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Last Summer on State Street by Toya Wolfe
“Our friendships started with “What’s your name?” The answer carried with it looks that I can still see clearly: Stacia’s begged me not to talk to her, and Tonya’s asked, “Is she talking to me?!” We got past those facial expressions and gave our names. Names that sound like heartbeats: Fe Fe, Precious, Stacia, Tonya.”…
1990s, 20th century, 4 STARS, America, AMERICAN AUTHOR, atmospheric, Black & Black heritage authors, Chicago, CHILDHOOD, Christianity, coming of age, family, female authors, female friendships, friendships, girlhood, growing up, Illinois, Last Summer on State Street, lyrical prose, missing girls, missing persons, RACE, read in 2022, Religion, siblings, social issues, strong sense of place, summer reads, Toya Wolfe, violence against women, YOUNG ADULT, youth -
People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
Perhaps I should not have requested an arc for People We Meet on Vacation as I was one of the few people who last was not particularly enamoured by Beach Read (i know, i know, the audacity). I actually ended up enjoying this more as I found it to be both funnier and a lot…
3 STARS, Adult, America, American, AMERICAN AUTHOR, BOOK REVIEW, BOOK REVIEWS, Booklr, California, cheesy, Chicago, Contemporary, croatia, drama, Emily Henry, female authors, FRIENDS TO LOVERS, gay side characters, holidays, HUMOR, Italy, lgbtq+ side, light reads, m/m side, My reviews, netgalley, NEW YORK, ohio, published in 2021, queer side characters, read in 2021, rom-coms, ROMANCE, Summer, summer reads, travel, uplifting reads, wedding drama -
Quicksand by Nella Larsen
“As the days multiplied, her need of something, something vaguely familiar, but which she could not put a name to and hold for definite examination, became almost intolerable.” re-read:Larsen excels at disquiet atmosphere. The unease is positively palpable here. Larsen’s presents her readers with an unstinting character study of a deeply alienated woman whose estrangement…
1920s, 20th century, 3 STARS, 3rd pov, Adult, ALIENATION, ambiguous protagonist, ambivalent mood, America, American, AMERICAN AUTHOR, american classics, Black & Black heritage authors, Chicago, CLASSICS, cold tone, cultural dissonance, Denmark, ennui, female authors, Harlem, harlem renaissance, HISTORICAL FICTION, identity, introspective, loneliness, Nella Larsen, NEW YORK, otherness, psychological, published in 1928, Quicksand, RACE, re-reads, read in 2021, read in 2022, the female malaise, travel -
The Revolution of Birdie Randolph by Brandy Colbert
The Revolution of Birdie Randolph is a wholesome and thoughtful YA coming-of-age. Within the first chapter I was invested in Dove and her story. There was something so tender about her sensible yet sensitive narration that made me immediately care for her.The Revolution of Birdie Randolph follows sixteen-year-old Dove, also knows as Birdie, who is…
3.75 stars, America, American, AMERICAN AUTHOR, Black & Black heritage authors, BOOK REVIEWS, Brandy Colbert, Chicago, coming of age, Contemporary, family, female authors, HIGH SCHOOL, identity, Illinois, lgbtq+, lgbtq+ side, mothers & daughters, published in 2020, read in 2020, ROMANCE, social issues, The Revolution of Birdie Randolph, YOUNG ADULT -
Passing by Nella Larsen — book review
“It’s funny about ‘passing.’ We disapprove of it and at the same time condone it. It excites our contempt and yet we rather admire it. We shy away from it with an odd kind of revulsion, but we protect it.” At once alluring and disquieting Nella Larsen’s Passing presents its readers with a piercing examination of the…
1920s, 20th century, 4 STARS, ambiguous protagonist, America, American, AMERICAN AUTHOR, Black & Black heritage authors, Chicago, CLASSICS, cold tone, colorism, female authors, female friendships, feverish, friendships, Harlem, harlem renaissance, HISTORICAL FICTION, Illinois, jealousy, lgbtq+, Longing, MARRIAGE, modern classics, Nella Larsen, NEW YORK, obsession, passing, psychological, published in 1929, queer undercurrents, RACE, re-reads, read in 2020, read in 2021, read in 2022, SUSPENSE, terrific prose, toxic relationships, tragedy -
American Gods by Neil Gaiman — book review
“Gods die. And when they truly die they are unmourned and unremembered. Ideas are more difficult to kill than people, but they can be killed, in the end.” It isn’t surprising that American Gods is regarded as one of the genre-bending novels of all time. Over the course of 500 pages Neil Gaiman deftly blends…
2000s, 3rd pov, 5 STARS, ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE, Adult, adventure, affairs, afterlife, ambiguous protagonist, America, American, American Gods, BOOK REVIEW, Booklr, British author, Chicago, Contemporary, DEATH, Dreams, FANTASY, fathers & sons, favourite authors, FOLKLORE, gay side characters, gods, great storytelling, heist, HISTORICAL FICTION, history, Illinois, lgbtq+ side, MAGIC, MAGICAL REALISM, male authors, minnesota, MYSTERY, myths, Neil Gaiman, PARANORMAL, prison, published in 2001, re-reads, read in 2016, read in 2020, Religion, road trip, SOCIAL COMMENTARY, SPECULATIVE FICTION, story within a story, Storytelling, SUPERNATURAL, tennessee, URBAN FANTASY, violence, Wisconsin, zombies & undead
luce [is reading] 