Author: Zakiya N. Jamal

Zakiya N. Jamal was born in Queens, raised in Long Island, and currently resides in Brooklyn. In other words, she’s a New Yorker through and through. She holds a BA in English from Georgetown University and a MFA in Creative Writing with a concentration in Writing for Children and Young Adults from The New School. She has been published in Romper, BuzzFeed, People.com, Thought Catalog, and more. Her non-fiction essay about her "Cuban Impostor Syndrome" can be found in the Latinx anthology, Wild Tongues Can’t Be Tamed. You can find her on Twitter at @ZakiyaNJamal.

Book Review: The Pretty App

Posted on August 4, 2015August 4, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

Synopsis from Amazon.com:

The delightfully smart and funny companion to The Boyfriend App, about a mean girl who changes her ways. Author Katie Sise spins another fully loaded tale of technology, secrets, and big-time romance in this story of what it takes to be #trulybeautiful.

Poor Blake Dawkins! She’s rich, she’s gorgeous, and she’s the queen bee of Harrison High. But it turns out Blake’s life is not so perfect—just talk to her dad, who constantly reminds her that she’s not up to par, or to her ex-bff, Audrey, who doesn’t even look her in the eye.

Then every high school in America becomes obsessed with posting selfies on the ubiquitous Pretty App. Next: Leo, an adorable transfer student, arrives at Harrison and begins to show Blake that maybe being a queen bee doesn’t mean being a queen b*tch. And though Audrey suspects somebody’s playing foul, Blake finds herself catapulted to internet fame after being voted one of the prettiest girls in the country. She’s whisked away to star in a reality show—in Hollywood, on live TV. But she doesn’t know who to trust. Because everybody on the show wants to win. And nobody is there to make friends.

If you haven’t read The Boyfriend App don’t read this review unless you want to be spoiled. This is your last warning. Turn back now. Don’t do this. Good? Good.

I went into this book with low expectations because even though I loved The Boyfriend App I hated Blake and how she treated Audrey and felt like having the story in her point of view was going to be like reading Something Blue after Something Borrowed (if you’ve never read these books you really should!).

Except it wasn’t. Blake has her issues but I definitely didn’t hate her as much as I thought I would. I actually kind of liked her. I also liked that we got to see a lot of Audrey and the characters from the first book in this novel. I thought Blake was funny and interesting. It was hard to sympathize with her at first because as the synopsis states she’s got everything. Once I got to know Blake, however, I realized maybe she doesn’t have everything.

It was interesting getting her point of view on her friendship with Audrey and why it failed. I still think what Blake did was terrible but I also now better understand where she’s coming from. The love story in this book wasn’t as great as that between Aidan and Audrey but it was okay.

Overall, I’d still say this is a buy. It made me laugh and smile and after some of the other books I was reading it was nice to read a pretty simple story without too much drama. It’s a fun read.

Borrow or Buy: Buy!

Favorite Line:

“Parents are flawed. Maybe it’s just about loving them anyway.”

Stars:

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Man Crush Monday: Gale Hawthorne

Posted on August 3, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Blog

I know they’ll probably be a bunch of Hunger Games fans that are upset with me for this (i.e. fans of Peeta) but let me explain. I love both these guys equally and for different reasons and just because I’m doing Gale first doesn’t mean I won’t do Peeta at some point. It’s just, have you seen Gale? Look at him. He’s gorgeous. One could argue it’s just because he’s played by Liam Hemsworth but I thought Gale was hot before the movies were even a thing.

Moving on, I like that Gale is strong and independent. I loved that he wanted a family with Katniss and he really cared about her. He understood her better than almost everyone. I’m happy that (SPOILER ALERT!) she ends up with Peeta but I wish she and Gale could’ve stayed friends. I understand why that wasn’t possible but still. It hurt me that the story ended with them being so far apart.

Overall, I found Gale to be cute, strong, and a great friend. He really loved Katniss and I think he would’ve been great with her if he was given the change. I can’t believe it’s taken this long for him to be one of my man crush Mondays, honestly.

[Gale] tilts his forehead down to rest against mine and pulls me closer. His skin, his whole being radiates heat from being so near the fire, and I close my eyes, soaking in his warmth. I breathe in the smell of snow-dampened leather and smoke and apples, the smell of all those wintry days we shared before the Games. I don’t try to move away. Why should I anyway? His voice drops to a whisper. “I love you. That’s why.” – Catching Fire

POLL: Should books be adapted into movies?

