Bout of Books 38 #boutofbooks End #readathon #WeNeedDiverseBooks #bookreview Christian Garcia Is Fu*king Obsessed

Bout of Books 38! 

boutofbooks.blogspot.com Day 7
On Goodreads, I have bookshelves dedicated to reviews I've written about books I've read during previous BoutOfBooks events. Here's the current one: goodreads.com/review/list/7120981

Today's Bout of Books prompt is Shelfie

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Christian Garcia Is Fu*king Obsessed by Dori Aleman-Medina

I enjoyed this book because the characters each face a multitude of problems. The time flow from present to past did increase the pace, but it also took away a little something for me. This book is definitely ADULT, but it is also excellent for adults who enjoy YA because there are chapters from a teen POV. It's fascinating how these characters deal with life, but also how they each feel about the situations and solutions. I loved the references to the previous book. The new worker at the bakery made me laugh, but I love the idea. 

My cousin and I opted to share books during a readathon, which is why I read this book. I don't read many books like this or of this genre (romantic suspense), but I enjoyed it. My cousin is friends with the author, I've interviewed the author previously. This review is my honest and unbiased opinion.

Here's an excerpt I enjoyed (some names removed to avoid spoilers) :

"He protected me, Holly, from another person. He kept her from fighting with me. People respected him. He was my boyfriend and kept me safe. That's what he did for me." Throw my paper cup on the floor, I start stamping my feet. {Name} told me that he didn't want to be my boyfriend anymore, but I could be with {name} instead. He was going to just give me away. Who gives people away? 

I read the whole book because I cared about the characters and wanted to know what would happen. There's a dramatic scene at the beginning, and I wanted to know how or if it would ripple changes through all the relationships in the book. I would read another book in this series. 

The book has tragedies, it is realistic fiction, has a happily-enough-for-now ending, multiple erotic scenes, some romance, can be a tear-jerker, and is certainly controversial. It is sometimes haunting, feels action-packed and fast-paced, is full of plot twists, and can be inspirational. It's meaningful, fun, and entertaining. The author feels like an authority on the subject of mental health. The book is diverse in LGBTQIA, Latino people, and people with disabilities- especially mental differences.

Triggers such as strong language, sexual content (including coerced between teens), discussions on suicide, death of a relative, self-harm, violence, drinking, drugs, panic, and anxiety should be noted. I found some minor typos and grammatical errors. 

Power struggles, family, and fitting in are the main themes in the book. It's easily relatable for anyone who has experienced being an outsider or feeling different, has friends who are "found family," or who a parent who put career before family. It can be very emotionally powerful for any reader who can relate. The school Christian works at sounds like a fantasy ideal for many children who need such an amazing support system. Otherwise, it totally holds up a mirror to society because so much of what these characters deal with are real problems. Mental health, ADHD, autism (ASD), behavioral and emotional difficulties, and neurodivergence are obstacles in this book. 

Bout of Books 38 #boutofbooks Day 3 #readathon #bookreview Binti by Nnedi Okorafor #WeNeedDiverseBooks

Bout of Books 38! 

boutofbooks.blogspot.com Day 3
On Goodreads, I have bookshelves dedicated to reviews I've written about books I've read during previous BoutOfBooks events. Here's the current one: goodreads.com/review/list/7120981

My Book Reviews can be found on:

Today's Bout of Books prompt is Celebrating Diversity

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Binti by Nnedi Okorafor

This short fiction was highly enjoyable and very fast-paced. It wove real culture and science fiction together perfectly. The main character is easy to root for because she's such an outsider and so deeply devoted to her love of learning. I got this book on June 15, 2022, and I am so glad I took an hour to finally read it. This is my honest and unbiased review.

I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who loves to learn, enjoys science fiction, and wants a great read with a Himba main character from Namibia (Namib) in Southern Africa. In the book, her people have many brilliant advancements and a strong connection to the earth. There is a passage about her hair that feels so deeply meaningful to me and is an excellent summary of her values:

{Heru touches her hair} "You have exactly twenty-one," he said. "And they're braided in tessellating triangles. Is it some sort of code?"

I wanted to tell him that there was a code, that the pattern spoke my family's bloodline, culture, and history. That my father had designed the code and my mother and aunties had shown me how to braid it into my hair.

It's that beautiful? I would give this book five stars on that passage alone. This is what a good diverse book should do, show how even something as easily overlooked as hair can hold such a deep meaning and reveal a great deal about someone. Binti describes herself as having dark skin and extra-bushy hair because her father's side has the blood of the Desert People. 

The best science fiction description in this book, to me, was the ship. "Third Fish was a Miri 12, a type of ship closely related to a shrimp." Space travel inside a living creature that had been genetically enhanced for travel. The ship, being a living beast, makes sounds and quakes because it has functional bowels. A living ship is a beautiful concept. I do not read a lot of scifi, but this really caught my attention.

