Book Review #23: "Daredevils"

Hey Everyone,

     I am going to review the book "Daredevils," by Shawn Vestal.  It is a popular release day today, as I had a lot of books that I had to finish. This book is hot off the press released today April 12, 2016, for those of you who would like to purchase a copy of this book CLICK HERE.  This book is about so many things, it is one wild ride throughout the book. It is a story about love, loss, teenagers, Mormonism, freedom, gold, and Evel Knievel. This book focuses on a young teenager Loretta who is enjoying the life of being a teenager, sneaking out at night until she is caught by her Mormon Parents. Her parents then confine her to being a sister wife married to an older man. It is about her escaping her suffocating life, about making her own choices, and the characters she meets on her journey to freedom.      

     Overall I would rate this book three and a half stars out of five. This book was one wild tale. It was an excellent young adult story, that captured the essence and reality of being a teenager. I loved how this book combined so many different elements of which one would never think to put together in a story. From Evel Knievel to Mormonism certainly explains the title pretty well. The element that made this book so great and what it is, was the plot. I think this book would make a great movie (assuming the movie does the book justice). I do wish this book had more character depth to it, since it consisted of a wide assortment of people. And some of the sections on Evel Knievel I thought could have been omitted or shortened. I say this because some of them seemed irrelevant to the story. 

     I will say this, Loretta was a character who I loved to hate. It is always a risk making a main character unlikeable, in that it can detract from the book. However, this risk was well worth taken, because it worked. You will have to read this book to see what I mean. For all those who are looking for excitement and adventure come and join "the daredevil" train by reading this book. 

     I would like to thank Netgalley, Shawn Vestal, and Penguin Group: The Penguin Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Until the next page,

Jill 

Book Review #22: "67 Shots"

Hey Everyone,

     I am going to review the book "67 Shots: Kent State and the End of American Innocence," by Howard Means. This book is fresh for the picking today April 12, 2016. To read an excerpt from this book CLICK HERE. To purchase a copy of this book CLICK HERE. I chose this book to read based on its description. I am interested in learning more than I do of the time period of the Vietnam war and the Kent State shooting. I will honestly say I do not know much, and this is a time period in history of which I am lacking much knowledge of. This book was a detailed run down of the Kent State shooting on May 4, 1970. It is a compilation of the events and the atmosphere that led to the shooting. 

     I will say this book did a very good job on presenting the atmosphere behind the shooting. It was interesting and intriguing. This book also did a good job in describing the factors that led up to the shooting, the causes and the effects of it. It did help me understand more about this time period, so it did its job in answering my reasons for reading this book. 

     I will say I did not love this book, I did have a difficult time finishing it. It felt like reading a long news article instead of a book. The chapters were all meshed together and did not flow well. It just seemed as if it were lacking organization. I felt it was also lacking the emotions behind this traumatic event. Because of this I had a difficult time connecting and engaging to this story. 

     I don't want to end on a sour note. I am not trying to dissuade anyone from reading this because like our presidential candidates we all have our own opinions, beliefs, likes and dislikes. 

     I would like to thank Netgalley, Howard Means, and Perseus Book Group: Da Capo Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Until the next page,

Jill

Book Review #21: "Arena"

Hey Everyone,

     I am going to review the book "Arena" by Holly Jennings. This book is out for publication today April 5, 2016. To read an excerpt from this book CLICK HERE. And for those of you who would like to purchase a copy of this book CLICK HERE. This book is set in the near future, where instead of live action sports like football, the world is entertained with a virtual reality gaming competition. In order to win you can't be killed. It is about love, loss, addiction, and competition. 

     Overall I rated this book three and a half stars out of five. It was entertaining, and a fast read which kept my attention throughout the book. I loved how this book seemed to have a simple plot, but took on a greater meaning. It tackled the issues of technology and the problems it caused by living in a technology focused world. It talks about balance, being able to live in the real world and virtual world at the same time. It discussed fame, what it is like to be a "celebrity" to uphold an image that is not you. I fell in love with the main character Kali, she was a very strong, fierce and she upheld the image of a feminist, in a male driven society. This book will give you little treats when referring to the technology and culture reminiscent of the past.

     This book was a little disappointing. It was like I was expecting more from the book, and kept waiting for it to happen which then it never did. The game, the fighting got a little old and bland at times. However the descriptions of the action was very real and well brought to life. This book will appeal to a large number of people. Obviously people who love technology and video games would enjoy this book. This book is not just for gamers it has something that everyone can relate to.

