This book is giving me mild anxiety, but I need to know where Dolan is going with this…

Even though I bailed on Exciting Times earlier this year, I still wanted to give Dolan another try…Let‘s hope this one is a better fit!

I read this one in 2 days because I couldn‘t put it down! Everyone is super messy and sometimes I just wanted to shake the MC because she kept getting into situations that anyone could see miles away that were going to be extremely bad and toxic.

Did I love this? Absolutely!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This started a bit slow for me (which after a some thought it‘s not really a bad thing), but I enjoyed Toon‘s release last year so I am expecting the same result with this.

3.5⭐️ This story had so much promise for me, but it lost me somewhere in the execution.

The Melvin/Bernadette/Kwesi triangle felt forced and underwhelming. The magic realism that was weaved into the story was so subtle at times that got completely lost for me.

I don‘t regret reading this, but I expected more.

I have already giggled about 3 times with this book and I‘m only on chapter 2…Let‘s hope it stays this way!

This was a delightful story. It is a funny book, but it mostly touches on the power of love, especially the love towards others, your environment, your town.

I am not usually drawn to these types of stories, but something about this one called to me and I‘m so glad I was given the chance to read it.

And the food descriptions had me wanting to jump on a plane and live in Tuscany for a season.

Loved! 4⭐️ #arc Pub Date: 1/28/25

Borrowed this from the library after yet another friend reviewed and loved. 25% in and can‘t put it down.

Piñeiro is fast becoming a fave!

I love ballet. It is one of my favorite art forms, but I admit that as a Black Latina, I never looked for representation, even though I imagined it was there somewhere.

I‘m so glad this book exists, I cried many times reading about the stories of these 5 wonderful dancers and the legacy of the Dance Theater of Harlem.

Read this!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Woke up at 3AM and did a Kindle deep-dive and came across this one…it has kept me intrigued. And can we talk about this beautiful cover? ❤️

This is my book club‘s pick for September, and I have to catch up on two weeks worth of reading so that I can be ready for the discussion on Sunday 😅

It looks like a quick read, so I think I can do it.

First Baldwin and already one of my favorite reads this year!

The way Baldwin weaves the story between David and Giovanni is exquisite.

I read this on Kindle, borrowed from the library and I definitely need a physical copy for a reread and annotation.

So glad I have the rest of his backlist to enjoy.

Loved this!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I love memoirs, food and chefs. So when I was offered this #arc today, I couldn‘t say yes fast enough!

Pub Date: 1/21/25

Current read…Library holds coming in strong in the past few days and I‘m not mad about it!

In this memoir, Glory Edim pays homage to books. How books shaped her, guided her and sometimes even led her astray.

This was a wonderful book and I read in two days, since I had a hard time putting it down. The author narrates the story of her family, the challenges they faced when dealing with a new country (her parents emigrated to the US from Nigeria), poverty, depression, and how Edim turned to books for answers and solace.

#arc

Grabbed this #arc recently and I can just tell from reading the intro chapter that I am going to connect so much with this book.

I enjoyed this book, but it just felt unnecessarily long. Loved the dual POVs (I found Emilia‘s chapters more engaging).

The book posed interesting questions about Shakespeare‘s legacy and I felt this was done in a respectful way.

One thing that got to be a bit too much was the constant portrayal of Emilia‘s suffering, which at times is what made me take a break from the story.

Great read if you are patient with it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Started this yesterday and I‘m completely sucked in! Such a tough matter and Brooker‘s writing is beautiful. #NetGalley

I loved this memoir! Tan‘s narration on the audiobook is excellent and loved the bonus interviews.

I‘m so excited for this one! Sometimes it is hard to wrap my head around being sent all these wonderful books. #arc #NetGalley ❤️

#Two4Tuesday

1. My daughter and my ancestors (especially Mom!)

2. Yunxian from tagged book.

Starting this one. Diving deep into my old ARCs. The premise made me curious, but the love/hate reviews on GR sealed the deal, because now I need to know why 😅

This was a tough read. I honestly almost wanted to DNF it a couple of times.

The story centers around Frida, the huge mistake she made as a mother and the extreme consequence of those actions.

I had to keep reminding myself that this was fiction, it felt that close to reality. It made me question a lot about the pressures mothers deal with (internal and external).

