Society of Lies by Lauren Ling Brown

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Dark Academia is still widely popular and we're starting to see even more in the mainstream from authors of color. Society of Lies was a Reese's Bookclub pick and seeing people share it was how it ended up on my radar. 

Maya has returned to her alma mater, Princeton after 10 years for her younger sister Naomi's graduation. But then Maya receives the news that Naomi is dead and the police are quick to try and rule it as accidental but Maya believes otherwise. Maya discovers that her sister had joined the infamous Sterling Club, a secret society with a history of tragedy and lies surrounding it.

Society of Lies is told across three timelines: Maya's present day, Maya's time as a student in Princeton in the early 2010s, and Naomi's time at Princeton in the early 2020s. At first as an audiobook listener it was hard to differentiate between the povs of Maya and Naomi during their years at Princeton because they have very similar narrative voices. The story also takes too long finding it's footing during part one where certain incidents could've easily be recapped in a passing sentence rather than a full scene. My interest wasn't grabbed until part two when it felt like movement was actually happening with the storylines rather than the college parties and shallow friendships. Maya's perspective is the stronger of the sister's and the story would've faired better being completely told from hers both past and present. Naomi's experienced paralleled her sister's too closely and felt a little heavy handed in it's attempts to tackle current events.

While part two and three were engaging in part four the pacing again slows down to the book's detriment. It was hard to care when the side characters were rather lackluster. And the overused cliche phrases kept pulling me out of the story. It wasn't a terrible book but the writing lacked depth. It may be good one for those transitioning out of YA books because the plot moves pretty straightforward with a couple of twists thrown in so it's not too hard to follow. However if you've read a few of these types of books don't expect to be wowed by this story.

Church Girl by Naima Simone

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Harlequin debuted their new line Afterglow this year promising fresh new stories to appeal to a Booktok audience and I'll admit I was sad about the Desire line being shuttered and also unsure about the vibe of the new line. I appreciated the diverse array of authors and stories but was having a mixed experience with some of the previous selections. Church Girl caught my attention with it's premise that sounded different than my recent reads and it being from an author I was already familiar with gave me more incentive to try it. 

Aaliyah Montgomery was supposed to marry the ideal man and become First Lady of  the church but decides instead to flee on her wedding day and convince her cousin Tamara to take her back to Chicago with her. Her plan is to go to school for an art degree but she needs a job so she can start holding her own in the meantime. Von Howard is pretty rude to her on their first encounter deciding with one look at her that's she's unfit for the job. However he's desperate for a nanny for his daughter, Gia so the woman he's dubbed a "real life Disney princess" will have to do.

There's plenty of drama to keep the story going between Von's battle against his ex-wife for ownership of his tattoo shop and primary custody of his daughter. Aaliyah is experiencing her first real taste of freedom and navigating coming into her own outside of her parent's gaze. Von is a very talk straight type of man who says what he means and doesn't sugar coat anything. And it was refreshing specifically to have a Black male love interest who isn't prim and proper. He feels like a real tattoo artist from Chicago in how he talks and moves. We get good insight to his relationships with his employees at the shop as well as his passion for his craft. He supported Aaliyah and encouraged her to speak up and be confident in herself but his approach is a little different.

Aaliyah starts out as more of a meek character used to playing the role and putting the Lord above all. It was funny watching her hold her own in situations when it came to Gia's well being. And she's not only finding her voice but embracing her likes. She comes into her own sexually and the steamy scenes did not disappoint. Despite growing up in different households and going off on different paths, she's able to connect with her cousin who is a big support for her during this new transitionary period in her life. 

If you're familiar with Naima Simone from her other Harlequin books, this one has a different vibe at least from the ones I read but the things you love about her writing are still there. And I'm looking forward to the next book in the series following cousin Tamara. 

Dear Dad: Growing Up with a Parent in Prison -- and How We Stayed Connected by Jay Jay Patton, Antoine Patton , and Kiara Valdez

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I've been happy to see the surge in graphic novels the past few years because they're such a great way to tell stories that just wouldn't flow the same way in prose. They're also a great way to make stories more accessible. Nonfiction isn't always the easiest genre to take in so I'm all for anything that makes those stories more accessible. I wasn't really sure what to expect with Dear Dad but in the end it surprised me. 

Jay'aina "Jay Jay" Patton lives with her mom and brother in Buffalo, New York. Her father, Antoine has been incarcerated for a few years and they've gotten into a routine of phone calls and letters to keep in touch.  But phones calls can be expensive and not always possible and it's not always easy to receive letters. Antoine participates in a special program while in prison and learns how to code. Upon release he gets a software engineering job and the family has has to uproot their life in Buffalo to move to Florida. Antoine teaches his daughter how to code and they bond over that while developing an app called Photo Patch that makes it easier for families to share photos and letters to their incarcerated loved ones.

There aren't a lot of books out there that feature children with parents who are incarcerated and if there are it's focused on the negatives only. Books like this help destigmatize that which is especially important when we consider some of the crimes people are sitting in prison for and how they don't all hold the same weight. Kids should feel ashamed for being in that situation that's completely out of their control. And on the flip side this book can show children unfamiliar with that situation what another type of family looks like.

There's also not enough books out there that showcase good relationships between Black fathers and their daughters. Despite their situation Jay Jay and her father were able to have a relationship and though there was a lot of change to adjust to when he was released they took it in stride and found something to bond over. This book doesn't focus on the trauma surrounding the experience but instead how this family was able to flip a negative into a positive and will hopefully inspire. 

Nonfiction can often be harder to access for children once it moves in to prose for. So I appreciated this is in a format they can connect with easier and it's short and straight to the point. It can be read in one afternoon.

This Cursed House by Del Sandeen

Welcome Back, Booklovers! This Cursed House had already gotten my attention being Black Southern Gothic and when I saw some early readers praising it I knew I had to check it out. And what better season to read something dark than fall when the sky is cloudy, the weather is frigid, and you're in the mood to just curl up in the house? 

