February 28, 2014

First Lines Friday


First Lines Friday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.
  • Grab your current read(s).
  • Share the first line(s).
  • Include the title and author.

"Usually people cried when they came here for the first time, and this girl looked as if she'd be no exception."

~ You Should Have Known by Jean Hanff Korelitz 

 

February 26, 2014

How To Be Black


"There's a lot more to being black than February." ~ pg. 13

What better way to end my Black History Month review of books by us, for us than to review New York Times bestseller How To Be Black by Baratunde Thurston? This is a book that jumps from the bookshelves and grabs your attention. I bet you took a double glance at the cover image above. Well, this book serves as a "thrust of blackness in your general direction."

So who is Baratunde (pronounced baa-ruh-TOON-day) Thurston and what gives him credibility to write on such a topic? He's been black for thirty years, born in the wake of civil rights. Through personal stories and answers from a diverse selected panel, he successfully explains the black experience in a comedic way. It dispels rumors about black people not being able to swim or able to travel. It reviews how to be the black employee (my favorite chapter), how to be the angry negro, discusses the future of blackness in our post-racial world and more.

No matter your race, this is a good read. Hum a negro spiritual while you go out and purchase, borrow or download How to Be Black.


Title: How to Be Black
Author: Baratunde Thurston
Published: January 2012
Pages: 238
Edition: eBook
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♡
 
 

February eMags

I am Living La Vida NOOK with these February eMags:


MacLife ~ 30 Years of Mac

Rolling Stone ~ Lorde: The Girl Who Broke the Rules

Ebony ~ Celebrate Black Love!

Entertainment Weekly ~ Philip Seymour Hoffman: Brilliant. Troubled. Tragic.

Marie Claire ~ Drew Barrymore Knocked Up, In Love & Still the Most Fun Girl in Hollywood

Elle ~ Women in TV; The Sexiest Guys on TV & The Stars of OITNB

 

February 25, 2014

The Rise and Fall of Big Meech and the BMF


"Everybody moves like brothers." ~ pg. 17

Brothers Demetrius "Big Meech" and Terry "Southwest T" Flenory built one of America's largest drug empires: the Black Mafia Family (BMF). The brothers started in Detroit and expanded to distributors in Atlanta, California, New York, D.C., Missouri, Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama and the Carolinas. After nearly a decade, BMF had hundreds of crew members, a fleet of expensive cars and millions of dollars in drug sales. They associated with some of the biggest names in rap music and the celebrity world.

Author Mara Shalhoup painted a detailed picture of BMF and its leaders, the quiet Terry and his flashy brother Big Meech. The book is full of interesting information and name-dropping, though was sometimes repetitive in events. Like its title, it told the rise and fall of Big Meech and the Black Mafia Family in a literary documentary style.
 
Title: BMF: The Rise and Fall of Big Meech and the Black Mafia Family
Author: Mara Shalhoup
Published: March 2010
Pages: 283
Edition: eBook
Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

February 23, 2014

Series Sunday: Cupcakes and Ink

(Clipped Wings #0.5)



Series Sunday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.
  • Read an installment of a series.
  • Share your review/recommendation below.
  • Include the title, author and series name.

"It was like dangling cupcakes in front of me; I couldn't help but bite." ~ pg. 24

My Series Sunday pick is Cupcakes and Ink, the prequel to the Clipped Wings series by Helena Hunting. I love desserts and addicted to tattoos, so why not read a book with this catchy title?

Tenley wants a new start: new city, new apartment and a new life. But of course leaving the past behind is easier said than done. She is drawn to the tattoo shop across the street from her new apartment in Chicago, especially the gorgeous dark-haired tattoo artist who works there. Hayden has a successful business and close circle of friends. The hot new chick working at his aunt's antiques and used book store across the street catches his attention. And so the story begins where the pair get ink-deep under each other's skin.