This opens with immediate action. Then, just as the story seems to settle for a moment, there's an unexpected twist full of heart-pounding action. Eventually, Binti has to make a choice. I do wish it had been a more well-informed decision, that she knew what she'd actually sacrifice, that the Meduse were more forthcoming. They believe humans only understand violence. 

A mirror to society, to a real-life issue, is presented in a discussion as to whether a museum or university should keep a prestigious and high-valued piece or return it to the people to whom it belongs. 

This feels like it could be realistic fiction in the future. Math lovers will really enjoy parts of this story. As all goals are met, there is a happily-ever-after (or happy for now). There is a chilling scene with violence.  It's action-packed, fast-paced, and has many plot twists. The story felt mostly unpredictable. It was very fun, entertaining, and informative to me. 

Bout of Books 38 #boutofbooks Day 1 #readathon #bookreview Shattered by C Lee McKenzie

Bout of Books 38! 

boutofbooks.blogspot.com
I've done this readathon a few times.
On Goodreads, I have bookshelves dedicated to reviews I've written about books I've read during previous BoutOfBooks events. goodreads.com/review/list/7120981 How many times have I taken part?
May 2015, Aug 2015, Jan 2016, May 2016, Aug 2016, Jan 2017, May 2017, Aug 2017, Jan 2018, May 2018, Aug 2018, Jan 2019, May 2019, Aug 2019, May 2020, Aug 2021, Aug 2022, May 2023, Aug 2023
= 19 times

#BoutOfBooks readathon.
Next: Aug 21-27.
Hosted by @amshofner & @soulswallo
Once upon a time, there were @boutofbooks chats on Twitter and a usual question was how you'd convince others to join. 😆 Looks like I have a fun answer. @PenMinion https://t.co/NCFvwwjPEv pic.twitter.com/1Gu7318WD2

— J Lenni Dorner (@JLenniDorner) August 15, 2023

My Book Reviews can be found on:



Shattered: A Story of Betrayal and Courage by C. Lee McKenzie

This book was an emotional powerhouse.  I've followed this author for years, have read four other books by her, and share membership in several online communities with C. Lee McKenzie. This review is my honest and unbiased opinion. I won a paperback copy of this book in November 2021. 

This is listed as a Teen and YA book in the disabilities category. I can imagine recommending this to former coworkers and friends, such as physical therapists who would pass it along to teen patients struggling to adapt to their new reality. 

A bright, sunshiny character who is recovering from a life-altering injury, one of those optimistic types who joyfully tackles every challenge life offers, plays the mentor and new best friend. The main character is Libby, who experiences pain, devastation, heartbreak, and hopelessness. Her dreams and goals are taken away, her boyfriend dumps her, and her friends fade away. There's about a fifth of the book where everyone wants her to be strong, overcome, and buck up. But she's not made of sunshine and hope, she's devastated and afraid. It's the more frequent reaction to such trauma. However, the first third of the book is hard, it packs an emotional punch (more so if the feelings are identifiable). In the next chunk of the book, Libby grows and gradually gets adjusted. It isn't until nearly the end that she isn't weighed down and held back. There's a happy enough ending full of hope and possibilities. The ending chapter really ties everything together and is kind of a "where are they now" type of ending.

It also has a mystery woven in, the whodunit of the on-purpose accident which puts her in a wheelchair. Those chapters, each called "The Arrangement," are in third-person so as to not give away who did it. I honestly thought I knew, and I was "right-adjacent," but there was one aspect I hadn't considered. The guilty party not only makes sense, but serves as a wonderful reflection of the growth and change of another character.

This does feel like realistic fiction. There are some romantic parts, but it isn't central to the plot. Libby is more focused on her sporting goals and regaining control of her life than on romance. It is complex and somewhat inspirational. The author feels like an authority on rowing. 

Sit-ski was a new term I learned from this book. I live near a few ski resorts (Pocono Mountains in PA) and confess I never knew about any such options. 

The title is definitely used in the book, and twice around the end the title really clicks. The cover is very artistic. I like the skier who is sort of blurred on the upper left. (I have the cover with dark blue hues with white accents and words.) Shattered may upset some readers in the first third as Libby is very depressed. There's a pet cat who lives well through the whole book. Some readers may have strong feelings about the various parenting styles in this book. The only possible typos I found were "Then his eyes met nine," {mine} and "She knew what the next three words were" {I knew}, so I would say this book is well-edited. 

I believe the theme is one of perseverance, with a sprinkling of patriotism, a heap of friendship and family, and a dash of love. Some of the settings did come alive, mainly the outdoors. The mystery element does hold a mirror up to society in a way I cannot explain without spoiling the book. The Bechdel-Wallace test is certainly passed, as there are named female characters with whom Libby speaks to about subjects that are not men. 

Bout of Books 37 #bookreview

This is the 18th time I've taken part in Bout of Books. I will post more reviews later. 

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/7120981?shelf=bout-of-books-37-may-2023

Book Review:

Excuse Me While I Disappear: Tales of Midlife Mayhem

This was a First Reads free book. This review is my honest and unbiased opinion.

