February 28, 2016

Series Sunday: The Girl From Everywhere

(The Girl From Everywhere #1)


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.

My Series Sunday pick is The Girl From Everywhere, the first book in the series of same name by Heidi Heilig. At only 16 years old, Nix has sailed across the globe through centuries on her father's time-traveling ship, The Temptation. She has traveled to Scandinavia, New York and more places with the help of her father's handy dandy map. They can go to any place at any time. But there is only one place Nix's father wants to go: back to 1868 Honolulu before Nix's mother died in childbirth. It is possible changing the past will affect Nix's future life.

"Instead, the crew generally celebrated my theft day sometime in early summer, whenever we spent a few days in a place where it was early summer." ~ 7%

Unique story. Different premise. Just not interesting enough. Sure it seems cool to travel from 1774 to 1981 to 1868 but make the trips worthwhile and the characters memorable. Certainly if the book is over 400 pages. Bookhearts know I am not a fan of fantasy but this was not out of my comfort zone. Perhaps because the story takes place on a ship which is my kind of setting! The Girl From Everywhere is a mix of fantasy, history and adventure. Still it did not grab my attention.

Even though The Girl From Everywhere is only a two-book series, I have no interest in reading the conclusion.

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 honestly my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins.

Title: The Girl From Everywhere
Author: Heidi Heilig
Published: February 2016
Pages: 464
Edition: Galley
Challenge: Popsugar Book That Takes Place During Summer; Popsugar Romance Set in the Future/Past
Rating: ♥♥

 

February 27, 2016

New Year, New Look, Blasé Blasé

Hi, Bookhearts—

LiteraryMarie.com has a new look for the new year. As much as I would like to take credit for the new layout and say I was hit with a creative stick, that is not so. Due to Shelfari merging with Goodreads, I had to remove my oh-so-lovely Currently Reading, Recently Read and TBR shelves from the site. No more book covers sitting on glossy black wood shelves. *insert sad face with one tear emoji here* But I implemented new widgets that hopefully you will find just as cosmetically pleasing.

On the web version of LiteraryMarie.com, there is a sidebar located to the immediate right of posts:

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As a reminder, browse the other pages of LiteraryMarie.com on both web and mobile versions:
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Looking for a specific book review? Looking for an old blogmoir post? Now it is easier than ever. The Search bar is located at the bottom of site. 

One more blasé tidbit! If Amazon can merge websites, then so can I. My blogmoir will no longer be published on its own separate site. All blogmoirs, book reviews, recommendations, lit tidbits and memes First Lines Friday / Series Sunday / US vs. UK will be published right here. That's right. LiteraryMarie.com is your one-stop-shop for all things bookish and my personal memoir in blog format of events and people in this fuckery called life. 

Don't miss out! Subscribe to get new posts delivered to your email inbox. Visit LiteraryMarie.com on your phone/tablet and add it to your home screen or news app.

Have fun navigating the new layout. Smooches for visiting! 


 

February 26, 2016

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.


"No, no. I insist you stop right now. Still here? Awesome. Now you're not allowed to blame me for anything in this book because I told you to stop reading and you just kept going."

Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


"When I found my husband at the bottom of the stairs, I tried to resuscitate him before I ever considered disposing of the body."

~ The Passenger by Lisa Lutz


 

February 25, 2016

We Should All Be Feminists


"We teach girls to shrink themselves, to make themselves smaller. We say to girls: You can have ambition, but not too much." ~ pg. 27

Sound familiar? Some of you may have never heard of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie before hearing the sample on Beyonce's Flawless. She is a renowned Nigerian novelist. She was featured as one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World. I know her through unforgettable characters in her novels and her public stance on feminism. So allow me to recommend an eBook I recently read.

We Should All Be Feminists is a short eBook featuring a modified version of a talk Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie delivered in December 2012 at a conference focused on Africa.

