Category: book reviews

Book Review – Even Salt Looks Like Sugar

Thanks Lisa!

Lisa W Tetting's avatarLisa W. Tetting

Hi Lovies,

My sister friend, Yecheilyah Ysrayl has a new book out and it is a good read. The book is available on Amazon so be sure to checking out. I have it 4 stars!


Don’t trust everything you see. Even Salt Looks Like Sugar is a poignant tale of a 16 year old girl named Wanda who was abandoned by her parents and taken in by a neighbor. The story takes place in a rural Louisiana town where everybody knows you and your business.

The “kindly” neighbor, Miss Cassaundra, had a habit of taking in children who had been abandoned. She would feed and clothe them, but also made them feel trapped. She received money from the government to care for the kids, but she didn’t show they live and affection. In fact, they lived in a brothel, run by Cassaundra, a woman who rarely got off of her…

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Yecheilyah’s Book Reviews: The Old Man in the Club by Curtis Bunn

Author: Curtis Bunn

Title: The Old Man in the Club

Publisher: Strebor Books (June 17, 2014)

Pages: 304

ISBN-10: 1593095724

ISBN-13: 978-1593095727

 

Curtis Bunn is an essence #1bestselling author and founder of the National Book Club Conference, an organization that hosts an annual literary event for African American readers and authors. This year, the conference was in Atlanta and while I did not get to attend; I did have the chance to visit the InterContinental Hotel where the event was held. I did not get to meet Bunn (who was in the other room hosting Terry McMillan) but I did get to speak to some people there, learn more about the conference and next year‘s festivities, which lead me to Bunn‘s website. A title like “The Old Man in the Club” made me laugh and after reading several pages of the first chapter from Amazon‘s Look Inside feature, I decided this would be my first Curtis Bunn read. I was not disappointed .

I loved the message of this book more than the story although the story is good too. It is easy to judge Elliott but that ties into the author’s message.

Elliott Thomas is a sixty-one-year-old man who hangs out at the club. Not only does he hang out at the club but he flirts with and dates young women. Elliot is also divorced and sees a therapist. He meets Tamara, a twenty-five-year-old and they begin dating. Tamara is also a friend of Elliot‘s twenty-something-year-old children. I like Elliot but I disagree with his lifestyle. Elliot was convicted of something he didn’t do and I felt the reason for that conviction and him dating young women just looks bad. I didn’t think his past justified his desires to pursue younger women by any means. A thirty-five-year-old difference is just too much. I also really dislike the way his children treat him. Elliot’s ex-wife Lucy is also holding onto something. I long suspected what her secret was and I was upset that she would allow Elliot to endure abuse from his children because of something that wasn’t his fault.

But Elliot is not just an old man in the club. The author did well to provide us with multiple layers of his life. He is more complex. He has a past, trauma, and triggers. Elliot was convicted of something he didn’t do and endured other life-changing things in his life.

There’s also a craft chapter at the end of the book where the author explained his inspiration for writing the book and why as well as a list of discussion questions. This was helpful and rather than taking away from the book, I think it was needed and nicely done.

Despite my feelings about the characters actions, they were fully developed and representative of real people. Their decisions did not take away from the book but made it more realistic. Things are not as they appear. The message is: We instantly assess a person‘s values, motives, and character without ever having sat down to get to know them. It makes you think about our perceptions and how we judge others with no knowledge of who they are or where they’ve been. Everyone has a story and well-written as it is, this is Elliot’s.

Ratings:

Plot Movement / Strength: 4/5

Entertainment Factor: 4/5

Characterization: 5/5

Authenticity / Believable: 5/5

Thought Provoking: 5/5

Overall Rating: 5 / 5

 

Yecheilyah’s Book Reviews – The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

I don’t usually review Traditionally Published books on this blog because I am usually too lazy. Sorry, it’s the truth. But also because most of these books already have a gazillion reviews so I’m thinking, “they can’t miss my little review.”

But…

I have decided to change things up a bit and review traditional as well as Indie books on this blog. 

