Favorite Reads of 2017

Some of these, I am sure you will be able to guess because they were extremely hyped but here goes nothing. Also, I will link the ones that I have already reviewed and look forward to seeing others.

The Hate You Give ~ Angie Thomas

There was a lot of hype surrounding this book but it was so well deserved. She put out an incredible debut novel with social justice filling the pages. It was amazing. 

milk and honey ~ Rupi Kaur

Rupi Kaur's debut poetry collection got me back into poetry. I'm currently reading her second one and I am loving it so very much. I really love that she includes sketches, as well.

American Street ~ Ibi Zoboi

This is a novel that I read right after I read The Hate You Give and I was pleasantly surprised that it had just as many social justice messages in it, but those messages were pertaining to very different issues. It gave amazing insight to immigration. 

Moxie ~ Jennifer Mathieu

I just finished this and have yet to write a review on it. Once it is published I will try and remember to link it to this post. However, this book is incredible. The main character reminds me a lot of myself and the messages that she and those who participated in Moxie were making, were incredible for young feminists to read.

Girls Like Us ~ Rachel Lloyd

I was assigned this reading for my class at University focusing on Human Trafficking and I am so glad that I read it. Rachel was a victim, who became a survivor, who became a surviving leader and she is helping others do the same. She gives amazing insight to her experiences and the mindset of those in the life as well. 

What Happened ~ Hillary Clinton

I was nervous to read this for many reasons but I am so glad that I listened to it. It gave great insight to her life and she gave a great perspective on the campaign and the first few months afterwards as well. 

Everything, Everything ~ Nicola Yoon

This was such an intriguing young adult contemporary novel. It dealt with family lies, love, fear, dreaming. It was just beautifully written. I really want to watch the movie. 

Turtles All The Way Down ~ John Green

This is John Green's best book yet!! He presents mental illness in such a real and raw fashion that I actually felt like I was experiencing some of my own anxieties as I read it. I cried when it was over just because I didn't want it to end. 

Movie Review: The Greatest Showman

First movie review on my blog, I think. Going to see this movie was my Christmas present from my best friend. We always go see movies together and the last time we went, the trailer for this one came up. I was beyond excited. One, Hugh Jackman. Two, Zac Efron. Three, Zendaya. 

Four, Circus.

We heard some mixed ideas about it. Some said that it wasn't historically accurate. That Barnum wasn't enough of a douchebag. Others were angery at the weak plot. The rest, raved about the incredible music. Well, going into this movie, I didn't care about the historical inaccuracies or even the weak plot as long as the music was good and the movie made me feel something great. Well, it did that. 

The music was obviously incredible and I think much of what I felt came from the music itself. "This Is Me," being sung by Keala Settle who is a powerhouse in herself, but the emotion on her face, in her voice, and in how she led the others was incredible. This was the point where she and the others decided not to care how they looked, not to care about their pasts, not to care what others thought of them anymore!

Another one of my favorite songs was the duet between Zac Efron and Zendaya's characters. The entire scene was gorgeous, so visually stimulating. It starts due to their fears of a relationship between a white boy and black girl. That's obvious from the minute they meet. This song develops their fears and their wants. The actors that play on those fears and those wants do it so well, that I felt their pain.  Zendaya is a strong badass flying all over the place whilst singing beautifully. Zac is just trying to get the girl, even jumping off of a balcony and onto the trapeze with her, all while singing. By the way, this is the first time that I have really heard him sing since High School Musical, and I am loving it. 

Beyond the music, I just loved that it told the story of a man bringing together so many outcasts. This part may be inaccurate historically, but in this movie, Barnum finds all of the outcasts, all of the people who couldn't live their lives out in the open without being laughed at or hated. He made them a family and created the circus, their home.

The movie was worth seeing. Especially if you love great musicals.