Cardyn Brooks's Blog, page 2

Out of the Shadows

Echoes of past trauma haunt these complicated, intrepid characters who sail the high seas while also navigating assorted forms of treachery. Poignant emotion combined with humor and daring exploits make Sorinda's story a compelling read that entertains in multiple ways. 
[cover art for a hardcover edition of Vengeance of the Pirate Queen by Tricia Levenseller: three-quarter profile image of a young Black woman with long braids while holding an unsheathed dagger] 
Vengeance of the Pirate Queen (Daughter of the Pirate King #3) by Tricia Levenseller YA fantasy with romantic elementsMacmillan, 2023 
It's rare for me to read YA fiction because it tripwires visceral memories of my own angsty young adult years, and while my gratitude toward all the merciful deities is immense in appreciation for my survival and eventual flourishing, revisiting that angst in any way doesn't appeal.  With that in mind, Sorinda's story satisfied in every way: character development, world building, emotional intimacy, internal and external conflicts, ethical quandaries, danger, and swashbuckling adventure. 

This week's BAC Issues (Book Acquisition Compulsion) along with 7 prior books;-)  [the bottoms of 7 trade paperback books to the left of 4 upright books with spines showing: If Not for My Baby, The Last Wizards Ball, The Story That Wouldn't Die, That's How They Get You; next to 3 trade paperback books stacked, from top to bottom: Ready to Score, Maid for Each Other, Rest in Pink] 
Reading for pleasure has been a safe happy place for me since childhood when my dad would read to me using different voices for each character until I learned to read to him. (He'd still chime in with sound effects.) 
My hope is that everyone has reading and other activities that offer peace, joyful memories and respite during these very challenging times. 

Everyday Magic & Genre Mashups

Three outstanding reads by authors who've crafted irresistible tales that defy the confines of the narrow expectations of a single genre. 
[three books arranged face up, from left to right: Chocolate Chip City, He's To Die For, The Baby Dragon Cafe] 
Chocolate Chip City by Be Steadwell contemporary speculative fiction with romance Bywater Books, June 2025 
In this lyrical, lush composition three sisters, Jasmine, Ella and Layla, embody riffs on power: of the individual, family, community, culture; attraction, repulsion, collaboration. It's anchored in harsh realities while using magical realism and sharp humor to explore the often awkward and discouraging search for purpose, acceptance, and love in the context of life and the socio-economic pyramid scheme of capitalism. 
Its recurring variations on themes of erasure and reclaiming legacies echo a present-day continuum of The Monsters We Defy by Leslye Penelope and an emotional texture reminiscent of Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel while projecting its own unique propulsive narrative energy.  
This passage from chapter one exemplifies the sumptuous nature of this captivating tale: She ran her fingers over the words, imagining how the souffle would feel on her tongue. 

He's To Die For by Erin Dunn contemporary mystery romance Minotaur Books, June 2025 
Police Detective Rav Trivedi is unapologetically himself as excellent work performance earns him accolades and promotions at a fast pace that doesn't please everyone. Then the flashy murder off an unpopular executive who was hated by many throws Rav into the orbit of a successful emo musician who's also a prime suspect. Attraction and conflict ensue. He's To Die For offers readers a potent blend of intrigue and romance that mixes genres in perfect proportion. 

The Baby Dragon Cafe (Baby Dragon #1) by A.T. Qureshi contemporary speculative new adult romance Avon, January 2025 
Creating a place that welcomes all who enter opens up unexpected opportunities for Saphira in the aftermath of a devastating loss. Dragons, griffins, and more provide fantasy. Portraying grief as an evolving process offers compassion, encouragement, and plenty of tenderness and humor. 

This week's BAC (Book Acquisition Compulsion) Issues as supported by irresistible temptations at the public library 
[a collage of two photos arranged side-by-side; left side - "NEW BOOKS! Prince George's County Memorial Library pgcmls.info" sign atop a round shelf with two books, Love on the Rebound and Beautiful Broken Love, arranged in front of the sign; right side - a bookstack of 5 books showing the bottoms of the pages with Beautiful Broken Love and Love on the Rebound leaning upright against the bookstack] 
Always wishing you good health, peace of mind and joy. Happy reading! 

Heartthrobs, Zombie Mobs & Hollywood Divas

 Laughs, gore and drama galore! 
[3 trade paperback books from left to right: One Death at a Time, He Falls First, Zom RomCom] 
One Death at a Time by Abbi Waxman contemporary mystery Berkley, April 2025 
Sobriety challenges, meetings, an uneasy alliance, a road trip, an assortment of unusual and unlikely allies, betrayals, lots of laugh and profound sentiment make Julia and Natasha's journey an enjoyable ride even as it addresses ageism sexism with organic candor. 

