Iconic Banned Books?!

Hey ya'll,
Before March is over with I have to bring to light some iconic books that have been banned or counted out because of certain individuals believing that these books are a threat to a child's mind and therefore should be banned for all children or be labeled so that parents are discouraged from purchasing them. In my opinion these books are amazing and I was so shocked when I had discovered these iconic books are even on such a list.

#1.  The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Quote

"I hope she'll be a fool—that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool,"

says Daisy.

#2. As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner

Quote

"Jewel's mother is a horse," Darl said.

#3. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Quote

"Remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird," Atticus stated.

#4. Animal Farm by George Orwell

Quote

"All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others."

#5. A Separate Peace by John Knowles

Quote

"I never killed anybody and I never developed an intense level of hatred for the enemy," says Gene.

#6. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R.Tolkien

Quote

Sam: "I made a promise, Mr. Frodo. A promise."

#7. The Color Purple by Alice Walker

Quote

"Us sleep like sisters, me and Shug."

#8. The Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Quote

"There isn't anyone to help you. Only me," -The Lord of the Flies

I have read each of these books and they all taught me valuable lessons about history and human morale. I feel that instead of challenging these books we should try to incorporate them into education today for students in higher grades.

I love these books and they have been ranked under no order.

If you are a parent or a lover of books then these are reads you do not want to miss out on!

Until Next Time ;)

For more Information go to: Banned & Challenged Books

Book Review #22: Cogling by Jordan Elizabeth

Hey ya'll,
So I was given the opportunity to read Cogling by Jordan Elizabeth and it was everything that I had hoped it to be.

For those of you unfamiliar with Elizabeth's work I want to inform you that she is known for creating these captivating steampunk based novels! I have read two books from Elizabeth's Treasure Series which really set the bar high for my expectations in regards to reading Cogling.

Honestly, I was very skeptical about how Elizabeth was going to incorporate steampunk into Cogling. I thought that she couldn't possibly create another amazing novel that is truly unique and different in every way. And I was so wrong! Elizabeth kept me highly entertained and I was left begging for more once finishing Cogling.

For those of you that are unfamiliar with this story I will let you know that it involves a young girl named Edna and her search for her brother Harrison along with a "friend" as she realizes that Harrison has been replaced by a Cogling, which are mechanical machines that are dressed to look like humans.

I loved this urban world Elizabeth created that is set in this steampunk city overrun with corrupt cops that agree with whoever pays the most. And the struggling city nature that shows how the poor only get poorer and that opportunities are slim to none.

My favorite character would have to be Edna! I admired how she stuck to her faith and had such bravery when deciding to venture off with an unknown Ike all to save her brother Harrison from a terrible future. In addition, I really saw Edna take on this "motherly" role for her brother Harrison as her mother worked as a showgirl for what would appear to be a brothel.  Also, Edna really sees the good in everyone which I proclaim to not only be a good quality in her, but it can make her become prey to those who may take advantage of her kindness which is shown when she is tricked into slavery by a seemingly helping hand.

Ike who decides to willingly help Edna was the most surprising and secretive character of all. I enjoyed being able to read about his connections to the people that are thought to be behind the creation of Coglings and how Ike has such perseverance just so he can settle a vendetta he has with some powerful people.

However, the incorporation of dragons was the most interesting part of this story. It wasn't clear if they were mechanical or not, but when dealing with steampunk I assumed they were hybrids of both dragon and machine which worked well for my imagination when incorporating all the details Elizabeth had given me about what purpose dragons had in this novel.

Overall, this book was incredible and I felt as if I was watching a movie with each chapter becoming more suspenseful than the next....

Rating: *****

I loved this book and I recommend it to readers of all ages!!!!!

Have you read this book? Do you agree or disagree with what I had to say?

Tell me, I want to her your thoughts!

Until Next Time ;*

If you want to request that I check out a book then tweet me on twitter @AuthorKMJ using the following hashtags

#KMJ #Review #InsertBookNameHere

P.S. I never like to spoil the endings of a book. If you truly want to hear a few spoilers then look out for my YouTube show KMJ Reveals which is debuting this April on my channel!