This Reader's Review: Part XXIII: "Divergent" Trilogy

I spent my weekend reading the "Divergent" trilogy. I was interested in it because the "Divergent" movie just opened in theaters.  The movie trailers peeked my interest. Also, Zoe Kravitz is in the movie and I really like her. The trilogy is set in futuristic Chicago. People are split up into 5 factions based on their talents. The 5 factions are Dauntless, Erudite, Abnegation, Candor, and Amity. The main character is Beatrice "Tris" Prior, a 16 year old Abnegation girl. The trilogy is built around Tris and her choices. She is a very interesting character. Other notable characters are Tobias (Four), Christina, Caleb, Will, Uriah, Marcus, Evelyn and Peter. Each interesting in their own right.  I love the way she grows from her first scene and her last scene. I finished the trilogy in 2 1/2 days. But, I do read incredible fast.   

I wanted to like the Divergent series. I had high hopes. They did not live up to it. They trilogy is well written and the story flows quite well. But, there is a disconnect somewhere along the lines. I just wasn't that into it. I liked some of the characters but towards the middle of the second book, I started to figure out what was really going on and I didn't like it. I hated the ending of "Allegiant" completely. The movies may be better but I no longer feel the need to rush out and see them. Maybe I am not the intended audience. I read all three because I like to finish what I start. I doubt seriously that I will ever read them again. I just felt unfulfilled once I was done. That is never a good feeling after reading a book.  I read a lot. It's my favorite thing in the world. This was an interesting way to spend a weekend. I wasn't overwhelmed by the plot of the series. I wanted so much more from a dystopian novel. It wants to be "the Hunger Games" but it fails. If you are curious about this trilogy, I say check it out for yourself.  

This Reader's Review: Part XXII: Steve Stoute's "The Tanning of America"

When it comes to reading, there isn't much  I won't read. Reading is something I do often and early. I love music almost as much as I love reading. So, whenever I come across books about the music business and the like, I have to read them. Such was the case when I found Steve Stoute's book "The Tanning of America: How Hip-Hip Created a Culture That Rewrote the Rules of the New Economy" on the library shelf. It's a book that had been on my to read list for a year or so. I just never got around to it because there were so many books on the list. I am so glad I picked it up and read it this month. It was so insightful about so many things. A lot of the topics are things I never gave a lot of thought to. This book shows how Hip-Hop literally changed the world. Stoute takes you on a historical journey that intertwines the world of Hip-Hop from it's infancy to the world of mass media marketing. It is beyond interesting to see how the world of Hip-Hop, which is full of Black people, changed the way the world markets their products. I was amazed more often than not while reading this book.

I love the conversations that are included. Stoute talks to a lot of big name Hip-Hop players such as Jay Z, Eminem, Fab Five Freddy, and Will Smith. One important tanning moment is one I will always remember. It is the infamous LL Cool J Gap commercial in which he is sporting a FUBU hat  and drops a "for us by us" endorsement. It is crazy that no one who worked for Gap knew who or what  "FUBU" was. The corporation did not realize that their huge star just name dropped his own company twice in a national commercial. It was quite genius on LL's part. That is a great example of tanning in America. Superstars who looked like me were the ones guiding the culture. When Jay rapped about growing up and not wearing a Throwback jersey and putting on a crisp button up, the world responded in kind. It is that kind of marketing power which is the reason for tanning in America. While I enjoyed everything about this book, there is one chapter that is my favorite. One of the last chapters entitled "1520 Sedgwick Avenue - 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue." It focuses on the tanning effect of Hip Hop on politics. It takes you from the inception of Hip Hop to the election of the first Black President. In this chapter, Stoute discusses the stolen first election of George W. Bush, the horror that was the governmental mismanagement of Hurricane Katrina and the things that led up to the election of two term President Barack H. Obama. 

Also, make sure you check out the 4 part, 4 night special on VH1 on "The Tanning of America." It begins tonight @ 8. After finishing this book, I am super hyped to watch this documentary. I want to see some of the interviews that eventually became the basis of the book. I knew Steve Stoute's name because of Jay Z. I did not know much about him to be honest. I just knew he was a mover & shaker behind the scenes in Hip Hop, a name that carried weight and was respected. This book shows me why. He is incredible smart and knows his stuff. "The Tanning of America" is a great look at how a genre of music and a lifestyle has changed the way America looks and feels. It is quiet amazing. This book was an incredibly insightful look into what made the changes. It is simply a great read. Get into Steve Stoute's "The Tanning of America" today!

