Book Review: The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton

Title: The Belles 

Author: Dhonielle Clayton

Series/Standalone: The Belles Series (Book #1)

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

Pages: 440

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Year Published: 2018

Format: Audiobook

"Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orleans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orleans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle, and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful.

But it's not enough for Camelia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite- the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orleans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land. But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie- that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces an impossible decision.

With the future of Orleans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide- save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles- or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever."

My Rating:  5/5

This book was exactly what I needed. I really wanted to read a book that caught me off guard and was new and different. This is exactly that but still manages to bring a sense of nostalgia (maybe just in the genre it is for me). I would say that this book is almost a dystopian in my mind. I really enjoyed the ideas of beauty as an economic need. In order to fit in to make money, you must be beautiful and therefore it has to come first. Even above necessities of food. That's wild to think about. I loved the characters they were all extremely well-read in the audiobook and had their own distinct voice. The plot was intriguing and I found myself making time to listen to the audiobook instead of just listening to it when I normally would. I loved this book. The only thing I didn't love was that the shocking twists at some points seemed fairly obvious, from my point of view. That being said, I'm usually guessing at what could be going on behind the scenes and there were plenty of plot points I didn't see coming.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Odd One Out by Nic Stone

Title: Odd One Out

Author: Nic Stone

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, LGBT

Pages: 320

Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers

Year Published: 2018

Format: Audiobook

"From the author of Dear Martin comes this exploration of old friendship, new crushes, and the path to self-discovery

Courtney "Coop" Cooper

Dumped. Again. And normally I wouldn't mind. But right now my best friend and source of solace, Jupiter Sanchez, is ignoring me to text some girl.

Rae Evelyn Chin

I assumed "new girl" would be synonymous with 'pariah,' but Jupiter and Courtney make me feel like I'm right where I belong. I also want to kiss him. And her. Which is perplexing.

Jupiter Charity-Sanchez

The only thing worse than losing the girl you love to a boy is losing her to your boy. That means losing him, too. I have to make a move....

One story.

Three sides.

No easy answers."

My Rating: 3.5/5

Before reading the authors notes I was worried that this book might be coming across in the wrong way, but after hearing what the author had to say about why she wrote this book, I began to understand. Labels may be useful for some, but consistently putting a label upon yourself, may also keep you in a box you're not sure you want to be in. This book had wonderful characters that were relatable and enjoyable to read from. While most of the book is about pining after someone, I was interested to see how each relationship would play out. The setting was a little bland, but the neighbour's aspect was fantastic. I was impressed with the author's ability to change voice so quickly for the different perspectives in the story and hope to read more by her soon.

 I will say that this book could be misinterpreted and while I enjoyed it, it wasn't anything that really shook me to my core. I could see how this could be a great book for people going through similar situations, as long as they understand that just because they are into someone it doesn't mean that someone has to be into them! That I can not stress enough.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Thoughts: White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo

Title: White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism

Author: Robin DiAngelo

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Nonfiction, Educational, Anti-Racism

Pages: 192

Publisher: Beacon Press

Year Published: 2018

Format: Audiobook

"The New York Times best-selling book exploring the counterproductive reactions white people have when their assumptions about race are challenged, and how these reactions maintain racial inequality.

Referring to the defensive moves that white people make when challenged racially, white fragility is characterized by emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt and by behaviors including argumentation and silence. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate white racial equilibrium and prevent any meaningful cross-racial dialogue. In this in-depth exploration, anti-racist educator Robin DiAngelo examines how white fragility develops, how it protects racial inequality, and what can be done to engage more constructively."

This book will not be rated as the purpose of reading this book is to self-educate

I listened to this book on audiobook, and while it made great points I did find that it was the bare bones. I think that this is a great book for people who really are just beginning to understand the oppression of black people throughout history and into current times. I did find that while it helped me understand some of my reactions it was a little difficult to not think about how the author is white and isn't speaking from her own experiences. It also didn't always offer ways to change things or how to handle current issues such as police brutality, that being said this book was written a few years ago (it was still a major issue then and will continue to be unless serious changes are made). 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Monday's Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson

Title: Monday's Not Coming

Author: Tiffany D. Jackson

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre:  Contemporary,  Mystery, Young Adult

Pages: 464

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Year Published: 2018 

Format: Audiobook

"Monday Charles is missing, and only Claudia seems to notice. Claudia and Monday have always been inseparable- more sisters than friends. So when Monday doesn't turn up for the first day of school, Claudia's worried. When she doesn't show for the second day, or second week, Claudia knows that something is wrong. Monday wouldn't just leave her to endure tests and bullies alone. Not after last year's rumors and not with her grades on the line.  Now Claudia needs her best- and only- friend more than ever. But Monday's mother refuses to give Claudia a straight answer, and Monday's sister April is even less helpful.

As Claudia digs deeper into her friend's disappearance, she discovers that no one seems to remember the last time they saw Monday. How can a teenage girl just vanish without anyone noticing that she's gone?"

My Rating: 5/5

This book is heavy. There is no way around it. The missing BPOC and indigenous girls and women in North America are ridiculously high. There is rarely follow through to find out where they've gone, and often they are brushed under the rug as runaways. This story didn't stray from those truths. It showed in vivid light the issues that can arise when a community is taught that things that happen under a parents roof are their own business. I work in childcare so this hit me differently. The idea that a girl could go missing without follow up, thorough searches, police reports or anything else is only the tip of the iceberg. This story had characters that were realistic and heartbreaking, an atmosphere that was so well written and filled with description and the plot was mysterious without being over the top. The twists and turns were surprising, and I felt, well handled.

 It also tackled many topics the idea of being "easy" in society, and how girls are treated as sexual beings at such a young age. This is a book that will sit with you and while it's haunting, it's also reminding each and every one of us that warning signs can not be ignored, and the safety of a child is the responsibility of all. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Calling My Name by Liara Tamani

Title: Calling My Name

Author: Liara Tamani

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Pages: 384

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Year Published: 2017

Format: Audiobook

"Taja Brown knows her place and the restrictions within her conservative and tight-knit African American family, but she suddenly feels left behind watching her friends go through a world of firsts- from kisses to boyfriends to everything in between. But everything shifts when Taja falls in love for the first time. Tamani creates a raw, relatable, and eloquently told a coming-of-age story about finding your place, beliefs, and identity" -Buzzfeed

My Rating: 2.5/5

This was pretty decent overall. I think that the beauty of this story comes from questioning things you grow up with and growing into your own person. It certainly touched on subjects that I am not knowledgable about, and I'm grateful that I was able to read this book. I grew up in a community with a fire and brimstone church that used fear to help gain patronage. I, myself, am not religious but I am curious about other religious experiences. I loved the writing in this book as it flowed and weaved Taja's growth from girl to be her own woman. I will say that the pacing was a bit off for me and that not all the characters were as fleshed out as I had hoped they would be. Overall, I enjoyed this book and would like to read more from the author.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny