse race. In her new life, the one After, Dani learns how to heal and forgive. She finds the courage to say goodbye and allows herself to love and be loved again.

-I've never read a book set in Argentina! And I'm curious about the terrorist attack. What's going on in Argentina that has made terrorist attacks something that occur? I updated my Global Reading Challenge to add this book for South America.

From the library
The Door of No Return by Sarah Mussi

Zac Baxter's grandfather has always told him that he's the descendant of African kings, whose treasure was stolen when his ancestors were sold into slavery. Of course, Zac brushes this off as a tall tale until his grandfather is murdered and their apartment is completely ransacked. Clearly somebody is after something.

Heeding his grandfather's dying words, Zac is off to Ghana to track down his family's history. But what did his grandfather mean when he said that Zac had the map to the treasure? Following every clue he can find, Zac begins to suspect that the treasure is real, and hidden in one of Ghana's old slave forts. Too bad the killers always seem to be one step ahead of him. With no one he can trust and with everything to lose, Zac races against time as he tries to uncover the truth about the past and a fortune in gold.

-I'm currently reading this book and it's OK. Not great (at least not yet unfortunately). I'm reading it for the Global Reading Challenge, it's my second book set in Africa for the challenge.

What new books did everyone else get this week?

Where the Streets Had A Name

Where the Streets Had a Name by Randa Abdel-Fattah 2010 (2008-Australia, 2009-UK)
Scholastic

Rating: 3/5

IQ "I suddenly understand that there is dignity in being able to claim heritage, in being able to derive identity from a rocky hill, a winding mountain road. Sitti Zeynab's village has never stopped calling her, beckoning her to return home. Her soul is stamped into these hills, and I feel her presence as strongly as if she were standing on the peak of one of the mountains." Hayaat pg. 181

Hayaat is thirteen years old but she has a clear mission: to bring back some soil from her grandmother's (Sitti Zeynab) ancestral home in Jerusalem. Samy, her best friend, will accompany her. Their journey is hindered however, by the fact that they live with their families in Bethlehem and there are curfews and checkpoints to deal with. Not to mention, the Wall that divides the West Bank and the fact that they can't travel wherever they like since they are not Israeli citizens. Samy is loyal and has a good heart, but he's obstinate and trouble follows him and his lack of respect for authority. He may put the trip in jeopardy on his own or the security checkpoints could stop them. The journey starts off on a high-note since they have a curfew-free day to travel, but it's just a start....

This is going to sound so silly to people but I was quite bothered by all the mentions of 'farting' in the book. I know I'm persnickety but I just didn't think it continually needed to be mentioned. And I'm pretty sure someone farts and another character takes note of it in every single chapter. On a more serious note, this story moves at a snail's pace. Hayaat doesn't form the idea for heading for Jerusalem until we are more than a few chapters in which I thought was frustrating. What made it more irksome was that the 'grand finale' so to speak felt rushed and the book ended on a happy but anti-climatic note. The ending just seemed odd and after the climax, I didn't understand why the book just didn't end (with a simple epilogue in place of all the details in the ending). Also, Hayaat recalls certain memories at various points in the story but they appear out-of-the-blue and it's not quite clear when her memory fades and it's back to the present.

The descriptions of life in Bethlehem are what makes this book so impressive. It's impressive because the descriptions are so simple but suddenly seemingly-mundane tasks (such as going to the grocery store) become a big deal when there is a curfew to contend with. Friends may end up as overnight guests if a curfew is ordered (sometimes random, sometimes due to protests as a form of punishment) and big celebrations could end up becoming small celebrations if travel restrictions are imposed, thereby limiting the mobility of guests. It's a ridiculous and frustrating situation especially when it limits people's abilities to get to the hospital, or attend a family wedding, etc. It's even more unbearable to read about the destruction of Palestinian homes and/or the possession of Palestinian homes by Israeli families who believe they have a claim to the land. There's a lot of Arabic food for thought, imagine being forced to leave your home (much like a refugee I think) and then essentially imprisoned in your new home. The story never becomes depressing, there are moments of levity (and no for me they did not come from farting references) especially concerning Hayaat and her beloved grandmother, Sitti Zeynab (sitti means my grandmother). The author describes people in a plain manner but with a little spark/unique touch such as when describing Sitti Zeynab's eyes "bright and untouched, having never caught up with the wrinkling, shrinking curse of the clock" (pg. 233).

One thing I am absolutely positive about is that when you finish Where the Streets Had a Name you will question (if you hadn't already) the Israeli government's treatment of Palestinians as well as America's policy towards Palestine. That's not to say there aren't sympathetic Israeli characters, as in real life, the characters are all human and Hayaat realizes that the Israeli soldiers have families, and that not all Israelis hate Palestinians. I think the author should have included an afterword explaining the situation because I was still curious/confused about quite a bit (for example: who orders curfews, the military or the government?). And obviously you can't make up your mind about such a complex issue after reading one or two or three books on the subject, after all this has been an issue since the '50s. Samy is an interesting best friend, I admired his spirit and obstinacy while at the same time it made me wince. I was glad that Hayaat had him at her side. A more concise ending, smoother transitions, and fewer mentions of bodily odors would have been nice. Hayaat's family is entertaining but mysterious since they aren't on the journey to Jerusalem with her, the reader learns little about them. Hayaat is a likable, genuine, brave main character but she wasn't particularly memorable in my mind. Furthermore, the glossary was strange to me because it didn't list definitions of every word mentioned (such as the 'curse' words or expressions). A good story with uncomplicated descriptions but complicated characters who needed to be more fleshed out, it moves slowly and while it took me some time to remember to go back to the story, I always remembered eventually. My favorite book by the author (and one I would recommend starting with if you want a hysterically funny read) is still Does My Head Look Big in This?

