“Stories aren’t written about women who follow the rules, Tabby.  Stories are written about women who break them and show us all what’s on the other side.  The world runs on that magic.  Don’t let anybody limit you with what they can’t handle.” 

 

Real, impactful, and fully entertaining. Allen has crafted these characters and their experiences with pure magic, and I hung on every word.  

 

Tabatha’s life has become even more complex.  She’s trying to balance pregnancy, career, love life woes, and everyone’s opinion on her hair.  It’s overwhelming and exhausting.  Especially the part about everyone’s opinions.  

 

Just like the first book in this series, I devoured Black Girls Must Be Magic in one sitting and am left eager for the next book.  Allen has a way of writing real life that fully drew me in and kept me engaged.  My investment in Tabatha’s journey only deepened as she learned who she was.  As she pushed past societal barriers to make space for who her authentic self, I was her biggest cheerleader.  

  

It’s important to note that Tabby may be the headliner, but it’s Ms. Gretchen that’s the real star.  Sage wisdom and a perfect manicure!  Gosh I’d love to spend an afternoon with her.  I have big hopes for seeing her as a Glam-ma in the next book.

 

I did wish this short book (only 254 pages) was a bit longer to include necessary follow ups from the last book (how is Lailah after her suicide attempt?), to showcase the friendship between the threesome more intricately (like in the previous book), and to go into greater detail about the dynamics with her and Marc (which is constantly in flux).  

 

That aside,  Allen continues to be a strong Black Girl voice tackling hard hitting issues in a fun and easy to digest way, and I look forward to the third installment of this series.  

 

Many thanks to Jayne Allen, Haper Perennial, Harper Collins, and Storygram Tours for this #gifted advanced copy. 

Gritty, picturesque, and tender. This was a book I loved getting lost in and has sat deep in my heart ever since I closed the last page.    

 

On those stifling summer days down south, there’s nothing quite like finding that perfect shade spot beneath a hearty pecan tree, sweaty glass of sweet tea in hand.  It’s a special kind of sigh-worthy moment of escape.  Frost’s debut is exactly like that perfect moment, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.  

 

An orphan.  Discarded and unwanted by everyone.  At 13 years old, Kit fights to find her place. She longs to be seen and to know love… true, unconditional love.  So she runs away from the life that’s given her nothing but heartbreak towards the hope of a better future.  

 

Manny lives on impulse.  That high of chaotic living fuels him. He has a need to be revered and to be in complete control, but that isn’t easy to see right away. Plus, it was the promise of a meal that drew Kit to him in the first place…basic survival and all that.  But it was his smooth talking ways and the hope of a friendship that kept her attached.  When you’re broken and desperate, obsession and love look an awful lot alike. 

 

13 years later, Kit is on her own raising a headstrong daughter and trying to navigate life.  When Manny shows up on her front porch singing a new song, everything threatens to unravel.  

 

This is exactly the kind of book I love… one full of grey areas, hard to read scenes, and things that make me uncomfortable.  It’s also a book full of grit, growth, and resiliency.  All of it blends together into one beautifully impactful novel.   

 

And that ending! Whoooweee.  That ending brings everything (even those seemingly inconsequential details) full circle in the most satisfying way.

 

A lot of books get a handful of literary elements right.  But this debut book…from the complex, indelible characters to the propulsive storyline to the cinematic atmosphere and the engaging writing style… Frost masterfully executes all of them to such a degree that it is astonishing this is her debut.  

 

This book is best partnered with a tall glass of sweet iced tea and a best friend.  It begs to be discussed, and you’ll appreciate lingering over these pages. 

 

Thank you Caroline Frost, William Morrow Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review a #gifted advanced copy of this book.

Full of culture and with an entirely unique voice, Gonzalez delivers quite the debut!

 

Olga and Prieto appear to be living the American dream.  Both have found success, leaving behind the unconventional family dynamics of their youth.  But as Hurricane Maria bears down on Puerto Rico, past trauma combined with sudden demands from their previously absent mother makes the siblings take stock.  

 

Gonzalez is a fresh voice with a distinct and necessary cultural perspective.  Her writing is engaging and vibrant allowing a book full of heavy topics to be highly readable and funny.  

 

I particularly appreciated the way she wove seemingly insignificant details and plot points throughout the story to create lustrous metaphors and deep meaning.  

 

Perhaps the best part of the book is the picture of rich Puerto Rican heritage that Gonzalez paints throughout.  The Acevedo’s story is bursting with culture and history, which gave the me a unique look into the devastation the island endured during and after Hurricane Maria.  