     I would like to thank Netgalley, Holly Jennings (the author), and Berkley Publishing Group for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Until the next page,

Jill

Book Review #20: "Hard Red Spring"

Hey Everyone,

  I am going to review the book "Hard Red Spring" by Kelly Kerney. This book is fresh for the picking as it is released today March 29, 2016. For those of you who would like to purchase a copy of this book CLICK HERE. This book took place in the backdrop of the tensions between the Mayan natives, people of Spanish descent in Guatemala, and the influence of American citizens and American politics.  This book consists of four stories spanning over a 100 years. It is ultimately about a missing girl. Her story is told throughout three other stories that build off each other in connecting 4 different families of different generations into one storyline. 

     Overall I would rate this book three and a half stars out of five. This was an intriguing, book filled with a rich history of Guatemala. I particularly loved the depth that this book went into. I loved how this book while fiction read like a nonfiction. It was a fictional story told in the backdrop of real events. This book truly got to the core, the heart and flesh of Guatemala's violent history. It brought forth some very real questions that are extremely relevant to today's world. Such as how does a genocide occur? How does one heal from the traumatic events such as genocide? How does one move forward?  How do people handle conflict?

     I did have some difficulty reading this book. At the beginning of the book it was hard to tell where the story was going and because of this it made the book seem a little disjointed. However this book ended with a bang. It was the best part of the book. The ending was what made this book worth reading. The ending came full circle, it tied up all the loose ends of the story together. It was like each of the four stories/parts of this book built its way to tip top of a climax and then just stopped when everything was getting good. It left me cold I needed that closure, however I did get that closure I needed at the end. So in a way it was delayed gratification. I also did feel that the characters in this book could have been stronger. Or that this book would have been better if more of the characters were likable people. 

     With this said, everyone has different likes and dislikes. Just because I disliked the style of this book, does not mean you will too. As I said the ending was what made this book worth the read. The overall storyline was excellent. Especially the depth it went into bringing to life Guatemala's rich history. 

     I would like to thank Netgalley, Kelly Kerney (the author) and Penguin Group Viking (the publisher) for giving me an opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Until the next page,

Jill

Book Review #19: "The Crime of All Crimes"

Hey Everyone,

      I am going to review the book "The Crime of All Crimes: Toward a Criminology of Genocide," by Nicole Rafter.  I want to say first and foremost I am deeply saddened to hear about the very recent death of Nicole Rafter, on February 29, 2016. It saddens me that such a talented author and scholar particularly in the field of criminology will not be able to see the release of her newest book, "The Crime of All Crimes" released today March 29, 2016. To purchase a copy of this book hot off the press CLICK HERE. 

     I chose this book to read mainly because of the subject, genocide has been on my mind recently. I have always been interested by the Holocaust not only interested but it was something that shook my inner core. I have read quite a few books on it. I also have read quite a few books on the Rwandan genocide in the 1990's. I am always heartbroken and confused on why genocides continue to happen and why we allow them to happen? Because for most of us, we usually take a back seat and watch it happen from the safety of our homes. Or we live our lives in ignorance and denial, living without knowing that these atrocities are happening to our neighbors. I had the same questions as the author did. How can people do this?

     Overall, I would rate this book 3.5 stars out of 5. It was an extremely in depth, detailed investigation on the criminology of eight genocides. It compared and contrasted these genocides in attempt to answer questions such as: how do genocides happen? This book was extremely interesting and informative. It was presented in well organized scientific profiles of eight genocides. This book did a very good job at presenting the information at hand, including backing everything up with facts and statistics. 

     Being very well organized usually is a good thing, but sometimes such as in this book it didn't work out so well. I found it too organized, too repetitive. Because of the repetitiveness of the book there was some unnecessary information, and the book could have been shortened in length. The repetitiveness I felt took away from the integrity of the book.

     It was still a good read, I do not regret reading it because this book definitely has value. This book would be good for people who have an interest in genocides and would like to learn more. People who have an interest in criminology, sociology, and psychology would like this book as well. This book discusses an important topic that does need to be read and discussed. 

     I would like to thank Netgalley,  Nicole Hahn Rafter (the author), and NYU Press (the publisher) for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Until the next page,

Jill

Book Review #18: "The Last Girl."

Hey Everyone,

     I am reviewing the book "The Last Girl: Book One of The Dominion Trilogy," by Joe Hart. This book just was published on March 1, 2016, with the second book in the series "The Final Trade," set to be published on September 16, 2016. Now is the time to get a head start on reading this series, CLICK HERE to purchase a copy of "The Last Girl." This book is a post-apocalyptic dystopian/thriller. It is about "a virus" that has attacked society in stopping the reproduction of females. So with human society threatened by this, a government committee kidnaps a group of females who are imprisoned and controlled by a set of strict rules. At their induction at the age of 21 the girls are never seen again. Not one of the girls really knows what happens at these inductions besides that they are able to meet with their parents and leave the territory that were raised in. It is about one girl in particular, who feels imprisoned, trapped and confined. She dreams about freedom and escaping, because she feels very skeptical of this system that she is confined to.  

