This book has two parts, first, a letter from Baldwin to his nephew. This letter was heartfelt and though it touched on the obstacles facing black men, if came across as hopeful. The second part, an essay, read a lot like a run on sentence making it hard for me, personally, to pay attention and for anything to stick long term. It actually made what is a short book difficult to get through. I am looking forward to reading his other books though!

I devoured this book and I love the story so dearly. The way it’s written, the characters, everything. I don’t purchase books often unless they’re super special to me and I think I might have to find a copy of this one, to keep close.

When I went to read this book I knew that it was not written for me. I expected there to be a lot in these poems that I had not experienced and that I could not relate to. However I still wanted to read it because it would be sad to only read poems you could relate to. What I loved most about this anthology is that the topics and themes may be similar but each woman has her own voice. It felt like I was going through a cycle of emotions for each injustice. Anger, sadness, grief, hopelessness, and hope. Pride and shame, power and weakness. There was so much range and beauty in this collection.

I was really excited about this book. I love old people, I love stories about old people, I love stories about old people that surprise you. Unfortunately this book had a weird pace and a number of plot lines where it felt like I never got a chance to really get invested in any of it. Each plot line seemed to just skim the surface. I wish there was more of Annie and her story, or more of her and Elissa's relationship growing. Or even more about Elissa getting through work stuff. By the time I was 80% done with the book I was concerned that so many of these plot points were going to conveniently get tied in a rushed sort of way. Overall I would say this is a quick and easy read, but it definitely left me wanting more.

This was a little difficult to get into in the beginning because Sam was dealing with a loss similar to what I was, and it made me sad to think about. But after the first scene I got really into, and couldn't put it down! The characters were fun and flirty, but also individuals with story lines and character building outside of the romance. I love a romance book where the leads have their own thing too. I especially love that the female CEO wasn't just your typical power tripping CEO except female. She was someone who was in charge but not at the expense of femininity and I think it's awesome to have a character who can be both!

I always say I’m not a fan of insta poets but less than a handful of times I am surprised to find that I really enjoyed a collection of work. This is probably the second time that has happened. Beautiful book. A spiritual journey, a journey of healing, a journey to self love. There were so many poems in here that I bookmarked to go back to.

MY. HEART. oh my goodness. I binge read this book. I couldn't put it down.

Update: I've since learned about the ways in which the author portrays minority characters is harmful. I blew through this book and was so focused on the female protagonist and how she was feeling that I didn't notice the ways Park was written about, and looking back, it's not great. I'm adding this because sensitivity readers exist and an author with multiple published books probably has the resources to hire one. Really hoping for more accountability but will be looking for reviews that confirm the author does better before reading anything more.

This collection of poems covers a variety of issues, including domestic violence, toxic masculinity, and the immigrant experience. I don't have the words right now to explain why this collection of poems is great, I'm also not confident that I would do it justice as I'm not an expert in poetry. If you would like to see the poems that most stuck with me, you can check out my highlights on the Bookfeed App.

This book wasn't exactly what I was expecting, and pieces of it seemed a little far fetched. But the story really draws you in, and the characters are wonderful. Even though I found Nikki annoying, especially in the beginning and less so as the book when on, she was never unbearable. The elements of thriller, mystery, and humor were also unexpected, but really enjoyable. My understanding is that this book is different from the others this author has read, including branching out into new genres and styles of writing. In which case, this is an even more incredible success in weaving together multiple genres.

This is a great anthology. The women in this book share a variety of experiences and emotional journeys as it relates to love and Sikhi. The love they explore are not just romantic but the love they have for family, friends, and their greater communities.