Disclosure: From the library

PS I really liked this quote from Sitti Zeynab "We Arabs say that the wound that bleeds inwardly is the most dangerous" (pg. 54). What an eloquent, interesting and accurate way of describing how hate can eat at your insides (so to speak).

Out of My Mind

Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper 2010
Atheneum Books for Young Readers/Simon & Schuster

Rating: 5/5

IQ "Fifth grade is probably pretty rocky for lots of kids. Homework/ Never being quite sure if you're cool enough. [...] I guess I have all that, plus about a million different layers of other stuff to deal with. Making people understand what I want. Worrying about what I look like. Fitting in. Will a boy ever like me? Maybe I'm not so different from everyone else after all. It's like somebody gave me a puzzle, but I don't have the box with the picture on it. So I don't know what the final thing is supposed to look like. I'm not even sure if I have all the pieces. That's probably not a good comparison, since I couldn't put a puzzle together if I wanted to." Melody pgs. 293-294

Melody is 11 years old, in 5th grade, and has both a photographic memory and cerebral palsy. Melody has a very advanced/severe case of cerebral palsy in which she can't speak and can barely move. She sits in a wheelchair and must be fed, bathed, taken to the bathroom and assisted with putting on her clothes. Melody is most likely the smartest kid in her school but no one knows it, many teachers don't think she's capable of learning and neither do doctors. She spends her days in classes with other children who have special needs learning preschool-level lessons, and it's driving her crazy. All Melody wants is to be able to speak, to tell her parents that she loves them and ask to be put in classes with children her age, on her intellectual level (or close to it because Melody is freakin brilliant). One day Melody learns that there may be something that will give her a voice, the problem is not everyone is ready to hear her.

I loved every page of this book and I cried through most of it because I could not fathom how cruel Melody's classmates were. I can't imagine being so mean to someone with special needs, especially not in fifth grade. It's like that expression about picking on someone your own size. I think it's fine to tease kids with special needs as long as they know you ARE KIDDING because kids do tease each other, but that's something friends do. Friends don't make fun of other friends' disabilities. What is that? Oh man I was so so angry while reading this book (it was a mix between tears of anger and tears of sadness). I didn't feel pity for Melody but I was enraged on her behalf. Melody has a wonderful voice, sometimes she's plagued by self-doubt (who isn't?), other times she is confident and she tells it like it is, not really worried about sparing people's feelings. Plus she has a wry sense of humor and she says things that made me crack a smile but I bet my eyes remained sad (if that makes. Basically the jokes were funny but what prompted the jokes wasn't funny). She has spunk, in fact I think she is the epitome of spunky. "When people look at me, I guess they see a girl with short, dark, curly hair strapped into a pink wheelchair. By the way, there is nothing cute about a pink wheelchair. Pink doesn't change a thing" (pg.3).

One of the most powerful moments in the book is when it hits Melody that children around the world have CP. "I stop for a minute and stare at the board. It has never occurred to me that there are kids like me in Germany and China and France who need a machine to help them talk" (pg. 137), how many of us consider that children/people around the world suffer from the same diseases/disabilities we do in the U.S. and many of them probably receive even less help? There were some inconsistencies in the book, for example the character of Rose was simply bizarre. One minute she was cool, the next I wanted to shout at her. I still don't fully understand her character, the other characters were one-dimensional except for Melody's family and Mrs. V. I never really understood how tough it is to care for someone with a disability but after reading this book I have a better idea and appreciation for the work of caregivers. Mrs. V was unimaginably sweet and my heart was warmed knowing that there really are people like her, only a few, but they exist. Melody's parents were wonderfully genuine, they adored Melody but Melody also witnessed the strain caring for her caused them. Especially once her mother had another child, the author acutely describes the loneliness and even resentment Melody feels as well as the guilt for not being able to do basic tasks for herself. Her parents argue fiercely but not all the time and they always make-up, they frustrate Melody and each other but that's realistic.

Out of My Mind left me a bit like Melody, speechless. The only difference being that I had tears running down my cheeks and Melody rarely cries. I admit I overlooked the one-dimensional characters and rather confusing ending along with the choppy pace because the emotional factor was so high. This book left me feeling drained and absolutely terrified (and in awe) of how cruel children can act. I honestly can't imagine anyone in my sixth grade class making fun of a kid with cerebral palsy (but I could see a kid in my fifth grade class doing that which is upsetting). Melody is one of the best main characters I've come across in a while (especially in middle grade) and even though she's fictional, I want her to succeed in life. Shoot, I could read a whole series of books about her. I was hesitant to read this book right away because I knew it would make me cry. I was right but it's the best kind of cry, and this is a great book. A book that leaves you with a deeper sense of comprehension and compassion.

Disclosure: Received this book about a year ago from Lyn. Thank you and I'm sorry I just now reviewed it!

Throwback Thursday: A Bottle in the Gaza Sea

A Bottle in the Gaza Sea by Valerie Zenatti 2008 (English translation done by Adriana Hunter)
Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children's Books

Rating: 3.5/5

IQ "Only complete idiots are really ugly. That's a rule I made up, but I do believe it. You can't be as sensitive, inquisitive and intelligent as she is and have a face like a rat. People's qualities show on their faces, in their eyes, in whether or not they tense their lips when you're talking." Gazaman pg. 75

Tal Levine is an Israeli but she's curious about the "other side". The other side being the Gaza Strip so she decides to write a letter, place it in a bottle and throw it into the Gaza Sea. She's not 100% positive that she will get a reply but it's worth a shot. The letter lands in the hands of "Gazaman" (the email address and pseudonym he uses), a sarcastic Palestinian guy. Tal spills her guts to him, Gazaman refuses to reveal much of anything about himself. He makes fun of her constantly but things slowly start to change and they become-against all odds-acquittances via email. Beliefs and attitudes will be changed, expectations will shatter and the world might appear a bit more hopeful than before.