Posted on July 31, 2015August 3, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Blog

It seems now more than ever books are being turned into movies. From Harry Potter to Paper Towns it’s gotten a little out of control. It’s almost strange now if a best selling novel doesn’t become a movie. But is this a good thing? Yesterday guest poster Shant Istamboulian discussed books that were turned into great movies but that’s not always the case.

How do you feel about books becoming movies? Is it a bad idea or is it cool seeing your favorite books becoming films? Vote in the poll below.

Results of last week’s poll:

Which is the best Harry Potter book?

This was probably the closest poll I’ve ever had on this blog, which isn’t surprising. With a majority of only 30.77% the winner is The Prisoner of Azkaban. Also, Happy Birthday Harry!

Five Great Book-To-Film Adaptations

Posted on July 30, 2015July 30, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Blog, Guest Post

*This is a guest post written by Shant Istamboulian, writer of Shantipedia. Check out his awesome post and fantastic blog. Thursdays are guest post day. If you would like to be featured email toborroworbuy@gmail.com.*

Adapting popular books into films has always been a popular idea. Since the silent era, filmmakers have reached into the publishing realm to inspire their vision. D.W. Griffith’s infamous and controversial movie, The Birth of a Nation, was based on Thomas Dixon, Jr.’s equally incendiary novel (later play) The Clansman, while Cecil B. DeMille used the Bible as the impetus for his 1927 film based on the life of Christ, King of Kings.

Classics ranging from Ben-Hur (the silent version and the Oscar-winning masterpiece starring Charlton Heston) to Gone with the Wind, were all based on best-selling books that entertained and challenged readers young and old alike.

The trend continued this past weekend with the release of Paper Towns, the popular YA novel by The Fault of Our Stars writer John Green, while later in the year we’ll see the release of the eagerly anticipated final chapter in the blockbuster Hunger Games franchise, Mockingjay—Part II.

Books are constantly being turned into movies, sometimes great, sometimes not, but in the past 30 years there’s definitely been some standouts. Here’s my top five.

The Color Purple (1985, based on the book by Alice Walker)

When screenwriter Menno Meyjes set out to adapt the Pulitzer Prize-winning book of the same name, he was met with a tall order. Alice Walker’s piece is structured as a collection of letters written by protagonist Celie (played by Whoopi Goldberg in the film). How do you turn that into a feature film screenplay? The unenviable task was handled with care by Meyjes and the resulting film is touching and powerful from first frame to last and proved to be a classic example of how to adapt tricky material. Filled with wonderful performances by a great cast, including Danny Glover and Oprah Winfrey in early, career boosting roles, The Color Purple also had the distinction of providing a bridge for Steven Spielberg to segue from blockbuster filmmaking to more prestige films which would later include Empire of the Sun, Schindler’s List, and Saving Private Ryan.

FANTASTIC MR. FOX (2009, based on the book by Roald Dahl)

Roald Dahl was a children’s writer but his books always contained an edge missing from others published in its day. This is why adapting his books has never been easy as filmmakers desperately try to toe the line between the sweet and salty. Most Dahl adaptations are serviceable at the very best. (Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is considered a cult classic but a great adaptation of a Dahl book it is not.) The one filmmaker to successfully translate Dahl’s voice from page to screen was Wes Anderson (The Grand Budapest Hotel). His version of The Fantastic Mr. Fox is a great time, thanks to wonderful stop-motion animation, a collection of star talent (George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Bill Murray) that gets the material, and the perfect blending of tastes between author and filmmaker. Anderson’s style is not for everyone, but I dare you to watch this Fox without a smile on your face.

GONE GIRL (2014, based on the book by Gillian Flynn)

It’s rare for an author to adapt their own book into a screenplay. Rarer still is for them to knock it out of the park as Gillian Flynn did with her script to her dark page-turner. Working with David Fincher (Se7en, Fight Club), Flynn perfectly eliminates all the fat from her novel to deliver a tautly-paced stunner that never lets up, even to those who read the book (the “shock” moment in the book’s climax still managed to get me in the silver screen version). The Gone Girl script serves as a master class on how to adapt a popular novel and it was unfortunate that the Academy failed to nominate Flynn for a much deserved Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar (she would’ve deserved the win, too).

