Let me catch you up real quick on what I’ve been reading! It honestly hasn’t been that much! I did manage to finish “, ” The Whitney I Knew” by Bebe Winans with Timothy Willard. It was a pretty mediocre read. Nothing I would want to re-read or encourage anybody to read either. It was pretty much Bebe Winans retelling stories of their long-lasting friendship. Sad to say It was a pretty boring read.
I also finished: The Fix 2 by K’wan. This was a pretty good follow up to part one. It was a quick read. I’m looking forward to finish up the series when The Fix 3drops in January,
Folks, that’s all I read this month… in addition to my bible and some magazines. I just wasn’t motivated guys! But I do have some travels coming up so I’m hoping to be bitten by the reading bug again!
This week I managed to finish ” A Walk Across the Sun” by Corban Addison ( see synopsis in last weeks blog here) I absolutely loved this book. This was a heart wrenching tale of two sisters separated by disaster and reunited with the help of a hard-working lawyer who was on a personal journey of his own. The author really brought his characters to life. His captivating rhetoric way of prose made me feel like I was right there with the characters in the brothels of Bombay. I’m usually not one for the thriller genre of literature, but I have had some great experiences with my choices as of late. I’d give this book a 4.5 out of 5! Probably one of the best books I have read all year! If you enjoyed books like “The Lincoln Lawyer”or anything by John Grisham, you’d probably really enjoy this one!
4.5 out of 5. Great Read!
I also continued with my “Women of the Bible”devotional. The girls and I finished up the story of “Jael” ( read about her in Judges chapter 4 and 5.) Jael was a little bit ruthless! Sometimes you have to be ruthless in order to bring God’s plan to fruition. Jael is someone I never really studied before, so it was interesting learning more about her (and Deborah and Sisera.)This week we are continuing our study with the story of Delilah.
Now, for this weeks reading goals, I’d like to try to complete 2 books if i can . I’m being quite ambitious as it’s virtually impossible these days to spend lengthy amounts of time dedicated to reading 😦 ( #busylife) But, I was browsing the library recently and came across the book, ” The Whitney I Knew” by Bebe Winans with Timothy Willard.
Here is the synopsis:
BeBe Winans met Whitney Houston in church 28 years ago, and they quickly developed a close bond. They considered each other family in the deepest sense of the word—hanging out in each other’s homes, singing backup vocals for each other on albums, touring together. BeBe was with her when she was onstage and far from the spotlight, on the set and in the studio, through good times and the worst of times—and this very personal book takes readers inside all of those places to give a real and intimate picture of the Whitney he knew. Here readers will discover new information and insights into both Whitney’s heart and her world—information that they will not find anywhere else. From profoundly moving moments to eye-opening accounts of triumph to the heart-breaking realities that led to her ultimate defeat, the stories are here, along with links to never-before-seen private videos of Whitney and a full-length photo section. In his moving tribute at her funeral, Winans reaffirmed that she will be remembered for her warm, lavish generosity, her faith, and her lighthearted humor—those positive truths that overshadow any negative missteps in recent years. “In my heart and in my mind, I have memories of so many great, great moments,” he says. “She will live in our hearts forever.”
As a long time Whitney Houston fan ( as well as a Bebe Winans fan) I was interested to read his view of their relationship and the troubles she faced over the years. It’s a relatively short read so I should be able to breeze through this one quickly.
Also I would read one more book. I have quite a few options like: The Ultimate Betrayal- By Kimberla Lawson Roby Half of a Yellow Sun- By Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche Mudbound- By Hilary Jordan
I will pick one of those hopefully and try to power through it!
I’m back again with a current weekly reads post. I haven’t been reading too much these days because frankly, Netflix has taken over my life ( hangs head in shame lol), But. I thought I’d share with you what I’m currently reading as it seems the reading bug has once again bitten me 🙂
First, I have been continuing with my “Women of the Bible”devotional with my girlfriends ( Ottawa, Hamilton, Florida its international bible study 🙂 ) This week we are working on the story of “Jael”.Her story takes place in the book of Judges chapter 4:11-22.
Next, I finished up a book called, “Purple HIbiscus” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Here is a synopsis:
Fifteen-year-old Kambili’s world is circumscribed by the high walls and frangipani trees of her family compound. Her wealthy Catholic father, under whose shadow Kambili lives, while generous and politically active in the community, is repressive and fanatically religious at home.
