Book Review for Again for the First Time!

As I have written before reading is one of my all time favorite things to do. When I was younger I always felt that I did not quite fit in with my family so reading was my escape. I used to love going to the Salvation Army with my grandma and finding books for twenty-five cent. I would read book after book. My mother was very strict with my sister and I so there was not much I could do but read. My head was always in a book. Now that iPad’s and Kindles came into existence my face is always on one of those things.

My new thing is reading books by authors that are not really known and trying to get their name known or just following a dream of theirs. Amazon is my number one place to get books by these self-published authors. I also love to review most books that I have read. Some people are die-hard reviewers and will have a two page review. If it is a good piece of literature I will keep it to either a paragraph or two. I will never leave a nasty review I believe in constructive criticism even if your story is bad as hell. Writing is hard as and I know because I am trying to write my own novella.

The book I have read this week was Again for the First Time by Raven St. Pierre.

Quote from the book:
“..without the rain, you’d never learn to appreciate the sunshine.”

I was just BLOWN AWAY. This love story moved me so much. I was crying and laughing with the characters. I felt like I was a part of their love story in a way.  The author did an amazing job with writing this book. Not only did she do wright an amazing story she also put in real life advice when it comes to love. This book made me analyze my stands on love. Lucca(LOVE THAT FREAKING NAME) and Lissette were perfect for each other. They both had things to over come and they worked at it together. I loved how the writing portrayed what they both were thinking and going through. The burdens they had were really strong and they carried this with them especially Lucca. Lissette she was this breath of fresh air for him. She smiled and laughed despite her own pain. She was quirky and hippie she was a beauty that did not even know how beautiful she was. Lucca was a sweet caring guy, he was strong when she needed him to be.

Her family was wonderful. I loved them, I loved how they did not like what she did but stood by her decisions and supported her. I don’t want to give away. Anyone reading this review pick up this book and give it a chance because this story will most defiantly move you to tears. The whole star-crossed lovers part of the novel really did that for me.

Take the time to read this book you because you won’t be disappointed you might actually learn something about love or yourself.

Happy Reading!!

Being called a “White Girl” when your very much a Women Of Color!

As long as I can remember people of color wether they are family members, friends or people I just met has always called and I quote “A White Girl”. This has always bothered me because what makes me any less of a black woman?

Over the years I have always brushed or laugh it off, but lately I wanted to know why you think its okay to say something like that to me. So I recored people’s different statements that were said to me. This is what I heard:

1. Your not your average or typical black girl.

2. You sound like a white girl.

3.I talk really proper.

4. I’m boogie.

The list can go on and on. My all time favorite is that “I am not hood enough”. This really makes me laugh. Hood enough? People need to get real, I have to throw up gang signs or wear Jordan’s to considered “hood”. Let me put that list into perspective. I do not know what an average black girl is, but if my skin is black shouldn’t qualify me for being black? I did not know white girls had a sound, yea their voice will be different because maybe they have an accent or such but get real here. I talk proper and its not even talk proper its you speak properly if they want to get technical. Am I suppose to talk like I’m am sending out a text or a tweet and say “yo bruh where my five dollars at?” or “you aint no mother fu**ing good Tyrone”. I speak properly because its the correct way to speak. I will admit it probably comes from the many books I read over the years and the many papers I had to write as well because my family is as country as it gets. The boogie one is the hilarious statement. I am boogie because I don’t even know why they even think that so I can’t even put that into perspective because I am very humble and thankful for my blessings.

When you ask others why they think its okay to say that to others they laugh it off or say I am just playing with you. Before like I mentioned above I use to brush it off or not say anything but the time has come for me to put those people in their place. For one things its not okay to say that to anyone. Second you have to no right to say that to anyone because they don’t meet what you think a black girl should be like. Third who are you even to say that. Lastly its a shame that because I don’t meet your standards I’m am considered less of black girl because you forget to notice that my skin is as brown or even browner than yours, I grew up in the same neighborhood as you, but since I choose a different path for my life I’m considered to be more of a “white girl” than a black one. I say these things so that they can think about their stupidity and ignorance.

