A Phoenix First Must Burn Edited by Patrice Caldwell

So I've been hyping this book since I heard about it back in Feb 2019. So I was elated that in Feb of 2020 I could read this. I was determined to get an arc so thanks Bookish First (use my referral code  f2f0690dd0768f611 during sign up to get an additional 100 points towards books) and Penguin Teen for providing me a copy and the very cute matching stickers to go along with it.

Sixteen tales by bestselling and award-winning authors that explore the Black experience through fantasy, science fiction, and magic.

With stories by: Elizabeth Acevedo, Amerie, Patrice Caldwell, Dhonielle Clayton, J. Marcelle Corrie, Somaiya Daud, Charlotte Nicole Davis, Justina Ireland, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Danny Lore, L. L. McKinney, Danielle Paige, Rebecca Roanhorse, Karen Strong, Ashley Woodfolk, and Ibi Zoboi.

It's always hard to read and review anthologies where multiple authors are involved. Each author has their own writing style and tone of voice and the stories though one over all theme are always very different. You're never sure how many of the stories you'll like. On the other hand it can give you a taste of an author you never read before and might put you onto their future work. Props to Patrice Caldwell for putting this collection together.

This was one of the stronger anthologies I've read. There were stories I adored, I liked and some that I found okay. But I liked that they were all so different. There is a story in this anthology for everyone and I appreciated the different themes. Mermaids, goddesses, vampires, witches, space opera, time travel,etc. And there was romance sprinkled throughout many of the stories but not in a way that was to the detriment of the story.

My top stories:
Gilded by Elizabeth Acevedo
The Rules of the Land by Alaya Dawn Johnson
Melie by Justina Ireland
Kiss The Sun by Ibi Zoboi
The Actress by Danielle Paige
Sequence by J. Marcelle Corrie

There are quite a few authors featured that I've heard great things about but had never read before so for me this was a chance to get a feel for their writing. While I thoroughly enjoyed most of the stories I picked my top 6 because they were all offered me something different.

I read my first story by Elizabeth Acevedo and I really enjoyed Gilded. This is a short story that takes place on the eve of a slave revolt in 1522. This is not usually the type of story I would read. I read The Deep recently and while I understand how important it is to tell these stories of perseverance sometimes I get overwhelmed with stories about slavery. I really liked this one. It was educational, it had a sweet romance, and just the right touch of magic.

The Rules of the Land by Alaya Dawn Johnson was another fun one. I've always been fascinated by the sea and this one features a descendant of the water goddess Yemaya.

I wasn't sure about Melie because I wasn't a fan of Justina Ireland's Dread Nation. This opened me up to her work. It had fun elements I love like mermaids, sorcerers, and unicorns. And it was a funny twist on the chosen one prophecy.

Kiss the Sun by Ibi Zoboi was a fun Caribbean folklore based tale that addressed colorism in a unique way.

The Actress by Danielle Paige was another one different in tone than what I was expecting. It's a very light and quick one to breeze through and I can easily see the concept expanding into a full time story.  A teen actress who plays a witch on TV discovers she's a real witch.

Sequence is by new author J Marcelle Corrie and features a futuristic society where they use a program called Sequence that predicts how your future will turn out based on the decisions you make.

All in all I do recommend this book for teens and even adults who want to get into the fantasy genre but aren't sure quite where to start. I'm hoping that this anthology opens the door to more fantasy stories by black women not just in the YA genre but also for adults. And that black girls can pick this book up and appreciate seeing themselves within the pages instead of just hoping to be included in the stories by white authors. Black girls read too and enjoy escaping to other worlds through the pages of a good book.




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Winedown Wednesday

Welcome Back,

It's been a little over a week since I posted a new blog.  It's been a very busy reading month for me. Right now I'm in the midst of trying to finish 3 books over the next 3 days. So I decided to grab a glass, relax, and give you an update on my week in reading. Welcome to Winedown Wednesdays!

I finally decided to try audiobooks after years of people telling me to give them a chance. So I decided to try a free trial of audible.



My journey with audiobooks thus far has been hit and miss. Why is it so hard to find a good narrator who truly captures the essence of the main character? So far I've listened to Sex, Murder and a Double Latte,  Death in D Minor, Daughters of Nri, and The AI Who Love Me. 

