That moment when you come face to face with #blackgirlmagic ✨ Zadie Smith!! Can't wait to read her new novel, Swing Time!!

#jamreads #swingtime #zadiesmith

Fall Reading List ??? #jamreads #toread

I absolutely loved his first novel "Rules of Civility" and have been looking forward to his next book.

Fall Reading List 🍂🍃🍁 #jamreads #toread

A selfie is a must when you finally meet your favorite Litten & bookstagrammer @Lupita.Reads at a book event #getlitsy #jamreads

So this happened last night, OMG!! 😍 The magnificent, engaging, & super witty Colson Whitehead! He's quite funny, candid and his reading was soul stirring. I read The Underground Railroad a few weeks ago and still have not managed to put into words my feelings for my review. It's definitely a must read for all!!

Only a few pages in and Luvvie has me crying laughing. Such a fun night hearing her talk about her life, blogging and book. She's so transparent and pulls no punches. I love that she addresses real life issues and says the things that are in your head. Excellent writer. #ImJudgingYou #jamreads

There's a reason why she is so Awesome!! A Conversation with Luvvie Ajayi author of #ImJudgingYou at the National Museum of African American History & Culture, Oprah Winfrey Theater. #AwesomelyLuvvie #NMAAHC #jamreads

Saw this greatness during my visit to the Grand Opening of the National Museum of African American History & Culture. Absolutely Amazing!!

#NMAAHC #APeoplesJourney #MakingHistory #jamesbaldwin #thefirenexttime #jamreads

Snuggled in bed and doing a little late night reading. Enjoying this book so far. So relevant given the times we are in as it relates to immigration. #jamreads #fridayreads #bookofthemonthclub

When your friends know that you're an ultimate bookworm & invite you to this awesomeness!! I had the wonderful opportunity to attend a live taping of "A Conversation with Natalie Baszile," Author of Queen Sugar at WHUT Howard University Television. It was a fantastic evening as Mrs. Baszile provided insight on her book and the Queen Sugar series on #Oprah's #OWNTV! #jamreads #QueenSugar

I had a great Labor Day weekend vacay & visited Birmingham's oldest independent bookstore, LITTLE PROFESSOR BOOKCENTER! A cozy and quaint location with a cafe attached. I picked up Oprah's latest bookclub pick, LOVE WARRIOR and THE FIRE THIS TIME by Jesmyn Ward. #jamreads #getlitsy #getindie

I fell in love with Jacqueline Woodson as soon as I read Brown Girl Dreaming. Her writing is beautiful & eloquent. Another Brooklyn pulls on your heart strings and you find yourself reminiscing about your childhood relationships. What I love about this story is the authenticity of the era, settings and complexity of friendships. Her prose makes you feel the essence of the characters pain & coming of age. 4🌟#jamreads #recommendsday

It's FriYay!! I'm ready for the long weekend and this is my companion! Have a great holiday everyone! #jamreads #FridayReads

"Life is a series of decisions and reactions. It is the things you do and the things that are done to you and then it's over."

This book was better than I anticipated. There was a constant building of suspense as you learned about the characters prior to the crash. I loved the beginning & the end; however the middle became slightly stagnant at times. Overall a quick and easy read. 4🌟 #jamreads

I didn't like any of the characters but WOW what a story! I couldn't stop turning the pages. A wickedly entertaining story examining relationships, dysfunctional marriages, how people cope with one another and view others based on their experiences. Ephron delivers vivid insight into the secrets & vulnerabilities of two deceitful couples & one manipulating child on vacation in Italy. 4🌟 #jamreads

#ThrowbackThursday - Gritty, depressing but very well written. The story surrounds motherless siblings with a drunk for a father living in poverty stricken Bois Sauvage, Mississippi. Their bleak life touches on many facets of rural poverty, teen pregnancy, dog fighting & more. As they are preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Katrina, the vivid descriptions give you a sense of what life was like day to day & after Katrina. 4🌟 #jamreads

#ThrowbackThursday What a powerful, sad and relevant memoir. This book started off slow and I was unsure if I'd make it to the end. But something turned midway and it grabbed my heart. Jesmyn Ward tells a heart wrenching, yet candid story of being black and poor in Mississippi. The story focuses on the black males that she lost and speaks volumes to how young black men are perceived. 4🌟 #jamreads

