Genevieve
I absolutely loved Midnight and went into Midnight and the Meaning of Love with high expectations. Unfortunately, this one didn’t work for me the same way. The story felt overly wordy and dragged on, and I found myself just wanting it to be over. I still really respect Sister Souljah’s writing and storytelling, but this particular book just wasn’t for me. I even buddy read it with a friend, hoping that would make it more engaging, but honestly, I was bored most of the time.
I’d been wanting to read The Unbroken for so long, but sadly it didn’t live up to my expectations. It’s not a bad book, but I just wasn’t in awe of the story. I struggled to stay engaged because the plot dragged in places, and I never fully connected with the characters. The beginning had me hooked, but the middle slowed down so much that I found myself just wanting it to end. I did enjoy the action scenes, those moments really stood out. I didn’t hate it, didn’t love it, just somewhere in between.
This book was so good, y’all! From start to finish I was on a rollercoaster of theories, every time I thought I had it figured out, boom… another twist! I even tried to slow down my reading pace because I didn’t want it to end. Shanora Williams absolutely delivered with this one, and now I want to read her entire collection. Her writing skills are incredible!
Sad to say, I didn’t enjoy this book. I went in excited, but it ended up being a letdown. I DNF’d at chapter 30, and here’s why: I was over the constant talk of the affair with W.E.B. Du Bois, the FMC wasn’t memorable (I honestly can’t recall one thing about her), and I just found myself bored. I even tried the audiobook, but the unnecessary singing every now and then only made it more irritating. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, but sadly, this one completely missed the mark for me.
I really liked this one! The whole book-within a book thing was so fun, and the mix of lit fic with a touch of sci-fi just worked. I loved seeing both Chicago references and the Nigerian culture come through, it made the story pop. It did drag a little in the middle, but it picked up again, and that twist? Crazy.
What I’m realizing is that Tiffany D. Jackson is an incredible storyteller. This book is so well written that it honestly pissed me off, in the best way. It’s raw, real, and incredibly deep. So far, I’ve only read Monday’s Not Coming, and I can already tell that her books are guaranteed to make you feel all kinds of emotions, and I am here for it. I I highly recommend this one, but trigger warning: it deals with grooming, sexual abuse, child abuse, and so much more, so please read with caution.
This is by far the best memoir I’ve read this year hands down. Mrs. Viola Davis has survived things most couldn’t even imagine, and I’ve always loved her but after reading this memoir, I have a whole new level of respect for her. Not just for her work, but for her as a person. I buddy read this with my husband and we read our physical copy while also listening to the audio. Mrs. Viola Davis narrates her story and I’m so glad she did. It felt personal, like she was sitting across from me, telling me her story. When I heard/read the first line I absolutely knew this was going to be a story I was going to be fully immersed in. This memoir is beautifully written, raw, and heartbreaking, I felt every emotion. I absolutely 100% recommend this memoir.
I’ve had this one sitting in my Kindle library for months, and now I wish I’d picked it up sooner, it was so good! I loved the different POVs, and the back-and-forth between the characters felt so real. I read along with the audiobook and highly recommend it, the narrator really brought the characters to life. This book had everything: mystery, drama, murder, and even laugh-out-loud moments. The ending left me wanting more, and now I need the whole series on my shelf.
I really enjoyed this one! The pacing was great and it kept me guessing the whole time. Just when I thought I had something figured out, boom, something new would happen. Some parts were a little predictable, but Ashley Flowers always managed to surprise me with another twist. The last few chapters completely shocked me. Overall, a really solid read!
I LOVED this book. From page one, I was so into Junie’s story, it’s so real and heartfelt. The writing makes you feel like you’re right there with her, living every moment. The cover of this book was so beautiful and the main reason I originally wanted to read this book, and I’m so glad I did! An outstanding historical fiction that I highly recommend.
4.5⭐️ This was a beautifully written and heartbreaking story. What got my full attention was the prologue. The story follows Eve whose husband Quinton committed suicide and she finds him. I felt every emotion the author wanted me to feel, the grief the main character Eve went through was so sad. I read while listening to the audio and the narrator did an amazing job of capturing all the emotions. I loved how the story balanced the support Eve receives from her family with the complicated, and terrible relationship she has with her mother-in-law. My heart hurt watching Eve search for answers while learning how to keep living when the love of her life is gone.