The author is an Israeli and I personally thought it showed. Her portrayal of "Gazaman" felt incomplete. I might be being too hasty but I was annoyed that "Gazaman" was so down on his faith and all aspects of Muslim culture. He had nothing positive to say about Palestine which I thought took away from the supposedly neutral tone of the book. He mocks his culture in addition to Tal and since I have a lot of respect for the Muslim culture, this grated on me. In addition I have mixed feelings about the ending. I liked how open-ended it was (which is rare for me because I usually detest those. I'd take a sad ending over no ending almost any day), it works just right for this book. I would however, have appreciated a sequel/epilogue just to know where both of them are in their respective lives three years later. I finished the book not liking Tal but I respected her. She was just SO CHEERFUL and optimistic, it was too much. No wonder Gazaman felt the need to bring her back to reality sometimes. I found her a bit unrealistic in that she immediately told this male stranger all about her life, included a picture, etc. Also on the author's part, sometimes she would explain a lot about a character (for example Tal's brother, Eyyan) but not others (like Tal's boyfriend, Ori). Plus Tal would write down conversations she had with people and they were often extremely long dialogues.

This may sound odd but I was pleased that Ori was a good guy. I'm growing tired of the storyline where a new guy comes in and then the girl wakes up and realizes that *GASP* her boyfriend is actually a jerk. Ori was fairly one-dimensional but he wasn't perfect and yet they had a strong relationship, even though Tal was writing to Gazaman. I adored Gazaman and his biting sense of humor, mainly because I'm sarcastic all the time with my friends so I have a fondness for good sarcasm. The author did an excellent job of making it clear when Gazaman was being sarcastic and when he was serious, "[w]e should set up an Israeli-Palestinian asylum, you and me. It would be a beautiful symbol of reconciliation as Westerners say. We could call it the Majnun & Meshuga Institute, with our motto engraved over the door: Peace comes from insanity" (pg. 121), I think that's an utterly brilliant motto. Perhaps the email exchange between two strangers is an easy way to explain a complex situation but I didn't care because I was fascinated by the descriptions of life in the Gaza Strip (Palestine) versus life in Israel. Different hardly begins to describe the two places.

A Bottle in the Gaza Sea has one of the most appropriate endings I've come across, not hopelessly optimistic but open ended enough that it could be happy. I wanted a bit more clarity but the ending works. I loved every minute of observing Jerusalem with Tal, surveying the Gaza Strip with Gazaman. And like both Tal (and although he wouldn't admit it at first, Gazaman) I eagerly awaited their emails to each other. I became caught up in stories about the bombings, fearing the author would utterly break my heart (and she sort-of did. Just consider lines like the following, "I don't understand how life can hinge on so little: whether or not you feel like going to the cafe along a certain street", pg. 9). I would have liked more space/explanation/introspection in between the dialogue and further exploration of Gazaman's Muslim faith (why is he so delusional? Was he even raised Muslim?). On a more personal note I really enjoyed this book because I knew bits and pieces about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict but not much. This book pried my eyes wide open and forced me to do a double-take, I love when a book makes me do that! An arresting tale that manages to walk the fine line between not being naively optimistic nor being pessimistically realistic. I wish I could give this book not only to all American high school students and government leaders but to all Israelis and Palestinians as well. Like the letters Tal and Gazaman write to each other, it would be another drop in the ocean. And to be perfectly honest, before reading this book I would have said I was more sympathetic to the Israeli cause. Now I'm torn. But I will keep reading so that I can make up my mind and be truly well-informed.


Disclosure: From the library

PS I actually prefer the French cover (left). Which cover do you prefer?

I also loved the following line said by Tal's (typical wise, artistic, intellectual father) "instead of loving this city [Jerusalem] in the way it deserves, instead of getting along, they've [Israelis and Palestinians] fought over her for more than fifty years, the way men might once have fought for a woman, with passion, with a little more hate for their rivals every day. They don't even realize their wars are now damaging the thing they claim to love, damaging it more and more violently in one way or another" (pg. 9)

Waiting on Wednesday: Possess

Possess by Gretchen McNeil

Release Date: August 23, 2011

Fifteen-year-old Bridget Liu just wants to be left alone: by her mom, by the cute son of a local police sergeant, and by the eerie voices she can suddenly and inexplicably hear. Unfortunately for Bridget, it turns out the voices are demons – and Bridget has the rare ability to banish them back to whatever hell they came from.

Terrified to tell people about her new power, Bridget confides in a local priest who enlists her help in increasingly dangerous cases of demonic possession. But just as she is starting to come to terms with her new power, Bridget receives a startling message from one of the demons. Now Bridget must unlock the secret to the demons' plan before someone close to her winds up dead – or worse, the human vessel of a demon king.

-I'm impressed by the cover, I think it's very cool. The cover is eerie and it reminds me of the woods which have always freaked me out. BTW it's being given away on Goodreads (I always enter these contests and never win). The idea of a teenage girl being an exorcist is extremely intriguing and I'll be salivating for this book to release!

This meme has been hosted for quite some time by Breaking the Spine

What are you waiting on this week? Does this book sound original to you or similar to other paranormal books? (I wouldn't really know).

Borders is Having A Sale...BUY POC BOOKS!

There are quite a few things I want to discuss on this blog. People of color and Jane Austen. A case of whitewashing. How to get more kids of color to read. And well I'm not exactly sure what else just yet but there's always a whole lot on my mind and since I'm finding less and less time to read (and it's SUMMER! I cringe to think about how difficult it will be during school), I will be blathering on at least once a month. For now, I'd like to focus on Borders closing (why oh why did Books-A-Million not buy it)?

I'm devastated. I support indie bookstores all the way, but my own indie has a terrible selection of diverse YA books and while they are willing to order, I hate ordering books. I much prefer being able to enter a bookstore and browse and actually read the summaries on the back of a book (yes I am strange). I live about 10 minutes from Chicago so I can find another indie bookstore or a Barnes & Noble fairly easily but still. I have an avid love/hate relationship with Borders. I loved all the books it had, the atmosphere. I hated the poor selection of diverse books in the store and the expensive prices. But there was nothing I liked better than receiving a Borders giftcard for my birthday. The only 'good' thing about Borders closing (besides the potential for more indies to thrive) is that they are having a big sale. EVERYTHING MUST GO.

