Favorite Books of 2013

 On Beauty by Zadie Smith // Birds of Paradise by Diana Abu Jaber // This is How You Lose Her by Junot Diaz // Americanah by Chiamanda Ngozi Adiche // Kinky Gazpacho by Lori Tharps // Maya's Notebook by Isabel Allende

It was hard to narrow down my favorites this year because I read quite a few good ones, but these six were my favorite reads of 2013.  See my favorites books of 2012 and 2011.

What were your favorite books of 2013?

Recent Reads

So I haven’t managed to capture outfit photos in the last few days (it gets dark so early now!), so I thought it would be a good opportunity to discuss some of my recent reads.


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Recent Reads

Since the summer is officially over, I thought it would be a good time to mention books
I read during the season.

Kinky Gazpacho - I love memoirs that revolve around travel, so Kinky Gazpacho sounded like a compelling read right up my alley. The author, Lori who first travels abroad as a teen decides that her destiny would be found in Spain.  Her passion for the country led her to varied experiences and including meeting and marrying her husband.  Lori talks about her childhood in the mid-west where she was often the only African American in social and academic situations.  It's a lovely memoir about self-discovery in an interesting setting.

The Law of Divine Compensation - Return to Love is one of my favorite books, so I decided to check out Marianne Williamson's latest book.  While there was great information and inspiration in this book, Return to Love remains my favorite, but if you're all about being prosperous for the remainder of 2013, check out Divine Compensation.

Better than Good Hair: The Curly Girl Guide to Healthy, Gorgeous Natural Hair! -  This book is a great primer about loving, maintaining, styling and transitioning to natural hair.  The author, Nikki Walton (aka Curly Nikki) has a popular natural hair blog that I've read for the past few years.  Though I've never had a relaxer or other chemical in my hair (not even hair dye...), I am still learning how to best manage my hair, so I decided to read Better than Good Hair.  It's a great read, especially if you aren't familiar with Nikki's blog or if you you are just starting your natural hair journey.  You can learn the lingo, basics and get inspiration when you may be tempted to revert to chemicals.  Note: I think how you wear your hair is a very personal choice and I never disparage ladies for choosing not to wear natural hair. Rock your hair natural, permed or dyed proudly.

Maya's Notebook - This book is the story a young woman who flees very real dangers in her past to and goes to her grandmother's homeland: Chile.  So a very modern young adult ends up in a small village where she learns life lessons and grapples with coming to terms with her past.  Though to me the story seems a tad far-fetched, it was a compelling read.  I became invested in the outcome of the protagonist in the story and began to root for her. 

MWF Seeking BFF - This book is a memoir about a twenty-something year-old, recently married woman who relocated.  Rachel moved with her new husband to Chicago and away from her friends and social network on the East coast.  She embarked on a 52 week challenge to find a new, local BFF.  I don't recommend anyone doing a challenge like the author unless they have lots of free time on their hands, but the book is a good reminder for twenty-somethings (or anyone who has moved for career, spouse or family) to make time for friendships even in the midst of life's  changes and responsibilities.

Stay tuned for my fall reading list.  Did you read any good books over the summer?

Recent Reads

I haven't done a recap of what I've been reading since the spring started, so here are my recent reads.

Birds of Paradise - Diana Abu Jaber has become one of my favorite authors for her lyrical descriptions of food in her novels. This story revolves around Felice Muir who runs away at age thirteen and how doing this impacts the family she left behind.  Her reason for running away becomes apparent as the novel unfolds.  The story is told from the points of views of her parents and brother.  As much as I like Abu Jaber's writing, it took me a while to get into this book. But toward the end of the book the pieces of the plot came together for me and by the end, I enjoyed the book.  If you are new to Diana Abu Jaber's writing, I suggest you start with her memoir, The Language of Baklava or novel, Cresent before reading Birds of Paradise.

It's Complicated But It Doesn't Have to Be - I've never seen Paul C. Brunson's, OWN TV show, but I do follow him on Twitter and decided that the sound advice bites he doles out on social media outlets would probably lend itself to a good book. So I reserved It's Complicated from the library and read it last month. The relationship advice in this book is not necessarily new info, but I liked the presentation and thought it was a good read.

