A Lowcountry Bride by Preslaysa Williams

There are so many images that come to mind when I think of the Lowcountry. Of course, the food and the landscape, but also the rich history of the people who live in the region. Preslaysa Williams' A Lowcountry Bride doesn't reflect many of those aspects. The main character isn't a bride and, though Charleston is the setting, the story could have been set in any town. Does that mean it's not an entertaining read? No, but you may want to adjust your expectations.

Maya left Charleston for New York to pursue a career with famed bridal designer. In a Working Girl/Devil Wears Prada kind of mashup, her boss doesn't appreciate her work and finds flaws in most of her designs. When Maya's father gets sick, she heads to the Lowcountry to nurse him back to health and is given an opportunity to help save a family's business and, possibly, her career.

Derek inherited his mother's bridal shop, something to brag about in the 80s when it first opened, but not so much in present day. His deceased wife loved it though and so does his daughter. The business is struggling and so is Derek until Maya comes into his life with her unique designs and can do attitude.

A Lowcountry Bride is the stuff Hallmark movies are made for. It's predictable in parts, from the story line to the characters, but they all play a role in bringing readers the happy ending that they're expecting. And while I said the location in the book could be set anywhere based on the lack of descriptors that would give it a true Charleston feel, I've no doubt that on the screen, it would be absolutely lush and gorgeous. Has it been optioned for TV yet? I don't know, but fingers crossed!

Disclaimer: Copy of book received from publisher in exchange for honest review.

The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris

If you've worked in corporate America as a Black woman, at one point in time you've likely been the "only." Heck, you may still be the only. Regardless, there has been or will come a time when you see another Black woman being introduced around the office. Are you excited to see her or do you need to suss out the situation first? Does she get to hear your outside voice or are you keeping it corporate for her? Zakiya Dalila Harris covers these thoughts and feelings and more in The Other Black Girl, a book I like to think of as a mashup between Lauren Wilkinson's American Spy, The Matrix and The Devil Wears Prada.

Publishing is a competitive field and Nella has worked hard to prove herself in hopes of a promotion, but she knows she doesn't come from the right background. She doesn't summer in the right places and doesn't always get the cultural references that come from watching shows like Friends or Seinfeld. And then Hazel shows up in her office one day and she's everything Nella isn't. She's able to hold conversations with coworkers about what makes Boston a great town. She jumps right into team meetings and others hang on her every word. Nella thinks she's found a friend in Hazel, but maybe not so much. Nella's attempts to find out just who Hazel really is takes readers deep into a world that will ultimately leave them asking how do I define blackness, who am I to define blackness and, if given the choice to stir things up or assimilate,  would I or wouldn't I?

The Other Black Girl has so many twists and turns. When I say it's a mashup of other books and movies, it really is. I wouldn't even begin to know how to classify it. But I will say it's an absolute page turner that will leave you thinking long after you've put it down. A film version has been optioned for Hulu.

Disclaimer: A copy of the book was received from the publisher in an exchange for an honest review. 

The Eleanor Taylor Bland Award for Emerging BIPOC Crime Writers Could be Your Entry Into Traditional Book Publishing Success.

Sisters in Crime, a literary organization that promotes the advancement, recognition, and professional development of women crime writers, is seeking applicants for its eighth annual Eleanor Taylor Bland Crime Fiction Writers of Color Award. 

Noting a study which found only 11% of published books were authored by writers of color, Sisters in Crime President, Sandra Wong, added, “This grant serves a greater purpose in highlighting and uplifting work which shares valuable perspectives from writers in, and of, communities sorely under-represented in publishing." 

Sisters in Crime was founded in 1986 by 26 women crime writers who faced roadblocks in getting their novels published. The organization has grown to more than 4,000 members worldwide. 

Sisters in Crime created the grant to celebrate excellence and diversity in crime writing. It honors the trailblazing African-American crime fiction writer Eleanor Taylor Bland, who used the genre as a platform to introduce characters that were largely marginalized or excluded from crime fiction novels. The $2,000 grant is intended to help an emerging BIPOC writer with a novel-in-progress or early-career work of crime fiction. It also supports developmental opportunities, including workshops, online courses and research. 

