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bookish_afrolatina's reviews
408 reviews
Forbidden by Beverly Jenkins
emotional
hopeful
relaxing
tense
fast-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
One thing I know I can count on when I pick up a Beverly Jenkins book is that her happy endings will include two main characters who have the privilege of being thoroughly loved and respected by one another.
Eddy* and Rhine are adorable for many reasons. Eddy is resourceful, passionate, playful, and earnest while Rhine is patient, observant, gracious, and industrious.
I love the emphasis on building strong connections with their community and what that support of one another could have looked like.
As always, I recommend Auntie Bev’s book to all Romance lovers!
*The audiobook narrator pronounced her name like “Ee-dee”
Eddy* and Rhine are adorable for many reasons. Eddy is resourceful, passionate, playful, and earnest while Rhine is patient, observant, gracious, and industrious.
I love the emphasis on building strong connections with their community and what that support of one another could have looked like.
As always, I recommend Auntie Bev’s book to all Romance lovers!
*The audiobook narrator pronounced her name like “Ee-dee”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, and Abandonment
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Slavery
Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Parable of the Sower was heartbreaking but Parable of the Talents always devastating. It’s still an incredible story and very prophetic. Lauren’s drive for her purpose was inspiring and maddening all at once.
It was an interesting choice for Butler to have her daughter be the narrator for the much of the book.Marc/Marcos was a tragic character but I was honestly enraged when I realized he was going to just pretend his sister was dead after all she went through. I felt bad for him early on but his own experiences should have made him more understanding of Lauren’s. I believe he traded his own comfort and safety for his sister’s.
This series will definitely stay with me in the years to come.
It was an interesting choice for Butler to have her daughter be the narrator for the much of the book.
This series will definitely stay with me in the years to come.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
Moderate: Child abuse, Mental illness, Police brutality, and War
Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Sometimes I think about how my country (the U.S) might fall and this isn’t far off from that. After all, Butler’s predictions in this book were inspired by the patterns of our country’s priorities and behaviors for a few hundred years.
This is a very thoughtful and insightful book that I recommend to everyone. It takes a bit to pick up in the beginning but once it does, I think you’ll understand why it’s so impactful.
My only qualm is that I wish the lead wasn’t a teen.
This is a very thoughtful and insightful book that I recommend to everyone. It takes a bit to pick up in the beginning but once it does, I think you’ll understand why it’s so impactful.
My only qualm is that I wish the lead wasn’t a teen.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Slavery, and Violence
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Gun violence, Grief, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Ableism, Addiction, Child abuse, Incest, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Love in Winter Wonderland by Abiola Bello
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
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
4.0
I really enjoyed reading this book! Saving a local bookstore is very Christmasy but saving a Black-owned bookshop as the son who inherits that legacy is even better. The main characters have strong relationships with their families but make a few mistakes that are pretty typical for teens. I loved their familial lives.
Ariel’s struggle with emotional eating was incredibly relatable and handled with care. It wasn’t the main focus though.
Since this book takes place in London and I’m American, I was confused when the MCs kept mentioning college but were still 17 years old. That’s just one of those societal differences that I like learning about through books!
Anyway, this was a very sweet YA Romance with a little bit of sexual content.
I recommend it and plan to read more by this author this year.
Since this book takes place in London and I’m American, I was confused when the MCs kept mentioning college but were still 17 years old. That’s just one of those societal differences that I like learning about through books!
Anyway, this was a very sweet YA Romance with a little bit of sexual content.
I recommend it and plan to read more by this author this year.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Eating disorder, and Fatphobia
Minor: Sexual content and Death of parent
Asiri and the Amaru by Natalia Hernandez
adventurous
funny
hopeful
informative
fast-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? N/A
4.5
I love this book! The animals had fitting dialogue with Asiri and I think Dario is the cutest love interest. It was equal parts sweet, funny, and lusty.
I didn’t expect the romance to be such a slow burn but I enjoyed it anyway. Folks who are looking for steamy scenes will have to patiently wade through the pining that takes up most of the book.
I’m definitely looking forward to book 2!
I didn’t expect the romance to be such a slow burn but I enjoyed it anyway. Folks who are looking for steamy scenes will have to patiently wade through the pining that takes up most of the book.
I’m definitely looking forward to book 2!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Death of parent
So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I really wanted to love this book, but I didn’t. I could tell that it had an interesting premise and understood why folks enjoyed it but I wasn’t really connecting with Faron and Elara. I think this might be because this was more of a plot-driven story and I really like when it’s also driven by character development.
I wish that there were more moments between the sisters and a bit more of their daily lives included so that I could get to know them better and care about their lives.
A Sunny Place for Shady People: Stories by Mariana Enríquez
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
This is the first book I’ve read by Mariana Enriquez! Each story pulled me in and ended in just the right place. They were a great mixture of paranormal, slice of life, and thrilling. I think I’m going to give her novels a try now!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Death
Moderate: Death, Blood, and Death of parent
Merry Inkmas by Talia Hibbert
dark
funny
hopeful
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book is short and sweet like a Hallmark movie but with funnier banter and way hotter tension. Both of the MCs were dealt rough lives but they’re doing their best to turn it all around. I loved how compassionate and genuine the two of them were outside of their relationship, too.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Sexual content
Minor: Death of parent and Classism
Rosewater by Tade Thompson
challenging
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
This book had a fascinating concept to work with but I found myself bored, annoyed, and turned off by the MC and the plot. There were a lot of flashbacks and scenes in the xenosphere that made it hard to follow on top of it all. Kaaro repeatedly notes having orgasms and ejaculating when using his “gift” on others and it came across as gratuitous to me
This author’s writing just isn’t for me.
This author’s writing just isn’t for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcoholism, Abandonment, and Colonisation
I Got Abducted by Aliens and Now I'm Trapped in a Rom-Com by Kimberly Lemming
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Kimberly Lemming never misses!!! This new book is probably the steamiest of them all. We’ve got fated mates, hilarious dialogue, and an unhinged plot filled with sex scenes.
I was skeptical about how she was going to make aliens, dinosaurs, and a lion work but I shouldn't have been because Lemming always makes it work.
Don’t sleep on this one, y’all!
I was skeptical about how she was going to make aliens, dinosaurs, and a lion work but I shouldn't have been because Lemming always makes it work.
Don’t sleep on this one, y’all!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Confinement and Kidnapping