I like the dinosaur on the cover. I am NOT the target audience for this book, as I am not a Caucasian woman over fifty. I do, however, love a good Philadelphia cheesesteak, and am Gen X.

The majority of this review is only on my personal blog. The ending thanks threatens that those who do not like the author will be cursed- "dropped me like a hot potato... I have put curses on you all." The author's father, mentioned in the book, stalks telemarketers to threaten them. While that is not my job, I would rather not be stalked for reviewing a book. Also, there's a chapter where the author intentionally becomes, for all intents and purposes, becomes an Internet troll. I'd prefer to avoid that interaction. "I knew what I used to do to friends who were blackout drunk when I was in my twenties." Hinting at what happens to friends, I don't wish to learn what happens to unfortunate readers who dislike the book.

Money is a big topic in this book. The cost of getting hair done, getting antiques and such on Facebook Marketplace, and buying a MINI Copper is justified, yet the cost sidewalk upkeep seems out of reach. (There's an unwritten Republican common criticism joke somewhere in there that people would be able to afford everything if they stopped drinking coffee.) Massive amounts must be spent on the multitudes of medical tests mentioned (it's America, after all), but paying for sidewalk upkeep is complained about instead of a plea for universal healthcare. 🤷🏽‍♂️

There's a lot about pot gummies. And the suggestion that taking them creates "superwomen." There are a lot of drugs, prescription and not, mentioned in this. 

I've never made a guest list of people who I hope will be jealous. I have no idea where in Atlantic City the nearest restaurant would be a golf course a mile away. I've been down there several times and found many places to eat. The year isn't mentioned thou, so perhaps many have since closed? I also cannot imagine pretending to be dead so my spouse is ready to find me like that, and honestly it sounds closer to a warning sign of potential intended self-harm. 

I did enjoy this part:
"Everyone thinks they know the best way to live, think, and be... when generally they have no clue about anyone else's life that they are judging, be it through humor or not." The quote is attributed to "Aryana F," in response to the trolling.

The author seems to really need to be seen, to get attention. When not getting that, theft, conflict instigation, and other antics ensue. I would not recommend this book to any person of color, as simply having gray hair is unlikely to create an invisibility for you to be able to steal. I cannot imagine an America where a police officer would ignore a POC due to age, and allow them to steal something like potatoes. 👮🥔🚓 I actually had a strong feeling the author was white before reading her say "a satire of white privilege" was one of her stories. 

Of all of the books on my TBR, I wish I hadn't flicked this one open. I nearly DNF multiple times. I am guilty of having judged a book by the cover, as it was the part I enjoyed the most. I finished hoping there would be something I'd find funny at some point. I was looking to feel uplifted. I was disappointed. 

My heart does go out to the elderly dog. And I can identify with having friend group members who have died. 

One star for the cover, one star because it's well-edited, and one star for the dog (who survived the book) makes a total of THREE. 

#BoutOfBooks 35 Readathon Wrap Up

Last Instagram Challenge:

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Total number of finished books: 5
Titles of finished books:
Write Better Right Now: The Reluctant Writer’s Guide to Confident Communication and Self-Assured Style by Mary-Kate Mackey
Small! by Hannah Moffatt @MissDePlume
White Lies by Sara de Waard @deWaardSara

Interestingly, a common theme among those books was unjustified self-blame. (Not writing enough, parents divorcing, a death.)

Kristy and the Snobs: A Graphic Novel (The Baby-sitters Club #10) (The Baby-Sitters Club Graphix) by Ann M. Martin
Good-bye Stacey, Good-bye: A Graphic Novel (The Baby-sitters Club #11) by Ann M. Martin

My GOALS during Bout of Books 35:

1. Finish reading 3 books ✔
2. Take part in the IG challenges ✔
3. Write 3 book reviews ✔
4. Interact with at least 10 of my fellow BoB participants ✔
5. Take part in at least one Twitter chat ✔

#WEP #NativeAmerican #ShortStory and #BoutOfBooks Day 3

writeeditpublishnow.blogspot.com


The following is 😉fictionalized.
This is about a teen reuniting with his biological parents, and discovering the challenges of reproducing. (Tag)
Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

If it were real, the reunion would have probably occurred on May 15, 1994.
The Moonlight Sonata is full of ups and downs, as is this piece, which takes place under the moonlight.
999 Words FCA

• A Dakota fire hole has two holes in the ground connected by a tunnel. 🔥 The fire is in one hole, and smoke filters out the other. This contains the blaze and makes it more difficult to see from a distance.
• The paperwork person referenced was a social worker.
• The American Indian Religious Freedom Act was passed in August 1978. The Indian Child Welfare Act was passed in November 1978. Both of those events are after the first pregnancy in the story.

The Reunion

Though he hasn't seen his parents since he was preschool age, over a decade ago, recognition is instantaneous. The three hug and cry from early to late twilight. Father lights the Dakota fire hole. Mother prepares pine tea. He sits on a large, flat stone on the lush forest floor. It feels familiar, as though he had sat on this spot a thousand times before.

