YA and MG Giveaways!

So in honor of me starting to review MG books, I'm giving away 2 packs of book for my next giveaway in keeping up with my September giveaway extravangza! Each pack contains a YA and MG book.
*Note I haven't yet read either of the MG books I'm giving away (they are high on my tbr pile though!)
There will be 2 winners. The 1st winner will get to pick which pack they want and the 2nd winner will take the other.

In Pack 1 I'm giving away

Naming Maya by Uma Krishnaswami (MG)

Although Maya has done her best to avoid it, she is spending part of her summer in Chennai, India, with her mother, who is trying to sell her grandfather's old house. Soon Maya is drawn into a complicated friendship with eccentric Kamala Mami, who has been a housekeeper and cook for years in Maya's extended family. At the same time, Maya is thrust into an ocean of memories, all coming at her too quickly for her to understand. In particular, she is forced to examine the history of her parents' divorce -- all the more painful because she believes the trouble began with the choosing of her name. For years the tension has simmered in a cauldron of anxiety, secrets, and misunderstandings. It is only with the help of Kamala Mami and Maya's cousin Sumati that Maya is able to see what happened to her parents.

In this compelling first novel, a young Indian American girl finally learns that she can choose which memories to keep and which to let go.
And

L.A. Summer by Sheryl-Mallory Johnson (YA)

Now that she’s sixteen, Mikki is dying for a change of scenery. She’s certain that there’s more to life than living in the city of Boone, Texas, with not one cute boy worth a stare. Her wish is to return to Los Angeles and reunite with her best friend, Stacy, so she can experience the real world.

Stacy, known for her loud mouth and street smarts thinks her summer will be “jacked up,” with her father forcing her to attend summer school. After learning that Mikki is coming to town, Stacy’s hyped! She can’t wait to see her old best friend after their six-year separation. The only problem – the fear they’ve both changed too much to still be best friends.

Living in Mikki’s old house is Stacy’s new best friend, Carlette. Carlette is anxious to finally meet Mikki, if she can break away from her over protective mother. Mikki is not the only person on Carlette’s visitor’s list. Her new boyfriend, Bone, is at the top. If her mother finds out Bone’s real age and lifestyle, Carlette will be on lock-down for life.

Enter fine egotistical Dominick, the boyfriend of Mikki’s dreams and Stacy’s worst nightmare. When Stacy discovers that Dominick is checking for Mikki, she tries to protect Mikki from getting hurt. But like her cop dad says, “A bullet proof vest can’t save a man who gets in the line of fire.” Mikki may have to save herself.

Across the way Carlette has troubles of her own. After wild ‘n out all night with Bone, Carlette disappears. No one can find her.

Summer heats up for all three girls. Can Stacy and Mikki’s relationship withstand the test of time? Will Carlette be found...alive? Will Stacy reveal her secret about Dominick to save Mikki, or leave Mikki in the dark, struggling to survive in a city too ruthless for a small town girl?

A review of L.A. Summer is coming soon!

In Pack 2 we have

A Wish After Midnight by Zetta Elliott (YA)

Fifteen-year old Genna Colon believes wishes can come true.When Genna flees into the garden late one night, she makes a fateful wish and finds herself instantly transported back in time to Civil War-era Brooklyn

I love this book so much, I want to give you guys another chance to win it! Read my review

Eigth Grade SuperZero by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich

Reginald Garvey McKnight created a superhero character in kindergarten; now he dreams of being a real-life leading man: The Guy who’s got game and gets The Girl. Instead, he threw up on the first day of school. In front of everyone. Eighth grade has gone downhill ever since.

Reggie's story has both humour and heartbreak as he figures out what it means to 'keep it real'. In EIGHTH GRADE SUPERZERO, Reggie wonders why things are so bad if God is so good; his faith at all levels is challenged by his friendships, his work at a homeless shelter, and a pair of “Dora The Explorer” shoes. A school election leads him to the superhero within; Reggie finds out that sometimes winning big means living small

To enter: Open internationally!

+2 Commenting on my review of L.A. Summer (or any of the other reviews of the books in this giveaway) once it's posted

+3 Become a follower

Must answer this question: Why do you want one of these books?

Ends: September 24 at 11:59 PM CT

*Blogger is at war again with me today, so I apologize for the weird spacing!

