QUICK REVIEWS pt. XIV

 Hello my lovely readers!

After a slowwwww August, I've been reading, reading, reading! Here's some quick reviews (already!) Let's get into it.

Radical Relations: Lesbian Mothers, Gay Fathers and their Children since WWII by Daniel Rivers
Beginning in the postwar era, a period marked by both intense repression and dynamic change for lesbians and gay men, Rivers argues that by forging new kinds of family and childrearing relations, gay and lesbian parents have successfully challenged legal and cultural definitions of family as heterosexual.

*This was super informative and opened by eyes to a part of U.S. history that I knew nothing about. I do wish that it followed a few families all the way through from the initial coming out to where they and their children are now. 3 out of 5 stars.

Just to Be With You by Sheryl Lister
Terrence "Monte" Campbell has been hurt by women seeking his wealth and celebrity instead of the man he truly is. So music is his only passion, until he meets Janae. He struggles to maintain emotional distance, but her tender sensuality and caring ways tempt Terrence as no other before. And one sizzling night, they both give in to their desires and explore all of the erotic promises between them. Is Janae really the one for Terrence, or just another disappointment waiting to happen?

*This book was a complete waste of my time. Thank goodness I finished it quickly! It was repetitive, had no buildup, the pace was incredibly rushed and the characters all sounded the same. 2 out of 5 stars.

QUICK REVIEWS pt XIII

Hello my lovely readers! It's time for some quick reviews! Let's get into it.

The Revelation of Dionne Daphne by Mara Brock Akil
On the outside, Dionne Daphne had it all: being the beauty editor at a prestigious New York magazine, a boyfriend who could have been plucked out of its model pages, the social life of the upper echelon, and a girlhood steeped in debutant balls. But when her ex-boyfriend returns and delivers life-threatening news, her life falls apart and unearths deep seated secrets.

*This was a HEAVY read. But the author does a great job at making it digestible. (I mean...come on, it's Mara!) 3 out of 5 stars.

They Stole a City by Lauren Collins
In this ambitious and groundbreaking history, Lauren Collins weaves together stories of four Wilmington, North Carolina, families over 125 years to create a full accounting of the long-term effects of the 1898 white supremacist massacre and coup and its critical role in subverting American democracy.

*This was an excellent read that follows up on the aftermath of 1898. It was incredibly well done and a great "sequel" to Wilmington's Lie. Deducted a star for censoring the word "nigger" in historical context. 4 out of 5 stars.

QUICK REVIEWS pt. XII

Hello my lovely readers! This collection of quick reviews were all audiobooks and surprisingly diverse! We have Thailand, South Korea, USA and South Africa all in the mix. Let's get into it.

Days of Feasting and Rejoice
Esther Maile, is an expat American living in Thailand in a house rented by the richer, more popular Christine. While on holiday in Bali, Christine is caught by an ocean wave and drowns. Esther rushes to save her, but in the chaos that ensues, the police arrive and confuse Esther for Christine. For someone who would prefer to be anyone but herself, this is the perfect solution — no matter the consequences.

*This was a decent book. A short, tight, crime novel, but nothing to write home about. 3 out of 5 stars.

The Summer Girlfriend by Kristina Forest
A stand-in girlfriend and a handsome business heir find that their fake summer fling is feeling way too real.

*This was cute, but I wish it would've had a bit more drama. They were immediately attracted to each other so there's no tension there. I would've liked to see Noel deal with her business as a hired bridesmaid longer before she takes this gig. I also would've liked to see more family tension with Noel. Jeremiah's family immediately accepts Noel with no hesitation. If I'm part of a family business conglomerate, I'm side eyeing anyone who just pops up as a significant other, simply because I want to make sure they're here for the right reasons. 3 out of 5 stars.

QUICK REVIEWS pt. XI

Hello my lovely readers! It's time to get into some quick reviews!

Hell Put to Shame by Earl Swift
A gripping new work of narrative nonfiction telling the forgotten story of the mass killing of eleven Black farmhands on a Georgia plantation in the spring of 1921 - a crime which exposed for the nation the existence of the “peonage system,” a form of legal enslavement established after the Civil War across the American South.

