Philadelphia – luce [is reading]

May 14, 2021

The Days of Afrekete by Asali Solomon

“There was so much lying all the time, particularly when you got together with people who were not Black. Bland observations about about schools, neighborhoods, and the words “kids” and “safe” and “family” tried to cover up a landscape of volcanos oozing with blood, pus, and shit.” What drew my attention to The Days of…
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3 STARS, 3rd pov, academia, Adult, Asali Solomon, Black & Black heritage authors, BOOK REVIEW, BOOK REVIEWS, Booklr, class, Contemporary, drama, f/f, female authors, LESBIAN, lgbtq+, LITERARY FICTION, MARRIAGE, mental health, My reviews, netgalley, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PRIVILEGE, published in 2021, RACE, read in 2021, reading, satire, The Days of Afrekete, UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE
March 10, 2021

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

Such a Fun Age is a engaging, if ultimately frustrating, read. The premise brought to mind two favorites of mine (Lucy and Luster, both focus on young black women living with white middle-class couples and taking ‘care’ of their child). Given the buzz around Such a Fun Age I had rather high expectations and when…
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3rd pov, Adult, America, American, AMERICAN AUTHOR, bad love, Black & Black heritage authors, class, Contemporary, drama, female authors, female friendships, friendships, HUMOR, influencers, Kiley Reid, millennial, motherhood, parenting, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, published in 2019, RACE, read in 2021, rich people, rom-coms, satire, sitter/au pair/governess, SOCIAL COMMENTARY, social issues, social media, Such a Fun Age, Summer, summer reads, work culture
March 10, 2021

What We Lose by Zinzi Clemmons

Though mostly comprising of short chapters, some shorter than a page, What We Lose is a poignant novel that succeeds on many different levels: it captures the narrator’s inner feelings, it gives a crystal-clear understanding of her circumstances, and it provides us with insights into questions of love, race, illness, grief, and motherhood.…
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Adult, America, American, apartheid, Black & Black heritage authors, class, Contemporary, DEATH, different styles (1st/2nd/3rd povs), divorce/separations, family, female authors, female friendships, friendships, GRIEF, identity, illness, introspective, LITERARY FICTION, loneliness, MARRIAGE, motherhood, mothers & daughters, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, politics, PUBLISHED IN 2017, RACE, read in 2021, social issues, south africa, South African American author, UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE, What We Lose, Zinzi Clemmons
February 4, 2020

Long Bright River by Liz Moore — book review

Set against the opioid crisis in Philadelphia Liz Moore’s thought-provoking novel portrays the long-lasting and devastating effects that addiction have on an individual, on a family, and on an entire neighbourhood. “These girls, he says. He looks at me and puts one finger to his right temple, taps it twice. Stupid, is what he means.…
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1st pov, 3.25 stars, addiction, America, American, cold tone, CRIME, family, Liz Moore, Long Bright River, mothers & daughters, netgalley, opioid crisis, Philadelphia, prostitution, published in 2020, read in 2020, serial killers, SISTERS, SUSPENSE, THRILLER, unreliable narrators, violence against women
November 12, 2019

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett — book review

“I was still at a point in my life when the house was the hero of every story, our lost and beloved country.” Not Quite a Review, More of an Ode to Ann Patchett: Usually I tend to post my reviews a couple of days after I’ve finished reading a book. With The Dutch House…
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1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1st pov, 20th century, 5 STARS, ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE, Adult, America, American, AMERICAN AUTHOR, ANN PATCHETT, ART/CREATIVITY, beautiful prose, bildungsroman, CHILDHOOD, class, coming of age, divorce/separations, evil stepmother, family, fatherhood, fathers & sons, favourite authors, female authors, forgiveness, GRIEF, growing up, HISTORICAL FICTION, House As Character, identity, illness, introspective, LITERARY FICTION, manor/big house, MARRIAGE, mothers & sons, NEW YORK, nostalgic reads, orphans, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, place as character, published in 2019, re-reads, READ IN 2019, read in 2021, restrained prose, siblings, strong sense of place, The Dutch House

Tag: Philadelphia

The Days of Afrekete by Asali Solomon

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid

What We Lose by Zinzi Clemmons

Long Bright River by Liz Moore — book review

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett — book review