Banned Books Week {book lists}

Happy Banned Books Week!  

It's a week where we celebrate the freedom to read.  It's a week to be aware that books are challenged and asked to removed from the shelf. 

"Yes, books are dangerous. They should be dangerous - they contain ideas." Pete Hautman 

 All of the books on these lists have been challenged or banned from school or public libraries.  Their reasons vary, but are usually as a result of the author's personal actions or beliefs or the content in the book.

"If all printers were determined not to print anything till they were sure it would offend nobody, there would be very little printed." Benjamin Franklin 

Librarians across the world strive to keep books on the shelves.  Librarians strive to avoid censoring books; we believe parents and the individual can make the choice for himself, herself, or for one's own children. 

"Censorship, like charity, should begin at home; but unlike charity, it should end there." Clare Booth Luce

Banning books inhibits free speech.  Books have power to teach, inspire, unite, and honestly change the world.  Books have power.  Let's not limit that power by censoring books for everyone. 

"Banning books is just another form of bullying.  It's all about fear and an assumption of power.  The key is to address the fear and deny the power." James Howe

I'm a banned book reader. Are you?  Join the Rebellion, and support the freedom of speech; the freedom to read.  

"To forbid us anything is to make us have a mind for it." Michel de Montaigne

Hopefully, some of these book lists will entice you to pick up a book. 

You must check out the most Ridiculous Reasons Books are Banned in this list.  

These books were all Banned For Being Too Religious or offending a certain religious group. 

Books that are powerful, impactful, or have Too Much aka Too Good are Banned. 

Books for the young and old are banned for all types of reasons. 

The Kid's Banned Books List always surprises everyone.  I'm assuming b/c the list is full of books they read and loved. 

The YA and Adult Banned Book list is full of classics.  A lot of the classics are banned... interesting huh?

Let's see how much of a rebel you are.  How many banned books have you read?

Join the Rebellion. Read a Banned Book! 

Ghost Boy gets 4 Stars {nonfiction, biography, memoir, adult, inspiring}

When I began this book, I had no idea what this book was about.  I picked it up b/c it was an upcoming Book Club book; that is one reason I love Book Club.  Sure the conversation is great and the food is fun, but I love the fact that I get to read books I normally wouldn't have picked up.  

I had no idea this book was going to be so thought provoking.  I had no idea I was going to be so shocked by how people treated Martin.  I had no idea the abuse Martin went through.  I had no idea someone could go through so much and still come out on top and even happy.

Ghost Boy: My Miraculous Escape from a Life Locked Inside My Own Body by Martin Pistorius gets 4 out of 5 stars in my review of this adult memoir.  The book is inspiring. Martin's story is inspiring and eye-opening.  I had no idea a 12 year old boy that complained of a sore throat could suddenly stop moving and talking and appear in a vegetative state.  I had no idea people abused, physical and sexual, the vulnerable (aka those that can't talk or don't seem to have a high IQ).  

The abuse was disturbing, but all of the challenges Martin overcame were inspiring.  I was amazed Martin was able to communicate and even hold a job when at one point he couldn't move any part of his body.  Though, love is what I found to be most amazing.  I love that Martin overcame his fears of love; he loved and let someone love him completely for who he is.  

A couple aspects I thought could've been better were the ramblings and skipping around which made figuring out the timeline difficult.  I also felt the development of secondary characters, like his parents, lacking and it could've added to the power of the story.  

Ghost Boy is a great book, and I'm sure it'll provide a lot of great discussion at Book Club.  Though, I'm needed a lighter book to balance out all of these emotions.  

Happy Inspiring, Emotional, and Thought Provoking Book Reading!  

Ghost Boy: My Miraculous Escape from a Life Locked Inside My Own Body by Martin Pistorius
Rating: 4/5 stars
Best For: 18+, adults  
Clean Read: No, language, sexual abuse, and physical abuse.  
Worth a Check Out: Yes, it's Inspiring and sad all at the same time.
Buy It or Not: No. 
Book Club Discussion: Would you react more like Martin's mom or dad with his diagnosis?  What part of Martin's story is most inspiring/impressive? Were you glad you read this book, or did it skew you a bit? What is Martin's most admirable quality in your opinion? Was there anything in the story that most surprised you?  What do you think motivated Martin to share his story?   


Did you read Ghost Boy?  What did you think? 

A few quotes I loved from Ghost Boy: 

“I’d been put into a box long before, after all. Each of us has. Are you the “difficult” child or the “histrionic” lover, the “argumentative” sibling or the “long-suffering” spouse? Boxes make us easier to understand, but they also imprison us because people don’t see past them.”

