Cardyn Brooks's Blog, page 16
March 26, 2022
Free(dom) Agents
Wolf in the Shadows (Legend of All Wolves #5) by Maria Vale
Contemporary supernatural romance with a YA/New Adult vibe
Sourcebooks Casablanca, July 26, 2022
Pampered Shifter Julia Martel* has been molded into a superficial accessory, trained to accommodate others, particularly powerful men. When circumstances drag her into unfamiliar territory and strip her of all of her privileges she’s forced to choose who she will become. Omega wolf Arthur Graysson is compassionate and dangerous, an irresistible combination that challenges Julia in numerous ways. Fans of this outstanding series will recognize the continuation of this talented author’s distinctive blend of multifaceted characters, layers of emotional intimacy that connect individuals to each other and to their communities, and lyrical phrasing that conveys an appreciation for wild beings and places.
This final entry in the series continues the escalating momentum established by the previous stories to hit the ultimate peak before resolving its recurring themes of identity, purpose, homecoming, and redemption with a satisfying conclusion. Readers new to this series should start with the (ironically titled) first book, The Last Wolf, to maximize understanding and enjoyment.
*At the start her character is tediously ego-centric and oblivious, but hang in there because Maria Vale delivers an impressive character development arc.
Content warning: heavy on themes of oppressive misogyny (as if there’s any other type)
Interested in learning more about the unflappable Leonora?
Read “Wonderland” in Shifters and Mistletoe: A Wolf Shifter Novella Collection by Asa Marie Bradley, et al.
Kaering LLC, December 2021
The Sisters Are Alright, Changing the Broken Narrative of Black Women in America, 2nd Ed.
by Tamara Winfrey Harris
Non-fiction
Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc., October 2021
From “Tell the World Who You Are” section of “Introduction: The Trouble With Black Women”:
… As a Black woman and a writer committed to telling our stories. I believe it is important that we yell our real experiences above the din of roaring negative propaganda. No one can define Black women but Black women.
The Sisters Are Alright is an attempt to do just that–present a conversation about Black women by Black women.
This book achieves that stated intention and much more. Using candid language and personal testimonies that resonate as fundamentally true, it identifies, deconstructs, and reframes the portraits of Black women in the past, present, and future. It reclaims and proclaims the intrinsic equal value and complexity of our humanity beyond narrow one-dimensional caricatures and tropes, stereotypes and scapegoats. It’s a declaration of inherent worthiness. An epilogue, extensive notes, acknowledgements, an index, and the author’s bio all enrich this thoughtful book and inspire continued exploration.
Companion reads: The Strong Black Woman by Marita Golden and The Recipe of a Strong Woman by LaTerra N. Howard
The Partner Track by Helen Wan
Contemporary fiction with romantic elements
St. Martin’s Griffin, 2014
Witty, provocative, and engrossing, Ingrid Yung’s story resonates as particularly relevant in the context of the recent televised confirmation hearings with the Hon. Ketanji Brown-Jackson for the U.S. Supreme Court.
March 12, 2022
Baked Goodies, Fake Dates, Cowpokes & More
Sweeter Than Honey (Honey Hill #2) by Joy Avery Contemporary romance Montlake, June 28, 2022 Successful baker Rylee Harris moved to Honey Hill, North Carolina after the death of her soldier husband. Sheriff Canten Barnes was born and raised in the quaint small town, moved away, then returned in the aftermath of his own heartache. Friendship lays the foundation for this funny, poignant, and utterly charming romance about grief, regrets, and second chances, where a 21st-century Mayberry from “The Andy Griffith Show” meets “Girlfriends" and “Insecure" in an irresistible mashup of throw-way-back hijinks that evoke old school sweetness at the heart of this love story.
Love and Latkes (Friendships and Festivals #3) by Stacey Agdern Contemporary romance Tule Publishing, October 2021
Batya Averman and Abe Neumann learn that they can run from themselves and their hearts' desires, but they can't hide or escape them forever. Their love story is set during Hanukkah, but its themes of leaps of faith and the essential nature of community resonate year-round. Be sure to read the Author’s Note.
The Wildest Ride (Closed Circuit #1) by Marcella Bell Contemporary adult fiction with romance HQN, August 2021
Rancher Lillian Sorrow Island and city-slicker-turned-cowboy A.J. Garza both need to win the big prize in order to protect the people and the places they love. As they compete against each other and battle various adversarial forces they recognize the overlap in their missions to preserve valuable legacies to propel themselves into a promising future.
