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. 

Snowbound Second Chance by Reese Ryan

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Whenever I need a light quick romance read I turn to Harlequin. Reese Ryan knows how to deliver. RIP to Harlequin's Desire line but luckily there's still so many books in the backlist I still need to read. And tackling Reese Ryan's Valentine's Vineyard series is definitely on my agenda. I love romances that also include families. I want to see the interactions with parents, siblings, and cousins on page. You can get Snowbound Second Chance here and keep reading for more. 

Snowbound Second Chance follows Sebastian Valentine and Evelisse “Evvie” Jemison. Both live outside of Magnolia Lake and are working at jobs that are unfulfilling. Sebastian ends up coming back to Magnolia Lake after having a panic attack at work over some changes to worker's conditions that the new company in charge wants to implement. Since his father sold the textile company he is acting CEO in name only. Evvie is working as a personal assistant after her Hollywood Actress Dreams failed to pan out. This job was supposed to lead to work behind the camera but her boss isn't delivering on his promise. Evvie's sister Kayleigh asks her to come home and help her run the inn that she has just opened on their family's old land. And though Evvie is reluctant at first due to childhood trauma that she's been running from, she decides to return home. The two met the year before and nothing came from it but with Sebastian at the inn for a long term stay and Evvie as acting innkeeper thing really heat up when the temperatures drop.

These are characters in their forties who act like it but that doesn't mean they have life completely figured out. Evvie has been putting in a lot of work on herself over the past year with therapy and it's refreshing to read. She's also reflected on her previous relationship and understands what both of their faults were so she doesn't plan on repeating the same mistakes. Sebastian despite having gone through a divorce because of his unhealthy overcommitment to work, still isn't ready to quite let go of what he believes is his family legacy. Even though his family has moved on to their vineyard venture he isn't on board yet and has a lot to learn. These two have great communication with each other which only enhances their chemistry. And like the title suggests you can be prepared for a sexy snowbound scene. 

Fake Famous by Dana L Davis

Welcome Back, Booklovers! January is my month of  trying to get caught up. And I decided to read some of the books I've had on the backburner for a few months. I've read all of Dana L Davis' YA books so far. And for the past couple of books she's been going with the set around the music industry theme. Check out my Roman and Jewel review here and my Somebody That I Used to Know review here. And if you're interest in Fake Famous check out my review below and purchase your copy here. 

Fake Famous follows a girl named Red who ends up going viral when she's caught on camera singing in a pile of manure. People mistake her for a famous pop singer Zay Zay  Waters who ironically enough has also just dyed her locks red. Red is even more surprised when Zay Zay shows up at the farm offering to pay her to be her stand-in for a week while she's off on a special mission. With Red's family farm struggling she agrees to take the cash, gets her celebrity makeover, and heads to Los Angeles. 

The concept of a regular girl switching places with a wealthier person is nothing new but it's always fun. And what really carried this story is what Dana L Davis always does so well and that's the banter between characters. Red and her love interest Koi have an easy chemistry that carried throughout the book. And Red is a genuinely sweet girl who puts her family and their best interest first all the time.

It was very awkward  and confusing seeing the mentions of the main character wanting to visit Israel and film a movie in Israel as if it's some beautiful vacation destination. Especially since this book was written during the past year when we've seen Israel constantly in the news. That was a choice!A choice that made no sense and leaves me with questions for everyone involved with this book. And it was the beginning of things that took me out of an otherwise mostly enjoyable story by the end. 

The ending did come off a little Disney Channel movie and the last few chapters while predictable didn't have good buildup for me. We saw so little interest in what she was actually interested in outside of her family's farm that it didn't quite fit. I feel this could've still had a happy ending without the fairytaleesque path it went down. But overall this book will be fun for the younger YA audience who is looking for a quick read.

The Art of Scandal by Regina Black

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I had been meaning to read The Art of Scandal since last fall but I was waiting to be in the right mood for it. I decided January would be a good time to finish books I carried over into the new year. You can buy The Art of Scandal here. 