“God and I didn’t talk about the big things in life—we didn’t engage in philosophical debates or argue about religion—but I talked to Him endlessly because I knew we shared something important. I didn’t have proof that He existed, but I believed in Him anyway because I knew He was real. God did the same for me. Unlike people, He didn’t need proof that I existed—He knew I did.”

“Dreams can be any size you want them to be. But the important thing is that you have one that is yours.” 

“None of us knows what we can bear until we’re asked.” 

"I've lived my whole life as a burden, she makes me feel weightless." 

"Life can't be experienced at arms length, it must be lived." 

"Life is about shades of gray; it isn't black and white." 


As you can tell from the number of quotes I have that this book was inspiring and thought provoking. As always, I'd love to hear what you thought. 

Lighter than My Shadow gets 3.5 Stars {ya lit, graphic novel}

Lighter than My Shadow by Katie Green is a young adult/teen memoir in graphic novel format.  This fast/quick read is perfect for reluctant readers, and anyone that has struggled with an eating disorder and/or sexual abuse.  

This book is heavy and talks about many tough subjects including the pain, frustration, and recovery from those subjects.  However, this tough heavy book is quite well done.  Overall, Lighter than My Shadow felt real and raw; it was hard to read at times, but it was also enlightening and encouraging. 

Lighter than My Shadow gets 3.5 out of 5 stars in my book review.  I think the artistic vision is great, and telling this story in graphic novel format was a great choice.  However, I sometimes found myself confused with the pictures and what exactly was going on.  This book is definitely not clean as there are drawings of Katie naked and drawings of the sexual abuse.   

I will say that this book is not one I am going to own, and I don't think it is one most people are going to buy.  However, there is a definite place for it in a school or public library collection.  Lighter than My Shadow has value, and it should be accessible for all those that need it.  Anyone looking for a help and hope with anorexia, eating disorder, recovery, and sexual abuse should definitely pick this book up.  It's a beautiful and valuable book; though, it is definitely not a book for everyone. 
  

Happy reading even if it is an incredibly difficult subject. 


Lighter than My Shadow by Katie Green
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Best For: 14 years old and up, 9th grade and up. 
Clean Read: No. Not clean at all, though in context with this tough subject.
Worth a Check Out: No, unless you want a great perspective on mental illness, eating disorder, and sexual assault.
Buy It or Not: No.
Read Aloud: No.
Lesson Ideas: Anorexia, eating disorder, mental illness, depression, sexual assault, sexual abuse, recovery, perspective. 


I received this book from Myrick Marketing in exchange for my review and honest opinion.  All of my thoughts, opinions, and words are my own.

The Magnolia Story gets 5 Stars {nonfiction, memoir, audiobook}

Read this book and maybe listen to the audiobook as well.  I loved The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines.  I found myself not only inspired while reading it, but also laughing in tears hearing Chip and Joanna tell the stories of Chips early parenting days or is crazy purchases, or how they started dating.  Seriously hilarious! 

Speaking of the audiobook.  I absolutely love when authors read the book, but having Chip and Joanna read this book was even better since it is their memoir and their story.  So, definitely Overdrive (connected through your library) or checkout the audiobook;  you'll love it. Even if you have read the book.  Trust me.  

I give The Magnolia Story 5 out of 5 stars.  If you are looking for a book that tells the story of Fixer Upper and the ins and outs of the show, then this is not the book you are looking for. This book isn't about the show.  This book is about Chip and Joanna's story.  This book is about how Magnolia Homes and Magnolia Farms and how they picked magnolia in the first place.  This book is about how they came to be and how/why they are the grateful, God loving people they are.  This book is their story in a funny, loving, inspiring, uplifting, page turner way. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and by the amount of things I told my husband he basically read it as well. 

Here are a handful of the quotes that I really liked in The Magnolia Story. 

"Comfort is what you do when you retire." Chip said about not getting too comfortable but about pushing yourself. 

"With change comes new opportunity." That's how Joanna looked at any situation when Chip bought a new house, even a crazy not working boat house. 

"Be intentional." Be intentional about your design and your choices. 

"Live wholly and intentionally for those closest to me."  

"Pray. Pray together." 

"Notice the miracles. God knows what we need more than we do." 

"There are seasons, embrace them." 

"Things get good when you're down in the mess. Get in!" 

"Life is found in the glass of spilled milk." Such a great way to look at the not so pleasant times. 

"Choose contentment and thankfulness now." 

"Be thankful and find joy!" 

"Know that God has been from the beginning, and he will be there to the end. His plan is far bigger and better than we could imagine, so pray, live intentionally, and enjoy the spilled milk." 