As soon as I arrived home from D.C. I went to Borders that very night. I was pleased (and a little irked-but mostly pleased) that the majority of the YA section was gone, even the few YA books about poc weren't there. But then again, there weren't many to begin with. Then I went upstairs to the African American section. Almost ALL the books are still there. WHY? WHY? WHY?????

I was absolutely shocked. It was 10% off which granted isn't much (in fact I'm fairly certain I got ripped off in the end. Ah well I'm done splurging) but c'mon people! I went on a Sunday night, a day when many people aren't working or running errands. So really there is no excuse for not finding time to visit Borders. Are there so many books left because we Black people really don't like to read? (Of course not). Do we just not know about the sale? Do we not care? It's absolutely bizarre, the shelves were overflowing and it almost broke my heart. There were so many books in that section that I wanted but couldn't afford after I made my purchases (I bought four books). Pearl Cleage, Octavia Butler, Toni Morrison, the books were all there, waiting to be picked up and brought home.

So I ask you when you are eagerly snatching up books at your local Borders, consider buying a book or two from the African American section. And if you have any guesses as to why this section still has so many books, leave me a comment/email me with your thoughts! Have you noticed this at your local Borders?

PS This is a must-read post on how mismangement killed Borders

Mini Reviews: Drown, Douglass' Women, Rooftops of Tehran

Drown by Junot Diaz 1996
Riverhead Books/Penguin

IQ "We sat and drank and finally talked, two strangers reliving an event-a whirlwind, a comet, a war-we'd both seen but from different faraway angles." pgs. 206-207 [referring to Yunior meeting his father's mistress]

The author's debut, a collection of ten short stories concerning Yunior, his brother Rafa and his family. The story takes place in the campo and barrios of the Dominican Republic and the city communities of New Jersey.

I love The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (the author's second book), I don't love Drown, I'm just in like, tentative like. I did not like the confusing narration, at first I couldn't figure out that the story was being told by the same guy, Yunior because he's not always referred to by name. Since the story takes place in both the D.R. and New Jersey and there's no sense of time, it's also difficult to figure out how old Yunior is. There is no clear continuity so I was left wondering about what happened to the rest of Yunior's messed up (aren't they all?) family. In fact, I can't even say for sure if it was all about Yunior, maybe it wasn't but I'm going to continue thinking it was until someone helpfully explains otherwise. Yunior's father is a jerk, he abandons his family in the D.R. to head to America and then remarries. But hold your judgement because by the end of the book, I understood this lost father a little bit better. Still don't like him, but I understand him, sorta.

The stories in Drown are gritty, genuine and riveting. The entire cast of characters is hardened beyond their years both cynical and aching for the American Dream as well as to be loved. The irony is that they all push love away and some of them throw away the opportunities America offers them. But it's not entirely their fault, as usual there is a distinctive gray area concerning the perils of following the American Dream and the gifts that America can give. These stories are confusing and sometimes the characters are perplexing but they are memorable. I liked the author's confined prose, it is both frustrating and delightful, he manages to create such realistic scenes and characters in so few words that it's stunning. He has a unique way of describing people and things such as "Outside, Mami said, her voice a murder about to happen" (pg. 79). I practically started quaking when I read that line. I could hear the cadence of voices, not just the Spanish accents but also the accents of those from Santo Domingo and those who live in the city, the pain, toughness and vulnerability rings clearly. And I love that he doesn't translate his Spanish or even highlight the words so you know it's Spanish, it's just there y no es un problema.

Disclosure: From the library

Douglass' Women by Jewell Parker Rhodes 2002
Washington Square Press/Simon & Schuster

IQ "Not seeing my color was the same as seeing it." Ottilie pg. 194

Frederick Douglass was a brilliant man, an extraordinary orator and abolitionist, he was most ordinary however when it came to love and passion. He married Anna Murray Douglass, a free Black woman who helped him escape from slavery. He had an affair with Ottilie Assing, a German woman (who was half-Jewish), she helped keep him organized as he spoke across America and later Europe. Anna and Freddy had five children. Ottilie and Douglass had none. This is the story of two very different woman and their love for the same man.

The author states that her goal is not to diminish Frederick Douglass with this book, only to show that he was human. She succeeds in doing just that, but I admit I lost some respect for him as a person based on how he treated both women (but especially Anna) and his children. Anna and Ottilie are so different. Anna keeps the family whole, she cleans the house, feeds the children and makes sure Frederick (or Freddy as she calls him although he doesn't always like it) feels comfortable. She is very religious and would have been content if Frederick had simply become a Preacher. Anna has no real desire to learn to read and write, she only agrees to lessons so that Freddy will stop badgering her about her inability to read but Anna ends up never becoming literate. That is part of the reason Frederick turns to Ottilie who is more of his equal intellectually. With Ottilie, Douglass (Ottilie called him Herr Douglass for awhile and then affectionately just called him Douglass) could discuss politics, literature, art, philosophy, anything that came to mind. I had a hard time understanding why Anna wouldn't want to learn to read and write but I closed this book with a better understanding of why she was happy with who she was and I admired her for her spirit. Ottilie was young, slender, blonde. Anna was older than Frederick, curvy, black. Frederick insulted Anna by having an affair with another woman but he added insult to injury by giving Ottilie a room in his home, but Anna had her own way of asserting her quiet dominance over her home. Douglass was never physical (well one time but that was the only time noted in the book) but he was self-centered and a snob (it is fascinating how once Black people reached the upper class they forgot their roots, even our great abolitionists. Mr. Douglass fought avidly to free all slaves but he did not want his children marrying former slaves). Anna's view of love made me sad "I'd let him go 'cause it was best, Best for him. Worse for me. Ain't that love?" (pg. 38), to me that is love sometimes but not ALL the time. Plus it should be mutual, Frederick never did what was worst for him but better for Anna.