Jemma flees Chicago for a fresh start after her cheating boyfriend ends up getting his side woman pregnant. She receives an offer that she believes is for a tutoring job in New Orleans for the wealthy Duchon family. Upon arrival, Jemma is warned by people in town about the mysterious family who keeps themselves isolated. The longer Jemma works for them the more she understands those warnings as secrets are revealed and she discovers ghosts roam the house. Members of the Duchon family are unable to leave the property and every seven years one of them dies on the same date. The family informs Jemma that she is the key to breaking the curse. 

This Cursed House starts off very fast-paced with many twists and reveals to get readers engaged. It had my undivided attention wondering what would be revealed next or how much more the Duchon family could disgust me. However once it's clear what direction this book is going in the story starts moving at a glacial pace.  There's also some repetition that made the book lag towards the end in addition to it feeling like it hits it peak long before the ending. 

This book deals heavily with colorism and racism with the Duchon family doing vile things to uphold those standards. So the forgive and move forward messaging in the second half of the book just felt clunky as that family was undeserving of forgiveness. Some of the discussions surrounding it too also felt more 2020s discussions than 1960s discussions so the overly modern feel there threw me out of the story. There's been much romanticization of families like the Duchons who believed in keeping the bloodline as white as possible to remain at the top of society so it was interesting to see that address in a book. However it didn't quite hit the mark. Jemma's motivations as a character started to not make sense in the grand scheme of things and what started out a very interesting tale fizzled with an unsatisfying conclusion. 

Christmas Picture Books for BIPOC Kids

Welcome Back, Booklovers! The past few years I've been keeping track of Christmas picture books for Black Children and have even bought many for the kids in my family. My family loves Christmas but it's harder to find images of Christmas that aren't only white. So seeing more released in recent years has been a treat. So check out this post for a few of my favorites and if you want more check out my idea list.

Jayylen's Christmas Wish

This is a heartwarming story about a little boy named Jayylen who tries to raise money so their family can visit his brother for Christmas when he has to stay at the base instead of coming home for holidays. This is very relatable to so many young children who have a family member in the military.

Santa's Gotta Go!

This is a fun picture book where Santa has to spend a few extra days with a family when his slay won't restart after delivering all the gifts. But they soon find out Santa's not the idea houseguest and are ready for him to go!

A Piece of Black Cake for Santa

This is a fun book about sharing different cultural traditions and food around Christmastime. The book includes a recipe for black cake!

Carla and the Christmas Cornbread

Carla's favorite holiday tradition is making cornbread with her grandma. And when Carla accidentally eats Santa’s Christmas cookie, the cornbread is there to save the day!

The Holly-day After

When all the gifts are delivered Santa and his family have their own special celebration the day after.

La Noche Before Three Kings Day

It's a The Night Before Christmas inspired story centered around Three Kings Day. A family comes together and prepares for the three kings to come bearing gifts.

Happy All-idays!

A book highlighting how different families celebrate winter holidays

Twelve Dinging Doorbells

An all holidays carol celebrating the family getting together

Dreams of Green: A Three King's Day Story

A story about celebrating Dia de Los Reyes in a new place

Countdown for Nochebuena

Celebrating Nochebuena, a holiday tradition for Latinx families on Christmas Eve

Sleeping with the Frenemy by Natalie Caña

Welcome Back Booklovers! I'd been meaning to get back to the Vega Family Love Stories series and Hoopla alerted me to a new release called Sleeping with the Frenemy. I saved it and put it on my list to read in the future. However after seeing it come across my Instagram feed for Puerto Rican Heritage Month I knew I had to read it right away.

Leo Vega has been in love with Sofi, his sister's best friend for years. But despite their aside on and off hookups Sofi has sworn off the Vega family after a revelation from Kamilah. Now Sofi is back after spending time in Europe and trying to mend her friendship. Leo just so happens to have an extra room when she needs a space to go and their grandparents see sparks between them.

There's a lot to love about this one from the Chicago setting to the big Puerto Rican familia. There's so many different nods to Puerto Rico from the music, to the cuisine, and traditions the characters hold. And it's done in a realistic way through things like the Puerto Rican Festival. It's truly a great cast of characters from Abuelo Papo to Tostone the dog. Readers who enjoy families being heavily involved in their romance stories will like how there's always a sibling or a grandparent popping up in the scene.

Though this is a second chance romance it's not solely focused on the romance. There's a lot of interpersonal drama that keeps the book moving aside from the standard second chance  romance plot. Sofi and Kamilah are working on mending their friendship with Kamilah helping her plan her wedding. Sofi also has a barely existent relationship with her father and she doesn't know how to approach wanting to confront him about her feelings of abandonment.  Leo is recovering from a gunshot wound and wants to get back to his firefighting career but he's also battling his feelings of inferiority compared to his siblings.

The author does a decent job showcases how the world if a little bit different for Sofi as an Afro-Latina even among other Latines. Even though this is a slower paced book it stays engaging through out. Sometimes the transition into flashbacks scenes could be a little abrupt and not all feel totally necessary.  But the most important flashback did it's job of showcasing that turning point in their relationship. The narrator was great and added that extra touch of playfulness when it came to the book's spicier scenes.

The Love Interest by Helen Comerford

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I have a love-disinterest relationship with superhero tales. I go through periods of time where I'm really into superhero media from comics to tv shows. But I also go through periods where I could care less about superheroes. This year we've seen shows like Supacell and books like The Second Chance of Darius Logan which offer a look at a different kind of superhero. So keeping in line with that I was excited to see The Love Interest released this year which promised a satirical look the superhero genre. 

