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. 

Masquerade by O.O. Sangoyomi

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Masquerade was one of my anticipated reads for this year. The premise of a reimagined precolonial Africa just spoke to me as someone who has been asking for more of that in books for some time.  I received an arc from Macmillan in exchange for review.

Ododo is taken from her home in Timbuktu after it is conquered by the warrior king of Yorubaland and chosen to be his bride. Ododo decides to lean into her new role and use it to her advantage to move up in society. But she soon discovers she's in over head and there are sacrifices she'll need to make on the way to the top.

This book was very mis-marketed. And thought the publisher and author took a gamble with that I do think people will go in expecting one thing and be disappointed. There was a lot of flip flopping with the promotion of it between if it was supposed to be a historical fiction or a fantasy and I feel like it lands somewhere in between. This world didn't fully immerse me in the time period it was supposed to be set in especially with modernisms slipping in. But it also did not have any type of magic in it to be considered a fantasy thought the world feels very similar to several African inspired fantasies I've read.

 With the comp to The Woman King and the emphasis on Ododo being a smart and ruthless heroine I expected exactly that. However what I received was a naive young woman who believes she should be in power but her overly trusting nature despite being shown time and time again no one was her friend made it hard for me to root for her. She just never came across like the capable leader we were to believe she would be and I had a hard time believing people would easily fall in line with her. I can see why readers were saying this feels more like YA because we do have a sheltered teenage main character who is overly trusting pretty much down to the end. 

However despite my frustrations with Ododo I do think the twists and turns of the story were compelling. The book is written in a way where you have to keep reading because you're wondering how Ododo is going to make it through. The court intrigue aspect is what really drove the story and I did like when she used gossip from the women to aid  I would've liked to see her be more ruthless and calculated. Most books inspired by Hades and Persephone either go the romance route or point out how problematic the tale is while this one tried to play up both sides. 

Ariel Blake's narration really elevates this book and brings the story to life. It's a good story but there's so much being held back.

A Little Bit of Love by Synithia Williams

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I'm back with another romance and this one is by an author favorite. A Little Bit of Love by Synithia Williams features Sherri "Li'l Bit" Thomas who was previously seen in Counterfeit Courtship giving Tyrone trouble by painting him as a dog. So I was so excited to see she had her own book because I knew drama and mess would ensue. 

Sherri is a restaurant owner living in a small coastal South Carolina town. She decides to take part in a new community initiative after teenagers start causing trouble for small businesses of the South side of town. She ends up being paired with cop Deandre King who she had met previously when he arrested her after she vandalized an ex's car. But unlike many of the people in town who have written her off as ghetto, Deandre sees her as more. Though Deandre falls for her fast he doesn't want to move too quickly because he has a teenage son to think about who has been running with a new crowd recently and closing himself off from his dad. 

I wasn't sure where this story was going to go at first and I will say Synithia switched it up in a very realistic way that sets this one apart from other small town romances. In some of her other books she's had the teenage child who is happy for their parent to find love and is pushing for them but here Deandre's son actually causes trouble for the couple with blatant attempts to push them apart. Another aspect of note is that it's addressed that Black people don't have the best relationships with cops and Sherri's family is hesitant to embrace her new relationship because of that. I also loved that misconceptions about Sherri people had based off her previous incident with her ex was addressed. My biggest complaint was that it was over too soon!

Malicia by Steven dos Santos

Welcome Back, Booklovers! It's still Read Caribbean and I needed a good fast paced read after coming off a more slow burn book. Enter Malicia, a haunted theme park book I've been wanting to read. 

Raymundo, Sofia, Joaquin, and Isabella are on a small island off the coast of the Dominican Republic shooting a documentary on the now defunct amusement park Malicia. Malicia was closed 13 years earlier after a mass killing took place there. Ray's mother and brother were killed in that mass murder, Isabella is hoping this film project will get her recognition and into the school of her dreams, Sofia is looking for one last adventure with her friends, and Joaquin is apart of a coven and knows the secrets of the Malicia Massacre and is ready to sacrifice Ray to save himself. When a hurricane hits the island and the demon El Baca starts attacking the adventure truly begins.