First Contest!

So today is a super awesome day! It's the start of my very first contest! Yay *waves her hands in the air*! This contest is in honor of my one-month blogaversary (started blog July 4th, the contest is one day late)

The Details

What & Who: Win a copy of the super-awesome book A Wish After Midnight by Zetta Elliott!

Fifteen-year old Genna Colon believes wishes can come true. Frustrated by the drug dealers in her building, her family's cramped apartment, and her inability to compete with the cute girls at school, Genna finds comfort in her dreams of a better future. Almost every day she visits the garden and tosses coins into the fountain, wishing for a different life, a different home, and a different body. Little does she know that her wish will soon be granted: when Genna flees into the garden late one night, she makes a fateful wish and finds herself instantly transported back in time to Civil War-era Brooklyn
Zetta has generously given me a copy to give away. Thanks Zetta! You can read my review of AWAM and my interview with Zetta. I highly recommend you read both for the contest!

When: Today, Aug. 5-August 18
Where: Reading in Color!

How: entries
+1 comment on any of my previous book reviews
+3 become a follower of my blog

+2 become a follower of Color Online or Taste Life Twice or Zetta's blog Fledgling! Leave me a comment on this post telling me which one(s) you became a follower of.

+3 Enter the August Color Me Brown Contest (comment with a link to a post on your blog announcing you've entered). Click on the picture on my sidebar for more details.

+2 If you're already in the Color Me Brown Challenge

+5 Comment on this post and list celebrities to play any of the characters in AWAM (even if you haven't read the book, based on my descriptions you should be able to pick at least 3 actors/actresses based on appearance or personality) that I've listed below. If there's not a lot of physical characteristics (for example there aren't many physical details about Martha) than use your imagination. Min. is 3 celebrities. Max is 8. If you use any of Zetta's suggestions, they don't count (you still need at least three characters, her suggestion is extra).

You must do at least two of the above! Be sure you leave your email address!
*Update-go to storycasting.com and leave me the link with your cast! You have to create an accout (it's free) and then cast away! If you already entered, I'll cast your people on my account so I can get a better visual. Thanks Jeff for letting me know about this website!
A Wish After Midnight Characters
2001 (present day) Characters

Genna-tall, skinny, "dark and plain" (in her own words) with "short nappy hair". However, later on Genna gets locs (dredlocks). Shy, studious, determined, an outsider. Wants to be a psychiatrist. Lives in Brooklyn. 15 years old. African American and Panamanian

Judah-A little older than 15 or 16 because he moved from Jamaica and got put in the 10th grade, but he's a little older than that. Has dreds. Wants to move to Africa. Strong, quiet, likes writing haiku, has an accent. Likes reggae.

Toshi- Genna's older sister. 17 years old. Very popular girl. Only cares about boys, clothes, hair, make-up, and the latest dance moves. Short and curvy. Long brown hair, "skin the color of butterscotch pudding". Wants to drop out of school and work at a clothing store (already works there part-time). Mean to Genna (but was nicer when they were younger).

Rico- Genna's older brother. Got held back, so in some of her classes. Always in trouble (with the police, teachers, neighbors). Dealing drugs. He's always been mean to Genna, never defends her from his creepy friends. He's loud, rude and selfish. His mother's favorite. Has already been in juvie.

Hannah-Older white lady who befriends Genna. Has a little boy. Helps Genna, gives her clothes and her old psychiatry books. Very nice, but can be overly helpful (sometimes sees Genna as a charity case).

1863 Characters

Paul-When Genna travels back in time to 1863 Brooklyn she meets Paul. He is bi-racial. Blue eyes, light brown curly hair. Honey-colored skin. Kind, funny (always got jokes) , a listener. Genna's age, maybe a few years older.

Nannie-elderly black woman. Housekeeper to the Brants. Nice, comforts Genna.

Sam-Helps Genna out. Elderly black man (gray hairs on his head and has a beard).

Dr. Brant- White doctor who asks Genna to live with him and his wife and take care of their child. Tall, kind and has a mustache. Well-to-do.

Mrs. Brant-Dr. Brant's wife. A snob, rude to the servants and her husband. Stubborn and whiny. Short , has "cold" blue eyes and has curly hair.

Martha- Irish girl Genna befriends. Dirt poor, a scullery maid. She has an accent. Skinny.

