Little Ghetto Girl by Danielle Santiago

Little Ghetto Girl by Danielle Santiago
Hardcover pgs 197
06/19/2011
rating: 3stars

from back of book:


After a successful life in the drug game, twenty-one-year-old Kisa Kane plans to retire - settle down, find a good man and raise a family of her own. Done with the thug life , she has everything a ghetto girl would want: plenty of money, drop-dead-gorgeous looks, and two thriving legitimate businesses. Until she falls in love with Sincere Montega, a powerful drug dealer whose down-and-dirty money pulls Kisa back into the world she is trying so hard to leave behind. With lies, cheating, and conflict, Kai, their newborn, may be the only reason for this couple to stay together, but their lives are ineviably changed in the most unexpected way the only way the streets of Harlem can.


My Review:
I have said it before, I will say it now, and I will say it again. What is with all the brand name dropping in urban/street fiction, hell name dropping period? It is so not necessary for a good story. The characters are always ghetto beauties. Will anyone break the forumla? I am in search for it. Anyway on to the review. Good looking girl meets good looking guy. Both are involved in the streets. They love, they fight, they have beef with others, and in the end they have a happy ending.

What did stand out for me in this story is the jealousy of Kisa's sister Shea (same father different mother). Shea is as grimy as a sibling can get. All and all this is a good urban/street fiction story. I did not like the writing style of the story though. Kisa said. Sincere said. And it jumped forward too much. Also the sex scene where not written out which is actually a change for this genre. I missed the explict sex scenes. I rated this 3 stars because there were points when I was really interested in what was going to happen next. TBR list #4 really there's no rush.


Challenges:
Off the Shelf Challenge
What's in a Name 4
2011 Where Are You Reading

Follow Friday 06/20/2011

Follow Friday hosted by Parajunkee
Feature blogger Nicki J Markus

Q. The magic book fairy pops out of your cereal box and says "you and your favorite character (from a book of course) can switch places!" Who are you going to switch with?

A. Ok if I had to choose a character it would be Harry Potter though I would much rather just be a student at the school. I love that magical world. Ummm so it wasn't that hard of a choice.


To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list
2. (Required) Follow the Featured Bloggers - Beackseat Reader!!!!!
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing at Parajunkee.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say "howdy". Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "hola."
6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the love...and the followers.

Divergent by Veronica Roth

Divergent by Veronica Roth
Ebook pgs 496
05/20/2011
rating: 5stars


Overview: Beatrice is living in dystopian Chicago. The city is broken up into 5 factions. When a person reaches the age of 16 he or she has to take an aptitude test. The test tells the recipient which faction he or she is best suited for. After the aptitude test, there is the Choosing Ceremony where the person announces which faction he or she has chosen from that point on the person has limited contact with his or her family (if they choose to live the faction they were born into) “motto faction or blood.”
Where to begin with this book? Let’s start with the factions. There are 5 of them. Dauntless faction values bravery. Abnegation faction values selflessness. Erudite values intelligence. Amity values peace and friendship. Candor faction values honesty. The factions came about to rid society of those negative traits that make a society least than harmonious. The problem with factions is that people have to live by one trait I do think that people have one dominant trait but they are other traits that cannot be suppressed. Humans are too complex creatures to live in a “box”.
The faction’s values are not all they are cracked up to be. Amity is not really explored in this book so I cannot speak on them. Candor honesty is more like tactlessness. There is a way to be honest and not so abrupt. Erudite’s intelligence is more like arrogance. Abnegation’s selflessness is servitude. Dauntless’s bravery is needless danger for danger stake. Or at least this is what the faction’s values have turned into.
Next is Beatrice as a character. She is not the most likable character at the beginning. I think it was because in her head she thought she was this nice girl weakling but she also was cold and heartless at times. The character I liked best was Four. I pretty much figured out his background and the side plot with him. The rest of characters were good as well. The story felt sluggish in the beginning but for me it picked up quickly. I cannot wait for the second one.
Comparisons to Harry Potter….so you saying you didn’t see me doing this LOL I’m hosting a Harry Potter Reading Challenge for heaven’s sake you know I have to go there. Here we go:
The factions somewhat remind me of the houses in the HP series. Dauntless would be Slytherin and Gryffindor. The two houses are not that different they are just good twin evil twin. Erudite would be Ravenclaw.. Amity and Abnegation would be Hufflepuff. Candor really doesn’t fit into any one house. Erudite in this first book can also be Slytherin but an explanation would contain a spoiler so I won’t get into that.
I heard people make comparisons to Hunger Games so I must read them now. TBR list #1…LOVED IT! I cannot wait to see what is going to happen in the second book. The first book we left with the city is chaos.

Discussion with Lah of Lazy Girl Reads and Lisa at Baffled Books will be added later tonight.

Challenges
2011 Where Are You Reading?
Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge 2011

Follow Friday June 3 2011

Follow Friday hosted by Parajunkee

Feature blogger Amy from Backseat Reader

This week's question is: What are you doing to prepare for an upcoming zombie apocalypse and/or the return of Mel Gibson to the silver screen? (Both of which could be terrifying.)

Well first for the zombie apocalypse...I'm doing nothing. I think I should be going the shooting range and stock piling weapons. As for Mel Gibson, I was too much of a fan to begain with so not watching his movies is not an issue for me.

I think that one of the best thing that anyone can do (and this goes for any celebrity, business, etc) not support the person. If you don't agree with his view points then don't help him make a living. Stop watching the movies he's in.



To join the fun and make new book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. (Required) Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list
2. (Required) Follow the Featured Bloggers - Beackseat Reader!!!!!
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing at Parajunkee.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can, as many as you want, or just follow a few. The whole point is to make new friends and find new blogs. Also, don't just follow, comment and say "howdy". Another blogger might not know you are a new follower if you don't say "hola."
6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the love...and the followers.

Wednesday's Wonders 06/01/2011

Wednesday's Wonders and it's where you talk about a song that has been stuck in your head that week or reminds you of one of the books your reading. Started by Jessica @ Reading with Style

Okay so the song that has been stuck in my head is the theme song from the Fraggle Rock! LOL

"Dance your cares away, Worry's for another day. Let the music play, Down at Fraggle Rock"