Death in D Minor was my very first audiobook and I don't understand the choice of narrator.  The lead character is African-American and it would've been great if they found a narrator from the same background.  The bad narration actually ruined the book for me to the point where it factored into my low rating. In the future I'm going to revisit the book without narration to see if I like it more.

I wanted to love The AI Who Loved Me and was excited for it's star-studded cast. But damn if Regina Hall didn't narrator like she was reading the phone book. She killed the momentum for me. And I know it would've been a lot but I was hoping since they had so many narrators that each would take turns voicing particular characters.

I'm currently listening to A Princess in Theory and I'm still determining how I feel about the narration. But the story line is good so far. I'm picturing this as a Netflix movie in my head.

Old Town Road: Black Cowboy Romance Recommendations

Last year when Old Town Road was dominating the charts I noticed people asking where all the sexy black cowboys are. Well trust me there's plenty. Beverly Jenkins and Brenda Jackson have enough to keep you satiated for awhile. And with A Cowboy to Remember releasing this month I figured it was a great time to dive into these stories. Here are 5 books to check out to satisfy your Wild Wild West fantasy. 

A Cowboy to Remember

With a headline spot on a hit morning show and truly mouth-watering culinary skills, chef Evie Buchanan is perched on the edge of stardom. But at an industry party, a fall lands Evie in the hospital—with no memory of who she is. Scrambling to help, Evie’s assistant contacts the only “family” Evie has left, close friends who run the luxury dude ranch in California where Evie grew up. Evie has no recollection of them—until former rodeo champion Zach Pleasant walks into her hospital room, and she realizes his handsome face has been haunting her dreams . . .



Zach hasn’t seen Evie in years—not since their families conducted a campaign to make sure their childhood friendship never turned into anything more. When the young cowboy refused to admit the feelings between them were real, Evie left California, making it clear she never wanted to see Zach again. Now he refuses to make the same mistake twice. Starting fresh is a risk when they have a history she can’t recall, but Zach can’t bear to let go of her now. Can he awaken the sleeping beauty inside her who might still love him?

The Rancher Returns

Returning from active duty to find his ranch being dug up by a beautiful stranger isn't the homecoming navy SEAL Gavin Blake expected. Layla Harris is convinced there's buried treasure on his land. But the only treasure this wealthy rancher wants to uncover is the professor's secret desires! When Layla unearths family secrets—and mysterious threats—he vows to do whatever it takes to protect her. Even as her revelations change everything.

The Westmoreland series is full of sexy black cowboys and has many books.

Then Came You

A cattle baron’s only child, Robyn Chance will inherit one of the most prosperous ranches in New Mexico. But despite loving the animals and the land, Robyn longs to see the world and all she’s missing out there. She won’t make her mother’s mistakes. So when her sexy former flame begins working at Chance Cattle Enterprises, she tries to steer clear of Troy Monroe. But the intriguing cowboy and life are full of surprises.

 

The Cowboy's Claim

Chloe Daniels is determined to land the role of a lifetime. Even if she’s terrified to get on a horse! And the last thing her reluctant teacher, Tristan Tillbridge, wants is to entertain a pampered actress. But the enigmatic cowboy soon discovers that Chloe is as genuine as she is gorgeous, and he’s determined to make her his. Will this unlikely pair discover that the sparks between them are anything but an act?

Breathless

As manager of one of the finest hotels in Arizona Territory, Portia Carmichael has respect and stability—qualities sorely missing from her harsh childhood. She refuses to jeopardize that by hitching herself to the wrong man. Suitors are plentiful, but none of them has ever looked quite as tempting as the family friend who just rode into town…and none has looked at her with such intensity and heat.

Duchess. That’s the nickname Kent Randolph gave Portia when she was a young girl. Now she’s a stunning, intelligent woman—and Kent has learned his share of hard lessons. After drifting through the West, he’s learned the value of a place to settle down, and in Portia’s arms he’s found that and more. But convincing her to trust him with her heart, not just her passion, will be the greatest challenge he’s known—and one he intends to win

#Blackout:Black History Month Reading Suggestions Pt 2

Hello, Fellow Book Lovers!