Best of luck everyone! Can't wait to read these :)

Colorful Interview with Zetta Elliott

Instead of Waiting on Wednesday I'm presenting an interview that I did with Ms. Zetta Elliott, author of children's book Bird and YA book A Wish After Midnight. You can see my review of AWAM here

Colorful Interview

RiC: "What inspired you to write about Brooklyn during 1863 and make it a story of time-travel? What or who inspired Genna's story in the present?

Zetta Elliott: I’m going to TRY to keep my answers short and sweet, but it’s hard! I think art is the product of all our experiences, and so AWAM is the result of several interests of mine: history, Brooklyn, racial violence, gardens, magic, and city kids. I used to work with students in NYC, and it always bothered me that I couldn’t find stories that matched their many different realities. Just because a book is set in the ’hood, doesn’t mean it can tell the story of everyone who lives there. I grew up loving books about magical adventures, but none of those books ever featured a black girl like me. So I wrote AWAM in order to honor the stories that shaped my imagination (like The Secret Garden) AND to accurately reflect the many different kinds of teens I encountered in the city (they inspired me to create Genna and Judah). I’m a huge fan of Octavia Butler, and her time travel novel, Kindred, definitely served as my primary inspiration. I chose the NYC Draft Riots because of my interest in racial violence, and my fascination with Brooklyn’s rich history—so many kids live in this part of the city and walk past historic sites every day, but don’t realize how hard life used to be for those who came before us. There are many untold stories of bravery and compassion—I wanted to bring that to light.

RiC: Are there any more books in the AWAM series after Judah's Tale? Or are you going to break away from the AWAM books?

ZE: I definitely don’t see myself writing a trilogy! It’s challenging, trying to sustain characters in stories that are still compelling and fresh. Right now, Judah’s Tale isn’t coming along as quickly as I’d hoped, so I definitely don’t plan to write a third novel! The challenge will be to conclude the narrative as best I can in this sequel—I may not tie up all the loose ends, but readers deserve a satisfying ending to the story.

RiC: Can you tell us anything about Judah's Tale? A little hint?

ZE: There are chapters of Judah’s Tale on my blog (Fledgling)! Read, read, read!
Genna’s trying to cope with life in NYC post-911, and she’s searching for a portal that will take her back to 1863. Judah’s trying to build a future without her while also grappling with the traumatic effects of having been enslaved. I know some readers don’t like Judah, but I think you’ll feel some sympathy for him once you discover all he went through as a slave and then as a fugitive.

RiC: Do you see yourself in any of the characters in AWAM?

ZE: Definitely! There’s a lot of me in Genna, because I grew up in the shadow of a very popular, very pretty older sister. Unlike Toshi, my sister also made the honor roll every year, so I had to work overtime to get attention and keep up, but in the end just chose to withdraw. Compared to my sister, I didn’t have “good hair,” so I permed it and permed it until it broke off and fell out my senior year. I felt like my mother favored my older brother, even though he got in trouble with the law…and when I was a teen, all I wanted was to get away—I thought college would solve everything, and then I got there and was just miserable! I had to learn how to build community by making friends and finding adult mentors. I was a top student, and in the end, education really was my ticket to a better life. I moved to Brooklyn to attend graduate school at NYU and that absolutely changed my life.


RiC: What are you currently reading? Any YA books? Any recommendations (besides your own books of course!)

ZE: Right now I’m reading a memoir by Danzy Senna (Where Did You Sleep Last Night?). I definitely recommend Kindred, and any other book by Octavia Butler (try Fledgling if you’re into vampire stories). I love Jamaica Kincaid’s book, Lucy, and If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin. Marcelo in the Real World was fantastic, and I recommend a really provocative play—Yellowman by Dael Orlandersmith. Colorism is such a huge issue—still!—in the black community, and that play helps to reveal the roots of the conflict and the reasons for its lasting impact on our relationships.


RiC: Do you have any advice for teens in high school going through many of the situations and emotions that Genna feels and experiences?

