A genie that needs true love in order to escape her lamp?
I am all for it. I loved this book but would have love truly loved if there was more fantasy involved. The author brushes over a lot of the fantasy to focus on the romance, which was fantastic by the way. But as a fantasy lover, there is a lot of good stuff here and would love to see it grow.
B. Love should write more fantasy novels and make them longer.
4 Pickles
A retired NFL player, Colton, takes over his father’s business and falls for the star employee of the company, Whitney. He doesn’t realize that they met before and she hates his guts.
Self-Published Sept. 16th, 2019 169 Pages
The romance was forced. The author did her best to create a build up but it was rushed and didn’t make sense. There is history between the two but there isn’t at the same time. What I mean to say is their history is so short and the author uses that to create a conflict that isn’t structured very well.
What was cute about this novel was how Colton broke the ice so they can get to know each other. It was super cute.
However, that didn’t save this novella.
1 Pickle
Pink Cashmere Publishing, LLC Published May 16th, 2017 242 Pages
What do you get when you have a landlord who is also a popular natural hair blogger rents to a womanizing corporate man? This book.
I loved this book and it was all because of the womanizer named Ryan Boye. I didn’t really care for Angela. She was a bit too desperate for me at times and she had unrealistic expectations too soon. But Ryan. He did his thing and when he didn’t just wait around for things to happen. He has self-aware and very actionable. I loved him.
There is one scene in this novel and all I could think of was the wedding scene in “A Different World” if you know you know.
Avelyn Russell didn’t do love. Never did, never wanted to and as far as she was concerned, never would. She lives her life proud to hold the title as the ‘break up queen’ and for never letting love get her caught up in being an advocate of false hope fairytales. But her extreme methods to avoid love are put to the test by the one person able to tap into her cold little heart and Avelyn has no clue how to handle it.
Dasiah Stokes – charming, handsome, and not afraid of love. The complete opposite of Avelyn and the moment he reveals his true feelings for her, she bolts leaving him to fight for their love. He’s willing to do just that – until he’s not, leaving them both to figure out if it is or isn’t the end of their love story. – Goodreads
*rolls up sleeves* Let’s jump into this.
The beginning took my breath away and that is because I thought the author was going in a direction I wasn’t up for. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case but it was a huge visual and a metaphorical foreshadow for what was coming. What I mean by this is do you know when people talk about anxiety attacks and they describe it was drowning because they is how they visualize it? Yeah, that is what kinda happens with that opening.
Moving forward, I hated Avelyn. She didn’t know what she wanted and she was okay ruining someone else’s happiness, life or moments because she was an ass. Yes, she has some issues . . . some deep deep underlying issues but man if Avelyn was a man, there would be pitch forks and mobs trying to kill her off. Also Avelyn was just mean to anyone that came her way when she wasn’t in the mood. Not a good look at all. It makes you wonder what Dasiah sees in her.
Despite my strong dislike for Avelyn, I enjoyed the book. I liked how it flowed with a purpose. Avelyn wasn’t written where she would be accepted for who she was. There was a growth and it was realistic growth. This was something I appreciated. Do I wish there was more details in regards to the methods she used to become a better person? Yes; I feel that they were a bit glanced over.
The romance itself was alright. I didn’t feel a spark for Avelyn and Dasiah but it was good to look at ;) I wished that I was able to read his point of view but I also wish that we didn’t jump into the middle of their relationship. It would have been nice to see that heat grow.
Overall, its a solid first novel in the series. It was a quick read that could have been a bit longer if certain things took its time.
Remember that moment when you first encountered a character who seemed to be written just for you? That feeling of belonging can stick with readers the rest of their lives–but it doesn’t come around as frequently for all of us.
In this timely anthology, “well-read black girl” Glory Edim brings together original essays by some of our best black female writers and creative voices to shine a light on how we search for ourselves in literature, and how important it is that everyone–no matter their gender, race, religion, or abilities–can find themselves there. Whether it’s learning about the complexities of femalehood from Their Eyes Were Watching God, seeing a new type of love in The Color Purple, or using mythology to craft an alternative black future, each essay reminds us why we turn to books in times of both struggle and relaxation.
As she has done with her incredible book-club-turned-online-community Well-Read Black Girl, in this book, Edim has created a space where black women’s writing and knowledge and life experiences are lifted up, to be shared with all readers who value the power of a story to help us understand the world, and ourselves. -Goodreads
So, I may be a bit weird or maybe my experiences in life just aren’t as relate able as maybe they should be. But Well-Read Black Girl is a collection of essays written by authors such as Jacqueline Woodson, N. K. Jemisin and Rebecca Walker. I was hype to form a connection with authors that I not only admire but throw dollars at every chance I get.
So when this collection came about I was hyped. When I was selected to get an arc via Netgalley I was hyped. But when I began reading it my hyped died.
Here is the thing. Just like the authors within this book, reading is sometimes form of escape and offers relaxation that other hobbies or passions cannot. For me it is one of my biggest escapes. If a book is well written I can get lost in the world and stay there even, after I finish the last page. Reading is super important to me and although I was able to connect with the authors on the importance of reading, I wasn’t able to for much else.
I wrote an article for a website called Notes and Narratives. It began as an book review for the poem Black Girl Magic and is branches off to something more about representation. Representation is important and it should be there because although one person may not need it, it doesn’t someone else doesn’t either. But what I am getting at is, when I read, I’m not looking for myself in these characters. Personality traits yes, maybe; depends on the book. But overall, when I was reading Well-Read Black Girl, I thought who is the target audience for this?
I know that the purpose of these essays is to connect African American women readers. So we can know what it felt like growing up reading and being an adult reading. And you know what happened? I had a random flashback when I was 16 or younger I remember talking about opening a bookstore (which I still have plans to do) and I remember hearing people say “Black people don’t read” so it would be a waste of money. My response then was ” well what I am if not a black person?”
I was surprised by that statement because my mother reads, my sisters read, my brothers read, my father reads. Every Black person, I have met may not have read as much as I did but they read. But this brings back to representation and how important it is not only and solely on a individual level but a world wide.
But this book Well-Read Black Girl, a series of essays by top authors, reaches down to remind you of moments, such as mine or different, but most important moments as a Black woman, in modern times. Although I wasn’t able to connect with the authors beyond a love and passion for reading, I was reconnected with the past Tanya, who began reading books because there was nothing else to do but fell in love with how the simplest words can create an entire world.
So in my eyes this book was a success. I may not be able to connect as much as I wanted to but something pulled at me to remember, where it all began for me.
This is literally not a book review but more of a personal inspiration from a book. I would recommend this read because it starts off a discussion, which I am all for.
Motif by Tanya 