In Douglass' Women the author does a skillful job of showing not just the physical differences between Anna and Ottilie but their different views on home, Douglass/Freddy and love. Neither woman is judged by the author, both their stories are presented in a neutral tone, and both women have somewhat just claims on Frederick, who is both oblivious and blithely ignorant to all the pain he has caused. I like how the women never became friends, because while it is based on two very real people the author could have tried to make the story happier, instead she makes them grudgingly accepting of one another which is more authentic. The alternating points of view works well for this novel, but I do wish a timeline had been kept. I like being able to think about what other events were occurring around the world during the time this story took place (although any event pertaining to slavery was carefully noted through dialogue). I now want to know Frederick Douglass' side of the story (and to learn more about his eldest daughter, Rosetta Douglass, she seems like an exceptional woman). More than anything else this book taught me, it emphasized that love really makes no sense because although Douglass was a less than ideal family man and lover, Anna and Ottilie still loved and admired his noble bearing, his courage, and his intelligence. The funny thing is, I still do too. But they both should have left him and started a new life.

Disclosure: Received to giveaway as a prize for the POC Reading Challenge. Thank you so much Ms. Rhodes!

Rooftops of Tehran by Mahbod Seraji 2009

New American Library/Penguin Group

IQ "Has anyone ever told you that you have That?' I [Pasha] must look thoroughly confused. 'You've never heard of That?' he asks, surprised.
I shake my head no.
'It's a priceless quality that's impossible to define, really,' he explains, 'but you recognize it in the actions of great people.'" Doctor pg. 29

It's the summer of 1973 and Pasha is seventeen years old, spending most of his time chatting on his rooftop with his best friend, Ahmed. Pasha and Ahmed's conversations range from reflective to hysterical, discussing life, love and cruel teachers. Gradually love begins to be the main focus of their conversations. Ahmed has fallen in love with Faheemeh, who is engaged to another man. Pasha is secretly in love with Zari, engaged to Pasha's dear friend, Doctor. Zari is Pasha's neighbor and has been engaged to Doctor since birth. Zari and Pasha slowly become friends since Doctor is away so often and that doesn't make it any easier for Pasha to stop loving Zari. Summer flies by and wonderful memories are created until one night, the shah's SAVAK (secret police) appear to arrest a loved one and Pasha unknowingly helps them make the arrest. Pasha, Ahmed, Zari and Faheemeh are rudely awakened to life under a dictator who cares little about crushing his people's rights and Zari makes a shocking choice that may have broken Pasha forever.

I couldn't decide at first if this book was YA or adult, but I ended up classifying it as adult since the imprint the book was published under isn't YA. Plus Pasha seemed more like a vehicle for the author to use in order to express his views. Pasha seemed more mature than the average seventeen-year old guy, but maybe American male teenagers are just less mature than male teenagers in other countries? Obviously there are exceptions to that rule but I had a hard time believing Pasha was a teenager in high school. Especially when he's using extremely eloquent, flowery language such as "life was a random series of beautifully composed vignettes, loosely tied together by a string of characters and time." (pg. 4) I didn't like the Doctor storyline. I admire Doctor but I never got the feeling that Zari really loved him thus her devastating choice was harder to understand. The ending was satisfactory, there are some loose ends but such is life and there is supposedly a sequel being written which I would definitely read. Zari's choice is probably one of the best climaxes in a book I've ever read, it was unexpected and horrific. I honestly don't think any Westerner unfamiliar with the Middle East could see it coming. The book opens with Pasha in a mental hospital in 1974 and I flew through the book in an effort to discover why he was there. The most depressing part of the whole book is knowing that the Shah remains in power until 1979, Pasha and his friends must endure about five more years of his harsh rule. Granted, the Shah tried to do some good things (modernizing Iran) but his awful record on human rights makes his efforts inexcusable.

This book provides a through view of life in one middle-class neighborhood in Tehran. Pasha is a voracious reader and it's both amusing and bemusing to read some of things he and his friends think about the U.S. His observations allow readers to compare the daily life of Iranians to daily life here, and things we take for granted, not just with amenities and freedoms but things like falling in love. "I read somewhere that people in the West, like in the U.S. and Europe, date for a long time before falling in love,' I say, restless with anxiety. [...]'But here in Iran, we look at someone, and we fall in love. All the girl has to do is smile, and we're swept off our feet. No dating, no getting to know each other, no real opportunity to get acquainted, do you know what I mean?'" (pgs.56-57) More than anything, the point is really reinforced that Iranians will bitter for quite some time at the U.S. for being STUPID enough to reinstate the Shah. Personally, I think it's one of our worst foreign policy blunders. In addition to the cultural tidbits, the book has the BEST best friend I've ever come across. I want an Ahmed in my life. He's gallant, rebellious tender and absolutely hilarious. I offer you a teaser "You're a good dancer', Faheemeh compliments him. [Ahmed]

'I had dance lessons from Tennessee Williams himself.'

'Tennessee Williams was not a dancer,' I [Pasha] argue.

'I tried to tell Tennessee that, but he wouldn't hear of it'" Ahmed (pg. 67). I giggled at that line and any other time Ahmed opened his mouth. He's the type of friend that tries to make Pasha laugh through his tears and he avoids uncomfortable topics because he knows that he's basically the glue that keeps everyone together. If Ahmed cried, they would all be done. And there's lots of tears, Iranians mourn for a long time and in an elaborate, open, manner. They wail, tear at their clothes, etc. The author brings this vividly to life along with other elements of Iranian culture but at the heart of this novel is the painful, but oh-so-worth-it aspect of first love. I would recommend this to those who've fallen in love, are transfixed by the Middle East/Iran or just looking for a historical fiction romantic tragedy. But honestly, I'd recommend it to everyone, especially since we need to recognize and respect those who have That.