ZE: Well, hindsight’s 20/20, right? If someone told me to just “hold on” when I was a depressed teen, I’m not sure it would have made a difference. But the best advice I can give is to be who you are; be patient, be tolerant, and know that it’s ok to feel uncertain and unhappy sometimes. The most empowering tool is to USE your VOICE! I wrote, and that helped me to make sense of the messed up things that were happening in my life. It was private, it was fun, and it didn’t cost a lot of money—I didn’t have to rely on anyone else in order to write. Today I’d probably try to make short movies, but not everyone has a video camera. Still, you can take pictures, write poetry, record a song—and post everything on You Tube or your own blog! When I was a teen, I really thought no one else could understand what I was going through. But then I moved away for college, made new friends, and found people who knew EXACTLY what I was going through. I just had to find the courage to open up about what I felt inside. And that’s scary, but when you speak out, you open up endless possibilities for meaningful connections with others.

RiC: If your books could be made into a movie who would the main characters (Genna, Paul, Judah, Nannie, Mrs. Brant, Dr. Brant) and Genna's family?

ZE: I'm going to let YOU answer that one! I do think about it sometimes, because when I write, I see things unfolding in a cinematic way. I’d actually like to see some “unknowns” get a role in the film…though I do really like Camille Winbush for Genna (she played Vanessa on The Bernie Mac Show).

Ric: Who’s your author crush? and/or What authors have inspired you?

ZE: I don’t think I have an author crush, though I really admire James Baldwin, Jean Toomer, and Gayl Jones. June Jordan’s writing has meant a lot to me, and Audre Lorde as well. I was very impressed with the way Toni Morrison wrote about violence and trauma in Beloved.

RiC: Do you have any recommendations of websites/blogs where readers can find suggestions/reviews of books on people of color?

ZE: Reading in Color, of course! Color Online, Crazy Quilts, The Happy Nappy Bookseller, and Black-eyed Susan’s. All of you have supported my books, and I’m very grateful!

RiC: What made you decide to go from writing plays, poetry and a children's book to a YA book?

ZE: I wrote AWAM in 2002-2003, and at that time I was almost exclusively writing picture book stories for kids. I was supposed to be writing my dissertation, which was on representations of racial violence. So it sort of made sense that I would shift from short stories to a longer narrative that incorporated a race riot in NYC! After finishing AWAM, I immediately started Judah’s Tale, but my father was dying of cancer and I eventually stopped writing for a while. Then I finished my first play in 2004, and then I wrote a memoir in 2005, and then I started writing lots of plays. Now I’m working on the sequel to AWAM. I write whatever comes out, really. I like dramatic writing, so plays are fun and they’re usually a lot easier to write than novels where you have to describe the landscape and people’s facial expressions and lots of other tedious details.


RiC: Was it hard to self-publish? Why did you decide to self-publish AWAM?

ZE: Self-publishing isn’t hard, but it’s risky. You can go to a POD site like Lulu.com or CreateSpace.com, upload your manuscript, design a cover, and publish your own book—it’s not expensive, and your book arrives in about a week. The biggest challenge is getting people to give your self-published book a chance. Most people think the best books will automatically get picked up by a major press; those are the books that win awards and wind up in bookstores, and classrooms, and libraries. And sometimes that’s true—traditional publishers do produce some really good books. But I spent five years trying to find a publisher for AWAM and finally got tired of being rejected over and over again. So I chose to self-publish, and then I really had to hustle to get folks to give Wish a chance. A lot of time and energy and money went into sending out review copies and trying to get local schools and libraries to adopt the book. Now that that’s happening, publishers are NOW interested in acquiring the rights to AWAM! If you’re going to self-publish, I’d suggest you make sure you’re putting your BEST work out into the world. Many people refuse to read self-published books because so many are poorly written. But if your work is strong, open-minded people will give it a chance. I was blessed to find a community of online readers and bloggers who championed AWAM from the start—and that includes you! So thanks, Miss A.

RiC: Describe AWAM in 5 words. Describe yourself in 5 words.

ZE: Good grief! AWAM: Afro-urban, time travel, magical adventure. ME: Solitary, intense, imaginative, opinionated, determined!

RiC: Do you have a music playlist for AWAM?

ZE: No! I’m not even sure what that is. Songs to listen to while reading AWAM? I do listen to music while I write sometimes, and right now Asa is my favorite artist.

(see below for RiC's recommended songs)

Thank you Zetta for the interview!