“Authors like Ms. Bland have shown me that women of color—writers of color—can be authors in any genre they want and really bridge gaps,” said Sisters in Crime’s 2020 winner Yasmin A. McClinton. McClinton considered quitting writing until she heard about the Bland award. She submitted her opening pages of her manuscript, a revenge and redemption story about a female Ghanaian assassin, expecting rejection. However, the judging panel of bestselling authors Rachel Howzell Hall, Alex Segura and 2019’s winner Jessica Martinez, restored her dream in becoming a published author when they selected her manuscript. Since winning the award, McClinton landed a two-book publishing deal with Thomas and Mercer as well as a book option for a television series. She was also selected as a 2021 judge along with Clark and Edgar-nominated “Winter Counts” author David Heska Wanbli Weiden. 

Mia P. Manansala found an agent and landed a publishing deal since she won the same award in 2018. Her debut, “Arsenic and Adobo,” releases on May 4, 2021 with Berkley. "Without Sisters in Crime and the Bland Award, my debut novel might never have existed," said Manansala. 

The no-fee submission is open from March 15 to May 15, 2021. Applicants should not have more than 2 published novels and 10 published works of short fiction. Submission form available at www.sistersincrime.org. The winner will be announced in Summer 2021 and honored during Bouchercon, the world mystery convention. The winner will also be featured in Sisters in Crime’s quarterly newsletter, inSinC.

Book Review: Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutanto

"...so many aunties we could have an auntie team" - Kanye West (old Ye, never current day Ye) 

I have a lot of aunts and like the book's protagonist, Meddelin, they try to stay in my business. Unfortunately - but often fortunately for Meddy - they succeed in doing just that. When she accidentally kills her date, her aunts and her mother don't even blink an eye when she asks for help. Low key it made me wonder if they'd disposed of a few bodies before. Hijinks ensue as Meddy and her aunts try to balance running their various wedding-related businesses and keep the deceased hidden long enough to get rid of him. 

 Sutanto gives readers a perfect blend of family relationships, fated romances, cultural identity and quirkiness. I can't recommend Dial A for Aunties enough and I can't wait to see what comes next for Meddy and her aunts because I'm already desperately hoping for a series featuring these ladies.

Book Review: Summer on the Bluffs by Sunny Hostin

It's not possible to read any book about Oak Bluffs and not think of Dorothy West's The Wedding or the movie The Inkwell or the Obamas. When you hear about Martha's Vineyard you think of an overly white, extremely upper class of people. We don't typically get stories of wealthy black people in fiction, at least not in this kind of fiction. It's refreshing. 

 Sunny Hostin invites readers to a world of wealth and class in the form of Amelia Vaux Tanner. I really like that Hostin doesn't overtly name drop, but she does drop artist names and brands that you definitely want to bookmark so you can go back and look them up later. The secrets that Ama is keeping took me back to 80s dramatic sagas like Lace or the Thornbirds. Like I knew something was coming but I never figured out what was coming, so I gasped as each secret was revealed. 

How hooked was I? When I started reading the book, I was about a quarter ways through and didn't turn on the TV or my computer until I was done four hours later. I loved the characters, I loved their backstories. I do wish she'd delved a little deeper into some relationships, but overall I just really enjoyed this book. 

Summer on the Bluffs is out May 4th. Thanks to the publisher for sending the book and this cute tote my way!

Wild Rain by Beverly Jenkins

Stories about women living in the newly settled western parts of America fascinate me. I remember reading Ann Weisgarber’s The Personal History of Rachel Dupree years ago. The story of a Black woman who left a big city to move to the Badlands of South Dakota with her new husband and homestead in the early 20th century was mind blowing. But with Wild Rain, Beverly Jenkins introduces an even bigger badass! 

 Spring Lee is a fierce, no nonsense, kick ass now ask questions later “lady.” And while it's true that the romance between her and Garrett McCray, a formerly enslaved journalist who's come to Paradise, Wyoming to interview Spring’s brother, is the overarching theme of the book, Spring’s approach to life is the heartbeat of Wild Rain. Eschewing social norms of the times, she's a land owning rancher, she hangs out in saloons, she breaks wild horses and she embraces her sexuality! It's so refreshing to see a female character who doesn't pretend she doesn't have a past, is open about what and who she wants, and makes the first, second or third move, if she has to. 

