My Friends

"It's hard to tell a story, any story, but it's almost impossible if it's your own." ~ 75%

A group of teenagers find refuge from their difficult home lives by spending time together at the pier. Their figures sitting at the end of a long pier are almost unnoticeable in one of the most famous paintings in the world. To the normal eye, the painting is a depiction of the sea. But to Louisa, an artist herself, she wants to find the story behind the people in the corner.

I have no doubt that devout Backman fans will consider this a good read, but I will not recommend it. I am disappointed in the boring plot and unrealistic actions of characters to force a connection. I had to constantly fight the urge to not skim pages at a time. Maybe every Backman book isn't for me.

Happy Pub Day, Fredrik Backman! My Friends is now available.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: My Friends
Author: Fredrik Backman
Published: May 2025
Pages: 448
Edition: Galley
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 🖤 🖤

Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert

"When you Black, it's all for the next generations to come. It ain't never for us, remember that." ~ 82%

Bob the Drag Queen straddles the thin line between entertainment and blasphemy in new release, Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert. 

Harriet Tubman and four of the enslaved persons she led to freedom want to tell their story in a unique way: via a live concert. Picture a musical that she can take on the road. She hires Darnell Williams, a hip-hop producer who once topped the charts before being outed at the BET Awards. Their studio sessions are alive with explanations of the past and hope for a better future.

I am familiar with Bob the Drag Queen because I recently watched the last season of Traitors. He was one of the more entertaining gamers. I did not watch him on RuPaul's Drag Race so he was a new-to-me TV personality. I was excited to read an advance copy of his debut novel. And it's based on a historical figure? Run me that ARC! 

And then I read it. Le sigh! The best way to describe Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert is it's the remix to a classic song that no one asked for. Leave Harriet Tubman's legacy where it is please. Adding a fresh modern twist to history is not always a good idea. Sure, it worked with Hamilton because the art was presented in an appropriate format: Broadway. But bringing historical figures back among the living and putting them in a studio to rap about escaping slavery is not quite following the footsteps of Lin-Manuel Miranda. Bob the Drag Queen is doing too much.

While the novel is inventive and the premise is interesting, it was not fully fleshed out. Poor execution. Poor delivery. Poor judgment. Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert is overall a bust that I will not recommend.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert
Author: Bob the Drag Queen
Published: March 2025
Pages: 240
Edition: Galley
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 🖤 🖤

Series Sunday: 25 Alive

(Women's Murder Club #25) 

Series Sunday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Read an installment of a series.
• Share your review/recommendation below.
• Include the title, author and series name.

"I knew better than most that cases could be open for months or years or never solved. But this one would damn well be solved." ~ 25%

My Series Sunday pick is 25 Alive, the 25th book in the Women's Murder Club series by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro. While bird watching, Sergeant Lindsay Boxer's friend and former partner is murdered in Golden Gate Park. Sadly, a character that readers have known for years is now the victim of a brutal murder. Being a top investigator until the very end, Warren Jacobi managed to leave a clue. The WMC bands together to follow a trail of evidence before the killer takes another one of their own.

Sometimes less is better when it comes to a book review. So as not to spoil the plot, let me show you better than I can tell you.

😰 My reaction at 6%: This how we starting, Patterson & Paetro?!?! 

😲 My reaction at 99%: Whew—what an investigation this was!

This far into a series (25 books in), my expectations are not that high for a page-turning thriller. But this dynamic writing duo pleasantly surprised me and pulled out all the suspense stops for this installment of the Women's Murder Club series. I felt all of the emotions: sadness, anger, anxiety, disbelief, relief and more. It is easily one of my favorite books read so far this year with its perfect pacing, unpredictable plot and character development. Highly recommended!

Happy Early Pub Day, James Patterson and Maxine Paetro! 25 Alive will be available Monday, April 28.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: 25 Alive

Author: James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

Published: April 2025

Pages: 325

Edition: Galley

Genre: Mystery

Challenge: Keeping Up with Patterson

Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

First Lines Friday

First Lines Friday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Grab your current read(s).
• Share the first line(s).
• Include the title and author.

"I'm trying to think of how to describe this room in a way that's not only accurate but also does it justice. I like to be deliberate with my words."

~ Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert by Bob the Drag Queen 

Love in 280 Characters or Less

"I want all my fellow Black girls who have ever been told they're 'too much' to stand up." ~ 76%

How could I not read a book with this cover? It is so vibrant, fun and modern, much like its content. Sydney Ciara is a Black college student navigating academics and love. Starting college is exciting but also nerve-wracking, as she'll have to make new friends and figure out her place on campus now that her best friend Malcolm is miles away at a different university.