"We come this way each year after the flowers start to bloom. Some years, when summer is too disagreeable, we head to the cabin where you were born," Father says as he checks the fire.

The teen boy has millions of questions. How much time will there be to get answers? He looks from the hidden fire to the moonlight. The Waxing Crescent offers some light in the night sky. He scribbles a question in his notebook. 

"Hmm," Father contemplates after reading the question. "We are not concerned with calendars or clocks. Nature cares little for man's time trackers. The moon was brighter than this the night before you were born, though not entirely full. Summer had turned to her hottest days."

"I confess I prayed you would be born to ease my discomfort. Though I also hoped you would wait. An infant that cannot be cooled is difficult to silence."

His mother's remark makes him chuckle, for dysarthria from severely damaged laryngeal muscles has rendered him mute. Hot summer days meant his real birthday probably was in August. The paperwork person might have picked well when she guessed. He writes another question.

Mother tends to the tea brewing on the heated rocks. "Our grandparents were friends. My grandfather brought your father to our family's farm."

"I had traveled with my father's uncle for some time before that. He was the one you encountered last time you searched for us."

The boy smiles. He had been so glad to find an uncle. The elder passed on vast knowledge in the months they spent together. 

"My parents hoped I would marry a different boy. Your father encouraged me to marry another."

"I loved her and wanted the easier life that a pale husband could provide."

Mother reaches for Father's hand and kisses it. "Love is not about an easy life. We wed, and soon I was with child."

Father squeezes her hand. "I was joyful and terrified. There was no guarantee the community would protect our child. I knew there was a better chance they would be safe if I left. While praying on it in the woods, I encountered another from our tribe. He told me the pales were harming our women in childbirth, taking motherhood from them. They take and raise the baby without love or guidance. Born as a villain, raised like a slave, then abandoned to harshness and early graves."

"Terror for our family gripped my soul," Mother says as she pulls a fur around her shoulder. "What were we to do? How could we stay safe?"

"There was time, though not much, before winter set in and her stomach would plump. So I learned all that I could. A midwife gave me lessons, books showed me what to watch for, and her mother imparted wisdom. We carried little with us and moved away from the world." Father opens a pouch filled with dried meat. He passes it around before eating some. 

"Winter was too cruel. And we did not plan early or well enough. It was around this time, when the flowers first bloom, that our child came too soon and without life."

Mother stares at her jerky. The new leaves rustle with the soft breeze. "It took time, but I still wanted a child. We got better at living in the wilderness."

"I negotiated and traded with certain hunters, fishers, and farmers. I helped one build a cabin in exchange for occasional use."

The boy nodded. He remembered the cabin a bit. 

"It was not long after a pumpkin feast that I realized you were inside me." Mother distributes the pine tea. The boy is glad he brought a cup on his journey. "We stayed in the cabin much longer than usual. I was determined that you would live."

"We did all we could to keep you with us. I taught you survival skills from the moment you took your first steps. You learned so fast," Father claps his hands. "You made us proud every day."

Tears roll down the boy's face. He shakes as he writes an apology for wandering off, being taken, and not finding them sooner. His parents embrace him and assure him that the blame is not his. Mother wraps him in her fur as her tears mingle with his.

