Book of the Month

This month, I'm bringing out an old favorite...Coming of Age in Mississippi, by Anne Moody. This book is an autobiography, which chronicles Moody's life from the time she's a child in Mississippi in the 1940s until the peak of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. (I know...the past two books kind of seem to have a theme here...but I guess I just really enjoy reading about the Civil Rights Movement!)

This book is one that I have read several times--the first time I read Coming of Age in Mississippi was when I was student teaching in the spring of 2003 (which is when I fell in love with this book)--and each time I read it, I fall in love with it all over again. When I first picked it up, I thought it wouldn't interest me--even though I am a lover of history and a history teacher, I hate to read non-fiction books. I much prefer fiction (especially well-written historical fiction!) than I do non-fiction.

However, from the first sentence, Coming of Age in Mississippi gripped my interest and, even though I have finished this book several times, it hasn't let go. Moody writes in such a way that you feel as if you are living her experiences with her--and you only want to know more, and more, and more. Her writing reads like an extremely well-written novel, and you have to continue to remind yourself time and again that the book isn't fiction. The experiences she lived through will truly amaze you--you watch her grow from a blissfully ignorant child into a resentful teen and, ultimately, a heroic adult.

Some of my favorite stories include (and I don't want to give too much away...) her run-in with her white neighbors at the movies when she was a child, the first time she realized that people hated her simply because she was black, her multiple attempts at sit-ins and her rising through the ranks in the Civil Rights Movement. Each story is better than the last--and there is not one page of the book where you feel as if you are bored or as if the story being told is superfluous and simply filler to make the book longer.

I chose this book this month because last week I was teaching my students about the Civil Rights movement and as an in-class activity, the students were assigned specific sections of Coming of Age in Mississippi to read and compare. Anne Moody's life gives the reader such a thorough portrayal of all of the phases of the Civil Rights Movement that the book makes for a great educational tool. When my students were discussing the book, it reminded me of what an amazing read it is, and made me realize how much I want to share it.

If it sounds like I'm gushing about Coming of Age in Mississippi, well, it's because I am! There are truly not enough wonderful things I can say about this book. Therefore, I strongly urge you to check it out. I assure you, you will love it as much as I do!

(If you click anywhere it says Coming of Age in Mississippi you will be taken right to the book on amazon.com.)

Have any great book recommendations to share? Did you read Coming of Age in Mississippi and want to share your thoughts with us? Email us at theaccessorizedlife@gmail.com!

Book of the Month

This month, I'm focusing on a book that I came across by accident. The book, Darkest Child by Delores Phillips, was a book I came across on Amazon when they featured a kindle book sale--a large number of kindle books for $3.99 or less. I only considered books with 4 stars or above, and then I still read the reviews before I chose a book.

Of the books I purchased that day, quite a few (in all honesty) sucked. But, I found an amazing find with Darkest Child.

This book is about a poor black family in Georgia in the 1950s. There are 10 children, one two-room house (without running water), one crazy mother, several different fathers (none of whom are in the children's lives anymore) and not enough love, money or luck to go around. The undercurrent of the book is the blossoming Civil Rights movement, and how that plays into the lives of the individuals in this family. But, that is by no means the focus of the book. This book focuses on how this family survives--any way they can.

The story is told from the perspective of one of the middle children--Tangy Mae. You watch her grow from innocent, yet damaged, child into a teen who is wise far beyond her years. The mother is a character you love to hate--she is cruel, unfeeling and unkind to her children (she characterizes them by their skin color from "white" to "dark"--favoring the "white" ones), but as the book progresses, you come to realize that the mother has serious mental issues and, even though you hate her, there are several times in the book where you want to help her or you sympathize with her.

You grow to love each of the children in their own way--especially as you learn about the damage that has been done to each of these children at the hands of their mother. You want to scream at the children to stop being so loyal to their mother and to get the heck out of that house, but you understand why they stay--it's the only home they've ever known.

I would love to divulge more, as I loved every single second of this book (truly and completely--there was not one section where I felt the book was lacking, slow or just plain ridiculous), but I don't want to give away too much of the plot line, the twists and turns (and believe me, there are plenty shocking moments in this book), the apexes or the lows of this book. I will tell you this, however, I read Darkest Child from cover to cover in one day--less than 24 hours. It is not an easy read, it is not brain candy and it is not written in simplistic language. It is just that good.

This book ranks incredibly high on my list of books I love and list of books I love to recommend. Check out Darkest Child...I promise you won't be sorry.

(If you click on anywhere it says Darkest Child, it will take you directly to the book on amazon.com.)

Have any great book recommendations to share? Did you read Darkest Child and want to share your thoughts with us? Email us at theaccessorizedlife@gmail.com!

