Four Tips to Keep You Reading

I hear it from friends and strangers all the time. I’ll be sitting quietly with a book: in a coffee shop, at the mall, in the break room at work, or on a random park bench and they will approach. They will observe me with a sense of curiosity and wonder; they will survey the book in my hand and read the title. And finally they will ask, “Is it good?” I will lift my head and nod, perhaps I will reply, “Really Good.” They are usually fascinated by this, “Really?” They ask. “Yes.” I’ll reply. “You should read it.” And they always say the same thing as if reading from the script of a movie. “I really do want to read more, but I never seem to find the time.” And then they usually say, “And I never really know what to read anyway.”

Like clockwork, we people, yes I say we because I have been guilty of it too. We come up with every kind of excuse we can as to why we cannot do something we want to do. This is all encompassing in our lives. We excuse ourselves out of our workout in the morning, excuse ourselves out of eating the salad instead of the hamburger, we even excuse ourselves out of leaving the job we loathe. Well, what if I told you there was no excuse for not reading at least (seriously AT LEAST) a book a month? What if I told you, that if you really wanted to do it, you could even read a book a week or even a day? I know, I know, I’m pushing it right? Ok so let’s just work toward the book a month, deal? Below is a list of FOUR TIPS on how to Keep You Reading More that I’m sure will help you achieve this one goal of many.

1. Keep a Book With You at ALL TIMES!

You probably also want to make sure it’s a GOOD book. But seriously, if at the very least you commit to this first tip, you will find yourself reading more simply because the option is available to you.  Find yourself waiting for a friend who is running late to your lunch date? Boom, READ. Sitting at the nail shop waiting to be called for your pedicure? Boom, READ. Don’t want to talk to the technician while she’s painting your toenails? Boom, READ. Sitting in an overcrowded waiting room at your child’s doctor appointment and all they have are tattered mommy and me magazines? You get the idea. Before you know it, you will be seizing these spare moments all over the place, and voila your book will be fini. And guess what? You’ll want another one.

And before you say, Eww, I do NOT want to carry a book around with me everywhere I go. Let me remind you that with portable electronic readers like the Nook and OMG CELL PHONES you can download books and read them anywhere your phone goes, which is quite frankly EVERYWHERE.

2. Keep a “To-Read” List.

Remember how I said you’ll be finished with that first book in a flash and wanting for another one? Well, if you don’t have another one, you’ll just go back to reading tattered magazines and refreshing your newsfeed on Facebook and you don’t want that, do you? So, to avoid that travesty from occurring, you make sure you are prepared. Create a book list of books you want to read in the future. How the heck do you do that, you ask? Well that easy peezy, beautiful. If you are like me and don’t care to tote around a journal or pad with you at all times, I would suggest you go ahead and sign up for Goodreads.

This site is pretty darn awesome in that you can add friends and see what they are reading ( I utilize this feature all the time to find cool books to read), and you can keep track of all the books you have read, as well as save books that you want to read. An added bonus is that you can send suggested books to your friends to encourage them to read as well.  Keeping a book list is a sure fire way to avoid running out of options on what to read. (Check out our very own Goodreads list at the bottom of this page!)

3. Keep Reading Time Sacred

 

Plan your reading time and stick to it. Period. If you don’t prioritize reading, no one is going to do that for you. Your husband isn’t going to stop himself from asking you to do something because he realizes you would rather be reading at that time. Your kids aren’t going to not ask you to make them a snack or help with homework because you have a book to read. They are going to prioritize themselves, so it is up to you to create a specific time that is sacred for book reading. You can even create a space that is specifically utilized for this task. Some even create reading closets or corners that are super posh and cozy and they make you just wanna live there. Seriously, I want one. *Writes that down on to-do list* Anyway, reading time is a relaxing, self-indulgent, self-enriching time for you. Make it sacred. Stick to it. Binge read if you want, and enjoy.