Read this!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really, really liked this. Maggie went through a breakup and her world came crashing down.

Did she handle it the best way? No…Was she super annoying? Big YES

But she was also real. I appreciated this take, because a lot of times getting to the part where you are really good looks like this.

Audiobook was excellent!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This one has lukewarm reviews, but 12% in and I‘m really liking it!

I‘m having a fantastic reading year! This book was such a masterpiece that I had to force myself to slow down so that it wouldn‘t end.

If you enjoy complex family dramas and ballet, this book is for you!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

3.5 ⭐️ This was a quick read. Honestly, I expected more from the story, but I had a good time reading it.

Did not foresee the ending and I liked how the author wrapped up the story.

Overall, a good book and I‘m happy I read it.

The audiobook narration is great!

After liking, but not completely loving Cleopatra and Frankestein, I wanted to give this one a chance because I do enjoy Coco Mellor‘s writing.

I adored this! I loved how the sisters‘ portrayal as they navigated their grief and their connection and love to each other. I also walked away with my new favorite phrase: Go lightly.

This is a must read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#arc #NetGalley

The mood reader in me thought about this book today and decided to start it…Love this type of stories!

I almost gave up on this so many times…I felt that I was not connecting to the stories, they felt a little bit too whiny for my taste 🤷🏽‍♀️

But, I decided to be patient with it and I started enjoying it more. Overall, a very good book!

I think I‘ve over-saturated myself with these kind of stories and I was growing impatient with this one.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Next up on audio. I love Queer Eye and Tan became my favorite last season!

I was browsing audiobooks yesterday and settled on this one. This book had never caught my attention before, but upon reading the synopsis I was immediately intrigued.

Machado recounts her experience of abuse by an ex-partner. This was at times, hard to listen to but I admire her bravery. One of my favorite quotes: “You would never think that someone who looks like you is going to hurt you.” 💔

20 pages in and already loving this!

This memoir read like a novel and I loved it so much. (Also, I was drawn to the “older man, younger woman” chisme, tbh 😅).

I now need to add Ciment‘s backlist to my TBR.

Low pick. A little predictable and felt too long. Liked the ending, though.

3.5 ⭐️

I‘m trying to wrap up books that I‘m already in the middle of (too many! 😅), but this library hold came in 2 days ago and I can‘t wait any longer 🤣

Loved this memoir. Ru‘s life outlook is inspirational. It was great to get some insight behind the celebrity.

Finally got approved for this #arc 🙌🏽

This sounds like it‘s going to be such a good time 😊

#NetGalley

🚨US NetGalley members: Available as a Read Now

I‘m so excited to read this after loving Weyward so much!

#arc #NetGalley

1. Beer

2. Tagged. Loved it so much!

#Two4Tuesday

It‘s unbearably hot in DR today, and none of the books I am in the middle of were holding my attention…So, I started a new one and I‘m loving it so far. #arc #NetGalley

I get the hype now. The book is good. Shame that my curiosity after the whole controversy was what made me pick it up.

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I DNF‘d this at 56%, but somehow kept thinking about it and decided to pick it up again. So glad I did, because I ended up liking it.

If you enjoy holiday romances, add this to your TBR.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#arc Pub Date: 10/22/24

Fresh audiobook…Love RuPaul!

Loved how candid Paris was in this. A reminder that being born into privilege does not automatically mean that you will always have the best life.

This book is terrifying…

As always, Ernaux delivers. This was a short book that really packed a punch. In it, Ernaux details her relationship with a man almost 30 years her junior.

Loved her depictions of the power dynamics and the societal double standards if the roles were reversed.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was never drawn to reading this, but the whole controversy with the movie made me curious…

I was really, really into this story when I first started it. I felt it was unapologetic, and very spicy.

It did start to lose a little steam at about 70%, but I still very much enjoyed it.

The way that the author described Noa‘s obsession with Teddy was one of the highlights of this book for me.

And that ending had me screaming and I had to read it twice because I was so shocked!

TW: Explicit sex

#arc US Pub Date: 11/19/24

#Two4Tuesday

1. Apple

2. Tagged. I usually don‘t read on my phone but my Kindle was charging and I couldn‘t stop reading this book!