From the fierce streets of Newark, to Yale & back to Newark, "Rob stood on the cusp of achieving everything that word called to mind." I was angry over Rob's constant bad decisions & my first inclination was to judge. But as the story unfolds I realized if I haven't lived it, how could I judge. I was reduced to tears at the conclusion & heartbroken over the unconscionable but yet realistic turn of events that defer a dream 4? #jamreads #mustread

Powerful, horrific & heartbreaking! I had to pause several times while reading this book to allow my mind to absorb the overwhelming content. The insight I gained regarding capital punishment & the mass incarceration of people of color, the mentally ill & children fell on me like a ton of bricks. Bryan does a fantastic job giving the reader the history of racial politics of the South & how it has transcended through time. A MUST READ 5🌟 #jamreads

Posting a few of my favorites on #RecommendsDay! THIS CRAZY, TWISTED & ROLLER COASTER of a story blew me away. I felt sucked into a tornado of unparalleled psychosis! I had many WTH am I reading moments. I knew when I finished that Gillian Flynn would be an author I would continue to read. She keeps the reader in suspense with her dark writing & wicked characters. I loved the ending, showcasing that relationships are truly a mystery 5🌟 #jamreads

“That the Negro American has survived at all is extraordinary —a lesser people might simply have died out, as indeed others have. — DANIEL PATRICK MOYNIHAN,” ― Isabel Wilkerson, The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America's Great Migration

#RecommendsDay
One of my top 5 faves! The Great Migration is an epic part of American history & the largest movement of a people; over 6 million African Americans relocating from the rural South to cities in the North & West. The years of relocation had a great impact on urban life & economic conditions in the U.S. This book should be required reading for all students. Adults could benefit from this powerful novel as well. 5🌟 #jamreads

#RecommendsDay
On my all-time favorites list! I read this book 6 years ago and it has stayed with me forever. Through the blatant racism were poignant moments, tenderness and love. A book that stays in your soul is a true testament of a writer that knows how to deliver characters, good & bad, that enter your heart and mind and stay! Enjoyed the movie but the book is way better. 5🌟 #jamreads

Today is OUR day! Happy #NationalBookLoversDay! 📚🍷 #jamreads

Creepy yet provocative. Seductive yet fizzles as the story goes along. I'm always suspicious of books that receive overwhelming hype & praise. A solid read but I had higher expectations. This is a mesmerizing story of girls whose curiosity, family dysfunction & adolescent defiance lures them into a "Mansonesque" cult. Overall the writing was captivating, I was just looking for more action and plot twists. #jamreads #thegirls 3.5?

I'd like to invite my LITSY friends to join a read-along I'm hosting on Facebook.
The read-along starts Aug 2 / Ends Aug 31
All are welcome, please invite others!
Hope to see you in the discussion! Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/308942899453546/?ti=icl

#jamreads #readalong #bookdiscussion #spineofthemonth #theundergroundrailroad @spinesvines

FINALLY, Oprah has selected a new book for her bookclub. I can't wait to dive into this one. #jamreads #oprahsbookclub

Not as thrilling as Gone Girl or gruesome as Dark Places but a solid read. I enjoy her ability to deliver complex & multi faceted characters. Flynn knows how to weave a story to keep the reader engaged. I was intrigued by the cover, wondering what the relevance of a razor blade would be. Not as suspenseful as I anticipated but delves deeply into self loathing, mental & physical abuse & manipulation adults can inflict on children. #jamreads

Oh Harry you wonderful wizard! ✨🔮 The perfect #TBT in honor of the highly anticipated new release Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on July 31st
#jamreads #harrypotter #jkrowling #pottermore

This was hyped as a must read book of the summer, what a disappointment! I typically don't bail on books but I could no longer struggle with the BOREDOM. The book never gained a steady heartbeat. I loved the cover, the wine talk & the backdrop of a girl moving to NYC learning to navigate her new job as a back waiter at one of the hottest restaurants. However, the story lacked movement, momentum & character development. #sweetbitter #jamreads

