The Edge of Dawn

"Many of the symbols are African-based. Some were from secret societies. Different colors meant different things and some quilts even carried symbols designed to protect the quilt itself." ~ pg. 65

I can always count on Ms. Bev to weave history into fiction. The Edge of Dawn features the meaning and intricacy of a slave quilt. It is as much of a character as the romantic couple.

Narice Jordan is a 37-year-old divorced woman, founder and principal of Michigan-based Jordan Academy. So why was she snatched off the street soon after her father's funeral? Federal agents make accusations about a stolen North African diamond, which she knows nothing about. Before they can question her further, Narice is again kidnapped by a mysterious man. Now who might that be?

I was first introduced to the character, Saint, in The Edge of Midnight, where he played a minor part. But in this here book (said with a southern drawl), Mr. Anthony St. Martin (Saint) is the star. He doesn't wear suits. He doesn't shave. He wears shades indoors and never goes anywhere without his Inspector Gadget coat. He comes to Narice's rescue and helps to find the beautiful blue diamond that everyone is after. Guided by directions on a handmade slave quilt, they set out on a dangerous adventure. Narice has no choice but to stay protected by Saint's side and discover the real reason her father was murdered in a house fire.

"Besides, Parliamentfunkadelic says you can't be cool without your shades." ~ pg. 21

The Edge of Dawn needs no glorified recommendation. Do you like romance? Do you support authors writing about characters of color? Do you like contemporary stories with a hint of suspense? Do you like getting lost into the fictional lives of others? Okay then!

Good pick for Black History Month!

Title: The Edge of Dawn
Author: Beverly Jenkins
Published: January 2004
Pages: 229
Edition: eBook
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤

 

The Edge of Midnight

"It was a common, everyday playing card. A black ace of spades." ~ pg. 7

It is no secret to bookhearts that Beverly Jenkins (whom I respectfully refer to as Ms. Bev) is my favorite historical fiction and romance author. I am not the mushy type to go-gaga-over a love story. However, I look forward to and enjoy every single one of Ms. Bev's books. Why? Because she weaves a realistic tale with a dose of history education. The women don't play hard to get but are rather independent. The women characters do not need a man; they want a life companion. Eventually, they fall in love with a dashing black gentleman. What's not to like about that?

Edge of Midnight is a bit different than Ms. Bev's normal books. Published over ten years ago, it is her first contemporary romantic suspense novel. Sarita Grayson is smuggling a bag of stolen diamonds. In the struggle to get away, she shoots a handsome stranger named Mykal Chandler, head of a covert government agency. Even though he is furious, he can't fight the attraction building up. She's sassy and desperate for help; Mykal does everything possible to protect her from the edge of midnight.

"She was like a rare wine or a fine imported cigar." ~ pg. 172

So what do I think of Ms. Bev's first contemporary romance book? I am pleasantly not surprised. I knew from the get-go that I would enjoy it because of her writing style. The only difference was the setting being a century or so later. I especially like how it primarily takes place in Detroit, Michigan—practically my backyard! Edge of Midnight is recommended to readers looking for a suspenseful romance featuring characters of color. Perfect pick for Black History Month!

Title: The Edge of Midnight
Author: Beverly Jenkins
Published: February 2007
Pages: 276
Edition: eBook
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

 

Series Sunday: The Last Act

(The Last Act #1) 

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 The Last Act, the first book in the series of same name by Brad Parks.

But first...there is a prequel titled The Whistleblower that helps set the stage for a suspenseful thriller. Mitch Dupree landed his dream job: bank compliance director. It is his job to abide by Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations with a Cover Your Ass (CYA) mentality. After all, banks are the first line of defense against illicit transactions. He notices suspicious activity and what may possibly be money laundering transactions made by a drug cartel. He is faced with an ethical issue: turn a blind eye and protect the family atmosphere at work or blow the whistle.

"If a bank is willfully breaking the law, they're going to get away with it. It's only the people who are trying to follow the law who get screwed." ~ 63%

Struggling actor Tommy Jump is offered the role of a lifetime: $150,000 for a 6-month gig. But it comes from an unlikely employer: the FBI. Feds arrested Mitch Dupree, a bank compliance director, who for the past four years appeared to be laundering money for one of the deadliest drug cartels. Dupree has documents that could lead to way more arrests and personally take down the cartel's leader. It is Tommy's job to enter the prison and act like an inmate. More specifically, he needs to get close to Dupree in hopes of revealing the documents whereabouts. It is a dangerous job and may be Tommy's last act.