I was looking for something spooky and this definitely delivered on atmosphere without being as vague as some of my other reads. I appreciated the short and to the point chapters as we alternated povs amongst the characters. The constant shifting between characters did a great job keeping up the tension and it kept my attention. I laughed out loud of the descriptions of Malicia the park because it's like a horror themed Disney complete with a scary version of  "It's a Small World". Various characters from Dominican folklore also make appearances on page. It has all the elements of a fun teen horror romp.

Until I Met You by Amber Rose Gill

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Hope you're staying hot during this heatwave! I started reading from my vacation books TBR this month and Until I Met You has been sitting on my shelves for some time so after my own little Caribbean vacation it was the perfect time to pick up this vacation romance.

Until I Met You follows Samantha who is in Tobago performing bridesmaid's duties for her childhood best friend after a breakup. It's tough being the only single one in the group and after a rough first meeting she ends up hooking up with one of the groom's friends named Roman. Roman is living in Tobago helping his grandparents with their shop after leaving a lucrative career on Wall Street.

This was a cute read but it did take a little time for me to really get invested because at the start you're placed right into this situation and all these names are getting thrown at you and the breakup has already happened off page. Then after an initial clash Samantha and Roman get together quickly. But when they  found their groove they were very cute. However when I thought the book was hitting it's peak that's when the drama really amped up. So secrets were being spilled and people came to the island to shake things up and it made it hard to see how things were going to wrap up. Especially since Roman refuses to share anything about himself and Sam is basically pulling teeth to find out why he up and decided to move to Tobago with no clear plans. It got frustrating when she asked him for the umpteenth time and he was still trying to be vague. I think if the drama was spread out a little bit more instead of jammed packed into the last few days of the trip it would've flowed better.

The depictions of Tobago were pretty spot on. They went there as a vacation destination as do many people including people from Trinidad and they did the touristy things like visit the beaches and the Nylon Pool.

Samantha ultimate learns a lot about herself like the fact that she and her friends are growing up and growing apart and  they don't share as much with each other as they should. She's also learning to figure out what she wants to do in life. She starts a travel blog to document the trip but ultimately it ends up becoming a more personalized account of everything going on between her and her friends. 

Summer on Sag Harbor by Sunny Hostin

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I really enjoyed Summer of the Bluffs when I read it and I'm finally continuing the Summer on the Beach series. William Morrow sent me the last two books so no more excuses! I feel like we've seen more of a spotlight on these popular historical vacation spots for African Americans in the last few years and I'm finding it fascinating to read about it from someone like Sunny who does run in that crowd. So I decided to start  Summer on Sag Harbor since it felt fitting with summer fast approaching.

Summer on Sag Harbor builds upon the previous book where we are following Olivia Jones whose relationship with Anderson, the comedian she got engaged to in the previous book is still trucking along albeit having lost a little bit of it's spark. Olivia is now starting to experience some obstacles when it comes to their racial differences which is especially prominent now that they're no longer in their isolated Covid bubble and she's decide to live at her new home in Sag Harbor. Olivia immediate fits into her new neighborhood while Anderson feels out of place and continues to commute to NYC for work. She starts to form relationships with people in Sag Harbor while she also searches for information about the family of her deceased father. With white development companies targeting the area she gets involved with efforts to push back against the gentrification and retain the area's history and Black community. 

There's never a dull moment with multiple storylines running at once and appearances and updates from Olivia's god sisters and godmother from the previous book. This is set during the summer of 2021 so Covid is very much a thing that is being addressed on page along with testing and vaccinations. If you're familiar with Sunny from the view it should not be surprising that it's incorporated. However it's still a light beach read and one I could see potentially being adapted into a limited series.

People may question why a seemingly strong woman like Olivia had issues of self doubt and was questioning her life choices. But I found it to be very relatable and refreshing to see a Black woman, specifically a darker skinned Black woman get to be vulnerable and not the bitchy shrew type who just needs a good man. I'm curious to see how her journey continues in the next book since this one ends in a seemingly happy spot for her. 

It Waits in the Forest by Sarah Dass

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Having read Sarah's first two books (and still reluctantly waiting for her to take the plunge into adult romance) when I saw the cover reveal around this time last year I knew that It Waits in the Forest would be an automatic read for me. I received a copy from Hyperion in exchange for an honest review.