This Reader's Review: Part XXI: "Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns"

"The Devil Wears Prada" is one of my favorite books and movies. Miranda Priestley is a horrible character that I could not hate. I loved her. The book was a favorite that I reread constantly. When the movie came out, I couldn't get to a theater quick enough. Ms. Meryl Streep embodied Miranda Priestley. I was always a fan of hers but this role made me a stan. Streep was e-very-thing in this film. I loved Andy and Emily was well. The book and movie are all time favorites in my world. I own both. I also will watch the movie every single time I catch it on tv. It's that good to me. So, hen I heard that there would be a sequel, I was ecstatic. "Return Wears Prada: The Devil Returns" was the titled and I couldn't wait to get into it. 

"Revenge Wears Prada" picks up a decade after "The Devil Wears Prada" ends. Andy and Emily are shockingly best friends and business partners. Their unlikely friendship is the basis of this book. They are the owners of a posh wedding magazine that is in the vein of "Runway." It's the magazine that is run by Miranda Priestley in TDWP" that Andy and Emily first met. Their lives are totally different now. There are husbands and babies and lives totally devoid of the horror that was Miranda. Things are going great until Miranda slyly walks back into their lives. Andy is adamantly against her while Emily is all for letting her back in. The journey that takes place is wild. The book is a great read. I love catching up with old characters that I love.  I loved it. I do think it would make an awesome movie. If you were a fan of the first book, then this is a book you need to read. "Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns" was amazing. 

Speed Reader

How fast do you read? Do you know? If not, you can find out by taking this test on the Staples website. I know that I read extremely fast. I have for as long as I can remember. My Mother has called me "speed reader" since I was a kid. Case in point, I have finished 4 books ("A Belle in Brooklyn," "Project Chick 2," "Revenge Wears Prada," & "The Happiness Project") in four days just this week alone. I am a voracious reader. I love words and stories and books. They are just my thing. So, I could not resist taking this test. The first time, I scored a 681. The second time, a 827. I am very proud of my results and not at all surprised. I took it twice because the first passage was from a book I love and I felt like it was two easy. The second passage is from a book I've never picked up in my life. Great fun for this bibliophile. 

Source: Staples eReader Department

This Reader's Review: Part XX: Demetria L. Lucas "A Belle in Brooklyn"

I cannot recall how I first heard of Demetria L. Lucas. I didn't know her real name at that moment. She was just "A Belle in Brooklyn." She is a relationship expert, a blogger, journalist, an author and now a reality tv star on Bravo's "Blood, Sweat, and Heels." I've been following her for some time now on Twitter.  She gives great advice via her ask.fm page and she tweets interesting things daily. I feel like I know her and I like her. I've been wanting to read her debut novel "A Belle in Brooklyn:  The Go-to Girl For Advice on Living Your Best Single Life" for some time now. But, I have an enormous to be read list and stack. But, I was in the library last weekend and couldn't pass it up. I dived right into. From the opening paragraph, it was everything I wanted it to be and more. I could not put it down. I needed to know more about these men and the dating scene in New York. I finished it in a day and a half. 

I kinda live tweeted some of my favorite parts of the book. This book is one woman's dating journey. I love Lucas' take on men and dating. I love the way she paints the pictures. I felt like I knew all of the characters in her book. Her voice and tone are very distinct. I love an author that makes me feel like I am right in the center of their literary world. Lucas does this effortlessly. The setting of her book is mostly New York with trips to DC and L.A. The men are different and varied. She dispenses real life advice for single women  about men and dating. I learned a lot from reading this book. There was one paragraph that hit me like a ton of bricks. I've included it below. It was like a ton of bricks fell on my head. I was deeply invested in her dating tales, especially those involving Greg. "A Belle in Brooklyn" was an easy, fun read. I loved it. Lucas will be releasing her second book, "Don't Waste Your Pretty:The Go-to Guide for Making Smarter Decisions in Life & Love" this year. I cannot wait to read it.  

This Reader's Review: Part XIX: "The Happiness Project"

I hadn't read a new book in about a week. I was searching for something new to jump in to. I was in desperate need to find something new to read. This was the perfect book for me. The book is "The Happiness Project" by Gretchen Rubin. Happiness is something I've struggled with for the last year. In short, I couldn't find my way back to happy. I started this year off with one simple thought: be happy. To me, that meant thinking happy thoughts to change my outlook, even when I didn't feel happy. So, in a way, I was already exploring my own happiness project when I discovered this gem via my friend Joseph's Tumblr page. I had so many "a-ha" moments while reading. I love when a book makes me rethink things. There are things I have been doing all wrong. I learned so much from this book. I think everyone would learn a lot from Rubin's book. 