This most excellent tale is a good read for historical romance fans (of Beverly Jenkins, Cat Sebastian* and similar authors) who also enjoy contemporary fiction that acknowledges Black diasporic experiences. The Author's Note with details about Creek Freedmen, Mvskoke/Muscogee Nation and more will likely lure readers into deeper cultural research.
*A Gentleman Never Keeps Score
Where the Honeybells Grow by Ruthie Lenor Contemporary romance Honeybells Publishing, 2020
In the small town of Bellbush, Texas Gerti Gordon* owns The Shop, the local eatery and community gathering place she inherited from her grandmother. Quinn Garland is a recently laid-off mechanic who returns to his uncle's home for his best friend's wedding and to evaluate his options for moving forward in his life. In the meantime, well-intentioned family and friends conspire to match make while Gerti and Quinn circle each other, face the lingering emotional devastation of childhood traumas, and fool themselves into believing their deep connection and smoldering chemistry are temporary. Their love story is tender and celebrates the continuity of places where generations have poured their hearts and souls into surviving and thriving.
*Gordan on the back cover blurb, but not in the story text.
Snackable Anthologies: Amor Actually, a Holiday Romance Anthology by Adriana Herrera, et al. Romance Indie, December 2021
Cursed by Christina Henry, et al. Fantasy & horror fiction Titan Books, 2020
Rogue Affair (Rogue Hearts #2) by Tamsen Parker, et al. Romance Indie, 2017
Foodies: The Donut Trap by Julie Tieu Contemporary new adult romance Avon, November 2021
Adulting gets complicated, and scrumptious.
See also, Love and Latkes above.
International Cross-Cultural Angst + Food: Seoulmates by Jen Frederick Contemporary new adult romance Berkley, January 2022
Sizzling chemistry, fraught emotions, and detailed cultural insights offer readers a delightful tale with substantive layers beneath the fluff.
Partners in (Investigating) Crime, Cons & Travel: Finding Joy by Adriana Herrera Contemporary fiction with romance Indie, 2020
Culture, identity, expectations, legacies and African diasporic experiences make Elias and Desta's love story a journey worth taking.
February 13, 2022
Murphy's Law (Almost!) Strikes Again
https://www.thewritewomenbookfest.org/blog
After a near-miss with virtual recording catastrophe in 2019, maybe the lack of tech-related panel chat drama during TWWBF2020 and TWWBF2021 made me too confident last week when setting up to begin Desirable Women of Color—Cultural Touchstones and the History of Body Positivity with Shai August, Pamela Beverly, Delaney Diamond, Carla de Guzman, and Jamie Pope.
At first everything's fine while admitting panelists and chit-chatting, closed captioning activated then the dreaded “connection lost" before the last panelist. Terror, panic, bad language while scrambling to troubleshoot WiFi and log in via my phone, which isn't my preferred device for moderating a panel. But it's better than nothing. Profuse apologies to the panelists who graciously understand and encourage as I juggle my phone into place. Last panelist admitted.
My jumbled, frantic thoughts as WiFi reconnects and my fingers fly across my laptop keyboard: $@#%! Oh, this is so unprofessional! Why now? Why? Why? Why? Then after all five panelists and I are visible on my screen, “Yay!”
Wave from me to all, then holding up three fingers to countdown to start recording.
“You're on mute,” Shai says.
Because of course I am, I think as I unmute, feeling embarrassed, flustered, and adrenaline drunk while thanking Shai and counting down, again.
My inner hermit expresses no empathy, just smug condescension, as usual.
I (think I've) hit record until after the third author's self-intro when my discombobulated brain (finally!) registers the absence of a red dot and “rec" on my screen. $@#%!
A sheepish interruption, apologies, a contrite explanation, more apologies, more gracious understanding from these talented successful, generous panelists. A partial restart after actually hitting record this time. *sigh*
And in all of that chaos, closed captioning wasn't reactivated, an oversight for which I sincerely apologize.
Also, addressing “cultural touchstones” became “personal touchstones" when my reader fandom for these authors took control of the conversation, which felt like a gathering of friends sharing their experiences and candid thoughts. Sorry/not sorry.
We'll discuss the impacts of Josephine Baker, Carmen Miranda, Eartha Kitt, Viola Davis, Lupita N’yongo, Lizzo, Soul Train, the evolution of expectations of conformity and assimilation for “mainstream" acceptance and more another time.