The Art of Scandal follows Rachel who receives a nude text from her husband on the night of his fortieth birthday and instantly realizes it wasn't meant for her. But since she's dedicated so much of her life to being his wife and has built nothing on her own she can't just walk away without having to start all over. Matt is a white politician who has higher political aspirations and is willing to pay her off to keep of the facade of a happy couple. While Rachel is regretting her life, she meets Nathan Vasquez, a struggling artist in his mid 20s who makes her feel alive again. 

I was pleasantly surprised by The Art of Scandal. It starts off with a bang jumping right into the major of scandal of the story. I enjoy when stories get into the action on page one because with so many books out there to read I want to be immediately drawn in. While Regina Black writes a believable politician in Matt and gives insight into what he's campaigning on she doesn't get caught up in the specifics. This is Rachel and Nathan's story and the focus remains on them. Rachel is older, she has a daughter in college and so much of her life has been wrapped up in being the perfect politician's wife that's she's not even sure who she is anymore. Nathan has grown up privileged but he's also lost and struggling to find his purpose in life. His older brother is somewhat of the golden child who has always been seen as the successful one. While Nate is running a laundromat passed on to him and doing fanart while he ignores his true calling. 

The book is steamy and full of soap operaesque drama but it's still grounded in reality. It's written in a way where I felt like I was peeking in to these people's every day lives. These are two people who are at a crossroads and are holding onto trauma. I really enjoyed how this book explored uncertainty in your career as well as balancing family relationships. It also explores the challenges to interracial relationships in a way we don't always see depicted.

The audiobook narration is great and the book is pretty fairly paced. I can easily see where this would make a good tv series.

Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Raiders of the Lost Heart intrigued me because it was promising me an adventure romance which I don't see a lot of. With comparisons to Romancing the Stone and Indiana Jones I knew I had to read this one before the year ended. It did finally inspire me to watch The Lost City out of curiosity wondering if it would have any of those vibes.

Dr. Corrie Mejia is very passionate about finding the lost remains of Chimalli, an Aztec warrior she believes to be one of her ancestors. Which is why she agrees to trek through the Mexican jungles with her enemy Dr. Ford Matthews and play second fiddle despite the fact that she should be leading this expedition. While working on this dig old feelings from college resurface while the stakes get higher in the search for Chimalli. 

Corrie and Ford have enough chemistry and there's enough steam to satisfy readers but it's still hard to get into this couple because of how easy they get together. Corrie's anger towards Ford is warranted since he basically slept his way into a fellowship that should've been hers. It felt like the author uses Ford having a dead parent and a dying parent as a way for readers to have instantly sympathy for him and also justify his actions while absolving him from accountability. Corrie so easily forgives him even as he uses her dissertation as a guide for this dig that he'll not only receive the credit for but a substantial amount of money for.  

And as much as we are told she's a great archaeologist that's not portrayed on page. At times it felt like the book was actively going against the message it was trying to tell about women being seen as equals in their industries. Even in the author's note Jo Segura mentions that while she likes archeology in actuality it's quite boring so she left that boring stuff out in order to not bore readers. There's much talk from Corrie about not falling into the sexy Latina stereotype yet all she's portrayed as is the sexy Latina with much description of her fabulous breasts and how much the crew is lusting after her. Corrie is also willing to risk her reputation very easily for sex with the man who has screwed her over multiple times in her career to advance his own. And for a professor who taught at Yale, Ford was very bad at doing research which causes them to run into problems later. Which was also wild because so much of archaeology is research! 

What started off as an interesting premise ended up fizzling out for this reader. 

Salsa Magic by Letisha Marrero

Welcome Back, Booklovers! I love books that feel authentic. And Salsa Magic caught my eye between the cover that was giving throwback in the best of ways and the synopsis that hinted at the tale of a Nuyorican family that was sure to touch my heart. Levine Querido provided me a finished copy and with them releasing another book I enjoyed I was looking forward to this read. 

