NetGalley Review: The Haters by Jesse Andrews

Amulet Books
To Be Published April 2016

Wes and his best friend Corey thought jazz camp would be the ultimate experience. But no. . , it turned out to be a lame waste of time and a sausage fest.

But that is until they hear a unusual sound coming from a girl named Ash. The duo instantly becomes a trio and for a while jazz camp is what Wes and Corey hoped it would be.

But Ash decides that jazz camp isn’t enough and decides they need to hit the road. Wes and Corey do not think twice before jumping into her SUV and embarking on “The Haters Summer of Hate Tour.”

I requested this because it was Jesse Andrews. I mean I haven’t read “Earl, Me and the Dying Girl” mainly because I don’t know if I should read the book and then see the movie or watch the movie and then read the book. But none the less, I picked up this book and for so much hype over the author, this was a disappointing and rather annoying read.

Andrews writing comes off like the Uncle that is trying to stay current; the Uncle that is trying to stay cool. It was too obvious in this book and he was trying way too hard. Granted this book is about Andrews own experiences in jazz camp, so it may have had happened exactly like this. But the way that the book is written it was reaching. I say this as an adult that reads a lot of YA books.

Oddly enough though I liked Corey. I believe I liked him much more than Wes because of his blunt no-nonsense attitude. Corey just didn’t care to waste time; if he wasn’t okay with something or someone than it would be known. I guess I respected him more for that. But I kind of got the feeling that Corey was written not exactly to balance out Wes’s personality but to also show a lack of class.

As much as I liked Corey he got annoying very fast just as much as Wes did. Ash wasn’t the best character either. I didn’t feel as if any of the character were actually themselves at any point. It felt like they were all posers and yes, I am aware this is a coming of age novel but I am really just pointing this out as I have this feeling throughout the entire book.

I did enjoy the flow of the novel, despite the huge issues I had. Ultimately I expected something so much greater from the author that almost everyone has been talking about.

1 Pickle

NetGalley Review: Sing for Me by Karen Halvorsen Schreck

Howard Books
To Be Published April 8, 2014
336 Pages

* I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion*

Rose Sorensen is a good girl. She listens to her parents, does whatever they ask with no lip, and goes to church on a regular basis. However, Rose likes to sing and she likes to sing jazz but it is forbidden by her parents and those who attend her church. 

But one day her cousin decides to take her to a jazz club for her birthday and that is when things fall apart. Between falling for an African-American man and wanting to sing Jazz, Rose has a lot on her plate.

I was surprised at how much I liked this book. The book is set in a time when there is no legal longer segregation but blacks and whites are separated none the less. It is also during a time when people believed that singing anything else but God was a sin.

This is a really important time because it changed a lot of thoughts about music and it changed families. I thought it was great that the author decided to focus on this part of history. With that being said I liked Rose. Although she was completely plain, I did enjoy her character. How she remained the church loving girl throughout the entire book even though she did begin singing jazz. She didn’t change who she was, her work ethic or how she felt about her family, she just simply added singing jazz to the list of things she can do.

When reading the summary I thought the book was more about the romance between Rose and the African-American male. However, he just happen to be there. The book was more about Rose’s love for jazz and the desire to pursue it. She fell in love with jazz before she fell hard for her young man. I think for him it happened to be right place right now because most of the book, before she admitted feelings, all she could think about was the music and how that was what needed to be hidden from her parents.

I was disappointed with the lack of romance within the book but I wasn’t that disappointed because this book was well written and it was passionate. There wasn’t a lot of glitz and glamor, which is fine. The book and story is very simple and it is a breath of fresh air.

For this historical fiction I highly recommend it to those who aren’t looking for something dripping in romance and a greater purpose. Overall 5 Pickles

Happy Birthday Ella Fitzgerald!

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The “First Lady of Song” was born today and Motif Ink is going to honor her by focusing on a children’s book written in her honor as well as a mini bio for those who do not know her. Ella was born in Newport News, Virginia, which is also called Bad News, Virginia. Her parents were married by common-law but once they separated Ella and her mother moved to Yonkers, New York. From her Ella would help out her family doing odd jobs for money.

When her mother passed away Ella started living on the streets. What started out as a dream to be a dancer turned to be a singer when she entered an amateur contest at Harlem’s Apollo Theater.  After winning firs place, Ella’s career instantly took off.

Ella’s voice is distinct; you can pick it out in a room full of voices. She recorded more than 200 albums, and has won 13 Grammy Awards and although she passed away in 1996, she is constantly honored. For instance, Google created a home page in honor for her birthday today.

The children’s book “Skit-Scat Raggedy Cat Ella Fitzgerald” is a colorful book that tells how Ella was an orphan and with the small amount of change she received from people in the street she was able to change her life. What I think makes this book a great children’s book is it is fun but it is informative and uplifting. Granted it is going to take more than small change for people to reach their dreams but it gives children hope at a young age which is great.

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The author uses prose to create a tone that is upbeat and rhythmic. The illustration followed as such, with great detail and bright colors. As for biography for children it is a good resource.

 

Happy Birthday Ella!