This book deserves every single amount of praise it’s garnering right now, what a breathtaking debut in every sense of the word. The Prophets is simultaneously beautiful & gut wrenching, an incredibly important read that could not have come out at a better time. This is one everyone needs to put on their radar.

This was a pretty challenging read for me - it took me a minute to find my flow with everything & I realized right away that I'd have to go slower than usual with this. This is a heavily character-driven, non-linear novel in which you are often reading the same scene but from different perspectives. Once I was able to get a grasp on things, however, the story flowed beautifully thanks to Robert Jones, Jr.'s writing - I was mesmerized & transfixed by his way with words. Samuel & Isaiah, the "Two of Them", were beautifully realized characters & your heart just shattered for them. Out of the multiple perspectives introduced, the most effective for me were Maggie's, Sarah's, & the chapters revolving around the African Kings. The discussions of sexuality within the book, both at the plantation & during the times of the African Kings, were fascinating - if anything, I almost wish we would've just gotten a little bit more of Kosii & Elewa. The cruelties depicted in this book are extremely hard to read but this is not content to shy away from - unfortunately, a lot of white individuals' behavior today is not far off from the atrocities depicted in this book. We have so much work to do, myself included.

I am beyond humbled that I was able to experience this book & I can't thank Robert Jones, Jr. enough for putting this masterpiece out into the world. This is one that'll stick with me for a very long time. In my opinion, this should be required reading.

This book was truly magical!

There's a ton of hype surrounding this & approaching it a bit later than most, my expectations were very high - they were met in every single way, tenfold! TJ Klune's writing is fantastic, I was drawn in right from the beginning & found the world he created easy to follow (which, for a non-fantasy reader like me, is key). The characters are crafted so beautifully, especially the children - I could go on for days about how much I love each & every single one of them. It's so hard to pick a favorite, but Lucy just had me consistently howling with laughter & Chauncey literally melted my heart. I loved the progression of Linus' character & seeing the relationship blossom between him & Arthur. I honestly came to care so deeply about everyone that finishing the book was really bittersweet. The most important aspects of this book, however, are the messages within - ones of acceptance, chosen family, kindness & love, to name a few. I think they were all presented in such meaningful ways throughout the story & it was nice to be reminded of these universal lessons again at a time when the world is so nuts.

I loved everything about this & completely agree with other reviewers who say reading this is like being wrapped in a warm hug.

4.5 Stars

This was a fantastic coming-of-age story, one that examines the lasting impacts a singular choice can have on the rest of your life & the lives of those around you.

Brit Bennett pulls you in from the very first page, her writing is nothing short of spectacular! What starts as such a simplistic premise slowly unravels into a tangled web of secrets, ones that tie each of the characters together in surprising & unexpected ways. I loved Nadia, Aubrey & Luke - they were very complex, each dealing with traumas from their pasts in realistic (& oftentimes messy) ways. Luke's journey was particularly interesting to me & I liked seeing the effects an abortion can have on a male partner explored within a novel. I also enjoyed the many different iterations of motherhood explored within The Mothers, from the characters' actual mothers & The Mothers of Upper Room to how one can still act & be motherly without having ever actually birthed a child themselves.

I'm still blown away by all that Bennett was able to explore without ever overwhelming the reader with too many topics. This was such a great debut - I know I'm late to the game, but I highly recommend this if you haven't checked it out yet!

Exhilarating, gritty, & gorgeously written, Blacktop Wasteland presents such a fresh & unique take on crime fiction. This was such a fantastic read!

This is easily one of the most cinematic books I've ever read, I agree with the comparisons to the movie Drive. The pacing was perfect - great, fast-paced opening, solid setup, & the suspense really kept up the entire way through, even in slower parts. I loved how this book examined the difficulties that come with a life of crime, both when one chooses that life & when one is forced into that life by circumstances out of their control. These characters felt like real people - I've said it before, I love a complex protagonist & Cosby gave us just that with Bug. I really enjoyed how Cosby examined fatherhood here, as well, both through Bug's relationship with his father & his relationship with his own children. Quick note, there's a ton about cars here but don't worry if that's not normally up your alley - I don't know the first thing about cars & I was just fine (& learned a few things)!

I had such a great time with Blacktop Wasteland & I'd highly encourage everyone to check it out, especially for lovers of crime fiction! I'm really looking forward to seeing what Cosby has to offer in the future, Razorblade Tears sounds amazing!

This short story collection was unapologetically gay, messy & poignant - I loved every second of it!

Each of the stories found within Brontez Purnell's 100 Boyfriends offers a glimpse into the sexual escapades of a number of Black, queer men. I loved that he touched upon so many aspects of modern queer life here - sex, love, monogamy, racism, body shaming, kinks, drugs, even rock 'n' roll, just to name a few. I honestly enjoyed every story, whether they were ten pages or a single paragraph. These are real men going through real life struggles & facing these struggles in real & relatable ways - this is one of the most honest fictionalized depictions of queer life I've come across in a long time. A little warning for those who are a bit more reserved going in - this is very sexually graphic at times, so if that's not for you then I'd say stay away. I, on the other hand, am not reserved, & I loved seeing sex for queer men depicted honestly & openly throughout these stories.

I thoroughly enjoyed this cover to cover & I highly recommend it to everyone, particularly to those looking to hear from voices who aren't represented nearly enough in queer fiction!

4.5 Stars

One thing's for sure after finishing this - the girls are all definitely not so nice here! This was such a great read, an unrelenting & vicious glimpse into just how far those in toxic friendships are willing to push one another.

The story captured my attention right from the beginning! I was a huge fan of the dual timelines here, they worked really well & added to the suspense throughout. The characters were well thought out & the Mean Girls-esque ways in which they act with one another were executed perfectly. (Also, Ambrosia Wellington may just be one of the best character names, ever) What these girls do to one another is brutal - CW if you're triggered in any way by bullying, sexual assault, & suicide. It didn't feel exploitative, however - in fact, I was instantly reminded of a highly publicized murder trial a few years back centered entirely around something similar to what happened here. Unfortunately, behavior that may seem far fetched for some is a harsh reality for others.

Overall, I had a really great time with The Girls Are All So Nice Here & this sits strongly somewhere between 4 & 4.5⭐️'s for me! Thank you so much to Laurie Elizabeth Flynn, NetGalley, & Simon & Schuster for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hola Papi offers a hilarious glimpse into the life of a modern, gay millennial, packed with relatable moments & full of wisdom, reading like a heart to heart with your best friend.

Full disclosure - I wasn't a follower of JP's prior to picking up Hola Papi; however, after finishing, he's definitely gained a new fan! I loved the way he structured the book - each chapter is set up as a question being asked to JP's advice column, "Hola Papi" (a real Grindr-based column, a play on the stereotypical name gay white men would call him on the apps). Within each chapter, the questions are answered through stories highlighting various moments throughout JP's life, moments primarily dealing with race & sexuality. I was surprised by some of the topics brought up - CW if you're triggered by bullying, sexual assault, & suicide - but these are real struggles faced by a number of gay men & are important discussions to be having. JP seamlessly weaves between moments of heartbreak & moments of joy, he's truly a talented writer & I feel humbled to have gotten to learn more about these aspects of his life.

I highly recommend this, especially if you're looking to hear from voices within the community that aren't often represented! Thank you so much to John Paul Brammer, NetGalley, & Simon & Schuster for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!