I hope you're meeting your reading goals so far for the month.  I saw a lot of people recommending the same books over and over again and it's also caused me to evaluate my reading. Am I truly an advocate for diversity if I only read the same diverse books as everyone else? When I'm reading books that aren't as promoted am I making sure to promote them myself? There's many black authors out there that could use our support. And while it's okay to read hyped books it's also great to step outside of your comfort zone and read the book that not everyone is buzzing about. A book shouldn't have to be put directly into your face by the media for you to check it out.

SCI-FI

Do You Dream of Two-Terra by Temi Oh

When an Earth-like planet is discovered, a team of six teens, along with three veteran astronauts, embark on a twenty-year trip to set up a planet for human colonization—but find that space is more deadly than they ever could have imagined.

Have you ever hoped you could leave everything behind?
Have you ever dreamt of a better world?
Can a dream sustain a lifetime?

A century ago, an astronomer discovered an Earth-like planet orbiting a nearby star. She predicted that one day humans would travel there to build a utopia. Today, ten astronauts are leaving everything behind to find it. Four are veterans of the twentieth century’s space-race.

And six are teenagers who’ve trained for this mission most of their lives.

It will take the team twenty-three years to reach Terra-Two. Twenty-three years locked in close quarters. Twenty-three years with no one to rely on but each other. Twenty-three years with no rescue possible, should something go wrong.

And something always goes wrong.


Escaping Exodus by Nicky Drayden

Earth is a distant memory. Habitable extrasolar planets are still out of reach. For generations, humanity has been clinging to survival by establishing colonies within enormous vacuum-breathing space beasts and mining their resources to the point of depletion.

Rash, dreamy, and unconventional, Seske Kaleigh should be preparing for her future role as clan leader, but her people have just culled their latest beast, and she’s eager to find the cause of the violent tremors plaguing their new home. Defying social barriers, Seske teams up with her best friend, a beast worker, and ventures into restricted areas for answers to end the mounting fear and rumors. Instead, they discover grim truths about the price of life in the void.

Then, Seske is unexpectedly thrust into the role of clan matriarch, responsible for thousands of lives in a harsh universe where a single mistake can be fatal. Her claim to the throne is challenged by a rival determined to overthrow her and take control—her intelligent, cunning, and confident sister.

Seske may not be a born leader like her sister, yet her unorthodox outlook and incorruptible idealism may be what the clan needs to save themselves and their world.

A Ruin of Shadows: A tale of assassins, betrayal, and djinn by L.D. Lewis

General Daynja Édo is a legend: head of the celebrated Boorhian Empire’s military and possessor of a mask of untold power. She has raised her Shadow Army of seven assassins from childhood. But mounting disillusionment over a life of brutality, a petulant emperor, and prodding from The Artful Djinni force her to defy orders for the first time in her thirty year career. When the empire decides they no longer need Édo if they can get the mask, she must face the monsters of her own making and the legacy they’ve turned against her.

ROMANCE

Huddle With Me Tonight by Farrah Rochon

Entertainment columnist Paige Turner is known for getting under the skin of the people whose books she reviews on her popular blog. When her criticism of NFL standout Torrian Smallwood’s cookbook/memoir goes viral, it sparks an online war between the city’s most beloved blogger and one of football’s hottest stars.

Torrian couldn’t care less what some book blogger thinks about his upcoming memoir. His main focus is on making a success of the new restaurant he’s opening for his sister. That is, until he meets the gorgeous Paige Turner face-to-face. When a local TV station invites them to bring their online battle into the kitchen in a reality TV cook-off, Torrian comes up with a new goal: making Paige his.


Will either of them be able to stand the heat, or will they succumb to the white-hot attraction that neither can deny?

This Tender Melody (The Gentlemen of Queen City) by Kianna Alexander

Rivals—in perfect harmony…

The only thing standing between Eve Franklin and her dream is over six feet of pure, arrogant alpha male. Eve has spent years preparing to take the reins of her family's software business. Now that her father is stepping down, he's putting someone else in charge—a gorgeous tech magnate who's not content with just taking Eve's place in the boardroom. He plans to woo her into his bedroom, as well!



