Review: Say Her Name

Say Her Name by Zetta Elliott
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It isn't often that I finish an entire poetry book in one sitting. But Say Her Name was so powerful and heartbreaking and uplifting that I had no choice, because it spoke to my spirit. Ms. Elliot's collection features pieces that I could hear/see myself in. That doesn't seem like a big deal, but for a black woman it absolutely is monumental. Pieces like " Panther", "For My People", "How to Resist" and "Self/Care" resonated with me as a Black Mother, Woman and Nerd. But every single poem in this book is worth your time and discussion. It explores race, gender, police brutality, protest, activism and the essence of what it feels like to be a Black woman/girl in America. I received an advanced reader copy so unfortunately I wasn't able to see the final art for the book. But I will be purchasing a copy of her final version.

Would I Read It Again? Yes, absolutely!

Recommend: Absolutely, yes! I believe this should be in every classroom library and brought into curriculums/lesson plans. The poetry is powerful and will invoke conversations that are powerful and needed. 

Cookbook Review: Keto Vegetarian Cookbook

 

Keto Vegetarian Cookbook: 110 Delicious, Low-Carb, Sugar-free Recipes for a Plant-Based Ketogenic Diet (Recipe-Only Edition) by Stephanie N. Collins

Rating: 4.5 Stars

What I liked most about this cookbook is that you don't have to be a vegetarian to use it. I am not one and I found many of the recipes enticing and have a list that I want to try out. I tried the Keto Blueberry Smoothie and the Spinach and Zucchini Lasagna and both were very tasty. I still want to try the Veggie Lasagna Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms and the Tomato Basil Soup. The recipe selection consists of simple, easy to make dishes that represent breakfast, lunch and dinner. As a non-vegetarian, I appreciate that most of the recipes are recognizable with simple twists that I am willing to try out. This makes it easier for me to incorporate them into my regular meal lineup whether I am doing keto or not. 

There are pictures for many of the recipes, something I value in a cookbook because I am visual and like to know what the end product is supposed to look like before I begin. Some of the ingredients like MCT Oil I was not familiar with so I was appreciative of her first chapter where she explains some of the common ingredients and goes through the different types of carbs and proteins. I do wish she had explained some of the sweeteners, I had to look a few up! I learned a lot, so if you are a newbie, start there before diving into the recipes.  

I voluntarily reviewed this cookbook after receiving a free copy.

YA Review: What I Leave Behind

What I Leave Behind by Alison McGhee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There was so much pain and emotion, yet so much power in this short little novel. Sixteen year old Will walks every night as he processes through the grief of losing his father to suicide. You immediately get the sense that this is a good kid who has been traumatized and is trying to find a way to deal with it in a positive manner. "Don't let the bastards get you down," are some of the words his father left him with before committing suicide. Something his father did not leave him with, his cornbread recipe, and it is a driving force for Will throughout the book.

This was such a unique approach to writing a novel. 100 chapters and 100 words in each chapter. The number 100 factors in both structurally and symbolically. You never feel shortchanged by the strict adherence to 100 words because McGhee uses them so masterfully. You feel like you are walking right along with Will as he helps others and leaves little Dollar Store gifts for them. The character is so observant of others feelings that you can see it was part of his deeper feelings of guilt regarding his father's suicide and his best friend Playa's rape.

I had all of the emotions by the end of this book. Great read for an adult. Great read for any teenager, but especially one who may shy away from long books.

Would I Read It Again? Yes. It took me like an hour to read it the first time. I don't know how you would categorize it, but it is shorter than a novella. 

Recommend: Yes. I recommend for both adults and teens. This is a good opportunity for teens who don't like to read longer texts. There are trigger warnings for suicide and rape. It starts off with an interesting hook. 

YA Review: The Astonishing Color of After

The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"My mother is a bird. This isn't like some William Faulkner stream-of consciousness metaphorical crap. My mother. Is literally. A bird."

The start of this book is what caught me. It wasn't long into it that I realized that despite Leigh, the main character, denying any connection to William Faulkner that she was indeed wrong. Emily X.R. Pan took Faulkner's technique to the next level. I loved the structure of this story that goes from the past to the present and back again and I never even as much as stumbled along the way. (And that says a lot because I first read this via audiobook.) This was an awesome debut novel!

Leigh Sanders is a half Taiwanese and half white teenager whose mother suffered from depression for an extended period of time before she committed suicide. She feels guilty as she grieves because the same day that her mother died she was kissing her best friend Axel. Her grief sends her on a journey to meet her maternal grandparents, chase after the bird who is her mother, and learn about secrets in her family's past.

This book is about navigating mental health and grief. Grieving a loved one, grieving a broken family, grieving what could have been and what should have been. It is so befitting that Pan chooses color as one of the main devices for helping her main characters, who are teenagers, express their feelings to each other. And it is amazing and moving the way Pan creates the juxtaposition of vibrant colors versus what one might feel is the absence of color when death, in this case suicide occurs.