JACKIE BROWN (1997, based on the novel Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard)

Crime novelist Elmore Leonard always seemed like the bridesmaid when his work was adapted into films. While some of his westerns (3:10 to Yuma, Hombre) became minor classics, his crime novels never turned out the way you expected. Anyone remember 52 Pick-Up or Cat Chaser? It wasn’t until the late nineties when a trio of his books were turned into films that are now modern classics. Between 1995’s Get Shorty and 1998’s Out of Sight, Quentin Tarantino adapted his comic thriller Rum Punch into Jackie Brown. The brilliance of Jackie Brown is how Tarantino made the source material completely his own, changing protagonist Jackie Burke, a white, blonde-haired Miami flight attendant, to Jackie Brown, a black Los Angeles-based woman, while still retaining Leonard’s voice. Jackie Brown was Tarantino’s follow-up to Pulp Fiction so it didn’t get the proper attention it deserves, but with outstanding turns by Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Keaton, Robert De Niro, Bridget Fonda, and the one and only Pam Grier (in the role of her career), who makes magic with co-star Robert Forster in his Oscar-nominated role, this is a must watch. Better yet, read Rum Punch before watching Jackie Brown and marvel at Tarantino’s achievement.

MISERY (1990, based on the book by Stephen King)

A Stephen King film adaptation comes around almost every year but none have reached the perfection that is Misery. Director Rob Reiner tackled King for the second time (after Stand by Me) with a little help from Oscar-winning screenwriter William Goldman (All the President’s Men) to deliver a sometimes darkly comic, mostly chilling take on what it means to take fandom to its limits. James Caan (as novelist Paul Sheldon) and Kathy Bates (as his “number one fan” Annie Wilkes) are superb, playing the ultimate game of one upmanship. Goldman (against his will) even managed to soften the novel’s most brutal moment (SPOILER ALERT: in the book Annie chops off Sheldon’s foot and cauterizes the wound) without sacrificing its integrity and created an iconic moment in the interim. Bates won a well-deserved Oscar for Best Actress and her performance still tingles the spine.

Woman Crush Wednesday: Beatrice “Tris” Prior

Posted on July 29, 2015July 29, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Blog

Oh Tris. My love for Tris was very up and down throughout the trilogy. I liked her in Divergent, hated her in Insurgent, and loved her in Allegiant.

What’s great about Tris is she’s kind, selfless, strong, and independent. She’s willing to leave her faction because she believes it’s what’s best for her. She sacrifices herself time and time again for the people she cares about. And she’s fierce when she needs to be.

I know a lot of people hate the ending of the trilogy but I didn’t. I had my issues with it but Tris’ actions wasn’t one of them. I liked how her story ended and I appreciated Veronica Roth keeping it real. The only reason I didn’t really like it was because of Four.

Moving on, Tris is great. She’s kind of awkward in the beginning because of her Abnegation upbringing but she’s also not afraid to stand up for herself and friends. From there she continues to be brave (although she has her slip ups) and she’s an overall good person. Check her out in the Divergent trilogy (the books not the movies).

Tris taught me all about real sacrifice. That it should be done from love… That it should be done from necessity, not without exhausting all other options. That it should be done for people who need your strength because they don’t have enough of their own. – Allegiant

Book Review: City of Ashes

Posted on July 28, 2015August 17, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

Synopsis of Amazon.com:

Is love worth betraying everything? Plunge into the second adventure in the internationally bestselling Mortal Instruments series and “prepare to be hooked” (Entertainment Weekly).

Clary Fray just wishes that her life would go back to normal. But what’s normal when you’re a demon-slaying Shadowhunter, your mother is in a magically induced coma, and you can suddenly see Downworlders like werewolves, vampires, and faeries? If Clary left the world of the Shadowhunters behind, it would mean more time with her best friend, Simon, who’s becoming more than a friend. But the Shadowhunting world isn’t ready to let her go—especially her handsome, infuriating, newfound brother, Jace. And Clary’s only chance to help her mother is to track down rogue Shadowhunter Valentine, who is probably insane, certainly evil—and also her father.

To complicate matters, someone in New York City is murdering Downworlder children. Is Valentine behind the killings—and if he is, what is he trying to do? When the second of the Mortal Instruments, the Soul-Sword, is stolen, the terrifying Inquisitor arrives to investigate and zooms right in on Jace. How can Clary stop Valentine if Jace is willing to betray everything he believes in to help their father?

In this breathtaking sequel to City of Bones, Cassandra Clare lures her readers back into the dark grip of New York City’s Downworld, where love is never safe and power becomes the deadliest temptation.

Jace is everything in this book. He makes this book. I’m only here for Jace, honestly.

Okay, now that I got that out of the way let’s talk about the book itself. If you haven’t read of City of Bones yet stop here or you’ll be spoiled.