He Falls First by Jill Shalvis contemporary romance Sourcebooks Casablanca, August 2025 
This love story focuses on the joy of support offered by biological and found family even as it references the evolution of recovery from past experiences of domestic violence. 

Zom RomCom by Olivia Dade contemporary speculative adventure romance Berkley Romance, August 2025 
A laugh-aloud spoof of manmade horrors with its own unique quirkiness that delivers so many good feelings even as it addresses significant loss and grief. Readers missing the Sookie Stackhouse dynamic with Erik(?) the vampire should especially enjoy the banter between Edie and Max.   
This week's BAC (Book Acquisition Compulsion) Issues [bookstack of 8 books from top to bottom: Chocolate Chip City, Vengeance of the Pirate Queen, The Dirty Version, Sometimes You Stay, Scotch on the Rocks, He's to Die For, The Baby Dragon Cafe, The Launch Date] 
Life is even more challenging than usual for most of us so savor all of the everyday pleasures each day and encounter offers. 
Always wishing you good health, peace of mind & joy! 

Deja Vu, Recalibrating, Pyramid Schemes & Narcissists

More satisfying romances from an array of talented authors who love love to help offset the real-life ethical and moral horrors shared in a riveting memoir.
[3 trade paperback books arranged face-up atop a closed piano, from left to right: Pugs & Kisses, When Javi Dumped Mari, All's Fair in Love and Pickleball] 
Pugs & Kisses by Farrah Rochon contemporary adult romance Hachette Book Group, July 2025 
Evie's juggling a lot personally and professionally. Can the man who ghosted her years ago earn her forgiveness and regain her trust enough to work with her to achieve her personal and professional goals? Revealing those answers offers readers a charming tale of wooing. 

When Javi Dumped Mari by Mia Sosa contemporary adult romance G.P. Putnam's Sons, June 2025 
In the decade since they became college besties, Mari and Javi have decisions to make. WIll they jeopardize the shaky stability of the status quo or risk their hearts and the future of their friendship for the chance of something more? Emotional complexity, laughs, and vulnerability ensue. 

All's Fair in Love and Pickleball by Kate Spencer contemporary adult romance Forever, June 2025 
Two people with things to prove to themselves team up for business and end up of finding pleasure and love.   

How to Sell a Romance by Alexa Martin contemporary adult romance Berkeley Romance, July 2025  
This laugh-aloud romance between dedicated kindergarten teacher Emerson and investigative reporter Lucas spoofs the challenges of teaching, adulting, parenting, and hustling to make a liveable salary with insightful precision. The heat between Emerson and Lucas smokes. 
 

[2 hardcover books arranged face-up atop a closed piano, from left to right: Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism, A Memoir; It Takes a Psychic] 
Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism, A Memoir by Sarah Wynn-Williams non-fiction memoir Macmillan, March 2025 
Beginning with a quote from The Great Gatsby, a prologue, a timeline rendered in 48 chapters, and an epilogue, this disturbing, but unsurprising saga of the corruption of good intentions reveals the answers to these questions and more: What happens when innovation focuses only on its possibilities and not its consequences? What happens when the people who control a business entity grow too large and powerful and influential, making it nearly impossible to hold them accountable for the harms they cause and enable? 

It Takes a Psychic by Jayne Castle contemporary adult paranormal romance Penguin Random House, June 2025 
Leona and Oliver's teaming up to solve mysteries and vanquish mentally unstable villains offers readers this author's signature mix of intrigue, danger, dust bunnies, and intimacy of the emotional and physical kinds. 

This week's BAC (Book Acquisition Compulsion) Issues   [a bookstack of 6 trade paperback books; the 3 on the bottom showing only the edges of the bottom pages; the 3 on the top showing their spines, from top to bottom: Zom Rom Com, He Falls First, One Death At a Time] 
Always wishing you good health, peace of mind, joy & worthwhile reads! 

