Poet X

Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

This book was published on March 6, 2018. However, I read an advance reader's edition. Undoubtedly there will be some differences between the version I read and the published version.

This story is told in powerful poetry, which reminded me a lot of Jason Reynold's book, LONG WAY DOWN, which I adored! I also adored Poet X because it was such a powerful invitation to understand what it's like for a young woman to grow up in Harlem.

An amazon summary, "Fans of Jacqueline Woodson, Meg Medina, and Jason Reynolds will fall hard for this astonishing New York Times-bestselling novel-in-verse by an award-winning slam poet, about an Afro-Latina heroine who tells her story with blazing words and powerful truth.

Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking.

But Xiomara has plenty she wants to say, and she pours all her frustration and passion onto the pages of a leather notebook, reciting the words to herself like prayers—especially after she catches feelings for a boy in her bio class named Aman, who her family can never know about.

With Mami’s determination to force her daughter to obey the laws of the church, Xiomara understands that her thoughts are best kept to herself. So when she is invited to join her school’s slam poetry club, she doesn’t know how she could ever attend without her mami finding out. But she still can’t stop thinking about performing her poems.

Because in the face of a world that may not want to hear her, Xiomara refuses to be silent.

“Crackles with energy and snaps with authenticity and voice.” —Justina Ireland, author of Dread Nation

“An incredibly potent debut.” —Jason Reynolds, author of the National Book Award Finalist Ghost

“Acevedo has amplified the voices of girls en el barrio who are equal parts goddess, saint, warrior, and hero.” —Ibi Zoboi, author of American Street" AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Xiomara grows up in Harlem, where her curves, her gender, her age, seem to be the only things that are defining her to the world. She has to keep her silence in a lot of conversations so she can be the good daughter that her mama wants her to be. She fiercely protects her twin brother though, and her fists end up doing a lot of the talking in conversations where twin is bullied or she has been harassed.

Her mother wants her to go through confirmation at church, but Xiomara is asking a lot of big questions and she doesn't seem to have a good place to go to get answers. Her English teacher wants her to join poetry club, and her twin wants her to write/let her voice be heard. Xiomara seems to just want her mama to listen to her as she figures out the chaotic life that's pulsing all around her, but her mama doesn't seem inclined to listen. Her father is in the picture, but he's not really present and accounted for. She starts to have feelings for a boy in her class, Aman, and she wants to explore what that relationship could become, but she has to be very careful about where they go or who can see them for fear her mama might find out.

And that's enough summary.

I loved this story. It felt very unafraid with telling each aspect of Xiomara's life in a very authentic manner and I legit cried at a few of the passages. I would not recommend reading this in a public setting if you don't like people seeing you get emotional at a book...ha...ha.... (learn from my mistakes).

I also thought a lot of Xiomara's feelings and responses felt entirely realistic to her situation, as well as her character growth and how a few pivotal scenes come together. They make sense in a way that life is kind of sloppy and doesn't always fit together well.

It also showed a lot of how Xiomara grew up, how she fell in love with her own words, her own truths, and I just think there's something gravitational and beautiful about that.

Because it's a book of poetry, I think that really helped to control the pacing of the book too, and to all at once give just enough sense of the community, the environment, the situations, without it detracting from Xiomara's perspective, heart, and story.

It was just really, really good.

Happy reading!

Coco Chanel: Pearls, Perfume, and the Little Black Dress

Coco Chanel: Pearls, Perfume, and the Little Black Dress by Susan Goldman Rubin

This book was published on March 13, 2018. I got my hands on an advanced reader's copy; there will undoubtedly be some differences between the version I read, and the published version.

