Book Review: Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out by Susan Kuklin

Book: Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out, written and photographed by Susan Kuklin

Published February 2014 by Candlewick Press|182 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the hardcover from the library

Series: None

Genre: Non-Fiction/LGBT

A groundbreaking work of LGBT literature takes an honest look at the life, love, and struggles of transgender teens.

Author and photographer Susan Kuklin met and interviewed six transgender or gender-neutral young adults and used her considerable skills to represent them thoughtfully and respectfully before, during, and after their personal acknowledgment of gender preference. Portraits, family photographs, and candid images grace the pages, augmenting the emotional and physical journey each youth has taken. Each honest discussion and disclosure, whether joyful or heartbreaking, is completely different from the other because of family dynamics, living situations, gender, and the transition these teens make in recognition of their true selves.

Beyond Magenta is a really interesting book but it’s also a hard book to talk about.

I like that she talks a diverse group of teens, but most of them (5 out of the 6 interviewed) are from New York, and all 6 teens (particularly the 5 from NY) seem to have access to a lot of services and support. The 5 from New York are in a section called Spectrum, while the last story is in a section Lifeline. And even the teen featured in that narrative seemed to have a good support system and quite a few resources available to him.

Kuklin does mention at the end of the book that she was in touch with a medical center in New York City, which does explain why it’s heavily focused on NY teens. She also talks about wanting the book to spread its wings and have another part of the country represented. Unfortunately, it makes the one non-NY story feel like an afterthought that’s there just for representation of a different part of the country.

While there are a wide range of experiences, I felt like it lacked stories from teens who don’t have the access to services/resources these kids do. The teens we see in Beyond Magenta do have varying degrees of familial support, and I felt for all of the teens, especially the teens who have parents who don’t seem to bother trying to understand their children, and denied/dismissed their experience and what they were saying.

Each teen has a very unique story, and it was heartbreaking at times to see what they were going through. There are times where you see gender stereotypes, particularly in the first couple of stories, which I think is something that will frustrate a lot of people (especially if reviews are any indication) but I just took it as their experience and I really felt like Kuklin really tried to keep their story as they told it to her. I will say that it felt very much like they were telling me a story, and that aspect of the writing would make this a particularly good book for an audio format.

Overall, though, there was something about the organization and format that seemed a little weird. I respect that Kuklin interviewed and photographed the teens, and worked with them to tell their story, but 5 NY stories in one section (Spectrum) and the lone non-NY story in a section called Lifeline made no sense to me. I don’t understand why you’d need two different sections, and it just really made the one story in Lifeline feel like an afterthought.

There isn’t any particular order to the stories- not that they need to be in any particular order, but something about the book felt a little disorganized. And while it is a quick read, I’m not completely happy with the format. It felt like a random assortment of stories with nothing to connect them together- other than all 6 stories being about a transgender teen.

There were random comments from Kuklin, which felt out of place and disrupted the flow of the story. They should have been left in some cases, and in other places, an introduction to the story would have been helpful, and a place where some of her comments could have been better served.

There is an author’s note at the end of the book, which I think would have been more insightful/better placed at the beginning of the book so that you had a much better idea of how the project changed for Kuklin. There are also resources at the end of the book, and Kuklin also included a list of books (non-fiction and fiction) and movies. I was disappointed that there only a couple of books in the fiction list, both of which were published over 10 years ago, just because something a little more recent (and more than 2 books) would have been nice.

I’m not sure what to rate Beyond Magenta. I think the organization of the book could have been better, and while there is a wide range of experiences in the book, I also think the representation of other parts of the country could have been better, and less like an afterthought. I still like reading about their experiences, and it would be a great book to have in any classroom or library.

As for an actual rating, I’m going to give Beyond Magenta 3 stars.

28Sep2015

ARC Book Review: When We Were

Posted in Books, diverse books by wingedcreature

Book: When We Were by Alexandra Diaz

Expected Publication is September 29, 2015 by The Studio|Expected Number Of Pages: 247 pages

Where I Got It: I received a digital advanced copy from netgalley.com, which hasn’t influenced my review in any way. Promise!