Jenna Ray lives in the small coastal town of Nine Trees. Nine Trees, is the subject of a prophesy that said in the year 2024 a new hero would rise. In this world the Earth has evolved and people have evolved with it which resulted in many receiving powers. Anyone who displays signs of powers must be reported to the Heroics and Power Authority to be registered and monitored. Jenna Ray and her family don't buy into the Hero Industrial Complex like many people in their town so they're not thrilled when she becomes the new hero, Blaze's first rescue. Being his first female rescue means she's guaranteed to be his love interest something both Blaze and the HPA are pushing for. But love interests tend to die young and Jenna sees herself as so much more than a damsel in distress to be a pawn used by his enemies. She's ready to keep Blaze at a distance when she's approached by villains who tell her if she assists them they will take her to her mother who has been missing for years.

The Love Interest sets out to tackle the issues with the role girls and women have in superhero stories. A few feminist talking points are addressed here that I hope will be expanded upon in the next installment particularly surrounding the way women of color navigate these types of environments. Jenna also has issues with anxiety which is something the author did a good job highlighting in the text as well as including information at the end of the book with resources for teens in the UK who also suffer with anxiety.

The idea of an organization specifically designed to handle all things hero isn't new but it was a fun addition here as Jenna attends cons set up to cultivate a fandom around Blaze and strategically set up photo ops. Though this is not a comic there's still news articles scattered throughout to give it more of that feel. Most of the popular superhero stories are set in the US so the UK setting here is a refreshing change. There's plenty of appeal for readers who like small town stories with close knit casts. The book has enough twists and turns to keep readers engaged along with a steady and even pacing. The ending is satisfying enough with just enough loose threads to set up the sequel.

Bad Witches by H.B. Akumiah

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I was in the mood for an urban fantasy read for the fall and Bad Witches sounded like just what I needed since I was looking for something a little bit lighter. So when Libro FM offered it as one of the ALCs I knew I had to jump at the chance.

Bad Witches follows three women with the same birthday who end up meeting at a bar where powers they never knew about are activated at the same time. There have been no new witches for years now as witches have been giving birth to normal babies in what is called the Typic (normal humans) Crisis. Nadia, a councilor working with the Witch Health Organization has been attempting to figure out a way to undo the curse and replenish the witch population and she believes Maya, Delali, and Gabbie may be the answer if they learn to get their magic under control.

At times while listening to the audiobook it could be a little confusing because it is such a large cast of characters with changing povs. But the friendship between the women from very different backgrounds was fun to read about their meetups and group text as they dealt with using their new powers to make gains in their every day life and the sanctions from the Council that came along with it. The modern day approach to witchcraft was interesting and sets this apart from other urban fantasies. 

The author leans heavily into the Sex in the City vibes even name dropping the show in text along with other pop culture references which at times gave the book a very 2000s feel. Mentions of hair, makeup, and designer duds are fun at first but become a little excessive towards the middle as details about their training took a backseat. I also think it would've been better to have the women newly 30 as opposed to newly 22 because despite their immaturity at times they did read a little older. The four povs are unequally balanced with some characters getting more attention than others.

The world building could've been better spread throughout rather than dumped in increments and the race to add more depth to it at the end. The story also lacked a common enemy in need of defeating to tie these women together though it seems like one is set up for a possible book 2. The ending felt rather abrupt and leaves readers with so many unanswered questions that should've been resolved here.

It was a fun, somewhat nostalgic read with a little drama sprinkled throughout to keep things going. If this is destined to become a series I hope to see the same effort and attention to detail given to the spells and magic that the elaborate designer outfits and hairstyles were given here. 

An Academy for Liars by Alexis Henderson

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I loved Alexis Henderson's debut The Year of the Witching and I even interviewed her for this blog back in 2020. And although House of Hunger left me disappointed I was interested in seeing what she did next in the fantasy space. I didn't get the chance to read before release but when my library hold came through I pushed aside the rest of my TBR to jump right in. So keep reading for my full thoughts.

Lennon Carter is a 24 year old woman who has recently gotten out of a bad relationship where she lost herself and her ambition to playing housewife. With her acceptance to Drayton College, she is given the chance to start over. Drayton is a mysterious University located in Savannah, Georgia but also invisible to and undetectable to those outside of it's campus. Here Lennon discovers  she and other students have the power of Persuasion and she starts working closely with Dr. Dante Lowe to cultivate and control those abilities. 

The first half of this book moved very slowly as far as plot progression but we also didn't get much character progression either. Which made the book feel like it was attempting to coast on vibes only. Having read Catherine House, another novel set at an elite university with mysterious things happening unbeknownst to students and a rather passive mc; I felt like that book did a better job with showcasing how students can easily become seduced by that environment. It helps that that book is a lot more descriptive. Everything is presented so vaguely here right down to character descriptions. Characters are defaulted to white unless stated otherwise and usually described with vague features like a shaved head or blonde hair or having an Antebellum accent. Even the descriptions of Lennon and Dante do little to paint an image of them in my mind.

"Lennon couldn't place his race but could tell that, like her, he was mostly Black but mixed with something else. White, maybe?"

What was odd to me was that race never really comes up in regards to how she navigates this environment aside from a time when Lennon feels her position at the school is threatened. And even that was very briefly. 

Lennon's actions were confusing. She comes to campus ready to start anew but on the first night has sex with a random student on the main concourse. This person is never presented as a potential love interest and we're too assume she was just trying to get over her ex Wyatt but the only time it's addressed again is as a way to slut shame her. We're told later on in the story Lennon has a history of promiscuity but there's never any explanation given for why. Why does she fall into sexual relationships with authority figures and codependency? We're told she doesn't have the best relationship with her family but again there's no explanation for what happened between them. Even when readers do finally meet her family on page they seem relatively normal but Lennon can't wait to escape them.

The book focuses so much on building this slow burn relationship with Lennon and Dante while dancing around the power imbalance. She's infatuated well before he ever makes a move on her and other students notice he treats her differently. But despite the slow build we little to nothing from them aside from him helping her learn to wield her powers. I wish Alexis Henderson would've leaned in more and had Dante actually seducing Lennon. Lennon was acting as if she was his girlfriend well before he even touched her which wasn't until the last quarter of the book. I had to keep reminding myself she's supposed to be this experienced woman in her mid 20s because she read like a naive girl fresh out of high school. 