"What is the point of culture? Culture functions ultimately to ensure the preservation and continuity of a people." ~ pg. 45

We Should All Be Feminists is short but packs a powerful punch in its 49 pages. I wish I could have witnessed this speech live in its entirety. It breaks stereotypes associated with feminism and the word feminist. For example, we like to wear lip gloss and high heels for ourselves, not for men. And most importantly, feminists don't walk around hating men or thinking women should always be in charge. It questions how our society teaches a woman certain things but do not expect the same from a man. There are points in the book where I actually waved my hand in the air and said aloud, "Preach!"

So what is a feminist? Find out by watching the 30-minute YouTube video of her talk and by reading this vintage short eBook.

Title: We Should All Be Feminists
Author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Published: October 2014
Pages: 49
Edition: eBook
Challenge: Popsugar A Self-Improvement Book
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♡

February 24, 2016

Adult Coloring Books


According to everybody and their mama, adult coloring books are a great stress reliever. So on a random Mother-Daughter Quality Time day, Chickadee and I went to Barnes & Noble to browse. We had no idea that adult coloring books were so popular now. There are designs with animals, tattoos, butterflies, hairstyles, mandalas, paisley, abstract, Bible verses, television characters, gardens and my personal fave: swear words.

After browsing the bookstore for nearly an hour, we finally made our selections. I'm so excited and cannot wait to begin coloring. It's like the first day of school when you crack the seal on a new box of Crayola. Then carefully open your book so as not to crease the spine. Adults, coloring books may be our best window to childhood.

Thanks and smooches to Chickadee for my new adult coloring book and set of watercolor pencils. I promise to try and stay between the lines.

 

February 21, 2016

Series Sunday: Killing Floor

(Jack Reacher #1)


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.

My Series Sunday pick is Killing Floor, the first book in the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child. Ex-military cop/current drifter jumps off a bus on a whim and walks fourteen miles down a country road into Margrave, Georgia. In town less than a half hour and Reacher is arrested for the first homicide the town has had in 30 years. Even with no driver's license, no credit cards, no address and no job, they picked the wrong guy to take the fall.

"I felt like somebody in a kid's book who falls down a hole. Finds himself in a strange world where everything is different and weird. Like Alice in Wonderland. Did she fall down a hole? Or did she get off a Greyhound in the wrong place?" ~ pg. 35

I was introduced to the Jack Reacher series by Sistah K, one of my co-hosts of Sistah Speak: After Show and Sistah Speak: Big Brother podcasts. We were randomly discussing book series adapted to movies where the main character did not fit the book's description. I was whinging about Alex Cross (played by Samuel Jackson then later Tyler Perry) and she brought up Jack Reacher (played by Tom Cruise). We recommend both series but the movies, not so much. However, Sistah K was definitely on the mark when she recommended I begin reading the Jack Reacher series. I pass this recommendation on to you, bookhearts. Add this mystery series to your TBR list. Hold off on the movies.

Rarely do I rate a book a full 5 hearts. When reviewing a book, I consider everything from its cover to the story line consistency. Most importantly, I have to like (or love to hate) the main character. Jack Reacher is a drifter with not much of his background story revealed in book one. However, I was able to pick up on enough clues to peg his characteristics thanks to Lee Child's descriptive writing. He mastered the "show, don't tell" writing rule. Lee Child allowed me to draw my own conclusions through his words. This writing technique built suspense and kept me turning the pages into the wee hours. Over 500 pages be damned–I was on a mission to finish! Bottom line, Jack Reacher is a smart muthaf'er. I already like him and want to read more about him after this intro book.

"Waiting is a skill like anything else." ~ pg. 401

Lee Child, you have earned every bit of 5 hearts for Killing Floor. How did I ever miss out on this internationally popular series for umpteen years? Immediately after finishing Killing Floor, I downloaded the remainder of the series (21 books) and plan to take my time catching up. Check back here soon for more Jack Reacher reviews on my Series Sunday bookish meme.

Title: Killing Floor
Author: Lee Child
Published: March 1997
Pages: 536
Edition: eBook
Challenge: Popsugar A Murder Mystery
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

 

February 19, 2016

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.

"My mother named me after Josephine Baker."

