Malcolm X: The Last Speeches (Speeches and Writings) by Malcolm X

About This Book:
Goodreads Summary
✥Format: Audible
✥Genre: History, Non-Fiction, Politics, Cultural/African American
✥Date(s) Read: 2/23-2/24
✥Rating: 5/5 

My Thoughts:

I've always loved Malcolm X (El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz). Our spiritual beliefs are different but there was always a respect there that I had for him. To know all that he went through to get to where he was as a Muslim in the N.O.I. then after going to Mecca and see the change him after that always amazed me. The intelligence. The thinker. The maturing. I did read the Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley & of course, saw the movie (Still tear up at the end, even though I know what's going to happen). 

I always enjoyed listening to his speeches and hearing him talk. Again, I may not always agree what he says but I do understand why he felt the way he did. Growing up Christian, it was truly taboo that I liked a Muslim man and respected what the N.O.I. did for black men and women and how many were able to change their lives around for the better. It drove my mother nuts that I liked him so much! I guess she thought I would become a Muslimah and didn't have a mind of my own! But ssshhh....you didn't read that from me! lol

Always wishing the Christian community could and would do the same thing. Teaching women how to take care of home and their children (dear feminists, there are some of us who still enjoy taking care of home while being able to be who we are as a woman and individual). Also while teaching the men how to be men, fathers, husbands etc. If our beliefs weren't so different, chances are, I'd be right in there with them and I'd have my sons around as many of the men as possible. 

Now, just because  I have a respect for the N.O.I. doesn't mean that I or all N.O.I. members are racists, because that's not the case. At all. I just see something I wish I had grown up with. The positive discipline taught from early on in life. 

But, I am supposed to be talking about this short audio..right? Well, of course, I enjoyed it. It wasn't much more than an hour long so it was easy to listen to. I started late February 23 and finished February 24. I started in the night before just because I wanted to hear some of the speeches then but also had other stuff I wanted/needed to do and I was also getting tired. 

These speeches were talking about so many things that were still going  on today, 50+ years later. That is truly sad. If anyone decides to listen, you have to take what you don't agree with and just push it to the side and really listen to what he is saying while thinking about all the things that are happening today while making comparisons. And the saying: "Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it" fits perfectly with a lot of what he speaks on. 

This is a favorite for 2018 & beyond I'm sure! 

The Geography of You & Me by Jennifer E. Smith

About This Book:

Goodreads Summary

✥Series/Trilogy/Stand-Alone, etc:  Stand Alone

✥Release Date:  4/15/14

✥Setting:  New York; London, England; Lake Tahoe, CA; Edinburgh, Scotland; NY City, NY; Portland, OR; Chicago, IL; San Francisco, CA

✥Page Count:  337

✥Edition: Hardcover
✥Genre(s):  Young Adult, Realistic Fiction , Contemporary, Romance
✥Date(s) Read: 2/13-2/14
✥Rating:    Book:    3/5    Audio:   3.5/5    
                    Narrator(s):  Leslie Bellair & Corey Bradberry


My Thoughts:

Audio: 
(The 3.5/5 star rating is for Leslie and taking 1.5 stars taken off because of Corey's reading) 

  
Leslie Bellair: I liked her a lot. She did her narrations very well and made it a lot more enjoyable to listen. Her voicing Lucy seemed to fit how I may have pictured her if I were reading the book without audio. 

Corey Bradberry: He was annoying! The only reason I continued to listen to him was because 98% of the book, I was on the computer or doing something else so I just kept listening. He became a tiny bit more bearable as time went on but the emphasis is on a tiny bit!

He made everything seem so urgent & whiny and also like a hyper puppy that needs a swat on the tush with a newspaper! That's not how I saw Owen. I saw Owen as a thinker, smart, some what calm & a bit sarcastic. 

He made Owen's dad seem so gruff and childish. Heck, he made all the adults sound gruff. Like some of the adults in the Curious George t.v. show is what I think of. Like that little kid and the chunkier guy on the show (I think I'm thinking correctly on that part). lol

I so wish they would find someone else to rerecord the Owen chapters. I looked through some of the reviews and it was "good" to see that I wasn't the only one who didn't take an issue with him. He truly did ruin Owen for me. I couldn't like him as much as I'd like to when he read. 

If I were to rate them individually, Leslie would get a 5/5 & Corey would get a 1/5 and that's being generous! If I wanted to be totally mean, I'd give him a Zero!


☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼☼

Book:
(I was typing my thoughts as this book went along, so, if it seems to be all over the place, that's why. Hopefully I am making myself clear)

Teenagers being left alone for weeks at a time? 