Book of the Month

This month's TAL book choice is one that both Princess and I have currently read. I was thinking of featuring it this month when Princess came to me and said she was reading a fabulous book...turns out it was the same book I was thinking of. (Surprise, surprise...Princess and I actually have the same tastes! How odd. Just kidding, of course!)

The book is called MWF Seeking BFF: My Yearlong Search for a New Best Friend by Rachel Bertsche. It was another recommendation from goodreads. This book is a memoir, not fiction. I typically prefer to read fiction books, but this one had me hooked from the first page. The premise is that the author moves from New York to Chicago to be with her long distance boyfriend. They get married soon after she moves there, and she realizes that while she doesn't regret moving halfway across the country to be with him, she feels a void in her life that he can't fill. She misses her BFFs. Her two closest friends are both friends from childhood and both live in New York. Bertsche longs to find a friend in Chicago like her two best friends in New York--someone she can call at a moment's notice to go get a pedicure, meet for a Sunday brunch, go to a movie, or just to chat about anything and everything with. She challenges herself to go on 52 friend dates in one year--in the hopes that by the end of the year she will have found her new BFF.

She meets tons of interesting (and some not so interesting) people, clicks with some, doesn't click with others, and learns about herself, her friendships and her life along the way.

MWF Seeking BFF really spoke to me for a number of reasons. First, the author's writing is easy to read--it reminds me of the way that I think and I speak.

Secondly, Bertsche is just plain funny.

Lastly, and most importantly, she deals with something most adults deal with--when there's no longer a built in social network (think school, college, grad school), how do you make friends when you move? This is especially true for those of us who aren't parents yet, so don't have the built in "play date/mommy and me" network. Also, how do you turn those work friends into real friends? Every one of us has those friends who we gossip with at work, and usually even share details about our personal lives with, but what happens when you take that friendship into the real world? As adults, when we move somewhere new, we often find ourselves isolated--even if we have loved ones in the area--but no one talks about it. It seems like wanting a friend is almost a sign of weakness--therefore we don't go out of our way to make strangers into friends. This is something that Bertsche learns along the way, and something that shapes her friend making escapades.

MWF Seeking BFF by Rachel Bertsche is my book pick of the month! Hopefully it's inspired you to read it as well.

(If you click on anywhere it says MWF Seeking BFF, it will take you directly to the book on amazon.com. If you click where it says goodreads, it will take you right to the site!)

Have any great book recommendations to share? Did you read MWF Seeking BFF and want to share your thoughts with us? Did you join goodreads and want to become our friend? Email us at theaccessorizedlife@gmail.com!

Book of the Month

I am an avid reader. I devour books like they're air. During the summer, I literally read a minimum of one book a day. Unfortunately, during the school year, I don't have as much time to read; however, I still try to get in as many books as I can. Sometimes I come across a book that I want to tell the whole world about. To me, books like this are like accessories for the brain...they make your brain prettier...prettier with knowledge!

Therefore, I have decided to start a new feature here at The Accessorized Life...The Book of the Month!

Each month we will be featuring a new read that we want to share with the world. (Princess is an avid reader too, so I'm sure she'll have plenty of fabulous selections to share as well!)

My first selection is a book called Graveminder by Melissa Marr. Melissa Marr is a young adult author--Graveminder is her first book written for adults. I found the book because it was suggested to me through goodreads. (If you are not a member of goodreads, you should be...especially if you love to read!) goodreads is a website where you can chronicle and review all the books you read. You can also link up with friends who have goodreads accounts--check out what's on their "bookshelves," what they gave good or bad reviews to, or what they recommend. goodreads also generates recommendations for you based on the books you read and the reviews you've written. But, I digress...

Back to Graveminder:

So, the book is based in a small town called Claysville. In Claysville, the residents have made a deal with death to keep their town and its residents safe. In return, the residents must mind the graves of the dead--or the dead will walk. I know...it sounds super creepy. But, I promise you, it's not. Graveminder actually a really intriguing story--mystery, science-fiction, a tale of family and a love story all rolled into one. Kind of like chick-lit meets thriller...on steroids.

Once I picked up this book, I literally could not put it down. I read the book any time I had a few seconds to spare...sometimes I'd even pick it up and read it when I was in the middle of conversations with people. Yup, it was that good.

So, Graveminder by Melissa Marr is my book pick of the month! Hopefully it's inspired you to read it as well.

(If you click on anywhere it says Graveminder, it will take you directly to the book on amazon.com. If you click where it says goodreads, it will take you right to the site!)

Have any great book recommendations to share? Did you read Graveminder and want to share your thoughts with us? Did you join goodreads and want to become our friend? Email us at theaccessorizedlife@gmail.com!