Long Division

"I thought you said we were never supposed to say 'just a book' about a book." ~ 6%

Long Division is Kiese Laymon's debut novel first published in 2013. It has been on my TBR list forever and a day, so I jumped on the opportunity to read and review the re-release of this classic satire novel. It features two interwoven stories in post-Katrina Mississippi.

It's 2013 and 14-year-old City Coldson becomes an overnight YouTube celebrity after a meltdown on national television. He is sent to live with his grandmother in a small community where a young girl named Baize Shephard has recently disappeared. 

Before City leaves, he is gifted an author-less book titled...drumroll please...Long Division. The main character is also named City Coldson! In the book, he travels to the future and steals a laptop and cell phone from an orphaned teen girl named...yup, you guessed it...Baize Shephard. He takes the items all the way back to 1964 to help another time-traveler protect family from the Ku Klux Klan.

Are you still with me, bookhearts? It is a lot to follow. Reading this book-inside-of-a-book had me all the way confused. I found myself reading the chapters a couple times before finally just pushing through and glad I stuck with it. I was ---><--- this close to DNF'ing but on the strength of many bookhearts' high ratings and praise reviews, I kept reading and eventually finished this well-written coming-of-age novel featuring a smart black boy. The hilarious narration was a bonus.

My recommendation is to read Long Division at the right time. Be focused because it needs your attention to follow the time-travel dual storyline. Avoid spoilers and appreciate good writing!

Happy Belated Pub Day, Kiese Laymon! Long Division is now available.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins.

Title: Long Division
Author: Kiese Laymon
Published: June 2021
Pages: 304
Edition: Galley
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

MasterClass Chick

MasterClass is in session! LiteraryMarie.com is on break while I learn from the world's best. 

Judy Blume Teaches Writing

James Patterson Teaches Writing

Aaron Sorkin Teaches Screenwriting

Issa Rae Teaches Creating Outside the Lines

Shonda Rhimes Teaches Writing for Television

Walter Mosley Teaches Fiction and Storytelling

Roxane Gay Teaches Writing for Social Change

R.L. Stine Teaches Writing for Young Audiences

Words Matter

Accountability is not synonymous with justice.

  

Series Sunday: 5 Amazon Original Stories

(Amazon Original Stories) 

Series Sunday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie. 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 picks are eShorts from Amazon Original Stories. Quick stories that can be read—or listened to—in one sitting with a central theme. Speed Grieving by Allison Ellis is a true love story of a 33-year-old sudden widow. An unexpected heart attack takes her husband's life. Allison devises an impractical plan to find a new husband within twelve months. Simplexity by Kiley Reid is about a 28-year-old entry level worker who implements a change after one microaggression too many. The Prince and the Troll by Rainbow Rowell is a short fairy tale. A man accidentally drops his phone off the bridge. It's retrieved by a friendly creature. From that day forward, they share a coffee and a friendship blooms. Rachel Rosenthal's Identity Thief is part of the This Can't Be Happening collection. Someone steals the identity of a minimum-wage employee at a children's museum. I Would Be Doing This Anyway by Jia Tolentino is living out the pandemic while maintaining the upper hand.

Don't sleep on these Amazon Original Stories. Free for Amazon Prime and Kindle Unlimited members or just $1.99 per eBook. They are a great way to boost your reading goals.

First Lines Friday

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

"Cindy Thomas followed Robert Barnett's assistant down the long corridor at the law firm of Barnett and Associates in Washington, DC. This meeting could be the beginning of something terrific, and she had dressed for the win: sleek black dress, tailored leather jacket, a touch of lipstick, and an air of confidence that came from the material itself."

~ 21st Birthday by James Patterson 

   

Seven Days in June

"Stop writing about me." ~ 22%

Seven Days in June is about two writers and their second chance at love. Eva is a single mom with a huge fanbase for her bestselling erotica romance series. Shane is an award-winning author who shies away from the limelight. Everyone is surprised when he shows up in New York, especially Eva. Twenty years ago, Eva and Shane spent a crazy week falling madly in teenage love. The chemistry is still there!

Told in daily accounts, Eva and Shane reconnect in a sexy novel. Tia Williams did a good job of writing witty compatible characters. Even though the story span is one week, it moved too slow for my liking. I love a romance centered around characters of color. However, the slow pace made the tale less interesting. Seven Days in June is recommended for readers that like a slow and steady story. 

Happy Early Pub Day, Tia Williams! Seven Days in June will be available Tuesday, June 1.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins.

Title: Seven Days in June
Author: Tia Williams
Published: June 2021
Pages: 336
Edition: Galley
Rating: 🖤 🖤

The Marathon Don't Stop

"In the Tigrinya language of Eritrea, the name Ermias means 'God will rise.'" ~ 12%

Ermias Joseph Asghedom was born on August 15, 1985. The world knows him by a name that sounds phonetically pleasing: Nipsey Hussle. A prolific, self-gifted, hip hop mogul, entrepreneur, artist and activist. In the first in-depth biography of Nipsey Hussle, journalist Rob Kenner delves into his life and times, music career and ahead-of-the-times business movement.

Allow me to warn that The Marathon Don't Stop is an emotional read. Rob Kenner explores tough times in Nipsey's life with emphasis on L.A. gang culture, the LAPD, supporting the hood, and street violence. However, it is balanced with many high points. Nonfiction books are not typically page-turners. But I could not put the book down without looking forward to resuming. 

"His was a higher calling. Tangible results—ownership, freedom, justice—those were the things he valued." ~ 3%

By the last chapter, I was sad the book came to an end, sad for his family that no doubt miss him and sad for his absence in the music industry. The most emotional part was Kenner pointing out that Nipsey did indeed meet one of his goals (selling out Staples Center) even though he wasn't alive to witness it.

Majority of this well written biography is positive and motivational. It highlights Nipsey's many accomplishments, work ethic and strong family ties. Interviews and quotes are expertly woven into a story that is smooth reading. I recommend pairing reading with playing songs/lyrics that are referenced as well as adding his favorite books to your reading lists. Yes, Nipsey had a love for literature that has inspired book clubs all over the country.

"It's real words behind an experience." ~ 57%

Victory Lap is still in heavy rotation. I listen to at least one song on the album every single day. It was great to read the story behind the lyrics and how it relates to the late artist. The Marathon Don't Stop covers the origin of his name, early career and the impact of his death in the hip hop world, as well as in the city of Los Angeles. It is well researched and celebrates Ermias' life. Well done and thank you, Mr. Kenner.

Whether you are a Nipsey Hussle fan or not, The Marathon Don't Stop is recommended for all. You just gotta read it!

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins.

Title: The Marathon Don't Stop: The Life and Times of Nipsey Hussle

Author: Rob Kenner

Published: March 2021

Pages: 288

Edition: Galley

Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