The magical realism is superbly interwoven into the narrative and reminded me of one of Toni Morrison's works, Song of Solomon. The bird, the ghosts and the time traveling are all so believable that you almost forget that it they are magical elements and not real ones. Ok, I have some additional gushing. I loved this book and I can't wait for it to be considered a classic. If I was in the classroom I would either teach it or have book clubs as well as put it in my classroom library.

I received a free hard copy of this book at the ALAN Workshop.

Would I Read it Again? Yeeeeeeeesssssssssssss absolutely! I loved the audio version, when I wasn't able to keep going on the audiobook, I picked up where I left off in my hard copy.

Recommend: Yes. There are trigger warnings you should be aware of in the novel. It deals with a mother's depression and suicide as well as the family's grief. But you can definitely tell that this author is a scholar of some of the great writers such as Toni Morrison and William Faulkner.

YA Review: What Kind of Girl

What Kind of Girl by Alyssa B. Sheinmel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Star Rating: 4.5

"That's a very serious accusation." A girl walks into her principal's office and reveals that her boyfriend, a well-liked athlete, has been hitting her and she wants it to stop. Her proof, a black eye from that weekend. But the abuse started three months earlier, which begs the question "what kind of girl lets it go on so long? What kind of girl doesn't go to the police? What kind of girl would still be in love with the boy abusing her? These are the questions that her classmates ask, but also more importantly, the girl asks of herself too. The teenage girls in this book grapple with how they see themselves, how they perceive others see them and who they actually are inside.

There were so many layers to the characters in this book. No one is one-dimensional, they are actually on the other end of the spectrum, which made this book a heavy read. I don't want to give away any spoiler alerts so I won't even put names to the characters. But I definitely took a huge double-take, reverse, re-read and pause before I proceeded into part two.

I was thankful for the trigger warnings, because it not only dealt with domestic violence, but bulimia, cutting, anxiety, drug use. The issues are super heavy and it made it a really tough read during certain parts.

This story did a great job of highlighting that you can feel multiple things and question yourself repeatedly in difficult situations and that is okay, because it's part of the process of understanding who you are. The effects of self-isolation and the healing benefits of communication, love and support when you allow it into your life.

This was a heavy book, but I'm sure that it will help teenagers who are grappling with these issues as well as those who need to develop empathy for those who are going through these ordeals.

I received this book as an ARC from the publisher at the ALAN Workshop.

Would I Read it Again?: No. There were too many issues packed into the characters for me. It was tough reading some of the scenes. But I do have more empathy and some additional understanding now for people that suffer from those issues.

Recommend: Cautiously. If you are an educator recommending an independent read to a kid, know who you are recommending too. There are a LOT of triggers in this book. It also gets a little graphic in spots regarding the self-harm. (I hate the sight of blood...)But that isn't to say that it wouldn't help a lot of teens either going through the same thing, know someone who is, or have no clue about these issues and therefore have no empathy for others suffering from them.

A Mom's Jump Back Into Reading

Welcome book lovers and lovers of books! One of my favorite activities is to drink hot  and read a good book. I have learned to adapt my approaches to reading during my journey of growth and transition from a single woman to a super busy mother of three little ones. The following are my three approaches that I frequently choose from and often combine as I climb may way back to being the avid reader I was in my youth. 

Approach #1: I Love the Way Those Pages Turn

I used to strictly be a book-in-hand reader. There is just something about turning the pages and being able to flip through it to certain parts (possibly the end, because I have zero patience and am always here for spoilers 😂). Of course you can't forget all of the beautiful bookmarks to mark my place. 

Approach #2: Did I Hear That Correctly?

About a year and a half ago, a friend of mine introduced me to the world of audiobooks and 1.75x speed. Let me tell you it was a game changer! I went from terrible book reading hiatus because it was so difficult to juggle two toddlers, a baby and hold a book open to reading 10 books in two months. Audiobooks opened a new world of opportunity to me as a busy reader. I'm still limited because I have to listen in my car as I drive for work, but now I enjoy riding around. 

Approach #3: Evolution Can be Surprising

When you combine my new love of audiobooks with my second game changer: the e-reader; we are in business! While it is hard to hold a baby and an entire book open, an e-reader can fit into the palm of your hand, ie your cell phone. Libby and the Kindle e-reader apps are my new best friends! I can check out books from the library anytime of the day or night. And while I endure another episode of Paw Patrol, I can quietly be finishing up a good book without drawing the attention of a toddler who likes to pull the bookmark out of my hard copy books when I am distracted. 

So there you have it folks! My master plan for reading books in home full of kids. So let's get this show on the road and check out some books. I will be periodically posting reviews of books that I have read for both personal pleasure and as an educator. Hope you enjoy, find something new to read and pass on a reading recommendation to someone who needs it!