Reading in Color's Playlist for A Wish After Midnight

1. Nobody's Supposed to Be Here-Deborah Cox (I recommend the dance mix. This song reminded me of Judah and Genna. Genna finds it hard to believe that any guy could be interested in her 'how did you get here? nobody's supposed to be here')

2. I Wish You Well-Mariah Carey (reminds me of Genna and Paul)

3. Bleeding Love-Leona Lewis. THE song for Genna and Judah. "You cut me open and I keep bleeding, keep bleeding in love." Helps explain why Genna stays with Judah

4. Hot N Cold-Katy Perry. Another Genna & Judah song.

5. We Be Burnin'- Sean Paul (ok so I threw this song in because Judah's Jamican and likes reggae!)

6. Fallin'-Alicia Keys. Take a wild guess. Genna & Judah

7. Numb-Linkin Park. This song is about not living up to people's expectations, disappointing them. Reminds me of Genna and her mother. Genna isn't her mother's favorite child, and her mom treats her badly sometimes.

8. How Far We've Come-Matchbox Twenty. All about the future and the past. Seemed very time-travel like to me.

9. A Dream-Common and will.i.am. This song perfectly describes Genna's determination to get out of her bad neighborhood and go to college. I love the MLK Jr. excerpts inserted in this song!

10. All the Above-Maino feat. T-Pain. Another song about perseverance, determination and success. Genna's theme song.

11. Hello Brooklyn 2.0-Jay-Z feat. Lil' Wayne. I just had to throw that in. Genna's from Brooklyn so there's gotta be some Jay-Z in there! (My favorite line is when Jay-Z says "If I had a daughter guess what I'd call her? Brooklyn Carter." I think Brooklyn is such a pretty name!)

12. Superwoman-Alicia Keys. About Genna's mother's strength.

13. All My Life in the Ghetto-Jay Rock. Title self-explanatory, Genna describes her neighborhood as the ghetto.

14. Disappear-Beyonce. Time travel, relationships (mainly Genna & Judah)

15. Sweet Dreams-Beyonce. "You can be a sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare." Perfectly describes Genna & Judah's relationship.

16. Take Your Hand-Usher. Very good song that describes Paul's feelings for Genna.

17. Baby Don't Go-Fabolous feat. T-Pain. "I'm better than your ex." Another song for Paul towards Genna.

18. Take A Chance on Me- Mamma Mia! Movie soundtrack. Paul's song.

19. Back to What You Know-Ne-Yo. This song goes both ways. For Paul and Judah. Genna needs to choose.

20. The Girl is Mine-Michael Jackons & Paul McCartney. Paul vs. Judah

21. Falling in Love-Michael Jackson. "You're not like anybody I ever knew." Paul to Genna.

Did I leave out any songs that you think would be good? Do share! I know I have a lot of songs but I love making music playlists for books!

A Wish After Midnight

A Wish After Midnight by Zetta Elliott 2008

Rating:10/5

I.Q. (Incredible quote, a line that is quotable, it can be funny, beautiful and/or deep) "Sometimes I feel like there's a tattoo on my forehead that says 'ghetto'. And I don't know if it'll ever go away, not even if I change my clothes, move out of this neighborhood, and graduate from college.. ... The thing is, everyone who's black ain't ghetto, and everyone who's ghetto ain't black." Genna

This book is amazing. I wanted to just read it all day, but I had to keep setting it down to pick up my siblings or go to my job (which made me irritable, I'm sure my family is relieved that I finished this book and they can talk to me again without fear of me biting their head off for interrupting my reading). As a full disclosure, Zetta did send me this book, but (as with all books I get sent) I reviewed this with no special treatment or preference or anything in mind. I am not exaggerating about how much I loved this book, if I hadn't liked it you would know.

The I.Q. line is something that I've tried to explain so many times, that 'everyone whose black isn't ghetto and everyone whose ghetto isn't black' to so many people, to no avail! I'm the farthest thing from ghetto, but there were kids in my middle school who were convinced that I was ghetto, like Genna says (I'm paraphrasing here) about Hannah (a white lady who befriends her) you can tell that people are disappointed that you aren't acting ghetto or 'black enough' around them. I was really able to relate to Genna and so many thoughts that I'd had (like the ghetto quote) were expressed in this book.