This novel picks up not too long after the end of City of Bones. We find everyone still reeling from Valentine and the revelation that Jace and Clary are siblings. Clary’s attempting a relationship with her best friend, Simon, Jace is trying to figure out his family situation and being accused of working with Valentine by the Clave, and Luke and Clary are coping with the fact that Clary’s mother still won’t wake up.

The stakes are super high in this book with Valentine building his army. Luckily, Clary and Jace are discovering they have powers of their own and maybe not everything is lost. Plus, Simon steps up in this book, which is great because he was pretty annoying up to that point. Hopefully, now he’ll get a life and stop focusing all his attention on Clary because frankly I don’t think she deserves it. Not that she isn’t great in her own right but she isn’t the end all, be all.

Lastly, I really enjoyed Magnus and Alec’s relationship in this book. It was implied in the first book but this one solidified it a bit more. They probably won’t be holding hands, walking around Central Park anytime soon (if ever) but they’re cute and I like them together. Plus, Magnus is bae.

Borrow or Buy: Buy! I really liked this one and already requested City of Glass from the library.

Favorite Line:

“That does it,” said Jace. “I’m going to get you a dictionary for Christmas this year.”
“Why?” Isabelle said.
“So you can look up ‘fun.’ I’m not sure you know what it means.”

Stars:

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Man Crush Monday: Tobias “Four” Eaton

Posted on July 27, 2015July 26, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Blog

If you don’t know who Four is that means you’ve never read Divergent and that’s a real shame. I’m currently reading Four, a collection of short stories about Four and I love it. Honestly, he was my favorite part of the Divergent trilogy and learning that Veronica Roth originally planned to do the trilogy from his point of view isn’t surprising.

Four is great because he’s such a sweet, dork who’s also really strong, brave, and kind of intimidating. Raised in the Abnegation factor by a terrible father, Four grew up with no friends and was used to being quiet, respectful, and selfless. Although being selfless is great there’s a big difference between being selfless and being pushed around and thankfully Four realizes this.

Of course, he’s also attractive but this isn’t something he capitalizes on. He’s not the hot flirt with a smirk. He’s kind of shy and doesn’t really know how to even talk to girls, much less put the moves on them. This only makes him more adorable.

The Divergent trilogy definitely has it’s faults but Four isn’t one of them. Check him out in the books (not the movies, although Theo James is very attractive) and prepare to fall in love.

“My name is Four,” I say. “Call me ‘Stiff’ again and you and I will have a problem.” – Four: A Divergent Collection

Old Stories, New Life: Persephone Books

Posted on July 23, 2015July 23, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Blog, Guest Post

*This is a guest post written by Shelbi Starnes, writer of The Nobby Life. Check out her awesome post and fantastic blog. Thursdays are guest post day. If you would like to be featured email toborroworbuy@gmail.com.*

Old Stories, New Life: Persephone Books

Shelbi Starnes

If you’re a reader (and if you’re reading this post, I assume that you are), you can sympathize with the fact that it can often be a challenge to find new, compelling books to read when you are in need of a fresh story that is simply a pleasant experience. I often find myself in bookstores, scanning the shelves for the elusive book to pop out at me, or to discover a beloved author’s lesser-known work that I can probe and explore. Perhaps the most rewarding of all is to find an author I’ve never heard of before – and thanks to Persephone Books, this happens more often than not these days.

I discovered my first Persephone book several years ago when it was sitting primly on a Barnes & Noble bookshelf, and I must admit, it was the cover that caught my eye. On closer inspection, I noticed with interest that the book was a story by Frances Hodgson Burnett, of The Secret Garden fame. That she had written other novels had never occurred to me, but now that I held The Marchioness in my hands, I wondered how many more she had written, and how many other authors had books that they had labored over but, for whatever reason, had never enjoyed success.

I also found another Persephone on the same visit (it was Christmastime and I believe the store had received a special shipment, as I have never been lucky enough to discover Persephone books at Barnes & Noble again), and I noticed with interest that it had been penned by Monica Dickens, Charles Dickens’ granddaughter. Wondering if she was as compelling an author as her grandfather, I purchased it and began reading it shortly after with my book club. When we met the following month to discuss it, we all agreed that we hadn’t been able to put it down. Who knew that Charles Dickens had offspring who wrote? and wrote in a style worthy of her literary heritage? Since then I have been on a quest to collect more of Monica Dickens’ books (not easy here in the US, as they were published in Britain quite some time ago) and have been interested in discovering more unknown literary greats.