Disclosure: From the library

Throwback Thursday: The Fight

The Fight by L. Divine 2006
Dafina/Kensington

Rating: 2/5

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

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

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

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

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

Disclosure: Bought

Waiting on Wednesday: Ghetto Cowboy

Ghetto Cowboy by G. Neri, illustrated by Jesse Joshua Watson

Release Date: August 9, 2011

From the 2011 Coretta Scott King Author Award winner comes a street-smart tale about a displaced teen who learns to defend what’s right— the Cowboy Way.

When Cole’s mom dumps him in mean streets of Philly to live with the dad he’s never met, the last thing Cole expects to see is a horse—let alone a stable full of them. He may not know much about cowboys, but what he knows for sure is that cowboys ain't black and they don’t live in the inner city! But on Chester Avenue, horses are a way of life, and soon Cole’s days of goofing off and skipping school in Detroit have been replaced by shoveling muck and trying not to get stomped on.

Crazy as it may seem, the lifestyle grows on Cole, and he starts to think that maybe life as a ghetto cowboy isn’t so bad. But when the City threatens to shut down the stables—and take away the horse that Cole has come to think of as his own—he knows that he has to fight back.
Inspired by the real-life inner-city horsemen of Philadelphia and Brooklyn, Ghetto Cowboy is an timeless urban western about learning to stand up for what’s right—the Cowboy Way.

-OH MY GOODNESS BLACK COWBOYS! MAYBE EVEN A BLACK COWGIRL OR TWO!! IN THE INNER CITY!!! I want this book so incredibly badly, thanks to the wonderful Tanita Davis for putting it on my radar (and she loved it). I blogged about my desire to read some diverse Westerns. Now here is my chance, I'm definitely not going to wait to read this book, I'm making a promise to myself to read it within a month (I'll review it too but who knows when that will go up? :) I am so looking forward to this story, I'm especially intrigued by the Black inner-city horsemen bit.

Thanks to Breaking the Spine for hosting this meme

Do you read Westerns, why or why not? What are you waiting on this week?

*I am in D.C. from June 18-June 24. I may have Internet access, not sure. I will respond to all emails and comments upon my return =)

Akata Witch

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor 2011
Viking/Penguin Group

Rating: 4.5/5

IQ "Having two lives is better than none." Orlu pg. 349

Sunny lives in Nigeria but she was born in America to Nigerian parents. She's never sure how to describe herself, she leaves that up to everyone else. Sunny looks West Africa, but she's also albino. She's unable to play soccer in the sun because she will burn, she doesn't fit in anywhere. She discovers a new sort of family when she meets Orlu and Chichi. Orlu is one of her classmates and at school he's shy, kids even say he's stupid because he's dyslexic. Chichi lives next door to Orlu and while Orlu and Chichi are good friends, Sunny and Orlu don't get along the very first time they meet (or even the second). Then Sunny finds out that Orlu and Chichi have magical abilities and so does she. Sunny is a 'free agent' which means that she has a lot of power but it doesn't run immediately in her blood (i.e. unlike Orlu and Chichi, Sunny's parents don't have magical abilities nor do they know about the world of juju and masquerades). Sunny is soon learning magical history, juju, spells, shapechanging but there is a dark side, a serial killer is running amok, killing children for more magical power. Sunny, Chichi and Orlu are going to have to stop Black Hat Otokoto, and they may die trying.

I loved 96% of this book, the only thing that really bothered me was that at times the author was obviously trying to make a point. Especially concerning the character of Sasha, it seemed like the author had an agenda. Sasha like Sunny was born in America to Nigerian parents. Unlike Sunny, Sahsa has not lived in Nigeria since he was nine and is more sensitive to how Africans treat Black Americans. Sasha moved to Nigeria without his parents as a punishment for using his magical powers irresponsibly. There were several moments where Sasha would bemoan the treatment of Black Americans not just by the police but also by Black Africans (after all the title of this novel, akata means 'bush animal' in Igbo, which is a word used to refer to American born or other foreign-born Blacks). Considering that Sasha was fourteen and a guy, I found his mini-rants random at best, annoying at worst. Continuing on with how young I found the characters to be, the love element seems forced. As if it was like 'ok two boys, two girls, obviously they will be attracted to each other'. Granted we don't know how old Chichi is, but Sasha is the oldest at fourteen. Orlu is thirteen and Sunny is twelve. I wish they could have remained friends but I do know that fourteen-year olds have little relationships so I'm going to try and be more forgiving. The thing that bothered me the most was how vague some of the magic was especially at the end. I couldn't describe to you what occurred because I'm still not sure.

It's funny maybe because there's been an over saturation of Harry Potter commercials/TV specials/interviews/etc that I had HP on the brain (I'm skeptical though because I haven't read those books or seen those movies in years) but I found a lot of magic/places similar to HP. For example, Leopard Knocks reminded me of Diagon Alley (I think that's what it's called, haha. Correct me if I'm wrong). The 'using magic responsibly' rule also reminded me of the 'no magic rule during the summer' in HP. I think that's a good thing, in fact I thought it was wonderful that all the magical elements, products, etc had a certain Nigerian flavor to it (if I may call it that). And of course, props to the author for using Igbo words and not translating them. Some of them I couldn't figure out, but others were easy to discern based on context (look at that, basic elementary school skills in use ;). I was enthralled by how the author described sounds, places and people, like so "It was a haunting tune that made her want to tear off in the other direction screaming. It was the tune of nightmares. It was fast and melodious and full of warning, like the song of a sweet-throated bird happily leading the devil into the room" (pg. 325). Deliciously gritty and creepy!

