This was my first venture into books in verse and I really enjoyed it! ⁣
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Every Body Looking is a young adult, coming of age story about Ada, a first generation Nigerian American. The book takes the reader through formidable experiences in Ada’s life, flashing both forwards and backwards in time. It was super character driven and that worked for me.⁣
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Iloh is a skilled writer. Each verse could be read as a stand alone poem which is IMPRESSIVE. She crafted verses about religion, sexuality and molestation (all trigger warnings!!) with such a raw, intimate voice. Maybe this is how all books in verse read, but I was blown away that Iloh was able to convey so much in each verse. I’m wordy! Iloh was the opposite and it was really powerful for me to see how less words can still equate to dynamic writing. ⁣
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I recommend this book if...⁣
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🖤 you’re interested in trying a book in verse⁣
🖤 you want to read about a woman feeling empowered in her body⁣
🖤 you want a quick, powerful read ⁣
🖤 you’re interested in African immigrants in America and blackness in America ⁣
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I am SO thankful my book club voted to read it because it’s my favorite read of 2021 so far! ⁣
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Let‘s start with the synopsis: ⁣
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Brittany K. Barnett is a black, female lawyer who grew up in rural east Texas. Her mother was addicted to crack and incarcerated when Brittany was a child. With the support of her family (including her mother), Brittany went on to graduate from high school and college. She worked as an accountant before following her dream to become a lawyer. She killed it in law school and moved up the ladder in the corporate law world. ⁣
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While working 12-14 hour days as a corporate lawyer, Brittany also did pro bono work. She worked to free prisoners who were arrested and sentenced to life for petty drug crimes (something that was all too common during The War on Drugs). This book chronicles Brittany’s life as a corporate and pro Bono lawyer, the lives of the prisoners she served and the problematic justice system in the USA.⁣
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If the synopsis hasn’t sold you, here are more reasons to add this to your #TBR : ⁣
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1️⃣ The writing! This book was so approachable to read. I am not well versed in criminal law, drug charges, etc but Brittany wrote this book in an approachable, super-easy-to-understand way. ⁣
2️⃣ The knowledge. I learned SO much about drug charges in America, clemency appeals, Supreme Court decisions as they relate to sentencing laws, etc. I am a better person for reading this book and learning this info. I’m so thankful Brittany wrote this story. ⁣
3️⃣ The humanity. Brittany made life long connections with her clients and it was a joy to read about. I also loved reading about Brittany’s family life in rural Texas. ⁣
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Thank you @netgalley and @atriabooks for this E-ARC in exchange for my honest review. ⁣
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Alrighty y’all...if you need a binge-able vacation read for the spring/summer of 2021 THIS IS IT! ⁣
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Six Weeks to Live is about Jennifer, a recent divorcee and mother to adult triplet daughters: Emily, Miranda and Aline. After having throbbing headaches, Jennifer goes to the doctor only to discover she has advanced brain cancer with just six weeks to live. As Jennifer grapples with this diagnosis, she becomes suspicious. After reviewing paperwork from the doctor, Jennifer learns she had poisonous amounts of lead in her blood. How did that happen? Did someone try to kill her and, if so, who? ⁣
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This thriller shifts point of view which I loved! As the reader, I learned so much about the triplets’ dynamics, their relationships with their mother Jennifer and deep, dark secrets about the family. I was shocked with the ending and that’s always a plus for me! ⁣
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Be mindful that two central themes of the book are parental death and cancer, so if those are triggers for you, I wouldn’t pick this one up! ⁣
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Otherwise, I recommend pre-ordering this book so you can binge it on vacation 😎⁣

This book is one big “meh” for me. Let me explain why...⁣
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Things That Worked For Me:⁣
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Premise: A spy story about a black, female FBI agent in the late 1980s. Marie is at a standstill in her career. She isn’t getting the same recognition her white, male peers receive. She takes a chance to work a spy case with the CIA and her life is altered forever. I loved this premise so much!! ⁣
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Opening Chapter: MURDER! Marie protecting her children and flying them down to Martinique! I had SO many questions I was instantly hooked. ⁣
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Main Character: I really learned a lot through Marie. I think Wilkinson did a beautiful job writing about racism within government agencies, and the desire for women to protect their children at all costs. ⁣
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Things That Did Not Work For Me: ⁣
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Book Structure: I felt confused for about 70% of the book. Wilkinson wrote this book from Marie’s perspective as a letter to her two young sons. The time periods jumped around and there were a LOT of characters. I think American Spy would have benefited from a character map!! I was so often like wait, what’s this character’s connection to Marie? ⁣
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Slow Middle: The middle dragged. I didn’t have the desire to pick up my book to read it. This book is under 300 pages and took me over a week to finish 😳⁣
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Rushed Ending: SO much happened at the end and I was like wait...WHAT. I wish the middle was condescend so there was more details around the major plot shifts at the end of the book. ⁣
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This is my book club’s February fiction pick. To keep it 💯, if this wasn’t a book club read, I would have DNF-ed it. BUT, I’m excited to talk about it over zoom with my book club and hear their thoughts! Just because a book doesn’t work for me, doesn’t mean it won’t work for others! 💛⁣