My favorite character is Genna. I see myself in her for the most part. I admire the fact that she is so determined to get out of her bad neighborhood and go to college and become a psychiatrist. I also admire her strength and work ethic "sometimes people give you things and they don't know when to stop. They give too much, 'cause they want to fix all your problems, but sometimes you got to fix your own problems, your own kind of way." I think she really grows when she's transported back in time, positive changes and real growth occur.

AWAM is about 15 year old Genna Colon (she's Panamanian and Black like me!!), who lives in a bad Brooklyn neighborhood that she wants to get away from. Genna believes in wishes and everyday she visits a fountain in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and throws a penny in and makes a wish. She wishes that she were different and that she could be someone else and live a different life. She gets her wish and goes back in time to 1863 Brooklyn. Life in 1863 Brooklyn isn't necessarily any easier than life in 2001 Brooklyn.

My other favorite character is Paul. There are two boys in Genna's life, Judah and Paul. Judah is the boy from 2001 Brooklyn and Paul is a boy she meets in 1863 Brooklyn. Judah likes reggae, has dreadlocks, and is Jamaican. He's serious, has strong opinions and doesn't like America. He wants to visit and maybe even live in Africa. I liked Judah in the beginning of the book, but he really got on my nerves afterwards (read the book to find out why!). Paul on the other hand is different. Part of the difference may have to do with the different time periods, Judah living in the present, Paul in the past. Paul is half-white, half-black, funny and saves Genna's life. He asks permission to "call on her" (so cute! ahh 1800s romance...), but Genna refuses because she feels beholden to Judah. I don't really understand why Genna is so loyal to Judah since they are in two different time periods. I think it's because Judah made her feel special for the first time in her life and so she doesn't want to let him go because she's afraid no other guy will find her special. But Paul does find her special! He listens to her as well. Forget Team Edward and Team Jacob (I'm no Twilight fan), there should be a Team Judah and a Team Paul! I'm definitely on Team Paul. Thank goodness there will be a sequel, Judah's Tale (release date TBA). Hopefully, Paul will be back and Genna will come to her senses!

Another interesting part of the story was the attitude that white abolitionists in the North held towards African Americans. They wanted to help them, but still viewed AAs as inferior. They didn't want them to be slaves, but they didn't think they could go to college or hold certain jobs. The author did an excellent job of using dialogue and details to showcase that fact.

I can't stress enough, why people should read this book. I didn't find the book as much sci-fi /fantasy as I did historical fiction. An interesting aspect of the time traveling was that (unlike in other books I've read about time travel) while Genna was in 1863, life in 2001 moved on. Usually, time stops or the person isn't gone for as long as they think they are. I can't recommend this book enough. 8th grade and up. For historical fiction lovers, sci-fi/fantasy (time travel element) lovers, fans of realistic fiction and all people who just want to read an amazing story. The characters are deep and complex, the plot is new (I didn't know anything about New York City during the 1860s, especially the fact that there were riots going on during the Civil War in NYC) and the writing is just all around superb. Warning: The ending is a cliffhanger, be prepared! This book is in my list of top 10 favorite books.

A bit off topic here but today Reading in Color is celebrating two special events! Today is our president Mr. Barack Obama's birthday (I am an unapologetic Obama fan). Happy birthday Mr. President!!

And today is Reading in Color's one-month anniversary! We made it :) Congrats to us and our followers/readers! Thanks for all the support and I'm sure this blog will continue to grow and get even better. In honor of this one-month anniversary, a contest will (hopefully) be announced this weekend. Stay tuned!

Teaser Tuesday and Guest Blogging

Thanks to Should be Reading for this idea! Grab the book you are currently reading and open to a random page. Type two sentences that are on the page.

"Mattie squirms on the bed and rolls her lips together, trying to keep her questions inside. I can tell she has waited a long time for this moment."
-A Wish After Midnight by Zetta Elliott pg. 93
It's really good so far! :D

Also I guest blogged for Justine Larbalestier! So cool, and generous of her to allow me to do that while she traveled :) You can read my posts here and here I got such a wonderful and positive response! A great feeling of hope swelled within me, due to all the warm comments about white people trying to diversify their reading. And I have enough books in my tbr pile to last me the whole first semseter of school so thanks for that everyone! I met some great people while I guest blogged and learned about some new fabulous websites and blogs that will be added to my blogroll asap.