"We tried to find you. There was very little help," Father stares at the fire.

~~~

Sunlight breaks through the lowest branches before the boy asks his biggest question. His parents frown.

"No, son, your mother and I cannot go with you. Our home is here, among the trees. This is the safest place. You are welcome to stay with us. We have helped many in situations such as ours. This is our path in the world."

The boy explains his medical needs and asks how he could survive without modern care. He writes that laws have changed, that it's safe now.

"Nothing we have can do what you ask. How well you would live, I cannot say. Never trust pales to keep their word regarding your safety. They think death is our only use. Pox blankets may change form, but continue to exist."

He pleads for them to come back with him. To not leave him with strangers for years to come. Mother gives him an address and a note. 

"This woman of science lives near the farm our family had. She openly shares knowledge and compassion. The note requests she houses and cares for you. We will return to this spot again. Soon after the flowers bloom each year. Meet us, if you can."

---

The boy's actual birthday is probably early August. The paperwork person picked August 21 because that was the day she filled out the form and the boy did not give her a different answer.

Feel free to wish the author, me, 🎈 a happy birthday. 🎂 Legally, it's this weekend. 

If you look at my post from Monday, you'll see the book I used to plot this writing offering. I don't normally plot, but this did help me decide how to tell the story.

The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) helps Native American children stay with their tribe.
The Dad in the story is right. There's a new ""pox blanket"" intent on taking away rights of Native Americans.
The ICWA is in danger of being defeated. Registered US voters can help by signing a petition.
https://resist.bot/petitions/PCCPGW
You can also contact your elected officials by other means about the matter.

---

Today's Instagram Challenge:
Today's prompt is AUTO-BUY AUTHOR. Who's your "auto" author? Whose book do you auto-buy or auto-request from the library?
#boutofbooks #boutofbooks35 #bobigphoto
Victoria Aveyard ~ https://amzn.to/3pswYuZ
#Fantasy #SpeculativeFiction #FutureFantasy


Day of the challenge: Day 3
What I read today:
Small! by Hannah Moffatt @MissDePlume

Total number of finished books: 1
Titles of finished books:
Write Better Right Now: The Reluctant Writer’s Guide to Confident Communication and Self-Assured Style by Mary-Kate Mackey

My GOALS during Bout of Books 35:

1. Finish reading 3 books
2. Take part in the IG challenges
3. Write 3 book reviews
4. Interact with at least 10 of my fellow BoB participants
5. Take part in at least one Twitter chat ✔

---

Happening at OperationAwesome6.blogspot.com
Stacy Stokes answers #13Questions in OA's Debut Author Spotlight #giveaway
Teen & Young Adult Magical Realism Thiller
Your chance to win a signed copy. (USA only)
https://operationawesome6.blogspot.com/2022/08/stacy-stokes-answers-13questions-in-oas.html

---

• Did you enjoy the short story?
• Did your parents fear you would be kidnapped by the government at birth?
• If you are a parent, did you fear your baby would be taken away at birth?
• Were you born a villain? Hated for your bloodline?
• Did you consider looking at the ICWA petition to protect Native American families?
• How do you celebrate your birthday, if you acknowledge it?
• Have you read any of Victoria Aveyard's books?
• Ever taken part in a read-a-thon?
• Have you ever heard of storygraph.com? 
• Did you check out the signed-book giveaway?

#BoutOfBooks 35 Day 1 - Writing Reference Book

BboutOfBooks.Blogspot.Com
I'm participating in #BoutOfBooks 35 starting August 15. The Bout of Books readathon is organized by Amanda Shofner and Kelly Rubidoux Apple.

How many times have I participated in Bout of Books? 

1. May 2015
2. Aug 2015
3. Jan 2016
4. May 2016
5. Aug 2016
6. Jan 2017
7. May 2017
8. Aug 2017
9. Jan 2018
10. May 2018
11. Aug 2018
12. Jan 2019
13. May 2019
14. Aug 2019
15. May 2020
16. Aug 2021
17. Aug 2022 

Please visit me on Goodreads to see what I've read during past BoB readathons!

Write Better Right Now: The Reluctant Writer’s Guide to Confident Communication and Self-Assured Style by Mary-Kate Mackey

I picked this book because I haven't been as focused on my writing goals lately as I'd like to be. In addition to reading and reviewing, this book has activities. So, as personal accountability, here's my "work."

Pg 20: Create an ideal reader. Give them a name and identity. 

dcode.fr/anagram-generator Using my top 15 commenters, I created an anagram and antonym name:

ANTOINETTE MADELAINE BLUE-ARIDITY 👩

and her brother

BRAXTON CLEM 👨

(and their cat, Lil 🐈 ).

The Blue-Aridity siblings love reading, blogging, attending stand-up comedy nights, and playing games. Antoinette enjoys hiking and swimming. Braxton likes cooking, learning obscure facts, and caring for his sister and cat. Antoinette has dated a few guys, but none she ever considered to be "mister right." Braxton is pansexual and had a serious relationship with a trans person, but they passed away from a rare disorder. Antoinette has worked some office jobs and is currently employed with a landscaping business where she is sometimes in the office but also helps with flower garden design. Braxton works as a dishwasher at a big restaurant while he attends community college to study culinary arts. Lil likes wet food of the fish varieties and refuses to hunt small animals. She's pretty affectionate, for a cat. 

Antoinette reads books to escape to a world of love and adventure. Braxton enjoys some romance in his books, but especially likes when there's humor included, and absolutely loves when a book teaches him an obscure fact or inspires him to cook something. Both siblings like it when the main characters have a pet (one who lives, preferably) in a novel. 

~~~~

My writing provides entertainment and often contains bits of romance, obscure facts, and humor. Pets do appear in longer stories. I like to slip in the characters' favorite foods to reveal something about them and appeal to the reader's sense of taste. 

~~~~

Pages 49-51

It's pretty clear that this book is meant for non-fiction. But I've committed to doing the work, so I'll just do my best here.

In my blog post about bout of books, I am saying that I am committed to making this readathon count.

In my book (Writing Book Reviews As An Author: Inspiration To Make It Easier) about writing book reviews, I am saying that there is a checklist to make book reviews quick and easy to write, fun to read, and with minimal risk of hurting an author's feelings.

In my book (Fractions of Existence) about urban fantasy characters who appear human, I am saying that they are trying to save human life on Earth from antagonists who believe Earth is a prison for souls, but the protagonist group has no chance of winning while the group is fractured. 

Page 69, Scar or Tattoo, is an exercise useful to fiction and nonfiction writers. Pick a mark on your body, list facts about it (how and when, etc), and then create an order for the story. Then try the story in a different order.