Parents in a whole other country?

Older brothers in another state? 

What's the local number to C.P.S. please!?!? 

Seems like so many Y.A. books have parents that are neglectful or borderline neglectful. Never around, always working, lushes, traveling without them (in this case, parents expecting kids to ask to go along instead of just waiting until school is out and travel with them. ugh),  constant moving (and not military and/or staying a step ahead of abusive ex) etc. Or, they're mentally checked out even when they do try to be good parents. Just basically all around screwed up. 

I guess there are many families like that in real life but sheesh, seems like Y.A. books have more parents with issues than good parents. No, I don't expect perfection as I am not the perfect mother but I do my best to be there even with anxiety and depression kicking my behind many days. I understand dealing with teenagers can be hard hell, I've got a teenager and a 21 year old who both sometimes can make me want to shake them and who don't always want to hang out with mom (I mean, it's so not cool to want to be around Mom and/or Dad right?!?! lol) but I do try my best to find a way to be together at least for a few minutes a day. This book had so many issues when it came to family, friends, feelings, etc that I just don't know what the heck to say about it. 


I really wish I could have liked this book more than I did. It wasn't horrible, I mean, I did finish it but I think I finished it more because I had already traded in a previous audio book once in order to get this one and I wanted to know what happened. 

I think I am gradually beginning to get my fill of Y.A. Contemporary Romance. All of them seem to be so much alike. Although I do have my favorite author (Kasie West) and will probably always read her (only two books I need to finish by her). I think I am feeling that way about YA period. Although I may never actually give up on it because it's just so easy to read and many times, it is actually fun and so many adult fiction can be a bit draggish for me, among many other reasons that I won't get into right now on why I don't read adult as much as I used to but I do miss it more and more now. Maybe that's what I need now, again. Grown ups! lol

I was able to finish this one because I was up all night and decided to listen to it while I was doing what I was doing. I hadn't planned on being up so long and wanted to lay down but by the time I was ready to settle in, I was already extremely close to being finished. So, well, I did. :)

Along For The Ride by Sarah Dessen

About This Book:

Goodreads Summary

✥Series/Trilogy/Stand-Alone, etc:  Stand Alone

✥Release Date:  June 16, 2009

✥Setting:  Colby, NC

✥Page Count:  382

✥Edition: Hardcover
✥Genre(s):  Young Adult, Fiction , Contemporary, Romance
✥Date(s) Read: 2/7/18-2/12/18
✥Rating:          Book:   3/5            Audio:    3/5           Narrator:  Rachel Botchman
   
My Thoughts:

Audio: 
Not really a whole lot to say about her. She isn't perfect but she is good. 

Book:
Let me start off with the negative. I hated those parents of Auden's! The mom was a judgmental, lush and a bitch. Dad was an arrogant, needs to be single for the rest of his life, narcissistic ass. Both of which need to be shook! Hard!

A little more positive than negative part...

I like Sarah Dessen. Not perfect by any means and most of her stories are a lot alike. She is a good writer and I have enough interest to continue on with the books I have already bought but I am not sure how much of an interest I have in any other books. I may just take it book by book. Dreamland I think is the only one I am not really interested in as the book's synopsis seems to make it out to be a bit more than I can handle emotionally. That is, if I am thinking correctly, if not, I'm sure I will figure it out eventually as I start looking through her books a little more closely.

Now, on to the more positive part.....

I loved Auden. I definitely loved Eli! They were just out enjoying life. Now, as a parent, it would drive me nuts to know my sons, especially as teenagers, are just out hanging out all night and I don't know where they are! My anxious self wouldn't be able to breathe! And I always wonder why the hell these parents don't know their kids aren't at home! I am a parent that is always checking on my sons. Now, if they sneak out while I'm sleep, that's another thing but with me, I'm bound to wake up during the night sometimes because nature calls, I'm struggling to sleep, bad dreams, etc. So, they'd get caught quite a bit. And those are the nights I do sleep.

I digress.....

It took me some time to get used to Heidi but as the book went on, I began to love her! Especially when she started coming into herself! I was also glad to see a whole lot of growth when it came to mom. Dad? Well, some. He was the hardest to see how much of a pain in the behind he actually is.

So glad to see that Auden was coming out of her shell, making friends and gradually standing up for herself. Growing up in a family who are very much overbearing and make it hard to be who you are and going your own way, I can get why it was so hard. I am much older and still have issues still not wanting confrontation with family but sometimes, you just have to say enough is enough and hurt feelings. It isn't intentional but sometimes, standing up for yourself, feelings get hurt. Even if it isn't intentional.