Beach Reads That Sizzle (in Many Ways)

It's a miracle that so many actual and imagined human young survive into adulthood, and then on to old age. The following books offer entertaining and provocative tales of challenges, misadventures, and triumphs. 
[a collage of 4 images: upper left - It Had to Be You hardcover Thorndike Press large print edition set on the edge of a small table between 2 chairs; upper right - a "BEACH" tote bag in a striped beach chair along with a paperback ARC of Up in Smoke; lower left - a paperback copy of An Evening at the Hotel on a wood table next to a beach umbrella; lower right - a paperback copy of All Super-Heroes Need PR] 
All Super-Heroes Need PR by Elizabeth Stephens contemporary speculative romance Amazon Publishing, May 2025 
Vanessa's story delivers a riveting aliens-among-us origin story, a fake romance with unexpected twists, and nuanced workplace interpersonal dynamics that offer drama, humor, razor sharp social commentary, and visceral memories of past childhood trauma and current emotional consequences. Readers sensitive to detailed descriptions of mental health struggles may want to skip or skim those passages despite the compassionate beauty of their composition. 

Up in Smoke by Nick Brooks contemporary YA mystery suspense fiction with romantic elements Henry Holt & Co., May 2025 
Record heat in the atmosphere swells until things combust for Cooper's family, friends, neighbors, community, and city. Who and what remains alive and free, and gets revealed when the smoke clears in the pressurized sociopolitical environment of the U.S. nation's capital of D.C. are mysteries Cooper feels compelled to solve. Dangerous chaos ensues in this fast-paced drama that resonates with events in recent years. 

It Had to Be You by Eliza Jane Brazier contemporary romantic intrigue Penguin Random House, 2024 
This clever and engrossing spin on the strangers-on-a-train trope offers an absurdist tale about the consequences of unaddressed trauma. Eva and Jonathan's romance is threatening in every way. It's also heartrending and hilarious. Think a bit of The War of the Roses film narrative in reverse mixed with Ballerina (John Wick universe) and its own unique worldview. 

An Evening at the Hotel by Suanne Laqueur contemporary erotic fiction Cathedral Rock Press, 2020 
Dedicated "For everyone behind a Do Not Disturb sign" is truth in advertising as each of these linked snippets in alternating points of view reveal poignant moments of emotional and sexual intimacy anchored in tension between risk and peacefulness sourced in vulnerability and trust. An Evening at the Hotel presents tender, amusing, incendiary personal engagement. 

This week's BAC (Book Acquisition Compulsion) Issues:  [2 images: left - Pugs & Kisses, All's Fair in Love and Pickleball, When Havi Dumped Mari, How to Sell a Romance; right - 7 books stacked with their bottoms edges showing next to 4 books with their spines showing: Francine's Spectacular Crash & Burn, Love is a War Song, Promise Me Sunshine, Taste the Love] 
And of course there are ebooks on my phone and tablet. 
Hope your week overflows with books that satisfy! (including audio, graphic novels, comics, Braille...)  

Tapping into Your Power

The following two books celebrate powerful characters who overcome their fears to manifest their greatness for the benefit of themselves, their loved ones and communities. So satisfying. 
[2 books from left to right: A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna, Direct Descendant by Tanya Huff] 
A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna contemporary speculative romance Berkeley, July 2025 
Sera's story of navigating otherness was worth the wait. The advantages, responsibilities, and consequences of being powerful are explored with nuanced observations, humor, and compassion. Themes on distinctions between family by blood, choice, and intention weave throughout this poignant tale about paying attention and recognizing personal details as fundamental to the evolution of one's perspective on who and what are valuable. 
One of my favorite passages from the end of chapter nineteen: Like this was a thing that had, somehow, become important. Like his lonely and her lonely fit perfectly into the empty spaces at the other's side, saying nothing, asking nothing, just keeping each other company.


Direct Descendant by Tanya Huff contemporary speculative fiction with romantic elements DAW, April 2025  
Multiple mysteries, secrets, intrigue, ethical quandaries, entrenched traditions and inevitable changes, generational conflicts, community, complicated family dynamics, power struggles along with stumbling into a chance for romance make this clever Lake Argen saga an irresistible read that entertains with a combination of drama, tenderness, and humor. Sharp social commentary and homage to librarians and libraries included.  
from chapter three, a character's strategy for packing luggage: Without the jacket, I had room for another couple of books. 
from chapter thirteen: ... the world could have ended without him noticing. It wasn't even a new book! He'd read it before! Who does that? It's a good thing he never married and had kids; they wouldn't have survived infancy. He'd have read them to death. 