 Wild Rain is the second novel in the Women Who Dare series, Rebel was the first. If you're trying to remember where you've seen Spring Lee before, check out Tempest, the third book in Beverly Jenkins's Old West series, where we first meet Spring’s brother Dr. Colton Lee and his bride to be, Regan Carmichael. 

 Thanks to the people at William Morrow Books/Avon for sending this my way!

Just As I Am by Cicely Tyson with Michelle Burford

It's fitting that Aretha Franklin's version of Mary, Don't You Weep started playing in the background as I began this review because Aretha was a dear friend of Ms. Tyson and because I found myself crying unexpectedly as I finished her memoir. And I say unexpectedly because I shed no tears when her death was first announced. In my mind, she'd lived a long and fascinating life and deserved to rest in eternal peace. So why did wrapping up her book move me so much?

The first time I saw Cicely Tyson I was in the second grade and she was on my TV screen playing Binta, the mother of Kunta Kinte. I didn't know who she was, but I knew her hair was like nothing I'd seen on TV - Bantu knots she asked her hairdresser to replicate in homage to women she'd met in previous travels to countries in Africa. There were so many stars in Roots: OJ Simpson (back when we still claimed him), Maya Angelou, Leslie Uggams, Ben Vereen, etc. But Ms. Tyson's portrayal stood out.

Immersing herself in her roles to the point where she wore her characters like a second skin was the norm for her. From the raspy voice she took on in her portrayal of The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, shunning the call for an older actress to provide the voiceover, to her claiming the role of Mrs. Carrie Watts back in 1985 and patiently waiting for it to come to fruition in 2012 with first the Broadway production of The Trip to Bountiful and then the Lifetime TV production, she breathed life into her roles. Her acting is so convincing as Jane Pittman that arguments arise on social media at least once a year as to whether or not Ms. Pittman was a real person. (She was not.)

Who was Ms. Tyson when she wasn't acting? She was a daughter, a sister, a wife, a friend and a mother - the last role being one she says has been rewarding, but also a journey requiring continuous work. Twice married, she readily admits that while she didn't love her first husband, Miles Davis was the love of her life. Growing up in East St. Louis, I still remember when Longfellow Elementary School was renamed for Miles Davis and he and Ms. Tyson came to town for the ceremony. Much has been written about the volatility of their relationship. You'll have to read the book to understand their love story, which started over 20 years before they ever married.

Toward the end of the book, Ms. Tyson says "... I'm still here because God hasn't finished with me. And when I've completed my job, he'll take me." Imagine not starting your acting career until you're 30 and continuing to act until your last days. While the rest of us contemplate retirement at 65, Ms. Tyson simply was not having it! Having inspired generations through her roles, through her life story, through her friendship, through her generous spirit and wanting to do even more, I have to believe God looked down on her one last time and said, well done, good and faithful servant. 

You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey by Amber Ruffin & Lacey Lamar

Ask any Black woman how many microaggressions she deals with daily and she’ll likely laugh at you and tell you there’s no way she could keep count because they happen so often. Is it tiring, yes. Does it make you want to pluck your eyelashes out one by one at times, yes. But occasionally you stop and think about the ridiculousness of it all and you have no other choice than to laugh. 

Amber Ruffin and her sister Lacey Lamar have written a book that perfectly encapsulates the world that so many of us live in. However, Lacey seems to have a microaggression magnet on her forehead. You know how some people attract crazy? Lacey attracts polite, and sometimes not so polite, racists. Living in Omaha (or anywhere in the U.S.) can’t help, but I promise the stories she tells are relatable whether you’re in the midwest or the mid-atlantic region. Whether it’s a cashier asking if the Harriet Tubman image on your checks is actually you, being the only Black person at work, being told you’re safe as a Black woman because no one kidnaps Black women or the assumption that you’re from a single parent household even though you grew up with both parents in the house - being Black in perceived white spaces can be a lot. And yet, Lacey seems to find the humor in it all.

The stories are told with enough lightheartedness that I found myself cackling, and I can appreciate this somewhat strategic move to put white readers at ease as they slowly, but surely, start to think about which of the cringeworthy and downright offensive acts they’ve committed themselves. But this book isn’t meant just for white readers who are looking to learn how to be and do better, it’s also an affirmation for Black women who’ve questioned their sanity after a day in the life where their humanity is questioned simply for existing in a world that dares them to be in its space.