The first book I’ll review (because I just finished it so it’s still fresh and it’s the latest talk right now) is The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. It is being made into a movie this fall.

Author: Angie Thomas

Title: The Hate U Give

Genre: Young Adult

Publisher: Balzer + Bray; First Edition Later Printing edition (February 28, 2017

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0062498533

ISBN-13: 978-0062498533

WRITER'S WEDNESDA

Basically, I loved this book and it was refreshing to pick up something that kept me glued to the page (or screen rather) for the first time since I read American Marriage (another must read). I am not surprised Thomas got a movie deal because reading this was like watching a movie. I yearned to physically see everything that was going on and I am thankful that we’ll get to do just that this fall.

Sixteen-year-old Starr witnesses her best friend Khalil, an unarmed black male, get gunned down by a white police officer. This book gives us a personal and up-close look at the Black Lives Matter movement through the eyes of Starr, her family and the pain experienced by their community and Black America in general at this very hour. The Hate U Give is a spelling out of the acronym Thug Life as made popular by rapper Tupac. “The Hate U Give Little Infants F—s Everybody.”

If you know me, you know I love history and writing historical fiction. I enjoy writing Black Historical Fiction because it’s fun for me to place fictitious people in the midst of real events that happened in the past. That’s what this book is like except it’s a modern, new-school, updated, millennial version (I seriously felt real old reading this and the Tupac thing was a little much for me. I get it but I don’t think he was the best thing since sliced bread lol) and I think it’s perfect for young adults. There’s enough history to educate (references to Nat Turner, and the Black Panthers for example) but in a way that young people can understand and won’t get bored with. The way the author broke down the meaning behind the book’s title, “The Hate U Give” through the dialogue between Starr and her father was well done.

Everything about the book was well-written from the dialogue to the characters and the events taking place. For Starr and her friend’s age, everything they did and said was authentic. Even though the movie is coming out and I had heard all the rage, I wanted to read this for myself. I am not one to jump on bandwagons so I wasn’t going to champion this unless I had read it for myself. I have to say, Angie did not let me down. I even liked the doggie Brickz (“Brickz you been pissing on my roses?” Loll)

Entertainment Factor: 5/5

Thought Provoking: 5/5

Authenticity / Believable: 5/5

Overall: 5/5

In Theaters October 19, 2018

Next:

Men we Reaped by Jesmyn Ward

Book Review Registry: OPEN

Before the week ends, I would like to inform you that my book review registry is open. I am looking for some good reading to do this summer. I have also slacked on book reviews for this blog. It’s time to get back into the swing of things. If you submitted a book that I have not yet reviewed, you may resubmit your book for consideration as a reminder to me. Also if you’ve emailed me at any time about reviewing your book, please use the form instead. I do not accept unsolicited requests for reviews. You MUST go through the form to be considered.

To register your book for a review

CLICK HERE.

 

Be sure you have read my book review policy HERE before submitting your book.

 

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Enjoy your weekend!

Yecheilyah’s Book Reviews – The Unhappy Wife by Dr. KE Garland

Title: The Unhappy Wife

Author: Dr. K.E. Garland

Print Length: 83 pages

Publisher: Katherin Garland

Publication Date: October 17, 2016

ASIN: B01J96KOCE

Although I am a happy wife, this book is essential for all women because it gives insightful advice about the many ways that women can be unhappy in marriage beyond the relationship itself. The Unhappy Wife is a collection of twelve women’s testimonies on their marriages, expectations, and the reality that they didn’t. Marriage is labor, as this book demonstrates.

While couples can be deeply in love, and understand their roles as husband and wife, marriage is a constant commitment. As men and women navigate how to become one flesh, we must strive to have an unwavering capacity for self-love so that abuse may not reign.

The Unhappy Wife is a good cautionary tale for married couples as well as the ideal manual for ladies regardless of their circumstances. The lesson I took up from the women’s experiences is that marriages do not end abruptly; rather, it happens gradually. May we take a cue from these women who so bravely let us into their lives and be alert to any and all warning signs.

