cielosiluminado's reviews
352 reviews

Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan

4.0

beautiful

Team Players by Deanna Grey

emotional funny lighthearted 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? Yes

2.5

this is book had so potential but it was so poorly executed… i just wanted more of sam and aderyn being cute and lovey dovey romantic but this book was mostly focused on the strange betting subplot instead of the romance :/

Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson

dark emotional tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

Malcolm X said it best. “The most disrespected person in America is the Black woman. The most unprotected person in America is the Black woman. The most neglected person in America is the Black woman.”

The Color of a Lie by Kim Johnson

emotional informative 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? It's complicated

5.0

“But this country only knows how to rule in terror and by blood. The physical and the metaphysical. The hate that has now fueled this country against us is as visible as skin color and as invisible as the soul.”

Curvy Girl Summer by Danielle Allen

emotional funny lighthearted 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? No

3.5

such a funny dynamic between ahmad and aaliyah. loved their banter a lot.

i will note that the fatphobia in this was very tense. i had to take several breaks while reading because of how upsetting it was :/

Sunny Disposition by Deanna Grey

emotional funny lighthearted 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

3.5

“But I’ve fallen in love with you twice now. I think it’s safe to say I’d do it again.”
— Chapter 33, p. 304

ok so there were so many unresolved things and loose ends that left me ??? but it didn’t bother me that much because naomi and finn were really cute!!!! i love grumpy sunshine romances!!!!!!

Unsteady by Peyton Corinne

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

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

5.0

2nd read:
rhys and sadie are both so adorable and i wanna protect them at all costs <3

rereading this made me super excited for the second book because for a debut novel, it was so good. i cannot wait to see what peyton’s next release will be!! me thinks it’s about ro and freddy!!! i hope we’ll see bennett, toren, holden get their own books and maybe even oliver in the future…? *crosses fingers*

i also wouldn’t mind reading a prequel about rhys’ parents aka max and anna koteskiy and their love story tbh there’s a lot of potential for a good book there

Unsteady by Peyton Corinne

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

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

4.0

1st read:
very cute debut!!

this story was sad at first, but heartwarming the more it progressed. like the main characters, who were written very well. there was such good:
♡ mental health rep
♡ broken home rep
♡ strong female mc / supportive male mc
♡ no third breakup act
♡ no toxic relationship - just pure, unconditional love and support.

“You are worth it. And if I have to fight the little demons in your mind that convince you otherwise for every day for the rest of our lives? I’ll happily do it.”

sometimes the pacing of the storytelling threw me off at times and there was a lot of focus on secondary characters that left me guessing and wanting to know them more. hopefully there’s a additional books for the others.

he also calls her "kotyonok" which was enough for me to be hooked on the story *chefs kiss*

Maya Angelou Poetry Collection by Maya Angelou

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

i literally just finished the ebook of her entire poems collection and i decided to listen to the audiobook for fun and dare i say that i loved it even more!? although it doesn’t include all of her poems, these 100 poems were narrated by maya herself, which made it so much more fun and engaging. i loved listening to her speak and sing.

The Complete Collected Poems of Maya Angelou by Maya Angelou

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

i need to get a physical copy of this book so i can annotate it!!!!!

just give me a cool drink of water ‘fore i diiie
part one: where love is a scream of anguish

• in a time (p. 22)
• to a husband (p. 25)
• mourning grace (p. 31)
• how i can lie to you (p. 32)

part two: just before the world ends

• when i think about myself (p. 35)
• riot: 60’s (pp. 45-46)
• we saw beyond our seeming (p. 47)
• no no no no (pp. 49-52)

oh pray my wings are gonna fit me well
part one

• on reaching forty (p. 67)

part two

• poor girl (pp. 73-74)
• alone (pp. 77-78)

part three

• request (p. 85)
• africa (pp. 86-87)
• america (pp. 88-89)

part four

• the pusher (pp. 97-99)

part five

• i almost remember (pp. 102-03)
• song for the old ones (pp. 110-11)
• take time out (pp. 114-16)
• elegy (pp. 117-18)

i shall not be moved

• human family (pp. 226-28)
• son to mother (p. 241)
• these yet to be united states (p. 244)
• our grandmothers (pp. 258-262)