My BAC (Book Acquisition Compulsion) Issues evolve.
[3 books arranged with the spines showing: Behind Frenemy Lines by Zen Cho, Overruled by Lana Ferguson*, It Takes a Pyschic by Jayne Castle next to a stack of 8 books showing the bottom edges of their pages] 
Four days ago the Overruled ebook became available from the neighboring county's library system, but my home county library branch had the print version available on its New Books display when I returned books Friday so... (I did return the ebook so the next patron didn't need to wait 14 days.;-)  
Always wishing you good health, peace of mind & joy Happy reading!  



 

TWWBF Grand Finale Gratitude & More Books

The 6th and grand finale The Write Women Book Fest 2025 event last weekend was phenomenal! It exceeded our most ambitious hopes during these very challenging times. Many, many heartfelt thanks to the each of the featured authors, tabling authors & their assistants, TWWBF Poet Laureate Aressa V. Williams, performing poets, storytime readers in the children's area, narrators, author and publishing services professionals... Special thanks to the 2/3 of the TBR Trio who attended, a dynamic IG influencer, and each and every attendee who engaged with participants and bought books and merch. And to the volunteers, Bowie Comfort Inn staff, the team at South Bowie Branch Library, and as always, our conscientious, tireless team of dedicated TWWBF voluntolders, expressions of gratitude beyond words!  
[a "The Write Women Book Fest" journal, a tote bag with "Maria Secoy Romantic Suspense" and a smaller  "Thank you" tote bag] 

[a collage of 3 images: left - plain white gift bag with a handwritten thank you note to the team at Barnes & Noble at Bowie Town Center surrounded by assorted individually wrapped snacks; top right - plain white gift bag with a handwritten thank you note to the team at South Bowie Branch Library surrounded by assorted individually wrapped snacks and candy with a smaller "thank you" tote bag on the upper left side; lower right - a black "I heart books" t-shirt with a "The Write Women Book Fest Grand Finale Author Outreach Director Co-Organizer Cardyn Brooks" name tag on a "All Write Well" lanyard]   


Special thanks to author Suanne Laqueur for her kind patience and thoughtfulness toward my young bonus niece who was drawn to her cool wheel of gifts, which she also invited me to spin and win this novella. At first my intention was to spin just for fun, but then I read the blurb for An Evening at the Hotel...  [front cover of a paperback novella An Evening at the Hotel by Suanne Laqueur showing parts of four large windows on a building facade] 

My BAC (Book Acquisition Compulsion) issues continue.

[two images: left - a bookstack of 8 books from top to bottom: What Will People Think, The Usual Family Mayhem, It Had to Be You, The Folklore of Forever, Direct Descendant, Capture the Moment, Sounds Like Love, Dead Man's List; right - a bookstack of 3 books from top to bottom: All Super-Heroes Need PR, Worth Fighting For, The Two Lies of Faven Sythe]   
Not shown are Up in Smoke and Positive Affirmations for Black Girls, both given to me by their respective authors. Thank you! Some new reviews from me before the end of the year, I hope.:-) 
Always wishing you good health, peace of mind & joy 

DIY Marketing TWWBF2025 + the Usual BAC Issues

Six(!) days until day one of the 6th and grand finale year of The Write Women Book Fest!!! Last week was another hard one for federal workers in the DMV area along with other ongoing challenges, making it tough for a lot of people to prioritize joy. This coming weekend TWWBF2025 intends to celebrate and support talented authors, poets, creatives, and publishing industry professionals and their work, readers and literacy advocates while we also celebrate everything positive that this event has contributed to our community since 2019.
[a two-image collage: right side - two posters atop the closed lid of a baby grand piano; both with "The Write Women Book Fest, 100+ authors Golden Angel, Eden Appiah-Kubi, Courtney Duke Foster, Jeaniene Frost, Maria Vale, Erin Wright, EC Poetry & Prose, July 19th QR Code thewritewomenbookfest.org, Use code FESTNEWS25 for 30% off!"; left side - an incomplete poster with "The Write Women Book Fest" and a blank sheet of paper with a graduated watercolor design] 
So many complete strangers were super kind and supportive during my two-hour stint in the high heat on Saturday! Lots of honks, waves, and even a screamed, "Way to go, The Write Women Book Fest!" as they zoomed down the road. Got home feeling productive and rewarded myself with a cold shower and lowering the temperature on the portable A/C we use to boost the chill factor of the central air conditioning upstairs.  
[split image: right side - traffic lights at the intersection of Stonybrook Drive and Annapolis Road/rte 450 east; upper left side - selfie of a Black woman wearing a black hat and black sunglasses with heart-shaped lenses; lower left side - closeup of the control panel for a portable A/C unit showing temperature set to 62 degrees Fahrenheit] 

More BAC (Book Acquisition Compulsion) Issues*   [a book stack from top to bottom: Sounds Like Love, Capture the Moment, Dead Man's List]

*In my defense, It Had to Be You by Eliza Jane Brazier remains at the library after my "You have many, many books at home (and on your tablet and phone) that you haven't read yet, and that you won't have time or energy to read until after TWWBF2025" self-chat actually worked. 
Always wishing you good health, peace of mind & joy!