Persephone books not only brings overlooked authors to life, they also focus on women authors by publishing works that were neglected over the years because they were not written by men. In bringing these novels to life at last, Persephone is helping to right a literary injustice. It is also interesting to note that this publishing company is owned by a woman, and her extraordinary vision and dedication to her business has imparted a unique credibility to her desire to publish female authors.

Not only am I discovering “new” authors and works, but there are authors who became successful without all of their books being well-received. To that end, Persephone brings out those neglected, overlooked novels and introduces them to a new audience.

Persephone Books is not just a publisher, but the creator of a reading experience, as their books are lovely in their simple gray covers with exquisite interiors awaiting those who crack the covers open to peek inside. A matching bookmark will begin to slide out as you open the book further, and if you’re not hooked by now then you are probably not appreciative enough of a bookish experience (of course I speak tongue in cheek…).

Should you happen into their store in London (which sits on the cutest, quietest street that just begs you to stop awhile and take it in), you will be greeted with more of the publisher’s simple, but elegant aesthetic. Clean bookshelves bearing neat stacks of their gray books beckon invitingly from a tiny, sun-filled room. Just beyond the counter, you may glimpse employees having afternoon tea. While I was visiting, a young employee popped into the shop with a profusion of flowers in her hand “just because”. It is perhaps because of their attention to beauty that Persephone has been able to succeed in creating a literary life of its own – one that is simple, beautiful, and worth exploring.

Woman Crush Wednesday: Celeste Newsome

Posted on July 22, 2015July 22, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Blog

If you haven’t read The Selection series and don’t want to be spoiled stop reading here. Seriously. Don’t read any further. Got it? Good.

Although Celeste started as the girl to hate in the series she evolved into a girl that I respected and admired by the end of the series and I think almost everyone fan of the series can agree it was sad to see her go.

Besides that, however, when she did come around she became the champion of the Selection girls. Once she stopped seeing them as enemies and instead as friends she took that fierceness and used it for good, becoming one of my favorite characters. I especially loved her support for America and thought it was cute when she threatened Maxon, warning him not to break America’s heart. I wish more than anything that she hadn’t been murdered and we could’ve seen her grow up and be a staple in Princess Eadlyn’s (America and Maxon’s daughter) life. Unfortunately, that’s not the case but we can always reread The One, and imagine how Celeste would’ve brightened up America’s Women’s Room.

As we spoke, I could see [Celeste] being accepted by the others as fully as she was now by me. She even looked different with the weight of her secrets cast off from her. Celeste had been raised to be a specific kind of pretty. That beauty depended on covering things up, shifting the light, and seeking to be perfect at all times. But there is a different kind of beauty that comes with humility and honesty, and she was glowing with it now. – The One

Book Review: Red Queen

Posted on July 21, 2015July 21, 2015 by Zakiya N. Jamal in Book Reviews

Synopsis from Goodreads.com:

The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers.

To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change.

Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of
those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control.

But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win?

Dystopias! Dystopias everywhere!

Honestly, I should really stop reading dystopias. Some of them are starting to run together in my head and it’s getting a little confusing.

Red Queen is the first book in the latest dystopian trilogy and although it definitely has some stand out points, it’s really not that different from other dystopians I’ve read. And definitely not better.

If you’ve ever read The Selection series, Mare reminds me of America in The Elite. For those of you who’ve never read that series, this isn’t a good thing. Mare is rebellious, which is to be expected of the protagonist in a post apocalyptic world, but not in any way that’s constructive. She’s a Red thief who thinks poorly of all the Silvers but easily trusts people she shouldn’t.

She has little qualms about killing innocent people in the name of rebellion and her moral compass just seems to be haywire. She makes a lot of stupid and also careless mistakes and honestly I found it difficult to sympathize with her.

This being said I obviously wasn’t Mare’s biggest fan. Instead, however, I was a fan of Julian, Cal, Kilorn, Gisa, Shade, Mare’s parents, Evangeline, and almost every other character except Mare. If this story was told by a better protagonist I probably would’ve loved it. I loved all the twists and the crazy reveals. I liked that even though some things were really predictable there were a lot of things that also caught me off guard. More then anything, I like that I have no idea where this story is going to go. This trilogy is wide open and I can’t imagine what Victoria Aveyard is going to do next with it but I’m intrigued to know more.

It was hard to declare this book a borrow but Mare ruined it for me. Even so, overall I still liked it I just couldn’t love it.

Borrow or Buy: Borrow.

Favorite Line (SPOILER!):