*Great bit of unknown history! Sad and tragic, often are most things regarding Black folks in the South during this time, but a very enlightening read nonetheless. 4 out of 5 stars.

The Metamorphosis
It is the story of a young man who, transformed overnight into a giant beetle-like insect, becomes an object of disgrace to his family, an outsider in his own home, a quintessentially alienated man.

*This was a re-read from high school! Still a fascinating novella that holds up really well for being written in 1915! 5 out of 5 stars

QUICK REVIEWS PT. VIII

Hello my lovely readers! It's time for another round of quick reviews! Let's get into it.

Good People by Patmeena Sabit
The Sharaf family achieved the "American dream." The Afghan refugee family moved to the U.S. raised their children and became wealthy and successful. But then their teenage daughter Zorah brought shame upon their family, resulting in a tragedy. But what really happened? It depends on who you ask.

*I loved this book! It was incredibly original in how Sabit chose to tell their story solely through interviews with friends, co-workers and other members of the community. I listened to this on audio and the full cast was AMAZING. Also, I love an ambiguous ending. 5 out of 5 stars.

Inharmonious by Tammye Huf
When three young Black men enlist in the US Army hoping to serve their country with honor during World War II, their lives are forever changed. Lee, Benny, Roscoe have been friends for ever but the war forces them to do things they wouldn't dream of doing. Benny begins to pass as white. Roscoe marries Benny's sister, Cora, but is unhappy. And Lee, who always loved Cora betrays her and must forgive out how to get back in her life. Based off their decisions, they must all navigate a new sense of self.

*Meh. It was entertaining enough, but it felt uneven. It felt like a majority of this book was about the love triangle between Roscoe, Lee and Cora. I would've appreciated more insight on Benny's passing as well as Roscoe's life with Megan. Oh well. 3 out of 5 stars.

QUICK REVIEWS pt. VII

Hello my lovely readers! I'm just blowing through these books this month. Let's get into it with more quick reviews!

Ghosts of a Holy War: The 1929 Massacre in Palestine That Ignited the Arab-Israeli Conflict by Yardena Schwartz
In 1929, in the sacred city of Hebron--then governed by the British Mandate of Palestine--there was no occupation, state of Israel, or settlers. Jews and Muslims lived peacefully near the burial place of Abraham, patriarch of the Jewish and Arab nations, until one Saturday morning when nearly 70 Jewish men, women, and children were slaughtered by their Arab neighbors. The Hebron massacre was a seminal event in the Arab-Israeli conflict, key to understanding its complexities.

*Another great addition to books about the ongoing, long-fueled conflict between the Arabs and Israelis. A humbling read.

Searching for Savanna: The Murder of One Native American Woman and the Violence Against the Many by Mona Gable
In the summer of 2017, twenty-two-year-old Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind vanished. A week after she disappeared, police arrested the white couple who lived upstairs from Savanna and emerged from their apartment carrying an infant girl. The baby was Savanna’s, but her body would not be found for days.

*This was an important topic, especially for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, but it was poorly written and extremely convoluted. It's unfortunate, because ultimately it's the family of Savanna that suffers even more. 2.5 out of 5 stars

QUICK REVIEWS pt. VI

Hello my lovely readers! While the whole house is sick as dogs right now, I managed to sum up the little strength I had to write some quick reviews. Let's get into it.

Medical Bondage: Race, Gender and the Origins of American Gynecology by Deidre Cooper Owens
This book breaks new ground by exploring how and why physicians denied enslaved women their full humanity yet valued them as "medical superbodies" highly suited for medical experimentation. Cooper Owens examines how gynecologists created and disseminated medical fictions about their patients, such as their belief that black enslaved women could withstand pain better than white "ladies."

*An incredibly sad, but powerful and important read. Absolutely well done. 4 out of 5 stars

Mother Emanuel: Two Centuries of Race, Resistance, and Forgiveness in One Charleston Church by Kevin Sack
A sweeping history of one of the nation’s most important African American churches and a profound story of courage and grace amid the fight for racial justice.