Series: None

Genre: YA Contemporary

Previously published as OF ALL THE STUPID THINGS, this coming of age novel is a 2011 ALA Rainbow List Book and a 2011 New Mexico Book Award Finalist.

No one messes with Whitney Blaire or her friends, which is why she can’t help but let it slip that someone spotted Tara’s boyfriend making out with one of the guy cheerleaders.

Even after spending hours training for her marathon, down-to-earth Tara can’t outrun the rumors about the boyfriend she thought was perfect.

Pinkie, the rock and “Big Sister” of their inseparable group, just wants things to stay exactly the way they are…

…but that’s not possible when new-girl Riley arrives in school and changes everything.

Suddenly Tara starts to feel things she’s never felt before—for anyone—while Whitney Blaire tries to convince her that this new girl is Trouble. Meanwhile, Pinkie’s world begins to crumble as she begins to suspect that the friends she depends on are not the girls she thought she knew. Can friendship survive when all the rules are broken?

When We Were seemed really interesting, and yet, I found myself thinking that it was just okay. I really did want to like it more than I did.

I think the biggest reason why When We Were was just okay was that I felt like it wasn’t as developed as it could have been.

Like Tara, Pinkie and Whitney Blaire. I get the girls are best friends, but they’re all so different that it was a little hard to see why they were such close friends. They were all pretty stereotypical- Tara’s the athlete, Pinkie is the academic/glue of the group who has no mother, and Whitney Blaire is the mean girl who acts that way because her parents are never there. There is mention that they have a history together, but unfortunately, we don’t see that history, and I think having a little bit of history would have made their friendship a little more realistic and believable.

I feel like each girl was somewhat superficial, and I wonder if it’s because we see each chapters from all three girls. We don’t really get enough time with each one for them to fully develop. Which brings me to Riley. I think, of all the characters, Riley is probably the most interesting. She had a little bit more to her than the other characters did, and I wish we saw more of her. I didn’t get Whitney Blaire’s instant dislike of her, which was for no apparent reason. Later on, I could understand her dislike of Riley, because Whitney Blaire has some abandonment issues, and feels threatened by how close Riley and Tara become. Initially, though? There’s no reason for it.

As much as I liked Riley and wanted to see more of her, I also felt like her relationship with Tara was sort of random and out of nowhere. I think, because only a third of the book is from Tara’s perspective, we don’t see Tara really explore her feelings for Riley- all of a sudden, they’re making out. The reactions from Whitney Blaire and Pinkie (especially Pinkie) were weird and frustrating.

I really need to back-track for a second- there are rumours that Tara’s boyfriend Brent was seen making out with one of the guy cheerleaders, which leads to Tara breaking up with him, and Brent denying it. This is then ignored for most of the book, until we learn that it wasn’t actually true. Really, for the lack of attention it received, and the way it was dropped, she could have broken up with up with him for any reason. I think I was just expecting it to be more of a thing.

Back to Whitney Blaire and Pinkie. I get Whitney Blaire thinks Tara is believing Riley over her, but saying that Riley and Tara are dating simply because Tara believes Riley over Whitney Blaire was weird, confusing and out of nowhere. It made no sense to me. I felt that way with Pinkie, a little, but with Pinkie, it was more frustrating than anything else. Pinkie is convinced that Tara can’t be interested in girls because she dated Brent and because she’s too pretty. In particular, when Pinkie says that she has no problem with gay people but doesn’t want them near her…I was horrified by that, especially from someone who seems caring. Honestly, it sounds more like a Whitney Blaire comment than a Pinkie comment, at least from what we see in the book, and it’s just so cruel and hard to believe that she would say it, because until that point, she’s the last person I’d expect it from. But their reaction to it was overall believable, in the sense that I can actually see people reacting that way.

Her mom was pretty awesome, though, in how she reacted. Yes, the mom was surprised, but she was so accepting of Tara. Even though it seems like it would be an adjustment for her, Tara’s happiness is so important to her, and I loved that.

Even though there are a lot of things I didn’t like or thought were weird (with one or two things I did like), When We Were did keep me intrigued, and I really wanted to see what would happen with the characters.

2 stars. When We Were isn’t my cup of tea, but something about it did keep me interested enough to see what would happen.