 

I often like to partner the audiobook with the physical book, and in this instance that worked beautifully.  The audiobook was exceptional in allowing me to hear dialect and correct pronunciations adding a depth to the cultural aspect of this novel.  Similarly, the text provided necessary support as I assimilated the complexities of Puerto Rican history.  I’m not sure either would’ve worked as well singularly.   

 

I’m eager to see what is next for Gonzalez, and I can only hope it will be full of more Puerto Rican culture.  

 

Thank you Xochitl Gonzalez, Flatiron Books, MacMillan Audio, and Libro.Fm for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book.

Suspenseful and intriguing.  Hendricks and Pekkanen did not disappoint in their newest domestic suspense.  

 

Marissa and Matthew…gorgeous, successful, and wealthy… are exactly who one pictures when imagining the perfect couple.  But those good looks are deceiving, and nothing is perfect on their home front.  

 

Avery Chambers had her therapist’s license striped away.  But that hasn’t set her business back.  Her unconventional therapy methods guarantee success in a mere 10 sessions.  

 

On the surface, this is the story of a couple seeking professional help after infidelity.  Oh but don’t let that fool you… this is a tangled web secrets and lies! And no character is exempt.

 

I devoured this slow burn mystery in one day.  While the characters often felt one dimensional, the twists and turns of the storyline coupled with the atmosphere of suspense kept me enrapt, and the conclusion was both surprising and highly satisfying.  

 

The audiobook was adeptly executed.  Narrators Marin Ireland and Karissa Vacker brought distinct voices to Marissa and Avery, adding nuance and depth to the characters and text.   

 

Many thanks to Greer Hendricks, Sarah Pekkanen, St. Martin’s Press, MacMillan Audio, and Libro.Fm for this advanced copy. 

 

Angsty and full of steam.  Kennedy puts a new spin on the good girl meets bad boy trope in this quick and easy read.  

 

Mac and Cooper come from very different worlds.  On the outside they seem as opposite as night and day.  One is a trust fund kid living a life of wealth and privilege.  The other is always fighting to get ahead.  But not long after the sparks start to fly between the two, it becomes pretty obvious that at their core, they both just want to be accepted for who they truly are.  

 

And while Good Girl Complex dives into some real issues, at its core this book is pure chemistry.  I enjoyed watching Coop and Mac learn to be friends first building the tension.  And when that first kiss finally happened, it was pure fireworks.  From there the book smolders all the way to that happily ever after.  Kennedy definitely knows how to write heat.  

 

But I’ll admit… I like to think I’m still young.  But reading the anguish these young adults went through definitely reminded me that it’s been a minute since I was in college.  And for that reason, I think younger readers will enjoy this one even more than I did.  That said, I will definitely look forward to the next installment in this series.  

 

Thank you Elle Kennedy, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book.

Hair raising and unnerving.  Follett is known for compelling writing and epic novels, and in his newest I found myself riveted by this unsettling premise.

 

Most of us don’t like imagining end of world scenarios.  The goal is to learn from history in order that it not repeat.  But if one of the worst wars on record happened even though absolutely no world leader wanted or sought it, is it possible for that to happen again?  What would that look like in a world with nuclear weapons?

 

Told in three distinct narratives, the 800+ pages flowed quickly and never seemed daunting.  Each storyline felt plausible, and the compounding decisions made by world leaders created alarming strain as the world stage grew more and more tense.  

 

As the pressure built in the political scene, the characters’ lives progressed as though all was normal…falling in love, fighting against societal norms, having dinner with parents.  Follet paints this opposing dynamic between the tension on the world stage versus the daily doldrums adeptly.  And maybe more than anything else, that lead me to ponder just how accurate his imagination could be in the future.

 

While I enjoyed the novel overall, the ending made me want to throw my (very large) book.  To put in the 800+ page effort only for the novel to end as it did frustrated me.  I see why he did such.  I just didn’t like it.  

 

Thank you Ken Follett and Viking for this #gifted finished copy.  

 

“And what about a person’s life? How do you make a map of that?  The borders people draw between themselves.  The scars left along the ground of one’s heart.”

 

A lyrically written, stunningly beautiful story.  Black Cake took root in my soul, and I cannot recommend it strongly enough.  Part family saga, part mystery, this story is riveting and evocative.  

 

My grandmama’s signature pound cake was full of tradition and steeped in love.  It was as much a part of our family as my cousin. Some of our best times were had sitting around a table with a slice of that cake.  Eleanor’s black cake is much the same to her family…

 

Sadly, Eleanor Bennet succumbed to illness and is gone.  But she’s left behind two important things for her children, a recorded message and one last black cake, chock full of tradition and heritage.  What the children do not know is that there is much more to their legacy than they’ve ever been told before.  This is a story of family secrets, overcoming, and learning to accept the people you love in their truest form.  

