Kibkabe Araya's Blog, page 33
June 24, 2019
Book Review: ‘The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears’ by Dinaw Mengestu
The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears by Dinaw Mengestu
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
“The Beautiful Things That Heaven Bears” by Dinaw Mengestu tells the story of an Ethiopian immigrant convenience store owner who realizes his loneliness when he befriends a white woman and her biracial daughter in a gentrifying Washington, D.C. neighborhood. His newfound friendships make him look around to see that America is still not home, and he doesn’t know if it will ever be.
Sepha Stephanos owns a failing convenience store where he recently invested thousands in a deli section that barely produced a sandwich. His friends, Joseph from Congo and Kenneth from Kenya, had convinced him long ago to become an entrepreneur when they worked at a hotel upon arriving in the U.S. But Sepha is getting restless with the long hours of waiting for a few customers to walk into the store to buy something insignificant like a carton of milk or a roll of toilet paper. Then Judith moves in. She’s a white woman, a standout in the mostly black neighborhood. And she has a 13-year-old biracial daughter, Naomi, adding more to the neighborhood gossip. They move into a four-story mansion next to Sepha’s store that Judith renovates to the point of greatness, with the neighborhood talking about the shiny new home. Naomi soon comes over to the store and chats with Sepha about literature and the news to Judith’s disappointment. Judith feels Naomi is escaping from her but also begins to strike conversations with Sepha. There’s unspoken flirtation between Judith and Sepha as Sepha looks forward to his conversations with Naomi. Joseph and Kenneth warn Sepha his relationships with Judith and Naomi could end badly. While Sepha is getting closer to his neighbors, he sees other neighbors upset over evictions and other businesses like his closing shop. Tensions grow in the neighborhood, and Sepha worries about ultimately losing what little he has.
Overall, the novel shows an immigrant still reeling from his escape as a refugee though he left Ethiopia about 18 years before. Sepha befriends Judith and Naomi, but his loneliness magnifies at the same time as he reflects on his progress in the U.S. from living with his uncle and working in the hotel to owning the store, where he feels a sense of failure and boredom with the lack of growth. It shows when someone is forced to live a different life due to civil war in their home country that there’s lingering hardship in getting back on one’s feet, if ever. It also shows how gentrification can destroy a neighborhood with new residents being attacked by old residents because the old residents are being removed. Again, forced change is a theme, especially when having to flee your home because your home has changed.
Book Review: ‘The Year of Less’ by Cait Flanders
The Year of Less: How I Stopped Shopping, Gave Away My Belongings, and Discovered Life Is Worth More Than Anything You Can Buy in a Store by Cait Flanders
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
“The Year of Less” by Cait Flanders explores a Canadian millennial woman’s yearlong goal of not spending money on superfluous items such as new clothes and music to increase her savings account and adopt a minimalist lifestyle. More of memoir than a self-help book, her journey is uninteresting but enlightening.
Cait works in media and finds herself overindulging in alcohol, fast fashion, and toxic relationships, which tires her as she embarks on a journey to spend less to save money for the important experiences such as vacations. In the process, she learns more about herself while seeing her parents divorce and her career taking a turn away from satisfaction.
Her overindulgences seem pretty normal for many people with the alcoholic purchases and having toxic relationships, but she tries to emphasize how these are major wake-up calls that made her spend less. Her parents get divorced, another common occurrence, while she finds her telecommuting job isn’t fulfilling her anymore though she should be content working from home. But this leads to her following a freelance career with getting rid of 70% of her material possessions in her home and using her savings to take small vacations throughout North America.
She blogged about her experiences, which led to this book, and it is interesting to see the little steps to meeting her goals and questioning the validity of having certain things in her life. But not all blogs need a whole book. This could’ve been more of a worksheet-type, how-to-do-it book. The moral of the story is spending less to clear your mind is attainable, but the memoir part weighs it down, where possibly the science behind her actions (reminiscent of an Arianna Huffington book) could’ve been mentioned with tips interwoven into the story. The tips come at the end, but they are obvious tips.
June 23, 2019
‘Younger’ TV Review: Flush with Love
How much should an investor on a publisher’s board get involved in the business when she wants her book to be published? That’s the question highlighting the season’s second episode.
Quinn (guest star Laura Benanti), the chief financial officer-type from last week’s episode, turns out to be an investor on the board. She wants her book to be the first release of the revamped publisher. In the beginning of the episode, Diana (Miriam Shor) asks why is the company now looking at focus groups for their books. It turns out Kelsey (Hilary Duff) wants to ensure the success of her first book release as CEO.