24Sep2015

Audio Book Review: The Secret Sky by Atia Abawi

Posted in Audiobooks, Books, diverse books by wingedcreature

Book: The Secret Sky by Atia Abawi, narrated by Ariana Delawari & Assaf Cohen

Published September 2014 by Listening Library|7 hours, 39 minutes

Where I Got It: I got the audio book from audible.com

Series: None

Genre: YA Contemporary

A novel of love during a time of war by NBC’s Afghanistan correspondant.

Set in present-day Afghanistan, this is the story of two teenagers, one Pashtun and one Hazara, who must fight against their culture, their tradition, their families, and the Taliban to stay together. Told in three rotating perspectives—the two teens and another boy in the village who turns them in to the local Taliban—this novel depicts both the violent realities of living in Afghanistan, as well as the beauty of the land and the cultures there. And it shows that love can bloom in even the darkest of places.

This is an absolute must read not just for teens but for anyone who has lived during the time of America’s War in Afghanistan.

“[The Secret Sky is] a tale of the indomitable Afghan spirit of hope and love. Among the many novels set in Afghanistan for young people or for adults, The Secret Sky stands alone. Unputdownable. Unforgettable.” –Trent Reedy, author of Words in the Dust.

I am so glad I finally listened to The Secret Sky! It was hard to listen to in certain parts, but it was so worth reading, as uncomfortable as it made me at times.

We get 3 different perspectives- Sami and Fatimah, who are the couple, and Sami’s cousin Rashid. If you’re expecting something more swoon-y and romance-ish, this is not that book. This book is the fall-out of a complicated romance. I can’t begin to imagine what it’s like to not be able to even talk to a childhood friend, especially one who is a different ethnic group. Even though the book is set in Afghanistan, that was something that is still very familiar.

The one thing that really struck me was how little I actually know about other countries and what life is like there. It’s hard for me to picture a world where two people who care about each other can’t be together, even though I know it’s a thing that happens. This is a village where a boy and a girl talking leads to them being accused of being sinners, and this is what we see in The Secret Sky. This book gives a voice to the people who live this reality, and it really opened my eyes to what it’s like elsewhere in the world.

Rashid was easily the most interesting character in the book. He is angry and jealous and full of hate and hell-bent on punishing Sami, and he’s very caught up in a group who are doing things in the name of God…but really aren’t. As much as I wanted to hate him for the things that happened as a result of his actions, I also believe he did realize that as much as he wanted to punish Fatimah and Sami for their actions, he never wanted it to happen the way it did. I think Rashid’s arc shows (very well) how it’s not limited to one particular religious group or part of the world.

Fatimah’s story was also very compelling, and my heart broke for her. It really did. Sami’s was the least compelling of the three, and even though he is essential in the telling of this story, his, for some reason, was the one I cared the least about.

There are a couple of scenes in particular that were really hard to listen to. I can’t imagine reading it, but listening to it? It really immersed you in what was going on, and those couple of scenes were really heart-breaking. As horrible as some characters were, there were also some really good characters. Like the Mullah who helped Sami and Fatimah. And I was surprised (but also glad) that initially, Fatimah’s dad didn’t want her to be married off to just anyone because they might not treat her well, even though that’s what her mom really wanted for her.

This is a book that is going to stay with me for a long time- it really got me to live in their world for a while, and it’s one of violence and hostility but also one of hope that things will get better. So while the book doesn’t have a true happy ending, it is one that leaves us with hope that things will get better for Sami and Fatimah.

I really liked the narration, especially Delawari’s narration. Something about her narration in particular reminded me of Jessica Lawshe’s narration of A World Away, and while The Wrath And The Dawn was already a book I wanted to read, I specifically want to listen to the audio book because I like Delawari so much as a narrator. Cohen’s narration was fine, and you can distinguish between Rashid’s sections and Sami’s sections, but I don’t know if I like one male narrator narrating two male characters- even though both Rashid and Sami have distinct voices (particularly Rashid), it was hard to see them as different people when one person is narrating two different people.

5 stars. The Secret Sky is such a good look at a world that is very different from the world we know. The audio made me feel like I was immersed in a world that was hard to hear about at times, but I recommend it so very much.