~~~~

Pages 84-85

This part is the Hero's Journey story arc, which is useful in fiction. For this exercise, I'm told to plot a story. As my WEP post is due this week, I'm going to use that. As it requires a drawing, I'll be placing an image here.

As WEP is only 1000 words, I may need to cut the story down to just steps 7, 8, and 9. The rest can maybe be flashbacks.

~~~~

The part about interviews gave me a few new questions to use for the Operation Awesome Debut Author Spotlight next year. 

~~~~

Pages 109-110

My WEP as an inverted pyramid, with the information from most important to least.

Parents found a way to keep their baby and protect their family.

It was a time when the law stole babies and sterilized women.

A choice had to be made to risk staying in society or being homeless and off-grid. 

Food and shelter are much more difficult to get when off-grid, especially while evading authorities. 

Pregnancy is scarier and more difficult with no medical care.

Mastering living away from a society that wants you dead makes the idea of returning nearly impossible.

~~~~

Page 125 Personal  Essay

(The book discusses sensory details. It leaves out scents or smells, as well as sight or visuals. It does separate touch and feel though. And includes time.)

To include:

A teenager finds his birth parents in the forest under a full moon. 

Sounds: Animals settling in, the wind rustling the new leaves, 

Tastes: Dried meat, pine tea

Touch: Familiar large, flat stones to sit on. 

Scents: Clean air, earth, light smoke, 

Sights: The light from the night sky and the Dakota fire hole

Feelings: Wonderment, gratitude, guilt, worry, love

Time: Night to Morning

Open with Certainty: The teen believes his parents could rejoin society with him. 

Confusion/ Chaos: In telling him about his birth, they reveal why they won't rejoin society. 

Shift: He realizes that, as much as he wants his real family, he must choose between them or the modern medicine and lifestyle.

~~~~

Page 125 Editing

In my flash "fiction" about this teen and his biological parents, I am saying that it was harder for Native Americans to feel safe reproducing. 

It is being told because enough people don't understand or fully grasp what it means to be so hated by society that even the law once suggested death was the only use for your life. 

“‘The only good Indian is a dead Indian,’ Mr. Scott said.” -- Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House on the Prairie

It connects the reader to the greater world because most readers probably have never specifically thought about it.

The point is that it's a heartbreaking truth.

In a word, this is about: love. 