The focus group loathes the book with a passion. One woman asks why is the author being given a voice while another is crying about how she wants to un-read it. Liza (Sutton Foster) says her edits weren’t taken seriously therefore didn’t happen, so the book may stay rough and unlikable.
At lunch, Kelsey and Liza invite Quinn to a fancy restaurant where Quinn gifts them with gold-plated business card holders. Then Kelsey suggests holding Quinn’s self-help empowerment book Claw for the spring since it needs more edits when at the moment it’s coming off as “anti-woman.”
Quinn brushes it off and emphasizes how her vote brought Kelsey to her CEO role.
“If a writer doesn’t want to take notes, they might as well self-publish,” Liza hints aloud.
Yet Quinn, determined, remains steadfast that her book is fine. She then starts slamming the table with a cheer: “Guess who wrote a masterpiece? It will be our first release!” The rumble gets louder with diners looking their way at the commotion. Kelsey is confused while Quinn says the cheer rhythm is from her 1998 cheer competition, which Liza brings up the incessant mentions of high school in the book. Quinn keeps going with the cheer until Kelsey and Liza join her to stop it. After lunch, Kelsey asks what happened. Liza interjects it from Chapter 3 of Claw called “Charm and Disarm.”
Now working to save the company from not publishing Quinn’s book first during her new stint as CEO, Kelsey has been in talks with Reese Witherspoon about a screenplay she calls “sexy, millennial and set in the fashion world.” The screenwriter can produce a novel in a month after submitting a test chapter. Liza is uncertain about the quick change of events, but Kelsey is convinced that the simple mention of Reese Witherspoon will force Quinn out of the way.
Later on, Liza drops that she told her current boo/former publisher Charles about the work drama with Quinn. Kelsey doesn’t like the sound of this. She takes it as her actions being scrutinized for her not being prepared to be a CEO since she’s 28. She tells Liza to schedule a dinner with her and Quinn alone.
At the dinner, Quinn reveals she can’t have her book pushed to the spring because she plans to jump-start her senatorial campaign in California. Her book will help her become the “strong, independent voice.” But Kelsey resists.
“Every book that comes out of Millennial has to be the best it can be,” Kelsey pushes. Then she adds, “Board members don’t tell publishers what to do.”
Quinn dares Kelsey to publish Claw or she’ll never hear from her again. Kelsey puts a ballpoint pen in front of Quinn because she wants that in writing.
Other storylines include Josh (Nico Tortorella) becoming a father after a balloon mishap at the gender reveal party and Diana writing a magazine article about how much she loves her plumber boyfriend who usually gets the independent woman burn from her.
The last season, similar to the turn of events in last week’s premiere, show the series emphasizing the book pitches coming to the the publishing house will somehow relate to businesswomen empowerment with Kelsey as a millennial CEO. The series, again with its title, surrounds Liza lying about her age to compete in the publishing industry but also shows how younger people like Kelsey and her competitive boo Zane (Charles Michael Davis) are taking the helm with their pure diligence and ambition. Zane and Charles also seem to be secretly building their own publishing company, so hopefully that storyline turns out to be true in a future episode and cause even more havoc in their career goals and romantic lives.
June 22, 2019
Book Review: ‘Act Like a Success, Think Like a Success’ by Steve Harvey
Act Like a Success, Think Like a Success by Steve Harvey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
“Act Like a Success, Think Like a Success” by Steve Harvey is a quick read on focusing on your ambition and defining your gift. Nothing new is divulged, but it’s a good reminder on working on yourself to become successful.
His philosophy is God gave you a gift, so use it. Like many self-help books, there are questions at the end of some of the chapters to make sure you realize your gift and act on using your gift for success. The back of the book goes into his other philosophy where if you have enough time to sleep, take others’ commands, and relax, then you won’t be successful. In fact, he was criticized for an old video conveying this same message today. Perfect timing.
His trajectory to his success is rare. Not everyone can follow his advice and see the same success, so though it’s interesting to hear how he got where he got, it still came off as out of touch, which again sometimes he’s criticized for.
Overall, it’s a good refresher on questioning your actions to ensure they’re leading you to your idea of success. The shortness and the simplicity helps with the motivation.
Book Review: “Act Like a Success, Think Like a Success” by Steve Harvey
Act Like a Success, Think Like a Success by Steve Harvey
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
“Act Like a Success, Think Like a Success” by Steve Harvey is a quick read on focusing on your ambition and defining your gift. Nothing new is divulged, but it’s a good reminder on working on yourself to become successful.