This was hyped as a book of the summer but what a disappointment! I typically don't bail on books but I could no longer struggle with the BOREDOM. The story never gained a steady heartbeat. I loved the cover, the wine talk & the backdrop of a girl moving to NYC learning to navigate her new job as a back waiter at one of the hottest restaurants. However, This story lacked movement, momentum and character development. #sweetbitter #jamreads

Nicole is a breath of fresh air and full of positive energy. Here Comes the Sun is her love letter to Jamaica reflecting her own struggles with acceptance, love and loss. A definite must read!! #herecomesthesun #jamreads

My stack is ready for #24in48! @24in48 @Litsy . I have a great variety because I know my mood will shift over the course of 2 days. I'll be on Twitter & Instagram under my blog @spinesvines Happy Reading! #jamreads #spinesvines

Great evening with Delia Ephron. Can't wait to read this thriller. She warned the audience-- "It was not my goal to write about likable characters. I don't care if you like them. I want you to continue to change your mind as your turn the pages." She was a delight, full of humor and transparent. #Siracusa #jamreads

When my Book of The Month Club box comes with a straw, that's all the #MondayMotivation I need 😂😜
Can't wait to start Missing, Presumed. I love receiving my box every month and Cakebread Cellars is my favorite wine any day! Cheers! #missingpresumed #bookofthemonth #jamreads

"The question is not whether Lincoln truly meant "government of the people" but what our country has throughout its history, taken the political term "people" to actually mean."- Ta-Nehisi Coates
#betweentheworldandme #jamreads

This book is little in stature but delivers a powerful punch! Coates' letter to his 15 year son is poignant, gritty & relevant. His writing is direct and raw as he tries to educate his son on "How to live in this black body in America!" Toni Morrison said it best, "this is required reading" 5?
#betweentheworldandme #jamreads

"I was finding out that appearances would always be the point of conflict. Male or female, black or white, the eye of the beholder and the fashion sense of the beholden, all of these feed into our desire to classify by sight." - Furo Wariboko

I had high hopes but it just wasn't for me. Although there were metaphoric themes scattered throughout, I never became invested in the characters. The premise of a Nigerian man waking up to discover that he's now white however his "ass" remains black sounded intriguing but the story fell flat. 2?
#Blackass #jamreads

I'm so excited about all these stunning new releases by women authors this summer. 5✨ for The Book of Harlan. Up next Here Comes The Sun 🌞
#herecomesthesun #graceanovel #homegoing #thebookofharlan #ialmostforgotaboutyou #jamreads

"Allowables" by Nikki Giovanni
??

Thank you for this gift! May you rest in eternal peace.
"We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." - Elie Wiesel
#RIPElieWiesel

This is why I love historical fiction! Inspired by actual events & people. A powerful, riveting yet harrowing story of 3 women whose path's cross as a result of the atrocities that took place during occupied France. Hard to digest the harrowing events at Ravensbrück, a solid page turner. 4?
#lilacgirls #jamreads

Currently reading...and sipping green tea! Basking in the ☀️

😩 Chapter 1: Running out of time and I'm running out of patience. I love Terry McMillan but listening to her audiobook is painful! Her voice does not do this book justice! Leave the narration to the experts. So dry and flat. I don't think I'll be able to finish.

Another impactful author event! This young man has a voice that should be heard! I'm looking forward to this read & seeing his thoughts on being "invisible" in America.

About Last Night...The amazing Lindy West! It was raining cats and dogs but I made it! What an absolutely delightful and comical soul. One of the best readings I've been to this year. I can't wait to read Shrill! The jacket cover is correct Lindy is "an essential and hilarious voice for women."

Excellent read, a thrilling page turner! Not wanting to spoil the book for others but the story gave me just the amount of crazy, suspense and WTHs that I enjoy! Although the subject matter is any parents worst nightmare, I thoroughly enjoyed how the author somehow made feel empathy for culprit. 4🌟

McFadden doesn't simply write; she gets into your head & heart, stirs your spirit & leaves your soul wanting more 5?
"This is a story about the triumph of the human spirit over bigotry, intolerance & cruelty, & at the center of “The Book of Harlan” is the restorative force that is music."-WashPost