Sydney finds solace in blogging and tweeting, where she connects with YoungPrinceX. But there's also a boy on campus named Xavier that she clicks with. Can romance thrive online as much as IRL? And if writing is so therapeutic, can it also be a lucrative career? Something to noodle on...

Clearly I am on a YA reading streak. It is helping me build a list of books to recommend for summer reading. Something light for buddy reads with the teen in your life. Go ahead and add Love in 280 Characters or Less to the list. It is mostly told in an easy-to-read format of blog posts, tweets, emails and texts. Unconventional but the perfect writing style to tell this story of self-discovery and connections in today's world. 

Love in 280 Characters or Less is a love letter to social media and to Black girls who think they won't get chosen. Oh, how I adore this story and its message!

Happy Early Pub Day, Ravynn K. Stringfield! Love in 280 Characters or Less will be available Tuesday, April 15.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

Title: Love in 280 Characters or Less
Author: Ravynn K. Stringfield
Published: April 2025
Pages: 177
Edition: Galley
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

Needy Little Things

"I fulfill needs until I'm numb to my own." ~ pg. 133

Sariyah is blessed with the unique gift of hearing what people need. It could be menial things like a pencil, hair tie, batteries or chewing gum. As a result, she carries around a Santa Bag of items just to clear her mind and help others. But when she fulfills a need for her friend Deja who disappears shortly after, she questions whether it's a gift or a curse.

Determined not to let another Black girl be lost and forgotten, Sariyah and her best friend Malcolm try to find Deja. Meanwhile, Sariyah balances life at home with a mother experiencing lows and a brother facing complications with sickle cell disease. It's a lot for a teenage girl to handle on her own but Sariyah draws strength and resources.

"That ability has done you, and a bunch of others, a whole lot of good." ~ pg. 17

I am impressed for this to be a debut novel. Channelle Desamours certainly knows how the minds of young adults work being a high school science teacher. She perfectly captured their language and emotions. As the story unfolded, I could see where it was heading and appreciated the skillful way she told this important story with a twist. Oh, she took it there! Needy Little Things is fictional with a touch of magic, but the real life message was heard loud and clear!

I recommend Needy Little Things for young adults, parents of teenagers and educators. It may help us become more intentional, pay more attention to signs and respect the needs of others. The vibrant book cover will look good on your bookshelf too!

Title: Needy Little Things
Author: Channelle Desamours
Published: February 2025
Pages: 306
Edition: Hardcover
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

Series Sunday: Persuader

(Jack Reacher #7) 

Series Sunday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Read an installment of a series.
• Share your review/recommendation below.
• Include the title, author and series name.

My Series Sunday pick is Persuader, the seventh book in the Jack Reacher series by Lee Child. Reacher lives for the moment. No commitments. No home. Just a toothbrush and burning desire to right wrongs. DEA Agent Duffy lives for the future. But she too needs to right a wrong. Together, they aim to rescue an agent from a crime lord's waterfront fortress. With his massive size, Reacher is a hard man to miss but he goes undercover in this early installment of the best-selling series.

I bought this paperback from my local library for one buck a few years ago and just now getting to reading it. I figured it would be perfect timing for the Sistahs Be Readin' Book Club selection for March with the 3rd season premiering on Prime Video. Let's prove whether the book is always better.

"It's been a complete waste of time, beginning to end." ~ pg. 269

The Sistahs have our snacks ready, excited for a new TV commentary season on Patreon and the opportunity to buddy read and watch. We said it before: the casting for the Prime Video series is so perfect. The actor meets all of the physical features, witty remarks, grifter style and kick-ass attitude of the beloved character created by Lee Child. So imagine our surprise when by episode 3, we threw in the towel and held our own finale. The book's gotta be better though, right? 

So I eagerly dusted off the 465-page paperback and started reading. I can see how the show followed the main parts and fell short. The action was translated better on the pages than on-screen. Reacher's dry jokes landed better. And there wasn't annoying side characters with horrible accents. Yet it was too damn long. I don't know if the show tainted the story for me, or if this was just a lull in a series that started over 20 years ago. It certainly does not sway me from continuing though. I'll just cherry pick which Reacher book to read next.

Please visit www.patreon.com/sistahspeak if you are interested in joining the Sistahs Be Readin' Book Club. ~Sistah LM

Title: Persuader

Author: Lee Child

Published: April 2003

Pages: 465

Edition: Paperback

Genre: Mystery

Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