The implications on the magic of Persuasion and its effects on the world are never outside of the campus are never realized. Details about the school's overall purpose and the way in which it affects society outside of the school are glossed over.

If you're looking for a sweeping campus fantasy with lots of world building I suggest passing on this one.  With both this book and House of Hunger it felt like Henderson had unique ideas but wasn't sure how to develop them into a plot and rushed to tie those ideas together at the end. Where House of Hunger relied mostly on skin crawling descriptions this relies on shock value after shock value reveal dominating the second half of the story. The reveals feel unearned because there's no build up and the few answers we get still leave questions. It felt like a tv show that was greenlit because of it's cool premise but then the writers were unsure how to execute it beyond the initial first episodes and started throwing things in to see what resonates with viewers. 

Interview with Louangie Bou-Montes

Welcome Back, Booklovers! It's fall and I've been in a paranormal show and books mood. And nothing screams fall like New England which is where Louangie Bou-Montes hails from and where her recently published Till the Last Beat of My Heart is set. Keep reading to hear about her publishing journey, her love of horror, and some pretty cool hobbies of hers!

When did you decide to pursue publishing?

I decided in a kind of unofficial way to pursue publishing in 2018. At that time, I had just finished the first draft of TILL THE LAST BEAT OF MY HEART and I decided to do something with it since I had never written a novel length work all the way to the end before. I wasn’t sure if it was going to get anywhere, but it felt like it was worth a shot since I got that far. 

How would you describe Till the Last Beat of My Heart and what was the inspiration behind it? 

I would describe TILL THE LAST BEAT OF MY HEART as a romcom with a healthy dose of drama and spooky vibes. I don’t know if anyone but me would call it a romcom, but I think there’s a decent amount of humor and kind of ridiculous situations as well as romance. The inspiration behind it is kind of varied…I would say it’s heavily inspired by New England and Western Massachusetts specifically because I’ve always found the area I live in and the sort of inherent spookiness of fall and winter in this area inspiring. It’s inspired by sort of campy or horror like Death Becomes Her and Idle Hands, as well as the show Pushing Daisies which has necromancy and romance tied together and the movie Paranorman which was New England-y and heavy on the atmosphere. 

Was Jaxson’s love of horror movies inspired by your own? And if so, do you remember the first horror movie you watched?

Jaxon’s love of horror movies is inspired by my own in a way, but he’s a lot braver than me about it. I had to purposefully train myself to tolerate horror movies without getting too terrified to sleep for a few days afterwards. As a kid, I really struggled with horror…the first horror movie I remember watching was Pet Sematary when I was still in elementary school and I’m pretty sure I was sleeping in my parents’ bed for like a week afterwards.

Why did you decide to make Titi Clio a vegan?

Honestly, I think about veganism all the time for different reasons so it was just something that came about organically. Veganism is really popular where I live, one of my dear friends is a vegan, and it helped me figure out the person Titi Clio would be in some ways. She was a vegan before I knew what her abilities were, and then I started thinking about what her relationship with living things was like. It went hand in hand for me that she naturally has kind of an adverse effect on living things so she avoids eating living things. 

Do you ever feel a pressure to write your characters a certain way based on your culture?

I think yes and no. I think of my own experience and my own perspective as Puerto Rican and Latinx enough—I didn’t feel like I needed to write a particular brand of Latinidad that would be recognizable to non-Latinx people. I wrote it with Latinx people in mind, for Latinx people to see themselves rather than the shorthand ways we’re expected to be portrayed in things. 

However, my characters don’t have my exact identity. Jaxon is bicultural Puerto Rican and Dominican, and while I have Dominicans in my life that I know and love, I feel “pressure” to make sure I’m putting a concerted effort into making that part of him feel true and grounded in authenticity rather than cheap. Likewise with Christian being Afro-Mexican; that’s an experience that I don’t personally have, so I felt “pressure” to make sure I was doing the work to make him feel true. But I think that kind of pressure is good pressure because theoretically there are people who will read my book that share their identities and I think I want those readers to feel seen, not to feel like I just slapped a random ethnic label on the characters.

What has been the most surprising part of the debut experience?

Honestly, I think what’s most surprising for me has been how ready and willing so many people around me have been to uplift me when I’m down and to help me have the best possible experience. It’s not like I’m surprised that people in my life want to help me, but rather just the lengths my friends and family and even people I’ve just recently met have gone to for me. Debuting has been an emotional rollercoaster and I think, just like every other part of publishing, having a community that wants to take care of you and hold you through the good and the bad is so important. I’d be a wreck without the love and effort my people have put in for me. 

How do you find inspiration on the brink of burnout?

This is a great question and I wish I had a good answer for it. I think there’s something to be said for the idea of “refilling the well” by re-absorbing things that have inspired you in the past, but I don’t think that always works for me. I think first and foremost you just have to make sure you understand WHY you are burned out and make sure your most basic needs are met. I’m just coming out of a looong writing dry spell and I think a big part of it was I had a lot of anxiety and insecurity from a fairly recent period of time when some of my basic needs were either not being met or under threat of not being met. Once you’ve addressed those needs, that’s when I think it makes sense to do things like rewatch an old favorite or read something you’re excited about from your TBR to get the creative juices flowing.

And, in general, beating yourself up about being demotivated never helps. Have patience with yourself and give it time. 

What hobbies do you have outside of writing and reading?

I like taking up hobbies based on what I’m working on, so I have a lot of hobbies that ebb and flow over time haha. Right now, I’ve been into film photography and teaching myself a few instruments (ukulele, keyboard) because I’m working on something where some of the characters do those things. But my hobbies shift all the time. 

What countries are on your travel bucket list?