In It Waits in the Forest we follow Selina, a young woman living on the island of St. Virgil who is making ends meet running an Obeah shop. She doesn't believe in the supernatural but she makes money from gullible tourists using her knowledge of healing plants and specialized props to peddle fake spells and charms. One day a tourist arrives at the shop willing to pay any price as he believes he's being stalked by a supernatural being. When that tourist ends up at the center of a strong of murders it's up to Selina and her newly returned to the island ex boyfriend Gabriel to solve the mystery before they end up the next victims. 

Sarah Dass has crafted a paranormal detective mystery of sorts with inspiration from Caribbean folklore mixed with a second chance romance between two young lovers. Dass does a great just building the atmosphere of the island and the anticipation to uncovering what the "it" is. I don't think anyone should go into this looking for a horror because it really wasn't a horror book. But I think it someone wants a light but tense whodunit in a unique location this will satisfy that itch. It's a slow burn but addicting tale.

What I don't recommend is the audiobook which I did use for part of my read. St. Virgil is a Caribbean island inspired by Tobago but the narration kept conjuring images of the Irish countryside for me. It was an awful attempt at any kind of English Caribbean accent. Publishers need to work on hiring people from the region to narrate audiobooks more. It just elevates the story. 

Interview with Author Sami Ellis

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I'm back with another author interview! And this time I spoke with author Sami Ellis. You might know her from her hilarious tweets but she recently released a campy YA horror. So read on to hear her reminisce on some childhood favorites and talk about the process writing Dead Girls Walking. 

What inspired Dead Girls Walking?

Being a cliche of myself, I was inspired after I saw the response to Get Out. Not necessarily watching the film, but seeing everyone love it as much as I loved it. It gave me hope that I could write a horror book about what I was actually afraid of as a Black girl - and really lean into my favorite genre. I was raised on horror, so it's always been a part of my work, but this was a full circle moment for me. That's partially why Dead Girls Walking is so Friday the 13th inspired - it's a homage to the genre, yes, but it's also me just celebrating everything I love about returning to the genre for good.

Have you ever been to a summer camp? If so, what was your experience like?

I have been to a summer camp before! I went to two different ones, and there are a few scenes in Dead Girls inspired by it. The scene where they talk about hearing knocking through the night is directly pulled from my memories at Camp Schmidt in PG County. I had heard knocking on the window through the night! And when I woke up and asked if anyone else had heard it, only one person had cosigned me. When a teacher heard me talking about it, he said it was the haunted Goat Man of Camp Schmidt lol. 

Is there a favorite scene you had to edit out of the book?

There wasn't, really. Through the many drafts of Dead Girls, there were a bunch of characters I had to cut to simplify the story (if you think the story's complicated now, you should have read it when there were 20 campers) - and I felt those cuts deeper than little lines of dialogue. A good example is Queen Bee Anysaa herself. She was always Temple's antagonist, but she's actually two characters merged into one - there used to be four Barbies, and one of them was a meek girl who participated in bullying Temple for her own self-preservation. And that girl was the one Temple attacked, because she was so angry at the thought that this girl would choose to be a victim. I cut this character and merged her with the bad bitch in charge Anysaa to give Anysaa a little bit more depth outside of bratty one-liners.

How did publishing your first book change your writing process?

I don't think it's changed much - I pretty much still write how and what I want to write (to the chagrin of my agent). The one thing I will say is that it's made me much more aware of what I do and do not want to write. For example, while there are plenty of ambiguous horror stories that I love with small moments and bubbling dread…that's not for me. I want big, splashy moments and sick kills. I'd say through publishing I'm much more confident in trying new things with that desire in mind.

What is the most random thing you’ve Googled for a work in progress?

This is so difficult to answer because I really just google to think and it rarely makes it into my final book. But I do remember…Indonesian meditation techniques. I based an entire magic system on it, in a book I wrote a long time ago that was inspired by my best friend who was, you guessed it, indonesian. I retired that book, it was the first one I ever queried. But I repurposed it recently - minus all the Googled culture signposts and ignorantly slapdash magic system- into a short story, which is in the upcoming Monsters In Masquerade anthology from OwlCrate.

What is the secret to navigating social media as an author?

Shitpost all the time and jeopardize your career writing smut about Barnes & Nobles's CEO.

If you could have a dream author event what would it consist of?