     Overall I would rate this book just shy of four stars, 3.75 stars out of 5. I was so close to and very much wanted to rate this book four stars. It was a great story. I loved the premise of it, of a declining female population, and what that would look like in our society. I did think parts of this book were very realistic to what would happen if this became true. This book was very descriptive and I loved how I could imagine the story playing out while I was reading it. There was good character development I felt for the most part. I did like the questions this book posed, such as what is freedom? What does it mean to be human? To what extent and extreme should one go to, to protect the greater good? What rights should we have? Should women have rights and control over their own body's and the choices they make? The author did take risks in this book and for the most part they all worked out. There was a lot of mystery and intrigue that kept me in suspense, kept me continuing to read this book. I loved all the twists and turns this book took, which it did a fantastic job of keeping this story unpredictable. It is a fast and intriguing read, that for the most part kept me involved in the story for most of the book.

     So, why did I hold off in rating this book four stars? Well this book did have some problems for me. The first part of the book was wonderful, and as I was reading it I was saying to myself that I am going to love this book. However, during the second part of the book it kind of lost me a little. I am not completely sure why. But I thought it went off track a little with its alien like descriptions. It was only one section of the book. After that, the storyline progressed and continued on to being like the first part of the book. So it did end well with me, and did leave me with a pleasant taste in my mouth. The second problem was I didn't see the romantic relationship between Zoe and Lee as being necessary to the story. At times it just seemed that, that relationship was just kind of thrown into the book just to add a love story. 

     However, this is not going to stop me from finishing the trilogy. So with this I do recommend this as a worthy read. And for those people who stray away from horror books, this is one to read. The horror element in this book is very subtle, and played a very natural part to the story. 

     I would like to thank Netgalley, Joe Hart (the author), and Thomas & Mercer (the publisher) for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

 Until the next page,

Jill

Book Review #17: "Five Days at Memorial"

Hey Everyone,

     I am going to review the book, "Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital," by Sheri Fink. This book was extremely well written coming from a correspondent from the New York Times. This book was based off of a previous article written by Sheri Fink called "Deadly Choices at Memorial," which was co-published by ProPublica, and The New York Times Magazine. This article was published on August 27, 2009. The article mentioned above and this book has won multiple awards, which made this book even better to read. This was an investigative report on the events and choices that were made during Hurricane Katrina at Memorial Hospital and it discusses the consequences of those choices in the events that took place after the hurricane. It is a story of neglect, bad decisions and choices, life and death decisions, survival. It discusses all the factors that led to the unpreparedness of Memorial during the disaster. It talks in depth about all the main people involved so it was easy to gather who they were.  Memorial hospital flooded and lost power, patients and employees were living in horrible, unsafe conditions. It was an emergency like no other, and discussed how the doctors, nurses, patients and their family members, politicians, government agencies, and the CEO's of Memorial responded to emergencies. It made me think the hypothetical what if that was me? What would I do? Decisions were made to evacuate the "more able" people first and in saving the sickest and most vulnerable to last. Then decisions were made to inject this last group of patients with a lethal dose of morphine, to quicken their deaths. The last section of this book discussed and addressed the ethical concerns of this situation, and the repercussions of it.

     This book definitely went on my favorites list, as in why I rated this book 4.5 stars out of 5. This book was very well written, in that while I was reading it I felt as if I was there watching everything happen. It is very detailed and goes into much depth it discussed every angle of the situation and left nothing out. Yes there were some details and descriptions that I felt were unnecessary to the point where it did feel a little wordy at times. However, I do see why this was done in order to portray the whole truth, for transparency, to leave nothing out. It was a hard book to read, due to the nature of the story, it was heartbreaking.  It was a very emotional book. I really thought this book did an excellent job presenting the whole story without any judgement or bias from the author, she told the story as it was. She did such a great job of this that there were times in this book where I was questioning how it was possible for the author to write this story without including her opinion and beliefs. It was a mystery kept throughout the book, and was finally revealed in the epilogue. Again this book brings up a controversial but important topic of euthanasia. I am sure everyone has their own beliefs and opinions and I am sure everyone feels different. This book will bring your beliefs and opinions to light and will attempt to question your beliefs.  

