hillysreads's Reviews (381)

I absolutely LOVED every single book in the Brown sister series; each one is unique, funny, cute, sexy, and phenomenally written! I don’t know how @talilahibbert does it, but each book that she writes gets better and better, or maybe I just love her work more and more with each book that I read of hers.

I was hooked from the first page. Even when I would put this book down, it still lingered in my mind. I loved it SO much.

The things I loved:
Interracial relationship. Autistic, Enemies to friends. Sexy. Blunt conversations. Character-development. Lovable. HOT AMAZING. EVERYTHING.

I want more from the Brown sisters; I don’t want it to be over yet! This book gets all the stars!

If you are looking for a character-driven book that transports you back in time, then When Stars Rain Down is for you! I loved reading about Opal and her close-knit family and the troubles they went through and how they always stood by one another. When Stars Rain Down is about family relationships, love, and standing up to white supremacy! I loved how the author transports you back in time like you are right there with Opal cooking in the hot kitchen in the Georgia heat, smelling the aromas of the food. The deep connection between the characters, especially between Opal and her granny was adorable, it reminded me of my relationship with my grandma and how special it is. I got emotional in this book, especially at the end. The author creates these multi-dimensional characters and I had a deep-connection to them, I will be thinking about this book for a long time. When Stars Rain Down is a slow-burn book but picks up real quick after the first 50-75 pages. Historical fiction lovers, this book is for you!

I really enjoyed reading this hidden gem that was originally released in 1998! It was a quick, face-paced novel that takes place in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1921. Magic City is about the events that take place leading up to the Tulsa riots. A magician, Joe, who loves Houdini, is accused of rape when a white woman screams in the elevator he is on. It was just him and the woman in the elevator so of course, they automatically arrested him and throw him in jail. The white woman, Mary, feels terrible about what happened because she knows he is innocent and is trying to help Joe and his family.

The book switches from Joe’s perspective to Mary’s - which kept me hooked. Short chapters, intriguing and strong-willed characters, the connection between the characters, the hidden secrets that come to light, the magic

I finished reading Yellow Wife in just two days. I have seen so many raving reviews on this book and I don’t know why I didn’t read it sooner! The book starts out with a house girl named Pheby, her mother is a slave and her father is the “master”. She lives on a plantation, the previous wife of Master Jacob taught her how to read and write; Jacob has a soft spot for his slave daughter. But his new wife, Missus Delphina, hates Pheby and is determined to make her life miserable and sells her off while Master Jacob is not on the plantation. She is taken to a jail where the jailer has taken a like to Pheby and keeps her as his property, or his “Yellow Wife”.

The Jailer is absolutely terrible, he is a spawn of the devil. The things he did to enslaved people are unspeakable. There were times that I had to put the book down and walk away for a few to gather myself before picking it back up again.

I loved Pheby and was absolutely engrossed in her story, she was a determined and strong woman. The author built this character so well, I felt that I was right there with Pheby throughout the whole book.

I highly recommend you read the Yellow Wife, it’s fast-paced, a quick read, and the characters (besides the evil ass jailer) was amazing. This will be one of my favorite books of the year!