Mixed Match by Mia Heintzelman 

Sophia Kent used to be a badass knife-wielding chef. Nowadays, she's lucky if she can remember to put on a bra. Between the move to Portland and unpacking boxes, she's glad there's only one name on the title. Unfortunately, at the door there's a gorgeous messenger with a document claiming she's not the rightful owner.Dead-set on getting his grandmother's house back, real estate investor Everett Monroe is determined to see the thief go down, even if he has to deliver the summons himself. Only, the beautiful mess at the door is charming, sexy-and nothing like the man whose family's been feuding with Everett's for generations.He doesn't know whether she's a pawn or a player, and she doesn't know he's not just a messenger, so after a few "chance" meetings, when she enlists his help to find a location for her restaurant, he agrees. After all, in thirty days there's going to be a hearing granting him ownership and she'll be long gone. Except, somewhere between sunset mountain hikes, brilliantly lit musical bridges, and picturesque Japanese Gardens, a dangerous attraction weaves its way between the secrets and lies. Forced to confront the truth, Everett must ask himself what good a home is without the one you love to share it with. 

MYSTERY

The Company You Keep by Angela Henry

This is a 6 book and counting mystery series. 

Hard as she tried, twenty-eight-year-old Kendra Clayton never quite broke out of her hometown of Willow, Ohio. Now she works part-time as a GED instructor and beefs up her income by hostessing at her uncle’s restaurant, soaking up the local gossip. It’s a quiet life, but Kendra hasn’t given up hope that one day Mr. Right will walk through the door. In the meantime, her sleepy hollow is about to get a rude awakening, and Kendra is about to get some excitement—though it’s not quite what she had in mind.

When her friend Bernie's boyfriend, a notorious womanizer, is brutally murdered, both she and Kendra are implicated in the crime. The only way Kendra can save herself—and the friend she believes is innocent—is by doing some investigating of her own. And the closer she looks, the more suspects she finds.

Jordan was a man that women loved and hated—usually at the same time. Now one of them has crossed that thin line. But between Jordan’s past and present conquests—and a chain of emptied wallets and vengeful hearts—which one could be a killer? As Kendra’s curiosity draws her deeper into the case, she also gets into an unexpected attraction to a man who may hold the missing piece of the puzzle—if she can survive long enough to put it together.


Secrets, Lies, and Crawfish Pies by Abby L Vandiver 

This is a 3 book series.

Romaine Wilder, big-city medical examiner with a small-town past, has been downsized and evicted. With few other options, she’s forced to return to her hometown of Roble in East Texas, leaving behind the man she’s dating and the life she’s worked hard to build.

Suzanne Babet Derbinay, Romaine’s Auntie Zanne and proprietor of the Ball Funeral Home, has long since traded her French Creole upbringing for Big Texas attitude. She’s a member in a number of ladies’ auxiliaries and clubs, including being in charge of the Tri-County Annual Crawfish Boil and Music Festival.

Hanging on to the magic of her Louisiana roots, she’s cooked up a love potion or two—if she could only get Romaine to drink it. But her plans are derailed when the Ball Funeral Home, bursting at the seams with dead bodies, has a squatter stiff.

Dead Guy is a problem.

Auntie Zanne can’t abide by a murderer using her funeral home as the dumping grounds for their crimes, and Romaine doesn’t want her newly elected cousin, Sheriff Pogue Folsom, to fail on his first murder case. Together, Romaine and Auntie Zanne set off to solve it.

With a dash of humor, a dollop of Southern charm, and a peek at current social issues in the mix, it’s a fun romp around East Texas to solve a murder mystery of the cozy kind.

Lost and Found in Harlem by Delia C Pitts

This is a 4 book series.

When Shelba Rook’s home burns down, he realizes he has nothing left. What’s a jobless, homeless private detective to do? He’s feeling more than a little lost.

Shelba Rook’s “home” was in fact a room in a Harlem brothel. Not only does the catastrophic fire at Auberge Rouge take the few items he could call his earthly possessions; it ends up killing an innocent woman.

As Rook struggles to find a job, his thoughts keep returning to the woman at the Auberge Rouge. Who was she? Did someone set the fire intending to kill her? As Rook ponders these mysteries, he stumbles on one of Harlem’s best-kept secrets—the Ross Agency.

The detective agency, run by the magnanimous Norment Ross and his far more practical daughter, Sabrina, takes tiny neighborhood cases the police are too busy to solve. They’re looking for a new agent, and Rook knows a job is a job. Rook may look down on the types of cases Norment and Brina take, but the two will prove to be invaluable allies as he searches for an arsonist and a murderer. From tiny cases to huge investigations, the Ross Agency is ready for anything!

