Hello guys! Happy Monday!
I work night shift today, so althought I do have to work, I get to sleep in and spent most of my day at home!
I'm starting the week for Mark This Book Monday with a tough read and a wonderful book all rolled into one, one I cannot recommend enough for everyone to read and then stop and think.
This is one book that will be better if read with someone, and that's why I'm so happy I was doing a buddy read for it with the very awesome Becca of Pivot Book Reviews and Pivot Book Totes! You can read her review of the book HERE.
I got approved for it by Harlequin Teen that are usually wonderful to me like that via NetGalley! As an ARC it is part of my 2014 Review Pile Reading Challenge and also my ARC August challenge!
Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was one tough book to read, at least the first third of the book was extremely heartbreaking to read. But, this is one of those books that I think everyone needs to read, we all need a reminder about what the perpetuated lies and standards of "us vs them" really are.
This a great example that if we are looking for diverse reads they are out there, this is historical fiction set in more modern times, of the long and very tough journey of integration.
The story is told from two points of view: Sara, the black girl that is for the first time enrolling into an all white school; and Linda, the white girl whose father is the main opposer of integration and equality in their town, and the more vocal, given that he runs the local paper.
The book starts with Sarah's POV, and there was a point I wasn't sure I could continue reading. The amount of hate and humiliating stuff they go through was upseting, saddening, maddening and made my blood boil. I was feeling as anxious and my heart rate got higher with the tension and anxiety that Sarah went through. Really amazing how the narrative made me feel so much!
Then we switch to Linda's POV and we see things from her side, and lil by lil see her thinking for herself and finding out that maybe those beliefs she thought she had weren't so right or as strong as she thought they were. It was a fantastic example of how reality differs from theory and how when "them" as an abstract entity becomes a real human being in front of you, the differences are not so big.
This book is mainly about the differences or lack thereof about being black or white, but then adds yet another layer and it can be just about being different in a way that society as a whole, or a chunk of society seems to disapprove of, for no other reason than being different, fear and hate just turning it into an " us vs. them" fight once again.
Hope and finding the right way to live life the way you want to, making sure you don't have to hurt others but not letting them making your choices for you would be the very positive message by the end of the book. So be warned but not be discouraged at all, this is a must read of a book! 4 to 5 stars for this one, I can't seem to be able to pick a rating for it!
View all my reviews
I work night shift today, so althought I do have to work, I get to sleep in and spent most of my day at home!
I'm starting the week for Mark This Book Monday with a tough read and a wonderful book all rolled into one, one I cannot recommend enough for everyone to read and then stop and think.
This is one book that will be better if read with someone, and that's why I'm so happy I was doing a buddy read for it with the very awesome Becca of Pivot Book Reviews and Pivot Book Totes! You can read her review of the book HERE.
I got approved for it by Harlequin Teen that are usually wonderful to me like that via NetGalley! As an ARC it is part of my 2014 Review Pile Reading Challenge and also my ARC August challenge!
Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin TalleyMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was one tough book to read, at least the first third of the book was extremely heartbreaking to read. But, this is one of those books that I think everyone needs to read, we all need a reminder about what the perpetuated lies and standards of "us vs them" really are.
This a great example that if we are looking for diverse reads they are out there, this is historical fiction set in more modern times, of the long and very tough journey of integration.
The story is told from two points of view: Sara, the black girl that is for the first time enrolling into an all white school; and Linda, the white girl whose father is the main opposer of integration and equality in their town, and the more vocal, given that he runs the local paper.
The book starts with Sarah's POV, and there was a point I wasn't sure I could continue reading. The amount of hate and humiliating stuff they go through was upseting, saddening, maddening and made my blood boil. I was feeling as anxious and my heart rate got higher with the tension and anxiety that Sarah went through. Really amazing how the narrative made me feel so much!