Let me reiterate that I love the clever title. Never would I have thought to combine cupcakes and ink. But there were a couple things that irked me while reading this sequel. First of all, I dislike the character names. They are both unisex names and the reader cannot easily tell which is the female and which is the male character. Secondly, it helps to find the characters in an erotic novel sexy. Hayden, the guy, is described as tall and dark-haired with extensive ink and facial piercings. She had me until the facial piercings part. Then the shyness of the characters was annoying. Tenley, the girl, would watch the comings-and-goings of the tattoo shop all day through her window. And Hayden would conveniently drop by the shop every day under the pretense of visiting his "favorite" aunt. Stop acting like teens, please.

The prequel Cupcakes and Ink was not enough to interest me in reading the Clipped Wings series.


DISCLAIMER: This book was received directly from the publisher for review purposes only. In no way does it influence my review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Title: Cupcakes and Ink
Author: Helena Hunting
Published: February 2014
Pages: 62
Edition: Galley
Rating: ♥♡

 

February 21, 2014

First Lines Friday


First Lines Friday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.
  • Grab your current read(s) or *current watch.
  • Share the first line(s).
  • Include the title and author.

"By studying the lives of black women, we gain important insight into how citizens yearn for and work toward recognition."

~ Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes and Black Women in America by Melissa V. Harris-Perry

*I love to watch Melissa Harris-Perry's #Nerdland show on MSNBC every weekend. Tune in!

 

February 20, 2014

12 Years a Slave



Did you know that the award-winning film 12 Years a Slave was first a book? The true narrative of Solomon Northrup was first published in 1853.

 

February 19, 2014

In the Beginning

"Those manuscripts had taken over my soul." ~ pg. 133

Dr. Justin Dickerson is a Biblical Archaeologist. She learns about history from remains, looking for evidence of early Hebrew and Christian events. She calls herself the re-creator of history. Even though she digs for a living, she cannot seem to dig within herself to pinpoint her unhappiness.

During a trip with her mentor, she discovers that 2,000 year old manuscripts from the Dead Sea Scrolls in Jerusalem may have been destroyed. Obsessed with finding out the truth, she enlists the help of siblings to find what really happened in the beginning of time.

Have you ever been so consumed with something that you think of nothing else? In this sense, I was able to relate to main character Justin (girl with a boy's name). But her manic obsessive behavior and bouts of depression were not addressed. It was a distraction while reading. The author missed the opportunity to bring awareness to mental illness. Yet, managed to create a brilliant blurred line between main character and author. Overall, I enjoyed reading about biblical beliefs and the beginning of mankind from a black female's point of view. I totally see why In the Beginning made Amazon's Top 100 list.

DISCLAIMER: This book was received directly from the author for review purposes only. In no way does it influence my review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Title: In the Beginning
Author: Abby L. Vandiver
Published:  June 2013
Pages: 274
Edition: eBook
Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

February 17, 2014

Lit Pick: They Went Home by Maya Angelou


Title: The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou
Published: September 1994

They Went Home
They went home and told their wives,
that never once in all their lives,
had they known a girl like me,
But...They went home. 

They said my house was licking clean,
no word I spoke was ever mean,
I had an air of mystery,
But...They went home. 

My praises were on all men's lips,
they liked my smile, my wit, my hips,
they'd spent one night, or two or three. 
But...

Lit Pick: The Ring by Langston Hughes


The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes (Vintage Classics)
Title: The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes
Published: November 1994

The Ring
Love is the master of the ring
And life a circus tent.
What is this silly song you sing?
Love is the master of the ring.

I am afraid!
Afraid of Love
And of Love's bitter whip!
Afraid,
Afraid of Love
And Love's sharp, stinging whip.

What is this silly song you sing?
Love is the master of the ring.

 

Lit Pick: Ain't I a Woman by bell hooks

Title: Ain't I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism
Published: 1981

"At a time in American history when black women in every area of the country might have joined together to demand social equality for women and a recognition of the impact of sexism on our social status, we were by and large silent."