Ireland, definitely. Mexico, Cuba, DR. I’d like to see the Netherlands someday too.

What can we expect next from you?

As of right now, I have no updates on what might be next! But if I get the chance to share something with the world again, you can almost certainly count on something involving New England and the Latinxs who love it.

Sweetness in the Skin by Ishi Robinson

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Is there a book you see often on social media that it feels like everyone is reading and enjoying? Sweetness in the Skin was one of those books for me. Inescapable between my mutuals and my explore page on Bookstagram. 

In Jamaica, 13 year old Pumpkin lives with her granny and Aunt Sophie in a small home in downtown Kingston. Pumpkin and Aunty Sophie have dreams of moving to Paris on day and granny encourages them to move up their family's social standing. Pumpkin's mother Paulette dips in and out usually choosing not to stick around for long. However plans change when Granny dies. Sophie gets a job with the embassy in France while Pumpkin must stay behind until she's able to bring her over. Pumpkin's mother Paulette moves into the house bringing the father she never knew, Akil with her. Pumpkin peddles her baked goods at school and at local shops with the hopes to raise enough money to take the French exam and move in with her aunt.

This book almost felt like a checklist of commonly referenced topics in lauded Caribbean literature. The topic of colorism came up with Granny, Sophie, and Pumpkin being lighter than Paulette who was seen as the darker skinned less pretty one. However we never get a sit down between Paulette and Sophie to address this even though colorism divides the sisters. The author uses it as weak motivation for why Paulette is abusive and neglectful to Pumpkin. Abusive mothers often appear in acclaimed Black Literature not just in Caribbean stories but in other diaspora as well. However Paulette and Akil are downright evil towards their child and we never got good explanation why. There are plenty of neglectful parents out there who never wanted children. However many neglectful people simply stay away from their children and would be happy to have someone taking care of their child. These two both didn't want her but didn't want anyone else to want her and were jealous of her. 

There were plenty mentions of the uptown vs downtown dynamic that is present in Kingston which needed to be explored more. Reading this book it felt like an uptown author writing a story about downtown living via hearsay. We get glimpses of the dynamic via the school Pumpkin attends with her wealthier peers but nothing feels quite fleshed out. And it doesn't help that Pumpkin's environment is a stereotype of what "ghetto" life is. 

Even the conclusions Pumpkin comes to at the end seemed based off moments that happened off page because she suddenly had this open-minded outlook based upon how everyone else's lives had been going but not one solid conversation happened on page to warrant that conclusion. The ending felt too neat and tidy for the journey the story took readers on and this reader was left feeling unsatisfied. This type of story has been done before and better with more complexity. 

Beware the Heartman by Shakirah Bourne

Welcome Back, Booklovers! We're back in Fairy Vale, Barbados alongside Josephine again in Beware the Heartman where this time she faces a new villain. Keep reading for my review of this new installment in the series. I received an arc from Shakirah Bourne in exchange for an honest review.

Josephine has settled back into her regular life after the events of book one with Mariss. After almost a year, her father has been dating Miss Alleyne  and she's actually happy for him. She's a starting player on her schools' cricket team and they're getting close to the championships. Plus she may have a crush on one of her teammates. Things are going well until she takes the Common Entrance Exam and gets into Queen Mary instead of Lamming with her best friend Ahkai. Even worse is he's befriended a girl named Lynne who claims to be from overseas and is clearly trying to steal her best friend. Then things in Fairy Vale are really shaken up when her cricket coach disappears and all signs point to The Heartman, a fabled being who is known to kidnap people after dark and steal their hearts. Josephine and her friends must hurry to defeat the Heartman before they end up his next victims.

In book two readers are introduced to another figure from Bajan lore though not everyone in the village believes the Heartman is anything more than tales made up to scare children. I liked how some of the theories about the Heartman and his rumored society of secret men were included in a way that made sure to address the theories surrounding and bring the creep factor without being too much. We also see some of the lore from book one come full circle. 

One thing this series does really well is infusing comedy. Josephine is hilarious as always with a witty quip always in her arsenal. And she and her friends talk like real tweens in a way young readers will be able to relate. Her friend Ahkai is autistic but it's never treated as a hinderance. Though he doesn't like too much attention and touch, Josephine struggles more than him when it comes to fitting in with the other children and the prospect of attending a new school alone. It's very refreshing when I come across media with children with disabilities where those children are treated as just regular children.

Fast-paced, easy to read, and engaging Beware of the Heartman is a fitting sequel that keeps up the momentum of Josephine Against the Sea and leaves room for another installment. 

Till the Last Beat of My Heart by Louangie Bou-Montes

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Just in time for spooky season and Latinx Heritage Month we have a YA fantasy debut. I received an arc from HarperCollins for Till the Last Beat of My Heart, a queer contemporary fantasy whose release is perfectly timed with the start of spooky season and Latinx Heritage Month. 

Jaxson Santiago-Noble is very familiar with death. As the son of a mortician, he's seen his fair share of bodies pass through his family's morgue. But nothing prepares him for when the body of his former best friend, Christian is brought in after an accident. Unaware Jaxson accidentally revives him and discovers he comes from a long line of necromancers. Suddenly it's as if Jaxson is one of the stars in his favorite horror movies. Bringing back the dead comes with a catch and it's a race against time as Christian is fading again and Jaxson is trying to control his newfound powers with the help of his Titi Clio. 

With Christian back Jaxson reconnects with him and has to face some of his social anxiety as Christian pulls him into his world of Spirit Days and Homecoming celebrations. We get this story of two boys who have always had feelings for each other but are now realizing they should explore that more because life if short and not promised. Though wacky things are happening throughout the story they're happening alongside regular days at school. 