The book was decent. It had a lot of parts I did like but would I reread it? Doubtful.

Although I am not big on rereading books, this is my thought process: If I didn't have anyway to get any books (even the library) and the only thing I had to read were books on my shelf that I already finished, would I read this one again?

(I also am not a huge e-book reader. I honestly prefer a book in my hands over an e-book. It's not that I never have read an e-book because I have and I'm not saying I'd never read one again but they just aren't my favorite way to read)

So, in a nutshell, this book will likely be donated to my [favorite] local used bookstore that is run through the Habitat for Humanity.

The Road To Oz (Oz #5) by L. Frank Baum

About This Book:

Goodreads Summary

✥Series/Trilogy/Stand-Alone, etc:  Series #5

✥Release Date:  1909

✥Setting:  Kansas  & Oz (With some magical places along the way)

✥Page Count:  261

✥Format: Hardcover (Bind Up)
✥Genre(s):   Fantasy, Children's, Fiction
✥Date(s) Read: 2/8-2/11
✥Rating:   Book: 5/5    Audio: 5/5  Narrator: Paul Chenevert (Libirivox)

My Thoughts:

Audio:
Whenever I go to listen to the audio, Paul is who I look for. He has become my favorite narrator when it comes to these books. I always do these on librivox or youtube if they uploaded it onto there. Sometimes, Librivox will charge to hear his narration (I think the first one or two books, at least, I got to listen to for free, not sure if they have started charging for all of them or not, just the last couple I've looked for, their was a fee and I don't have the budget to pay for each audio book I get, which is quite a bit these last couple of years. They've made my life so much easier!). I guess Paul is just that popular and I can see why. I personally find him amazing. 

Book:
I think so far, outside the Wizard of Oz of course, this is my one of my top favorites thus far. I loved the characters tremendously! Button Bright was a bit annoying but still cute by his description. Of course, I loved all of the favorites from the original Wizard of Oz, but I think my true favorite was the Shaggy Man. I liked him from the moment he showed up in the story. 

This being on the 2nd bind up and their are five total, with 3 stories each, it will be a while probably before I finish the entire series as I have to be in the mood for them but I hope to get this one done by the end of this year (that's a huge hopefully). I have all 5 bind ups (the only ones I know of) and probably will stop at the 5th even if there are more, this is just too much! lol If I had to do it again, I may have gotten one bind up at a time but at the same time, I am not sure if the ones I wanted would have still been available but in my excitement over these covers, I just had to get them! (look below for the cover. As stated, I did read out of the bind up and this is the cover I have)

By Your Side by Kasie West

About This Book:

Goodreads Summary

✥Series/Trilogy/Stand-Alone, etc:  Stand Alone

✥Release Date:  1/31/17

✥Setting:  Utah

✥Page Count: 346 

✥Format:  Paperback
✥Genre(s):   Romance, Fiction, Young Adult
✥Date(s) Read: 2/4-2/6/18
✥Rating:   Book: 4/5    Audio: 4/5  Narrator: Caitlin Kelly (audible link)

Note:
There may be some things that may be spoiler'ish so enter at your own risk. I try not to make it overly spoiler'y but I know how I am and even the slightest thing can be spoiler for me. 

Audio:
She was good. I enjoyed listening to the book. 

Book:
I really enjoyed this book. The beginning was not the best for me but as it went on, it got better. I felt I could relate to her in a lot of areas because she has anxiety. Many things that she said she felt and went through, I always feel the same way. Thankfully, my anxiety hasn't gone to some levels her has. And I do have some associates who understand that I have anxiety and I don't have to fake it. Those who don't get it and I'm fine with that (friends, associates or people I just meet).  I know what it is to need order and few 'surprises'. 

I wasn't wild about Autumn in the beginning but as the book went on, she grew on me. I liked Dax almost from the beginning. The more I began to get to know him and understand him, the more I liked him. He was very wise for such a young age. He was even teaching me some things! And I am a 43 year old woman (As of this post)! I understood some of the feelings with Autumn not wanting to care about some things but deep down, sometimes, things did bother you and your anxiety got the best of when it comes to some things. 

I find some of her friends to be annoying butt holes and others, well, quite sweet. There's at least a couple I would have liked to give a swift kick to the tush and tell them to stop being such goofs and doing crazy stuff! 

Kasie West really knows how to write a topic and make you think sometimes. Most of her books for me are just sweet, light reads but this one was a bit more for me. A lot of 'growth'. She hasn't failed me yet! And I have only been reading her books since August! A new auto buy author!