*Another sad but important read. A wealth of AME knowledge and Black history in this book. I only wish it included more about the victims of the 2015 shooting and their stories. 4 out of 5 stars

QUICK REVIEWS pt. V

Hello my lovely readers! It's time for another round of Quick Reviews! 

We Don't Talk about Carol by Kristen L. Berry
A dedicated journalist unearths a generations-old family secret—and a connection to a string of missing girls that hits way too close to home.

*This was a great debut! A little long and the author definitely could've cut half of the fertility plot out, but enjoyable nonetheless. I'm glad there's finally a book out that addresses the plight of missing Black girls. 4 out of 5 stars

The Ghostwriter by Julie Clark
In June 1975, the Taylor family shatters when two out of their three teenagers are found dead. The only surviving sibling, Vincent, never shakes the rumors that he was the one who killed them. Now, decades later, his daughter, Olivia, comes back to serve as his ghostwriter for his last book and uncover the truth of what happened that night.

*Decent read. Not terrible, not great. Pretty average. 3 out of 5 stars

QUICK REVIEWS PT. IV

 Hello my lovely readers! Let's get into some more quick reviews!

Whack Job: A History of Axe Murder by Rachel McCarthy James
A bloody examination of the axe's foundational role in human history, from prehistoric violence, to war and executions, to newspaper headlines and popular culture.

This was a quick and easy read, but it was more about the history of the ax sprinkled with a few stories about specific murders. The tone was confusing between trying to be a fact based nonfiction or a humorous book. 3 out of 5 stars

I See You've Called in Dead by John Kenney
When Bud Stanley, an obituary writer, accidentally publishes his own obituary in his newspaper, he finally learns how to live.

Cute and humorous book about death and dying. 4 out of 5 stars.

QUICK REVIEWS PT. III

 Hello my lovely readers! So many reviews, so little time! Let's get into them!

Gatekeepers of Black Culture: Black-Owned Book Publishing in the United States, 1817-1981 by Donald Franklin Joyce

There wasn't a synopsis on this. It was pretty much, what  you see is what you get. 

*Good book on the black-owned publishing and how it produced a lot of the notable Black works of our time. It didn't really have a stance on the state of Black book publishing until near the end, but still a useful book to have. 4 out of 5 stars

The Ascent by Alison Buccola

A former and only surviving cult member comes face to face with someone from her past who claims she's her sister. Now she must determine if she can trust this person despite everyone from the cult disappearing 20 years ago.

*This sounded promising and it hooked me in the beginning. But then it took a complete U-turn into domestic thriller land. Sooooo disappointing and lame. 2.5 out of 5 stars

QUICK REVIEWS PT II

 Hello my lovely readers!

I think I'll make these "quick reviews" a regular occurrence, here on Naomi's Bookshelf.   Here's another four books that I read over the past few weeks, but didn't feel like giving a full review. Let's get into it!

You Didn't Hear This From Me (Mostly) True Notes on Gossip by Kelsey McKinney
This collection of essays explores the "murkiness" of everyday storytelling, why it feels so good to gossip, it's religious implications and how gossip shaped pop culture...or vice versa.  It covers everything from the history of gossip to how it's portrayed in the media.

* Going into this, I didn't know it was a collection of essays. Essay collections aren't particularly my favorite genre, however this was a fine audiobook. I thought it was a bit too current for my liking. Even though most of what the author talked about was from 20 years ago (Mean Girls, Britney Spears breakdown etc), it felt like it all happened yesterday. I would've appreciated a wider range of essays talking about gossip from a longer period of time and a more worldly reach. 3.5 out of 5 stars

QUICK REVIEWS!

 Hello my lovely readers! 

I've finished four books since my last post, but life has been so hectic that I haven't had a chance to review them. Honestly, I don't feel like giving them all a dedicated post because I wasn't particularly moved by them, but I want to give these four books some kind of recognition. Let's get into it!

Medicine River by Mary Annette Pember

Part memoir, part history, Medicine River shares the legacy of Indian Boarding Schools from the mid-19th century to the late 1930s and how the affected the generations of Indigenous children placed in them.

*While it contained great history, this felt like two different books to me, which I wasn't expecting. I started to tune out when it ventured into the memoir territory. I'd give it a 3 out of 5 stars.