Maya Beatriz is a middle schooler navigating first crushes, standing out on the soccer team, and dealing with gentrification of their neighborhood affecting her family's business. One day an estranged auntie arrives from Puerto Rico and her presence sends her family into a frenzy. Abuela doesn't want them speaking Titi Yaya and there are whispers of her being a bruja. Plus Maya is having strange dreams. Maya is not sure why she feels a connection to Titi Yaya however she wants to know more. And when Titi starts talking about Yoruban Gods and Goddess and family legacy, Maya knows she must follow her heart to fulfill her destiny. 

This is a great story about family and coming of age. Maya's family dynamics are relatable especially to Caribbean American readers. There's so many little things in the Afro-Caribbean experience that translate regardless of language or island so it was nice to see that represented here. The book has a strong message about making amends and connecting with your family members while they're still here. So often we make excuses to hold grudges or let our busy day to day lives get in the way and then regret not spending time with people when they're gone.  And so many traditions die out because there's no one willing to pass them along. 

In between connecting with her estranged aunt, Maya is also dealing with a crush on a girl from her soccer team and a bully on a rival team. Her relationship dynamics with her aunt who because of her age is more like a sister-cousin to her, is also changing. 

This book is perfect for fans of Encanto and Elizabeth Acevedo. Letisha Marrero writes in a way that's almost lyrical. You can practically smell the cafecito through the pages. 

Neverwraith by Shakir Rashaan

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Neverwraith is book I only heard about the month it was being released but from the synopsis I knew it had the making of everything I love in a YA urban fantasy. Thank you Entangled Publishing for a finished copy.

Neverwraith is fantasy about a boy named Yasir who has to move from Atlanta where he's spent his entire life living with his grandmother to stay with his uncle in Oakwood Grove. Yasir is just trying to fit in but becomes an easy target at school for the popular rich boy who has something to prove. He was advised by his grandma to keep a low profile and he's not sure why his eyes are changing colors, why he feels heat under his skin, and why he's so drawn to this girl named Zahra at his new school. 

Shakir Rashaan offers readers a well-paced fantasy with a voice we usually don't see as the focus. There aren't a lot of fantasies featuring Black boys as the main character on the bookstore shelves. And it was refreshing to see a Black boy with a voice that's not toned down to make white readers feel more comfortable.

It's very easy to get sucked into this story right from the beginning. I appreciated the lively cast and believable relationship dynamics.  The balance between Yasir attempting to fit in at his new school while still maintaining ties with his old crew is very relatable. Yasir and Zahra's relationship develops pretty quickly but they have an easy going chemistry that makes it work while hints about why their connection is so strong are dropped along the way. There's a unique magic world that unfolds as we get further into the story instead of being dumped on readers all at once. There's lots of details so a glossary would've been helpful but it nothing is overly complicated or confusing. Comic books fans will love this new kind of superhero. And the authentic voice will appeal to teen readers especially Black teens. 

With ancient magical societies, superhero type powers, and so many secrets to uncover it's a fantasy that truly stands out among a sea of similar stories.

Thieves' Gambit by by Kayvion Lewis

Welcome Back, Booklovers! So I heard about Thieves' Gambit when the rights were acquired for adaptation. There's so many books they go to auction. There's so many books that have their rights acquired and it's announced prior to publication. And I always wonder what is it about this book that is generating so much buzz in advance. And the majority of time when I read the book I'm left disappointed. So I was hesitantly curious about this book since these contemporary thrillers tend to be a big miss for me.

Ross Quest is a seventeen year old from a family of well known thieves living in the Bahamas. But she plans to leave the family business by dipping out on her mother after their latest job. When her mother is captured and held for ransom she has to join the Thieves' Gambit, an international heist competition and compete against some of the world's greatest young thieves for the grand prize. One of those competitor's includes Ross' sworn enemy. 

Finally a heist story with actually heists! This is a fast-paced YA thriller which was refreshing with how many books lately are so slow. Even though these high stakes competition or trials stories are very popular right now this manages to stand out on it's own. The bold characters, fun locations, and twists make it easy to see why this one was scooped up for adaptation. 

