RLT Reads: Summer Book Picks!

The summer has finally arrived and many of you will be vacationing and looking for a book to take on your trip. Me myself, well I'll be at my regular, that is, reading every evening to relax and clear my head.

I love reading and thats a fact. When I read, I allow someone else's imagination to take me on a journey. It's a place where I never think about my life with AIDS. It's a safe place away from my pain.

There is nothing like a good book so I wanted to share my summer picks with you! First off, are some of my favorite authors.  I was devastated when Walter Mosley killed off Easy Rawlins, his swanky private detective centered in Los Angles from the time span after War World Two through the 50's-60's. Mystery is one of my favorite genre's and I was a late comer to Walter Mosley, but once I started I couldn't put him down. He just released his latest, Little Green! I can wait to pick it up!

Next is an author that is one of the greatest writers of my era. When I tell you his first two books, A Thousand Splendid Suns and Kite Runner were magnificently written, I mean it! I have placed A Thousand Splendid Suns in the top 5 books that I have ever read. Well, Khaled Hosseini is at it yet again, he recently released And The Mountains Echoed.  His books are heavy and complex so be prepared.

When I learned that this next book was being released I was overjoyed. When I tell you that The Devil Wears Prada was one of my great reads, it was. I laughed and got mad all in the same page and thats a good read! Well, Lauren Weisberger has released, Revenge Wears Prada and it is a must read for the fans of The Devil Wears Prada. I'm hopeful that it will be equally as fun as the first. I consider this a light read.

I also though that I would step out of my comfort zone for a change. Since I've been on Good Reads, I've learned about so many authors. I'm in a book club that reads books by people of color and these are some of their reads and while, I'm behind, I certainly plan to read them all this summer.

First up is an author whose name has been dropped by me on many occasions. I have been planning to read Nigerian born, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie,  first book Half of a Yellow Sun. After reading Little Bee, it was highly recommended to have an African perspective of the Nigerian civil war. Well, she has released a new book this summer that has gotten great reviews. Americanah is about living in America and being African and the difference that means from being African-American. As soon as I finish reading Eric Jerome Dickey's Waking With Enemies ( A Girl Has Got To Have a Little Fun)  I'm going to Americanah. Both of  Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie books are on my summer read list, Half of a Yellow Sun and Americanah.

Ghana Must Go, by Taiyle Selasi is up next. Taiyle, is a London born African who was raised in the United States. Ghana Must Go is a narrative that explores the modern African family and the importance of where we come from to who we are. This novel takes us from Accra, to Lagos to London to New York.  "Ghana Must Go teaches us that the truth we speak can heel the wounds we hide."

Last but not least is. The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng.  A Penang born author who was raised in Malaysia. The Garden of Evening Mists is his second novel. This book main character is a young woman Malaya and centered in 1951. Malaya is the long survivor of a Japanese wartime camp who seeks solace among the jungle-fringed tea plantations of Cameron Highlands.
O. K., so you know that the main character finding refugee in a tea planation had me hooked, line and sinker. I can't wait to read this book.

Well, this is my summer reading list. Now you know, Ill be reading others in between these. I always try to pick up something light after a heavy read. For sure, I'll be reviewing all of my summer reads! Happy Reading!!!

RLT Reads! Pretty Betty by Walter Mosley A Review

Well, it seems that RLT Reads Book Club has gone straight to hell in a hand basket. I know some of it was my fought. Over the last two years my health has been a handful and I have been off my reading game and not able to keep up. Trying to balance my health and all of RLT Brands is two full time jobs wrapped  up into one. But I made an executive decision over this past holiday; to take some time for me. Life is to short to not do some of what you enjoy. So I'm back to my favorite pass time on the planet, other than shopping, drinking tea, and knitting, it is reading! I can easily read a book or two a week.

Until we get RLT Reads book club rolling again, I thought that I would at least give you some weekly reviews on the books that I'm currently reading. Over time, if you show some interest, we can see if the on-line book club can get back on its feet. Shoot me an email if you are interested in getting the book club back on it's feet RLTReads@raelewisthornton.com

My first weekly review! Here goes! I'm too excited about sharing my reads with you. I am an absolute fan of crime mystery books. My adopted God Mother, Judy down in Nashville is also an avid reader. You should hear our conversations about books that we have both read. We talk about characters like they are for real... Shoot, we think Alex Cross, the leading man in James Patterson Cross series is our future husband.

She and I both love mystery and she has been trying her best to get me to read Walter Mosley Easy Rawlins series. Because she kept pushing, I purchased a few and they just sat on my book shelf.

Then recently I started to slowly read them. Then over the holiday, I picked one up and now I can't seem to stop. To date I've read, six of the ten in this series, in no particular order. I have even read the last one he wrote in 2009, which killed off the series, Blonde Faith.

I've also read the most famous, of course, the Denzel Washington movie, Devil in a Blue Dress. I have also read, Little Scarlet, White Butterfly and Cinnamon Kiss. So far so good. They were all page turners that I didn't want to put down. I read 3 over the holiday alone. I was on a roll.

But the one I want to review for you today is Black Betty. I just finished reading it and OMG! This was one complex story line that captured the period. The thing I love most about Mosley's Easy Rawlins series is that he does an awesome job of situating his story line in the period and plays it through like a fine violin.

Black Betty is one of the most complex of all the Rawlins series so far. All of the books are situated in Southern California between the 40-60's. It's an interesting period and Rawlins gives us insight on segregation, racism and migration during this time span.

Many African-Americans escaped the degradation of the south. We often read about those from Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. Rawlins characters are all from parts of Louisiana and Texas. Which had it's own particular culture and Black folks bring it to Los Angles during it's time of growth.

Rawlins is a private investigator operating in Los Angles who begins his career by default. Well liked and well connected in the Black community Rawlins is asked to help locate people. The police use him from time to time on complex cases in the black community because it's easier for Rawlins to move among black folks then it is for white police officers. Over time, Rawlins is eventuality given his license to practice. Rawlins loves, sex, woman and alcohol, but alcohol doesn't love him. He's a man's man, with a good heart that shines bright in all of the Easy Rawlins books. Oh yeah, his side kick Mouse is a hoot, but mostly a cold-blooded killer.

Now on to Pretty Betty. This story takes place in 1961 at the height of overt segregation in the South and covert segregation and open racism in swanky L.A. Betty is a woman from Rawlins home town, who's sensuality shines bright with every step she takes. She captivates Rawlins as a young boy and years later they meet again in the midst of a complex trail of murder and mayhem.

There are clear and not so clear villains. Betty is a live-in maid for a wealthy Southern California Plantation owner. Yes, I said planation. Mosley gives us a brief insight into migrant slave labor in Pretty Betty. That's the thing about Mosley, all of his Rawlins books give us a history lesson in race relations and what it's like to be mostly black and poor during this period.

I can't tell you the story or you won't have a need to pick it up. Lets just say, there is sexual coercion power relationships and children born of mixed race at it's best. When the patriarch of the family dies, who is also Betty boss, she disappears and the hunt begins.

Murder follows Betty's trail right along with Rawlins. This complex story line of who done it and why and yes who inherits the 50 million dollars will keep you turing pages until the very end.  It is worth the read!

Each Tuesday I will be reviewing two of my favorite things, tea and books #SmallPleasures  Stay tuned for next week and in the meantime don't forget to read my tea Review, Passion in a Cup... Click Here! For more on Walter Mosley, go to his website, Click Here!