Additional apologies to author Pamela Beverly, who has supported The Write Women Book Fest since its start in 2019, for my not realizing until after the panel ended and everyone disconnected that most of her introduction wasn't recorded. Like each of the other panelists, her work is beautifully and thoughtfully composed.
Many thanks again to these illustrious creatives for their patience, goodwill, professionalism, and generosity.
Enjoy! And please remember, a busted book-buying budget shouldn't keep readers from trying new-to-you authors and exploring various genres. Browse the catalogues at the local public library for physical and digital materials. Most sites have “make a purchase" request forms for their patrons, which also helps raise an author's visibility.
February 5, 2022
Books By and About Desirable Women of Color
Desirable Women of Color--Cultural Touchstones & History of Body Positivity panelists Jamie Pope, Pamela Beverly, Delaney Diamond, Carla de Guzman, and Shai August generously agreed to chat about their work and trends in publishing, especially romance. The recording of that panel chat will post next weekend. In the meantime, the following reviews are intentionally brief and vague teasers to avoid spoilers while enticing you to add these authors to your TBR list—if they're not already on your reading radar.
Return to Sweetheart Lake by (Jamie Pope writing as) Evelyn Jordan Contemporary romance Alcove Press, 2021
Secrets, guilt, revelations, redemption. Childhood friends, young lovers, now grown-up strangers, Romey and Gray endure painful self-reflection to gain perspective and forgiveness in this multifaceted, deeply emotional second-chance love story that also celebrates the tastes and textures of family and community.
Jamie also writes as Sugar Jamison, Ginger Jamison, and Jamie Pope. Her earlier series: Perfect Fit Sunny and Warm Love and Hope Redemption Tropical Destiny Bad Boys of Destiny https://www.authorjamiepope.com/
A Type of Hunger by Pamela Beverly, author & publisher Adult contemporary fiction with romantic elements 2021
What's the source of a person's intrinsic value, identity, and self-esteem? How many hits can one person and a romantic relationship absorb before they collapse? Will they recover, and how?
Nate Hunter and Carla Pinkney experience the answers in A Type of Hunger. This novella packs in a full-length novel's worth of setbacks, crises, self-doubts, drama, and the importance of enduring friendships in addition to romance. Geographic location, social class, and complicated interpersonal dynamics make Carla and Nate's story resonate as an authentic, nuanced saga about the challenges and rewards of being responsible grownups.
Pamela has written a children's book called What If an Octopus Followed Me Home? in addition to her other contemporary adult fiction works. https://pameladbeverly.com/
Until Death (Plan B) by Delaney Diamond Contemporary romantic suspense thriller Garden Avenue Press, 2021
Covert operative Cruz Cordoba is on a personal mission to avenge the death of whistleblower Shanice Lawrence, the love of his life. But is she really dead? Deceptions, conspiracies, double-crosses and shocking revelations set the stage for this smokin' hot sexy romance.
Delaney's impressive writing productivity includes these series: Family Ties Cordoba Agency Latin Men Love Unexpected Brooks, Johnson, and Hawthorne Families (individual series) Quicksand Royal Brides https://delaneydiamond.com/
Sweet on You (Laneways) by Carla de Guzman Contemporary romance Carina Press, 2020
It's a food fight as foreplay between neighboring business owners. Sari Thomas runs her family's Café Cecilia as part of continuing decades of tradition. Baker Gabriel Capras works to make his Sunday Bakery the beginning of a fresh start in more ways than one. Each business has weaknesses that are vulnerable to exploitation by the other, and formidable strengths just like Sari and Gabriel. Add meddlesome siblings, layered family dynamics, cultural legacies and vibrant charm with laughter, camaraderie and competition to get a Christmas romance that satisfies year-round.
Carla's series include: Laneways Cincamarre
Plus, she's a talented visual artist in addition to being a #romanceclass author. romanceclassbooks.com http://www.carladeguzman.com/books-1
Social Aid & Pleasure (A Rare and Unknown World) by Shai August Supernatural romance Three Fortnights Press, 2019
Three years ago historian, bartender, gig worker Chantal Plaisance let fear keep her from experiencing the decadent indulgences of being chosen by Ursa Major, Abarran Benat, as his bride for the night at the exclusive annual Mardi Gras Ball hosted by the Omega Social Aid and Pleasure Club. Now she's back for a do-over. Will it live up to her anticipation? This sizzling short of a teaser for the upcoming Beast in the East: The Origin Shifters delivers a resounding yes. Second chances, imaginative supernatural shifter lore seamlessly integrated with historical facts, poignant characterizations, and super sexy scenes make this a layered spicy bonbon of a quick read.