 

4. Keep Reading What You Love

So, my first tip clearly suggests that you keep a book with you at all times. But the important thing is that this book you are toting around is actually something you want to read. There’s no use in carrying a book with you that isn’t interesting and keeps you motivated to turn the pages. A book like that will simply become a paperweight on your desk and a burden to your arm. You have to find out what keeps you enthralled. Are you into a certain type of TV show or programming? If you love a good talk show with expert advice, I’d say you should bee line it to the self-help section of the bookstore. Obsessed with documentaries? Try out a biography or autobiography. Stuck on shows that are filled with drama? Check out some murder mysteries or fantasy fiction. And the best part of it is that all of these books are written by authors of different cultural and socio-economic backgrounds so you can find the type that best suits you or venture out to something new and foreign. Just make sure you LIKE what you’re reading, that alone will keep you turning the page.

That’s it, that’s all! I promise, if you stick to these FOUR easy tips, you will be reading like a wizard. Well maybe not a wizard, but like the fierce Sistah you are with an unlimited aptitude for success and a unwillingness to succumb to excuses. #SistahsREAD

Book Review: My Soul to Keep – Tananarive Due

My Soul to Keep

Tananarive Due

This book captivated us from the start of the prologue to the very last page. We loved the book so much that we committed to reading the sequel for the following month! In this daunting tale of a centuries old African Immortal and the mortal family he came to love, we had a hard time agreeing on who the “good guy” and “bad guy” truly were. In the book, the grandfather makes mention of monsters and there not being any good ones, well, we can’t decide if we agree with this notion or not.

One of the most daunting questions this novel presents is: would immortality be a blessing or a curse? We were split in our answer to this as well. Many of us find value in the longevity, the wisdom, the opportunities for growth, and the time to travel and have countless experiences. On the other hand, many of us thought that a life without death for us simply meant having to lose the ones you love over and over again. A cycle destined to repeat itself when one is immortal.

In this novel, Tananarive did an excellent job of writing in a way that made her words come to life. We described moments of horror that affected us so much that we couldn’t sleep, or worse yet, the horrors manifested themselves in our dreams. Other members attested to the text bringing them to tears in one particularly devastating chapter.

Ultimately, the book was like no other we have read in the club, many compare the time hopping qualities to that of Butler’s Kindred, but we felt this text was very much so different. One gripe we did have was the length of the book. Extra time of one week was allotted for club members to finish up their reading, but everyone believed the book was worth the read and the extra time. We all are looking forward to the sequel and hoping it leaves us just as enthralled as the first.

Book Review: I Almost Forgot About You- Terry McMillan

 

This book was a chip off the old block for Terry, and I don’t necessarily mean that in a good or bad way for that matter. It is a novel about a middle aged single black woman who nostalgically revisits her long list of long lost loves. The list, ever long, and ever predictable, left us readers wondering why all the words, and why all the fluff? Half way through we wanted her to get to the point already! Granted, our group of readers is half the age of the protagonist of this story, meaning, we could more readily relate to the going’s on of Ms. Georgia Young’s daughters and employees. This caused somewhat of a disconnect for many of us, although we did find pleasure imagining our future selves behaving just as badly.

In this novel, McMillan does what she does best, creates a story with characters we can easily envision, relate to, and laugh or cry with. She creates a seamless story that could easily become a tv show or movie that people with flock to see. There’s no doubt about that. But I guess what many of us in the book club were looking for was a new layer of depth, something we could sink our teeth into, something that would stay with us; a game changer, a timeless piece. Perhaps we were expecting too much. Thinking too much. Perhaps our monthly exploits into the world of black novels has left us with a palate that Terry McMillian can no longer satiate.  Realistically, during the height of her literary career many of us were adolescents, and now what we crave is altogether something new.

At the end of the day, I Almost Forgot About You¸was no less than forgettable. To many of us, it was reason enough to step away from our busy lives and relish in the life of another, but it did not keep us enthralled. It was not a page turner, and although there were a few pebbles of wisdom sprinkled throughout, it did not move us.  This book was average at best, and in the cracks and crevices of this storyline, peeking out at us, were undeniable glimpses of Terry’s actual life disguised as fiction. We saw a few characters we felt we had seen before, and the overall honey, sistah, girlfriend relationships are echoes of waiting to exhale. Well. We are no longer waiting to exhale Terry, we are living, breathing, loving and wanting a new narrative.

Book Review: The Man from Another Land – Isaiah Washington

After I read this book, I felt like I knew Isaiah. It felt like I had sat down with him on the porch, lit up a cigar, poured a glass of wine, and listened to him tell me stories about his life. It felt like he was there with me, relaying to me the lessons he learned; some hard, some fast, and some ever slow.