When Nigeria begins to fall apart under a military coup, Kambili’s father sends her and her brother away to stay with their aunt, a University professor, whose house is noisy and full of laughter. There, Kambili and her brother discover a life and love beyond the confines of their father’s authority. The visit will lift the silence from their world and, in time, give rise to devotion and defiance that reveal themselves in profound and unexpected ways. This is a book about the promise of freedom; about the blurred lines between childhood and adulthood; between love and hatred, between the old gods and the new.
Sounds pretty interesting right? I thought so too but…. I just didn’t love it as much as I thought I would. I found the story lagged in some parts and I just couldn’t connect with most of the characters. I have read one other book by this author that I really loved ( Americanah)and I’m glad that I read that one first. Had I read Purple Hibiscus first, I might not have picked up another book by her. I have another book by her to read ( its been on my TBR for some time) called “Half of a Yellow Sun”. I hope it leans more towards the literary masterpiece that Americanah was.
Finally, right now I am currently reading “ A Walk Across the Sun” by Corban Addison. Here is a quick synopsis of this book:
When a tsunami rages through their coastal town in India, 17-year-old Ahalya Ghai and her 15-year-old sister Sita are left orphaned and homeless. With almost everyone they know suddenly erased from the face of the earth, the girls set out for the convent where they attend school. They are abducted almost immediately and sold to a Mumbai brothel owner, beginning a hellish descent into the bowels of the sex trade.
Halfway across the world, Washington, D.C., attorney Thomas Clarke faces his own personal and professional crisis-and makes the fateful decision to pursue a pro bono sabbatical working in India for an NGO that prosecutes the subcontinent’s human traffickers. There, his conscience awakens as he sees firsthand the horrors of the trade in human flesh, and the corrupt judicial system that fosters it. Learning of the fate of Ahalya and Sita, Clarke makes it his personal mission to rescue them, setting the stage for a riveting showdown with an international network of ruthless criminals.
This is another repeat author for me. I have read the book ” The Garden of Burning Sand” which I quite enjoyed so on a whim I picked up this book during a book buying binge ( two cheers for birthday gift cards 🙂 ) , I’m really enjoying this book so far! I hope to finish this by early next week( it’s a lengthy read).
What are you guys currently reading? Any suggestions?
I haven’t done a Wednesday Weekly Reads in quite some time because quite frankly, I haven’t been enjoying the books that I have chosen recently : ( I do promise to do an updated What I’m Currently Reading post and an Updated TBR list to see what progress( or lack thereof lol) I made on my previous TBR.
But lets segue from that and dive into a fun topic! Books YouTube “made” me read . There are quite a few of them! I’d like to share a few of them with you and my brief opinion on them.
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green:I really enjoyed this book. This was my first John Green book and I must say I was pleasantly surprised. I really wanted to read this book because I wanted to see the movie ( I have this weird thing about reading the book before watching the movie :P) So I purchased it. Seeing as it is categorized as Young Adult Fiction, it was very inexpensive.( 10.99 CND) I had never heard about this book until I saw it on YouTube and everyone was raving about it! I’d recommend it for anyone looking for a good cry! Synopsis: Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng. I was so amped to read this book and was severely let down. I did not enjoy this book at all. I actually purchased this book… I wish I would have borrowed this one from the library. I honestly only finished this because I paid for it lol . Maybe this is a great literary piece of fiction and its allegories are above me… but yeah it’s not something i would ever recommend. Synopsis: Lydia is dead. But they don’t know this yet . . . So begins this debut novel about a mixed-race family living in 1970s Ohio and the tragedy that will either be their undoing or their salvation. Lydia is the favorite child of Marilyn and James Lee; their middle daughter, a girl who inherited her mother’s bright blue eyes and her father’s jet-black hair. Her parents are determined that Lydia will fulfill the dreams they were unable to pursue—in Marilyn’s case that her daughter become a doctor rather than a homemaker, in James’s case that Lydia be popular at school, a girl with a busy social life and the center of every party.
When Lydia’s body is found in the local lake, the delicate balancing act that has been keeping the Lee family together tumbles into chaos, forcing them to confront the long-kept secrets that have been slowly pulling them apart.
Americanah by Chimimanda Ngozi Adichie: LOVED this book. I purchased an e-book copy of this book off of Itunes. I actually would like to purchase a hard copy of this book for my collection. I would recommend this book for everyone to read! This was the first book I read by this author. I have recently read “Purple Hibiscus” by her and have ” Half of A Yelllow Sun” on my TBR ( i actually started this book a long time ago but got sidetracked and put it down) Synopsis: As teenagers in a Lagos secondary school, Ifemelu and Obinze fall in love. Their Nigeria is under military dictatorship, and people are leaving the country if they can. Ifemelu—beautiful, self-assured—departs for America to study. She suffers defeats and triumphs, finds and loses relationships and friendships, all the while feeling the weight of something she never thought of back home: race. Obinze—the quiet, thoughtful son of a professor—had hoped to join her, but post-9/11 America will not let him in, and he plunges into a dangerous, undocumented life in London.
