You Should See Me in a Crown

Jul 30, 2020

You Should See Me in a Crown

⁣Leah Johnson

Leah Johnson’s “You Should See Me in a Crown” was an absolute delight and Liz Lighty is my hero. ⠀
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#Youngadult novels don’t get the respect they deserve by the larger bookish community, which is a shame because this one is an absolute treasure. Liz Lighty runs for prom queen so she can obtain enough money to go to her dream college. The only problem is that Liz Lighty has always thought “she was too Black, too poor, and too awkward to win.” That’s not all, another girl enters the competition out of nowhere and Liz becomes distracted as she finds herself falling in love with her. ⠀
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Ugh. I wish they had stories like this on the shelf when I was growing up. I think this book should be on the shelf of every high school or middle school. Leah Johnson is definitely a writer to watch. This book was heart warming, thought provoking, and at times laugh out loud funny. ⠀
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@beingabookwyrm says it better than I can about why these stories are so important. Go to my stories to see what she said and give her a follow if you can. She’s an amazing Black Bookstagrammer and I really look forward to her “Word of the Day” segment in her stories. She is the reason I found this book. #yabooks #yabookstagram #readblackwomen #readya #youngadultbooks #youshouldseemeinacrown #leahjohnsonauthor

Watchmen

Jul 29, 2020

Watchmen

Alan Moore / Dave Gibbons

⁣In honor of today’s Emmys announcement, I thought I would highlight the inspiration behind the series. I have not watched the series myself, but I hear it’s fantastic. I’ll have to check it out. ⠀
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This #graphicnovel hit the shelves in 1986 and has been heralded as one of the greatest graphic novels ever made. It’s well deserved. The art is captivating and the story slightly disturbing. It makes you feel uneasy, which is exactly the point. ⠀
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Have you seen the series? What are your thoughts? All I know is Regina King is pretty much one of the most badass women in Hollywood and deserves all the recognition. ⠀
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#graphicnovels #whowatchesthewatchmen #bookstagrammer #readgraphicnovels #watchmen #bookstagram #readcomicbooks #scifi #sciencefictionbooks

Black Leopard Red Wolf

Jul 24, 2020

Black Leopard Red Wolf

Marlon James

Cloudy morning in LA today and I’m trying to tackle this behemoth of a book. I have read Marlon James’ “A Brief History of Seven Killings” which is absolute genius. This one is much different and is categorized as a fantasy novel, but I can hardly call it that. It’s genre bending for sure and it will probably give me some weird dreams (more like nightmares). Definitely no skimming this one. The language is rich and the sentences are detailed. It’s beautifully written, but definitely not a relaxing read. Zelda is not helping me stay very focused either. Haha.

#filipinobookstagrammer #fantasybooks #marlonjames #currentlyreading

March

Jul 19, 2020

March

John Lewis

Growing up in a white, wealthy neighborhood meant my education in history was largely told through the lens of the colonizer. I remember learning about Rosa Parks and being told one day “she was just tired” so she refused to move to the back of the bus. Not that she was an activist and protestor for a long time before that particular arrest. I learned that MLK was always a hero. Not that he was considered a radical who was vilified and surveilled by the FBI. ⠀
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In 2013 I picked up a copy of John Lewis’s “March.” I credit this graphic novel for helping me start my journey to decolonize my own education. I devoured his story within days. After I had to know more about the things I was never taught, a journey I will continue for the rest of my life. John Lewis the education you have given me is immeasurable and you will always be one of my favorite teachers. Thank you for opening my eyes and showing me how to hope in a world that only wishes to tear everyone down. We will continue the work in your honor and for all of those who came before us. Most importantly, I will make sure the students I educate and my son will know the truth about protest movements and they will know the truth of this country so that they will be destined to do better and fight for justice for all. Rest in Power. Your soul lives on.