A snow day couldn't have come at a better time. It allowed me to spend the day wearing pajamas while reading this new 400+ page book uninterrupted. And oh, did I ever need a lazy day for this gripping tale of deceit! What made it more engaging, is that it's loosely inspired by a true story. Wachovia Bank failed to apply anti-money laundering laws on $378,000,000,000 (BILLION) worth of transfers to and from Mexican currency exchange houses. This directly tied the Mexican drug cartels to the U.S. banking system. It was the largest violation ever uncovered in our country. So much for the war on drugs. 🙄

"Books would be written. Movies would be made. Glory would be achieved." ~ 88%

This new novel is proof why Brad Parks is an international bestselling author. While I enjoyed the well-paced novel and the likable main character, Tommy Jump, I would totally be okay with this being a standalone. There were no major loose ends so it feels complete. How about a movie adaptation instead?

Happy Early Pub Day, Brad Parks! The Last Act will be available Tuesday, March 12.

Disclaimer: This book was received directly from the publisher for review purposes only. In no way does it influence my review. The opinions I have expressed are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins.

Title: The Last Act

Author: Brad Parks

Published: March 2019

Pages: 416

Edition: Galley

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 dreamed about fish last night, Francie,' Mrs. Mackey said, sliding back the chain and opening the door to admit me. 'What number does Madame Zora's dream book give for fish?'"

~ Daddy Was a Number Runner by Louise Meriwether; Foreword by James Baldwin 

Lit Tidbits: Black History Month Repeats

What did I ever do before bookish apps like Goodreads and Shelfari? How did I keep up with what books I've already read? If you are anything like me, your memory is simply not good enough. So sometimes within first couple chapters, it dawns on me...I read this book before! Hence, below are books that I happily added to my TBR for Black History Month, then quickly realized it was a repeat read! Allow me to still spotlight them.

Title: If They Come in the Morning
Edited By: Angela Y. Davis
Published: March 1971
Tidbit: The most political of all political prisoners introduces readers to voices of resistance. Angela Davis and many more come through for justice.

Title: The Perfect Find

Author: Tia Williams

Published: April 2016 

Tidbit: A 40-year-old woman. High-stakes career. Ticking biological clock. Low bank balance. A funny saga of star-crossed love.

Title: Ayesha At Last

Author: Uzma Jalaluddin

Published: June 2018

Tidbit: Yet another Pride & Prejudice retelling with a modern Muslim twist. In that regard, I read this book before!

Title: Leaving Atlanta

Author: Tayari Jones

Published: January 2002

Tidbit: The true-crime Atlanta child murders of 1979 is told from the fictional point of view of three (3) young black children.

Title: Have No Shame

Author: Melissa Foster

Published: April 2013

Tidbit: A hate crime committed in the deep South forces an 18-year-old to choose what she knows in her heart to be true versus what others, in a racially-charged world, would like her to believe.

 

The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls

"You girls, us women, we're water. Strong stuff. A force of nature. A source of life." ~ 69%

What a title. What a cover. What a debut, I think.

Sisters Althea, Viola and Lillian are not prepared for the trial that will usurp their lives. Althea is the eldest sister. She is now the matriarch of the family, holding everyone together. So it comes as a shock when she and her husband are arrested for a sham charity. Once the most respected in the small community, now the disgrace of the town.

Not even her sisters are sure what really happened, making it hard for them to defend the accusations. With Althea in jail, sisters Viola and Lillian step up. They move into the house to care for their two teenage nieces. What follows is a well-paced novel that is impressive for a debut.

"Ain't no such thing as 'depressed'." ~ 36%

The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls is the type of novel that consumes your thoughts while reading it. I wondered how I would react in a similar situation. I evaluated my role as an Auntie. I related to the mother-daughter relationship in some way. And I certainly agree that daughters carry the hopes of their mothers.

But let a couple weeks pass after finishing the book and I tend to forget the details. I remembered the central themes only as the characters were forgettable. And that is okay. The message stayed with me. The author did her job: write a book that readers can relate to and will recommend to others.