MIDDLE GRADE

Definitely Daphne by Tami Charles

In front of her followers, Daphne is a hilarious, on-the-rise vlog star. But at school Daphne is the ever-skeptical Annabelle Louis, seventh-grade super geek and perennial new kid. To cope with her mom's upcoming military assignment in Afghanistan and her start at a brand new middle school, Annabelle's parents send her to a therapist. Dr. Varma insists Annabelle try stepping out of her comfort zone, hoping it will give her the confidence to make friends, which she'll definitely need once Mom is gone. Luckily there is one part of the assignment Annabelle DOES enjoy--her vlog, Daphne Doesn't, in which she appears undercover and gives hilarious takes on activities she thinks are a waste of time. She is great at entertaining her online fans, yet her classmates don't know she exists. Can Annabelle keep up the double life forever?

A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramee

Twelve-year-old Shayla is allergic to trouble. All she wants to do is to follow the rules. (Oh, and she’d also like to make it through seventh grade with her best friendships intact, learn to run track, and have a cute boy see past her giant forehead.)

But in junior high, it’s like all the rules have changed. Now she’s suddenly questioning who her best friends are and some people at school are saying she’s not black enough. Wait, what?

Shay’s sister, Hana, is involved in Black Lives Matter, but Shay doesn't think that's for her. After experiencing a powerful protest, though, Shay decides some rules are worth breaking. She starts wearing an armband to school in support of the Black Lives movement. Soon everyone is taking sides. And she is given an ultimatum.

Shay is scared to do the wrong thing (and even more scared to do the right thing), but if she doesn't face her fear, she'll be forever tripping over the next hurdle. Now that’s trouble, for real.

So Done by Paula Chase

Jamila Phillips and Tai Johnson have been inseparable since they were toddlers, having grown up across the street from each other in Pirates Cove, a low-income housing project. As summer comes to an end, Tai can’t wait for Mila to return from spending a month with her aunt in the suburbs. But both girls are grappling with secrets, and when Mila returns she’s more focused on her upcoming dance auditions than hanging out with Tai.

*Please be advised when you click on a link and make a purchase on Amazon I do receive a very small commission.*

The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow

I first heard about this book last summer and started following Alechia Dow after her Booky Cookies caught my eye. From there I messaged her and we talked about our excitement over the black led upcoming YA releases and wanting to see black girls in sci fi romances. She even gave some great advice for aspiring writers like myself.

Needless to say, I had this on my TBR and was very excited when I saw that pretty cover pop up on Netgalley one day.  The publisher Inkyard Press usually grants my requests and I'm happy they gave me the chance to read this story early in exchange for an honest review.

I had such a mixture of emotions while reading this story.  And I'm still not quite sure how to put my feelings into words. I'm not the biggest sci-fi reader but the world Alechia Dow created here really intrigued me. Sometimes when romance is heavily factored into the story the world -building can get lost in the mix. But I thought this story did a good job adding substance to the world while building the romance. 

"Love is in every story and in every song." 

Ellie is a huge bookworm and she runs this secret library to bring young people in her building happiness during the dark times they currently live in. Readers who are big fans on mainstream young adult books will recognize the many references to different stories.

One thing I really enjoyed about our heroine Ellie was her dedication to her family. Before the Illori took over Ellie's family were trying to adjust to their new neighborhood. They had moved into a new building with a larger apartment after her father and mother got new jobs. And they had to deal with the microaggressions from their neighbors who felt they did not belong. I like how her disabilities were written into the story with such care. These were things she had to deal with on top of everything that was going on but the writing never felt too heavy. 

I loved how Alechia Dow never shied away from discussing the racism that never quite went away even after the aliens took over. Ellie mentions that her skin color still angers some people despite the Illori seeing all humans as the same. Ellie's dad grew up as a black man in society experiencing racism just for being smart and outspoken. When the Illori took over people who had mistreated him were turning to him to be the hero. His willingness to speak out for people even the ones he didn't know results in horrible consequences for him and he ends up becoming a shell of the person he once was. 