I already had it. Virtual event with Holly Black was actually so metal, and one of the best ways to launch my career. It was fun and even though I was sweating bullets we got some GREAT conversation in there. I still can't believe it happened!

What books did you love as a teen?

I was such a Hunger Games kid. To the point my mom and sister know the plot well, despite never seeing or reading it (My sister said "The Hunger Games doesn't sound as interesting as Twilight" which she hasn't read either lol). My mom actually watched it for the first time last year (and she said "I don't like this Gale boy" haha). I was so into dystopian back then - my other favorite being Unwind by Neal Shusterman. But I would also read whatever was in at the library at the time. I remember checking out every Kimani Tru book I hadn't read yet once a week. My mom would buy me the new Keysha's Drama book every Christmas. It's strange having my childhood be split between voicey Black contemporary novels and desolate, action-packed dystopias…but that kind of sums up what I write now, doesn't it?

Do you have any hobbies outside of reading and writing?

I play a lot of video games, watch gaming streams, sometimes play video games while watching them be streamed. I also love to bake. I'm so bad at cooking, but I'm a decent baker.

What should we expect next from you?

More James Daunt smut, more anthology short stories hopefully. I have no books in the pipeline, but I'm always writing them so one should come out eventually (right? RIGHT??)

You can follow Sami on Twitter, Instagram and her website .

The Girl in the Lake by India Hill Brown

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I read my first book by India Hill Brown last year but I always wanted to get back around to reading one of her MG books. And I decided The Girl in the Lake is a good one to start with because it's spooky but also a good length at a time when children are wanting and needing shorter books. So while I'm late to the party it's better late than never! Check out my thoughts below.

Celeste and her brother Owen have recently wrapped swimming lesson and Celeste is sure she failed hers. So imagine her uneasiness when her parents tell her they'll be sending her to spend some weeks with her grandparents who live by a lake. When they arrive alongside their cousins the first thing they notice is how the old house creeks and sometimes they hear noises coming from empty rooms.

Celeste's grandparents are strong believers in learning how to swim especially with the statistics surrounding Black people and swimming in this country and are determined to teach her. She ends up learning that her aunt whom she shares a resemblance with drowned when she was around her age. And they  

The strange noises continue and soon her brother and cousins are claiming Celeste is playing cruel pranks on them even though she swears she's not around when they're happening. The cousins are going to have to team up to rid themselves of the ghost that's haunting the house.

I will say this was less spooky than the cover implies especially when you uncover the truth nature of the ghost. So I'm not sure how middle grade readers looking for something truly horrific would react to this. But it is a great story about family and conquering your fears. It's well paced which made it very compulsively readable. And incorporating Celeste's family history made all the talk about the importance of swimming and historical events flow better.

Waiting for Friday Night by Synithia Williams

Welcome Back, Booklovers! We're back in Peachtree Cove in the latest book by Synithia Williams Waiting for Friday Night. I received a finished copy from Synithia Williams. 

Halle Parker just wants to support her daughter Shania's dreams of being wide receiver on the football team, however things become complicated when Halle discovers her daughter's biological father is the much lauded new football coach. Years ago ex NFL player Quinton was desperate to save his family and had to make a decision for money. Now he and Halle have to figure out how to parent together and the feelings they have for each other. 

Halle is the cousin of Imani from the previous book and Imani does pop in here and there to support her cuz. She's a middle school principal and single mother who is used to be in charge. It was interesting to see her learn to be able to embrace having help because when you're an independent woman you get so used to doing things your way. Halle has been functioning pretty much on her own since losing her parents at a young age.

I also enjoyed Quinton's characterization and his family's presence. The football presence really added to the small town environment since we know Southern states are huge on high school football. You can feel how the sport ties the community together. Quinton's family very close knit but at the same time his parents and sister bring a lot of drama. There was an unexpected twist involving them that held my attention.

The premise of the story is rather outlandish so you just have to go with it that a 21 year old woman would've gone to a sperm doner to have a child. But I like that this was addressed head on with her friend's questioning it instead of quickly brushing past it. I also liked that Halle's daughter Shania is a teen capable of challenging her parents when necessary instead of a precious child who just wants to see them together.

Overall this was a good addition to the series and we get just enough breadcrumbs to prime us for the couple in the next book as well as the continuation of the rivalry for best small town.