     I highly recommend this book to purchase a copy of this book CLICK HERE. I want to thank Blogging For Books, Sheri Fink (the author), and Penguin Random House (the publisher) for giving me the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Until the Next Page,

Jill

Book Review #16: "In Real Life"

Hey Everyone,

     I will be reviewing the book, "In Real Life," by Jessica Love. It is hot off the press, released today so for those of you who would like to purchase this book CLICK HERE. I chose this book to read because of the plot, it sounded very realistic in the present day society, and quite interesting. It is about teenage love, and what happens if you fall for your best friend. It is about two teenagers, Hannah and Nick who met online and maintain an online friendship for four years. It is about what happens when Hannah decides to meet Nick in real life and it doesn't all turn out the way it was expected to or does it? This really drew me into wanting to read this book, I wanted to find out what happened when Hannah meets Nick. 

     This was a well told story. I loved how it was a very modern story using the popular technology that is present in today's society such as Internet, cell phones, blogs, and social media. It definitely made me think how much has changed since I was a teenager. Actually a book like this would never have been written in my teenage days. This book brought up the challenges one faces in communicating online and in real life. I did like the sarcastic tone that this book was narrated in, it gave me a few chuckles. This book was well written, in its well formed descriptive manner. This book was definitely a fast read from start to finish. 

     One thing that made this book kind of difficult to read was the main character and narrator was unlikeable, at least I thought she was. Because I found her unlikeable and annoying at times it did take away from the book. However, it could be because I am two decades older than Hannah and found the generation gap difficult to relate to. 

     With all this said, I do think today's generation of teenagers will enjoy this book more. So if you are younger than 25 do not let my review scare you away from reading this book. This book was written for you, and you will definitely relate to the characters in this book. I guarantee you will love it. 

     I would like to thank Netgalley, Jessica Love (the author), and St. Martin's Press (the publisher) for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Until the next page,

Jill

Book Review #15: "All the Single Ladies"

Hey Everyone,

     I will be reviewing the book "All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and The Rise of an Independent Nation'" by Rebecca Traister. This book is available today to purchase fresh off the press. If you are interested in purchasing a copy of this book, CLICK HERE. Overall I would rate this book 3.5 stars out of 5. This book is about the journey of feminism and how it lead to the independent society we have now. It goes into depth into the history of women. This book talked about all the factors such as societal, political, cultural, and economic forces with how a group of women paved the way to the freedom and independence that we enjoy now. It is not only a history book, but it addresses all the issues that women are confronted with that inhibits them to becoming fully independent, in today's society. Its essential element is change, a call to action to women to continue fighting for equality and independence.
     I did enjoy this book, it was very thought provoking, and pointed out things in myself that I was not aware of before. I definitely learned a lot reading this book. I liked how the book tied in factors like poverty and racism in relating it to the fight for independence and equality for women and society. This book was packed full of information.This book did have a nice balance between personal anecdotes and straightforward information. Overall it was well written. I did like reading this book. The best thing about this book was that it was very thought-provoking. I always enjoy when a book gets my brain cells working.
     I was a little disappointed that this book did not stand out among other similar books. I was waiting for that moment that makes a book special and unique and it fell a hair short. There were also some parts in this book that were repetitive, so it felt a little wordy at times. With that said, I do think this book will be worth your time to read. It is a subject that is essential and important to society. I do recommend it.
     I want to thank Netgalley, Rebecca Traister (the author), and Simon & Schuster (the publisher) for giving me an opportunity to read this book.

Keep turning those pages,

Jill

Book Review #14: "The Three-Year Swim Club"

