ambershelf's reviews
1295 reviews

Single mom and erotica writer Eva Mercy is struggling. She's out of ideas for her 15th book in her bestselling series, her debilitating migraines are causing havoc, and her love life is non-existent. When Eva unexpectedly reunites with Shane, another bestselling author, at a New York literary event, will she learn to trust him after two decades of a broken heart? Or will Eva walk away?

Seven Days in June is an intimate yet humorous book that surpasses the romance and peers into chronic illness, modern motherhood, and second chances. Tia Williams' portrayal of redemption and love has me laughing, crying, and feeling everything in between. Seven Days in June is an extraordinary novel I recommend to those looking for a love story that inspires deeper conversations on race and gender.

In Call Us What We Carry, Amanda Gorman uses her powerful voice and incredible talent to explore the toll of racial discrimination and the COVID-19 pandemic. Apart from the loss and grief, Amanda encourages readers to unite with words of hope and healing. Call Us What We Carry also includes "The Hill We Climb," the poem she read at the Presidential inauguration, which moved me to tears (again!) Poetry isn't a genre I usually read because, frankly, I don't understand it a lot of times. But Call Us What We Carry is written in an easy-to-understand yet powerful way that I didn't want to end—a remarkable place to start if you'd like to explore poetry.

Based on a true story set in the 70s in Alabama, nurse Civil Townsend has just started working at the Montgomery Family Planning Clinic. Civil hopes to help women make better-informed choices about their reproduction, especially the often neglected or exploited African American community. But when asked to put her first patients on birth control, two girls just 11 and 13 years old, Civil wonders if she is really doing what benefits those in need. Ultimately, Civil has to confront the system that has robbed Black Americans, especially black women, of their rights, safety, and finally, their choices.

Take My Hand is one of those books that is so bleak I had to take breaks while reading it. I remember still feeling optimistic about the current political climate in the US because "at least this didn't happen in the real world" until I found out the events that transpired in the book actually occurred in real life. For those interested in the history of reproductive rights in the US, Take My Hand tells a tragic story that will have the readers reflecting on our past actions and our future options.

The Trayvon Generation is a collection of essays on the impact of art and its relationship with African American culture. Elizabeth Alexander references poetry, music, movies, and TV shows to connect with racial issues in the present day with beautiful and lyrical prose. I'm not as familiar with the entertainment landscape in the book, but for those who are more familiar with pre-90s pop culture, The Trayvon Generation would be a marvelous read.