~ The Taste of Salt by Martha Southgate 

 

February 18, 2016

Liar


"Mostly it's the joy of convincing people that something that ain't so, is." ~ pg. 32

Micah freely admits she is a liar. She tells white lies, ridiculous lies and big lies. She has lied to classmates, teachers, friends and parents. But the only person she didn't make a habit of lying to was her kinda-sorta boyfriend. When he dies under mysterious brutal circumstances, of course everyone looks at Micah, the girl who is known for being a liar. The rest of the book is Micah pleading her case and supposedly finally coming clean with what happened. It is up to the reader to determine what is true.

Liar came up in my search for books to read during Black History Month. In particular, I was looking for books made popular by incidents of whitewashing. A quick Google search and Justine Larbalestier's Liar was the most popular. It was published in 2009 with an original white cover image that clearly does not match its black main character. I won't even post the original cover from Bloomsbury Publishing but just know I understand the controversial outcry. Kudos to Australian author Justine Larbalestier for standing up for her black fictional protagonist and battling her American publisher to feature a black girl on the cover.

"It's hard work keeping all those lies in the air. Imagine juggling a thousand torches that are all tied together with fine thread." ~ pg. 215

Had I known this was a science-fiction novel, I would have passed. True the first line gave an inkling but c'mon, the main character is a self-professed liar so I didn't give it much attention. The book has three sections and the science-fiction part didn't kick in until section two. At that point, I was already 171 pages in and genuinely interested in the story. So consider this a warning if you are dead set against paranormal plots. For everyone else, it was actually a good book with a twist I didn't ever expect.

Title: Liar
Author: Justine Larbalestier
Published: September 2009
Pages: 371
Edition: Hardcover
Challenge: Popsugar Science-Fiction Novel
Rating: ♥♥♥

 

February 17, 2016

Try Not to Breathe


"I'm asleep more than I'm awake these days." ~ pg. 286

Alex Dale is taking one day at a time. Recovering from a rocky past and destructive habits, she tries to regain control of her life. She suddenly feels she has purpose when she discovers Amy Stevenson, a girl from a nearby town who was assaulted and has been in a coma for fifteen years. Unbeknownst to doctors, Amy is conscious but paralyzed. Every day is spent reliving the past.

Alex begins to interview people connected to the attack trying to solve a crime where the only true witness cannot testify. Sounds like a really good tale, right?

This book was recommended for fans of Gillian Flynn and Paula Hawkins. That would be me! So I spent a couple evenings reading Try Not to Breathe and fully expected to not breathe in between chapters. I tend to hold my breath when reading/watching something really suspenseful. Unfortunately, I never skipped a breath. But it was still a good book with a good concept and a good level of suspense. It would translate even better on the big screen. Kudos to this debut author!

Try Not to Breathe will be published on February 23, 2016. Try reading this psycho suspense.

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 honestly my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins.

Title: Try Not to Breathe
Author: Holly Seddon
Published: February 2016
Pages: 323
Edition: Galley
Rating: ♥♥♥

 

February 16, 2016

Perfect Days


"They had no money, no education, but they had bones, muscles, organs. And that made them useful." ~ pg. 3

This is the story of a twisted young medical student named Teo. He lives with his paraplegic mother and dog in Rio de Janeiro. Clarice is an exotic, outspoken aspiring screenwriter working on a screenplay titled Perfect Days. Teo becomes obsessed with her and begins to stalk her, following her to and from home and school. She ultimately rejects him and that's when the story gets wild. Teo kidnaps Clarice and takes her on a twisted journey across Brazil that mirrors the same route as in her screenplay.

Bookhearts know that I am a sucker for a psycho suspense thriller. I am forever looking for the next big hit. Well this ain't it. Sorry to say Perfect Days does not have that chilling factor. Maybe because everything happens too soon and was too predictable. Though I am grateful to have read the English translated debut of one of Brazil's most celebrated young writers.

Perfect Days is available today in bookstores and online. Happy English Pub Day!

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 honestly my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins.

Title: Perfect Days
Author: Raphael Montes
Published: February 2016
Pages: 272
Edition: Galley
Challenge: Popsugar Book Translated to English
Rating: ♥♡

 

February 14, 2016

Series Sunday: Archie The Married Life #2

(Archie: The Married Life #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.