Hey Everyone,
     Let me introduce this year's first book to make "my favorites list" on Goodreads.com,  it is "The Three-Year Swim Club: The Untold Story of Maui's Sugar Ditch Kids and their Quest for Olympic Glory'" by Julie Checkoway. Overall I would rate this book five stars out of five. Where do I begin? Wow, what an amazing story! This book is a true story of a group of Japanese-American children and their coach. It is a story of a coach a Japanese-American who was trying to find himself and found himself in a group of Japanese-American children. These children had nothing, they lived in poverty living as "slaves" on sugar plantations. The coach found a ditch and taught them how to swim. It is about the struggles during this fragile time period of World War II and particularly the struggles that of Japanese-Americans faced. It is a story of will, of never giving up. It is a story of strength and courage in the face of adversity.
     Before reading this book, honestly I did not know anything about it, and never mind not knowing that this story existed or happened in the first place. But boy, oh boy am I glad I read it. I am kicking myself in the butt that I didn't read this sooner, and wishing this book never ended. The way the author narrated this story was magical. Reading it, I felt as if I was there watching as a bystander the events that took place. I truly felt apart of this book and definitely connected to it from the first paragraphs. I almost want to go as far as to say that I wish they would make a movie out of this book. However, I am also weary of wishing for this, because hardly ever are the movies are as good as the book. And when this happens it leaves you disappointed, frustrated and upset, and I don't want to look back feeling this way. So as they say better safe than sorry. I would like to point out that for those people who shy away from reading nonfiction, I would highly consider reading this book. I would read it because of the way the author told the story. This is not your typical nonfiction book, you are going to be hooked from the very first word.
     I literally was holding my breath and sitting on the edge of my seat while reading this book. It was such an amazing story, I could not wait to turn the page to see what happened next. There are not too many books out there where it is difficult to find anything to critique. Reading this book took you on a journey of experiencing the full spectrum of emotions. And this book was a very pleasant change, since recently I have been reading books on the more depressing side. I would again highly recommend this book, for those of you who would like to purchase a copy of this book CLICK HERE.
 I would like to thank The Reading Room, Julie Checkoway, and Grand Central Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Until the next page,

Jill

Book Review #13 "Incarcerated Nations"

Hey Everyone,
     This post I will be reviewing "Incarcerated Nations: A Journey to Justice in Prisons Around the World," by Baz Dreisinger. This book is available to purchase February 9, 2016, for those of you who would like to purchase a copy of this book CLICK HERE. I would rate this book four stars out of five. I chose this book to read mainly because of the subject matter of this book appealed to me. It is not something that I have read a lot about. This book is about the U.S. criminal justice system, in how it compares to criminal justice systems around the world. This book is broken down into nine chapters, each chapter describes a specific country's criminal justice system. This book delves into the history behind the U.S. criminal justice system, as well as the countries that are highlighted in this book. It talks about the author's journey in finding answers to questions that were haunting the author's mind.
     I really enjoyed this book. It was an extremely interesting and eye-opening subject. I am very satisfied that the author chose to write about prisons in the way that she did. Hope for a better system was alive throughout the book, no matter how gloomy things seemed. Actually the hopeful and positive attitude of this book is what made it so good. I think the author chose a well-rounded group of countries to discuss,  from Africa to Australia to Norway to Brazil. Each country had a different and sometimes similar attitudes in how they treat/punish citizens who break a law. There were personal stories narrated throughout the book. It was a great balance of personal stories and facts, history and statistics well mixed in together. I really was pleased with the author's unbiased, nonjudgmental and open minded take on this subject. The author's compassion was very palpable throughout this book. I love books that are written from deep within the author's soul. Her compassion and nonjudgmental stance inspired me to do the same while reading this book.
     Not only did this book discuss the different criminal justice systems around the world but presented solutions to the many issues in this system. So it doesn't just leave you hanging and saying to yourself okay great there are so many problems now how on earth is it going to be fixed? While good, logical solutions were presented, I am just not sure how realistic they are. I don't know, it is probably my fear that is stopping me from believing that things can change. They say after all how common it is to be afraid of change, and the only way to change is to overcome your fears. So for all of you who read this book, go into it prepared to face maybe some of your own fears.
     I would like to thank Netgalley, Other Press, (the publisher) and Baz Dreisinger (the author) for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Until the Next Page,

Jill

Book Review #12 "The High Mountains of Portugal"