Sweet Tooth - This was another book I struggled to finish and honestly my main motivation was returning the book to the library by its due-date. I guess I was expecting more of an action driven, intrigued filled the plot when I read on the book flap that the protagonist was an MI5 agent (the UK version of a CIA agent). The James Bond prototype of a secret agent must have colored my views.  This story revolves around Serena Frome, reflecting decades later on a life changing project she worked on in the 1970s as a young M15 agent referred to as Sweet Tooth. Serena, a lover of novels, was chosen to infiltrate the literary circle of a young writer named Tom Haley.  But falling in love with Tom Haley starts to complicate things for Serena.

This is How You Lose Her - I'd never read a book by Pulitzer prize winning author, Junot Diaz so when his latest book became available at the library, I decided to read it.  I didn't think I'd get into this book, but I read the entire book over one weekend (it's not very long). These short stores revolve around the romances and life of Yunior, a Dominican-born, New Jersey raised man as he deals with love, family expectations, loss, and his propensity to cheat on his girlfriends.  This is How You Lose Her reminded me of how much I love reading short stories that are so descriptive that you don't feel that their length short-change the plot.

Next up on my to-read list is The Law of Divine Compensation.

What have you read (or are planning to read) lately?

Book Review: NW

NW is the most recent book by British author Zadie Smith who has written recognized books such as White Teeth and On Beauty.  NW revolves around four main characters: Leah, Felix, Keisha (renamed Natalie) and Nathan.  The four main characters grew up in the same housing project in the northwest section of London.  The themes of race, class, love, marriage and friendship permeate the book.  Leah and Keisha are childhood best friends; but the tenor of their relationship has changed now that they are adults and have taken different professional paths.  Smith spends more time on Leah and Keisha's narratives, so readers are able to get to know them more than the other two main characters. Felix and Nathan's narratives take up less of the book but are still key to the overall story. 

NW is definitely a departure from On Beauty (which I read last year) since the story is not told in a linear manner, but rather from the varying points of view of the main characters. At times, I felt like I was reading a book of inter-related short stories.  But this style fits with the tone of the book.  Because the NW focused on the lives of people from a particular section of the city, it was interesting to learn about a section of London through the eyes of the story's major characters characters.

Verdict: Read this book if you have read any of Zadie Smith's previous books or are have an interest in: the city of London, stories with multiple characters with intersecting lives, the themes of race and class in an urban environment.

Book Review: The Twelve Tribes of Hattie

I rarely say this when I read a book these days, but though The Twelve Tribes of Hattie was a good read (it is an Oprah Book Club pick after all), it didn't resonate with me the way I expected it to. I really wanted to love this book but it just didn't come together for me.  Seeing the main character face (and overcome) so many hardships during her life made the book a heavy read.  I'm sure this was the point of the book, but I guess I was in the mood for a lighter story during the time that I read it.  The story was told through several narrators and because of this, it took time for me to connect with the characters.

The Twelve Tribes of Hattie revolved around Hattie Shepherd who moved to Philadelphia from Georgia during the 1920s. At the age of 17, Hattie and her husband have twin babies. A tragedy occurs in young Hattie's life that shapes her and subsequently affects the other children she has (11 in total).  The story which spans several decades is told from Hattie's point of view as well through some of her children (and one grandchild). 

There were some great portions of the book with beautifully and sadly written passages.  I definitely rooted for Hattie from page one until the final page of the book. The beginning and the end of the book were the most compelling to me. I thought this was a promising debut novel though it wasn't a favorite.  I would be willing to read Ayana Mathis's next book to see how it comes together.

My verdict: Read this book if you're interested in reading about the Great Migration, family drama or stories set in Philadelphia. Otherwise, this may not be the book for you.

Favorite Books of 2012

Here is a synopsis of my favorite books of 2012.  If you are still hunting around for a gift or stocking stuffer for the readers among your friends and family, consider adding any of these books to your holiday shopping list.

Overdressed: The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion.  I highly recommend this book.  Just as it's important to know where your food comes from, it's important to know where you're clothing comes from.  After reading this book, I've thought a lot about my own fashion consumption habits. Here is one  quote from the book that really sums up one of the major themes of the book:

"Clothing is not bad for the environment because it can be reused."  This is a common public perception.  A tremendous amount of clothing is in fact, not getting recycled but is getting trashed, and the environmental impact of making clothes is being entirely overlooked.

While the book was excellent at bringing the environmental impact of our fashion purchases to light, I hope more people bring solutions on how to balance eco-friendly practices into American shopping habits.

A Belle in Brooklyn.  I enjoyed this book though it was a bit different from what I expected.  I expected it to be another advice book on how to get young single ladies the man of their dreams.  Though there are lessons to learn from the book by the author from her life experiences, this book read more like a memoir than just another advice book.