The best illustration of that is the parents leaving a more comfortable life, sacrificing basic needs (shelter, stable food sources, a stable water supply, community, etc) to protect their offspring and each other.

~~~~

Page 152 has a good list of words to search a document for when looking to tighten up verbs to strengthen sentences. 

Page 158 suggests counting the words in each paragraph. Hemingwayapp.com can do that for you for free.

Page 165 Put first and last paragraph sentences down, and see if they communicate well enough. 

Page 194 suggests reading the work from the last sentence to the first. Then read it out loud.

Page 206 requires creating a writing group.

#boutofbooks 32 wrap-up and #bookreview Chasing the Taillights by Kate Larkindale @Vampyr14

REVIEW

I found this book to be very enjoyable and packed with emotion. The ending is absolutely beautiful, full of peace and hope. There's a richness in the characters that makes them feel real. Lucy is a teenager, her brother Tony is a young man in college-- the book switches between their point of views with Tony being odd chapters and Lucy even ones. It's interesting within its genre because of what Lucy experiences. Also, while there are LGBTQIA+ books with characters who know themselves, this one has a character who is discovering his preferences and his feelings about them. ("Questioning.") I bought this book on sale at Amazon. I know this author from Operation Awesome. My review is honest with unbiased opinions. I recommend this book to fans of YA and New Adult who are looking for a clean read. (There is drinking and minor drug references, but intimate scenes are "fade to black.") Also a good read if you've been through a loss, are questioning your attraction preferences, love music, or love high-diving. 

I don't read a lot of drama books, but I was drawn in by the "back cover" description of Tony's character. As far as I can tell by Google, Sartre's Suitcase is a fictional band (mentioned in the story-- other bands mentioned are real, and many of the CDs are ones I've listened to also). 

Excerpts I especially enjoyed:

It's music to wrap yourself in during your most vulnerable moments. 

It's a permanent void I can only hope will grow smaller and less painful. (The paragraph is about grief. It's a strong truth and wonderfully well-written.)

There's also a moment in Chapter Nineteen with Tony assuming a doctor to be a he, and Lucy correcting him that the doctor is a she -- that part made me laugh.

The end of chapter four made me cry. I've lost too many people in the last 24 months. So this book, where these two young people are experiencing such grief, it really grabbed those emotions I've been experiencing lately. And chapter nine, gees Kate, I think your book should be bundled with a box of tissues!

I read the whole book because I had a feeling about what Lucy wasn't remembering, and I was mostly right. I would read something from this author again. (Two of her books are on my wishlist, in fact.) 

Tony has dark blue eyes like his father, dark hair like his mother, and is tall. Lucy has blonde hair like her dad, dark coffee-bean eyes like her mother, skim milk skin, and is very thin "all bones." Kim, Lucy's best friend at the start of the book, is Korean. 

Some ways to describe this book are tragedy, realistic fiction, tear-jerker, fast-paced, inspirational, meaningful, and excellent characters.  The title is used in a paragraph (page 26 in my Kindle). It felt well-edited to me. The best setting in the book is the beach. Tony's goals start with his future as a professional diver and getting a degree in medicine, goals that are about him, but evolve to goals about being closer to his sister and Jake, goals that are about his relationships. Lucy's goals revolve around music, and the obstacles in her path reflect that in ways that aren't totally clear until the very end. It reminded me a little of the 90s tv show "Party of Five," but with only two siblings.

Coach McGinley, like all too many real coaches, believes that everyone is a female, as he calls his male dive team "ladies." (I've known such coaches, and have gotten suspended for not answering to the intentional misgender.)

Society could benefit by using this book as a jumping-off point for a discussion about straight, gay/lesbian, bi, pan, etc. Does being in love with just one person (m/m or f/f) automatically make you a gay/lesbian? Or, if also being attracted to others (m/f) mean you're bi? The book only lightly touches on the question. But it would be an excellent way to open a discussion. 

The Bechdel test would note that Lucy does talk to another named female character, and the discussion is focused on music. 

Chasing the Taillights by Kate Larkindale
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/ZRW0Y5LGHMN9?ref_=wl_share My Amazon wishlist (mentioned in the review).
Amazon actually let me post a review! I must have finally given them enough money again. 🙄

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Thanks to the 40 or so people who wished me a happy birthday yesterday. Technically, I don't know when my "real" birthday was, other than a hot summer day. August 21 was the day I was added to "the system," so they just used that date, and took an educated guess at the year and my age. It's a dark and complicated story that I'm not getting into here.

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A1. #boutofbooks
I'm J (he/him or they/them).https://t.co/fMKNtG1D1Khttps://t.co/nLPP0o96k9https://t.co/hTnxDGTHvQhttps://t.co/7AYKTAJPBi & https://t.co/uX8vEbpXwA

And Twitter, obviously.

— J Lenni Dorner (@JLenniDorner) August 23, 2021

A2. #BoutOfBooks
I didn't think I'd be facing another someone I know in the hospital this week...
At which point I didn't think I'd get to finish reading the book I started.
But here I am, book read, review written, and (hospitalized person recovering well). 🎉

— J Lenni Dorner (@JLenniDorner) August 23, 2021

A3. #BoutOfBooks
Fractions of Existence https://t.co/2NOVVwBmVi (I'm my fav author) #urbanfantasy

The Name of the Wind https://t.co/3yOsedQ0ET #fantasy @patrickrothfuss

Not Guilty https://t.co/nwYVNeUX7M @cleemckenzie #ya

"101" https://t.co/zHSU2L3qOS #humor @LGKeltner

— J Lenni Dorner (@JLenniDorner) August 23, 2021

A4. #BoutOfBooks
I'm ready for books, especially MG/ YA, with MC dealing with the pandemic. The mask and vaccine debate, missing school, grief over knowing one or more of the deaths from it...

& #urbanfantasy supernatural MC who is not vamp, shifter, dragon, detective.🧛🏾🐺🐉🕵️🏾

— J Lenni Dorner (@JLenniDorner) August 23, 2021

A5. #BoutOfBooks
Fragile Remedy https://t.co/v3ARnnAvnL @MariaMelee
"boy-loves-boy dystopian fantasy"
LGBTQ+ Science Fiction

— J Lenni Dorner (@JLenniDorner) August 23, 2021