Morr1s is an alien with a love for music. He's got a penchant for David Bowie and feels like an old soul. Morr1s is a labmade who was built to look like a human with dna that does not belong to his father. His father feels he will never live up to the family name and finds him a constant disappointment because he has feelings and true Illori don't have feelings. Sometimes he can be a little overly cheesy but it's so sweet and innocent. You don't usually come across male characters like him in YA.

I'll admit it felt a little strange for these aliens to be introducing themselves with terms for human gender identity and human sexuality. But I also learned a lot about how different people identify. And humans have a need to label everything and obsess how people identify themselves so that rang very true. As ideal it would be if everyone could be accepted for being themselves we know that may never truly happen. I understand how important this is that so many people are able to pick up this book and see themselves represented.

Credit: Erin O' Neill Jones

I think this would actually make a great audiobook. Especially with the interviews of The Starry Eyed spread out throughout the story. I listed to the audio excerpt on Netgalley which was a snippet of a podcast and enjoyed it.

The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory

My 2nd read of the month was The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory which is a sizzling black romance. Contemporary romance is a great palette cleanser and a guilty pleasure for me so I read those stories very quickly.  I finished this book in 3 and a half days.

If you're thinking you already read this story before you may have read the first book in the series The Wedding Date. This is a continuation of that story but with a different focus. Drew and Alexa from that story are still featured since they are in the process of planning their wedding. There's a second book in between these two stories but you don't need to read The Proposal to read this story. Though you may enjoy this story more if you read The Wedding Date. This story is about Alexa's two best friends Maddie and Theo. Maddie and Theo really don't get along because they just never clicked after meeting.  But they end up hooking up after a night of partying they end up hooking up. Wanting to have a no strings attached relationship they decide to start secretly hooking up on and off for a year.

Black Love!

I feel like we don't always get to see black people portrayed in a loving healthy relationship in the media. I liked that Theo and Maddie has an easy going relationship where they got to just be normal. They sit on the couch eating takeout binge watching their favorite TV shows. They have discussions about being black in the workplace and their career aspirations. I feel like so often in contemporary black romance the guy is a player/bad boy. Theo is a good guy and very quirky. He loves to cook and make things from the freshest ingredients. And he loves coffee. He's definitely one of those coffee people who has a special method of making it. And it's nice to see Maddie come to appreciate these little things about him. Maddie is the pretty girl who people automatically have perceptions of. Theo allows her to show her less put together side.

Sex and Pizza!

There's a lot of both in this book. The sex was to be expected but sometimes the pizza could be overwhelming. I like pizza but these too love pizza! Sometimes I wanted them to order pad thai or sushi or bbq. The sex had some variety in that each scene was a little different so it didn't feel like you were reading the same scene over and over. Although I didn't like the initial fade to black. Maddie and Theo had a lot of sexual chemistry and that's what initially brings them together. 

Family and Friends!

Maddie has a very close relationship with her mother and often talks to her on the phone. It's nice to see how great their relationship is. They tell each other everything and her mother is very encouraging. Theo's brother Ben is the opposite of him. He's the life of the party and a bit of a playboy. He encourages his brother to step outside of his comfort zone and drags him out of the house when needed.  Theo and Maddie are both friends with Alexa and while both are very close with her they're also dealing with their relationships with her changing now that she's getting married. 

Let's Chat: Writers of Color Writing White Books

So I realize this is a topic where everyone has varying opinions. Some people have a stance that authors should be able to write whatever they feel like writing. And that's fine. But that also means that white authors can write stories about People of Color. We all know People are Color are barely given writing opportunities as is. And that white publishers will make excuses as to why a book by an Author of Color is not up to standard while publishing a story by a mediocre white author. And I know most of us don't want write writers writing their stories and our stories.  I know I'm getting tired of having to do background checks on authors lately every time I come across a new book with a black face on the cover. As black writers are fighting to get their stories published I refuse to put money into the pockets of white writers looking to capitalize off the diversity trend.

After that mess the other day with Penguin Random House and Barnes and Noble putting classic white stories in black/yellow/brown face instead of promoting more diverse tales it really got me thinking. First I want to start by giving praise to the authors who have been advocates for diversity in the publishing industry and pushed for change. It's very easy to be complacent in a system not designed for you.  We Need Diverse Books paved the way to get more stories told and pushed a conversation about how much diversity is lacking across all genres.