It ends on a cliffhanger that leaves plenty of room for a solid story in the sequel. And it feels like a book actually written with it's teen readers in mind with readable prose and the right balance of character and plot.

The Princess of Thornwood Drive by Khalia Moreau

Welcome Back, Booklovers! This was one of the books I went in not really knowing what to expect. I think it was the mention of Trinidadian lore that initially put this on my radar awhile back.

A year ago an accident killed Laine's parents and left her younger sister paralyzed and non verbal. Since then Laine has been struggling with expenses, taking care of her sister, and trying to balance work and school. It's a relief to her when she's able to put her in Lake Forest Adult Day Center. 

Alyssa meanwhile is coping with her reality in a different way. In her mind she and her family are apart of the royal family of Mirendal and while she was cursed, her parents were kidnapped. Now she's navigating through this magical land with mermaids and fairies trying to adjust to her new life.

The Princess of Thornwood Drive is an interesting genre blend that is one part hard hitting contemporary and another party fantasy that stands out among other recent reads. There's an open dialogue in this book about abuse within the healthcare profession as well as tackling grief from parental death, sexual assault (off page), and mental health issues. It doesn't shy away from the burdens of being a caretaker and the pain that comes from it.

While there were some mentions of Jumbies I wouldn't go in expecting a ton of Trinidadian lore. Don't go in expecting a fantasy in the way you would approach an epic fantasy. But the fantasy in this world is an interesting contrast to the real world issues. This book is emotional without feeling too heavy and has good pacing. 

Shadow Coven by S. Isabelle

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Shadow Coven is the sequel to last year's The Witchery, a novel I had mixed feelings about. However I liked Iris and Thalia's stories enough to see it through and I'm a sucker for a witchy fantasy. I received an arc from Scholastic in exchange for an honest review.

Thalia's conservative Christian pastor father is hunting her down and she suspects killing other witches in the process. Trent is uncovering some secrets about his mother and himself. Iris and Matthew are contact by death himself to do his bidding. Logan is still trying to come into her powers. Jailah is doing an internship with the Witchery Council that leads to her learning some classified information.

One of my biggest critiques with The Witchery was about giving the six main characters their own povs. Because there were so many of them every character didn't seem to get equal attention and it made their storylines feel more drawn out. At first this book felt loosely connecting with each character going through their own personal battles. Jailah and Trent did have more of a presence and purpose this time which I appreciated. However I still wasn't convinced about Logan's presence as a pov character when she mainly seemed to be present to use her whiteness to get into spaces the other girls could not. Matthew's storyline is still so intertwined with Iris' that I wasn't solely convinced we needed his pov either. But this book had more of what I wanted to see in book 1 with characters being fleshed out better.

The book reads like a teen fantasy show but I can't help but think balancing a large cast like this would've been easier in a graphic novel. It took a little bit of time for me to get into this especially since it starts at the end of the school year. In book one, I felt the world's knowledge of witchery wasn't clear enough and it's explained in more detail here. At a time when Florida schools are regularly featured in the news surrounding discussions of what students are permitted to learn it's easy to see the parallels here with Mesmortes, the school the coven attends. 

I did end up switch to the audiobook a little after the midway mark which is also where the book started to pick up the pacing and momentum. Accents aside the narration was great. I'm someone who usually doesn't like to listen to fantasy because I find it hard to keep interested and understand what's happening. But S. Isabelle manages to make this book engaging without feeling convoluted despite the various plots happening at once.  

Full Moon Over Freedom by Angelina M. Lopez

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Full Moon over Freedom promised small town romance, big families, and brujas. 

Gillian Armstead-Bancroft aka the Pride of the East Side has returned to Freedom, Kansas. She's seen as the golden child of their small town because she left, got her masters, and married a rich white man. Now she's back and attempting to reclaim her power after a divorce from her emotionally abusive husband who could care less about their children, especially her autistic son. This bruja's magic is attempting to break the curse on her magic. While back in town she reunites with Nicky Mendoza, her childhood friend who she had a summer fling with back during her early college days.