His philosophy is God gave you a gift, so use it. Like many self-help books, there are questions at the end of some of the chapters to make sure you realize your gift and act on using your gift for success. The back of the book goes into his other philosophy where if you have enough time to sleep, take others’ commands, and relax, then you won’t be successful. In fact, he was criticized for an old video conveying this same message today. Perfect timing.
His trajectory to his success is rare. Not everyone can follow his advice and see the same success, so though it’s interesting to hear how he got where he got, it still came off as out of touch, which again sometimes he’s criticized for.
Overall, it’s a good refresher on questioning your actions to ensure they’re leading you to your idea of success. The shortness and the simplicity helps with the motivation.
June 21, 2019
New Author Alert: Monique Rodriguez, CEO of Mielle Organics
Monique Rodriguez is putting her grassroots entrepreneurship knowledge to words in a new e-book titled Growing Your Business Through Social Media. The CEO and founder of natural hair products company Mielle Organics had recently launched her business mentoring arm.
I’ve heard of Mielle Organics but never used the products, but Monique stood out as a guest last week on Sisters Circle talk show on TV One. This introduced me to her newish podcast The Secret Sauce to Success where I listened to the first episode where she describes her desire to help others tap into their true talents and reach their goals.
The former registered nurse said she always loved beauty growing up, with even sending her photos for modeling, but her parents, especially her mother, pushed her to become a nurse to have a stable life. So that’s what Monique did even though she got married at a relatively young age and started her family before nursing school.
Her latest podcast episode features Arian Simone, a fellow entrepreneur who takes on the Hollywood TV and music media industry. There, Arian Simone speaks candidly about self-publishing her book, Fearless: Faith + Hustle: 21 Day Devotional Journey.
Now 35, Monique is expanding the multimillion-dollar brand she founded only five years ago. Thanks to social media, she went from making one product in her garage with her husband to many products being made in a warehouse with staff. If you’re interested in business and entrepreneurial guidance from a social media angle, then this may be the book for you.
View this post on Instagram
June 19, 2019
Book Review: ‘The Poet X’ by Elizabeth Acevedo
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
“The Poet X” by Elizabeth Acevedo is a coming-of-age novel that expertly showcases the teenage life of a girl of color who’s first-generation American scared to share her true voice due to family expectations.
Xiomara is a Dominican teenager living in New York City with the gift of poetry she feels she can’t share with the world because she has to please her strict parents. Her religious mother makes Xiomara and her twin brother Xavier aka Twin attend after-school bible lessons. Xiomara is rough around the edges while Twin is active in his religious lessons and goes to a high-performing school, so Xiomara suppresses her love for poetry, especially since Poetry Club coincides with her religious classes. Her young teacher, Ms. Galliano, inspires her to find her voice, and when she does, Xiomara is falling in love with her classmate Aman, which is another no-no under her religious household. When Xiomara begins skipping church for poetry, her world begins to crumble as she realizes she can’t be the pure Catholic Dominican girl her parents want her to be.
This is a great YA novel with the necessary elements describing the hardships of an adolescent girl of color struggling with being American and also having immigrant parents going by the stricter rules of their homeland. I read it on audio book, so the characters’ names may not be spelled correctly, but the author does a fabulous job in her poetic prose-y voice, so definitely recommend the audio book.
Book Review: “The Poet X” by Elizabeth Acevedo
The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
“The Poet X” by Elizabeth Acevedo is a coming-of-age novel that expertly showcases the teenage life of a girl of color who’s first-generation American scared to share her true voice due to family expectations.
Xiomara is a Dominican teenager living in New York City with the gift of poetry she feels she can’t share with the world because she has to please her strict parents. Her religious mother makes Xiomara and her twin brother Xavier aka Twin attend after-school bible lessons. Xiomara is rough around the edges while Twin is active in his religious lessons and goes to a high-performing school, so Xiomara suppresses her love for poetry, especially since Poetry Club coincides with her religious classes. Her young teacher, Ms. Galliano, inspires her to find her voice, and when she does, Xiomara is falling in love with her classmate Aman, which is another no-no under her religious household. When Xiomara begins skipping church for poetry, her world begins to crumble as she realizes she can’t be the pure Catholic Dominican girl her parents want her to be.
