Ode to the Angry Brother


Oh, Angry Brother I thought I knew you, your preoccupation with Farrakhan your sentences punctuated with ‘ya unnerstand’, but I know now that I don’t know you at all. I misinterpreted your balled fists and pursed lips as symptoms of a burning fire in your belly, a fire that reason nor progress could quell. I assumed that your black shirt, black pants, black shoes were your soldiers uniform, shielding you from all of the evil whiteness that America had born from the blinding white cotton fields to the crisp white sheets of klansmen, the button down shirts of politicians and blood streaked American flag. I felt that anger burning hot in your veins, spilling out in an aura of glowing red. Caution! Black man. Beware! I thought this fever had made you blind, sickened your spirit and turned your heart to ash. 

I thought you had forgotten to be human and all that was left of yourself was the burnt black inside of a man, burnt black to match his politics, but I was wrong. I was realized I was wrong when I saw you cry. I saw your heart fill with emotion and spill out onto your cheeks. I saw that the pain you kept in check was a pain that I’d numbed myself. Angry Brother, why you’re not angry at all you’re just in mourning. In mourning for your people who are still asleep. In mourning for your country who continues to slumber, even as bombs, pollution, and internal strife threaten to destroy it. In mourning for babies you one day hope to teach who you fear you may not have the tools to learn. Oh, Angry Brother, you still my brother and though I can’t comfort you I want you to know… I understand.

Book Review: 13 to Life (Book 1) by Shannon Delany


Title: 13 to Life. Author: Shannon Delany. Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance. Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages. Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin. First Edition (June 22, 2010). Description: From www.news-bite.com. Something strange is stalking the small town of Junction... When junior Jess Gillmansen gets called out of class by Guidance, she can only presume it’s for one of two reasons. Either they’ve finally figured out who wrote the scathing anti-jock editorial in the school newspaper or they’re hosting yet another intervention for her about her mom. Although far from expecting it, she’s relieved to discover Guidance just wants her to show a new student around, but he comes with issues of his own including a police escort. The newest member of Junction High, Pietr Rusakova has secrets to hide-secrets that will bring big trouble to the small town of Junction, secrets including dramatic changes he’s undergoing that will surely end his life early. My Review: I actually thought this was an adult book, maybe it had something to do with the title. Anyway, I am, to tell the truth, a bit scared.

I do not know what started that phobia, but I do not completely trust ya books to be all that normal. I am waiting for some creepy, misguided s3x and some messed up writing. But this book... well, I liked what was going on. 13 to Life is one of those books you can read all in one go. I believe I rarely put it down in during the whole day. The story and characters are interesting. I liked how tortured the heroine was. Some reviews said it was annoying, but I tend to like when my heroines have had a lot ish happening to them. I can't say why... and I hesitate to say I am a sadist when it comes to my main characters. I think I like witnessing characters that have been through a lot and they become stronger because of it. The story was not too eventful, it was mostly character bonding stuff. The only real action comes at the very end, and lots of questions are left unanswered. Sure, it is a good technique to keep readers/followers hanging on, but I think it works better for weekly TV shows than books that come out once a year. Rating: 4/5. I would recommend this book to paranormal romance fans. It is sweet and sad, and hey there are werewolves. Who doesn't love a good werewolf?