The relationship between Jaxson, his mother, and his Titi Clio really shines here. So often in these types of stories the teens stand alone and their house is nothing more than a place they sleep at night. We might brief conversations with the parents in passing. The involvement here from the adults in his life feels very realistic. When it's not his mother or aunt looking out for him it's close family friend's within the neighborhood. While the power over life and death is generational, this book takes a slightly different approach by not tying it to any cultural specific legends or religion. Additionally Jaxson lost his father when he was younger and is learning more about who his father was outside of the authoritarian he remembers.

Louangie Bou-Montes delivers some slight horror, humor, and a queer romance you can root for. 

Immortal Dark by Tigest Girma

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Immortal Dark is a book many people have been buzzing about this year and it's been on my radar for awhile as well. So keep reading to hear my thoughts on this new YA dark fantasy.

In the world of Immortal Dark, vampires also known as dranaics only feed on the blood of members of certain influential families. Kidan and her sister June are the last living members of the House of Adane. But when June goes missing, Kidan connects her disappearance to Susenyos Sagad, the only dranaic still tied to their House and legacy.  To discover more about this dranaic who has stolen her inheritance, she must enroll in Uxlay, a prestigious university which human companions and vampires attend to learn more about their symbiotic relationship . 

There's a lot of worldbuilding here which can be a little much at times but I found the lore fascinating albeit sometimes confusing. Tigest Girma writes the vampires in a seductive way that's often missing from YA vampire portrayals. It's bloody and gory, yes but it's also tantalizing and readers understand why Kidane is getting entranced by this world.  In a dark fantasy romance that push and pull between characters is what drives the story and Kidande and Susenyos have great chemistry where even if I found my attention waning at some points they pulled me back in. 

Well paced in the beginning this is a pretty easy one to get sucked into. Though sometimes the prose got a little too flowery and cliched for my taste, there were other times where she described things so vividly I could picture the scene in my head. The book ends on a cliffhanger that will leave readers ready for book 2.

The Second Chance of Darius Logan by David F. Walker

Welcome Back, Booklovers! The Second Chance of Darius Logan caught my attention in the search for YA SFF written by Black men with Black boys as the lead. One would be surprised at just how little is out there. And luckily it didn't take too long for my library to get the audiobook. So keep reading to hear my thoughts.

Darius Logan has spent most of his life on the streets or in and out of foster care and group homes. After a run in with the police after a drug deal gone wrong he gets a second chance by being recruited to join a special program through the Super Justice Force. This program called, Second Chance, is a program that helps ex convicts start a normal life after prison. Darius will be the first one through the program who hasn't gone to jail and they promise to help him get his life back on track.

The story starts out so interesting with a vibe that reminded me of Black Lightning with the way this crime ridden world riddled with metahumans is described.  I thought the concept of rehabilitation by helping with the special tax force was interest however since Darius doesn't have powers of his own that complicates things. Darius meeting the superheroes he grew up admiring  and encountering their different personalities is a strong point here. Where this story started to lose me was the heavy info dumping. Too much felt told instead of shown particularly when it came to the romance. It progressed quickly and I thought I had missed a section. Darius himself needed to be fleshed out more however a decent job was down fleshing out the side characters.

Being familiar with David F. Walker's work on Bitter Root I'm wondering if this would've read better as a comic or graphic novel instead of as prose. The pieces were all their for an interesting YA superhero story but the execution doesn't quite land. It does end in a way where if a book 2 isn't already in the works there's plenty of opportunity to do some cool things in the sequel. 

Drown Me with Dreams by Gabi Burton

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I loved Sing Me to Sleep when I read it last year. It was a very fast read for me and came at the perfect time. So imagine my excitement over the chance to read Drown Me With Dreams pre-release. I received an arc from Bloomsbury for review so keep reading for my thoughts.

Drown Me with Dreams picks up where the previous book ended. Prince Hayes is now King Hayes and Saoirse is a fugitive being hunted by the Enforcers of the Kingdom. Hayes is doing his best to keep her safe while they formulate a plan of action to send her through the barrier to the kingdom they know little about on the other side. As the Resistance continues to grow Saoirse must battle enemies on both sides of the barrier. 

While I would say Sing Me to Sleep was more action packed Drown Me With Dreams is more strategy focused so it's slower paced. There was no one clear foe to thwart so as I reader I was never quite sure what direction I was being pulled in. 

This book also leans heavier into the romance which at times resulted in some repetitive scenes. However Hayes and Saoirse do have great chemistry together that makes you want to root for them. And I like that Hayes kept consistent with his already established character traits as far as wanting to be the fair King. Saoirse also works on controlling her instincts to kill which meant there were less murder scenes and she lost a little bit of her siren lure.  Though there's still a sprinkling of haunting moments where she uses her song to bend people to her will. She's a great strategist and smart heroine which I could appreciate and it's part of what kept me reading. I needed to see her succeed. 

Overall I would say Drown Me With Dreams has a more mature feel compared to it's predecessor and it's still an interesting journey that ends with a satisfying conclusion. 

The Townsend Family Recipe for Disaster by Shauna Robinson

 Welcome Back, Booklovers! I met Shauna at a book event back in March and decided to add The Townsend Family Recipe for Disaster to my TBR and went in without really knowing much about it. So keep reading to hear my full thoughts.

The Townsend Family Recipe for Disaster is about a biracial woman named Mae who is about to get married and feels out of place both in her own white family and the one she's marrying into. Her father passed years earlier and she's never had a connection to his family. When her grandmother passes she decides to take a trip to the South for the funeral and try and reconnect.  Secrets are revealed, longtime grudges are exposed and Mae must confront some harsh truths in between attempting to keep family traditions alive.

The book sets itself apart from similar books by having the harder conversations around biracial heritage and the way individuals navigate that identity that is different than someone whose parents are the same race. Which I appreciated because so often it's not discussed and it's presented as if there's no difference. Mae and her father had a habit of just shrugging off the racism of her white family over the years and she has to finally acknowledge the harm behind that and learn to stand up for herself. There were some very honest and uncomfortable conversations about race here. So many books I pick up that discuss racism and have Black and biracial characters in mostly white spaces still don't talk about the way in which those characters enable the white people around them by keeping quiet. Mae has to really reckon with the privileges she has due to her proximity to whiteness.