My Series Sunday pick is Archie: The Married Life Book 2, the second graphic novel/comic in The Married Life series by Paul Kupperberg. In this installment, Archie faces unemployment and deceit. Reggie is facing a lifetime behind bars. Real deal issues are addressed in the illustrated pages. The chapters alternate between parallel lives: when Archie marries Veronica and when Archie marries Betty. This format of worlds gives fans all we want!

"Being a grown-up isn't about how many years you've been alive, nor does it come naturally or easily to everyone." 

My review for this graphic novel/comic series can't be anything but stan praise. I heart Archie and the Riverdale gang. I feel like we've grown up together (and how cool is it that Archie grew up with my mom too!) So it is a treat to read about Archie's alternate lives as a husband to Betty and Veronica.

I'm very much looking forward to catching up on this Married Life series and adding more to my comic collection.

Title: Archie The Married Life, Book 2
Author: Paul Kupperberg
Published: April 2012
Pages: 320
Edition: Graphic Novel
Challenge: Popsugar A Graphic Novel
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

 

February 12, 2016

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.


"Where my panties at?"

~ Getting Mother's Body by Suzan-Lori Parks

 

February 11, 2016

Year of Yes


"I would have been eloquent and delightful—no one can decline an invitation as beautifully as I can." ~ pg. 16

Are you in the mood for a nonfiction, memoir-type of book that is funny with a message? Are you the friend in your circle that always declines invitations? Are you low-key an introvert? While you are thinking about your answers to these questions, let me tell you about the book I just read.

The creator of #TGIT (Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, Private Practice & executive producer of How to Get Away with Murder) reveals how saying 'yes' for a year changed her life. Yes, I am talking about the talented Shonda Rhimes. Her days are full with three hit television shows and three children to raise. If anyone has a legit excuse to say 'no' it would be her. But when her older sister Delorse muttered six words under her breath on Thanksgiving of 2013, it sparked Shonda to challenge herself.

"You never say yes to anything."

So began Shonda's Year of Yes project. For one full year, she committed to saying 'yes' to every public invitation (live appearances, speeches, parties, etc.) and every private matter (like taking her health seriously). In the Year of Yes, Shonda details her fears and how she stopped the habit of saying 'no' all the time. Written like a friendly conversation with a girlfriend, Year of Yes really does tell readers how to Dance it Out and Stand in the Sun. 

When I say this book was right on time and so well written? Listen. I recommend it to all bookhearts. Not only because the woman responsible for your Thursday night television entertainment is the author. Not only because the "Year of Yes" concept is a great idea more than a few of us should commit to. Not only because it is a book you can tick off on your 2016 reading challenges. Read it because you answered 'yes' to one or more of my questions above. Read it because you respect and follow my book recommendations and I will not steer you wrong.

So before you settle in with your favorite red wine, download/borrow/buy Shonda Rhimes' Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun and Be Your Own Person. 

#TGIT

Title: Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person
Author: Shonda Rhimes
Published: November 2015
Pages: 311
Edition: Hardcover
Challenge: Popsugar Book Written by a Celebrity
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

 

February 10, 2016

Listen to the Lambs


"Beneath the intersection of I-20 and I-75, where stray trash tumbles about carelessly and dreams lay aborted, where Coke cans substitute for ashtrays and discarded, warped, pissy mattresses serve as sleeping quarters for discarded, warped, pissy people—beneath that invisible expanse of earth and sky dwells a man named Lazarus." ~ 1%

Lazarus leaves all that is familiar to him—his wife, his children and his home—for a possession-less life. He crosses paths with five strangers that call themselves The Family, and whom later save him from the consequences of a brutal act.

The cover is a great image of open brown-skinned hands. The words are written well in the beginning of the story. The author previously wrote a novel that I still cannot get out of my head (Perfect Peace). So I wanted to like Listen to the Lambs. I really did. Then he lost me.