DAYdreamers Rejoice, a Sign of the AI Times & TWWBF2025 Less Than 2 Weeks Away!

The wait is over for fans of Sylvia Day and for specific fans of her Crossfire series.   [cover art of a woman standing with her back to a man who is embracing her waist with one hand while she reaches back to cup his cheek; "New York Times Bestselling Author Sylvia Day, Ireland, A Crossroads Novel"] 
Ireland (Crossroads #1) by Sylvia Day, author & publisher contemporary romance fiction April 2025  Before this current wave of erotic and dark romance authors, there were these notable past and current talents: Zane, Cecilia Tan, Susan Johnson (now writing as C.C. Gibbs), Robin Schone, Thea Devine, and Sylvia Day. Crossfire fans, it's time to celebrate the launch of this related Crossroads series with its steamy, angst-drenched first entry of Ireland and Ronan's adversarial courtship. Ireland ends on a cliffhanger and Illusion, book 2, is scheduled for an April 2026 release, leaving plenty of time to read the original series, an enjoyable task the author recommends that readers new to this world complete first. 
And then there's the sad fact that we've reached the point in human history and technological development in which having a book registered as "Human Authored" is now necessary. Ay-yi-yi 
[same cover art as above for Ireland by Sylvia Day placed to the left of a title page with "Human Authored AG AuthorsGuild" seal above "HumanAuthored(TM)--Reg#..."] 


Before every trip to the library to return books I remind myself that I don't need to borrow anymore books until I've read the ones I already have on loan. And every time the new books display tempts me beyond my ability to resist. 
Here's my most recent BAC (Book Acquisition Compulsion) Stack 
[a horizontal stack of 7 books from top to bottom: No Ordinary Love; Salty, Spiced, and a Little Bit Nice, The Love Fix, A Lady Would Know Better, Direct Descendant, Left of Forever, Summer in the City] 
Tickets are still available for The Write Women Book Fest in Bowie, MD 7/19 & 7/20! https://www.thewritewomenbookfest.org/#/
 
Always wishing you good health, peace of mind, safety & joy! 

Our Poet Laureate's Memoir + More TWWBF2025 Prep

Educator, poet, short story author, mindfulness guide and now the moniker of memoirist has been added to the long list of creative accomplishments earned by Poet Laureate of The Write Women Book Fest Aressa V. Williams. 
She was born and raised in the vibrant community of Washington, D.C.'s Northeast neighborhood of Deanwood. Her Memoir evokes the nostalgia, challenges, victories, heartaches and joys of her life that connect with readers across generations and locations.   [photo credit: H.L. Brooks; image: two paperback ARCs of In Deanwood, A Memoir by Aressa Verdell Williams arranged on a tabletop; cover art of a sepia toned two-story colonial house with four columns - two on each side of the front door] 
The ebook is currently available with print copies coming soon!https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/in-deanwood-aressa-verdell-williams/1147594007 

Just under 3 weeks before day one of The Write Women Book Fest and we've finished decorating t-shirts for our awesome volunteers, and we've organized the fantastic swag already sent by some of our very talented authors. Others plan to bring theirs with them and distribute swag from their tables. 
[bookmarks, postcards, writing pens, pamphlets, stickers, business cards and more assorted swag from authors, poets, narrators, influencers, etc. for The Write Women Book Fest 2025 swag bags for attendees]  [a collage of 3 images, all showing different stages of painting "I <3 Books" onto black t-shirts; fabric paint, paint brushes, stencils; paper bowls] 


This week's BAC (Book Acquisition Compulsion) Stack;-)  [horizontal bookstack with 5 books from top to bottom: Poettry Is Not a Luxury, Christmas in Spite of You. Along Came Amor, The High Dive, All Too Well] 
Come join us in celebrating the freedom to read, to learn, to explore and expand our horizons on Saturday, July 19 from 12 noon to 5 p.m. at Bowie Comfort Inn & Conference Center! https://www.thewritewomenbookfest.org/#/ 

Always wishing you abundant good health, peace of mind & joy!