Yes, Chef.  I love memoirs and reading about food, so when I learned that Chef Marcus Samuelson wrote a memoir, I immediately added it to one of my seasonal reading lists.  Though I had seen Chef Samuelson on Food Network shows, I didn't know much about him other than he was Ethiopian by birth but was raised in Sweden. But there is much more to Samuelson's story than his place of origin.

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking.  I highly recommend this book to everyone who has an interest in personality styles, human behavior.  Many people may be familiar with the words introvert and extrovert because of the Meyers Briggs Personality Test, but do you really know the traits of introverts? I didn't realize until reading this book that one third to half of Americans are introverts.  Whether you are the most outgoing person in the room or the most quiet, check out Quiet to learn more about the strengths of introverts.

A Piece of Cake. I reviewed this book earlier this year, but since it was a favorite of the year, I will mention it again.  It's a compelling, sad, inspiring, ultimately triumphant memoir.

32 Candles. This is another book I reviewed earlier this year.   Months later, it's still a favorite among the books I've read this year.

What were your favorite books of 2012?

Recent Reads - November

I haven't talked about what I've read lately, so here are a few books I've read this fall.  They all happen to be mysteries.

Gone Girl - This book was both compelling and disturbing.  The story revolves around Amy Dunne, a woman who mysteriously goes missing on her fifth wedding anniversary.  Amy's husband Nick starts to look quite suspicious in the wake of his missing wife as evidence is uncovered that alludes to her disappearance.  As we've seen in many real life news headlines, when a wife goes missing, the husband is the first person authorities look at.  The story narration alternates between Amy through her past journal entries and Nick in present day starting from the day his wife goes missing.  The story goes in a certain direction for several chapters and then changes abruptly in an interesting way.  The ending of the book was so-so for me, but overall, it was a good read for your holiday break or next beach vacation.

Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie - This adult mystery set in 1950s England (which is the first of a series) is narrated by an imaginative 11-year-old-girl who has a knack for solving crimes, annoying her older sisters and concocting poisons the way other girls from that time period bake cakes.  The protagonist seemed a little more precocious than was realistic, but this didn't stop me from enjoying this book. I will probably pick up the next book in the series the next time I'm in the mood for an old fashioned mystery.

Murder in Lantern Rouge: An Aimee Leduc Investigation - I love to read books set in Paris, so I started reading books from this series about a Paris-based private investigator/computer security expert earlier this year.  The series is set in the 90's so it's also interesting to look back on technology and current events (like the death of Princess Diana) that are sprinkled through out the book.  Aimee has a great sense style and a knack for finding great vintage clothing from the top designers.  Though I like the series overall, I have to say that this book was my least favorite.  I figured out who the murderer was long before the end of the book and the plot was a little convoluted to be realistic. I definitely recommend trying earlier books in the series if you like mysteries and the city of Paris.

Next, I plan to read Yes Chef which was one of the books on my fall reading list.

What have you read lately?

Favorite Summer Reads

During the summer, I decided to take a break from creating my seasonal book lists and just read whatever struck my fancy.  Since summer is for all intents and purposes over, I thought I'd highlight a few of my favorite reads of the summer.  

Paris in Love by Eloisa James - This book encompassed two things I really like; the city of Paris and quirky memoirs.  Eloisa, a romance writer and her husband decided to pack up their family to live in Paris for a year after her recovery from a health crisis.  The book which originated from updates of Eloisa's Paris experience via Facebook is humorous and gives a peak into the adjustment of an American family living in Paris. This memoir is a great read if you're short on time (or don't like to read long chapters) because it's broken up into vignettes. Eloisa's descriptions of the behavior of her plump dog were particularly funny.

Here is a brief excerpt:

Staring out the living room window at that mock pear tree, I also discovered a keen desire to surprise myself.  Rather than living my life in the moment, I wanted to live someone else's life - specifically that of a person that lived in Paris.

The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It for Life by Twyla Tharp.  In this book, famed dancer/choreographer Twyla Tharp discusses how creative success doesn't just appear out of thin air but is typically a result of hard work and the development of certain "creative" habits.  I enjoyed the book because it was interesting to learn about the creative process of a dancer/choreographer and read creative advice from an established performing artist.

Here are a few of my favorite quotes from the book:

A lot of habitually creative people have preparation rituals linked to the setting in which they choose to start their day. By putting themselves into that environment, they start their creative day...