Let's talk about popular Young Adult writer Melissa De La Cruz who has written well over 40 books during her career. But just how many of those stories feature a Filipino lead like herself? When I think of all her highly praised titles none of the first stories that come to mind feature leads who look like her. I read her semi-autobiographical story Fresh Off the Boat years ago when it first published and it wasn't until about a decade or so and several published books later did she release a story similar in tone with Something in Between. Where are her other books with Filipino culture? Why has she published more stories about girls like her? Very many of her books have been turned into movies. Yet the only one featuring a non white lead becoming a film is 29 Dates which just felt like an attempt to jump on the K Pop trend. Melissa herself is not Korean and doesn't have much knowledge on Korean culture. One of the complaints I read about the book was how inauthentic the Korean parts felt while the brief scene featuring Filipino culture felt so much more real.  Surely she's been in the industry long enough that she can push for change.

I spoke in a previous post about how despite craving at times a lighter mystery I haven't been reading many cozy mysteries lately because they're all too alike. White heroine, small town, cute pet, cute job, and a detective love interest. Ironically I discovered the genre after reading Kyra Davis's Sophie Katz's mystery series which is a chick-lit mystery series featuring a Half African American/Half Jewish heroine living in living in San Francisco.  I discovered these books at the library in the same section as the cozy mysteries which led me to picking up some of those stories. But one thing I noticed is that in these stories there was no one that looked like me at all. Not the lead or the extensive cast.

So I was very happy a few years ago when I starred seeing mysteries being released by Black authors that I didn't have to hunt for. The Detective by Day series by Kellye Garrett was a series I really needed. It brought back the fun that I enjoyed after and was missing after Sophie Katz. It follows a struggling Black actress and her group of friends. A breath of fresh air and escape from what's considered the cozy norm. This led me to pick up Murder in G Major by Alexia Gordon which follows African American classical musician Gethsemane Brown and is now 6 books strong. And these books were getting well deserved praise.

I needed more diverse cozies to devour. Upon suggestion I was told about a new author VM Burns who had series that was getting attention. By that time her second book Read Herring Hunt was being released soon so I leaped at the opportunity to grab an arc. The nice thing about mystery series is that you can read them out of order and not be totally lost. So I read it and felt a little confused because while other character's race was mentioned the same was not done with Samantha and Nana Jo. And there was one particular incident early in the story that stood out to me because it felt like it was trying to make a statement about racial profiling by the police. So I asked the author herself outright if her leading lady was Black.  This was her response,

"I made a conscious decision not to state Sam’s race in this series. I wanted readers to imagine her however they wanted and didn’t want the series to be pigeon holed or restricted in anyway. I can say that Sam and I share a lot of the same hopes, dreams and character flaws. However, I’m sure readers of other races may imagine her differently, and that’s fine with me."

Which to me felt like a cheap cop out. Being Black shouldn't be a restriction. If people don't want to read about a black character they probably don't want to read anything by a Black author either. And it's not like her picture is not in the book or on her author's page on Amazon. And it felt a little like she decided to hide the character's Blackness as not to make white readers uncomfortable. 

And there are hundreds of cozy mystery stories by white authors with new ones constantly being released. So when I see a non white author come up I get excited. And being black I definitely want to support Black authors. I saw a new story being released this year that I was very excited for because it mentioned potions and mermaids and the author is African American. But then I was a little disappointed when Esme Addison revealed her book doesn't feature her culture or someone who looks like her but her husband's Polish culture. 

I'm just at the point where I want to see myself and others like me represented in more stories. I don't want to read white stories by non white people. Just as I don't want white people to capitalize off the stories of non white people while they're fighting for their seat at the table to get their stories published. White people can pick up a book in any genre and see themselves and their experience while people of color cannot. And so many Black authors have spoken about how when they first started writing they wrote their characters as white because they weren't used to seeing themselves in the story and it took some time for them to change their perspective and write the stories they wanted to see. 

Daughters of Nri by Reni K Amayo

I finally got around to reading this story even though it's been sitting on my Kindle since the release date back in October. I just couldn't resist picking up this story after seeing such a striking cover. I decided to do something different for once an added Whispersync to my copy so I could switch between listening to the audiobook and reading the words on my Kindle app. The actress, Weruche Opia who narrators the audiobook has a great voice which makes for a smooth listening experience.

