Black History Month Reading: Democracy in Black by Eddie S. Glaude Jr.

I think Black History Month is a great time to read about the politics of race in the United States. Not to mention having a president that wants to ban people of certain religions and erect walls to keep people of other races out.

Democracy in Black is a startling reminder that this country is not equal. The author does a great job of outlining facts and laws that prove this fact to be true again and again. Our country has constructed an inextricable web of racial oppression, and Glaude shows us exactly how it was done. This is an essential read to begin to understand the real distribution of power and opportunity, and who is making it that way.


Though I was happy to receive a review copy from Blogging for Books, all opinions are my own.

The Scary (But Not the Scariest) Truth About Big Data!

By now, you're probably sick of hearing about "big data," "analytics," and everything in between. We've heard the story of a pregnant teen's father finding out she's pregnant from a Target mailing for diapers, but that's not as scary as it gets. In Weapons of Math Destruction, former quant Cathy O'Neil exposes the shaky logic that many data models are built upon. If you love math, you will definitely like this book, but everyone who has a belief in "the system" will be petrified by what this book reveals. How many times has someone said to you, "Well, the numbers don't lie" or "The computer said it, not me." Well guess what? Computers need to be programmed by people, and the people doing the programming don't understand logical fallacies enough to be allowed to do so. While the book itself slogs along a bit, the concepts covered are amazing.

Thanks to Blogging for Books for this copy!

A Cookbook Sent From Above: SkinnyTaste Fast & Slow

The biggest issue I have with "adulting" is feeding myself. It just requires too much patience and too much planning. In addition, my husband (no, family, I didn't get secretly married) likes more ethnic dishes while I enjoy the same dishes as a typical 7-year-old. Cheese, carbs, and sauce is pretty much my motto when it comes to what I enjoy eating. So, coming up with recipes we can agree on is pretty hard.
The main challenge I find with cookbooks is that they're either overly reliant on canned soup and prepackaged things, or they're overly "gourmet" and end up costing about $40 per person. Looking at you, my beloved Ina Garten. Thus, I wasn't overly hopeful upon receiving a copy of SkinnyTaste: Fast & Slow by Gina Homolka. I'd never heard of her blog, but saw that the book had a lot of reviews on Amazon and said "what the heck."
Well, it feels like this book may have been sent to me from above and may possibly save my life. The book has a ton of recipes, and they all have clear directions for my impatient and easily flustered self. No soups, cheese, cream, packaged items, etc. Just normal, accessible vegetables and other ingredients. My husband said, "If these are healthy, then I'm going to start eating healthy." Though we aren't officially married, this cookbook may have saved us from an unofficial divorce.

Currently Reading: The Inglorious Heresies by Lisa McInerney

I recently picked up a copy of this bright yellow book, and I'm glad I did. From the first page, the prose is deft and hard-hitting.
With lots of crazy characters and a unique and well-described world, this book is a refreshing change from other "family novels."
Thanks to Blogging for Books for this review copy!

Currently Reading: The Inglorious Heresies by Lisa McInerney

I recently picked up a copy of this bright yellow book, and I'm glad I did. From the first page, the prose is deft and hard-hitting.
With lots of crazy characters and a unique and well-described world, this book is a refreshing change from other "family novels."
Thanks to Blogging for Books for this review copy!

Getting Back to Journaling

For me, writing has always been an escape. When I'm enraged, shocked, or overwhelmed, I write about it. I have a hard time just sitting down and writing "on demand." It's weird that although I absolutely hate thinking of writing as an assignment or any type of work, I love writing prompts. They get me in the right head-space to trigger memories and images to write about.
As such, I was excited to try out a journal called Extraordinary Ordinary Moments by Jorey Hurley. It's a thick paperback with cute illustrations and topics on each page, such as "things you don't want to end." While the journal is cute, it's not too cute, and would probably work for all ages and genders.

A Fun & Unique Coloring Book

I like to believe that I started the whole adult coloring book trend because I've always loved the unique Dover sticker and coloring books sold at book and gift stores. These often feature natural scenes or focus on a classic fairy tale. While these things are all lovely and quaint, it would be nice to see a coloring book that's a little more punk rock. That's why I was excited to hear about Marked In Ink, the coloring book by tattoo artist Megan Massacre. This coloring book looks like a lot of fun and is great for tattoo enthusiasts. The designs are basic but detailed enough to let you go crazy with color, and the pages are perforated and one-sided for easy sharing or hanging.

I was thrilled to receive a free copy from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.