I read for growth, firmly believing that what you are today and what you will be in five years depends on two things: the people you meet and the books you read. 

Before you can think out of the box, you have to start with a box

Game of Thrones: A Song of Fire and Ice by G.R.R. Martin - I don't have any premium cable channels, so I rarely watch shows like Game of Thrones when they are broadcast on cable.  After hearing so many people (in person and on social media) mention the show, I decided to read the book until the show was available online.  When I saw the (large) size of the book after borrowing it from the library, I figured I would end up returning it half-finished, but I found it to be a compelling read and finished it rather quickly.  Game of Thrones has a large cast of characters but somehow the plot still moved rather briskly.  The novel (like the show) is a mix of fantasy and action/drama set in a land similar to England during the 1400s. Does anyone watch the show?  How was season two of the show? I haven't seen it.

Did you read any good books over the summer? Any books on your to-read list?

Guest Post: Book Review at Stylish Thought

I did a review over at Stylish Thought of A Piece of Cake, one of the books from my seasonal book lists.  Stop by and read about my thoughts about the book!

Book Review: 32 Candles

I love books where you can’t help but root for the protagonist to get their “happy ending” and 32 Candles by Ernessa T. Carter was definitely such a book for me. This sometimes funny, sometimes poignant story is about Davie Jones who lives in a small town in Mississippi and considers herself to be an “ugly duckling” (after being repeatedly told that she was ugly…). Davie’s sad childhood was punctuated by her abusive mother who had various personal issues that prevented her from having a healthy, loving relationship with her daughter.  As a means of escape from her unhappy home life and bullying by classmates, Davie reads books and watches Molly Ringwald movies; 16 Candles is her favorite. Davie also has a secret crush on a popular high school football player named James.

A mean-spirited prank by classmates causes Davie to leave everything she knows in Mississippi and move to California. The compelling story unfolds from there and readers get to see if Davie successfully gets her "Molly Ringwald style" happy ending.  I won’t say anything further about the book’s plot, but I will say that I definitely recommend this original story that was tied so seamlessly to the classic 80’s era teen film. After reading 32 Candles, I added the movie 16 Candles to my Netflix queue; I will admit that I don’t think I’ve seen the movie in its entirety so I really must remedy that soon!  Ernessa T. Carter has a distinctive literary voice and I look forward to seeing what else she writes.

Book Review: Half of a Yellow Sun

To be honest, it took me a while to read Half of a Yellow Sun though I've had it on loan from the library for weeks and had heard good things about it.  But once I got into the rhythm of the book, I couldn't put it down.  I felt invested in knowing what would happen to the characters and had to keep reading to find out how the book would end.  The book revolves around five characters during a civil war that took place in Nigeria during the 1960s in which the country of Biafra was formed. 

The characters of the novel include: (1) a teenage boy who later becomes a housekeeper (2) a university professor and employer of the teenage housekeeper with highly charged political ideals, (3) a woman who is in a relationship with the university professor, (4) her twin sister and, (5) a British expatriate who is in Nigeria to write a book about the culture and art of the Igbo people (this is the ethnic group of most of the main characters).  The war that ensues affects the characters in different ways and changes their lives forever.

A lot of the action in Half of a Yellow Sun revolve around war which is always devastating, but it was very well written and compelling.  I enjoy reading books that vividly describe a story within the context of actual historical events.  Before reading this book, I didn't know anything about the socio-political events of Nigeria (and Biafra) in the 1960s, but I'm now intrigued to read more about Nigerian history.  This book has its sad points, but also has the themes of love and perseverance integrated into the story.  I definitely recommend this book. 


Note: Please note that if graphic descriptions of war upset you, this book may not be for you. 

Favorite Books of 2011

The end of the year is a good time to reflect on books I enjoyed reading during the year.

In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto by Michael Pollan: I actually read this book earlier this month, but it is a definite favorite.  In Defense of Food made me want to actually change the way I eat instead of just thinking about it as I had been doing.  Since reading In Defense of Food, I've started reading food labels more carefully and now wonder about things like if I should add more Omega 3 fatty acids to my diet...

The Language of Baklava by Diana Abu-Jaber: If you love memoirs and beautifully described food, you will enjoy this book.  I really enjoyed this book and the themes of family, fathers and daughters and living in-between two cultures.

Normal Gets Your Nowhere by Kelly Cutrone: PR fashion veteran Kelly Cutrone's "tell it like it is" tone and off-beat advice is good for young professionals from all fields.  Cutrone encourages young people to throw out the concept of "normal" and go after your dreams.