There's also a very good exploration here about how to navigate relationships with family after the death of the relative that was connecting you. Having firsthand experience actively navigating that I found that part of the story to be very well done. It didn't expect one of the big twists here and it was refreshing to see the conversations around it. My biggest gripe is there's no recipe for the much talked about mac & cheese!

A Love Like the Sun by Riss M. Neilson

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I read Riss' I'm Not Supposed to Be in the Dark last year and while it was a decent read for me and I liked her writing style I was curious to see how she would do with an older audience. I received a copy of A Love Like the Sun from Berkley in exchange for an honest review.

Best friends Laniah and Issac have kept close over the years so when Issac finds out Laniah's  hair product business is failing he uses his influencer fame to get her brand attention by pretending she's his girlfriend. Suddenly her business is booming and Laniah is having to confront the feelings she's always felt for him. 

Many authors are making the transition from YA to Adult recently but I must admit not many making the transition so seamlessly. Some author's writing styles stay exactly the same and their book ends up feeling like YA with slightly older characters. Romance is a hard genre to stand out in with the constant releases both traditionally and indie, especially when the story is slow burn. But I think Riss' rhythmic writing stands out as well as the authenticity of her characters. The conversations here felt real like I was peaking into these people's lives. There's high sexual tension between Laniah and Issac that just works.

Riss wasn't afraid to have a conversation about her biracial main character being in the natural hair community and how some women might question her credibility when it came to doing 4c hair. She also wasn't afraid to shy away from showing the reality of chronic illness and loosing a parent as well as dealing with a diagnosis. And it's done in a way where it's not the entire focus. So readers get to enjoy the lighter moments and the build up of Laniah and Issac's relationship as they navigate industry events and the expansion of Laniah's business. Since there is actually benefit to keeping up the charade, the fake dating aspect works in this capacity instead of feeling like it was just thrown in to check off trope boxes.

Museum Recs!

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I'm always keeping my eye out for picture books that feature Black kids going to different places especially places we don't always see them depicted in media. A few weeks ago when I was taking my niece to a museum for a Juneteenth celebration I thought about how important free events like that were so kids can visit these museums. Which then had me thinking about how you don't see many books featuring Black kids visiting museums. Which meant I had to use my library apps to do a little bit of digging to find some books.

Miss Edmonia's Class of Wildfires

Miss Edmonia (a nod to American sculptor, Edmonia Lewis) and her class of elementary aged WILDFIRES are spending the day at the art museum. Follow Kara-Clementine and Attilio as they explore the museum's collection and discover the character traits that make them special.

Museum Mix-Up

J.C. can't wait for his class field trip to the Famous Black Americans Museum. Even better, Dad is coming too--as a chaperone. But then J.C.'s group gets separated from the rest of the class. Can J.C. help save the day and find his classmates?

The Noisy Classroom Goes to the Museum

Ms. Johnson is a bit, well, odd. So when she announces she’s taking the class on a field trip to the natural history museum, one young girl can’t help but worry. Everyone at school already knows Ms. Johnson, but what will strangers think of her? As the day of the field trip draws nearer, the girl and her friends decide to hatch a plan for their teacher’s sake.

Malola's Museum Adventures : Career Day

When Malola is tasked with sharing with her class what she wants to be when she grows up, she runs to the one place she knows will help her—her favorite room in her favorite museum. But when she asks her favorite paintings what she should be when she grows up, she doesn’t expect them to come to life and take her on a journey to find the answer!

Follow Malola as she travels through a magical exhibit of paintings and learns about the many inspirational women who came before her, paving the way for her to be anything and everything she wants to be.

Ana & Andrew: A Day at the Museum

Ana & Andrew are excited when Grandma comes to stay. During her visit, the family tours the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture and learns about important African American achievements.

Interview with Author Justin Colon

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I was able to read The Quaken ahead of it's release and I can tell you my nieces loved it! I was was able to ask author Justin Colon all about The Quacken, Summer Camps, and what we can expect next from him.

What is The Quacken about?

Something strange is happening at Cucumonga Campground. From bicycles and canoes to socks and sneakers, things are vanishing without a trace. Even more foreboding is the many ‘Do Not Feed the Ducks’ signs posted everywhere in sight and the endless warnings from campers to avoid the ducks at all costs. Could all this be connected to the looming rumors? After all, legend has it that a creature lurks in the lake. A fearsome, ferocious, frightening creature. Some say it swallows canoes. Campers. Even whales. WHOLE! In spite of all this, new camper Hector feeds the unbearably cute (and hungry) waterfowl, inadvertently releasing a gigantic beast of legend . . . and it wants to eat him! 

What was the process like pitching The Quacken?

Pitching The Quacken is what made the creation process both difficult and easy. That’s because I put the cart before the horse and pitched it to agents and editors as part of a Twitter pitch contest before even writing the story. The pitch immediately garnered requests, leaving me with the added challenge of having to produce a polished story that not only stayed true to the original pitch, but delivered the goods. Compounding that pressure, my soon-to-be agent, who was already reviewing additional materials she had requested from me, expressed strong interest in The Quacken during a Zoom chat. When I revealed the writer’s sin I committed, she asked me to send her the manuscript when it was ready. The call ended, and my offer of representation, partially contingent upon The Quacken, was on the line. In the end, I’m happy to say it all worked out. 

What made you decide to become a picture book author?

I began reading picture books to my little brother, who my family adopted as a baby (he’s a pre-teen now). Every night, we read a handful of board books and picture books together (The Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle was a shared favorite). Looking back, that was a really special time in our lives, especially mine.

