Jones weaves a complicated and engrossing tale of dysfunction, lies, secrets, and deceit.  Her ability to tell a story about the deception of bigamy that resonates and draws you in highlights the immense skill of this author.  And boy did this story make me FEEL- anger, empathy, frustration, uncertainty, grief, disappointment, anguished.

This book is a phenomenal character study.  Jones adeptly creates two distinct and multifaceted voices in James’ daughters, Chaurisse and Dana.  After being introduced to Dana, the illegitimate daughter, I became devoted to her, greatly empathizing with her struggles, so much so that  I did *not* want to know or like Chaurisse, the legitimate daughter.  But after a few chapters of getting to know her, I couldn’t help but connect with her as well.  The depth with which Jones writes these characters is vivid and heartbreaking.  

A nice bonus for me…as someone who grew up in Atlanta in the late 80s, reading this book transported me back to parts of my childhood…from jelly shoes and tube tops to the Varsity and Fernbank Museum.

Turning the last page on the book, I longed for more. I was invested in Dana’s and Chaurisse’s lives, and I wanted so much more.

Immersive, complex, and challenging.  Thomas is masterful at fighting against pervasive stereotypes with grit, heart, wit, and a side of nostalgia.  

We first met Maverick as an upstanding entrepreneur and family man in The Hate You Give.  Concrete Rose takes us back the late 90s (hello light blue beeper) as Maverick is verging on manhood with the deck stacked heavily against him.  

In Maverick’s story, Thomas takes what society has vilified- teen pregnancy, “deadbeat dads,” drug dealing, gang banging- and upends it and paints a human element to it, creating understanding and empathy in place of condemnation.  Maverick’s circumstances are foreign to my experiences of growing up.  And yet, Thomas adeptly created a connection between me and Maverick’s world.  The author humanized Maverick’s situation.  She put me in his Nikes and challenged me… what would I do in his circumstances?  

Just like a rose that can overcome the harshest of environments, we watch Maverick struggle and overcome.  Thomas doesn’t sugar coat the situation.  Instead she lays bare its complexities.  And that makes watching him grow from a self-centered teenager into a man focused on putting his family first a true joy.

Who else has succumbed to Netflix and Shondaland’s power and (unexpectedly, reluctantly) added this book to your queue? I know I’m not alone. This is not my go to genre. But I did find it a fun, quick, and quite  steamy escape into Regency era London where society is in full swing during Mayfair. 

An unusual and eccentric story with a strong female protagonist and creatures of fairytales mixed with a heavy dose of gore and darkness. Parts of the story were magical, and parts of the story grew stale and never got properly fleshed out.  Kidd has a way with prose.  Although some reviewers found the writing style to be a bit grandiose, I enjoyed it, and found that it only heightened the Victorian England setting.

Delightful, endearing, and a bit heartbreaking.  Grumbly, persnickety Eudora finds herself increasingly more disenchanted with life and people just as tenacious, ten year old Rose moves in next door.  Eudora had successfully kept her feelings packed away until Rose and fellow senior, Stanley, force her to open up to life and love.  This book reminds that life is to be lived to the fullest.  Dear Dora will stay with me for a long time.

Kendi boldly and unapologetically demands that one is either racist or antiracist.  There is no in between.  To be not racist is to be passive, and passivity is complicit in allowing racism to persist.  Kendi believes that Americans are trained to see deficiencies in people rather than policy.  And the ultimate battle strategy to overcome racism is through a focus on policy and policy makers.  

This book gave me much to think about and necessarily challenged my own beliefs regarding race and policy, which is always a good thing.  This book definitely has a place in changing the narrative on racism.

While Kendi has reason to be bold and unapologetic, I did not find his passion to augment the material.  Ultimately though, the biggest mistake I may have made was listening to the audiobook rather than reading it in print.  Normally I find that an author reading his/her own teaching enhances the experience.  In this case, Kendi’s cadence, which was very segmented and awkward, took away from the points he was trying to make

There was no savoring of this book. Reading was an absolute compulsion. MUST READ. Cannot put the book down!!! 

I was immediately draw in by dear, quirky Fern. Hepworth brilliantly created a non-neurotypical character that resonates and charms. Her inner dialogue often made me giggle while also revealing battles I never face as a neurotypical person. Hepworth has done a beautiful job of giving a voice to people with sensory issues. And if I didn’t love Fern enough, in walks Wally. Be still my heart! 

Wally and Fern are reason enough to read this book. But if you need more reasons.... This is a book about overcoming. A book about realizing just how strong and capable you really are.  A book about how emotion can taint perception. A book about sisterhood and family. A book about control and master manipulators.  A book about finding (and trusting) your voice.  And ultimately, a book about the power of love. 

Can a book be both endearing and disconcerting? Based on my experience with The Good Sister, I’d say yes! 

Many thanks to Sally Hepworth, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Sometimes you have to confront your past in order to move forward towards possibility.  Sometimes lies are kind.  Sometimes they haunt you.  

Ruth’s life looks idyllic on the outside- successful career, happy marriage, new house.  But the possibilities for her future are encumbered by secrets from her past that she must face and accept.  

In this debut novel, Johnson dives deep into the politics of race and class while weaving in the themes of motherhood, family, and forgiveness.  This is a timely story that is nuanced, layered, and raw.  Johnson adeptly paints a vivid picture of what it’s like to live in black working class America. 

There were a few flaws in the story that bugged me… Ruth’s naivete, her selfishness masked as a mother’s love, the idea that Ruth stumbled onto this big secret that has been well hidden in a small town all these years… But the author also made me feel like I was right there in the kitchen with Mama and Ruth as they fried chicken or prepped a roast.  And because of that, I chose to overlook any flaws.  

This story reminded me that everyone is carrying an emotional load.  Some do it better than others.

Creepy and atmospheric.  An unsolved mystery of epic proportions and a woman engrossed with her family’s ties to it.  

Sten does a magnificent job of creating the perfect ambience for this eerie abandoned town where 900 people vanished without a trace, a woman was stoned to death, and a baby miraculously survived.  The uncertainty and gloom emanated from this deserted town and took on a life of its own, almost becoming another character.  

The story is intricately woven through a dual narrative, as well as auxiliary letters and sermons from before the disappearance. I wish the author had taken those tools a step further and given a clearer picture of the desperation in the town that led to its belief system completely collapsing.  Because of this, I found the ending to be both somewhat predictable as well as lacking substantive reasoning.  However, this did not take away from my enjoyment of walking the ominous streets of the lost village.

Sten weaves a cautious tale in this mystery- beliefs built in desperation can be taken to extremes and have dire consequences.  

Thank you to Camilla Sten, St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Family, community, and dealing with change are big themes in this cute but quirky romance.  

The premise of this book pulled me in.  I loved the family-like atmosphere of the apartment building and the endearing yet peculiar neighbors. Clayborn created an inviting and charming community that resonated (and I wanted to join!).  Sign me up for the next poetry day!

While the family atmosphere won me over, the love story between Nora and Will did not.  I liked both characters well enough, and I especially felt for Will and all he had gone through.  But the interaction between Will and Nora felt stilted, never dynamic.  It never gripped me.  And because of that, the love story didn’t feel compelling or genuine.  When they finally kissed for the first time, I expected fireworks.  Instead it felt lackluster.    

Thank you to Kate Clayborn, Kensington Books, and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.