Review: Nora & Kettle by Lauren Nicolle Taylor

"What if Peter Pan was a homeless kid just trying to survive, and Wendy flew away for a really good reason?"

Seventeen-year-old Kettle has had his share of adversity. As an orphaned Japanese American struggling to make a life in the aftermath of an event in history not often referred to the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II and the removal of children from orphanages for having "one drop of Japanese blood in them" things are finally looking up. He has his hideout in an abandoned subway tunnel, a job, and his gang of Lost Boys.

Desperate to run away, the world outside her oppressive brownstone calls to naive, eighteen-year-old Nora the privileged daughter of a controlling and violent civil rights lawyer who is building a compensation case for the interned Japanese Americans. But she is trapped, enduring abuse to protect her younger sister Frankie and wishing on the stars every night for things to change.

For months, they've lived side by side, their paths crossing yet never meeting. But when Nora is nearly killed and her sister taken away, their worlds collide as Kettle, grief stricken at the loss of a friend, angrily pulls Nora from her window.

In her honeyed eyes, Kettle sees sadness and suffering. In his, Nora sees the chance to take to the window and fly away.

Set in 1953, Nora & Kettle explores the collision of two teenagers facing extraordinary hardship. Their meeting is inevitable, devastating, and ultimately healing. Their stories, "a collection of events, are each on their own harmless. But together, one after the other, they change the world."

RATING: 5 stars

**I apologize before hand for not being able to give it a proper review. I honestly couldn't find the right words to express how I really felt about this book. It is not only one of my favorite reads of the year, but of all time. And I've read some pretty damn good books. I sincerely hope you all give this book a read, only then will you really understand what I mean. As I let this book sync in some more, I'll write a much more descriptive review. So please keep checking in for that.**

I'm a huge fan of US History. It's one of my favorite subjects in school and favorite genres to read, historical fiction and non-fiction, and so when I came across this book on NetGalley, I knew I had to read it.

This book is most definitely not for the faint of heart. It was hard to read, not because it was horribly written or it was difficult to understand (at least not int he traditional sense-- more on that later) but because our main character, Nora, who I consider one of the bravest, strongest and smartest heroines I'v ever read about, endures some traumatic experiences under her father. Kettle easily became one of my favorite characters to read about. His courage and his loyalty to those around him shows just how caring human beings can be even during times of duress.

The era of WWII is my favorite in US History. I find it so fascinating even though it probably is one of the worst times in our country's history. And unfortunately, we don't too often hear about the Japanese internment camps nor the aftermath. Another reason to read this book, it gives another perspective for those who are curious.

My heart ached, it broke and it tore to pieces throughout the entire book. I can't go into detail or give it a proper review without giving away any spoilers. I definitely recommend this book, but be warned that this is NOT for the light-hearted.

Review: Start with the BackBeat: A Music Novel by Garine B. Isassi

It is the spring of 1989 in New York City when Jill Dodge, a post-punk rocker from Texas, finally gets her big promotion at Mega Big Records. She is thrust into a race to find a gritty, urban rapper before the Gangsta trend passes their label by. As Jill and her mostly middle-class coworkers search for the next big rap star, they fluctuate between alliances and rivalries, tripping over the stereotypes of race, class, and musical genre. They work to promote their current roster of acts as well as the new rap artist they sign to a contract. It turns out, he may not be what they expected. Full of original lyrics and wit, "Start With the Backbeat" is a compelling examination of the nuances of class, race, and culture in America which are sometimes ridiculously serious."

Rating: 3.75



For the most part, I enjoyed this book a lot. I liked the musical aspect of it. I appreciated the references to poop culture and I also loved that it took place in the 80s when rap was morphing into what I was familiar with in the 90s- gangsta rap. The moral of the story wasn't hard to figure out but the story was a little too zany for me. There were times where I didn't know where it was going or details I didn't think were necessary, hat could have been left out.

Overall, I fount this story relatable and I think this is a genre that I can see myself reading more from. This is my first "musical novel" and I think it's genius to incorporate music into a book (although I know Colleen Hoover was the first that I can't think where I read it). I recommend his book if you're in a mood to get inspired to write a song or even if you want to experience something new and if you want to be entertained.