     Hey Everyone,
   
     I will be reviewing the book "The High Mountains of Portugal" by Yann Martel. For those of you who are not familiar with the author, he wrote "Life of Pi" to purchase this book CLICK HERE. Overall I would rate this book 3 stars out of 5. This is a beautifully written book. Before you read this book you should know that this book is not rich in plot, but is more philosophical. It leaves your mind lingering after you put the book down. This book is divided into three parts. Each part telling a different story, in which the three stories are all interwoven with each other. They all share the same foundation. It begins with a young adult who is mourning the loss of his wife and son. He learns to step out of his comfort zone in search for an ancient artifact. The book moves on to a man, a pathologist who performs autopsies. He also is mourning the loss of his wife. He finds himself unraveling a murder mystery. The last story focuses on a man who finds comfort, friendship, and love with a chimpanzee. Each of these stories share common threads. They all take place in the high mountains of Portugal (hence the title of this book), and the three main characters all are trying to handle a significant loss of a loved one. It is about questioning faith and what having faith means to them. Lastly it tries to discuss and answer what love is? This book asks the common questions of how do we find ourselves again after loss? How do we fill that hole within you?
     I really enjoyed the emotional tone that this book was written. It added a lot more depth and power to the stories being told. It was lyrical almost. This book was very well written. I liked how the author wove all three stories together in making the book flow more smoothly and not disconnected. It tugged at your emotions. This book was universal it brought forward something that we all experience at one point in life. I think we all can relate to the main characters in this book. As I said earlier this book was not rich in plot. Or at least it didn't follow a typical plot. A typical plot would best be described as a diagonal line. Beginning at a certain point and ending at a specific point. I would describe this book being more of a circular plot. In which this book didn't have a clear beginning or ending. I feel this way because in a good way it left my mind spinning, in trying to decode the parables presented. I always do like when books get my mind thinking, it is what keeps me reading.
     I do admit I did have a more difficult time trying to read and finish this book, there were times where I wanted to quit. However, each time when I was about to put the book down and quit, the story was able to pull me back in. I had a hard time reading this also partly because there were parts in the book that were nonessential or irrelevant to the main story being told. I had a hard time reading this because there was too much decoding in trying to figure out the meaning behind the story. Too much of a good thing can be bad sometimes. In this case it was. This book was like an abstract painting. In fact the book itself was very abstract.
      Regardless of what I wrote in this review, I am sure there are going be a good percentage of readers who will enjoy it.  I think I had a hard time because I was expecting something different of it. If I knew more about this book before reading it I would have enjoyed it more. It is one of those books that you need to be "in the correct mood" to read. The author did take a risk in writing this book, and I do enjoy when authors take risks and "go outside the box."
     I want to thank Netgalley, Yann Martel (the author) and Random House Publishing Group for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. This book is available on February 2, 2016 for purchase. To purchase this book CLICK HERE.

Until the Next Page,

Jill

Book Review #11 "The Future We Want."

Hey Everyone,

     In spirit of the upcoming election I decided to read and review the book  "The Future We Want Radical Ideas for a New Century," by Sarah Leonard and Bhaskar Sunkara. Overall I would rate this 4 stars out of 5. This is a brilliant book to read. At first I was skeptical and hesitant to read it, but I am very glad I did. I feel that in reading a political book, it is very black and white. Either it was excellent or horrible, and there is no in between. You are either going to agree with it or not. And when you disagree with political beliefs it is not a very pleasant experience. You get angry and frustrated and many other things. This is why I think it is better having an open and receptive mind when attempting to read this. If you go into this book with an open and receptive mind, I think you will enjoy it and be as intrigued as I did.
     This book introduced a whole new way of political thought. It took on a new approach, different from the democratic or republican mindset. This book was very well organized, it is broken down to ten essays each tackling a different aspect of the political, economic, and social issues that we face today. Each essay attempts to break down the current system of why it does not work, the history behind each issue and finally proposes a new way of solving the issue. Often you hear from politicians how they promise to change the status quo. You hear promises of getting rid of unemployment, create more jobs, raise minimum wage, decrease our deficit and so forth. You hear all these promises and commitments but no one ever tells you how they are going to accomplish it, i.e. what is their plan? This book for the most part, not only committed to solving these same issues but discussed a plan how exactly it would be done and how to get from here to there. It goes deeper than that it explains why things are the way things are, the factors that led to where we are today. I was truly amazed and surprised that this book is not all entirely new set of ideas. That things like full employment by where everyone who wants to work can find work. Where the workweek is shortened to 30 hours but still retaining your 40 hour pay. With having enough money to sustain you and your family. A life where you have more benefits and at the same time, have more time off and more time to spend with your family or leisure activities. Take a moment to ponder this to sit back and imagine what life would be like? How your life would be different? Guess what! This plan was introduced to congress many years ago but sadly never made it into legislation. What if your life or the life of your children could be like this? This book will tell you how it is possible. I bet you are thinking this seems all too good to be true. I did to have that feeling several times while reading this book. With the plans that are presented in this book makes sense. And sometimes it makes too much sense in that you are left wondering why this or that hasn't occurred yet. You find yourself saying jeez this is not rocket science here. And because the ideas and plans presented in this book make sense and are understandable, it gives you that hope you need to be able to believe it, and ultimately not dismiss it as being too good to be true.
     During some parts of the books, although it presented an intriguing idea and plan, I had a hard time envisioning the plans taking place in our society today. Such as there is a chapter in the book that discusses dismantling the police force so that crime, poverty, economies, racism to get better. I definitely think that MAJOR changes need to be done in police force, as well as the criminal justice system and incarceration rates. I agree fully with the information presented in this chapter. The way it is explained, how dismantling the police force would work, it makes perfect sense. I just don't see it happening. I can't envision how that exactly would work in today's current society. I can see it working in an ideal society. But sometimes we have to accept that things aren't going to be ideal. Part of it is, that I think there are too many unpredictable factors that could interfere with this and cause more damage than necessary. Believe me I am no political expert, so this is just my opinion. I guess what I find annoying here and is making me very frustrated, is that I agree with everything that is said in this essay, I understand it, it is common sense to me. I am frustrated because I have my doubts.
     The authors took a lot of risk in writing this book, presenting a novel, intriguing, a different mindset that society is not familiar or maybe comfortable with. It talks about change and a lot of people are afraid of change. They took risk in writing this book because there are going to be people who don't agree and have different opinions.  At the other side of the coin, in order to form an opinion you have to see both sides of the coin. I am glad the authors took this risk, I admire people who are not scared of taking risks. I enjoyed this book thoroughly, yes it was a little dry at times but it was so thought provoking that it made up for the dryness. I can't say enough about this book. It is refreshing. Usually you read political books where the tone and everything in it is so negative, hopeless and is a complete rant of bashing the people you disagree with. This book is different than that, it is different from a lot of any other books that you have read or will read. It is different because it leaves you feeling very hopeful and allows your imagination to wander the what if's in life.
     I want to thank Netgalley, Henry Holt and Co. (the publisher) and the authors Sarah Leonard and Bhaskar Sunkara for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is available for purchase February 2, 2016. For those of you who are interested in purchasing a copy CLICK HERE