 

Life After Death by Sister Souljah

Let me just start with sis, what in the entire hell was this? Also, I'm about to drop spoilers so if you don't want to know why I gave this such a low rating, go ahead and click out, scroll past, do what you have to do.

When I read The Coldest Winter Ever back in 99, it was unlike anything I'd ever read, and I've always read a lot. Up until then, there wasn't a wide variety of street/urban lit. Donald Goines was one of the originators of the genre, but his books were most popular in the early 70s and were mostly out of print by then, as were Iceberg Slim's books. So Sister Souljah, she who inspired some and was a controversial figure for others in the 90s (revisit the role she played in Bill Clinton's 92 presidential campaign), was a fresh, new voice in the realm of urban lit.

I was 28 when I read CWE and it wasn't the amazing read others said it was, in my humble opinion, but like I said, it was a different voice. I read Midnight, based on a character from CWE, years later and was also unimpressed. So why would I read Life After Death given how underwhelmed I was by her previous work? Growth. I thought that surely 22 years later, the author would recognize that even readers who were teens when CWE first came out were grown now. Like grown, grown. Unfortunately, it appears neither the author, her characters nor her writing have grown.

Winter Santiaga is still the unlikeable, delusional chick she was in CWE. For the life of me, I can't figure out how your only claim to fame is that your father was once a big time drug dealer in the 90s and you think that should earn you respect well into your 30s? The book opens with her in jail, serving a 15 year bid because, as you'll remember from the end of CWE, she got sentenced for being in Bullet's car which was full of drugs and guns and had been rented with her credit card. She's just about to get released and has secured a reality TV show gig that will center on her release from jail, along with a few of her recently released jail crew. Girl, what? In what world would anyone care about watching that based on her? She was someone with no claim to fame other than who her father was and people are supposed to be interested 15 years later when she gets out of jail? I guess this was supposed to be like Mob Wives, right? Dealer Daughters?

Anyway, Winter makes these ridiculous requests for her reality show, including her father's release from prison where he's serving a life sentence, designer clothes with a matching white mink (I guess she's the Lisa Raye of the prison set), a red carpet from the door of the prison to a new Bentley, etc. Completely ridiculous foolishness. As she exits the jail, she's shot and this is where things go left (just in case you didn't think they'd already gone left). She "wakes" up in what seems like purgatory. First she visits her jail crew and finds out one of them shot her - same chick who held a grudge for 15 years and slashed her face in CWE. Then she visits an over the top palatial estate where she sees Midnight with one of his wives (don't ask) and instead of pondering her death, she's trying to figure out how she can have sex with him. Like, sis, don't you have more important things to worry about?

Then it really gets gets, and by good I mean even more ridiculous, she becomes the son of Satan's sidechick. Y'all. Y'ALL! She's joyriding through hell and is completely unfazed. Like on some, "he's got a nice ride and sexes me up well, what more could a girl ask for?" At some point her turns her into a snake and then a dog and then I quit, because life is short and who has time for bullshit?

I don't know how this got greenlit. What editor read this and was like this is it?!?! Did they think this would get by based on her name alone? Yes, I'm betting they did. This was some hot garbage full of a materialistic character who has learned absolutely nothing in her 33 years on earth and then takes her astounding ignorance on a roadshow through hell. I quit about 35% in because I couldn't imagine it getting any better and didn't want to see how much worse it could get. I know the bookstagram kids were really excited about this one, but nah, fam. Save your coins and your time.

Disclaimer: A copy of this book was received from the publisher.

Most Anticipated New Releases, January 2021

January 5

One of the Good Ones by Maika Moulite & Maritza Moulite

A shockingly powerful exploration of the lasting impact of prejudice and the indomitable spirit of sisterhood that will have readers questioning what it truly means to be an ally, from sister-writer duo Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite, authors of Dear Haiti, Love Alaine.

Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour

For fans of Sorry to Bother You and The Wolf of Wall Street—a crackling, satirical debut novel about a young man given a shot at stardom as the lone Black salesman at a mysterious, cult-like, and wildly successful startup where nothing is as it seems.

January 12

Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas

International phenomenon Angie Thomas revisits Garden Heights seventeen years before the events of The Hate U Give in this searing and poignant exploration of Black boyhood and manhood.

The Yellow Wife by Sadeqa Johnson

Called "wholly engrossing" by New York Times bestselling author Kathleen Grissom, this harrowing story follows an enslaved woman forced to barter love and freedom while living in the most infamous slave jail in Virginia.