 

February 16, 2014

Series Sunday: Cross My Heart

(Alex Cross #21)


Series Sunday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.
  • Read an installment of a series.
  • Share your review/recommendation below.
  • Include the title, author and series name.

"He also believed Cross's family deserved the wickedness to come. Each and every one of them. Especially Dr. Alex." ~ pg. 15

My Series Sunday pick is Cross My Heart, the 21st book in the Alex Cross series by James Patterson. He may work long hours, may not be present for all breakfasts and dinners and run when duty calls, but he is still a family man at heart. Nothing matters more to him than his children, wife Bree and Nana Mama. A menace knows this and targets Alex Cross's family to prove he is a mastermind.

Just the thought of a killer hunting the Cross family with deadly intentions gives me the chills. This is a series—we need these characters! There is no Alex Cross without his family. Surely James Patterson wouldn't be so bold as to kill them all off. Or would he? As I read further, the suspense continued to build. The ending made me anxious for the 22nd book. Yes, this novel leaves readers wondering like a good mystery in a series does.

Cross My Heart has been dubbed as the most powerful Alex Cross novel ever. Hmmm, that statement is a reach but it certainly reminds me of why I continue reading this series.

Title: Cross My Heart
Author: James Patterson
Published: November 2013
Pages: 330
Edition: eBook
Rating: ♥♥♥♡

 

February 14, 2014

First Lines Friday


First Lines Friday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.
  • Grab your current read(s).
  • Share the first line(s).
  • Include the title and author.

"Welcome to How to be Black, a book I hope will serve as a thrust of blackness in your general direction. First, let's get the disclaimer out of the way. This book is not 'How to Become a Black Person If You Are Not Already Black.' You cannot use this book as a magic potion."
 
~ How to Be Black by Baratunde Thurston
 
 

February 13, 2014

The House Girl


"Freedom was a curious thing." ~ pg. 160

Another remarkable tale about two extraordinary women! The story alternates between Josephine narrating in antebellum Virginia and Lina in modern-day New York. In 1852, Josephine is a slave to an aspiring artist on a tobacco farm. Fast forward to 2004, Lina is a young lawyer working on a historic class-action lawsuit involving reparations for descendants of American slaves. There is also controversy in the art world whether the paintings of Lu Anne Bell were really the work of her slave, Josephine. While looking through old letters and plantation records to find a lead plaintiff, Lina uncovers family secrets of her own.

"This lawsuit has the potential to, quite literally, rewrite history." ~ pg. 51

Themes include art, history, justice and morals. The House Girl was published one year ago. Why I waited this long to read it is beyond me (well, my taller-than-life TBR list may be a reason). But I am sure glad that I finally found the time for Lina and Josephine's story. If you have not read this bestseller, please do so soon.

Title: The House Girl
Author: Tara Conklin
Published: February 2013
Pages: 301
Edition: eBook
Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

February 11, 2014

GIVEAWAY + Guest Post: Jenn Crowell

Author of Etched on Me

Welcome to Literary Marie's Precision Reviews. Today we have a special guest post from Jenn Crowell, author of Etched on Me (on sale 02/04/14).

Author Jenn Crowell (Photo by Hedy Bartleson)
Guest Post:
I never intended to write in the voice of ETCHED ON ME’s narrator, Lesley. In fact, I hadn’t even planned on writing about Lesley at all. I had envisioned the novel as being about a couple’s journey towards adopting a child from Russia—but in 2007, a heartbreaking news story from the UK changed all that.

“Threat To Take Newborn Over Emotional Abuse,” the headline read. Beneath it, a solemn photograph of a young pregnant woman, ethereal and pale yet admirably composed, her hands cupping her trim, just-beginning-to-show belly.

Her name was Fran Lyon. 22 years old, with a solid job and a university degree, she had been happily expecting the birth of her first child…until British social services learned that, as a teenager, she had spent time in psychiatric hospitals for self-harm after having been raped.

