In Wings of Ebony, Rue had such swagger and personality. Whilst reading Ashes of Gold, I kept looking for this hardened and memorable Rue. Her character felt watered down in the first third of the book, and then she magically reappears after a certain point. Rue’s dialect/way of speaking is also inconsistent,  with it peeking through at random moments when, in book one, it was infused throughout. The beginning first third felt like the author was warming back up to Bri; her distinct voice just was not present in the same manner I had expected. 

Overall, this is a solid conclusion to the duology. There’s great plot and character development, and I enjoyed the overall pacing. It kept me interested, and this is definitely a duology I’ll be recommending to students and putting in my classroom library. Plus, there’s on-page representation for a Black girl with anxiety and panic attacks.

I was blown away by the sheer level of incredibleness of Onyebuchi’s writing throughout RIOT BABY. I marked so many passages of beautiful writing that captured heart, severity, and truth in sometimes mere lines or entire blocks of texts. This book deals head-on with the incarceration system in America that unfairly targets poor POC while also incorporating aspects of Science Fiction. I enjoyed the taut sibling dynamic between Ella and Kev. Ella, we know from the beginning, has some sort of abilities, what her family calls her Thing. From a young age, Ella is unsure of how to control these powers, so she ends up leaving her brother and mother, which sends younger brother Kev into a bit of a tailspin, one that lands him in prison while still in his teens. Through Kev, we see the harsh realities and unique cruelties of the prison system. Through Ella, we see the harsh realities and unique cruelties that those of us living in Black bodies come up against every day: racism, prejudice, state-sanctioned executions by police…There a question throughout this book about what is freedom vs. peace vs. order. Is it possible, for Black people, to have all three at the same time in our current society? What are the benefits (if any) of the current way in which our prison system is set up? How can you rehabilitate people who the system treats like animals? How can those who are in jail simply because they cannot pay bail supposed to stand in a courtroom and feel human when they can’t pay for suits or adequate representation or have the spent past few months to years living inside a prison that treats them as subhuman? The system is broken, and, through RIOT BABY, ONYEBUCHI does an excellent job showing how the injustice in our “free” society is closely related to the inadequacies and failures of the prison system in America. This is a must-read book for everyone.

I absolutely loved THE ONLY BLACK GIRLS IN TOWN. It’s beautifully written, showcases the growing friendship of two very Black girls who just want to live their lives in their own truths. I loved how there was even a little mystery incorporated into the overall storyline, and I’d honestly read many more books about Alberta and Edie. I loved this book THAT MUCH, y’all. Go pick it up, go read it, do whatever you need to do to absorb this wonderful story into your soul. That’s it. That’s the tweet. ✌🏾

Firstly, let’s just get this out the way: this book is nothing short of absolutely phenomenal. Period. You can fight me on that. Jemisin’s storytelling is frickin ingenious, and if I could have a tenth of the talent she displays in this book alone, I’m sure I’d be a bestselling author. I was continuously amazed by her writing, which shouldn’t be too surprising considering I loved THE CITY WE BECAME, but still. Jemisin carefully lays down clues throughout the book that slowly piece together the world and plot but without any humdrum or pedantic language.

The magic system is so wholly original, and Jemisin takes the time to fully engage her readers with her world-building so that we understand exactly what we’re dealing with. Somehow, she finds a bajillion inventive ways to keep redescrbiing the world, the atmosphere, and the magic system so that, by the end of the book, you fully grasp and understand the world you have been submersed in. There’s definitely lots of social commentary about eco-activism, hate and discrimination, and motherhood that I found engaging and perfectly woven into the story. I pulled the second book from my shelf in anticipation to read and wasn’t even done with the first book, and I absorbed the second novel in two days 😭 This series is incredible — definitely recommend!

This book was HILARIOUS. Eva is the Queen of Chaotic Energy, and it’s incredible. I would totally watch this humorous, diverse space opera as a TV show, and I’m stoked to continue on in the series. Plus, CHILLING EFFECT has trans, PTSD, and anxiety rep reflected in its characters.