The story is set in ancient Nigeria and switches back and forth between Naala and Sinai, twins separated at birth who are unaware of each other's existence. Twins were banned in their kingdom after an Oracle informed the great ruler of the kingdom, The Eze that twins would be born and bring an end to his reign. To save them from death the girls were split and raised in different parts of the kingdom. Naala grew up in a quiet village with her grandmother while Sinai grew up in a palace in the city of Nri believing she was illegitimate royalty. 

Like many YA fantasies there was a lot of backstory and set up since this is the first in the series. It almost felt like two different stories at times as it alternated between Naala and Sinai on their paths of discovery. After her village is left in shambles by an attack she tried to help prevent Naala barely escapes with her life and ends up joining a group of survivors from different villages in a rebellion against the Eze. Sinai survives a deadly fall and is brought to the palace chef who helps her recover and she begins to learn the truth about who she is.

I must admit I wanted a little bit more action. I kept waiting for a climax that never came. The Eze also wasn't a strong or entertaining villain. He was just your standard big bad who believes his way is the right way. He even had a lengthy monologue that just felt like a typical villain speech.

 And the story while beautifully written and having done a great job incorporating Igbo language just didn't really hook me until the second half. I was more invested in the second half when they were putting their plan to overthrow the Eze and avenge their people into action. The magic also needed to be expanded on because the magic system wasn't very clear and the use of magic was a little too convenient.  Overall this story really felt like a set up for book 2. You get the backstory of the characters that will play a significant part in the series.

January Wrap Up/February Reading

In January I finished some books that were on my TBR for months, revisited a childhood comic I loved, ventured into the world of reading journals, and discovered new books.

I finished Oh My Gods by Alexandra Sheppard which was my first finished book of the year. It UK YA fiction about a girl who moves in with her family of Greek gods and is navigating those awkward teen years. It's a fun book for young teen girls and I hope more readers discover this gem. I did a longer review of it on this blog. Fans of the Georgia Nicholson series will love this.

W.I.T.C.H. Will, Irma, Taranee, Cornelia, and Hay Lin are 5 young girls ages 13 and 14 chosen by the council of Kandrakar to protect their world and sometimes others from evil forces. It was originally an Italian comic that has since been translated into multiple languages. This series meant a lot to me when I was a kid because it really helped me get into fantasy. And this was one of the most diverse ensemble casts I came across back then. Even now I appreciate that there was a girl for every girl to admire. I thought it did a great job balancing the lives of these teen girls navigating crushes, school, and growing up alongside their new powers and fighting dark forces. I decided to revisit some of the comics in January by re-reading one of my favorite arcs. 

I also read a cozy mystery for the first time in months.  Egg Drop Dead is the 5th story in the Noodle Shop Mystery series by Vivien Chen. My taste in mystery kind of changes depending on my mood but I usually don't like anything too graphic and violent. But as much as I want a mystery story that's not too heavy a lot of cozies bore me with their very white towns, similar leads, and cutesey pets and jobs.  Sometimes I find cozy mysteries can overdue it when it comes to the balance between romance and mystery so I was very happy this story found the right balance. I also appreciated the diversity which is usually lacking from cozy mysteries which I why I read only certain ones.  Lana's mother is from Taiwan and her family owns a restaurant in a plaza called Asian Village in Cleveland, Ohio. Even though Lana owns a restaurant don't expect any recipes or heavy descriptions of food. Vivien Chen focuses a lot on building a good mystery while balancing Lana's every day. Thank You Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review. This story releases on February 25, 2020. 

I also read The Sound of Stars which I will be posting an individual review about this month in time for the release date. 

On to February 

I decided to only read books by black authors in February which to be honest isn't much different from other months for me but I'm finally getting around to reading some of the books I bought as deals that have been sitting on my Kindle.  For February one of the books I'm reading is a YA fantasy but I'm doing something a little different by reading along with the audiobook. I haven't been able to get into audiobooks yet though I always hear they're a great way to get a lot of reading done. Maybe I just need to find the right narration speed and narrator.

I'm also reading a YA contemporary with an afro-latina lead, an adult contemporary romance, and an anthology.