A6. Did you know that I interview debut authors at @OpAwesome6 ?
Did you know that I descend from the Lenni-Lenape tribe?
Did you know that I had/have an entertainment job where I'm in full costume cheering up sick kids? #BoutOfBooks

— J Lenni Dorner (@JLenniDorner) August 23, 2021

A8: #BoutOfBooks
Keep it fun for yourself. Low stress.
You can always catch up on chats and stuff!

Also, try to make some book-loving friends during the events. Connect with fellow readers using likes -- maybe even comments! 😲🙂❤️

And #Reviews matter! #BookReview

— J Lenni Dorner (@JLenniDorner) August 23, 2021

That should have been A7. 🤦🏽‍♂️

#BoutOfBooks 33 starts January 3. You should join us! Find more dates here: https://t.co/e3hbnAI0aU

— Bout of Books (@boutofbooks) August 22, 2021

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Book bought during Bout of Books:

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Total number of finished books: 3
Titles of finished books:
Twenties in Your Pocket: A twenty-something’s guide to money management by Kate Nixon Anania
Old School Discipline by Misha Horne (adult content)
Chasing the Taillights by Kate Larkindale

Goodreads shelf of these three books.

#boutofbooks 32 Day 1 and #moviereview

Though I was never given the chance to interview Angie Thomas, several of the debut authors I have interviewed listed The Hate U Give as a favorite book or as a #WeNeedDiverseBooks recommendation.
I haven't read it yet. 😔
But I was at a friend's house today, and the movie is on Hulu, so we watched it.
I found it to be an incredibly powerful movie. Difficult to watch at some points, but in a good and necessary way. It has a lot to teach everyone. 
I never listened to Tupac's music (well, I probably heard it playing, but I mean I never went out and bought a CD or downloaded an mp3). I never knew that's what THUGLIFE meant. (The Hate U Give Little Infants "Effs" Everybody -- Link to NYT article explaining the occasional substitution for the F word.)
There were several scenes in the movie with which I could identify. 
Hailey not understanding, not getting it... I know a lot of "Hailey" people. 

~

"What are you gonna do, scalp me?" 
Maybe I am a Hailey sometimes? Because I've experienced hate and violence, but not so much the "our skin is a weapon" fear (not in youth, anyway). 🤷🏽‍♂️ I remember bullies assuming I couldn't defeat them (because I was trying not to fight, to not get kicked out again). That does NOT work. Letting them beat you to a three-day hospitalization without fighting back still results in expulsion for fighting. Just taking the beating doesn't grant you a pass. Not in youth. Maybe in adulthood IF it's caught on film and a jury is feeling a certain tolerance that day. So in some ways, I feel like I understand, but maybe there's a bit of Hailey in me that doesn't. I've never seen a protest like the one at the end of the movie for a Native American. Actually, I've never seen that many Native Americans at one place at one time.
(I've never lived on a reservation. The main Lenni-Lenape reservation is in Oklahoma. Population 11,195 as of 2010. My ancestors did not leave with the others. My great-grandfather was the first "human" and thus free person from that part of my bloodline. But freedom is more fickle than you might think.) 

Onward to books!

I'm participating in #BoutOfBooks 32 starting August 16th. Join me! (You were going to read anyway, right?!?!) https://t.co/b8mTfFdBgb #readathon #rat https://t.co/AF1KJeF4kB

— J Lenni Dorner (@JLenniDorner) August 17, 2021

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🤦🏾 That's supposed to be A1.
Come on J, get it together...

— J Lenni Dorner (@JLenniDorner) August 17, 2021

A2 #BoutOfBooks
eastern Pennsylvania
This is at least readathon 15 with Bout of Books for me.

— J Lenni Dorner (@JLenniDorner) August 17, 2021

A3 #BoutOfBooks
I always recommend Fractions of Existence 😉 https://t.co/1wcTjJqSgS

Name of the Wind (Rothfuss), Red Queen (Aveyard)https://t.co/Fo6EN8ggcz
I have a favorites list on Goodreads.

Fantasy/ Speculative Fiction is my favorite.

— J Lenni Dorner (@JLenniDorner) August 17, 2021

A4 #BoutOfBooks
Kate Larkindale's CHASING THE TAILLIGHTShttps://t.co/ITOp56ZOzT @Vampyr14
Teen & Young Adult LGBTQ+ Romance

I bought it in April and have been meaning to read it since.

(People who know me know how messed up my summer has been. I'm behind on reading.)

— J Lenni Dorner (@JLenniDorner) August 17, 2021

A5 #BoutOfBooks
I'm in search of books with
diversity, cats, dragons, deities hidden among people (prefer not Greek/Roman/Egyptian) in urban fantasy, positive light Native American - especially Lenni Lenape- stories,
and coping with pandemic stress (fiction or non-fic)

— J Lenni Dorner (@JLenniDorner) August 17, 2021

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Review

Twenties in Your Pocket: A twenty-something’s guide to money management by Kate Nixon Anania



A fast-paced informative book. It's aimed mostly at new adult females, though it can benefit anyone who is getting started on basic money management.
A friend of mine got this as a gift, so I thumbed through his copy. It includes the hotline for domestic abuse, because there's such thing as "financial abuse" where a bad partner can use money to prevent someone from becoming safe.
I've read a few books on finance over the years. This is the simplest and most clear, best for most people. It does talk about credit scores, but it does not mention that your score can vary by 20 to 100 points based on who pulls it. (In the same day, you could buy it, a car dealer could pull it, and your bank could pull it -- and all three be vastly different!)
I didn't personally learn anything new, but I have more financial knowledge than the target audience. I will say it would be a good graduation gift, in my opinion. It would also be good for new citizens of the United States, as it explains how many money things work here.

There are some ways to earn money listed, such as compound interest and pet-sitting. There are other books more suited to earning money, this one is more a beginner's guide to how finance works. So the subtitle makes sense, but the main title (Twenties in Your Pocket) is more to catch attention.
It was well-edited. The language is aimed at young people.

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Day of the challenge: Day 1
What I read today:
Twenties in Your Pocket: A twenty-something’s guide to money management by Kate Nixon Anania
Old School Discipline by Misha Horne (adult content)

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Total number of finished books: 2
Titles of finished books:
Twenties in Your Pocket: A twenty-something’s guide to money management by Kate Nixon Anania
Old School Discipline by Misha Horne (adult content)