Book Review #10 "Blackballed: The Black + White Politics of Race on America's Campuses" by Lawrence C. Ross

Hey Everyone,
     I want to start off by thanking Netgalley, Lawrence C. Ross (the author), and St. Martin's Press (the publisher) for the advanced reading copy of "Blackballed The Black + White Politics of Race on America's Campuses." This book will be available for purchase on February 2, 2016.
   I would rate this book 4 stars out of 5. This was a very powerful, enriching book. I want to start off by saying yes, I am racist, I am ignorant and I am very uncomfortable writing, talking, and discussing such an important topic of racism. I can't deny what I am not aware of. Yes, like many of you I try not to be racist, I have good intentions, but because I can not go through every event, thought, action, conversation, belief, comment, or criticism I have made throughout my life and say that absolutely none of it, 0% was racist. I can't say that there is no one that I have ever offended by anything I did, said, or thought. So yes I am racist. I believe that racism still exists, in many forms. It is still a significant problem, that has never gone away. It is an issue that needs to be brought to the front, to be confronted. We as society need to talk about it, and stop hiding from it and pushing it under the rug. That is the first step but like I have learned in this book, there is so much more than this that needs to be done.
    This book was deeply honest, it genuinely confronted racism, and brought it to the front of the table. The author spoke from his heart, his words were charged with all sorts of emotion. I felt his words, understood what he was saying. He was direct, upfront, he was blunt and he presented the subject well. Racism is a huge issue that is present in every platform of society. I want to say that the author did an excellent job of narrowing down the topic of racism to pick out to discuss racism within the college campuses. Because the subject was not to broad, this book was clearly able to discuss how prevalent racism is in college campuses. This book was well organized, that it pointed out the different ways that racism is displayed in our colleges. It discussed the power that the Greek system has in continuing to allow racism to prevail. It talked about the admission process, the dorms, how the college systematic procedures, its inner core promoted racism. It talked about the social life on campus how it promoted racism. How something simple and easily fixed such as buildings that are named after racist people, how that instilled racism into the atmosphere. It pointed out how racist acts can and do affect that person deeply and more than one can imagine.
     Another thing I really liked with this book, was how the author backed up what he had to say. He backed it up with facts, statistics, experiences, events. I hate how there are people who will make erroneous written or verbal statements, present them as if it was a fact and have nothing to back it up with. No resource to fall back on. By backing up what he said the author was more powerful and confident in getting his ideas across. He did a fair job of presenting facts. He gave credit where it was due.  He presented the negative events as well as the positive. He also didn't just leave you hanging in presenting a problem without having a way to fix it. He provided a solution, a where to go from here plan. The only thing I can criticize here is that I wish he spent more time in the book in providing solutions, an exact plan of action. I did think he spent a little too much of the book focusing on the Greek system. That if he shortened it and held back a little, the book would have been all that more powerful.
     This book meant a lot to me. I can't tell you how much I learned from this. I mean I know racism exists and is prevalent a lot in our society, but it just shows me how ignorant to this subject I really was and am, how much I didn't know and still don't know. I will leave you guys with this, one of the most powerful moments of this book, is we can't sit by the sidelines anymore. We need to stand up together and face it, confront it, and act on it. At this point actions can sometimes speak louder than words. How apologizing and saying your sorry backed up with ignorant excuses is not good enough. You know when someone does something that irritates you all the time and continues to do so after you told them to stop? How there comes a point in time when their apologies mean nothing to you. I know that this previous example does not display the magnitude and prevalence of racism in our society. But we have to get over our uncomfortableness and face it, and to change it. Instead of apologizing we need to act to solve this issue at its core.
     If you are interested in pre-ordering this book click Here. This book is available for purchase on February 2, 2016. Hope you all enjoy it as much as I did.