This is a very steamy read which is something Angelina Lopez does very well. This was further aided by an audiobook narrator who clearly understood the assignment. And Nicky and Gillian have great chemistry that makes you want to keep listening.

Nicky and Gillian are both half Mexican American and Anglo American and are working on a project together that helps honor the town's Mexican American community. I enjoyed the backstory created for this town and the interactions with Gillian's family members.

Nicky is dealing with some guilt over his brother's addiction issues which was an interesting development. However once we start getting into flashbacks it started loosing my attention towards the end. Admittedly he wasn't as fleshed out of a character as Gillian and I didn't get a clear picture of his adult dynamic with his brother. He also briefly lies about being engaged to push Gillian away and that part made no sense.

There's still plenty to enjoy with touches of magical realism woven throughout this sweet second chance story.

Curlfriends by Sharee Miller

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Graphic novels do such a great job telling stories that just wouldn't read the same in prose form. And sometimes they're the best option for series with an ensemble cast. And Curlfriends promises to be the start of a fun new series. I received an arc from Little Brown Young Reader.

Charlie is new in town and starting school 3 weeks into the school year. As if middle school wasn't hard enough. This year she's determined to make new friends and reinvent herself as the cool girl, she even has the new wardrobe to match. But her first day doesn't go as planned and she fears she may be running out of chances to prove herself.

We don't often get to see Black military brats so I was happy to see that in Charlie. Being new to a school is hard enough, especially if you're new in town and have never gotten to stay in one place for too long. I liked how Charlie was able to have an open conversation with her father about how she felt like an outsider in town while he seemed to know everyone. But we also see her struggling to connect with him because she's not used to him being around. Those scenes were very well done. 

The girls feel like real tween girls. They're into fashion, boba, and they're discovering first crushes. And it's refreshing to see more light hearted stories like this featuring Black girls dealing with real issues girls go through. This was a great kickoff to a new series.

Brooms by Jasmine Walls and Teo Duvall

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Brooms only came on my radar over the past few months but I liked how unique it sounded and I enjoy historical fantasy stories. I find them a great way to touch on a little bit of history with the fun an excitement of the fantastic. I was able to read an early finished copy courtesy of Levine Querido. 

This is set in an alternate history in 1930s Mississippi, where magic is outlawed for Black and Native American people. This graphic novel follows a cast of characters who each get into illegal broom racing as a means to be able to escape to a better life. 

Sisters Emma and Mattie are Black and Choctaw who have to hide their magic to avoid being put into a residential school and potential stripped of their powers. Luella who is Mexican and Choctaw has already been stripped of her powers after an incident at one of the schools and is doing her best to protect Emma and Mattie. Cheng Kwan is Chinese American and just wants to be able to embrace her identity. Billie Mae is Black and deals with chronic pain. Loretta is Black and disabled after a stroke. And last Billie Mae is Black and dealing with chronic pain.

It's a very straightforward plot as this band of witches takes on a set of rivals from a white magic school. I liked the small touches in the artwork like Emma's sign language however the emotions on the faces of different characters weren't always clearly illustrated. With the wide range of identities and disabilities you can tell the authors are very intentional about the message they want to portray. I didn't always feel immersed in the setting however it was a fast-paced enjoyable read.

Sign of the Slayer by Sharina Harris

Welcome Back, Booklovers! This is a book that has gone through a few title and cover changes since I added it back to my TBR well over a year ago. Author Sharina Harris reached out to me upon seeing my excitement over the book in my 2023 Most Anticipated Reads video series offering me the chance to read it before release.

Eighteen year old Raven's biggest concern is band and going off to college next year until one night after a big football game the band gets ambushed by vampires leaving her as the only survivor. It's that night that she discovers she's a slayer when a handsome vampire comes to her rescue. Soon she's forced to leave her old life behind and join the Slayer Society. While Raven is training to be a field agent she's also trying to figure out what the vampires are plotting.

