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bookish_afrolatina's reviews
368 reviews
We Are the Origin by C.M. Lockhart
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
We are the Origin was a unique, creative, and increasingly addictive read! It begins and ends with drama which is just how I like Fantasy. It took me a little while to get into the story as I was listening to the audiobook which sometimes made it hard for me to grasp some of the world-building and relationships. The audiobook did a great job at creating the “gods’ voices.
I think this book was quite feminist and refreshing. Looking forward to the next book!!
Heads up, this is New Adult Fantasy! It includes multiple mentions of sexual relations.
I think this book was quite feminist and refreshing. Looking forward to the next book!!
Heads up, this is New Adult Fantasy! It includes multiple mentions of sexual relations.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Suicide, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment, Alcohol, and Sexual content
The Shaadi Set-Up by Lillie Vale
Did not finish book. Stopped at 12%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 12%.
I wasn’t really into the whole plot of having a secret boyfriend while still in love with her ex. The pace also felt too slow for me since I didn’t feel connected to the mc.
A Holly Jolly Diwali by Sonya Lalli
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
A Holly Jolly Diwali started off great! With the MC deciding to put herself out there, I thought there would be a bit more self exploration but instead she latched onto a guy after resisting his charm. She jumped to conclusions a few times and that ultimately turned me off from the story. I liked the discussions of expectations, colorism, caste, and such. This just didn’t seem like a good fit for me in the end.
Side note: this romance does not include sex. It’s not really a fade to black but there’s a lot of kissing and talk of lust.
Side note: this romance does not include sex. It’s not really a fade to black but there’s a lot of kissing and talk of lust.
Ain't Burned All the Bright by Jason Reynolds
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
A beautiful reflective narration of one’s feelings during the pandemic, especially as a Black person. Witnessing the unrest on tv and on the streets; showcasing just how numbing it was to witness so many people disregarding each other’s lives while others fought for theirs.
As always, Reynolds has a magical way of creating imagery through his words and that’s enhanced by Griffin’s bold art.
This is a very short read as it really only consists of three long sentences and breaths. It’s really about connecting with the experience, emotions, words, and pieces. So don’t be afraid to pick this one up and take your time with it.
Also, the audiobook is over 30 minutes as it includes two different narrations of the same text with the first being Jason Reynolds. So if you’ve never heard him speak or you love the way he speaks, you’ll love this. There’s also a sort of interview at the end of the print and audiobook between the creators, so be sure to check that out.
As always, Reynolds has a magical way of creating imagery through his words and that’s enhanced by Griffin’s bold art.
This is a very short read as it really only consists of three long sentences and breaths. It’s really about connecting with the experience, emotions, words, and pieces. So don’t be afraid to pick this one up and take your time with it.
Also, the audiobook is over 30 minutes as it includes two different narrations of the same text with the first being Jason Reynolds. So if you’ve never heard him speak or you love the way he speaks, you’ll love this. There’s also a sort of interview at the end of the print and audiobook between the creators, so be sure to check that out.
To Shape a Dragon's Breath by Moniquill Blackgoose
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
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
5.0
An incredible start to a historical fantasy series! I devoured this book quickly despite the length of it because the main character and alternate timeline were captivating. Anequs was kind, smart, matter-of-fact, open-minded, and brave. Anglish society’s rules and customs didn’t have a hold on her unless they could help someone. She was relatable and her friends, for the most part, were from varied backgrounds.
According to the author Moniquil Blackhoose, “To Shape a Dragon’s Breath takes place in southern New England (Rhode Island, Massachussetts) in the 1840s in a very alternate timeline — the Roman Empire never existed, the British Isles were settled by Scandinavian seafarers, and the European colonization of the east coast of the US is proceeding differently. “ Therefore, all of the names of the countries, religious practices, and culture of the colonizers of Turtle Island are almost entirely different from our reality.
I think that Blackgoose handled discussions of race, eugenics, queerness, polyamory, and the autism spectrum with care despite ableism, homophobia, and racism being acceptable by Anglish society. Anequs is our moral guide, in a sense.
I loved the pacing of this book. I found that no matter how many times I thought I knew what would happen next, I was wrong! So that was such a treat. I especially loved the way the characters shared their cultural stories.
The audiobook was lovely thanks to the narrator Charley Flyte! Part way through it I began to wish I had a print copy. Now that I’ve finished the book I know I absolutely want the print since I expect I’ll reread it before the second book comes out.
Y’all need to read this!!!
According to the author Moniquil Blackhoose, “To Shape a Dragon’s Breath takes place in southern New England (Rhode Island, Massachussetts) in the 1840s in a very alternate timeline — the Roman Empire never existed, the British Isles were settled by Scandinavian seafarers, and the European colonization of the east coast of the US is proceeding differently. “ Therefore, all of the names of the countries, religious practices, and culture of the colonizers of Turtle Island are almost entirely different from our reality.
I think that Blackgoose handled discussions of race, eugenics, queerness, polyamory, and the autism spectrum with care despite ableism, homophobia, and racism being acceptable by Anglish society. Anequs is our moral guide, in a sense.
I loved the pacing of this book. I found that no matter how many times I thought I knew what would happen next, I was wrong! So that was such a treat. I especially loved the way the characters shared their cultural stories.