Happy Pub Day, Anissa Gray. The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls is available today.

Disclaimer: This book was received directly from the publisher for review purposes only. In no way does it influence my review. The opinions I have expressed are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins.

Title: The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls
Author: Anissa Gray
Published: February 2019
Pages: 304
Edition: Galley
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

 

Sistah Speak Sunday: Ask the Sistahs

(Sistah Speak: Ask the Sistahs) 

Are you looking for a podcast hosted by diverse women? Are you already in the Sistah Speak Nation? Listen to the new episode of Sistah Speak: Ask the Sistahs where we answer your burning questions from a Sistah's point of view.

Listen Now 🎧 Ep 13 Time: 1 Hour, 15 Minutes

Podcast: Sistah Speak Productions
Co-Hosts: Sistah A, Sistah J, Sistah K and Sistah LM

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.

"Before she became The Girl from Nowhere—The One Who Walked In, The First and Last and Only, who lived a thousand years—she was just a little girl in Iowa, named Amy. Amy Harper Bellafonte."

~ The Passage (TV Tie-in Edition) by Justin Cronin

 

My Love Story ~ Tina Turner

"What's in a name? Everything." ~ pg. 37

Tina Turner. Queen of Rock & Roll. Living legend. Survivor. My Love Story is about her complicated life from early years in the backwoods of Nutbush, Tennessee to her public abusive marriage to Ike Turner to her happy fairytale wedding and life as a Switzerland citizen. She shares her successes and darkest moments in this new memoir. Anna Mae Bullock holds no punches!

If you think you already know about Tina Turner just from watching What's Love Got to Do With It movie, then you are so mistaken. There is so much more detail and depth to her life. My jaw dropped in surprise during some parts. Others, I nodded my head in remembrance. But many chapters revealed things I did not know about this remarkably strong woman. Love literally saved her life.

"I'd been working for almost forty years, and I'd earned every dollar the hard way." ~ pg. 131

What better month to celebrate this black celebrity by reading her love story? She is recognizable all over the world. Her voice is unmatched. C'mon...she's simply The Best 🎵

Title: My Love Story
Author: Tina Turner
Published: October 2018
Pages: 208
Edition: eBook
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤

 

The Untelling

"Memories are best when they're fresh." ~ pg. 294

Aria lived through a car crash that killed half of her family. She was only nine years old. Fast forward to 25-year-old Aria and she begins a journey to unearth the past. It leads to forgiveness, self-discovery and an altered reality.

Why, oh why, has it taken me damn near 13 years to read The Untelling? I knew it would be an excellent book because...hello...it is written by Tayari Jones. And tons of bookhearts gave it high ratings. My only excuse for keeping this book on my TBR for more than a decade is I needed time to slowly digest the story. Consume the characters. Get lost in its pages. Go on a journey of fictional forgiveness.

The Untelling is perfect for reading this Black History Month. If you are like me, letting this book collect dust while sitting on a bookshelf, I encourage you to blow the dust off its pages (or un-archive the eBook) and begin reading now. Go ahead, I'll wait. Thank me later.

Title: The Untelling
Author: Tayari Jones
Published: April 2006
Pages: 294
Edition: Paperback
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

 

Sistah Speak Sunday: Celebrity Big Brother 2

(Sistah Speak: Celebrity Big Brother) 

Are you looking for a podcast hosted by diverse women? Are you a Big Brother fan? Listen to Sistah Speak: Big Brother where we discuss Celebrity Big Brother season 2 from a Sistah's point of view.

We are back to talk season disappointments, the celebrity houseguests line-up, twists, evictions and drama in the house.

Listen Now 🎧 Ep 94 Time: 1 Hour, 36 Minutes

Listen Now 🎧 Ep 95 Time: 1 Hour, 14 Minutes

Listen Now 🎧 Ep 96 Time: 2 Hours, 4 Minutes

Podcast: Sistah Speak Productions
Co-Hosts: Sistah A, Sistah K and Sistah LM

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.

"Hard, ugly, summer-vacation-spoiling rain fell for three straight months in 1979. Atlanta downpours destroyed hopscotch markers carefully chalked onto asphalt and stole the bounce from yellow tennis balls forgotten in backyards."