In addition to her A Rare and Unknown World and Steward Files series, Shai produces her What Is Romance? podcast. https://www.shaiaugust.com/
January 16, 2022
Waiting for the Snow (Again) = Reading Stockpile
An assortment of options
Declaring Allegiance: Dangerous, Romantic Journeys & Intrigue
Blood and Ember (Stormbringer #3) by Isabel Cooper
Fantasy with romantic elements
Sourcebooks Casablanca, July 2021
Go Tell the Bees That I Am Gone (Outlander #9) by Diana Gabaldon
Historical-Contemporary-Speculative Romance
Dell, November 2021
Serving Sin (Filthy Rich #3) by Angelina M. Lopez
Contemporary Romance
Carina Press, May 2021
[content warning: sexual assault references]
Princess of Shadows, The Girl Who Would Be King by Colin Alexander
Fantasy
Afictionado, November 2021
Aeryn Stonebreaker’s saga winds up and outward like a rollercoaster ride for readers who enjoy Arthurian lore,biblical scope, nuanced personal quandaries, and organically inclusive casts of characters. Briskly paced narrative, evocative details of place, time, and circumstances plus crises of conscience and faith are only a few of the features that make Princess of Shadows epic. Fans of Sarah J. Maas, Jennifer Estep, Rena Barrow and similar authors should devour this compelling tale and hunger for more.
Literary Legacies
Non-fiction
W.W. Norton & Company, September 2021As stated in the introduction, “...the book is designed as a seminar where readers, together, seek a deeper understanding of the works and the principles they explore.” With the introduction, ten chapters organized according to different contemplative themes, acknowledgments, notes, bibliography, discography, and index, Read Until You Understand achieves its intention. It’s the kind of book that inspires deep thoughts and multiple reads.
The fight for equality continues. Controlling Women, What We Must Do Now to Save Reproductive Freedom by Kathryn Kolbert & Julie F. Kay
Non-fiction
Hachette Books, July 2021
The Kapernick Effect, Taking a Knee, Changing the World by Dave Zirin
Non-fiction
The New Press, September 2021
December 5, 2021
A Chorus of Literary Voices Perfectly Pitched for Gift Giving*
In this children’s book as memoir, self-defined biracial activist, dancer, writer, high school student Surayyah “RayRay” Fofana has written a charming story that explores universal themes of identity and touchstones of belonging. The vibrancy of individuals, classmates, families, and communities rendered in full-color illustrations project depth and dimension while the figures present people of various shades, ages, and physical abilities. RayRay’s journey toward recognizing herself is timely and timeless.
How to Wrestle a Girl, Stories by Venita Blackburn
Fiction, short stories
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, September 2021
In two parts and acknowledgments How to Wrestle a Girl contemplates the circuitous paths toward freedom to live as one’s unapologetic, authentic self. In the titular “How to Wrestle a Girl” (fourth entry in Part I) narrow ideas about gendered expectations invite competitors to consider the repercussions of misogyny, toxic masculinity, and identity crises. Escaping the tenacious hold of stereotypes, puberty, assumptions based on those factors and more seems relentless. And yet there’s a fundamental buoyancy to the entire collection. So many terms of endearment: lil sister, baby cousin, Mom Mom, last names used affectionately, familial relation as moniker, initials, nicknames–all used significantly more often than insults and slurs. Most of the multifaceted entries are rendered in conventional prose formats, supporting a reader’s focus on various thought threads. Those structures contrast and highlight the many facets of the free-form poem “Side Effects Include Dizziness, Ringing in the Ears, and Memory Loss” and the puzzle structuring of “In the Counselor’s Waiting Room with No Wi-Fi” and “Answer Sheet” in addition to a “Quiz” as biting social commentary about familiar categories of educators from enthusiastic newbies to disillusioned grumps. This collection entertains and provokes as it challenges readers to free ourselves and each other from the limiting, destructive, hateful attitudes and beliefs we hold about ourselves and others.