Until the next page,

Jill

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 #9 "Democracy in Black"

Hey Everyone,

     I am reviewing the book "Democracy in Black: How Race Still Enslaves the American Soul," by Eddie S. Glaude Jr.  Overall I would rate this book 4.5 stars out of 5. This book I would put in the category of highly recommended books, and is a must read. It was eye-opening and quite inspirational. This book is one that everyone should read regardless of who they are. It is not even a matter of 'should read' it is one that everybody 'needs to read'. This review for me is going to be very difficult to write, because of the vast information, the content, and matter that is in this book. Basically, I want my review to do this book the justice that it deserves. So, where do I begin? Starting with the title, it is brilliant, it powerfully describes what this book is about.  It is about the history of the struggle for equality among the black people and other minorities. It tells of the events that lead up to where we are right now in the issues that we are facing today. It discusses the every day life of how black people live. The unseen, ignored, hidden racism that this race of people live with. It gives a full definition of white supremacy, the value gap, and of what it means to be black. This book talks and discusses the changes that have been made, but as well as the changes that still need to occur. These changes have to come from every human being, and they are vital in becoming the true democracy that America stands for. You must go into reading this, in knowing that this book does not segregate race, it is a fair well balanced discussion of every race. You need to know that you may be uncomfortable while reading this book, you may even want to deny things that don't meet up to your beliefs or expectations of yourself or the community around you. All this book is asking for is a receptive, understanding, and compassionate mind. I chose this book to read mainly because I wanted to learn more and to come to an understanding of why things are the way they are. I chose this book partly due to the increase of police brutality. Mainly I chose it because I wanted answers to my questions. Why are the victims of police brutality always black? Why are the poorest neighborhoods usually compromise of black people? Why are so many unemployed? Why was I taught as a child to be afraid of black people because a lot of them were murderers? Why are they always being arrested? Why don't I see the same things in white people? This book will answer all these questions and present solutions on how to change.

     This book brought forward the uncomfortable feelings, it brought forward issues of which many people don't like to talk about. It brought them forward in such a way that you couldn't ignore it, like many of us have before. It brought forward a self awareness that allowed me to refocus on being aware of my racial habits, how I too, keep the value gap from shrinking. This book is not about blame or fault. It is about change, about facing and addressing issues that need to be addressed before this change can be made. There will always be some who are going to be skeptical, reluctant and unwilling to change. We need to address the core, the blood and guts. We need to stand up, too see it at its face to address it with intent. Not until we face it and stand up to it will we be able to change.

     This book brings up issues of white supremacy, racial habits, and white fear and this is the blood and guts that I am referring to. What this is referring to is first we need to open our eyes, and see, we can't be ignorant anymore. Ignorance is what creates and builds fear, fear of the unknown. Once you fought this ignorance can you challenge and not be blinded by white supremacy the belief that white people are valued more. Once your vision comes back then we can address and change our racial habits such as clutching your purse as you pass a black man/woman, or labeling unemployed black people as being lazy, and takers. 

     This book is a call to action. What are you going to do?  Will the fear consume you or will it liberate you? It's your choice. We need to take the same risks that the author took in writing this book in order to be able to change. We need to be brave like him. We need to answer this call. 