17Sep2015

Audio Book Review: Joyride by Anna Banks

Posted in Audiobooks, Books, diverse books by wingedcreature

Book: Joyride by Anna Banks, narrated by Kyla Garcia and Andrew Eiden

Published June 2015 by Blackstone Audio|8 hours, 41 minutes

Where I Got It: I got the audio book via audible.com

Series: None

Genre: YA Contemporary

A popular guy and a shy girl with a secret become unlikely accomplices for midnight pranking, and are soon in over their heads—with the law and with each other—in this sparkling standalone from NYT-bestselling author Anna Banks.

It’s been years since Carly Vega’s parents were deported. She lives with her brother, studies hard, and works at a convenience store to contribute to getting her parents back from Mexico.

Arden Moss used to be the star quarterback at school. He dated popular blondes and had fun with his older sister, Amber. But now Amber’s dead, and Arden blames his father, the town sheriff who wouldn’t acknowledge Amber’s mental illness. Arden refuses to fulfill whatever his conservative father expects.

All Carly wants is to stay under the radar and do what her family expects. All Arden wants is to NOT do what his family expects. When their paths cross, they each realize they’ve been living according to others. Carly and Arden’s journey toward their true hearts—and one another—is funny, romantic, and sometimes harsh.

Joyride was so heartbreaking for me- and yet there were times when a particular character made me so angry! It’s definitely worth reading.

I really felt for Carly, and she and her brother worked so hard to bring their parents back to the U.S. so they could be a family. I can’t begin to image what it’s like to have your parents deported, or what it’s like to have to work two jobs while still in high school to save enough money to even try to bring them back. Her story is very different from Arden’s, and I have to say, I spent quite a bit of the book wanting to get back to Carly’s chapters. I liked her so much more than Arden, who, for a lot of the book, came across as entitled, spoiled and unaware of the struggles other people have to go through.

I get why Arden’s story is so important in telling Carly’s, and Carly’s definitely changed Arden. Knowing her, and her story, did make him more aware of the world around him. There is a moment that really changed Arden, and while I wish it didn’t take that to make him realize things, I can sort of understand where he’s coming from. He’s very privileged, and doesn’t realize his privilege (also, he’s a teenage boy, so I’d be surprised if it was something he thought about or realized) until that one moment.

I did feel for Arden, having to grow up with the dad he did, but in comparison to what Carly was dealing with, his problems seemed to pale in comparison.

I loved that Carly wanted to do so well in school so she could have a bright future, and I don’t blame her for wanting to have a life. I totally understand why she would tell her brother that it’s not her responsibility to help bring her parents over, and also why she’d feel guilty for feeling that way. And that she’d help them become legal citizens once they got to the U.S.

I love how family is so important to her, even with how frustrating family can be sometimes.

I have to say, the sheriff is despicable. Utterly despicable. Never have I hated a character more than I hated him. Blackmailing Carly into doing what he wanted in exchange for not deporting her parents, and the way he talked to her…I really wanted to yell at him. I’m actually sort of amazed at how awesome Arden is, especially when he sticks up for Carly, and pretty much does whatever his wants in order to protect Carly and ensure that she’s reunited with her parents. The dad definitely got what he deserved- and he deserves so much worse than what he got. Anyway, I am glad that Arden is awesome…although, I do wonder if his dad did rub off on him in some way. There is a point where he meets Julio (Carly’s brother) and assumes he doesn’t speak English, and I really can’t help but wonder if maybe he does have assumptions he doesn’t realize he has. But he also really cares for Carly, and he is taking Spanish classes, so he really is trying, and that definitely gives him a lot of brownie points.

It really is a great look at poverty, racism and immigration, and it’s so relevant to some of the issues/thing that seem to be coming up/happening recently. It’s handled so well, and yet, it’s sad that I can see something like this happening.

I do wish we got more closure with what happened to her parents, and I wish we knew if they made their way to the U.S.

While I liked both Kyla Garcia and Andrew Garcia as narrators (I could totally picture them as Carly and Arden), I especially loved Kyla Garcia’s narration. She was Carly to me, and I liked her so much I even added one or two other books she’s narrated to my wishlist.

4 stars. I do wish we got more closure with what happened to her parents, but at the same time, I’m okay with how the book ended. And it’s such a great book that I’m willing to overlook it.