You'll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey by Amber Ruffin & Lacey Lamar

Writer and performer on Late Night with Seth Meyers Amber Ruffin writes with her sister Lacey Lamar with humor and heart to share absurd anecdotes about everyday experiences of racism.

January 19

The Rib King by Ladee Hubbard

Upstairs, Downstairs meets Parasite: The acclaimed author of The Talented Ribkins deconstructs painful African American stereotypes and offers a fresh and searing critique on race, class, privilege, ambition, exploitation, and the seeds of rage in America in this intricately woven and masterfully executed historical novel, set in early twentieth century that centers around the black servants of a down-on-its heels upper-class white family.

January 26

The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives by Lola Shoneyin

In this reissue of Lola Shoneyin’s award-winning debut novel with a brand-new introduction, a riveting tale unfolds when a prosperous Nigerian family is thrown into turmoil after the patriarch marries a young, well-educated fourth wife who threatens to expose his other wives’ hidden secret.

Ida B. the Queen: The Extraordinary Life and Legacy of Ida B. Wells by Michelle Duster

Journalist. Suffragist. Antilynching crusader. In 1862, Ida B. Wells was born enslaved in Holly Springs, Mississippi. In 2020, she won a Pulitzer Prize.

Just As I Am: A Memoir by Cicely Tyson

At last, the Academy, Tony, and three-time Emmy Award-winning actor and trailblazer, Cicely Tyson, tells her stunning story, looking back at her six-decade career and life.

A Glimmer of Death by Valerie Wilson Wesley

Award-winning author Valerie Wilson Wesley launches a thrilling new mystery series set in New Jersey, featuring a multicultural cast, and starring a caterer-turned-realtor with the gift of second sight…

How to Catch a Queen by Alyssa Cole

Is there anything Alyssa Cole can’t write? She already hit it out of the ballpark with this year’s New York Times bestselling “When No One is Looking,” and she continues her winning streak with “How to Catch a Queen.” Who drops two books in two completely different genres in the same year and excels at both? Is Alyssa Cole the Jay Z of authors, out here with an encore? 

Now can I get an encore, do you want more 

Cooking raw with the Brooklyn boy 

So for one last time I need y'all to roar 

 Any who, what makes Cole’s latest worthy of four crowns? As she always does, this author doesn’t give us mousy women who don’t know themselves or their self worth. Shanti has wanted to be a queen from a young age and has done the work mentally, academically and physically to prepare herself. So while she wants to be the True Queen of Njaza, she’s not about to settle for anything less than being honored and respected by her future husband for all of her qualities. She’s a woman who’s bringing a lot to the table and knows it. And we love to see it. 

 Sanyu is a reluctant king. Kinda like Simba, he’s not ready to be king, but with his father’s passing (no Scar), he has no choice other than to assume his place on the throne. And because tradition says he needs to be married before being crowned, a bride (Shanti) is found for him. Apparently RoyalsMatch.com works better than regular dating sites, because the stories I could tell! But I digress. 

What really works well in this HEA is the characters relying on each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Shanti builds Sanyu up when he falters and he recognizes areas where he’s fallen short in their relationship and rectifies it. Their partnership is so swoonworthy. 😍😍 I don’t want to say Alyssa Cole can do no wrong, but if I did, who would argue with me? 

Thanks to @williammorrowbooks / @avonbooks for sending this my way!

Second Chance on Cypress Lane by Reese Ryan

I love, love, love a good small town romance. And if you set it in a southern town or a coastal town, any place with quirky characters who are all up in each other’s business or one of a kind festivals? You might as well buy me a ticket there because I’ve already packed my suitcases (in my head) and started planning how soon I can move to this imaginary place. All of this to say, Reese Ryan has created a cozy little town in the Outer Banks of North Carolina and I can’t wait to read more about this town and its characters. 

 When small town girl made good returns to town with her tail tucked between her legs, no one in town bats an eye. Dakota’s father and her best friend, Sinclair, are overjoyed at her return, and so is her high school boyfriend, Dexter. Of course Dakota still has the hots for him, though she won’t admit it to anyone, not even herself, and he has the hots for her, but they both try to play it cool. In the hands of a less experienced author, this storyline could have been predictable and just a little cheesy. Reese Ryan, however, doesn’t make the focal point of the story about will they or won’t they. 