“Marriage is a sacred commitment. You can never fully prepare yourself for marriage but what you can do is work on yourself, your choices in men and a good understanding of what will feed your heart before entering into nuptials.”

Entertainment Factor: 5/5

Thought Provoking: 5/5

Authenticity / Believable: 5/5

Overall: 5/5

The Unhappy Wife is Available Now on Amazon

The Unhappy Wife

Be Sure to follow KE online!

Twitter: kegarland

Instagram: kegarland

Facebook: kegarlandwriter

Author Website: kegarland.com

Yecheilyah’s Book Reviews – The Author Blog: Easy Blogging for Busy Authors by Anne R. Allen

Title: The Author Blog: Easy Blogging for Busy Authors

Author: Anne R. Allen

Print Length: 176 pages

Publisher: Kotu Beach Press

Publication Date: December 4, 2017

ASIN: B077Y5DKP9

Anne R. Allen is no stranger to the blogging world. Writer’s Digest named “Anne R. Allen’s Blog…with Ruth Harris” one of the “Best 101 Websites for Writers”, and the blog made The Write Life’s list of the Best 100 Websites for Writers for 2017. Bloggers and authors such as myself share her advice and suggestions daily. As her book is targeted, I am a busy author and love to blog. Blogging. It has become one of the things I must incorporate into my schedule. I love interacting with the WordPress platform, networking with other authors, readers, and bloggers, and being able to share my post on social media. In short, if there was a book out there for busy author bloggers, I am definitely one of them, which is why I knew I would need this book. I was not disappointed.

This book is simple to comprehend. It is beneficial to provide thorough guidance for authors who are new to blogging. Allen’s book will offer you the skills you need to make blogging a part of your platform whether you use Blogger or WordPress and regardless of how busy you are. The information about how an author blog differs from a business blog is what I appreciated the best. The section on crafting an author bio was also interesting to me, and I immediately put it to use.

Some of the information on author newsletters is what I liked least.

Allen does, however, offer some helpful advice, such as refraining from using your list to advocate a hard sell, promote, or spam; how blogs may be shared on social media, how they appear in search results, and how they are interactive. She mentions the street team newsletter, where everyone is considered a part of the author’s team and works to review and promote the work, and I find that to be helpful.

I wouldn’t recommend this book just for busy authors. I recommend this book for author bloggers in general. It’s an easy read and gives all the tools you need to start your author blog today.

Entertainment Factor: 5/5

Thought Provoking: 5/5

Authenticity / Believable: 5/5

Overall: 5/5

The Author Blog: Easy Blogging for Busy Authors is available now on Amazon. Authors, go get it!

Anne R A

Anne R. Allen is the author of nine comic novels. THE GATSBY GAME, FOOD OF LOVE, and THE LADY OF THE LAKEWOOD DINER are available singly or in a boxed set called BOOMER WOMEN. She’s also the author of the hilarious Camilla Randall mysteries: THE BEST REVENGE, GHOSTWRITERS IN THE SKY, SHERWOOD, LTD., NO PLACE LIKE HOME, SO MUCH FOR BUCKINGHAM, and THE QUEEN OF STAVES. She is currently published by Kotu Beach Press.

She also has a collection of short stories and verses called WHY GRANDMA BOUGHT THAT CAR.

She’s the co-author of HOW TO BE A WRITER IN THE E-AGE…A SELF-HELP GUIDE, written with Amazon #1 seller, Catherine Ryan Hyde.

Her latest book is THE AUTHOR BLOG: EASY BLOGGING FOR BUSY AUTHORS.

Writer’s Digest named “Anne R. Allen’s Blog…with Ruth Harris” one of the “Best 101 Websites for Writers”, and the blog made The Write Life’s list of the Best 100 Websites for Writers for 2017.

Anne is a graduate of Bryn Mawr College and spent twenty-five years in the theater–acting and directing–before taking up fiction writing. She is the former artistic director of the Patio Playhouse in Escondido, CA and now lives on the foggy Central Coast of California with an imaginary cat and a lot of fictional people.