31Aug2015

ARC Book Review: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Posted in Books, diverse books by wingedcreature

Book: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Expected Publication is September 1, 2015 by Delacorte|250 pages

Where I Got It: I received an advanced copy of the e-book from netgalley.com. This hasn’t influenced my review in any way. Promise!

Series: None:

Genre: YA Contemporary

This innovative, heartfelt debut novel tells the story of a girl who’s literally allergic to the outside world. When a new family moves in next door, she begins a complicated romance that challenges everything she’s ever known. The narrative unfolds via vignettes, diary entries, texts, charts, lists, illustrations, and more.

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.

I really liked Everything, Everything! I wish I loved it, and it came really close to me loving it…but overall, it’s been a while since I’ve been so emotional/excited about a book.

I really liked Maddy, and I felt for her. She can’t leave her house, and she only has her mom and Carla. And Olly. I loved her relationship with Carla, who was nurse and friend, and Maddy really needed that. I can’t imagine having such a rare disease, and it makes me wish we learned more about it in the book, because we don’t get anything about it. Not that the book has to include more about the disease, but at the same time, if you’re going to have a character who has a rare disease, it might be good to have more than a vague explanation of what it is. I have a theory, but it’s the kind of theory that is a huge spoiler, so I won’t mention it here. I like that she is not defined by her disease- while the book is about a character with SCID, it’s also about so much more than that.

I did like how the story was told- there are graphs and charts and IM conversation and e-mails and vignettes, and it worked so well for the book. Something like that, particularly when the entire book is told that way, has the possibility of going very wrong (at least for me), but something about it worked really well for Maddy and her story.

I really liked her relationship with Olly, and I feel like, through him, her world expanded a lot. In the beginning, it is slightly insta-love-y, so just keep that in mind if that’s not your thing. But give the book a chance, because it really is an awesome book.

Here’s the thing. I’m trying to write this review without talking about the ending. And the ending is really spoiler-y and I really need to talk about it, because I can’t just not talk about it. Let’s just say that I have mixed feelings about the ending. I’ll have spoilers after my rating.

4 stars. Overall, I really liked Everything, Everything! It made me feel the feels, and even though I’m not sure about a few things (which did lower the rating for me), I would still recommend the book.

Now it’s time for the spoilers. If you don’t want to know, please stop stop reading here!

Keep Reading For Spoilers

28Aug2015

Audio Book Review: City Of A Thousand Dolls by Miriam Forster

Posted in Books, diverse books by wingedcreature

Book: City Of A Thousand Dolls by Miriam Forster, narrated by Shannon McManus

Published February 2013 by HarperAudio|8 hours, 54 minutes

Where I Got It: I got it from audible.com

Series: Bhinian Empire #1

Genre: YA Fantasy

The girl with no past, and no future, may be the only one who can save their lives.

Nisha was abandoned at the gates of the City of a Thousand Dolls when she was just a child. Now sixteen, she lives on the grounds of the isolated estate, where orphan girls apprentice as musicians, healers, courtesans, and, if the rumors are true, assassins. Nisha makes her way as Matron’s assistant, her closest companions the mysterious cats that trail her shadow. Only when she begins a forbidden flirtation with the city’s handsome young courier does she let herself imagine a life outside the walls. Until one by one, girls around her start to die.

Before she becomes the next victim, Nisha decides to uncover the secrets that surround the girls’ deaths. But by getting involved, Nisha jeopardizes not only her own future in the City of a Thousand Dolls—but also her life.

I’m glad I finally read City Of A Thousand Dolls! I really liked it, and I can’t believe it took me so long to read it.

It’s a really engrossing world, and I LOVE that it’s set in a world that is so not pseudo-European. I wish we knew more about the world, because it really is different. It’s very vivid, and listening to it made me feel like I was really there, figuring out things alongside Nisha. Listening really made me feel like I was there.

The idea of a place where girls could go to learn skills was really interesting. I don’t know that it’s necessarily unique, but I really liked how Forster used the Houses and City and asars to distinguish between the houses. It’s so detailed and vivid and rich, and I really felt like there was a lot more to the world than what we saw in the book. If there isn’t, then Forster did one heck of a job making you believe it.