 Our girl Dakota gets to focus on family issues, friendship issues, employment issues. What I’m saying is she’s a grown woman whose life doesn’t revolve around whether or not she’s going to hook up with a man. But if she does? When she does? Steamy! 😅😅😅 

 Can you tell how much I enjoyed Second Chance? I started reading it on my lunch hour and skipped TV watching so I could finish it the same day. Thanks to @readforeverpub for sending this one my way. I saw so many potential couple matchups while reading it and I’m so looking forward to returning to Holly Grove Island in 2021.

Top 10 Reads of 2020

 

10) 𝑮𝒊𝒓𝒍, 𝑾𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏, 𝑶𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 by Bernardine Evaristo - 2019 Booker Prize Winner, Girl, Woman, Other connects the lives of 12 Black British woman while telling each ones story in a series of shorts.

 9) 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕 𝑾𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏 by Sheila Williams - This book was an absolute "can't put down, must finish reading this or I won't be able to sleep because I'll be wondering what the characters are doing" read about three women who connect because of their secrets. 

 8) 𝑩𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑬𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝑨𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓 by Jacqueline Woodson - Before the Ever After explores the story of a family affected by CTE, chronic traumatic encephalopathy through a child's eyes. 

 7) 𝑩𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒐𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒆 𝑮𝒆𝒕𝒔 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒅 by Toshikazu Kawaguchi - This debut novel asks what would you do if you could travel back in time ... and you only have the amount of time it takes to drink a hot cup of coffee. 

 6) 𝘾𝙡𝙖𝙥 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙇𝙖𝙣𝙙 by Elizabeth Acevedo - Some books go hand in hand, yes? This is the perfect companion piece to Tayari Jones' Silver Sparrow. Sisters, secrets, dipping daddies. 

 5) 𝙁𝙞𝙛𝙩𝙮 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙍𝙖𝙞𝙣 by Asha Lemmie - Post-WWII biracial Black & Japanese girl trying to find her place within her family and in Japan. All of the yeses! 

 4) 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘝𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘏𝘢𝘭𝘧 by Brit Bennett - It is everything. E-v-e-r-y-THING! Well developed characters, well thought out story lines, unpredictable. There's nothing I didn't love about this book.

3) 𝘙𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 by Rita Woods - If Octavia Butler, Tananarive Due and Toni Morrison wrote a book, it would be Remembrance. 

 2) 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘕𝘰 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘞𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 by Alyssa Cole - Cole might possibly have written the scariest take on gentrification that I've ever read or seen. 

 1) 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕 𝑳𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑪𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒄𝒉 𝑳𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒔 by Deesha Philyaw - Church lady or not, every woman can find a little bit of themselves within these pages. It's an absolutely brilliant read. 

What books are on your top 10 list for the year?

Fifty Words for Rain by Asha Lemmie

When we meet 8 year old Nori Kamiza in 1948 post-WWII Kyoto, Japan, she's just been dropped off by her mother at a stately home she's never visited before. It quickly becomes apparent that Nori's mother is not returning for her daughter, the product of an affair with a Black American soldier. But Nori's young minds is unable to comprehend this and finds herself adhering to her grandmother's strict standards, under the misguided belief that if she's quiet enough and behaves well enough, her mother will come back for her. 

 The arrival of Akira, the brother Nori didn't know existed, opens up world and brings her the unconditional love she's craved. The introduction of Akira takes Nori on a journey that eventually leads her to Europe, but only after she's endured a nightmare she would have never dreamed she'd face. 

 Asha Lemmie did a wonderful job with creating her characters. It's easy to visualize Nori’s stern grandmother and powerful and mean grandfather. I have to admit that I was angry with Nori's mother so many times while reading. But Lemmie takes readers from a point of frustration to one of understanding and empathy for the character.

 I gave Fifty Words five stars, but I do question the decisions the author made for adult Nori, which seemed to come from out of nowhere and were out of character for the Nori I came to know. There were also a few loose ends that weren't tied up, so perhaps a sequel is in the plans. Hopefully there's a sequel in the plans? I don't know. Have you read it? What do you think?