This was my August book club pick, and I really wanted to like it, but it just fell short for me. By chapter 3, I had a feeling it wouldn’t work, but I pushed through to give it a fair chance. I even got the audiobook to follow along, hoping I’d connect more, but nope. Unfortunately, I finished the book feeling the same as when I started, no deeper connection to the story or characters. For me, there was little character development, not much of a plot, and I found myself not caring about anyone in the book. Sadly, this one’s a no for me, and I wouldn’t recommend it.
A beautifully written horror, really, a historical horror in my opinion, that had me hooked from start to finish. Markus Redmond’s writing pulled me in, and I couldn’t get enough. The characters felt so real. Willie, an enslaved man, meets Rafazi, a vampire from Ghana, who offers him the power to fight back. Then there’s Gertie, the woman he loves, who fears what he’ll become and honestly got on my nerves at times. I could picture everything like I was watching a movie (which I seriously hope happens one day). I buddy read this with my husband, and we both were just flying through the pages and just looking at each other like “Yup, this is amazing!” It was so, so good! This by far is in my top 5 books of the year.
I read Listen for the Lie while listening to the audiobook 🎧 and I’m so glad I did! The podcast style was so well done, it felt like I was binging a true crime podcast and solving a mystery at the same time. Lies, murder,secrets and just a fun twisty story. Highly recommend the audio if you pick this one up!
A.E. Valdez does it again! Whatever she writes, I’m buying, no questions asked. It’s so bittersweet to finish The Rise and Fall series, but I’m so glad I got to experience it all. I loved every single character, every moment, and every emotion along the way. This was such a beautiful love story, emotional, real, and full of heart. A perfect end to a series I’ll keep thinking about. 10/10 recommend!!
This was exactly what I needed a fun, refreshing read. Mile High was the perfect change of pace from what I’ve been reading lately. It was so easy to fall into, and I didn’t want to put it down. Honestly, I had a great time with it from start to finish. The characters were fantastic, and the fact that it’s set in Chicago made it even better. Now I’m a little homesick, I didn’t realize how much I missed home until I was reading this.
3.75⭐️ This book opens with one of the most powerful first lines I’ve ever read: “The first weapon I ever held was my mother’s hands.” That line had my full attention and I was instantly all in. Jesmyn Ward’s writing is beautiful and so poetic. But the story itself was slow paced and sometimes hard to follow. I’d be into one chapter, then distracted in the next. I listened to the audiobook (narrated by Jesmyn Ward herself) while reading along with the physical copy, and that definitely helped. Still, I didn’t fully connect the way I wanted to. There are some passages I’ll be thinking about for a long time. Beautiful writing, just not an easy read for me.
3.75 This book wasn’t what I expected, but I still enjoyed it. Some parts had me completely hooked, while others just didn’t hit for me. The middle section was definitely the strongest and kept me turning the pages, but the ending dragged a bit. Sciona honestly got on my nerves, but Thomil? Easily my favorite, I wish we got more of his story. I can see why others loved this one, but I didn’t connect with it quite as much.
3.75⭐️ This book really surprised me. It started off strong, and I was immediately interested, but I soon realized I might have been in a bit of a reading slump. For a little while, I felt disconnected from the story. Thankfully, I kept going, and once I hit about chapter 10, things really picked up. From that point on, the story just kept getting better. I found myself flying through the pages, constantly making predictions. I even ended up partially guessing the outcome, which made the experience even more enjoyable. Overall, I really enjoyed it, and I'm glad I kept reading!
My first lit fic book, and I really enjoyed it! It’s a slow burn, character driven story set in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood. It follows four sisters and a man named William over a few decades as they navigate love, grief, tragedy, and family drama. There was one moment between the sisters that didn’t sit right with me. It didn’t take away from this beautifully written story, I just didn’t like it personally. Overall, it was a powerful, emotional read. Definitely recommend!