2019 - 07 Authors of Color - what did you read?

[PAS, Moderator AC]

Did you learn something new this month? Was the book all you expect it to be or more? or worse?



In addition, don't forget to post:
*link to the book you've read
*a star rating -see below for template you can copy & paste ;)
*shelf nomination (see Shelf Lists for what has been and cannot be nominated)
*link to any PAS challenge/s you've fit this book into

Remember:
#Your nominated Shelf must have at least 1,000 books to qualify
#Entries for your nominated shelf will be calculated as follows;
+1 - posting the book you've read for this Monthly Shelf & star rating
+1 - word review (at least 3 sentences of your thoughts/feelings on the book)
+1 - link to another PAS challenge* where you've included this book

Star template:
★
★½
★★
★★½
★★★
★★★½
★★★★
★★★★½
★★★★★

[Jamie]

I read 24/7 by Yolanda Wallace.



A badass cop from Mexico City and an American travel writer fall in love and get caught up in danger. This was a fun romance with two awesome characters and a truly interesting setting. Underneath all the fun were some hard-hitting messages about acceptance and what happens when you just meet the one. I would be happy to read more from this author.

★★★½

I nominate the shelf gothic

[Lisette]

I read The Wedding Date [1-jul-19) ★★★

This was a cute romance though it lacked depth and didn't sparkle. It was a fun and quick read.

Used for: Protagonists
Nominated shelf: fantasy

[Dee]

I read Natalie Tan's Book of Luck and Fortune - finished - 7/5/19 - ★★★★

I was just going to read a couple of chapters of this tonight...and then I got caught up in the story and before long it was 2 hours later and I was finishing the book. I loved the progression of natalie as a character and the recipes sprinkled throughout made me hungry - I hope to try some in the future.

Used for: Settings (Location)

Nominated Shelf: Magical Realism

[Karin]

Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue ★★★★ 1/4

This is a well written novel by a strong new voice in fiction. I'm not going to give a summary, per se, but in a nutshell it is about a Cameroonian couple trying to emigrate to the US in the first decade of the twentieth century just before the financial crash.

Mbue has a strong voice, excellent ability do develop strong characters and a believable story line. In addition, as a Cameroonian immigrant to the USA, she understands both worlds. On the one hand I do understand the dreams of the Jongas, but on the other hand, as a legal immigrant I had strong feelings about a number of things that I will set aside in this review. What I will say is that it is at once all very real and yet written well so that it's almost bigger than reality. That said, I didn't love it enough to give it four stars. BUT, I do want to read Mbue again if she writes another novel, and perhaps even some of her nonfiction as well.

Nominate Gothic as well.

[Sassafrass]

I read Rebel Hard by Nalini Singh.

I really enjoyed this and rated it *4 STARS*. While this was a romance, there was a lot of cultural references in this book because both the main characters were of Indian Descent (as is the author). It was interesting getting glimpse into arranged marriages and some of the prejudices in the community. As a person of color it was interesting to see how some things cross ethnic lines as well and I could not only empathize with Raj and Nayna but I could identify with them as well.

It was all solemn though, there were a lot of funny moments and some sexy times so I had a great time reading this all around.

My only complaint is that this book is set in New Zealand and the author did NO accents at all. You can't tell me that no one had an accent in the story. That was really disappointing!

This book was also used for : Pick 'n' Mix (2019) -- Stage 15: Protagonists and Seriously Serial '19 (round 2)


Nominated shelf: Ghosts

[Dee]

I read On the Come Up by Angie Thomas

Rating: ★★★★

Shelved as Authors of Color by 43ppl

While I didn't enjoy this as much as The Hate U Give, it was a solid sophomore entry by Angie Thomas. I enjoyed going back to Garden Heights (albeit on the other side of the area) which is similar to where THUG was set - but as with it, the main characters attended a school out of their district because of the fear from parents of violence in their local school. Bri was an interesting character - but she seemed to run head-long into situations with no pre-thought which I wasn't wholly a fan of. As with THUG, the secondary characters (Bri's mother, brother, her Aunt and school friends) were well-developed as characters.


Used for Protangonists

Shelf Nomination: Illness

[Bea]

I read The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.

Rating: *****

I really reacted with this book. It left me thoughtful, sad, amazed, and dismayed. Obviously, I went through a lot of emotions listening to this book.

The life it described and the feelings and thoughts of the characters are very much outside my experience. Here is the life I have heard portrayed on the news from the slant of others outside of the experience.

I am confronted with my own ill-formed opinions and ideas. I am challenged to see life from another perspective and to appreciate its truth, so different from my own.

I am grateful for this book.

[Sassafrass]

Bea, I still think about that book on an almost daily basis. It was so well done. I love hearing your thoughts on the book.

[Susan]

I read Dawn. It's the strangest of Octavia Butler's books I've read so far, and I'm having trouble writing my review - I really don't know what to make of it. I definitely know I'll be reading the next book in the series. For the time being, I'm giving it 3 stars, but that may change.

I used it in Pick 'n Mix settings - time, as well as in Seriously Serial.

I'll second the recommendation for the shelf Refugees

[Dee]

just finished up There's Something About Sweetie - shelved as authors of color by 10ppl

i'll admit that i'm kind of conflicted on this book - I think I enjoyed the first book in this "series" more (about Ashish's brother - Rishi in When Dimple Met Rishi) - but this one you did get significantly more insight into a traditional indian family - I loved reading about some of the different traditions and festivals which weren't in the first book. My struggles came more from the happiness at every size use - honestly I didn't find Sweetie to be as "fat" as she was portrayed to be or at least not in my visual imagry or by the cover model used - so it just felt a bit disconnected to me. That being said, I liked the writing style of the author and will likely read more in the future.

I used this for Pick'n'Mix (locations)

shelf nomination TBD

[Tien]

Finally managed to read this month's shelf, yay!
The Forbidden Wish ★★★★

A gorgeous retelling of Aladdin!! I think I much prefer this story than the Disney one; not that I don't like Jasmine but the girls in the book really kick ass.

Read it listening to Aladdin soundtrack, of course lol

Shelf nomination girl-power

[Bea]

Although I have already read a book for this shelf, it was not one that I had planned. I have finished Love Medicine. This book is subtitled "a novel" but reads more like a series of connected short stories. I gave it 3*.