Gaia and Luna: In the View of the Moon by Mark Newton, author & publisher
Fantasy, November 2021
From the Big Bang to speculations about how and if the human species will survive, Gaia and Luna anthropomorphizes the elements of the universe. Earth and the moon along with the other planets and stars debate their relationships with each other and with humans, at one point described as “terror-formers” who seem determined architects of their own demise–a legitimate observation. Are we doomed? Predetermination versus free will, empathy, and a famous John F. Kennedy quote more broadly applied to Earth Conservation contribute to an overall optimistic tone in this fable for which children–and adults looking for fun ways to engage them in discussion about humans and the universe–seem to be the target audience. Its approach is similar to that of Edith Hamilton’s Mythology as applied to the universe mixed with Neil DeGrasse Tyson, Carl Sagan, and Sesame Street.
More Voices That Enchant, Haunt, Echo
Bad Fat Black Girl, Notes from a Trap Feminist by Sesali Bowen
Non-fiction memoir
Amistad, October 2021
With all names except those of the author and her trusty vehicle, changed to avoid legal unpleasantness, this relentlessly entertaining and illuminating memoir brings Black women’s multifaceted lives and identities from the margins to center page. The author names and challenges the limitations of respectability politics in the fight for equal access to resources and opportunities and limitless possibilities for thriving.
From the epilogue:
We deserve to be heard, have our humanity taken seriously, and trusted to lead our own rebellions and revolutions.
Unbound, My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement by Tarana Burke
Non-fiction memoir
Flatiron Books, September 2021
There are no words that serve justice to this author’s human magnificence more than her own beginning in the prologue: The story of how empathy for others–without which the work of ‘me too’ doesn’t exist–starts with empathy for that dark place of shame where we keep our stories, and where I kept mine.
Read this delicately nuanced, intimate and triumphant memoir with a box of tissues within reach.
Black Fatigue, How Racism Erodes the Mind, Body and Spirit by Mary-Frances Winters
Non-fiction
Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc., September 2020
A safe literary space and validation for people who are targeted by racism, and a concise tutorial for anti-racist allies of Black and Brown people (who are exhausted in general and probably tired of answering questions posed by well-intentioned Anglo/Caucasian/white people who sincerely want to understand). The preface, introduction, nine chapters, notes, acknowledgments, index, about the author and about The Winters Group, Inc. all honor, illuminate, hold accountable, and call to action the imperatives for eradicating racism. It’s an intellectual companion read to The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander and Sister Citizen by Melissa Harris-Perry.
Promise That You Will Sing About Me, The Power and Poetry of Kendrick Lamar by Miles Marshall Lewis
Poetry and commentary
St. Martin’s Press, September 2021
Impressive wordsmiths Alicia Garza, Ta-Nehisi Coates, Ivie Ani, Kevin L. C:ark and more contemplate Kendrick Lamar (Duckworth)’s category-defying genius, and that’s not hyperbole. If budget and storage space and environmental beliefs allow, buy a copy in order to indulge in the need to highlight, underline, and jot notes in the margins while listening to his mesmerizing, provocative lyrics and riffs.
Requiem of Silence (Earthsinger Chronicles #4) by L. Penelope
Speculative
St. Martin’s Griffin, August 2021
Who can Queen Jasminda trust?
Will a shared threat of annihilation force the people of Elsira and Lagrimar to work together toward a common goal of survival?
The final entry in this engaging series answers those questions and more. Personal quandaries, epic battles, and devastating consequences take readers on a volatile concluding adventure that satisfies. Consuming each installment in chronological order provides maximum coherence and momentum.
The Sweetest Remedy by Jane Igharo
Fiction
Jove, September 2021
What are you?
The dreaded, annoying, rude, nonsensical question.
The answer is simple and complicated.
Hannah Bailey travels thousands of physical and philosophical miles to unearth her own answers.
You Made Me Love You, Selected Stories, 1981–2018 by John Edgar Wideman
Short stories collection
Scribner, April 2021
The introduction by Walton Muyumba launches readers into a literary journey of dismantling the confinement of African and African-American Blackness to broaden and reconfigure it in nuanced, self-defined authenticity with John Edgar Wideman as a talented, generous guide possessing encyclopedic breadth and depth of piercing literary range.