500 Miles From You by Jenny Colgan

You know I stan books about people of color or written by people of color, but did you know I also love books about small towns and villages, especially in the countrysides of England, Scotland or Ireland? I know, makes no sense, but it is what it is. I started binge reading Jenny Colgan books last year because almost all of her books are about women escaping from a big city who end up in those places, taking on new and unexpected adventures.When William Morrow Books offered me a copy of 500 Miles from You, I pounced on it because Jenny Colgan. Y'all ... Jenny Colgan *whispers* gave us a Black protagonist! 

Lissa is a nurse in London who witnesses a horrific incident and needs a break from the harsh realities of the city. Cormac is a nurse/paramedic in a small Scottish village. If you've read Colgan's The Bookshop on the Corner and The Bookshop on the Shore, this is the same village of Kirrinfief, so you'll see some familiar characters. Through a trading places kind of program, the two switch jobs and Lissa finds herself in Scotland and Cormac ends up in London. 

Early on, Colgan makes mention of Lissa's friend Kim-Ange's ethnicity in a casual kind of way. She doesn't go into details about her skin tone, which is my least favorite way for authors to describe characters, but a reference is made about her culture that lets readers know. Similarly, Lissa's race is never directly mentioned. Lissa's curly hair is mentioned often, but a lot of people have curly hair. My a-ha moment came when she references her Antiguan grandmother. Now it's possible to be a white Antiguan because colonization, duh, but Antigua is 97% Black plus someone makes a rude off color remark about Lissa being "different." Colgan just slid Lissa on into her book just for me. Ok, maybe not for me, but I appreciate her doing it and not making it weird bydescribing her as milk chocolate brown, etc. like so many authors do. More, please!

Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson

Trust Jacqueline Woodson, national treasure that she is, to have you smiling and crying within moments of the other and leave you feeling hopeful even in the most dire of circumstances. Her latest, Before the Ever After, explores the story of a family affected by CTE, chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Written in the verse format she's come to be known for, Woodson's beautiful words take readers on a journey of how it feels to watch your world crumble through a child's eyes. 

 As Zachariah "44" Johnson, Super Bowl champion tight end, struggles with gaps in his memory and feelings of not quite being himself, his son ZJ struggles with watching the father both he and his friends adore become a stranger. Where his dad once joked around with and encouraged ZJ's friends, he's become an angry man who yells without provocation. Woodson gives words to Zachariah's inner thoughts, as well as those he expresses out loud. And those thoughts are important because that's where readers can see how frightened he is at who he's becoming. 

 Woodson gives ZJ a strong support group that I truly treasured because so often Black boys aren't portrayed as boys. There's a tendency to forget that they're children, but ZJ's mother, Lisa, at one point reminds him to enjoy being a child for a while longer. So as ZJ's world is crumbling around him, he has Ollie and Darry and Daniel to fall back on. When one of them calls for a meeting at the trail, it's understood that their friend needs them and they show up for each other. It's such a beautiful friendship that even with everything going on in ZJ's life, I left the story feeling confident his friends would get him through whatever obstacles he and his family were faced with.

Living Color: Angie Rubio Stories by Donna Miscolta

At just 286 pages, I should have been able to zip right through Donna Miscolta's latest collection of stories, Living Color: Angie Rubio Stories. But there was such a sadness to the collection that I had to swallow it in small bites. Living Color follows Angie from kindergarten through high school, each chapter dedicated to a different year of her life growing up in the late 60s through the 70s.

Kindergarten Angie lives in Navy housing in Hawaii, where her father is stationed, before moving back to California where her family is originally from. The middle child of three, soon to be four, she's overlooked by an exhausted mother and often distracted father, ignored and dismissed by her older sister, and spied upon by her younger sister. It's heartbreaking to watch a young Angie at first long for her family's attention and eventually learn to accept that she's never going to be enough of whatever it takes to make her someone worthy of their attention or affection. The members of her family always seem to be in a bit of survival mode and she always seems to be an afterthought, which is most apparent in her senior year.

Had she had a more fulfilling relationship with school friends or neighborhood children, Angie's stories wouldn't have seemed so sad, but with the exception of one person, her friendships with her peers seemed to be fleeting and she often found herself an outsider. Interestingly enough, it's not her "brownness" that sets her apart from her classmates. Angie is just weird and awkward and can't seem to figure out how not to be. I think this, coupled with her family dynamic, made this a really difficult read for me.