Until the next page,
Jill

Book Review #2 "The Lunar Chronicles" by Marissa Meyer

Hi Everyone

     I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and didn't get too full and tired to stop you from turning the pages of the book you are reading. I just finished reading "Winter" from the "Lunar Chronicles" by Marissa Meyer. The "Lunar Chronicles" consists of "Cinder," "Scarlet," "Cress," Fairest," "Winter" and coming on February 2, 2016 her finale installment consisting of short stories "Stars Above." Overall I would rate the series 3.75 stars out of 5.
     What does this series consist of? Well, it is a combination of parts of some of your favorite fairy tales. This book takes you back in time. It brings on the comforting feeling of nostalgia. It is a combination of your favorite parts of fairy tales. It retells them in a new story, than the ones you are familiar with. But yet that is not all, Marissa Meyer adds a science fiction element to the series. This was a risk taken by the author. Because at first glance you may be skeptical, wondering how science fiction and fairy tales fit together. But put your worries aside, this actually worked out well, in the way that it expanded the storyline. It allowed the storyline to venture in different directions and took you to different places. This series, as I just wrote puts all of your favorite characters, from the fairy tales you know, and combines them into one story. Imagine if Cinderella became friends with Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel and other notable characters. There is your Prince Charming, wolves, robots, Captain Hook, aliens and of course the evil queen. It goes from huge castles, to farms and woods, to spaceships, and to another planet. Put this all together and what do you get, well "The Lunar Chronicles," of course.
     For the most part this series was organized very well. Each book in a way focused on a different character and that character's story. Each book was part of the whole. The story flowed very seamlessly from one book to the next. Except for "Winter." "Winter" attempted to follow this seamless transition but failed. The problem with "Winter" while trying to conclude the whole series, had too much going on. It was like the characters and plots were colliding with each other instead of being able to pass through. I think this book in particular took on more than it could chew. Being that all the books up until now were good, I was a little disappointed when it came to "Winter"
     This series took on a lot of central plots and themes. It brought forth the issue body shaming. That we all have different bodies, and we all need to accept and have confidence in the way we are shaped. It is not what is on the outside that counts but what is inside. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. That all beings are equal and should be treated the same regardless of what they look like. And beauty can be a curse. Things aren't what they seem to be. We all put on our own glamours in trying to present ourselves the way we want to be seen. And as you will see, in one's desire to be beautiful it is not everything. That desire can sometimes present itself as an enemy and bring out the worst. The desire can turn against one and can be one's own demise.
     I did like how the series took on some political and socioeconomic aspects. It brought up again the importance of equality, justice. It talked about oppression. It brought up how the governmental forces have the ability to control and oppress people. How the governmental forces often and can present itself as a facade, a glamour. It publicizes what society wants to see an ideal, utilitarian, fair, just, equal ruling force. It has the capacity to lie and spread lies. It is up to society to see through this facade to face reality and to join forces and confront this facade. Equality was a main fighting force, how one should get rid of the class system, and hand out resources equally and fairly regardless of what that person looks like or how much money that person has.
     But, there is always hope, as you will see, giving up is not an option. Bravery, courage, kindness, respect, friendship, trust are the ingredients to change. And these ingredients will be present throughout the series.
     This was an entertaining series, it kept me reading, it kept my attention all the way through. It was what you expected it to be. And I am glad it was what I expected and not less. In a way though I wanted it to surpass my expectations, I wanted the series to push and keep pushing the boundaries. I know it should be enough that it met my expectations. However, as I kept reading and reading I kept thinking and hoping that it would shatter my expectations and it ended up just being a shy short. Reading this series was a great adventure and I don't regret any of it. And I don't think you will either.
If you are interested in reading this series you can purchase it Here

Keep turning those pages
Jill

P.S. Stay tuned for my next all exclusive review thanks to Netgalley of "Blackballed: The Black and White Politics of Race on America's Campuses" by Lawrence C. Ross. Learn about it here first, before it's sell date of February 2, 2016.

Why Start a Book Review Blog?