Then we switch to Linda's POV and we see things from her side, and lil by lil see her thinking for herself and finding out that maybe those beliefs she thought she had weren't so right or as strong as she thought they were. It was a fantastic example of how reality differs from theory and how when "them" as an abstract entity becomes a real human being in front of you, the differences are not so big.
This book is mainly about the differences or lack thereof about being black or white, but then adds yet another layer and it can be just about being different in a way that society as a whole, or a chunk of society seems to disapprove of, for no other reason than being different, fear and hate just turning it into an " us vs. them" fight once again.
Hope and finding the right way to live life the way you want to, making sure you don't have to hurt others but not letting them making your choices for you would be the very positive message by the end of the book. So be warned but not be discouraged at all, this is a must read of a book! 4 to 5 stars for this one, I can't seem to be able to pick a rating for it!
View all my reviews
I like branching out from my go-to Paranormal genre every now and then, and I think that this book might be just the thing. It sounds like the author does a good job of tackling difficult issues, and encourages readers to think outside the box. 4 or 5 stars? What about 4.5? ;) Hehe Wonderful review!
ReplyDeleteYeah, 4.5 stars would be right but I should put 4 or 5 stars on GR? That's my real dilemma! ;)
DeleteThank you Carmel!
Aw, yay :) Sounds a bit sad, but I'm glad you enjoyed this book so much. <3 I might read it one day, hih ;p I am interested in the topic, but still not a genre for me :p Sigh. Seems a bit boring, hih. But I am happy you liked it :D Thank you for sharing Pili. <3
ReplyDeleteMore than sad it was upsetting and it wasn't really boring either! I do hope you'll give this one a chance Carina!
DeleteThank you!
"The book starts with Sarah's POV, and there was a point I wasn't sure I could continue reading. The amount of hate and humiliating stuff they go through was upseting, saddening, maddening and made my blood boil."
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly why I passed this book along to my mother in law to read, I knew it would make me uncontrollably angry! That's a good thing though, means I'm emotionally involved, but I'm just not in the right mood lately to be that kind of pissed off:) This sounds like a extremely powerful read, and I'm glad there's a positive message after all is said and done. Lovely review my friend!
It really is an extremely powerful read and I do hope that your mother in law will love it. I can understand you not wanting to get so angry, sometimes I feel the same way. But still these are important books to have and share!
DeleteThank you, Jenny!
You were so brave to even finish this! I don't think I can put myself through it, I'm such a wuss sometimes. Discrimination is a very sore subject for me and I tend to run away screaming from it. But you're right that everyone needs to read it, and obiovusly that applies to me as well.
ReplyDeleteI feel like this is a must read for everyone because we all need to reminders about how utterly horrible AND stupid discrimination is, but it is a very tough book to read, so I don't blame you for staying away Maja!
DeleteI really like the theme of discrimination in the novel. I think very few novels go hard with that topic and get right in to it!
ReplyDeleteI am glad you liked this one and thanks for introducing it to me. I will have to check it out!
Thanks for sharing lovely & have a great week! :) xxx
Alex @ The Shelf Diaries
I do hope you will get it, Alex! And feel free to DM on Twitter while you read it if you need to scream about how horribly unfair everything is in the book!
DeleteThank you!!
Sounds like one that will make you *feel* on both ends of the spectrum. Glad you enjoyed the book, Pili! Awesome review :D
ReplyDeleteAlyssa @ The Eater of Books!
Very much full of feels indeed! Thank you, Alyssa!
DeleteOh wow, this sounds like a really tough but rewarding read. I have to be the right mindset to tackle books this heavy, but it sounds like this one's worth checking out sometime. I'm glad you connected with it so strongly! These books are hard to do, but the stories are important to tell, so I'm glad the author succeeded in making it an emotional read.
ReplyDeleteWendy @ The Midnight Garden
Yep, it was exactly that Wendy! Tough but rewarding! The author did a great job to make you connect with Sarah and feel like you were in her shoes!
Delete