Akata Witch is the enthralling start of what will surely turn out to be a fantastic series. I want to learn more about the Oha coven (Orlu, Chichi, Sasha and Sunny), more about juju, Leopard Knocks, Ekwensu, etc. Sunny is a wonderful heroine, a bit unsure, willing to learn, able to stand up for herself worried about her parents and a great football (as in soccer!) player. I especially loved that Sunny constantly was worried about checking in with her mother, her parents weren't absent. They didn't just accept her random disappearances, she had to account for herself and work within THEIR boundaries, which I found realistic. The world of Leopard Knocks is described in ample, elaborate detail and I hung on every word. The author manages to completely describe every inflection, every little thing that distinguishes how people speak, specifically Nigerians. The subtleties of the different cultural groups are not explained in long summaries, instead through simple bursts of dialogue and observations. The only things I would want to see change is the ages of the character (why not make them teenagers? I know that can't actually be changed though) and better descriptions of the magical action. I love the celebration of differences, all the characters are unique and even though they are all Black, this novel effectively showcases how Black people/Africans really can't be put into a box (as if you need reminding). A rich tale overflowing with magic and friendship, I can't wait for more!

Disclosure: From Tricia, thank you!

*I will be in D.C. at the Young Women's Political Leadership Conference from July 18-July 24

Male Monday: Coram Boy

Coram Boy by Jamila Gavin 2000
Egmont UK Unlimited

Rating: 3.5/5

IQ "Sometimes it was if Mercy had eyes everywhere that could see except the two in her head." pg. 231

Two cities, four main characters. The story takes place in both Gloucester and London, detailing the lives of Alexander, Toby, Aaron and Thomas. Toby was saved from an African slave ship, but his salvation comes at a price. Aaron is the illegitimate son of the heir to a wealthy estate. Both boys were saved by Otis, a man who accepts money for children and sells them into slavery (girls are usually sent to the harems of Turkey and North Africa), apprentices them to people around London, or sends them to America to become servants. Otis 'kindly' takes unwanted children off the hands of their parents, especially wealthy young mothers who have had illegitimate children. He tells these young mothers that he will take their children to the Coram Hospital. The Coram Hospital was started by Captain Thomas Coram, a place for unwanted children to be fed and educated and to be in a loving environment. Every mother who couldn't care for her own child wanted their child to end up there, Otis promised they would but his word was not always bond. Alexander is the heir of Ashbrook a wealthy estate, disinherited because he wants to pursue a career in music which his father doesn't understand and will not support. Thomas is Alexander's devoted friend since their childhood days in the cathedral choir.

Ok long summary I know but I wish I had had more information going into reading this book. The summary was too vague for my taste. But that's not really all that important, something that did really bother me about the book was how slow the plot dragged and how simplistic the plot was. It does not end 100% happily which was realistic but most characters were seen clearly in black or white. The few who had some 'gray' areas remained an unsatisfactory mystery, the reason as to why characters acted the way they did sometimes out of the blue, was never explained through dialogue or observation. *Spoiler: highlight to read* For example: why did Otis never get rid of Meshak? Was Otis a false 'Coram man' while his wife was still alive? If so, did she approve? If not, why did he start doing that? *End Spoiler* I think there needs to be a whole 'nother book on Otis, although that would be hard to stomach. There's SO MUCH going on this novel and unfortunately I didn't think the author was able to juggle everything. In the end while it may not have been happy, it was still very neat and convenient. Speaking of convenient, the magical/religious/fairy tale/what-have-you aspect of it made certain events more convenient but added nothing to the story. In fact I was confused more than anything. Oh and the AGES of the CHILDREN. I may be showing some ignorance/naivete but I had a really hard time believing two fourteen year olds as innocent as Melissa and Alexander could have sex. I would have believed it if they showed maturity. And I had a hard time picturing such daring eight year olds as Toby and Aaron....

I lapped up so much knowledge from this book about London in the 1750s, specifically concerning children's welfare. They were treated TERRIBLY especially the poor orphans. Even the wealthier children were still beaten or punished in some way into submission and they had little say in their future. Instead of parents being motivated by their terrible childhoods to change the way they raised their children, they continued the same awful traditions, sending them to the horrible Eton College or other harsh boarding schools (for boys). Girls were doomed to a life of monotony, if they were fortunate enough to be born welathy they could attend parties and art events, working class girls' lives were filled with work, work and more work. I couldn't believe it took so long for a Captain Coram to come along and try and start to change the way children were treated. He wanted to nurture them and make them self-sufficient. Furthermore, the way young Black children were treated! Toby is 'given' as a servant for life to the man who sponsored his stay at the Coram Hospital. This man, Mr. Gaddarn, dresses Toby up "like a miniature prince, in silk trousers and embroidered jacket with curling slippers and a bejewelled turban on his head. He would be given a silver platter laden with sweetmeats which he had to hand round to all the guests. The ladies adored him, and loved to bounce him on their knees, feed him sweets, and push their fingers under his turban to feel his extraordinarily crinkly hair" (pgs. 213-214). While I knew Black people were treated like animals back then, I had no idea that young boys (no mention was made of how young Black girls were treated but I can imagine *shudder*) were treated as 'pets' or 'playthings.' It was appalling to say the least.

Coram Boy received a high rating for me because I love history so I found all the historical details enthralling to read about. The author covers a diverse aspect of perspectives in 18th century London, from the mentally ill Meshak to the former-slave Toby, each portrayal is respectful and eye-opening. At times the tales are gruesome, after all, Otis and Meshak bury BABIES ALIVE and the author describes their pitiful cries in great detail. It's tough to read about but it is rewarding to truly see how far we've come concerning children's welfare and yet, how far we still have to go. The plot and characters could have been more complex, the various story lines more deftly handled with a messier, authentic ending. The children acted more mature than their actual age in some regards but in others they were so naive (14 year olds having sex, the 14 year old girl freaking out about 'getting fat'). A most excellent read for delving into (and comparing) life in London and an English hamlet and how people dressed, spoke, acted and were treated. An interesting tidbit: the book was adapted into a play.