Years later, Obinze is a wealthy man in a newly democratic Nigeria, while Ifemelu has achieved success as a writer of an eye-opening blog about race in America. But when Ifemelu returns to Nigeria, and she and Obinze reignite their shared passion—for their homeland and for each other—they will face the toughest decisions of their lives.
Mosquitoland by David Arnold: Wow what a strangely intoxicating and captivating read! I read this book because I saw it on the channel of a girl whose book choices are pretty similar to mine ( Peruse Project) Good choice! I think I read this book in a day and a bit. I wasn’t completely sold on how it ended but all in all, it was a good read. Synopsis:After the sudden collapse of her family, Mim Malone is dragged from her home in northern Ohio to the “wastelands” of Mississippi, where she lives in a medicated milieu with her dad and new stepmom. Before the dust has a chance to settle, she learns her mother is sick back in Cleveland.
So she ditches her new life and hops aboard a northbound Greyhound bus to her real home and her real mother, meeting a quirky cast of fellow travelers along the way. But when her thousand-mile journey takes a few turns she could never see coming, Mim must confront her own demons, redefining her notions of love, loyalty, and what it means to be sane.
Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. I literally went on the waitlist at the library for MONTHS for this book because everyone and their mother was raving about it on YouTube, I’m not into fantasy fiction at all, but I do enjoy a good dystopian plot which this book had elements of. But guys, 25 pages in and I was OVER IT. I just simply couldn’t finish it. You may like it though, Everyone had great things to say about it 🙂 Synopsis:The Reds are commoners, ruled by a Silver elite in possession of god-like superpowers. And to Mare Barrow, a seventeen-year-old Red girl from the poverty-stricken Stilts, it seems like nothing will ever change.
That is, until she finds herself working in the Silver Palace. Here, surrounded by the people she hates the most, Mare discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy the balance of power.
Fearful of Mare’s potential, the Silvers hide her in plain view, declaring her a long-lost Silver princess, now engaged to a Silver prince. Despite knowing that one misstep would mean her death, Mare works silently to help the Red Guard, a militant resistance group, and bring down the Silver regime.
But this is a world of betrayal and lies, and Mare has entered a dangerous dance – Reds against Silvers, prince against prince, and Mare against her own heart..Maybe you’ll find a book on this list that strikes your fancy! Happy Reading! xoxo . ( All synopsis were found on Goodreads.com)
Yes I know it’s not Wednesday, but honestly I didn’t have much to write about this week in regards to reading ( lol) shocker! I actually read quite a bit, but I didn’t complete one book, I was kinda of jumping around between 3 different books: Judah Smith’s “Life Is : God’s illogical love will change your existence“, Harper Lee’s ” Go Set a Watchman” and book called “Sacred Ground” by Adrienne Ellis Reeves, The synopsis of this book is as follows:
Makima Gray has prayed for guidance in building her town’s new medical clinic, and she’s sure that Gabriel Bell’s property is the perfect location. Gabe insists he’s not at liberty to sell, but Makima won’t give up…nor can she deny that she’s flattered by Gabe’s attentions. But past hurts and present complications lead to an error in judgment that may drive Gabe away forever.
Gabriel Bell was astonished to inherit his great-grandfather’s land, along with clues to a mysterious treasure. But every second he spends with beautiful, determined Makima convinces him that winning her trust—and her heart—is the most important quest of all.
This book was another random pick off of my shelf. Its been sitting there since about 2007 ( no I’m not kidding lol) and I’m really trying to cut down my unread books on my shelf before buying any more books 🙂 So far so good.
I’m really enjoying Judah Smiths book. Such deep content but such an entertaining read. I can’t say the same about ” Go Set A Watchman” . It’s a really slow read but I’m really trying to finish it.
So that’s it guys! I really will be back on my game this Wednesday! 🙂
I skipped a week of Wednesday Weekly Reads because frankly, I read nothing (lol), As summer is winding down, I’m slowly getting back into the reading groove. I was able to read 2 books in their entirety and about 100 pages of another.