The audiobook was lovely thanks to the narrator Charley Flyte! Part way through it I began to wish I had a print copy. Now that I’ve finished the book I know I absolutely want the print since I expect I’ll reread it before the second book comes out.
Y’all need to read this!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Child abuse, Bullying, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Racism, Ableism, Classism, Colonisation, Gaslighting, and Homophobia
Moderate: Hate crime, Animal cruelty, War, Biphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Alcohol
You Exist Too Much by Zaina Arafat
Did not finish book. Stopped at 38%.
Did not finish book. Stopped at 38%.
At first, I thought I should give myself some time to warm up to the MC but her self-destructive tendencies gave me an unsettled feeling in my gut. I have a hard time with books that deal with infidelity and that takes up, at least, 1/4 of this story. So maybe it's not for me.
The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff
dark
funny
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Toxic friendship, Murder, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Sexism, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Misogyny, Gaslighting, Classism, and Fatphobia
Minor: Ableism, Rape, Pedophilia, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Islamophobia, and Infertility
Luck of the Titanic by Stacey Lee
adventurous
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Like anyone who has seen the movie Titanic and has a morbid fascination with this history, I was drawn to Luck of the Titanic after learning that there were Chinese passengers onboard and wanted to explore that.
The book started off well with a dose of the reality for folks of Chinese descent in the Western world during this time but had a dash of playfulness thanks to the creative license Lee took in making the MC a trained acrobat. As the story progressed, I started to feel like the choices Valora made didn’t really seem feasible. Her “disguise” didn't really work for me but I decided to stick with the story anyway. Like the Titanic movie, the book focuses more on the journey before the disaster so it starts to speed up about 80% of the way into the book. I found the ending pretty disappointing. I had hoped that Lee would bring us into the experience of these folks after this tragedy and I didn’t get that.
If this doesn’t bother you, then you may still enjoy this book for it’s effectiveness in getting one to think about the Chinese Exclusion Act and how Chinese people were treated at the time.
The book started off well with a dose of the reality for folks of Chinese descent in the Western world during this time but had a dash of playfulness thanks to the creative license Lee took in making the MC a trained acrobat. As the story progressed, I started to feel like the choices Valora made didn’t really seem feasible. Her “disguise” didn't really work for me but I decided to stick with the story anyway. Like the Titanic movie, the book focuses more on the journey before the disaster so it starts to speed up about 80% of the way into the book. I found the ending pretty disappointing. I had hoped that Lee would bring us into the experience of these folks after this tragedy and I didn’t get that.
If this doesn’t bother you, then you may still enjoy this book for it’s effectiveness in getting one to think about the Chinese Exclusion Act and how Chinese people were treated at the time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Classism, and Death
Moderate: Gaslighting
Minor: Sexual violence, Death of parent, and Confinement
Xeni by Rebekah Weatherspoon
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Grief
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Abortion, Biphobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Miscarriage
Ana María and the Fox by Liana De la Rosa
Ana María and The Fox is an historical romance with a slowwwww burn. I think this is partly because of the emphasis the author placed on Catholicism in the lives of the main characters and Ana María’s position as the eldest daughter in an elite Mexican family in the 1860s. As mentioned often in the book, Ana had been primed from a young age to believe that she had to be perfect and give herself up to being a political pawn for her father. So don’t expect to get much steam until the last quarter of this book.
I like that the beginning of this series sets us up with three sisters who have to learn to get along and understand one another, too. They aren’t immediately trusting of one another and hold back because of the way their father pitted them against one another.
Gideon is a broody babe that I think kind of resembles the Duke from the first season of Bridgerton. Although, he’s much more serious due to his position in British politics and his racial background. As a Black man, he’s constantly trying to make sure that his every action and detail of his appearance are beyond reproach just to be taken seriously. So he’s not exactly playful for much of the book. I’m sure you’ve already guessed that Ana María brings out a different side of him.
I loved learning about this part of history and I look forward to learning more in the next Luna sisters books.
(It doesn’t hurt that one of the sisters has the same name as me 😉)
adventurous
dark
hopeful
informative
mysterious
medium-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
3.75
Ana María and The Fox is an historical romance with a slowwwww burn. I think this is partly because of the emphasis the author placed on Catholicism in the lives of the main characters and Ana María’s position as the eldest daughter in an elite Mexican family in the 1860s. As mentioned often in the book, Ana had been primed from a young age to believe that she had to be perfect and give herself up to being a political pawn for her father. So don’t expect to get much steam until the last quarter of this book.
I like that the beginning of this series sets us up with three sisters who have to learn to get along and understand one another, too. They aren’t immediately trusting of one another and hold back because of the way their father pitted them against one another.
Gideon is a broody babe that I think kind of resembles the Duke from the first season of Bridgerton. Although, he’s much more serious due to his position in British politics and his racial background. As a Black man, he’s constantly trying to make sure that his every action and detail of his appearance are beyond reproach just to be taken seriously. So he’s not exactly playful for much of the book. I’m sure you’ve already guessed that Ana María brings out a different side of him.
I loved learning about this part of history and I look forward to learning more in the next Luna sisters books.
(It doesn’t hurt that one of the sisters has the same name as me 😉)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Kidnapping
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexism, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, and Misogyny
Minor: Sexual content