Reviews tagging 'Racism'

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde by Tia Williams

88 reviews

thirdeyeangel23's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I would give this 10 stars if I could. A strong contender for the top book of 2024.

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde felt like coming home. Ricki Wilde has been a wayward soul her entire life. When she goes against the grain of familial expectations, she encounters a kindred spirit who offers her the opportunity to open her business in New York. This move open her up to a world she never saw coming, including Ezra Walker. A man who she is destined fall for and who is destined to be her demise. It’s hard to put into words how this story made me feel. From the deep roots of her new found family to the culture and history we walked through with Ezra, this book is so perfectly layered. If you need something to make you FEEL… just read it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Suicide

enneirda07's review against another edition

funny mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

IDK how to feel about this book. I enjoyed it but didn't love it as much as Seven Days in June but it was still good overall. I guessed most of the major twists so it wasn't as surprising as me. As always, Tia writes great dialogue but I fear the many pop culture references may make the book seem dated in a couple of years.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Racism, and Terminal illness

Minor: Addiction

peachmoni's review against another edition

emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Cancer, Hate crime, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Addiction, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

pnreads's review against another edition

emotional funny sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Racism, Suicide, Terminal illness, and Grief

theoceanrose's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Grief

carriepond's review against another edition

emotional hopeful mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

A Love Song for Ricki Wilde is a genre-bending romance with a lovely blend of romance, history, and fantasy. As she did in Seven Days in June, Tia Williams creates characters with such  compelling backstories and inner lives that the eventual (or in this case, not-so-eventual) romance feels like a lovely bonus— you like them so much and feel happy that they’re happy. The setting also felt so lush and lovely— 1920s Harlem, present-day Harlem, Ricki’s gorgeous and wild flower shop. I don’t want to give too much away, but I really loved the way Williams handled the fantastical elements of the story— it felt natural and added some cool moments to the book.

I loved this one and highly recommend to romance readers for sure but also anyone looking for a lovely book with fully formed characters, a cool setting, some cool history, and some magic. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Suicide, and Violence

Minor: Addiction and Fire/Fire injury

kdailyreads's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Hate crime, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide, Grief, and Death of parent

Moderate: Cancer, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Cursing, Drug abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Police brutality, and War

afrenette's review against another edition

emotional funny mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism

Moderate: Addiction, Cancer, Death, Miscarriage, and Suicide

shannahtan's review against another edition

emotional hopeful fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I absolutely loved this book! The mysticism around leap day first drew me in. I didn’t read anything about what the book was about prior to starting it. Ricki leaves her family in Georgia because she doesn’t fit in then moves to Harlem to start a flower shop, Wilde Things. I love her friendship with Tuesday and how fiercely loyal Tuesday is to Ricki. I didn’t expect

Ezra to be a perennial. I think that name is kind of clever. They just live on and on year after year. I did kinda think Della was going to be the one to die for them to live. I think her finding found family in Della is also so beautiful.

I would say this book is super spicy although the main characters definitely have a lot of attraction to one another. I think what was more beautiful is how they loved each other.

How Ezra stood up for her with her sisters who were downplaying and disrespecting her success. How that gave Ricki the strength to kick them out of her place.

This book was also unexpectedly funny with its quips and social commentary. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Hate crime and Racism

Moderate: Suicide and Terminal illness

Minor: Miscarriage, Violence, and Suicide attempt

nidzi_c's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Hate crime, Racism, Suicide, and Grief

Minor: Miscarriage