The pacing was a little confusing for me at first because readers are quickly thrown into action with a vampire attack and then Raven's need for vengeance has her immediately ready to join the Slayer Society. But it soon settled as the world building started coming together and the societies of the slayers and vampires were explained. 

I would say this is more urban fantasy than paranormal romance. While there is a romance with some instant attraction here a lot of time is dedicated to Raven training and trying to figure out what the vampires are up to. For urban fantasy fans all the hallmarks we know and love are here right down to the secret club run by supernatural beings.

There are references to Buffy which I think older millennials will related more to. But even though the characters are 18+ this still feels like a book written for teens. It doesn't toe the line like a lot of recent releases and instead Raven actually feels like a teen girl. She has an actual personality that shines on page and gets you to keep reading. The side characters also have their own identities. Even though Raven is going through grief there's still a lot of levity in this book with many funny moments. There's a lot to look forward to in book 2. 

Finch House by Ciera Burch

Welcome Back, Booklovers! Spooky Season is almost upon us and I'm here for all the fun offerings. Finch House caught my attention because who doesn't love a good tale about a creepy house? I received an advanced copy from Simon & Schuster so check out my review below!

Micah is dreading moving to New Jersey where she'll be away from her Poppop and all her friends. One day while biking around the neighborhood Micah notices Finch House, a house rumored to be haunted, now has people living in it. Though Poppop has forbade her going near it, curiosity gets the best of her when she meets Theo, one of the new residents. Poppop is not happy when he finds her there and rushes her home. However the next day when she goes to look for him, he's missing! Micah knows the key to finding Poppop is somewhere in Finch House and she's not ready for what she's about to encounter.

This is a shorter Middle Grade story which young readers will appreciate as it doesn't meander but still manages to stay engaging. The vagueness of the house's origin and intentions keeps readers guessing. Yet at the same time Finch House is alive with it's own feelings and moods. And Ciera Burch does a good job building the atmosphere of the house without going into heavy detailed description as she slowly reveals some of the mystery behind the house. 

This story is the right balance of creepy and fast-paced. It does leave readers with some unanswered questions but that doesn't take away from the enjoyment.

Chilling with Ghosts by Insha Fitzpatrick

Welcome Back, Booklovers! The cool thing about field guides is they give you so much information. I had seen the previous published Hanging with Vampires in this same series and liked the idea of a nonfiction guide with facts, urban legends, and activities for the curious young reader. Quirk Books gave me the chance to review Chilling with Ghosts which only the second book in what I hope becomes a long series.

This book is a great intro to horror and ghost tales. I like how Insha Fitzpatrick has this broken down into chapters. Ghosts 101 give you all the quick facts you need. It has how to identify ghosts, different types of ghosts, and even provides you with the Top 10 signs you're being haunted. 

Ghost stories referenced in this guide include everything from the Baily School Kids Ghosts Don't Eat Potato Chips to The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. From classics to modern day middle grade stories readers interested in expanding their reading list can turn to this book. 

Crafts, snacks, and other activities and featured in each chapter. There's everything from how to build a Ghastly Ghostly Tool Kit to How to Make Your Own Haunted House. I liked the Ultimate Ghost Story Game. It could be a fun and interactive activity for a class around Halloween time because it gives just enough pieces to give everyone a starting point to craft a  spooky short story of their own.

Even for a reader like me who enjoys a good horror from time to time but wouldn't consider myself a horror aficionado this was an enjoyable guide. The different facts about ghosts along with celebrations and superstitions from different parts of the world was very interesting. The illustrations were great and it was nice to see some diversity in imagery. I would've liked to see some more examples from countries in Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. This did stick to the more popular and well known places in media. There's lots of humor and numerous pop culture references ranging from present to modern day. But this guide is a good starting point to jump into further exploration. Looking forward to the next Totally Factual Field Guide to the Supernatural and hoping it's witches. 