Fran had been given a bill of clean health from her treating psychiatrist, and possessed no history of harming another person. And yet, due to her mental health history, social services declared her such a risk to her unborn daughter that they planned to take the baby into foster care at birth.

As a recovered self-harmer and new mother myself, I was shocked and saddened that such a barbaric course of action would even be suggested. I knew that I needed to write a similar fictionalized account, but still felt a great attachment to my Russian adoption story.

I figured I might just slip a scenario into the novel as a minor subplot (perhaps as a background drama played out on talk show television and newspapers, to provide some texture to the couple’s struggle to adopt), but my fictional Fran Lyon had other ideas. First she told me off that the name I had chosen for her was total crap and didn’t belong to her. Then she point-blank asked me, “If this is so important to you, then why am I some tiny afterthought?”

Good question, Natasha–I mean, Lesley.

(Yes, my characters boss me around. It sounds bizarre, but the results so far have been excellent. They’ve never steered me wrong!)

OK, I thought, maybe we should go with alternating points of view. Have Lesley be the former student of the woman trying to adopt from Russia (a teacher whom I’d already written about in my first novel, NECESSARY MADNESS). Let their situations and motherhood struggles play off each other. One familiar character, one new.

Easy-peasy lemon squeezy, to quote my 7-year-old daughter. Or so I thought.

I went back to school for my MFA, and spent the first three terms working on that manuscript. Lesley was going to escape the UK in her last few weeks of pregnancy, beating the clock just like Fran Lyon did. I had a nice tidy list of chapters I needed to write in the home stretch. I was 250 pages in. I was gonna knock out the rest and walk across the stage at graduation content in the knowledge that, after 10 years working on this book, I was done, baby, DONE.

And then I got selected to work with my final term mentor, Leonard Chang. He read the work-in-progress and sent me a long letter detailing his thoughts: As professional and polished as ETCHED ON ME was, it was also ducking the heart of Lesley’s story.

My husband stood by laughing as he watched me read the letter. Every few seconds, I’d grumble "damn it.” Not because I was annoyed at the criticism, but because I knew Leonard was absolutely right. Too scared to face the devastating parts, too resistant to write in the voice of a 22-year-old British girl, I’d been totally chicken.

The next morning (I still remember the date: February 1, 2011), I sat down at my keyboard and let Lesley truly speak to me. An hour later, I had what would be the first chapter of the final version of ETCHED ON ME. Written in Lesley’s inimitable first-person voice, detailing the horrible aftermath of her daughter’s birth and removal in the delivery room, the scenes were brutal and stunning and everything I’d been scared of. To this day, I have no idea how I channeled her.

Still dazed, I dashed off an email to Leonard, asking him if he would be so kind as to read those five pages and let me know if I was on the right track.

Minutes later, I got back a one-word response: “Yes.”

And then we were off, Lesley and I, on a journey and into a collaboration that would be the most amazing literary experience I’ve ever had.



Book Synopsis:
On the surface, sixteen-year-old Lesley Holloway is just another bright new student at Hawthorn Hill, a posh all-girls’ prep school north of London. Little do her classmates know that she recently ran away from home, where her father had spent years sexually abusing her. Nor does anyone know that she’s secretly cutting herself as a coping mechanism...until the day she goes too far and ends up in the hospital.

Lesley spends the next two years in and out of psychiatric facilities, where she overcomes her traumatic memories and finds the support of a surrogate family. Eventually completing university and earning her degree, she is a social services success story—until she becomes unexpectedly pregnant in her early twenties. Despite the overwhelming odds she has overcome, the same team that saved her as an adolescent will now question whether Lesley is fit to be a mother. And so she embarks upon her biggest battle yet: the fight for her unborn daughter.

Excerpt from Chapter One:
Have you ever wanted something so much, it's not a desire so much as a beacon? Have you ever prayed for it so hard, your fingernails curl into your palms and your eyes squinch shut and your whole body just hums? 

