Her Exception. B. Love. 2023. 188 pages. [Source: Kindle Unlimited.] Shalom and Mecca thought that at 18, they were ready to take on the world and its obstacles together. But when reality dropped into their laps, they ended up on separate paths, each nursing their own confusion and anger at losing the version of forever they’d imagined. Fifteen years later, they’re thrust together when Shalom’s specialized experience is key to Mecca winning...

Before I Let Go. Kennedy Ryan. 2022. Forever. 400 pages. [Source: Public library.] Before I Let Go isn’t the first book I’ve read by Kennedy Ryan, but it is absolutely the one that’s solidified her among the authors whose releases I’ll run to. This story of a newly divorced couple finding a new normal is an emotive read that pulls back a curtain on grief and healing. Yasmen and Josiah Wade thought they’d be forever, ...

Anxious. Luciana DeLuca. 2024. 32 pages. [Source: ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.] A lot on the short side and not what I was expecting considering the usual style of children’s books. There wasn’t a story just a straight diagnosis … almost a checklist of anxiety symptoms presented with pretty pictures. Relatable but not something I’d want to give to a child....

A Justified Love Affair. Kimberly Brown. 2024. 295 pages. [Source: Kindle Unlimited.] The Santiago family returns in this sequel to The Expiration Date. In it, Emmanuel Santiago finds himself excited by a chance meeting with Racine Bradley at his brother’s coffee tavern. She’s unhappily and unfortunately still married after catching her husband cheating on her in their own bed. She turns to the coffee tavern as a retreat, but it leads to a gr...

Deep in My Soul. Kimberly Brown. 2023. 304 pages. [Source: Kindle Unlimited.] The second installment with the Jareau family returns with a deeper dive into a situation first presented in Where Love Blooms. Cartel Jareau has been drawn Adina Harold since he intervened when her husband made a scene in his restaurant a year prior. Adina’s trapped in a toxic, abusive relationship to Dominic, and can’t find her way out. Nonetheless, Cartel...

From Staircase to Stage

From Staircase to Stage. Raekwon with Anthony Bozza . 2021. Gallery Books. 320 pages. [Source: Personal copy.] I’ll be the first to admit that while Wu-Tang Clan is a legendary hip-hop supergroup, I was woefully unaware of their story. I’ve always known a world in which the group is highly respected and lauded for their artistry, but only recently have I had the opportunity to really delve into the group’s origin and overall caree...

The Parasite and Other Tales of Terror
Fiction , Horror , Mystery , Paranormal , Suspense , Thriller / October 2, 2023

The Parasite and Other Tales of Terror. Arthur Conan Doyle. 2021. Poisoned Pen Press. 223 pages. [Source: Personal copy.] Full disclosure – I only picked this book up because I really love Sherlock Holmes’ stories. If I love those so much, surely I’d feel the same about other works from the same author, Arthur Conan Doyle. I have to admit this collection of short stories wasn’t quite what I was expecting, but I w...

Invisible Son (Jojo’s view)

Invisible Son. Kim Johnson. 2023. Random House. 416 pages. [Source: ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.]  For so many, the months leading up to and at the height of Covid are this surreal period of time. It was inevitable that the days ran together and to some degree we lost the benefit of time reference. For me, Covid occurred alongside some major life moments that force exact time/da...

Song of Achilles

The Song of Achilles. Madeline Miller. 2012. Ecco. 369 pages. [Source: Kindle Unlimited.] Madeline Miller’s take on Greek mythology might become my new favorite genre. I was first introduced to her through Circe, and it was a no-brainer when I connected that she also wrote The Song of Achilles. My reading was a hybrid of ebook and audiobook, and neither disappointed. The Song of Achilles is told from the perspective of Patroclus, ...

Death by Spiced Chai

Death by Spiced Chai. Alex Erickson. 2022. Kensington Cozies. 320 pages. [Source: ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.] Sometimes the smallest things intrigue me, and Death by Spiced Chai  pulled me in from its title because it’s one of my favorite drinks.  What I hadn’t expected was that I’d be starting a series in book ten, and I happen to be one of those ...