Caught my arrow #45

Caught my Arrow is a meme similar to Stalking the Shelves featuring books that were purchased, borrowed or received that week.

Candance Bushnell's latest novel didn't get to sit on my nightstand for long. I'm a huge fan of her TV shows, and even though I own several of her books, this was the first I read. Also, I couldn't resist getting caught up in all the Ember rave.

Received from Publisher

Une photo publiée par natalia (@natyuniverse) le 14 Juil. 2015 à 18h10 PDT

Killing Monica by Candance Bushnell

Borrowed from Library

An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir

What are you reading this week?

Review: Afterwolrds

Who suffers most in a book -- the author or the characters?

Darcy's YA book series just got picked up by a famous publishing house. To top it off, she's moving to NYC in order of fulfilling her writer's dream. But life is expensive in New York, not to mention lonely. Can Darcy make it in the world of publishing, embrace her first love, and most importantly edit her manuscript in time?

Afterworlds has alternating chapters -- from Darcy to her manuscript -- allowing us to see the progress she makes with her story. As a YA author, I found this book educating. It mentioned book tours, critics, deadlines, writer's block, plotting ... everything you go through in the publishing world. Of course Westerfeld, also managed to create an interesting fantasy story with Lizzie's tale. 

A little long, but at least, you get two books for the price of one.

Top Ten Tuesday: Cherish Diversity

 

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

TOP TEN BOOKS DEALING WITH DIVERSITY

This week's theme is strong, as we tally up a list of the top ten books that made us appreciate our rights for equality and cherish what other cultures have to offer. 

10- Wonder by R.J. Palacio

"You can't blend in when you were born to stand out."

Auggie was a child like all the others in his classroom, yet his facial deformity made it difficult for him to be accepted. I loved how it targeted a younger audience, yet was able to reach me as well. 

9- The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

This really short book tells Junior's coming-of-age story, and discusses the differences between growing up in the Rez and studying at a white school.   

8- Tokyo Fiancee by Amelie Nothomb

The DVD just came out!! Not that I'm suggesting you skip straight to film, because the book has a complete different (and harsher) ending. It's also filled with descriptive details about the Japanese culture, relationships and food. 

7- If you could be Mine by Sara Farizan

A forbidden love between two girls set in Tehran-- this book not only deals with diversity of religion but also carries lots of LGBT themes, when one character decides to get a gender reassessment to be with the one they love.  

6- Half Bad by Sally Green

The fantasy genre can also tackle the subject of diversity in a magical way. Half Bad is a good example. We explore the story of Nathan as he is mistreated by the world due to his evil bloodline. 

5- Boring Girls by Sara Taylor

Diversity in the musical world is explored in Boring Girls, as our MC must learn that being a heavy metal female singer is almost impossible. 

4- The Jewel by Amy Ewing

From rich to poor, money has always been a way to diversify people. The Jewel provides a good example of this, even in a Dystopia setting. 

3- Illegal by Bettina Restrepo

Nora and her mom leave Mexico in the trunk of a van in order to find a lost family member in the US. From the dream of a Quinceanera party to simply dreaming of being accepted, this book also made my list. 

2- Riley Mae and the Sole Fire Shoes by Jill Osborne

A cute middle-grade story about what children face when growing up in Africa. 

1- Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

A classic book about diversity. Sure, people love you when you are healthy, but will your family hang by your side if you get ill?

What's on your diversity to read list?

Review: Killing Monica

She brings her to life, then plots to kill her.

Pandy is worldwide famous for creating the books/movies franchise Monica. Plus, her best friend is SondraBeth, the actress that plays Monica on the show. But Pandy is tired of writing only Monica books, dating actors, and above all, constantly comparing her life to Monica's. Maybe it's time to put an end to this, maybe it's time to kill Monica!

Candace Bushnell will always be attached to her characters of Sex and the City, and I wondered if perhaps, this book was her way of reflecting how she feels. Sadly, the camaraderie between SondraBeth and Pandy is the type of friendships we all try to avoid. SondraBeth is constantly monopolizing all the conversations, stealing Pandy's conquests and using her. In fact, everyone is always using Pandy, making her an uneasy character to get attached to. 

Not my favorite Bushnell novel.

Caught my arrow #44

Caught my Arrow is a meme similar to Stalking the Shelves featuring books that were purchased, borrowed or received that week.

Just came back from a wonderful Disney vacation. I did manage to get some reading here and there, but I must say that the lines were surprisingly short -- the longest one 30 min (and that was for Mickey Mouse). Here is what I'm reading this week:

Received from Publisher

Une photo publiée par natalia (@natyuniverse) le 27 Juin 2015 à 6h26 PDT

Alive by Chandler Baker

Purchased

Vitro by Jessica Khoury

What are you reading this week?