*GIVEAWAY* One (1) Signed Paperback (US/Canada residents only) 

About the Author:
Jenn Crowell is the critically acclaimed author of novels Necessary Madness and Letting the Body Lead. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing, and lives near Portland, Oregon with her husband and young daughter.

You may purchase Etched on Me through Amazon, B&N, Books-a-Million or Bookish.

 

February 9, 2014

Series Sunday: Deceptive Innocence, Part Two

(Pure Sin #2)


Series Sunday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.
  • Read an installment of a series.
  • Share your review/recommendation below.
  • Include the title, author and series name.
"But the anagram for K.I.N.D. W.I.T.T.Y. H.E.R.O.I.N.E. relayed something entirely different: I know her identity." ~ pg. 8

My Series Sunday pick is Deceptive Innocence, Part Two in the Pure Sin series by Kyra Davis. It picks up exactly where part one left off. Bell is paranoid upon finding an anagram drawing that reveals Lander knows her identity. A confrontation begins and a roller coaster of emotions, actions and espionage follow.

Deceptive Innocence, Part Two is another quick read at just under 200 pages. It is just as fast-paced and interesting as part one. Kudos to the author for showing her talent to write a vastly different genre than her usual mystery (Sophie Katz mystery series). The Pure Sin trilogy is author Kyra Davis' latest romance/erotica series. So far, still sexy!

DISCLAIMER: This book was received directly from the publisher for review purposes only. In no way does it influence my review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Title: Deceptive Innocence, Part Two
Author: Kyra Davis
Published: February 2014
Pages: 155
Edition: Galley
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♡

 

February 7, 2014

First Lines Friday


First Lines Friday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.
  • Grab your current read(s).
  • Share the first line(s).
  • Include the title and author.

"There was a time in Africa the people could fly."
 
~ The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd

♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡



"Mister hit Josephine with the palm of his hand across her left cheek and it was then she knew she would run."
 
~ The House Girl by Tara Conklin

 

February 6, 2014

Lit Pick: Bad Intentions


Title: Bad Intentions (Book One of the City High Series)
Author: Tyrone Eddins Jr.
Genre: Crime/Mystery Fiction

Description:
LIFE IN THE SHADOWS...
Beneath the historical monuments and high-priced politics of the Nation’s Capital, exists a shadowed empire known as The Syndicate. Reigning supreme over this juggernaut is The Harrell Family, a clan of criminal royalty that oversees the city’s narcotics flow with the efficiency of a billion dollar corporation. Seated at the head of the table is Ezra Harrell, the Family's patriarch and mastermind behind The Syndicate. Under the guiding hand of the respected and feared cartel boss, The Syndicate has corrupted some of the city’s most influential hierarchy and completely reshaped the city’s criminal landscape; making The Syndicate the most untouchable criminal organization Washington DC has ever seen…

NOTHING BEFORE FAMILY...
In the Harrell Family, nothing is more important than blood. Anything threatening their tightly knit unit is dealt with in a ferocious manner, absent of all hesitation or mercy. Their family creed of “Nothing Before Family” is more than just a mere catchphrase or punchline. For the Harrell Family, those three words represent an unwavering, unforgiving way of life…

FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN…
A ruthless killer is stalking the Harrells, slowly and methodically hunting his way to the top of their family. As the clock ticks, Ezra Harrell must do everything in his extensive power to escape his way of life and move his family to a safe place before time runs out. Ezra fears for his family’s safety, but his chief concern is his son, Santea, the heir apparent to the Syndicate throne. Ezra refuses to allow his only child to follow in his footsteps down a bloody path he wished he’d never walked himself…

About the Author:
Tyrone Eddins Jr. is the CEO and Founder of Sripted Visions Publishing Group. His debut novel promises to transport the reader on an entertaining ride into the depths of an underworld kingdom where greed, deception and the raw lust for power threaten to destroy not just a single man, but an entire empire. For more information, check out Tyrone's guest post on Series Sunday.


 

February 5, 2014

The Invention of Wings


"A slave was supposed to be like the Holy Ghost—don't see it, don't hear it, but it's always hovering round on the ready." ~ p. 12

From the author of The Secret Life of Bees is a novel about two American women: Hetty "Handful" Grimké and Sarah Grimké. The story begins in 1803. On Sarah's eleventh birthday, she is given ownership of ten-year-old Handful who will be her handmaid. Over the next thirty years, the novel follows the women through their individual struggles of womanhood, love, freedom, loss and empowerment.

Writing about slavery as a southern white woman is challenging, I'm sure. Sue Monk Kidd was careful in capturing the relationship between an owner and a slave. The author best describes it as a weaving of fact and fiction. The Invention of Wings is inspired by one of the early pioneers of abolition and women's rights, Sarah Grimké.

Sarah Moore Grimké 1792-1873
The Invention of Wings is the latest Oprah's Book Club 2.0 selection. Join the discussion online and watch Oprah's interview with the author Sue Monk Kidd on Super Soul Sunday. The Invention of Wings is a good interactive choice if you're looking for a historical book to read during Black History Month.


Title: The Invention of Wings
Author: Sue Monk Kidd
Published:  January 2014
Pages: 381
Edition: eBook
Rating: ♥♥♥♡
 
 

February 4, 2014

Hi! My Name is Loco and I am a Racist


"The roughest days are those when I'm forced to bear witness to the birth of a racist, to watch as a child's mind is perverted as a matter of course. It's enough to break your heart." ~ pg. 23

Loco is a native New Yorker that currently lives in Japan. His passion for writing is evident. This nonfiction book is a selection of stories and reflections from his childhood through living in Japan. Some parts are originally from his blog Loco in Yokohama.

First, let me confess that the title earned a major mayjah side-eye from me. Who would confess to being a racist in such a blatant, seemingly proud, way? As I began reading, I understood the author's purpose. Unfortunately, Hi, My Name is Loco and I am a Racist was not enough to persuade me to join his readership or fanbase. But it was definitely a welcome experience to read something different than my norm.

It was about halfway through the book that I realized Loco wants his ideas to be challenged. He makes statements to get a reaction and spark dialogue. (Speaking of dialogue, be warned it is a fair amount of profanity used.) Loco asks questions—and answers, which probably explains the nickname—that most people rather not ask aloud. Race is a sensitive issue and sometimes uncomfortable to discuss. Yet Loco argues there is a stigma attached to the label racist and states, "they ain't all bad."

While I respectfully disagree with some of Loco's logic, I admit this controversial memoir is like no other. I believe the author's goal was to bring racism to the forefront instead of continuing to hide it in plain sight. In that sense, it is a success.

DISCLAIMER: This book was received directly from the author for review purposes only. In no way does it influence my review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Title: Hi! My Name is Loco and I am a Racist
Author: Baye McNeil
Published: January 2012
Pages: 280
Edition: eBook
Rating: ♥♥♥

 

Literature for Black History Month

Join me as I celebrate Black History Month by primarily reading books by us about us.


Brittanica Encyclopedia defines African American Literature as
body of literature written by Americans of African descent. Beginning in the pre-Revolutionary War period, African American writers have engaged in a creative, if often contentious, dialogue with American letters. The result is a literature rich in expressive subtlety and social insight, offering illuminating assessments of American identities and history. Although since 1970 African American writers, led by Toni Morrison, have earned widespread critical acclaim, this literature has been recognized internationally as well as nationally since its inception in the late 18th century.



Also, it is not too late to sign up for the Diversity on Your Shelf Challenge. This is the perfect month to start reading and adding diversity to your bookshelf. Join my bookheart Alysia's challenge here: My Little Pocketbooks.

What books by authors of color are you reading this Black History Month?