  Hi guys,

     So why am I starting this blog? Good question! Again like everyone else who has a book blog I love to read. Reading is universal. Novels, literature, and the authors who write them are very essential to human society. Books are a way of life, they are a descriptions, and observations made by human beings. Every book is part of our past, present, and future. They document life, and are proof of life. Every book blog out there is a document of life. Every book out there is a collective way of expressing our innermost thoughts, feelings, beliefs, ideas, and opinions. And with all the books I have read and will read, I believe it is past due time that I give them due credit. Each book is a book of art, and should be shared, expressed, and discussed about. There are good parts to every book, but yet there are no books that are 100% inherently bad. Yes, some are worse than others but that is merely a matter of opinion. I am sure I will write about plenty of books that I liked and thought were good, that you disagree with. The words good and bad are the wrong words to use, because try to define them, you can't. Everyone would have a different answer to what is good and what is bad.
    It is not my goal here of starting a blog to tell you what you should read or shouldn't read. Those are your choices and your decisions. I merely want to express, share, my thoughts and opinions, to pass information on to everyone who reads this. I aim to try to do a fair and honest job of giving each book credit.
     My fears in starting this blog is one that I will not do a good job. See there is that word good again. I was never a good writer but then again it is not my goal to be a good writer, it is my goal to share and express my thoughts and feelings on reading and the books I read. And one last fear as silly as it might sound is time. Will writing a blog take precious time away from reading? I don't know, but hey I will never know if I don't try.
   My only intended persuasion in my blog is to get people to keep turning the pages, to get up and read. Everyone should make reading a part of their lives, it is enriching, it is learning, it is knowledge, as they say ignorance is from not knowing. Everyone has a story and every with every story there are always something new we can learn. And the more we know (generally speaking) the less ignorant we are. And I am not saying that everyone needs to read this book or read x amount of books per year. I am just saying to try to put more effort in trying to read more than you usually do, even if it is only one page. Reading is sort of like meditating, it allows you to be aware and present in the moment with each word you read.
    Until the next page...

Jill
   

Welcome

Hello, Hi, and Welcome

     I am Jill and have been thinking about starting a book blog for awhile now and just getting up the guts to do it. Why? Well like everyone else who starts a blog like this I love to read. I always have for as long as I can remember.  I am 36 so that is about three decades.
     So why do I like to read? Reading has always been an escape for me, escape from real life, a distraction. It was another world I could escape and travel too. In fact it wasn't just one world but many. They were all different and told different stories. I was a different character in each. I was able to imagine or it was almost like dreaming except I was awake reading each line of a book. My mind opened up expanded imagining a book coming to life. Reading has power, reading has knowledge. With every page I turn my mind is open it breathes the page in like a breath of fresh air. It consumes all in its path. There is so much I have learned and so much I still have to learn. Reading never ends, there will always be a book that I want to read. Just like it is impossible to know everything in the world it is impossible to read everything there is to read. I have learned so much but yet I have learned so little. As I have read and read my understanding of the world, my thoughts, opinions, beliefs have been questioned and have changed. I have expanded my views, learned new perspectives and created as many questions left still to be answered. Reading is a journey it takes you on many paths. So many words, each has its own power, as they are written one at a time on a page bringing them to life. Creating new worlds, stories, people and emotions. I laugh I cry I get angry and I get scared, I can read to inspire and create emotions and also to stop them.  Reading is so many things what is it to you?
     What do I like to read? Almost everything. It might be easier to answer this question in reverse, what don't I like to read? I am not too much into romance you will not see anything of Danielle Steel here, nor will you see Steven King or Agatha Christie or the like.
     What will I try to accomplish with this blog? I will try to give fair, honest, and genuine reviews based on books that I have read. I will share my experiences and encourage you to do the same. I hate spoilers so I will do my best not to give much aways and to allow you to create your own path. I welcome respectful discussion on anything that is posted here.

Until the next journey! Just keep on reading and keep turning the page!

Jill