A Man From Another Land is not just about the journey of a famous actor, it is an insightful tale that encapsulates a coming of age story with the interwoven theme of self-realization. This is BIG for Black people, or as some prefer to say, African-Americans. We are a group of people who lack the knowledge of home. We do not know from whence our people came beyond the southern horrors drenched with their blood, but I digress. This novel sheds light on the reality that although we are resilient, although we persevere, it is imperative that we tap into our core. Isaiah introduced us to a part of him we have never known, namely because he didn’t know this part himself. I must  say that after reading this autobiographical piece that was written more like a colorful novel, we were all filled with curiosity. Not necessarily a desire to know more about Isaiah, he gave us much of that,  but a desire to know more of who we are, where we come from, and how many of our personal characteristics and behaviors were echoes of our ancestors. DNA has memory is a notion that Isaiah introduces to us in this book, and a thought that has stayed with me ever since. The notion that our blood itself maintains the memory, the feeling of those who came before us. It’s fascinating.

Now, some may pick up this book in hopes of getting all the juicy details of the drama of Grey’s Anatomy, and I must say, as an avid fan myself, I wanted at least a little juice. Well, don’t bring a large cup, because that’s not what this book is about. Although Isaiah gives us a sip or two about the Grey’s “tea” it isn’t overkill, and we appreciated him for it. In fact, many members of the club knew Isaiah Washington from his other pieces of work, there’s plenty you know. A number of Spike Lee joints for starters. And he tells about that too. We find out he spent time in the service, went to an HBCU, had some amazing mentors, and we get a peek into his personal life. It’s really beautiful.

In reference to criticism, I would say that we felt somewhat like outsiders taking a peek into the male perspective. As a group of women, reading a man’s coming of age story is reminiscent to watching your younger brother go from a boy to a man. You watch in awe, you empathize with him, you fight him, you love him, you learn from him, but at the end of the day as much as you relate, your experiences will never be exactly the same. So we do not hold that so much against this book, as it is autobiographical. In general, we all loved the book,and wanted to trace our genetic history as a result.

Book Review: The Warmest December – Bernice L. McFadden

The Warmest December

By Berenice L. McFadden 

This book spoke to us. We all raved about how each of the characters came to life as if we sat in the middle of their apartment watching their lives unfold. We felt the pain Kenzie felt as she grappled with the demons of her past and then watched in horror as past came to life and the demon was present and his name was Hy-Lo.

Kenzie’s story is one of pain, alcoholism, abuse, guilt, sorrow, and ultimately forgiveness. This novel was not an easy one to read, but we still could not sit our books down. We hated Hy-Lo, felt sorry for both Kenzie and her brother, and at times resented her mother for not leaving. This book is gritty, there is no way to tell a story about alcoholism without things getting ugly, and boy does it get ugly. I mean, without giving away all the details I’ll just say, the abuse doesn’t end with family members.

Although thankfully many of us haven’t personally experienced alcoholism or abuse in the degree conveyed by the novel, many of us felt that we knew of someone who had. This book poignantly illustrates the horrors and cyclic nature of alcohol abuse. The trickle-down effect is brilliantly displayed when we see both Kenzie and her mother follow the footsteps of their abuser to cope with the abuse.

In this novel, McFadden weaves together vivid imagery with a heart wrenching narrative in order to take us on this journey. We thought the book was engaging, at times overly graphic, but necessarily so. Over all we thought the book was well written and moving. We definitely will look into incorporating other novels by Bernice L. McFadden as a club read.

What is Sistahs R.E.A.D.?

Sistahs R.E.A.D is a book club that meets monthly to discuss the book of the month while also interacting with one another and having a good time.  Our fee-free book club provides the freedom of sharing our passion for literature without the bureaucracy of other clubs. This places focus on the R.E.A.D.ing aspect: Reading. Entertaining. And Discussing.

Although we were formed in 2008, it was not until 2016 that we decided to spread our love of books to the rest of the world.  Through book exchange, discussion questions, forms and meet ups, the Sistahs R.E.A.D. movement will spread beyond the limits of living rooms and meeting halls and become a tool that anyone in any place can utilize.

Check out the infographic below to learn more about Sistahs R.E.A.D.