"Love is a funny thing." -- Gretchen Rubin

"Nietzsche wrote, "All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking," 

Do I believe it possible to make myself happy? Yes. I can honestly say that this book made me re-evaluate the way I approach the idea of happiness. By the time I reached the end of chapter one, I knew that this was a book I needed to read. It's funny the way things just fall into your lap right at the precise moment. The more I read Rubin's account of her journey to happiness, the more I saw myself in her words. Like Rubin, I too feel that I can be happier, that I'm supposed to be happier. I was already on the right word with my thinking positive motivation. By the time, I got to the end of this book, I felt happier. I felt like I had found another purpose for this year in my life. I wrote the areas in my life that needed to be happier and thoughts on how to achieve them. is happiness for me may not be for anyone else. But, I am the only person who can define what my idea of happiness truly is. I'm excited about it. This was a great read. I 100% recommend it to any and everyone. Get into Grtchen Rubin's "The Happiness Project" and her one sentence journal.  

"To be happy, I need to think about feeling good, feeling bad, and feeling right." -- Gretchen Rubin

"It's a secret of Adulthood: Do good, feel good." -- Gretchen Rubin 

Get Into It: Why You're...

I came across a great post while reading today. It is titled "Why You're Single" by Amanda Crute. I shared it below because I needed to read it and I figured someone else may as well. Get into it.

You’re single because you’re single. It’s not because you texted too much or too little or waited 33 minutes to respond because he took 23. It’s not because you met up with your ex that night at 5 a.m. that no one knows about, or because you kissed another boy after a date with a loser.

You’re not single because you spit food on that date or tripped coming out the the movie theatre. You’re not single because you hurt your first boyfriend really badly when you were 15 or because you have yet, to this day, to apologize. It’s not because you were secretly jealous when your friend got a boyfriend or that a guy you dated for two months now has a really cute girlfriend and looks really happy. And you’re happy for him. But still ill that he found someone before you.

You’re not single because you slept with your ex boyfriend. You’re not single because half the world found out when you didn’t even want to remember it yourself. You’re not single because you think the guy your friend wants to hook you up with is ugly or not tall enough. It’s not because you’re not willing to put up with someone who doesn’t brush their teeth on a regular basis.

You’re not single because your standards are too high. Good for you for having standards. It’s not because you didn’t like that really, really good guy who wanted to take you on a date and you just weren’t feeling it. And it’s not because you like to wear pajama pants as soon as you get home and wash all the makeup off your face. You’re not single because you didn’t learn enough from the past or would rather chill on a Friday night with your blanket and a cold beer than shower, get ready, and go out. You’re not single because something is wrong with you.

You are single because you are single. It’s really as simple as that. You haven’t made the connection with another heart yet. You can get dolled up, dress cute, cut your hair, dye your hair, tweeze your eyebrows, put on lipstick and you may still. be. single. You can go out to a bar hoping to meet the love of your life and not find a damn one in the place attractive. And it’s going to remain that way until it’s time for you to find one. Stop hoping for it. Start living the life that you do have instead of wishing for things that you don’t have. There will come a time you’ll meet a boy and you’ll have to give up some of this single freedom you currently have. Start being more thankful. Start doing that now.

This Reader's Review: Part XVII: Terrence Jenkins' "The Wealth of My Mother's Wisdom"

Terrence Jenkins is a name you may not know. But, he has a face and voice that you've known for years. He started his career as one of the hosts of BET's "106 & Park." He was a VJ for 7 years before moving on to anchoring E! News. He is also an actor. I loved him in "Think Like A Man" and can't wait to see him in more movies. I like Terrence. He is funny and charismatic as a tv host and actor. There is so much more to the man than what we see on tv. He is adding another title to his name, author. His first book "The Wealth of My Mother's Wisdom" was just recently released. I was interested in seeing what it was about. It blew me away to be honest. It was a great read. I found it on Amazon for my Kindle for only $2.99. I finished it in a day and a half. 

Terrence and his mom Lisa have a really unique relationship. It reminds me a lot of my relationship with my Mom. Lisa was an amazing role model for Terrence. She made him the most important person in her life.  She sacrificed everything for him. I loved reading about their life and journey. The book just flowed so well. It was an interesting look into who Terrence the man is and how his mother (and later stepfather) shaped his entire world. He never gave up pursuing his dreams even when it looked grim. He is an amazing man. I am so impressed with him and his story. I have and will continue to recommend this book to any and everyone. Terrence's "The Wealth of My Mother's Wisdom" is a must read. Go ahead and get into it. You will not be disappointed. Let's read folks!!