There were still things that didn’t make sense. Like, the reveal of Nisha’s family. It felt like a really big deal in the book, and I couldn’t figure out why. I don’t know if I missed something, or if the family history we get just wasn’t enough, but it seemed like it was a bigger deal than I thought was warranted.

I did like the cats, and how Nisha had a connection with them. There was a point where I thought that if Jarrett wasn’t a cat, he and Nisha would totally be a couple. Or that there would be a love triangle, since Nisha had a relationship with the courier…I kind of expected him to be human at some point, but dismissed it…only to be proven wrong. You can’t go wrong with cats, especially ones that talk!

I thought the mystery of the murders was really well done, and I liked seeing Nisha figure it out. I felt for Nisha, with who it turned out to be, and while I was slightly surprised at who it was (and why they did it), looking back, it’s actually not that big of a surprise. And yet, I don’t think I ever could have predicted who it was.

I really liked Shannon McManus as the narrator, and I felt like she was Nisha. I couldn’t figure out why she sounded so familiar, and I haven’t listened to anything else she’s narrated, and it’s really bugging me. Maybe she just has one of those voices.

4 stars. I really liked City Of A Thousand Dolls, especially the fact that it’s set in an Asian-inspired setting. And the story was really interesting and different.

26Aug2015

Book Review: God Help The Child

Posted in Books, diverse books by wingedcreature

Book: God Help The Child by Toni Morrison

Published April 2015 by Knopf|178 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the hardcover from the library

Series: None

Genre: Adult Literary Fiction

Spare and unsparing, God Help the Child—the first novel by Toni Morrison to be set in our current moment—weaves a tale about the way the sufferings of childhood can shape, and misshape, the life of the adult.

At the center: a young woman who calls herself Bride, whose stunning blue-black skin is only one element of her beauty, her boldness and confidence, her success in life, but which caused her light-skinned mother to deny her even the simplest forms of love. There is Booker, the man Bride loves, and loses to anger. Rain, the mysterious white child with whom she crosses paths. And finally, Bride’s mother herself, Sweetness, who takes a lifetime to come to understand that “what you do to children matters. And they might never forget.”

A fierce and provocative novel that adds a new dimension to the matchless oeuvre of Toni Morrison.

When I heard that Toni Morrison was coming out with a new book, I was really excited, because I’ve read a couple of her other books this year, and I knew I had to read it!

It’s not my favorite Morrison novel, and of the ones I’ve read, I think it’s probably my least favorite of the ones I’ve read. I mean, I loved the writing itself, and the way she told the story- it’s very much her, and it’s why I keep reading Morrison.

What I think I liked most was how what happened to us as children has a huge impact on who we are as adults, and you can see that with both Bride and Booker, and you can’t help but wonder how Rain’s life will impact her as an adult. I really wish we saw more chapters with Sweetness, Bride’s mom. There wasn’t a lot to her character (for me), and it would have been interesting to see more from her perspective. You get it well enough, that she she was surprised by how dark her daughter’s skin was (which actually reminded me of The Bluest Eye initially) and how hard it was for her, but I really wanted more from it than what we got.

Overall, the story didn’t completely work for me, and I’m really at a loss to explain why. For some reason, it felt like it didn’t have something that was there in the other books I’ve read by her- almost like something is missing. I really wish I could pin-point it, but I can’t.

3 stars. I don’t have a lot to say about God Help The Child, but I did like it, and Morrison’s writing is pretty awesome.

24Aug2015

Book Review: Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor

Posted in Books, diverse books by wingedcreature

Book: Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor

Published June 2010 by DAW|386 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the hardcover from the library

Series: Who Fears Death #1

Genre: Adult Magical Realism/Post-Apocalyptic/Fantasy

An award-winning literary author presents her first foray into supernatural fantasy with a novel of post-apocalyptic Africa.

In a far future, post-nuclear-holocaust Africa, genocide plagues one region. The aggressors, the Nuru, have decided to follow the Great Book and exterminate the Okeke. But when the only surviving member of a slain Okeke village is brutally raped, she manages to escape, wandering farther into the desert. She gives birth to a baby girl with hair and skin the color of sand and instinctively knows that her daughter is different. She names her daughter Onyesonwu, which means “Who Fears Death?” in an ancient African tongue.