I've been dabbling more into nonfiction since there have been quite a few rewarding nonfiction stories I've read, and some not that great nonfiction stories I've read. Just like fictional books. Haaaa

Anyways, an amazon summary, "Award-winning author Susan Goldman Rubin introduces readers to the most well-known fashion designer in the world, Coco Chanel. Beginning with the difficult years Chanel spent in an orphanage, Goldman Rubin traces Coco’s development as a designer and demonstrates how her determination to be independent helped her gain worldwide recognition. Coco Chanel focuses on the obstacles Chanel faced as a financially independent woman in an era when women were expected to marry; as well as her fierce competition with the Italian fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli; and some of her most memorable firsts for the fashion industry, including the little black dress, the quilted purse with gold chain, and the perfume Chanel No. 5. The book includes a bibliography, a list of where to see her work, and an index." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Coco Chanel is a fashion icon known for the costume pearls, the little black cocktail dress, and her classic perfume. This story charts her life from it's beginning in an orphanage through the end. I'm not going to recount the story of Coco Chanel, but I will discuss what worked about the book for me.

I liked how the book discussed the different social circles and famous people Coco Chanel knew, and I also liked how there were some rather famous men who commented that Coco Chanel's style was simply taking men's clothes and reinventing them so women could wear them. She was one of the ones who made trousers for women a movement of sorts.

However, I really disliked how at one point it came up that Coco Chanel had a worker's strike on her hands. They didn't explain the working conditions of her employees at the time and instead concentrated on their wages.

The little black dress was introduced within the timeline of the book, and kind of discussed the societal impact of it, but I don't think it really hit the whole point. The little black dress was basically THE dress to be seen out on the town in and I just don't think the book expressed enough of how Coco Chanel's work impacted the people.

I think in general, when biographies about famous and influential people are written, there should be a distinguishing factor of kind of WHY they are such a big deal. It should articulate the different set backs they were constantly dealing with, and also, the people's response to them as it is usually the people who make them famous. ...anyways.

I wish there had been more emphasis on any set backs Coco Chanel faced. From how the book portrays her life, there really didn't seem to be many. She seemed to be able to procure any funding she needed, and maybe her biggest set back was just herself. She seemed to work constantly and be very meticulous about her work.

There just seemed to be more that could be said about Chanel, and the book I read was only 107 pages long. For a woman with such a lingering affect on the fashion world today, I just think there's more that could have been written.

Happy reading!

Dragon Bound

Dragon Bound by Thea Harrison

This is an adult book, and has graphic sex scenes through out the book. If that kind of content isn't your cup of tea, then I would not recommend reading this book.

This book was recommended to me by a friend as it has a very interesting premise. The mythical creatures of this world are referred to as Wyr and they are able to take on a human form (for the most part). Humans have known of their existence for the past hundred years or so, and Wyr kind has been integrated into human society. The main character, Pia, is half human, half wyr. You don't know what kind of Wyr she is though. Dun dun dunnnn

An amazon summary, "THE FIRST NOVEL IN THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING ELDER RACES SERIES!

Half-human and half-wyr, Pia Giovanni spent her life keeping a low profile among the wyrkind and avoiding the continuing conflict between them and their Dark Fae enemies. But after being blackmailed into stealing a coin from the hoard of a dragon, Pia finds herself targeted by one of the most powerful—and passionate—of the Elder races. As the most feared and respected of the wyrkind, Dragos Cuelebre cannot believe someone had the audacity to steal from him, much less succeed. And when he catches the thief, Dragos spares her life, claiming her as his own to further explore the desire they’ve ignited in each other. Pia knows she must repay Dragos for her trespass, but refuses to become his slave—although she cannot deny wanting him, body and soul..." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Pia has been blackmailed into stealing something from the dragon's hoard by her ex-boyfriend. She manages to find the dragon's hoard due to a charm her ex-boyfriend's superiors gave him to give to her. She sneaks in, steals something small, and then makes sure her ex-boyfriend can't speak about her 'party trick' to anyone else. She then immediately gets the hell out of town, Pia knows she will be hunted down for stealing from Dragos.

The thing is, you don't steal from dragons. Especially not the last known dragon, Dragos. Terrifyling powerful, one of the oldest creatures in existence, and runs a business empire. Once Dragos discovers the theft he's furious, especially after finding the note left behind. ...but then he kind of laughs. He makes his people track them down, but he insists on being the one to bring them in.