I really don't know what other way to describe this novel other than 'weird.' I must have muttered this word at least nine times while reading it. Certainly not weird because of the main character's homelessness but of how and the domino effect. Surely Lazarus was not the first man to have felt he lost everything when the economy tanked. Shit, I felt that way in late 2008. But to have up and left his family high and dry? I could not understand; perhaps because I am not a man. But as a responsible human, I too provide. I too had the best of everything. And I too was content with less. But I simply could not be empathetic to Lazarus when he chose to leave his own family to join The Family. Say what now? Weird.

There are characters I do not like. There are main characters I love to hate. Then there are characters that annoy me or I simply do not understand the choices they make. I may not have agreed with Lazarus' actions but it would have been more bearable to read Listen to the Lambs if his actions and the story that followed were clearer. Perhaps I would have enjoyed reading this novel if it was satirical. For these reasons, it was a struggle to not fling this eBook to the side and yell, "Weird. NEXT!"

Listen to the Lambs will be published on February 16, 2016. Pass it. Read it. Do what you will. 

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 honestly my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins.

Title: Listen to the Lambs
Author: Daniel Black
Published: February 2016
Pages: 325
Edition: Galley
Rating: ♥♡

 

February 9, 2016

One More Day Tour

Welcome to Literary Marie's Precision Reviews! Thanks for visiting today's virtual tour stop for Kelly Simmons' new novel, One More Day (available February 2, 2016). I am very much excited to read, review and participate in this book tour for an author I've been a literary fan of as well as her tweets about seasons rules. So pull up a comfy chair, grab your favorite beverage and enjoy the content below.


"Novels illuminate the inner life. It's a way to understand adults since we have so few clues as to why they behave the idiotic way they do." ~ 71%

In the few seconds it took to grab a quarter for the parking meter, Ben was kidnapped from his carseat. Of course his mother, Carrie, blames herself. Then after Ben had been missing for almost 15 months, he mysteriously reappeared as if a day hadn't passed without him. This is what Carrie had been hoping for all along: just one more day with her baby boy. Well be careful what you wish for.

Ben returned for just 24 hours before disappearing again, this time from his crib. Is Carrie imagining things? Is the telling the whole truth? Suddenly police, friends and even her husband start questioning whether Carrie is guilty, crazy or both.

One More Day is available now. Women's fiction bookhearts, you should read this one. I flipped the pages trying to figure out what the heck was happening. Even when I finished, I wasn't completely sure I saw where the author was going with the unique plot. One More Day was easy to get into but confusing to get out. I would rate it a solid 4 hearts if I was more sure of the conclusion...hmmm.

Title: One More Day
Author: Kelly Simmons
Published: February 2016
Pages: 320
Edition: Galley
Rating: ♥♥♥♡

Buy LinksAmazon  Barnes & Noble

Author Links:  Website  Goodreads  Twitter

Disclaimer: A special thanks to the publisher Sourcebooks for the galley. This book was received directly from the publisher for review and tour purposes only. In no way does it influence my review. The opinions I have expressed are honestly my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins.

 

February 7, 2016

Series Sunday: Ms. Marvel No Normal

(Ms. Marvel Volume #1)


Series Sunday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Revision. 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.

My Series Sunday pick is Ms. Marvel: No Normal, the first volume of the Ms. Marvel graphic novel series by G. Willow Wilson (author) and Adrian Alphona (illustrator). Kamala Khan is an international sensation. She's an ordinary girl from Jersey City suddenly empowered with extraordinary gifts. This is all new to her yet very exciting. As the graphic novel unfolds, Kamala discovers the dangers of her newfound powers and whether it's too much to handle as a teenager.

I am a comic book snob. I'll only read comics featuring realistic characters and not super heroes or fantasy. Shortens the selection, I know. But when I came across the cover and description of Ms. Marvel: No Normal, I had to try it. Just look at the cover! She's a brown girl sporting a scarf, jewelry, long brown hair and carrying a stack of books. Even down to the mole above her lip, she looks like me! 

I don't plan to collect volumes 2-5 of this Ms. Marvel series ($15.99 each) but will definitely read if I see them available in the library. As I finished the 120-page graphic novel, the initial excitement started to wane. Back to my comic book snobby ways.