All in all, this is a great book that makes me want to be more creative and inspires me to reach my goals and have God help me on the way.

PS- I seriously cannot believe what Chip did with their eldest child not once, but three times. 

What did you think of The Magnolia Story? Did you love it as much as I did?  If you haven't read it, are you going to give it a listen/read?
   
Happy Uplifting Hilarious Memoir Reading!


The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines
Rating: 5/5 stars
Best For: adults and fans of the HGTV show Fixer Upper
Worth a Check Out: Yes! Definitely check out the audiobook b/c Chip and Joanna read it.
Buy It or Not: If you love the show buy it; though I was completely content with a check-out.
Read Aloud: Not really, unless you and your spouse read it aloud to each other.
Lesson Ideas: So many life lessons, it'd be a fun book club book to discuss. Not really a classroom lesson book. 

March Book Two gets 4.5 Stars {Graphic Novel} {Autobriography/Memoir}

I was lucky enough to get March Book Two by John Lewis from Myrick Marketing in exchange for my honest review.  I really loved March Book One, and I even gave it a rare 5 Star Review.  The third book in the trilogy, March Book Three, just came out in August of this year.  I can't wait to read that one.

I have learned more about the Civil Rights movement from this graphic novel series than I recall learning from my high school history classes.  Now, to be fair to my hs teachers, they probably taught a ton about the Civil Rights, but history class was never a favorite of mine. 

March Book Two gets 4.5 out of 5 Stars in my review.  It's a great book, a fast read, perfect for history lovers and reluctant readers.  I loved the information, perspective, and the feel of the book.  March Book Two definitely had a darker tone with more angst than March Book One, but the Civil Rights was heating up more, and there was more conflict throughout the book.

I found myself saying, "Wow!" several times throughout this book. I was shocked by the history and how people treated black people.  I was amazed by the bravery and the sacrifice of those who stayed non-violent throughout the movement.  I have new appreciation for how relentless the Freedom Riders were.

I loved this quote on page 108, "The fare was paid in blood, but the Freedom Rides stirred the national consciousness and awoke the hearts and minds of a generation."  This book, and the history shared was inspiring, and it makes me want to be willing to make the change.  

I have a few details that I felt could've been improved upon.  The illustrations were great, but I was confused the first little bit with the speech bubbles that were written so small and not clear.  I eventually learned that those bubbles were for you to know that the person was talking, but you don't need to know what they were saying.  That is the first time I remember seeing that occur in a graphic novel.  Since that concept is not done often I was confused and frustrated trying to read those bubbles.  Personally, I don't think those speech bubbles added anything to the story.  I would've removed them if I were the editor.

The only other aspect of the book that I felt was less than stellar is the amount that was covered.  This book felt far more intimate and less character development compared to the first book. This second book seemed to include a lot of history and information and less characterization.  

High school History and English teachers should seriously consider including this series in their classroom studies.  Boys and girls alike as well as readers and those that don't like to read will enjoy and learn from this book series.  Book two has more violence than the first book, but it is all in context with the history.  

March Book Two is an all around great book and series.  You should most definitely go check this series out.

Amazon has the following book review from School Library Journal:

"Up-In this second volume, representative Lewis continues describing his experiences with the civil rights movement. As in the first book, Lewis attends Barack Obama's inauguration, flashing back to his life as a young man taking part in the fight that would make it possible for America to eventually elect its first black president. Lewis lays out his involvement with sit-ins and the freedom rides, as well as becoming chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and speaking at the March on Washington in 1963, where he urged the crowd to "complete the revolution." Graphic in every sense of the word, this memoir puts a human face on a struggle that many students will primarily know from textbooks. Lewis makes it clear that the movement was far from a uniform entity, with disagreements cropping up, some small, such as differing opinions about the wording in speeches, others more serious, including whether to respond to resistance passively or with violence. Visually stunning, the black-and-white illustrations convey the emotions of this turbulent time, from Lewis's fear and pain while in prison to Governor George Wallace's sneering indifference during his "Segregation forever" speech. Powell's use of light and dark is masterly, and the contrast between the joy of Obama's inauguration and the obstacles faced back in the 1960s is effective. This insider's view of the civil rights movement should be required reading for young and old; not to be missed."
    

Have you read this series yet?  I'd love to hear your thoughts. 

Are you a history nerd?  If you like history you most definitely need to go check this book out. 


Happy Autobiographical/Memoir Graphic Novel Reading! 


I received this book for Myrick Marketing in exchange for my honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are completely my own. 