No Words (Little Bridge Island #3) by Meg Cabot
Romantic women’s fiction
WIlliam Morrow, October 2021
Personal mayhem a la “I Love Lucy” and “Saturday Night Live” delivers sharp, humorous social commentary about the power hierarchy in publishing as dictated by gender, age, genre, category and more. My reading about Jo Wright’s story started Friday, November 12, 2021 when no words could express the depth of my spiritual fatigue connected to the U.S. in/justice system, and an immediate joyous book escape was essential. No Words provided that along with assorted laugh-aloud scenes and sad, but true observations about the book industry. It’s a bookish nerd’s gem with spoof-tastic vibes.
*This is probably my last #CardynBrooksReviews #books post for calendar year 2021. Wishing you and your loved ones and communities good health, peace, joy & prosperity during this holiday season and into the new year. Happy reading & creating & thriving!
November 14, 2021
Reclaiming HERstory: Fact-inspired Fiction & Love Games
The Sky Worshipers [sic] a Novel of Mongol Conquests by F.M. Deemyad* speculative historical fiction History Through Fiction, March 2021
This epic saga sweeps across the northern and eastern hemispheres with a propulsive mix of cultural grandeur, aggressive conflicts, and intimate specificity in its central characters. Make sure to savor every tidbit offered in the introduction, all four books of the richly layered narrative, and epilogue. Recommended resources and acknowledgments will likely add multiple titles to each reader’s TBR list.
In the introduction the author states an intention, “… not to write a book of horror but one resembling ‘One Thousand and One Nights' that would be enjoyable to read.”
Mission accomplished. https://www.historythroughfiction.com/theskyworshipers
Sisters in Arms by Kaia Alderson historical fiction with romantic elements William Morrow Paperbacks, August 2021
Sisterhood in many forms guides Grace Steele and Eliza Jones from the United States to Europe as members of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. The “Six Triple Eight" was the first all-black Women's Army Corp battalion during World War II. Along with joy, personal crossroads, and success, Grace and Eliza experience anticipated and unexpected challenges and hardships in a racist, sexist, classist environment that's a microcosm of the broader society. This author uses those facts as a setting to feature and honor the emotional and physical stamina of people who refused to be defeated and learned to forge paths into hostile territories of all kinds to emerge victorious.
The documentary about the actual 6888th is worth watching more than once. womenofthe6888th.org
The Freedom Race (Dreambird Chronicles #1) by Lucinda Roy speculative literature Tor, July 2021
Ji-ji Lottermule’s journey is biblical in scope—both heavy and hopeful. It's not an easy read with its themes on assorted forms of violence used to oppress and enslave. Beautiful language composition describes the ugliness of humanity’s disregard for the equal intrinsic value of all its members. Possibilities for transformation run throughout her trials and tribulations, and that saves this cautionary modern fantasy from being a dirge. Fans of Chester Himes, Lilith Saintcrow, and Nalini Singh may feel especially drawn into this fantastical world anchored in brutal sociopolitical realities.
Have We Met? by Camille Baker* contemporary romantic New Adult fiction Lake Union, July 2021
Corinne is going through some things. Will changing her geographical location improve her emotional health and her overall balance? She's going to discover the answers with the help of unexpected interventions from new friends and a mysterious app. Grief, transitions, de ja vu, leaps of faith, laughter, sexy times, more laughter, and six degrees of connections that overlap to create a vibrant patchwork of friendship and family make Have We Met? a charming, tenderhearted tale.
camillebaker.com
Guarding Temptation by Talia Hibbert contemporary romance novella Nixon House, July 2021
Fighting the good fight against Fake News takes an ominous turn for political campaigner Nina Chapman in the aftermath of her impulsive steamy interlude with kickboxing mechanic James Foster, her older brother’s best friend. This author's signature blend of hot romance in a relevant sociopolitical context ends with poignant commentary in the epilogue when Nina thinks: Sometimes I think black women in particular are seen as ‘strong' in a way that removes our humanity.
*participating author in TWWBF2021 thewritewomenbookfest.org
October 30, 2021
Books with Tricks & Treats
Weathered Fragments Weathered Souls, Poems by J.L. Smith chapbook Opus, 2018
This collection of reflective, melancholy two dozen poems starts with "The Fragments You Carry" and ends with these lines from "Rocks (A Country in a Box)": the fragments you hold on to-- /the ones you did not want to leave behind. In these two poems and each one between, J.L. Smith travels across geographical and emotional terrain to excavate and catalogue her discoveries through countries, continents, seasons and phases of life. Readers are encouraged to do the same. The poet mixes mundane language with powerful imagery to conjure tension between life's daily grind and dreams.