Title: Ms. Marvel, Volume 1 No Normal
Author: G. Willow Wilson & Adrian Alphona
Published: October 2014
Pages: 120
Edition: Graphic Novel
Challenge: Popsugar Book Under 150 Pages
Rating: ♥♥♥♡

February 5, 2016

First Lines Friday


First Lines Friday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Revision. 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.


"I'm a liar. And I don't care who knows it. I make stuff up all the time."

~ Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes

 

February 4, 2016

Bad Feminist

"Whenever women do something in significant numbers, the media immediately becomes frenzied as they try to understand this new mystery of womanhood." ~ pg. 195

Roxane Gay would rather be a bad feminist than no feminist at all. And after reading her book of essays, I agree. Roxane is a woman of color commenting about the state of feminism today in our culture and society. She does not pretend to have it all figured out. She does not proclaim to be a strong feminist either. Instead, she keeps it real in a sometimes-funny, sharp way.

Roxane had my attention with the first page of introduction when she admits to singing along to catchy music that glorifies the degradation of women. I've certainly had this same imperfect moment. I jam to Too Short's Blow the Whistle and ballroom-hustle to Robin Thicke's Blurred Lines. Then sing along to Flawless by Beyoncé reciting Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's partBy the last page of the book's introduction, I was rooting along with her call for literary excellence.

The essays widely range from BET programming to the color pink to racism and those who claim they are "not here to make friends." Every subject she tackles in an essay is thoroughly explained and clearly researched. Books like this are why I am picky about non-fiction. If I am going to fully read a book about truths, it better be full of fact and informed opinion. Bad Feminist fit my non-fiction criteria and was so worth reading.

Whether you consider yourself a feminist or not, Roxane Gay's book should be on your reading list. We all want to know more and do better.

Title: Bad Feminist
Author: Roxane Gay
Published: August 2014
Pages: 318
Edition: Paperback
Challenge: Popsugar Book From the Library
Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

February 3, 2016

Best Friends Forever


"Prayer means everything. Both when things are bad and even when they're good." ~ pg. 82

Best friends are around forever and will help you through the merry and tough times. Celine and Keith have been married for 12 years but arguing a lot over the past several months. Keith works long hours and stays out late; Celine is not attentive to her family. Both are at fault and need to figure out what the next best step is for their marriage and 10-year-old daughter.

The situation turns devastating when Celine is diagnosed with breast cancer. Being the unloyal husband he is, Keith moves out. Thank goodness for Lauren, Celine's BFF, who is there to comfort and help during this rough time.

I enjoy Kimberla Lawson Roby's novellas. Best Friends Forever is no exception. It's a solid story with a realistic plot and lessons about friends. *cue Whodini* A page-turner it is not but an okay quick read.

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 honestly my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins.

Title: Best Friends Forever
Author: Kimberla Lawson Roby
Published: January 2016
Pages: 138
Edition: Galley
Rating: ♥♥♥

 

February 2, 2016

Lit Pick: A Brief History of Seven Killings

Author: Marlon James
Published: October 2014

Goodreads Description: 
On December 3, 1976, just before the Jamaican general election and two days before Bob Marley was to play the Smile Jamaica Concert, gunmen stormed his house, machine guns blazing. The attack nearly killed the Reggae superstar, his wife, and his manager, and injured several others. Marley would go on to perform at the free concert on December 5, but he left the country the next day, not to return for two years.

Deftly spanning decades and continents and peopled with a wide range of characters—assassins, journalists, drug dealers, and even ghosts—A Brief History of Seven Killings is the fictional exploration of that dangerous and unstable time and its bloody aftermath, from the streets and slums of Kingston in the 70s, to the crack wars in 80s New York, to a radically altered Jamaica in the 90s.


At 688 pages, it is not so brief but still considered a good read by critics and bookhearts.

 

Bookish Black History Month


On Precision Reviews, February 2016 will be dedicated to book reviews and lit picks featuring authors and characters of color. Share what you are reading and recommendations during this Black History Month. Celebrate literary diversity!