This is a great YA novel with the necessary elements describing the hardships of an adolescent girl of color struggling with being American and also having immigrant parents going by the stricter rules of their homeland. I read it on audio book, so the characters’ names may not be spelled correctly, but the author does a fabulous job in her poetic prose-y voice, so definitely recommend the audio book.
Netflix options 3 Sarah Dessen novels for films
Pioneering young adult novelist Sarah Dessen will see three of her novels become films on Netflix as the streaming service announces the upcoming projects.
Sarah, who released her latest novel The Rest of the Story earlier this month, will turn the following books into cinematic pieces: Along for the Ride from 2009, which will be the first to see its onscreen adaption; This Lullaby from 2002; and Once and For All from 2017. Netflix provided summaries of each book below.
Along for the Ride
[image error]
It’s been so long since Auden slept at night. Ever since her parents’ divorce—or since the fighting started. Now she has the chance to spend a carefree summer with her dad and his new family in the charming beach town where they live. A job in a clothing boutique introduces Auden to the world of girls: their talk, their friendship, their crushes. She missed out on all that, too busy being the perfect daughter to her demanding mother. Then she meets Eli, an intriguing loner and a fellow insomniac who becomes her guide to the nocturnal world of the town. In her signature pitch-perfect style, Sarah Dessen explores the hearts of two lonely people learning to connect.
This Lullaby
[image error]
A New York Times bestseller. She’s got it all figured out. Or does she? When it comes to relationships, Remy’s got a whole set of rules. Never get too serious. Never let him break your heart. And never, ever date a musician. But then Remy meets Dexter, and the rules don’t seem to apply anymore. Could it be that she’s starting to understand what all those love songs are about?
Once and For All
[image error]
After years facing brides with cold feet and badly behaved wedding guests, wedding planner Louna has become skeptical about romance and plans on remaining single during her last summer before college. Luckily, the busy wedding schedule provides plenty of legitimate excuses for Louna to avoid opportunities to meet potential dates. That changes when satisfying a particularly fussy bridal party requires hiring the bride’s brother, Ambrose.
No dates have been announced for the projects yet.
[image error]
Sarah’s current novel The Rest of the Story centers on “big-hearted Emma Saylor, who reconnects with a part of her family she hasn’t seen since she was a little girl—and falls in love, all over the course of a magical summer.” Sounds like the perfect summer young adult read. Sarah’s first novel That Summer came out in 1996, making her one of the veteran young adult novelists still producing work today. (Author note: My favorite novels I read in high school by Sarah was Dreamland and This Lullaby mentioned above). According to her website, the New York Times best-selling novelist’s 14 books have been published in over 30 countries and have sold millions of copies worldwide. Her literary accolades include the 2017 Margaret A. Edwards Award from the American Library Association for outstanding contribution to young adult literature.
June 18, 2019
Book Review: ‘Piecing Me Together’ by Renee Watson
Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
“Piecing Me Together” by Renee Watson is a relatable story of a black teen girl so focused on what she wants but doesn’t realize what she has can still get her to where she wants to be.
Jade is a high school junior/multimedia artist who attends a private school in Portland, nowhere near her impoverished neighborhood, so she makes a few bus transfers each way to get the best education. But she doesn’t have any friends at her school until she meets Sam, a white girl, who lives in a neighborhood near her. Now Jade’s mom can get off her back about making friends since she still is close with her childhood friend, Lee Lee, who attends the neighborhood school. Regardless of her socioeconomic status, Jade, gifted in Spanish, wants to go on a field trip to Costa Rica. But students have to be nominated, so when she gets called into the counselor’s office she thinks she’s got a nomination but instead she’s got into a mentoring program for black teen girls. Jade is not entirely sold on the opportunity but attends the program’s first meeting, only to be stood up by her mentor, Maxine. It turns out Maxine, a black 20-something professional who graduated from the school, can barely commit to the program with boyfriend drama. Jade picks up on this and takes their relationship with a grain of salt until they become closer the more they spend time together. As she visits museums in Portland, Jade is looking forward to hearing back on the Costa Rica opportunity, but she learns some opportunities won’t be given to her because of who she is but other opportunities will come her way because of that.
This story is a good read with smoothly showing Jade gain her voice when she feels it doesn’t matter because she’s black, poor, and obese. She sees how not speaking up affects her relationships with one example of Jade and Sam having a temporary falling-out because Jade feels she’s not being heard when she isn’t saying exactly how she feels. It also shows the trauma of a black girl being in a predominantly white school and how she becomes invisible despite her hard work. Jade sees there are other ways she can succeed, and once she sees that, the law of attraction will lead her to what she really wants.