I quickly found that I enjoyed the picture book format. It’s filled with incredible imagination, humor, poignancy, language and visuals. But, as many [unfortunately] do, I incorrectly and unfairly judged and dismissed picture books as baby work—something I could produce easy-peasy almost overnight. My plan was to write and sell one book, check that accomplishment off my list, and call it a day. 

I vastly underestimated the format, the immense skill it requires, and the many, many challenges of securing representation and publication. I’ve also since come to realize that often when something looks easy and/or effortless it’s because someone has invested lots of time and energy into perfecting a skill set. This is something I should have already known coming to publishing from the acting world. 

Of course, picture books weren’t a ‘one and done’ deal for me. I fell in love with the format itself, the storytelling challenges and opportunities it afforded me, and the expanding and evolving skill set it required of me. Not to mention, the community of children’s book creators is super generous and supportive. I also love the impact these stories have on readers’ lives (as well as my own). 

Picture books were a detour for me. I didn’t plan to make a career out of them. But life has an uncanny ability for redirecting us. I can’t imagine my life without children’s books, this community, and this newfound career. 

Name 5 recent picture books you enjoyed.

Solar Bear 

Author: Beth Ferry

Illustrator: Brendan Wenzel

Spider in the Well 

Author-Illustrator: Jess Hannigan 

More Dung! 

Author-Illustrator: Frank Weber

Milly Fleur’s Poison Garden

Author-Illustrator: Christy Mandin

Pig Town Party 

Author-Illustrator: Lian Cho 

Wolfgang in the Meadow

Author-Illustrator: Lenny Wen 

Okay, you got me. I named six titles. Can you blame me? There’s a lot of great books out there! I think these books are definitely worth checking out. 

Have you ever been to camp?

I was a Boy Scout, so camping came with the territory. In addition to the usual monthly camping trips my troop took, we embarked on an annual summer trip, venturing by car then ferry, to Camp Yawgoog, an 1800-acre camp in Rhode Island where Boy Scout troops from across the country came together to spend the week. It was divided into large sections, with each troop having their own campsite name. I was in Camp Sandy Beach and our troop’s site was called Back Woods. 

We bunked in groups of four in lean-tos (open cabins with three walls and no front). We ate as a troop at an assigned time within a large mess hall, and each day a different boy scout was responsible for being their table’s server. They lined up and retrieved the trays of food and drinks, brought them to their table, and stayed behind to clean up the mess after the rest of the troop had left. There was also the singing of many boy scout songs during meal time. The troops spelled the word “bananas” out letter by letter, repeating this faster and faster until a numerical countdown, which grew in volume and energy, ended with everyone shouting “GO BANANAS!” in unison. For someone who was introverted and pretty serious, it was an experience.

During the day we could go our separate ways and do different activities. I spent mine exploring the grounds and taking every class I could squeeze into my schedule with the hopes of racking up merit badges. I also practiced my marksmanship at the rifle range. I should mention that technology wasn’t huge at this time, so it was a time to disconnect from the outside world and be more present and in tune with nature and each other.

What inspires you? Do you have any tips for finding inspiration when it comes to writing?

I find inspiration through observation of the world around me, animated television shows and movies (especially cartoons), live-action television shows and movies, GIFS and memes, random images, other books, language (including puns and portmanteaus), art, random activities. Pretty much anything and everything.

Inspiration often strikes when I least expect it. However, I don’t wait for those moments, because they’re often few and far between. Instead, I actively scout for inspiration. I’ll write down any random thought or idea I have—sometimes on a piece of scrap paper, sometimes in my book of super-secret ideas (it’s mostly just a bunch of scribbles). I’ll even doodle random images. There are often times when the visuals come to me before the language. When that happens, I dummy out/draw up the spreads as I envision them. I also like to think of the story’s potential hook and takeaway as I develop it, allowing me to really hone in on the point of the story and what will hopefully make it stand out in a crowded market. 

You founded The Kidlit Hive, what is its purpose and why is it important to you?

My goal through The Kidlit Hive is to assist children’s book creators on their publication journey via affordable and accessible online webinars, classes, and editorial services. I work with writers ranging from those who are brand new to publishing and want to draft their very first manuscript to those who are agented, award-winning, and multi-published.  My goal is to use the information, insight, and skill set I’ve acquired along my journey to provide guidance, direction, momentum, motivation and inspiration, along with confidence and clarity, to the clients I work with. 

Through my editorial services, I critique manuscripts, craft pitches for them, provide comp titles and mentor texts, assist with agent and editor list, brainstorm and rank ideas and manuscripts, and more. It’s exciting to see clients secure representation, publication, awards, and mentorships with manuscripts we worked on together. But most rewarding is when I see the emotional impact these services can have on clients, developing their skills and stories and re-invigorating their creative well and love of writing for children. 

You’re also an actor! What drew you to acting?

I’ve always been a storyteller, and with acting I get to be a direct vessel through which part of the storytelling happens. It’s an incredible experience dissecting a script, developing a character, and diving deeper into my emotional life, experiences, and imagination to help bring a character, story, and world to life. It can be exhausting, and yet, it’s often energizing. When I’m on a set or stage, or even an audition room, I get an indescribable rush. The second the camera’s rolling or the show starts, something inside me changes. I’m making strong choices, acting on instincts, and surfing a wave of adrenaline. 

I attended a rigorous conservatory-style program for acting, earned my way into SAG-AFTRA, and was starting to audition for exciting roles and projects. My career was just gaining momentum just as the pandemic hit. Unfortunately, things haven’t rebounded for me since (or many of us, I suspect). But I look forward to being back on sets on day (hopefully soon).

What can we expect next from you?

My sophomore picture book, Impossible Possums (illustrated by James Rey Sanchez) publishes on October 22nd through Disney Hyperion. The Zombees (illustrated by Kaly Quarles) publishes in 2025 through Simon and Schuster. Impossible Possum for Mayor (the sequel to Impossible Possums) also publishes that year. Vampurr (illustrated by Lenny Wen) publishes with FSG/Macmillan in 2026.