That's enough summary.

I liked this book a lot. I liked the characters, I really appreciated Pia's attitude especially towards Dragos, and I loved all the different magical elements introduced. I liked how they showcased the society and started to explain how it all works with each other. There were a few times I felt that went a bit over the top, but it was balanced within the story, so I just shrugged it off.

However, it's my understanding the next books in the series jump around to different characters that were spotlighted in this book, so I won't be picking up the sequels at this time. I really like Pia and Dragos, and would love to read more about them...not anyone else.

Happy reading!

The Place Between Breaths

The Place Between Breaths by an na

This book was published on March 27, 2018. I got my hand's on an advance reader's copy, so undoubtedly there will be some differences between the version I read and the published version.

Alright, so up front, I'm going to just say I WILL discuss the ending of the book in relation to the whole book towards the end of this blog post. There's going to be spoilers like whoa, but later. ...later.

An amazon summary, "From master storyteller and Printz Award–winning author An Na comes a dark, intensely moving story of a girl desperately determined to find a cure for the illness that swept her mother away, and could possibly destroy her own life as well.

Sixteen-year-old Grace is in a race against time—and in a race for her life—even if she doesn’t realize it yet…
She is smart, responsible, and contending with more than what most teens ever should. Her mother struggled with schizophrenia for years until, one day, she simply disappeared—fleeing in fear that she was going to hurt those she cared about most. Ever since, Grace’s father has worked as a recruiter at one of the leading labs dedicated to studying the disease, trying to lure the world’s top scientists to the faculty to find a cure, hoping against hope it can happen in time to help his wife if she is ever found. But this makes him distant. Consumed.
Grace, in turn, does her part, interning at the lab in the gene sequencing department daring to believe that one day they might make a breakthrough…and one day they do. Grace stumbles upon a string of code that could be the key. But something inside of Grace has started to unravel. Could her discovery just be a cruel side effect of the disease that might be taking hold of her? And can she even tell the difference?
Unflinchingly brave, An Na has created a mesmerizing story with twists and turns that reveal jaw-dropping insights into the mind of someone struggling with schizophrenia." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

Grace has an internship at a leading gene sequencing research laboratory. She's trying to help unlock the gene sequencing to hopefully save her own grip on life one day. 

She lives with her father on the outskirts of town, and her father is constantly trying to recruit new scientists to help research gene sequencing.

Her mother left when she was a child and she has some memories of her, but her father is obsessed with the hope her mother will come back, and is very diligent in his job to make sure the right people are going to help solve the gene sequencing.

Grace also has a best friend, Hannah, who reveals she's pregnant at the very beginning of the book.

That's enough summary. FULL SPEED INTO SPOILER LAND.

So all the characters in this book seem to be a mega metaphor for Grace's mother. You know Grace's mother has schizophrenia. Grace herself seems to actually BE the mother she's remembering and doesn't want to become. The first convenient clue to that, is that Grace's mother and father are both orphans. So there's no family that can be traced to anywhere.

Secondly, about halfway through the book, you find out that Grace's Dad is actually dead. The laboratory employees know this, and there's even a lab tech by the name of Will who tries to engage with her life. Then, there's everything with Hannah. Hannah being pregnant, Grace being upset at the Dad of the baby for being such a jerk, and later in the book Hannah starts interacting with the Dad. The Dad who we know is dead. I want to say Hannah is the metaphor for Grace struggling on whether or not to keep the baby when she knows it will most likely develop schizophrenia as well.

The ending scenes show the main character in an institute of some variety where she's taking her medications, and she only really responds to the name of 'Mama'. I think the implication is that she had the child, and maybe the beginning of the book is her, or what she fantasizes her child is going through without her, or her husband.

There's just a lot to unpack about this book.