The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris fictionSimon & Schuster Audio, June 2021
The Manchurian Candidate, Stepford Wives and When No One Is Watching had a brilliant meta book baby about publishing, identity and life.
Me, My Hair And I by Elizabeth Benedict, editot + multiple contributors (including Prince George's County's own Marita Golden) non-fiction essay anthology
Different points of view regarding overlapping themes of identity, expectations of conformity and assimilation, narrowly defined standards of beauty and worthiness... Reading this text while listening to the audio book of The Other Black Girl soon after having read Dead Dead Girls generated interesting thematic parallels and intersections across generations, social strata, geographical locations, and ethnicities.
Dead Dead Girls by Nekesa Afia literary historical mystery fiction Berkley, June 2021
from chapter one: If she wanted to stand out, like on the dance floor, she could. But otherwise, she was invisible.
This complex tale of style and substance could easily double as providing multifaceted biographical sketches of the subjects of James VanDerZee's photographs while also resonating as relevant to current public conversations about missing and murdered Black and Brown people.
Black Water Sister by Zen Cho New Adult speculative fiction Ace, May 2021
from chapter 23: He looked Malay. But she had learned by now that in this part of the world being the follower of any given religion didn't exclude a healthy respect for other gods.
It's a dangerous adventure that defies the limitations of genre told in succulent language.
Witch Please (Fix-It Witches #1) by Ann Aguirre paranormal romance fictionSourcebooks Casablanca, September 2021
Together, Danica, Titus, their families and friends create a tenderhearted adorkable love story with spice.
Complications by Danielle Steel "contemporary" romance Delacorte Press, August 2021
Context: The blurb generated the sense of strangers converging in one location for a short time as in the old 20th-c. shows like Love Boat and Hotel with an updated spin, my throwback tv shows sweet spot linked with good memories of watching them with family and friends. (Every few years a compelling blurb lures me to pick up a D.S. book, and EVERY TIME it feels like a bait-and-switch. D.S. fans, should probably stop reading this review now.)
By chapter three I started reading only Gabrielle's thread because multiple themes in other characters' threads read as extremely outdated--Gabrielle's, too, but in less unbearable ways. (Giving up on a book is my choice of last resort when a story isn't working for me.)
in chapter six: "...never suspecting that his sexual preference was men..." had me skimming until chapter nine, then skipping forward to read the last chapter. (I almost always need to know what happened!)
Many of the attitudes in Complications are consistent with common 20th-c. tropes like the tragic closeted gay person, the slutty young homewrecker, etc. Maybe this is a reissue from the 1970s or 80s?
Fool me once...
October 10, 2021
The Write Women Book Fest 2021 Is HER/THEIR/ZE/OURstory!
The 4th annual The Write Women Book Fest is scheduled for Saturday, October 8, 2022! Meanwhile, TWWBF2021 participants have plenty of bookish goodness to satisfy you until next year.
Experience TWWBF2021 at your leisure. https://www.thewritewomenbookfest.org/2021-event-schedule.html
Panels and interviews too! https://www.thewritewomenbookfest.org/2021-panel-discussions.html
https://youtu.be/dQ5lIMx66Vo
https://youtu.be/Y36NtkC-aZk
Buy our participating authors' books at your favorite bookseller and/or borrow them from the nearest branch of Prince George's County Memorial Library System pgcmls.info if you're a resident of Prince George's County (or an "interlibrary loan" through Marina for Maryland residents outside of P.G. County).
Jayne Allen Eden Appiah-Kubi Camille Baker Pamela D. Beverly Cardyn Brooks C. X Brooks H.L. Brooks Patricia A. Crews F.M. DeemyadTia Fanning Marita Golden Selina Goodman Mijiza Green Guy G. Gunn Andrea Hylen Karen Janowsky Keturah Kendrick Thien-Kim Lam Anita Nahal (coming November 2021) Saralyn Richard Saeida Rouass Summer Amaya Kumari Talley Cecilia Tan Lynn Thorne Cheryl Woodruff-Brooks
The Write Women Book Fest 2021 Is HER/THEIR/OURstory!
Experience TWWBF2021 at your leisure. https://www.thewritewomenbookfest.org/2021-event-schedule.html
Panels and interviews too! https://www.thewritewomenbookfest.org/2021-panel-discussions.html
https://youtu.be/dQ5lIMx66Vo
https://youtu.be/Y36NtkC-aZk