Its amazing to speak with other woman of color and know that people have said the same thing to them. A friend of mine has said the same thing to her and I quote  “I talk mad proper and act stuck up”. Now I am just getting to know this young woman and it did not even cross my mind those words other said about her. What i saw was a young girl thats trying to make something of herself. She is also a fellow blogger(https://wordsfromthelost.wordpress.com).

All these things mentioned above are words from ignorant people because none of those statements make me any less of a women of color. I don’t act any differently than how a young women should act. In reality its those people that should be considered the odd ones out. Society and music gave you a certain way to act and most people of color follow that to the tee.

Bottom line is I am comfortable in my own skin, my hair is kinky, my clothes show my hippie side. I prefer Chuck Taylor’s than Jordan’s(Who wants to pay for $300 shoes, this broke chick sure does not). These words use to bother me, but it took me a while to finally understand that their is nothing wrong with me. I will always be a women of color. I may not act how you want me or expect me to act but I’m perfectly fine being who I am and if I don’t meet your standards of what a “black girl” is suppose to be like than you can really kiss my ass.

Happy Reading!!

XoXo Ebony Monae<3

About the Author!

Hello,

I am Ebony Monae and this is my blog so WELCOME.  This blog is about many different things from Natural Hair, (Yes I am an natural haired chica), book reviews, movie reviews, national news topics, poetry, the age old question who’s is better Superman or Batman, make up and much much more I assure you. My mind has so many things that are constantly running through it and if I don’t write it down I will forget it and some of those ideas are probably good ideas if I say so myself. On this blog I will always be myself, be open and honest about my thoughts/opinions.

So about me:

I love to read its one of my many passions. I love romances (most people think its trash reading) but I love it. Some authors have the ability to take a reader to the another place and time and actually experience what the character is feeling. Now that I am starting to write my own novella its really hard to word it the way the reader can understand what you are trying to portray. Like I was saying above reading romances novels just makes me hope that one day I will find my prince charming, my 50 Shades or my Alpha male. I also like to read paranormals because some authors imagination can make them ask yourself do vampires exist? All my book reviews will be posted up here, on amazon and on Goodreads. If you are a reader then you should have a goodreads account. It is amazeballs besides keeping track of your books that you have read you can also write reviews, read others reviews, have different reading challenges such as the one I have for 2015 I have pledged to read 150 books this year and I want to see if I can do it. I never really thought about how many books I read a year this year I want to challenge myself to see if I can read this many books.

I am also the biggest film geek. I took a film class while doing my undergrad and it was like I just fell in love with movies. This class opened my eyes to classics and made me really appreciate the oldies. I love going to the movies and I try to go to the movies once a week to see the latest movies that came out that interest me. The trick is you go on the days that they have them the cheapest or hell even a matinee. I have to save money any way I can because I am still a college student. Just because I have school debt I don’t want to stop doing things I love. I love to write reviews.  The reviews of the movies I see will put up on here as well.

I also write slam poetry and I love to listen to others on youtube. I have not read a slam yet but thats one of my challenges for this year. This brings me back to books because one of my favorite authors are Colleen Hoover and she wrote a book that contained slam poetry and it opened my eyes to give it a try. A friend of mine tried this because we share books most of the time and we challenged ourselves to see if we can write one and I did. It was eye opening to see what the human mind can do. Our poems were great if I say so myself. So when in the mood to write poetry I just do it just comes now.

In closing I just want to say that this year is all about me being a better person, stronger, healthier, kind, caring, loving, and compassionate. I want to do things that I was to scared to do before. I am stepping out of my comfort zone this year. I am taking a pledge to be more than I was last year. No longer will I let others put me down or dictate my feelings or even make me feel inferior. I will tell people how I feel even if it means hurting their feelings. This year I WILL SHINE!!

I hope who ever is reading this will follow my blog and if you have one I will do the same.