Super Rich by Russell Simmons: I did a book review of Super Rich earlier this year and it was definitely a favorite of the year.

ReWork by: Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson: This innovative book discusses how breaking the rules can help you succeed in your entrepreneurial endeavors. 

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith: I somehow managed to let this classic get away from me until this year.  I didn't expect to like it but really enjoyed the poignant story Betty Smith told of life in Brooklyn in the early 1900s.

A Return to Love: Reflections from the Principles of a Course in Miracles by Marianne Williamson: I enjoyed the inspirational messages that Williamson emphasized in this book.  I was not familiar with the Course in Miracles until reading this book which broke down the key aspects of the course and discussed the author's personal experiences.

Generation Debt by Anya Kamenetz: This eye-opening book examines debt among young Americans, particularly student loan debt and the implications that this debt has on society and on the economy. 

What were your favorite reads of 2011?

Book Review: The Art of Choosing

I love a good novel as much as the next person, but I also really love reading books of the "pop-psychology" variety which is how I would describe this book.  If you enjoyed reading books like The Tipping Point and Blink, then this book is for you.  The Art of Choosing centers around the research of Sheena Iyengar on the subject of choice.  The book delves into how different cultures (and Americans in particular) value choice and how decision making  impacts many aspects of our lives.  Reading this book made me realize that Western cultures view choice as a right, but this is not the case in other cultures around the world.  Iyengar references her own life experiences in the book as well as specific studies that she spearheaded and how her research has shaped her views on choice.  Iyengar also references pop culture and film sequences that would be familiar to many people which I found particularly interesting because Iyengar happens to be blind (you'll have to read the book to learn more about her personal story).

Western society has evolved into a cultural perspective where variety of choice is seen as a right and not just a way of life for some people.  As a person who loves fashion and the options that come with being a consumer of goods like clothing, personal items (make up) and technology, I love having fashion choices and would be a sad Shen Dove if I had to wear the same thing every day.  But I enjoyed reading this book because it pointed out the pros and cons of living in a society of plentiful choices and made me realize that sometimes a variety of choices doesn't always translate to better; in fact sometimes numerous choices can be overwhelming.  I found this book to be well written and researched, so check it out if you are looking for a thought-provoking read this fall. 

Book Review: Super Rich: A Guide to Having it All

I’ve always loved books (and bring up what I'm reading pretty regularly).  I also truly enjoy discussing what I'm reading.  So it's only fair that I share my views about some of the books I've read here.  I recently finished reading Super Rich: A Guide to Having it All by Russell Simmons. The book title may be a bit misleading because it’s not a prescriptive book on how to get rich quick. Super Rich is really based on the premise that finding peace and happiness in what you're doing being the path to prosperity.

Reading Super Rich was kind of like watching an episode of Oprah’s Masterclass show on the OWN network, with Simmons outlining his personal evolution and his views on success and fulfillment. In the book, Simmons talks about his evolution from a kid from Hollis, Queens that developed his passion for Hip-Hop into a career as Def Jam Records founder/Hip-Hop culture icon, businessman, social media influencer, clothing designer, meditation/yoga enthusiast and philanthropist.

One of my favorite parts of the book was a description of when a recent college graduate approached Simmons and tells him that he wants to be an actor in Hollywood. Simmons tells the young man to stop being a baby (he actually uses stronger language than this but you get the point) and to take the next bus to L.A., get any job that he can and work/hustle as hard as he can until he reaches his goal. The next time Simmons sees the young man, he has “hustled” his way into an exclusive party. By this time, the young man has networked with people in the entertainment industry and started receiving acting opportunities. How inspiring is that!  The idea that hard work and a "hustle mentality" can get you places in life isn't new, but I found it interesting to hear the Russell Simmons perspective on success.

In Super Rich, Simmons explains that while monetary wealth can bring a lot about fun toys and opportunities, true happiness does not come from the things you own. Simmons talks in detail about how yoga, mediation and veganism have influenced his life. I have very little knowledge on these subjects and found Simmon's descriptions of basic tenets of yoga and meditation interesting. Even if you aren't interested in yoga and meditation, I think this is a great book for any young person interested in harnessing their passion for success and personal fulfillment into reality. The main take-away from this book for me was encouragement to go after your dreams, wealth and abundance will follow.

Have you read any enlightening/inspiring books lately?