Another thing that threw me off - the author, like so many white authors, makes white characters the default. Nowhere is this more apparent than the introduction of a Black character. Up until that point, we know Angie is Mexican-American, but rarely if ever is the race of any of her classmates brought up, aside from a reference to the color of someone's hair, which doesn't quite tell the reader what race that person is. But the first time a Black person shows up in the story, his color is immediately referenced, though it doesn't add anything to the story in particular, which tells me that she saw all of the white people around her as the default, but this boy was "different" from her norm. There's another reference to a Filipino classmate where it's important for us to know that he wasn't white, so I don't want you to think I had a problem with the author noting race or ethnicity in all instances, I'd just like authors to be more aware of their biases when writing and recognize that white characters don't have to be and shouldn't be the default in their stories.

Disclaimer: A copy of this book was received from the publisher; opinions are my own.

His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie

"Elikem married me in absentia; he did not come to our wedding."  When I read those words, I thought surely this novel was set in the past because who does that in the present. While the book is set in the past, it's not in the distant past, it's 2014. 

The bride, Afi, has been given a mission by the family of her betrothed - force the break up of your husband and his girlfriend and return him to the family fold. That's not a small order, is it? But it seems a small price to pay for all Aunty Faustina Ganyo has done for Afi and her mother. And it's a win-win for Afi. She gets to leave her small town for Accra and an opportunity to study fashion design. Indeed, a small price to pay for marrying someone you've only met in passing and never with the intention of marrying him.

Initially I thought His Only Wife might be reminiscent of Lola Shoneyin's The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives, but that notion is quickly disavowed with Afi's arrival in Accra. While the author's description of Afi's life back in her home town is full of family members and detailed descriptions of their personalities, their backgrounds, etc., giving readers a chance to get to know them, descriptions of the people she meets in Accra tend to be more superficial. I never really felt like I got to know them so I had difficulty determining if their motives were sincere.

I think I expected more of His Only Wife than the author was able to give. Afi reads more like an impressionable early teen than an adult woman. Her story line is steady in some parts and rushed in others. It's the rushed parts that needed more detail and consistency to give the book some balance.

Disclaimer: Copy of book received from publisher but in no way influenced my review.

 

When No One is Watching by Alyssa Cole

I’ve been lusting after Alyssa Cole’s When No One is Watching ever since I saw it pop up in the publisher's catalog. And I patiently waited as I saw others post about it, but my day has come! This creepy thriller landed on my doorstep a few days ago and I couldn't wait to dig in ... in the daylight hours.

Described as Hitchcock’s Rear Window meets Jordan Peele’s Get Out, it’s the story of a Brooklynite who starts to dig into what happened to her old neighbors who left for the suburbs when the gentrifiers started moving in. Cole really shines with historical fiction and royal romances but I was excited to see what she could do with the thriller genre.

Y'all! I read this during the day time for a reason. I'm scary af. But even reading it during the day wasn't enough. I literally had to remind myself to breathe at time. Like did the Rona get me? Is that why I can't breathe? No fool, it's because you're holding your breath, afraid of what will happen next.

Cole might possibly have written the scariest take on gentrification that I've ever read or seen. Whew, this book, y'all. This book! Go ahead and add it to your TBR list because yes.

Disclaimer: Copy of book received from publisher but did in no way influence my review.

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw

*taps 🎙️* Is this thing on? Yes? Ok. Let me introduce you to your new favorite author - Deesha Philyaw. Deesha isn't a new author, she's been writing for a minute, but what she does in The Secret Lives is something special. She flips the script and portrays "good church girls" as the real women and girls they are, not some perfect beings who worship at the altar 24/7 and never let their slip show.

The Secret Lives is not non-fiction, and I feel like that needs to be emphasized before it's tosssed aside as such. This is a collection of nine short stories that explore a variety of experiences in the lives of women. From the great-grandmother who frets over whether it makes more sense to keep her 14 year old granddaughter home from church so she can't openly lust over the first lady of the church or if she should send her to Sunday School in hopes that she'll have the sin knocked out of her to the daughter of a dying woman who seeks relief with a stranger in a parking lot; from a girl who lives her mother's shame as a preacher's mistress to a woman who has strict instructions for her married lovers — Philyaw brings the reality of these women's lives to our attention and shines a light on those subtle nuances that we tend to overlook.

Within these pages, you're sure to find a woman or girl whom you connect with, I know I did.