Reared under the tutelage of a mysterious and traditional shaman, Onyesonwu discovers her magical destiny–to end the genocide of her people. The journey to fulfill her destiny will force her to grapple with nature, tradition, history, true love, the spiritual mysteries of her culture-and eventually death itself.

After reading (and loving) Akata Witch a few months ago, I knew I had to read everything else that Okorakor has written, so I started off with Who Fears Death.

It’s such an interesting blend of magical realism and sci-fi. It wasn’t overtly sci-fi, but there was something about the book that felt like it had sci-fi elements. Which was really interesting, given the magical realism in the book. I just love how she draws from African myth. It really makes me realize how much we need other mythologies incorporated in books, not just Greek mythology.

It’s also a post-apocalyptic Africa, which was also really cool! I love Post-Apocalyptic stories, and this was no exception. It’s not clear what led to this point (but you know it’s something) and I honestly didn’t care- there’s something about the way she tells a story, and in this case, it didn’t matter that I didn’t know. Normally, it would frustrate me, but Okorafor is so good at telling a story that I didn’t even notice that aspect. It was a different post-apocalyptic world and story than I was expecting. Even though the world was very changed and different than the one we know today, there were some things that had never changed. I think I’m very used to a particular post-apocalyptic story where you see the event (or at least have it explained) and then see how the world is different.

Somehow, Who Fears Death felt different than that, and initially, while reading it (and maybe even a little bit after finishing it), I didn’t see why it was described as a post-apocalyptic story. But after a while, it did make more sense why it was described that why.

I really came to like a lot of the characters, and Onyesonwu had quite the journey. I don’t know that I have strong thoughts on her either way, because her story, for me, was really tied to stopping genocide, and her destiny/role in things.

She created a very vivid world, and I really want to read it again to let everything sink in. I think it’s one of those books where you need to read at least a couple of times for everything to sink in- I really feel like you’ll see something different with each read.

4 stars. I really liked it, and Okorafor creates these really different, but also really awesome worlds that pull you in.

31Jul2015

Book Review: Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra And Dhonielle Clayton

Posted in Books, diverse books by wingedcreature

Book: Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra & Dhonielle Clayton

Published May 2015 by HarperTeen|350 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the e-book from the library

Series: None

Genre: YA Contemporary/Mystery/Thriller

Black Swan meets Pretty Little Liars in this soapy, drama-packed novel featuring diverse characters who will do anything to be the prima at their elite ballet school.

Gigi, Bette, and June, three top students at an exclusive Manhattan ballet school, have seen their fair share of drama. Free-spirited new girl Gigi just wants to dance—but the very act might kill her. Privileged New Yorker Bette’s desire to escape the shadow of her ballet star sister brings out a dangerous edge in her. And perfectionist June needs to land a lead role this year or her controlling mother will put an end to her dancing dreams forever. When every dancer is both friend and foe, the girls will sacrifice, manipulate, and backstab to be the best of the best.

I really liked Tiny Pretty Things! It was a really creepy mystery, and I wasn’t sure if it would live up to the comparison of Black Swan meets Pretty Little Liars…but it actually does!

Gigi, Bette and June all narrate the book, and while multiple narrators have a tendency to be hit-or-miss for me, this is a case where it worked really well. All three girls have very distinct voices, and they all have really different stories and really different places in the school.

We have Gigi, the new girl with a heart problem, who’s also the new golden girl. There’s Bette, who used to be the school’s golden girl, and is threatened by anyone else getting the lead (and can’t handle it when she’s not). And finally, there’s June, the girl who is not quite good enough to be the lead.

There is a mystery surrounding Gigi, and you’re trying to figure out who it is, but even now, having finished the book, I have no idea who it is. Is it Bette, who seems like the likely culprit, even though she swears she’s innocent? Or is it June, who’s tired of being in the shadows, and just wants to be seen for once? I have no clue, and you could make a case for either girl. Eith it’s Bette, who’s lost her grip on reality, or June, who no one would suspect, because they’d assume it was Bette. But then there’s part of me that feels like June and Bette are way too obvious, because they’re narrating the book. There are a couple of people who also seem like suspects too.

