#BookReview: Chlorine Sky By Mahogany L. Browne

Synopsis:

A novel-in-verse about a young girl coming-of-age and stepping out of the shadow of her former best friend. Perfect for readers of Elizabeth Acevedo and Nikki Grimes.


She looks me hard in my eyes
& my knees lock into tree trunks
My eyes don’t dance like my heartbeat racing
They stare straight back hot daggers.
/I remember things will never be the same.
I remember things.


With gritty and heartbreaking honesty, Mahogany L. Browne delivers a novel-in-verse about broken promises, fast rumors, and when growing up means growing apart from your best friend.

Chlorine Sky is a coming of age story that’s written in verse about a young African American girl who enjoys playing basketball and doing all she can to show that she can be girly and be one of the guys. Whenever she is with her friend Lay Li she feels she’s in the way or guys don’t really notice her unless she is with Lay Li. This young girl is doing her best to try and process everything with how she is being treated with her older sister at home and taking advice from her cousin. It’s like she is caught in the middle. Her friendship with Lay Li was almost ruined due to a guy running a game on Lay Li when he showed he had interests in her. In the end she is just trying to understand everything.

Final thoughts

I like that this book was written in verse, this is why I decided to pick it up. Although I wanted a lot more from this story or more explanation of things. This wasn’t a bad story, I just wanted more from it. I do like this author’s work. I read her previous book and I enjoyed that. This is nice if you want something quick to read that’s not written in a traditional story format. 

3⭐

Blog Tour: Santiago Chronicles of a Young Traveler By Eduardo Rios Lasso – #blogtour #bookreview

Synopsis:

Fresh out of college, 26-year-old Santiago has always longed to see the world, but his anxiety gets in the way. How can he possibly travel abroad if he feels sometimes heart-pounding pressure by simply riding a bus? But one day, after years of saving, Santiago courageously buys a ticket around the world. His parents think he’s crazy, but he takes a leap of faith and sets out alone. However, the world he had imagined was far from reality.

Meanwhile, Santiago finds out his best friend Laura, who could not join him on the trip, battles a recently diagnosed autoimmune disease. Will he regret his decision to leave her behind? Will their friendship survive or blossom into something more? On his journeys from New York to Lisbon, Paris to Sarajevo, and Istanbul to Bali, Santiago must overcome his shyness and open up his heart despite facing challenges, such as scams, and confronting complex issues like human trafficking. Join Santiago on a journey of self-discovery and adventure like no other.

Review:

I liked reading about the travels Santiago took to help overcome his anxiety. I like that he stuck with his plans to travel around the world despite his family being against it. Santiago showed that he was brave and strong during some encounters while traveling. Santiago had a dream and he wanted to do something that he could be proud of and look back on. The places he visited all sounded nice.

I also enjoyed the authors writing, it was easy to understand and the story structure was set up nicely. I would like to thank the author and his marketing team for allowing me to be on this blog tour and to get a chance to read and review his novel.

Rating:

3⭐⭐⭐

About the author:

Eduardo Rios Lasso emerged as a writer during his career as a medical doctor. Born and raised in Panama City, Panama, his journey has taken him around the globe to dozens of countries. Along the way, he found a passion for travel writing that seeks out positive life experiences while also sharing the common interests and challenges that bring different cultures together. Eduardo currently resides in Germany, where he is completing his training in Internal Medicine. SANTIAGO – Chronicles of a Young Traveler is his first book.
Website: http://www.zibarna.com
Instagram: http://instagram.com/e.rioslasso

Goodreads Link

Where to Buy