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 #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 #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 #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

Book Review #5 "The Man in the Monster" by Martha Elliott

Hey Everyone,
    I will be discussing the book "The Man in the Monster" by Martha Elliott. First and foremost I want to thank Netgalley, Penguin Press (the publisher), and Martha Elliott (the author) for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review. I chose this book to read because hey, who is not interested in reading about serial killers? The story took place in Connecticut, the state I grew up in, as well as the author Martha Elliott. I am glad that before reading this book I did not or do not recall hearing about this case. I was able to read it with a complete open mind not previously exposed to media reports of this case. However, before choosing this book to read I was a little skeptical starting the book. I was worried since the author has had a long relationship stemming from an interview with the serial killer to forming a friendship with him, I was concerned that this book was going to glorify Michael Ross (the serial killer). However this was not the case and I was pleasantly surprised.
     Overall I would rate this book 4 stars out of 5. This book is the closest thing you are going to get to going inside a serial killer's mind. The serial killer this book discussed was Michael Ross who raped, and killed 8 women. He was given the death penalty and in this case Michael Ross accepted and fought for his own death sentence. This book brings up a lot of issues, how does one become a serial killer? Did mental illness cause the killer's actions and behavior? And the death penalty, is it right or wrong? This book was an in depth portrayal inside a serial killer. One of the major reasons in which made this book really good was because of the author's friendship and trust that formed with Michael Ross. After 10 years of communicating with a person, you are going to form some sort of relationship and build trust no matter whether the person is a devil or a saint. It was because of this relationship that the reader was able to get so close to inside Michael Ross's mind. I was amazed how the author was able to see the human being in Michael Ross while still at the same time hold him responsible and accountable for his monstrous behavior. The author kept true to herself throughout the entire book.
     One of the things that could have made this book better was its, organization. It was a strong beginning where the author wrote her reasons, her goals, her beliefs and opinions in writing this book. I felt that it would have been more effective starting at chapter 2 if it began then with Michael Ross's childhood, his history, leading up to his crimes and the present. And also if it intertwined back and forth from Michael's childhood to one of his main victim's childhood up to where their lives collided.
     This book wasn't just a story of a serial killer, it brought up a lot more controversial issues than the life of a serial killer. I mentioned earlier that this book discussed mental illness (in terms of it being a mitigating factor involved with crime) and the death penalty (whether it is right or wrong). Amazingly, even though the author made it clear of where she stands on these issues, she was able to present the two opposing sides for each of these issues. She did it in a way that it allowed you to form your own opinion separate from hers. As for me, usually I do know where I stand and hold firm to my beliefs on controversial issues. However when talking about whether the death penalty is right or wrong I am not sure where I stand. It isn't all black or white. There is a lot of gray matter in between. I would like to say that I am against the death penalty but I can't say it with confidence because of how every situation is different and cannot be measured or compared. With mental illness, I do believe that having a mental illness can affect and cause immoral behaviors, but then it brings up the question of how to prove that? Unfortunately this question comes up because there have been cases in the past where mental illness was used falsely, so those circumstances lead us to question all the cases.
     This book was a chilling, but thought provoking read. It was a compelling read. I would recommend this to everyone. Most serial killer stories are told from an outsider's point of view. This one is different from the rest as it goes inside the serial killer's mind. I think we all have a little bit of a morbid curiosity, and this book will fulfill that need, in more ways than one. For those who are interested in reading this book, click HERE to purchase this book.