Tales From the Back Row gets 4.5 Stars

Tales From the Back Row: An Outsider's View From Inside the Fashion Industry by Amy Odell is a hilarious, relatable, informative, and all around fun read for the fashion fan and even the lack of any fashion knowledge individual like myself.  

I'm not kidding when I say I have no fashion sense whatsoever.  I unfortunately have left my home (on accident but still) wearing socks and Birks, and I have never ever worn jeans with heals which is supposedly a thing stylish cool people do.  My favorite brand is Athleta, and I had no idea who Alexander Wang was before I read this book.  I am not a fashionable person, but I still thoroughly enjoyed this book and you will too.  

When Simon & Schuster contacted me asking if I'd be interested in getting my hands on and reading Amy Odell's humorous memoir like book I jumped at the opportunity.  I had heard only awesome things about it, and to be honest, it was better than I thought it was going to be..  

Tales From the Back Row gets 4.5 out of 5 Stars in my book review.  It's a fast enjoyable read for a wide audience.  This book is not just for the fashion minded, but it's for everyone that wants to succeed in life.  

I loved the witty and humorous writing and the stories from the crazy fashion world.  I learned more about the Victoria Secret Fashion Show and Fashion Week than I ever knew there was to know.  I learned that we all struggle and fail; we fail job interviews and regret things we say.  However, those failures don't mean you are done; it just means you have to keep going b/c you can still succeed.

Amy Odell is a super young cat fan with quite a Twitter and Instagram following, but she is also editor of Cosmopolitan.com now.  Forbes named her in the prestigious 30 Under 30 list aka list of people that are young and super amazing/successful.  

In her book, which writing was one of her life goals (I love when people have life goals and do them), she gives us her strategy to success.  She worked hard, very hard, and she even admits that she also got lucky.  Though, I remember many soccer coaches (hence why Athleta is my favorite clothing) telling me luck comes to those that work for it.

In her book, Odell mentions that we all do things differently.  However, whether you are looking for a wedding dress or trying to succeed in your career it's most important to stay true to yourself.  It's the only way you'll be happy, and the only way you can truly succeed     Some people are excellent self-promoters, and others are more shy and keep working and plugging along.  Don't try to be something you're not.  

This theme was helpful and a needed boost for me.  I am not your typical blogger.  I don't want to do Giveaways just to get "Followers" or "Likes."  I want people to find my blog helpful and informative.  I want them to be inspired to read a book, or get books for their kids.  I want teachers and librarians to find book lists and lessons (ideas or plans) that they can us.  I want people to have delicious, and often healthy recipes to make and enjoy.  I want people to come to my blog b/c they want to and not b/c they want to win something.  So this book just reminded me that it's okay to be me; I don't have to be and do the typical blogger thing.      

Overall, Tales From the Back Row is a great read.  I think a Millennial woman would love this book.  They'll especially relate to this book and enjoy every chapter.  The last two chapters are my favorite, including the "10 Absolutely Vital Tips for Everyone Who Wants to Work in Fashion."  However, those last 10 tips are valuable tips for anyone and everyone

Tales From the Back Row has a little language, in context, but it really isn't too bad.  It's funny, with humorous stories from Odell's life and adventures.  It's just fun. 

The only reason this book lost half a star in my book review is b/c sometimes Odell was a tad wordy.  I found myself wanting to skim some of the side stories to keep reading the main funny story.  

Amazon had the following book description: 

"Funny and fearless, Tales from the Back Row is a keenly observed collection of personal essays about what it’s really like to be a young woman working in the fashion industry.

In Tales from the Back Row, Cosmopolitan.com editor Amy Odell takes readers behind the stage of New York’s hottest fashion shows to meet the world’s most influential models, designers, celebrities, editors, and photographers.

But first, she has to push her way through the crowds outside, where we see the lengths people go to be noticed by the lurking paparazzi, and weave her way through the packed venue, from the very back row to the front. And as Amy climbs the ladder (with tips about how you can, too), she introduces an industry powered by larger-than-life characters: she meets the intimidating Anna Wintour and the surprisingly gracious Rachel Zoe, not to mention the hilarious Chelsea Handler, and more.

As she describes the allure of Alexander Wang’s ripped tights and Marchesa’s Oscar-worthy dresses, Amy artfully layers in something else: ultimately this book is about how the fashion industry is an exaggerated mirror of human fallibility—reflecting our desperate desire to belong, to make a mark, to be included. For Amy is the first to admit that as much as she is embarrassed by the thrill she gets when she receives an invitation to an exclusive after-party, she can’t help but RSVP “yes.”
Tales From the Back Row comes out next Tuesday, September 1st.  Go get it!

Happy Hilarious and Applicable Reading with a little, or a lot, fashion thrown in there!