     For those of you, who want to read an excerpt from this book CLICK HERE or to purchase a copy of this book CLICK HERE.
     This book was published on January 12, 2016 by Crown Publishing Group.
     I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review. I would like to thank Blogging for Books, Eddie S. Glaude Jr, and Crown publishing group for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

     Until the next page,
Jill

Book Review #8: "Nobody's Girl."

Hey Everyone,
     Today I am going to be reviewing the book "Nobody's Girl," by Barbara Amaya. This is a true story of a young girl who was forced into prostitution and her journey of escaping it. Overall I would give this book 4 stars out of 5. Barbara Amaya's story started out like any other typical American child. However, her world started to fall apart as she was sexually abused by her father and had an alcoholic mother. To escape the abuse she endured she often ran away. During one of her attempts she met some strangers, who preyed upon her weakness, vulnerability, age, sex, and innocence. From there she was sold and trafficked into the world of sex slaves. It is her story of survival, how she escaped from the world she was trapped in. Her journey to freedom. This book is about Barbara's coming to age, in finding her true self, and the courage, bravery, and tenacity that it took to be herself, and survive. This book delves deep into Barbara's inner thoughts and emotions. This book was very difficult to read, as I have a hard time discussing and reading about this topic.
     This book points out the stereotypes and judgements we make as a whole. And how they can disrupt and destroy a person's life. Things don't always appear or look as they seem. Safety is not guaranteed in appearances. We can't assume things from a persons character or the way they appear to be living their lives. The judgements and assumptions that people made on Barbara Amaya's life caused her abuse to continue, as well as lots of emotional suffering.
     There were a lot of time gaps in this book, that I felt didn't flow seamlessly. It made the story to have a sort of choppy, disconnected tone to it. I respected and understood the gaps in time but felt that it wasn't presented smoothly. Overall, this was a very powerful book of human survival. I have the utmost respect for Barbara Amaya with the strength it took to overcome and survive the horrible events that she endured. And as well as the strength it took to write and tell her story. Not only does Barbara Amaya continue to tell her story, but she is an advocate against sex trafficking. She has fought the prevalence of trafficking by helping to change the laws and educating people.
     Lastly I would like to thank Netgalley, Animal Media Group (the publisher), and Barbara Amaya for giving me the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review. For those of you who are interested in purchasing a copy CLICK HERE.
   
Stay tuned, for the next page.

Jill

Book Review #7: "El Narco: Inside Mexico's Criminal Insurgency"

Hey Everyone,
     In light of the recent capture of El Chapo Guzman, I will be reviewing the book "El Narco: Inside Mexico's Criminal Insurgency"  by Ioan Grillo. Funny, I must have some kind of six sense because I finished reading this book like a week before the capture of El Chapo Guzman. So the timing of this review is impeccable. This is a great book for anyone who wants to learn more about the Mexican drug war, it's development, growth, and the consequences of it. If you are interested in purchasing a copy CLICK HERE.
     Overall I would rate this book 3.5 stars out of 5. This book was very well organized and very thorough. It tells you everything you would want to know about Mexico's drug war. And let me make this clear it is not just Mexico's drug war. It is the United States, Columbia plus quite a few other countries' drug war. The war may be in Mexico's territory but it is not just them alone in it. This book is an eye-opener what you think you know about this topic, there is so much more to know. This is not a simple operation, it is like a very complex spider's web. This book brings forth all the influential factors that fostered the development of the drug trade, and the factors that helped it grow to what it is today. This book delves deep in the roots of the drug trade and war itself. It will definitely provide answers to your questions of why? and how? This book will shock you, surprise you, it will make you angry, frustrated and sad.
     This book is about people, how innocent people's lives are affected by the drug war. It will tell you who the victims are, and who is to blame. It goes on to show that your actions are not your own, how what you do affects the community around you. It shows how society is an interconnected web. One of the things I most liked about this book, was that I was able to understand some of the "bad guys" why they did what they did. I am not in anyway condoning, or approving of their actions. I like it when I am able to see both sides of the coin.
     Some things that could have been changed in this book, is that I felt it needed to be more personal, to have more human interest stories backing up the information presented. The tone in which this book was told was more in a "matter of fact" kind of way. It just felt that something was missing, like it needed more gut to the story. The tone of the story needed more emotion. Don't get me wrong this book was emotional it just needed more.
     All said and done I did like this book, it was an excellent well-done book, and the perfect book to read to learn more about the Mexican drug war. Go give it a try I dare you.

Until the next page,
     Jill