With that being said, I thought the beginning of the book was a little tedious, but because of my personal policy of trying to give every book the first 30% to redeem itself, I stuck with it. I'm glad I did on some level, because now I have a mystery maze to struggle through of trying to figure out what was a metaphor, and what was real. It's always interested me when authors make a book confusing and really play on the unreliable narrator to tell a deeper story. It gives me tons of questions, and with whatever answer I find, I know it's more of a reflection on what I believe in the world rather than what the author may have intended. So the conclusions I spelled out before, may be correct? But they are probably the way I fit all the pieces together to make this book's world make sense. Kind of like every reader is going to have their own perspective on the world. This is one of the books where the reader's perspective can make all the difference (in my oh so humble opinion).

I don't think there are any 'right' answers, and I think every conclusion drawn can be used to find the deeper truth of what the reader thinks of the world.

Or I could be entirely wrong.

Dun dun dunnnn

Either way, it was an interesting read.

Happy reading!

Facing Frederick

Facing Frederick by Tonya Bolden

I dabble in non-fiction from time to time. I reviewed this book years ago, THE FAMILY ROMANOV: MURDER, REBELLION, & THE FALL OF IMPERIAL RUSSIA which is still my go to book to throw at people when they ask for a good non-fiction book. It's also one of my favorite books to give as a gift to the curious person.

Anyways, this book tells some of the life of Frederick Douglass. Frederick Douglass was a very prominent black man who did tours to deliver speeches denouncing slavery, and a bunch of other stuff.

Here's the amazon summary, "Frederick Douglass (1818–1895) is best known for the telling of his own emancipation. But there is much more to Douglass’s story than his time spent enslaved and his famous autobiography. Facing Frederick captures the whole complicated, and at times perplexing, person that he was. Statesman, suffragist, writer, and newspaperman, this book focuses on Douglass the man rather than the historical icon." AMAZON LINK OF JUSTICE

I may have heard the name Frederick Douglass at some point in my life before, but honestly I could not recollect anything about him. It was pretty fun to dive into the history of a man that I knew relatively nothing about.

I don't want to spend time painting the life of Frederick Douglass, if you want to know, you can read this book. Let's talk about what I wished I had seen a bit more of.

I liked reading about the different events going on around the world within the context of the struggles within Frederick's life. However, I wish it had gone further. There was a moment when they discussed Frederick's reaction to Lincoln, but I wish there had been more details about how Frederick reacted to other people, how he reacted to the world at large. One of the biggest takeaways I had from this book, was how often he traveled around to deliver his speeches. I felt kind of let down when I never got to read about any reactions to the contents of his speeches. I feel like there was too much, "He did this thing, he struggled with this business partner, next thing" without giving enough context of the world. Did he face opposition even trying to give his speeches? Was he turned away at first, but then experienced success later? I do know he was in demand at different times in his life, but I think as a whole, the only really reactions to Frederick I saw was just his colleagues. He wasn't trying to convince his colleagues though, well for the most part, he was trying to convince civilians.

I also liked reading about this period of time in American history, but I also feel like the book could have done a better job at giving the context of the framework that Frederick was working within. I find it hard to believer that the only prominent people involved within the movement were mentioned in this book. I know that if they gave everyone their time of day, this book would not be about Frederick anymore, and I get that. Just the context of what made his voice stand out so much more than everyone else's because this is what he said in comparison essentially.

I think the oddest fact that really stuck with me about Frederick Douglass is that he's one of the most photographed Americans for the era. Slight spoiler, there's not a lot of photos with him and his iconic 'lion's mane' hair within the book. It was also interesting to find out that Frederick published three autobiographies (published at different times, creating a kind of "the story so far" sense is my understanding). I kind of feel like this was a timeline of events in Frederick Douglass life rather than the story of his person.

On one hand, I kind of wonder if I expected this to be too much like a story. On the other hand, I did get to learn a lot about a famous person in history that I knew relatively nothing about before this experience. Perhaps I'm meant to seek out another book about him for further reading? I don't know, maybe I will.

Happy reading!