*I am currently in D.C. on a one week women in high school political leadership conference! I will be back July 24

Disclosure: Received with many thanks from Tricia!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Disclosure: From Tricia, thank you =)

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


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


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

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

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

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

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


In Full Bloom by Caroline Hwang 2003
Dutton/Penguin Group

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


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


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


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


Disclosure: Library

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

Waiting on Wednesday: Vanished

Vanished by Sheela Chari

Release Date: August 9, 2011

Eleven-year-old Neela dreams of being a famous musician, performing for admiring crowds on her traditional Indian stringed instrument. Her particular instrument used to be her grandmother’s—made of warm, rich wood, and intricately carved with a mysterious-looking dragon. When this special family heirloom vanishes from a local church, Neela is devastated. As she searches for it, strange clues surface: a teakettle ornamented with a familiar-looking dragon, a threatening note, a connection to a famous dead musician, and even a legendary curse. The clues point all the way to India, where it seems that Neela's intrument has a long history of vanishing and reappearing. If she is able to track it down, will she be able to stop it from disappearing again?

-This meme was created and is hosted by Breaking the Spine. YES a MYSTERY with some color in it =D I really like watching mystery/legal/detective shows on TV so I think I'm really going to enjoy this debut. I was surprised by how charmed I am by the cover. It puzzles me (in a good way), I want to know where Neela is and who she's with? And how does an instrument have a history of disappearing and reappearing? Color me intrigued.

What are you waiting on this week? Share! (please)

Throwback Thursday: Wuthering High (off color)

Wuthering High by Cara Lockwood 2006
MTV Books/ Simon & Schuster

Rating: 3/5

IQ "Some crazy people would say that forests and mountains are beautiful, but to me the outdoors are just plain creepy. I see forests and I think of maniacs wielding chainsaws. You never hear of psychotic, crazed killers in movies striking at the mall. No. The freaky killers who turn their victims into wax do it way out of in the country somewhere far away from Banana Republic." Miranda pg. 20

Fifteen year old Miranda Tate is slightly spoiled so you can imagine her horror when after crashing her father's car (and maxing out her stepmother's credit cards) she is sent to Bard Academy, a school in the middle of nothing where no contact is allowed with the outside world. Its a school for 'juvenile delinquents' (or so they are deemed by their parents). No phone calls, no Internet, a uniform must be worn at all times, there's a strict curfew and woods nearby that are just plain creepy. Of course what would a boarding school be if it wasn't haunted? Miranda can't sleep due to terrifying nightmares, fires are randomly being set, strange maniac laughter fills the air and there's something not right about the faculty at Bard. It just so happens that the members of the faculty at Bard are ghosts (many of them famous writers) stuck in limbo. That's not the only secret the faculty is keeping, there's something special about Miranda and why is it so crucial that nothing happen to a worn page torn from Wuthering Heights? Who is setting the fires? Furthermore, is Heathcliff really a student at Bard or is he the ACTUAL Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights?

I like knowing the motives of why an author does what he or she does and this book puzzled me a bit because I thought the assignments of the famous writers turned teachers was random. It could have at least been explained a bit better for those of us not familiar with all the authors. Coach H (Hemingway) as a gym teacher makes sense, I didn't understand why Charlotte Bronte was Headmistress B, perhaps because she was a governess? However, I didn't know Charlotte Bronte was a governess until I looked it up. And why was Virginia Woolf a dorm mother? I'm just curious as to how the author figured out who should do what at Bard academy. I was also disappointed in the misleading of the back cover which claimed "the students' lives also start to mirror the classics they're reading-tragic novels like Dracula, Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre" but Miranda and her friends are RARELY in class. Bard Academy has a tough curriculum but Miranda only mentions classes to complain a bit but she doesn't mention studying/analyzing the classics. I wish there had been more discussion of the classics. I don't like Ryan either, I know he's supposed to be dreamy and actually really sweet but I just don't like him. Heathcliff all the way!

I decided to review this book because of Samir. I love Samir, the new friend of Miranda. He was sent to Bard because his traditional Indian parents had arranged a marriage for him when he turned nineteen but he refused to comply. Samir is not exactly a ladies' man but as is usually the case, he's quite funny and determined to find a girl for him. One of my favorite bits of dialogue

"'Will you marry me?' he asks me
'Uh....' I glance at Hana
'He asks every girl he meets,' Hanna explains. 'Don't worry about it.'" (pg. 58) Blade, Miranda's roommate remains a caricature and Hana doesn't have much of a personality yet but at least one secondary character (Samir) does. I really like Miranda too. I started out not liking her because she was (still is actually) spoiled and a bit whiny but I probably whine too so I can relate. Plus she's funny because she has this realistic/self-deprecating sense of humor such as "Heathcliff contains my squirming easily, carrying me as if I weigh nothing, which I know is not true at all despite the Bard Academy cafeteria diet" (pg. 208). Miranda is a strong main character but I really like her because she's not too extreme. Not extremely trendy, shy, pretty, mean, etc. She's average, like many other high school girls (including myself) that I know. Sometimes she feels beautiful, other times she thinks she's 'hideous'. How refreshing and realistic.

Wuthering High's strengths lie in its premise being quite novel and having some dominant, interesting characters in Miranda, Samir and Heathcliff. The ending left me with more questions than answers which normally bothers me to no end but I would have been sad to just leave these characters behind, I want to know more about Bard Academy, its students and faculty. One mystery is neatly closed but there are several others left open. At least I know that there are currently two other books out in this series and the author is working on a fourth (final) book. Since the book places such emphasis on the literary classics I want more time to be spent discussing the classics and the people who wrote them. I would also like to see Hana be more than just a sidekick and Blade be more than the creepy roommate. I MUST know more about Heathcliff. And I need Samir to date someone and find happiness :)

Disclosure: From the biblioteca