The Secret to a Southern Wedding by Synithia Williams

Welcome Back, Booklovers! If Synithia Williams has a new book out I'm gonna read it. As a lover of her Jackson Fall series and Heart & Soul series when I heard about the Peachtree Cove series I was ready. And I was able to read The Secret to a Southern Wedding early thanks to Harlequin. 

Imani is an OBGYN currently living in Tampa, Florida. She's recently been named doctor of the year at the hospital she works for. But as she's discovered the doctor of the year position despite getting her a seat on the hospital board is really just a way for the hospital to appear to be more diverse after some backlash. As much as Imani wants to make a difference she's having trouble making her voice be heard and that's leaving her feeling frustrated. 

She receives a text from her mother announcing a wedding to a man she's only officially been dating for a month and immediately rushes back to her hometown to stop that wedding. Back in Peachtree Cove, Georgia she meets the sexiest man at a diner but later discovers he's Cyril Dash, the son of the man her mother plans to marry. While Cyril at first thought his father was moving too fast, he decided to support him because after all they've been through over the past few years he really wants his father to have some peace and happiness. He and his father moved to Peachtree to rebuild their lives and he's enjoyed having a fresh start.

Between Imani's frustration over waking up to a strange man cooking in his tiny robe every morning and her mother's total personality transplant; she also has a lot ill will towards her hometown and believes it's still the small-minded place she grew up in. But the town has been changing the last few years. Her best friend Tracy, has taken over an inn downtown, Cyril's bar is one of the go-to spots to hang and sip craft beer, and new restaurants and cafes have recently opened.

Readers who like small town romance will enjoy this. It's funny and engaging.  And one thing Synithia Williams does well is write grown people (30+) with depth. The characters feel real and have just the right balance of drama while still keeping the romance sweet and engaging. There's also a side cast of characters whose lives we get a glimpse into and you can already see the threads of future stories. 

Forged by Blood by Ehigbor Okosun

Welcome Back, Booklovers! There's been a few fantasies out in the past couple of years with Black women and Blood Magic and those are buzz words for me so when I heard about Forged by Blood I was intrigued. I received a copy from Harper Voyager to review because I was a fan of The Blood Trials.

Forged by Blood is set in a fantasy version of Nigeria where familiar cities like Ife and Benin City make an appearance. People who practice Yoruba have special powers an are hunted down by the colonizer ruling class. Nine years after witnessing her mother's death, Demi has the power to seek her revenge when she is blackmailed into kidnapping the prince who played a role in her mother's death. Things don't quite go as planned and Demi alongside her friend/future intended Colin find themselves on a cross-country race against time. 

Forged by Blood's biggest strength is it's world building with characters that are straight out of West African mythology. Okosun vividly describes the people, their traditions, and their mouth watering food. The magic system showcases a range of different powers without making characters feel too overpowered.

At times the pacing was a problem with lulls in between action that would break up the momentum. There is a lot that goes on during this journey but sometimes readers are able to soak it all in and other times it's quickly moved past. Multiple shocking revelations were made at once towards the end that had my attention but I would've liked some of them to happen earlier. 

Though this book is published as an adult fantasy it leaned very young adult and not just because main character Demi is a teenager. The messaging about colonialism and colorism is very heavy handed throughout and it took a very straightforward approach when it came to the idea of who the heroes were and who the villains were. Demi stays strong in her convictions that violence is not the answer but hopefully the sequel will also explore the side that is for fighting to take back what was stolen from them. One of the nice things about adult fantasy is that there's more opportunity to play around with morally grey characters.

There is a love triangle here that made for an interesting dynamic with some funny moments, but instead ended up going the more predictable route. If you've ever read a YA fantasy you'll immediately know who Demi chooses and it would've been nice to see Okosun go in a different direction there. 

Forged by Blood  has potential to really be a standout series if it takes a little bit more risk. 

The Sun and the Void by Gabriela Romero LaCruz

Welcome Back, Booklovers! The Sun and the Void caught my attention last year because in a genre dominated by European aesthetics and similar feeling kingdoms it was cool to see a unique setting. There aren't a ton of South American inspired fantasies in the adult epic fantasy space and I was happy when Gabriela Romero Lacruz reached out and asked if I wanted a copy to review.