Until the next page,
Jill

Review #4 "Under the Black Flag" by Sami Moubayed

Hey Everyone,
     I am going to review "Under the Black Flag" by Sami Moubayed. First I want to thank Netgalley, I.B. Tauris (the publisher), and Sami Moubayed (the author) for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. I chose this book to read because being that ISIS is all over the place, I wanted to learn more about it, then what is being portrayed on U.S. media. I in particular chose this book because the author Sami Moubayed is a native of Syria and is specialized in Syrian History. I chose this book because I wanted to read this subject coming from the middle east region and specifically not from the U.S. I guess I assumed that I wouldn't get straightforward honest information if it came from elsewhere. I appreciated the risks that this author took in writing this book. Overall I would rate this book 4 stars out of 5.
     For anyone who wants to know more about ISIS about its full history, how it formed, how it grew, what forces enabled ISIS to form and grow, what ISIS's goals, beliefs, and vision are, then you need to read this book. If you are interested in buying this book click HERE. I think it is important and essential for people to be informed about ISIS in its true form, not just what you hear on the news. It is important to understand the nature of ISIS. Without being informed, it is too easy to make false assumptions, judgements and jump to the wrong conclusions. This book did an excellent job on educating its readers. It told a full straight forward story of ISIS. The book was well organized, it was clear, concise and to the point. The author told the story how it was. And some parts of the book were quite chilling to read. This book was able to answer a lot of questions I had about ISIS. It allowed me to put ISIS in perspective in a way that it was not like the sensationalized, fear-mongering media sources you hear everyday on the news. It surprised me that ISIS is not just a group of bad guys, it is a fully functioning government and society that is run by bad guys. I can understand the lure of ISIS of what draws people to it, how some join willingly and others are forced to submit to it. The fear and panic that ISIS creates in getting people to do what they want.  I am not sympathizing with ISIS I am merely saying I can understand why ISIS is so big.
     The only thing I can say was a downside to this book, was that it did not really have any personalization to it, that I was wishing for. I wanted to hear the author's voice more, just wanted little touches here and there throughout the book. By this I mean this book was a more straightforward chronology and history of ISIS, I would have liked to hear a little about the author's personal thoughts, experiences and opinions on what he is writing. I can understand why he chose not to. It didn't take anything away from this book it just would have been an added perk.
     The most powerful statement of this book was right at the end. It summed everything up with a perfect well said statement. Basically the author states that the problem is not with the Islamic State but with its leaders. That if ISIS was lead with a fair, just, non-violent leaders, then this book would have been a totally different story than it is being played out today. I am glad I read this book, I gained a lot of information and helpful knowledge out of this book and I hope that you will too.

Until the next page,
     Jill

Book Review #3 "Concussion" by Jeanne Marie Laskas

Hey Everybody!
    Hope you all are well. For this post I am reviewing the recently released (November 24, 2015) book "Concussion" by Jeanne Marie Laskas, which is also being made into a movie set to be released on Christmas. I want to first of all thank Netgalley, Random House Trade Paperbacks (the publisher), and Jeanne Marie Laskas (the author) for an Advanced Reading Copy in return for an honest review. For those of you who haven't yet bought this book, now is the time to do it. You have 21 days to read it before the movie comes out on Christmas. To buy a copy of this book please click HERE.
     I would give this book 4 stars out of 5. This book was so much more than the story of Dr. Omalu's discovery of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) and the uproar it caused with the NFL. It was about Dr. Omalu, his journey spanning across two continents in finding himself. It is about a man who is determined to find the truth, find the answers to his questions. Dr. Omalu is a man of conviction, he has a strong moral character and doesn't back down when he is doubted or questioned. He stands up for what's right no matter what. It is the story and life of Dr. Omalu his own intimate narrative. And yes it is the stories of the retired football players who suffered with CTE and their long battle with the NFL.
     The author did such an excellent job of bringing Dr. Omalu to life. Reading this book felt so real, it was like I was observing Dr. Omalu's life and seeing his life through his eyes. This book was an eye opener, it boldly told the story exactly how it happened, nothing was sugarcoated or exaggerated, it told it like it was. It presented the timeline of events, the hardcore truth, the facts which allowed the reader to form his/her own opinions. This story portrayed how Dr. Omalu's Nigerian and American culture connected and collided with each other. Dr. Omalu was able to connect and related with the football players who suffered with CTE, and through this connection was how he made the discovery that would set the NFL into a frenzy. This story is sad, it could have been told in a pessimistic, cynical tone. However, it wasn't it was hopeful and inspiring, it told a story of tenacity, courage, hope, and conviction.
     The only criticism I can make was the beginning of the book was choppy it didn't flow well. I wish the story didn't start with the courtroom scene in the U.S. The storyline picked up and was a lot smoother after the second chapter. Overall this book was well done. It was a story worth telling. And I hope the movie will be just as great as the book is. The movie has a lot to live up to. So treat yourself to an early holiday gift and buy this book today so you can 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