So lets begin. I know I have been choosing books with heavy content so I wanted to read something light and fun, So I chose a book called ” A Lova Like No Otha” by Stephanie Perry Moore( I know, I know cheesy title 😛 ) This is a book that has been sitting on my bookshelf for years. I’m slowly trying to read all the unread books on my shelf ( there are far too many) So i picked this one up. I would describe this book as an urban romance novel. The synopsis of this book is as follows:
Surviving life’s setbacks through her relationship with a man who helps restore her faith in God, Zoe Clark discovers A LOVA’ LIKE NO OTHA’. When thunder and lightning strike on the morning of Zoe Clark’s wedding, her seemingly perfect world is turned upside-down as she loses her fiance to a pregnant girlfriend she never knew he had. With her engagement shattered, all her life’s plans seem over. Unemployed, sinking deeply into depression, and wrongly blaming God for her troubles, Zoe seriously contemplates ending her life. But God sends Chase Farr to reintroduce Zoe to the importance of having God in her life. Yet when Zoe’s friendship with Chase turns romantic, he suddenly backs away–further confusing Zoe with his decision to remain a virgin. Through life’s twists and turns of celebration and sorrow, Zoe ultimately learns what it means to truly trust in God–but in the end, does this revelation come too late to fix things with Chase? ( goodreads.com)
This book was gifted to me, so I had no idea what the synopsis was. I was pleasantly surprised that it had a strong spiritual connotation, I really enjoyed this book. I mean some parts were really predictable. but It was really well written! I wouldn’t be opposed to reading more items from this author. If you are looking for a quick, light read this is the book for you! I give it 4 out of 5 stars.
4./5 stars..
Next, I grabbed another book from my unread book shelf. It was entitled ” That Girl is Poison” by Tia Hines.This book is a book I picked up in Fordham Square in the Bronx for 5 dollars! ( shout out to my bestie for putting me on!) It sounded interesting. Here is the synopsis:
Desire Jones is a young, hot-to-trot teen who lives life on the edge. Abandoned by her mother, she yearns for love and attention. Her uncle shelters her, but life is impossible to bear with his abusive wife. To make things worse, she gets involved with Malik, who shatters her hope and trust by leaving her pregnant and infected with HIV. So hardened, she decides to do the unspeakable, purposely infecting people with her disease. Of course, no one knows of her intent, not even her best friend, Jennifer, who unwittingly helps Desire find her victims. Will Desire realize the error of her ways before it’s too late?
Y’all…. don;t read this book for the following reasons.:
– The story was all over the place
– So many bad things happened in what seemed to be such a short period of time
– Couldn’t connect with the characters
– Extremely explicit content ( not suitable for anybody under 17 in my opinion and a mature 17 at that…)
Guys, this was probably the worst book I’ve read all year. Story was so unbelievable. Jumped all over the place… I read it quickly just to get it over with. Ending sucked . Leaves the possibility for a sequel that I will not be reading … Not that I’m discrediting the situation that the author was portraying. I’m not naive to the fact that young women experience hardships like this everyday, however I feel like she was doing too much to one character. If she had maybe chose one or two situations to focus on, I think the book would have been more effective, Sadly, I must give this book 1 star out of 5.
I don’t recommend this book… 1 star out 5
Lastly, I continued reading ” Go Set a Watchman” ( To Kill a Mockingbird sequel). I’m just over a 100 pages in. It’s…… meh…. I’m going to finish this book before I give any opinions on it.
So this week, I want to finish that book and maybe try to finally tackle the book “Life Is _____.: God’s Illogical Love Will Change Your Existence” by Judah Smith. It’s a book I purchased months ago that I really want to tackle. I spoke about it in previous blogs. The synopsis once again is as follows:
Life is ___. How would you finish that sentence? In this follow-up to his New York Times and USA Today bestseller Jesus Is _____., Judah completes the new sentence again and again, revealing how life is to be loved and to love, to enjoy God to the fullest, to trust God in every moment, and to be at peace with God, others, and ourselves. Judah writes as a friend, welcoming new believers, lifelong followers of Jesus, and even the merely curious.
Judah shows us the irrational love of God and the life that he intends for us to have in the here and now. With excitement and humor, he looks at the stories in the Bible from a different angle and shows how life is all about loving God and loving others.
I absolutely loved Jesus Is and look forward to tackling this one. I’m going on a mini road trip today, So I’ll have about 2 hours to take this on! Excited! I also want to continue this trend of picking something off my bookshelf and tackling that as well!
Summer calls and reading has taken an extreme back burner… and you know what? I’m okay with that! I’m currently working on getting through ” To Set a Watchmen” by Harper Lee. It’s just alright. I hope it will pick up soon. I want to pick up a light summer read. All the previous books I have started are just not sparking my interest right now… sigh… lol. Hopefully I find one!
.png)
Maybe you’ll find a book on this list that strikes your fancy! Happy Reading! xoxo . ( All synopsis were found on Goodreads.com)