The Sun and the Void is a dual pov fantasy following two young women who in many ways are in similar situations. Both are of mixed origin and yearn for a place where they belong. Reina's parents are dead and she answers the call of a grandmother looking to connect after all these years. While Eva has a family, she feels like an outsider and dreads the day her family marries her off to be rid of her. 

Part 1 consists of a lot of set up for the main story and I do think that it could've been edited down because it was quite lengthy and some of it could've easily been summarized in a few sentences. We get a play by play of Reina arriving at the manor after being attacked by these demon like creatures called the tinieblas who attempt to rot her heart. While that was a critical piece of the story, I felt we could've been told about rather than shown Dona Laurel and Don Enrique's struggle to have a boy. Reina felt a connection to the Aguila family specifically Dona Laurel and Celeste for showing her kindness but I was still left confused about why she had such strong feelings for them. Readers are told that two years time has passed but despite the slow pace it didn't feel like much had happened. Eva also gets little focus during this part of the book so readers are left wondering when she and Reina will cross paths.

Part 2 is when the story finally starts to take root and action happens. Reina's grandmother, a practitioner of mineral based magic, wants to invoke the power of a forbidden god. Reina is desperate to be her grandmother's successor and also dependent on her magic to keep her alive so she agrees to do her bidding. Blood must be sacrificed. Eva on the other hand has found a way to escape her family who have ostracized her for partaking in dark magic. Not only do we get to know more about the characters in this section but we get to explore more of this world and it's politics. Unexpected secrets are revealed that make the book worth continuing.

There's no side that's right vs wrong here, as the author has readers constantly second guessing who to root for as agendas are uncovered. It's a very character driven story with the characters written in a way where readers have to determine if they find their actions justifiable enough to excuse the harm they've done. For those who like romance in their fantasy that's here and the morally ambiguity extends to those relationships as well. 

There's still much to explore with an ending that leaves a lot of possibilities for the sequel. 

Family Lore by Elizabeth Acevedo

Back in 2020 Elizabeth Acevedo made me a fan with her entry in the A Phoenix First Must Burn anthology where her story Gilded was a standout and that had me rushing to read her other books that spring where she was a lockdown staple. So imagine my excitement when I found out she has sold her first adult novel? I received this book from HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review.

Flor has always been able to see the deaths of others so when she decides to hold a living wake her family is unsure if she's predicted her own death or the death of someone close to her. We follow two generations of women as they reflect on their lives leading up to the wake. 

At first it took me some time to really get into it and be able to differentiate the sisters and daughters. And then some chapters were told from the perspective of Flor's daughter Oona, an anthropologist interviewing the other family members. She often tries to relate her studies back to her family. So the lines are blurred on if we're seeing their point of view or their story filtered through her. It also doesn't follow a linear timeline, often jumping to different decades and present day depending on which character is doing the reflecting. 

The writing in this book is not for everyone. It's slower paced, it's very different from her YA books. But there's something about these 6 women that just draws you in and has you continuing to turn the page. She doesn't hold back when talking about taboo subjects. The relationships these women have with each other and other members of their family aren't always pretty. There's heavy sexual content as she describes their desire in detail. Oona, who proclaims her vagina is blessed and has a fetish that might take you buy surprise.

These were Caribbean women through and through. And it was more than just their country upbringing that reflected that. They all possessed a special magic that isn't the magic that conjures images of witches like some might expect. I could see pieces of the women in my family reflected in some of these women. They came with familiar sounding stories of infidelity, struggles with fertility, ill treatment while trying to create a life for themselves, being the forgotten sister. And though these women start off feeling very similar it's easy to see where their experiences intersect but also take their own direction. 

I'll reiterate to not pick up this book expecting the adult version of her other books. This is her most ambitious one yet. I'd say if you were of a fan of books like Halsey Street this is something you'll enjoy.