It is a very competitive world, and there are definitely cruel, manipulative people in the school. They’re all under a lot of pressure, and will do anything to be on top. Even though I understand why people didn’t like Gigi coming in as a new girl getting the good roles, what happened to her was completely horrible. Really, I understood where each girl was coming from, and I think I felt more for June and Gigi, because they both a love a world where a certain body type and look is very important- June and Gigi don’t fit into that look at all, and while we get a little bit of it, I kind of wish we saw more of it.

I would like to add that one of the characters does have an eating disorder , so reading Tiny Pretty Things may trigger that.

4 stars. I really liked Tiny Pretty Things, and it’s a dark look at the world of ballet.

24Jul2015

Book Review: None Of The Above by I.W. Gregorio

Posted in Books, diverse books by wingedcreature

Book: None Of The Above by I.W. Gregorio

Published April 2015 by Balzer + Bray|238 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the e-book from the library

Series: None

Genre: YA Contemporary

A groundbreaking story about a teenage girl who discovers she’s intersex…and what happens when her secret is revealed to the entire school. Incredibly compelling and sensitively told, None of the Above is a thought-provoking novel that explores what it means to be a boy, a girl, or something in between.

What if everything you knew about yourself changed in an instant?

When Kristin Lattimer is voted homecoming queen, it seems like another piece of her ideal life has fallen into place. She’s a champion hurdler with a full scholarship to college and she’s madly in love with her boyfriend. In fact, she’s decided that she’s ready to take things to the next level with him.

But Kristin’s first time isn’t the perfect moment she’s planned—something is very wrong. A visit to the doctor reveals the truth: Kristin is intersex, which means that though she outwardly looks like a girl, she has male chromosomes, not to mention boy “parts.”

Dealing with her body is difficult enough, but when her diagnosis is leaked to the whole school, Kristin’s entire identity is thrown into question. As her world unravels, can she come to terms with her new self?

I loved None Of The Above, and I have the feeling it’s going to end up on my end-of-year favorites list!

I really felt for Kristin, and there were points were I was really angry at her classmates for how they acted. Granted, it’s not surprising, and it seems like they don’t care to know more about it, because they certainly have a lot of misconceptions. They were just so cruel, and I couldn’t help but be angry on her behalf. I loved the relationship she had with her dad, who was really supportive.

I really felt like I got to experience the journey with her, and it really opened my eyes to what it’s like to be intersex. (Much more than Golden Boy, and I think this one is the better of the two). I also loved that Gregorio had an author’s note at the end of the book about why she wrote None Of The Above, and she even had a recommended reading list at the end- granted, it’s only a few books, plus a few articles and websites to check out. Reading None Of The Above, it felt like the story was really important (and it definitely is, because I really believe it’s a story that needs to be told) but that author’s note really made me believe it was important for her to tell Kristin’s story.

I also thought that the other relationships were interesting- particularly with her two best friends. I wish I could remember their names right now, but one gets blamed for telling the entire school, when it wasn’t her fault. And there’s her other friend, who mentioned it to Sam, Kristin’s ex (she thought he knew), and that was how it spread to the entire school. Given how supportive she was, it did seem like she was involved somehow, like she was trying to make up for something. I don’t blame her for it, because she really didn’t mean to, but at the same time, so much happened because of it. And that character being kind and sweet…I had a hard time seeing it because I had a hard time seeing it as who she really was, instead of the way I saw it: as trying to make up for accidentally telling someone.

5 stars. This book is really special, and I loved it!

Reading Books With Coffee

Where My Love Of Coffee And My Love Of YA Intersect

Category Archives: diverse books

Book Review: Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out by Susan Kuklin

ARC Book Review: When We Were

Audio Book Review: The Secret Sky by Atia Abawi

Audio Book Review: Joyride by Anna Banks

ARC Book Review: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Now it’s time for the spoilers. If you don’t want to know, please stop stop reading here!

Audio Book Review: City Of A Thousand Dolls by Miriam Forster

Book Review: God Help The Child

Book Review: Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor

Book Review: Tiny Pretty Things by Sona Charaipotra And Dhonielle Clayton

Book Review: None Of The Above by I.W. Gregorio

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