 

As with the ideal cake, this book is perfectly layered and utilizes the highest quality of ingredients. The storyline hooked me from the beginning with its complexities and fast pace. The short chapters and dual timeline made it impossible for me to put this book down.  

 

But the character development is really where Wilkerson shines.  These multifaceted and flawed characters are ones that I wanted to share a slice of cake with and get to know more intimately.  As the book progresses, the cast of characters continues to build.  But about ¾ of the way through the book, I realized that when a new characters appeared, it was a welcome and wanted surprise.  The new additions felt fresh and timely rather than heavy and unnecessary.  

 

As we get to know the Bennets, we also get a broad picture of the world in which they are living and the societal struggles that they face (old and new).  While Wilkerson touches on important issues in this story, it is done as relevant slice of life, never heavy handed.  

 

This near perfect book should be enjoyed by EVERYONE.  It certainly will stay with me for a long time.  

 

Thank you Charmaine Wilkerson, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book.

“When you strip away the divides, barriers, categories and all of the various ways we’ve learned to separate ourselves, one from another,… at our foundation, love is a language we all speak and the very life blood of our existence.”  -Author’s Note

 

Tabitha Walker’s life was right on track… a job she loved with promotion potential, a drop-dead-gorgeous boyfriend, the deposit for a house in savings, and a band of girlfriends that always had her back. But life is full of challenges that test the strongest of footings even in the best of times.

 

I love slice of life books….getting to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes, struggles, community, and culture.  In Black Girls Must Die Exhausted, I enjoyed putting on Tabitha’s stilettos, seeing life from her perspective and being a part of her girlfriends and community.  My life is very different from hers in many ways.  But when we boil it down to the core, our foundation and desires are very much the same.  

 

Allen’s writing drew me in, and I finished this gem in one sitting.  Each character is dynamic and multifaceted.  But it was Granny Tab and Mrs. Gretchen that really shined.  I’d love to spend a Saturday afternoon with them enjoying their spunk and wisdom. 

 

Tabby’s struggles are both common among women and unique to the black girl experience.  Allen masterfully touches on important societal issues within the context of Tabby’s life in a way that is understandable and eye opening.  

 

Black Girls is exceptional as an audiobook. Narrated by Marcella Cox, I heard Tabby’s distinct voice and felt as though she was sharing her story with me alone.  The nuance that Cox uses gives a depth to text as Tabby’s voice takes center stage.    

This is the first book in the series, and I already have the next book on tap, eager to get to it.   

“I’m feeling almost nostalgic for last week, yearning for that moment-- standing in my hallway, back against the door-- when the line between good and bad was so clearly defined.”  

(3.5⭐️) A serial killer and an unreliable narrator.  The makings of a good debut.  

As a teenager, Chloe shared a house with a monster.  Not the kind that hides under your bed.  The kind that walks around in plain sight acting completely normal even after killing someone the night before.  For the last twenty years, her father has been in prison, and she’s lived with the trauma from that summer.  And just as Chloe finally starts to relax into the downright normalcy of a new house and an upcoming wedding, a copycat killer emerges.   

Willingham held my attention as I quickly digested this story.  The premise was completely unique to me… following a serial killer’s daughter as she watches copycat killings. Getting that deep dive into her confused psyche, laced with terror and drugs.  

While I truly enjoyed the premise, I did find the story to be completely predictable and slightly implausible.  The way Willingham presents the information made me even more skeptical than I generally am in thrillers.  I found myself scrutinizing *every* single detail. I believe I would’ve figured this one out even so, but with the heavy-handed delivery, I figured it out much, much quicker.  The storyline would’ve benefited greatly from a more subtle approach.  

Even knowing how the story would end, I still enjoyed the journey.  This is a solid debut, and I’m interested to see what Willingham does next.  

Thank you Stacy Willingham, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book.

This is a gripping, fear inducing true crime masterpiece.  You’ll double check the locks on your doors and be glad that DNA technology has greatly improved since the Golden State Killer rocked the nerves of Californians.  

 

Michelle McNamara was obsessed with The Golden State Killer.  For more than a decade, he terrorized portions of California as he raped and murdered victim after victim.  As a gifted journalist who experienced this same type of terror as a 14 year old whose neighbor was brutally murdered, Michelle could not let the Golden State Killer’s case rest.  

 

This book reads like a mash up of memoir and true crime.  We get to know McNamara as she honestly reveals how her mania with this case impacts her family life (and ultimately her untimely death).    While her personal life might have suffered, this book did not.  It is meticulously researched and superbly written in an engrossing and atmospheric prose. 

 

This book is everything you want in nonfiction.  Thankfully, the Golden State Killer has been brought to justice in time since McNamara’s death and the publication of this book.