~ Leaving Atlanta by Tayari Jones

A Cupboard Full of Coats

"I wasn't his kind of storyteller, taking everything back to the dawn of time, slowly building up to the point chapter by chapter."  ~ pg. 63

Oh, how I love buddy reads! Chickadee and I agreed to read A Cupboard Full of Coats. On my TBR for over five (5) years, it was high time to give it a read. The cover and title seemed inviting.

Jinx's mother was murdered in her East London home about 14 years ago. Overwhelmed with guilt, Jinx never fully dealt with what happened and the part she played in her own mother's death. An old friend of her mother's, Lemon, shows up unannounced, forcing Jinx to confront the past. They slowly revisit events leading up to that particular night. Over the course of one weekend, Jinx and Lemon unravel emotions, jealousy, violence and family drama.

"I was not one of those people." ~ pg. 137

This is a safe space so I won't sugarcoat my review. We did not like A Cupboard Full of Coats as much as Yvvette Edwards' other book, The Mother. It was very repetitive with unnecessary dialogue and background. In the beginning pages, I was anxiously waiting for the climax but lost interest by the time it was revealed. I was tempted to skip ahead but was curious enough to see whether the plot would pick up. I was ready for something dramatic and jaw-dropping. Instead it was ordinarily predictable. There are almost 2,000 positive reviews for this novel but...nope.

Title: A Cupboard Full of Coats
Author: Yvvette Edwards
Published: June 2011
Pages: 169
Edition: eBook
Rating: 🖤

 

I Owe You One

"If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete. That's a quote from Buddha." ~ 14%

Fixie Farr believes in her father's motto: Family First. She is determined to honor his legacy but is thrown off when a handsome stranger steps into the coffee shop, asking her to watch his laptop for just a moment. In mere minutes, she saves his laptop from being destroyed in a freak accident. He scribbles an IOU with his business card. She never thought to claim an IOU from a stranger but finds herself in a new series of IOUs for everything from small favors to life-changing acts.Until she is torn between her family, which should come first, and the life she really wants.

Let me preface this review with a disclosure. I am a fan of Sophie Kinsella. I will read any book with her name on the cover. Call it reader's loyalty. But I am very, very disappointed with this new release. The only thing that kept me reading until the end was my fierce loyalty to her as an author I love.

To be quite honest, I was over it from the first paragraph when the main character introduced her nickname as "Fixie." Serious eye roll. Then about 40% into the advance reader's copy, I questioned whether it was worth finishing. At that point, I was bored with the storyline. Yet I continued because...well, Sophie Kinsella. Finally at 93%, I was beyond done yet glad I reached the end.

"It's over. It's done. You can't go back in time and do life a different way." ~ 93%

I suspect that Kinsella fans will have the same reaction as I did reading I Owe You One. For readers new to this author, please do not start with this book. It may turn you off from her earlier greater books. Nevertheless, judge for yourself. And to the author...you owe me a bestseller. I KNOW you are capable of better writing than this.

Happy Early Pub Day, Sophie Kinsella. I Owe You One will be available Tuesday, February 19.

Disclaimer: This book was received directly from the publisher for review purposes only. In no way does it influence my review. The opinions I have expressed are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins.

Title: I Owe You One
Author: Sophie Kinsella
Published: February 2019
Pages: 432
Edition: Galley
Rating: 🖤 🖤

 

Series Sunday: Dread Nation

(Dread Nation #1) 

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.

"That's the problem with walls: they don't just keep the enemy out." ~ pg. 177

My Series Sunday pick is Dread Nation, the first book in the series of same name by Justina Ireland. Remember Gettysburg? Well Jane McKeene was born two days before the dead began to walk the battlefields. In this new nation, safety depends on the work of a small group. Due to the Native and Negro Reeducation Act, children aged 12 or older attend combat schools to learn how to put down the dead. Their lives and society depend on it.

Jane was born to a wealthy southern white woman. But that is not enough to save her. Before long, Jane is trained in both weaponry and etiquette. She's set to graduate and return home, hoping to find her mother unharmed by shamblers. It is not in Jane's DNA to lay low though. She notices families begin to go missing. She sets out on a mission to find them and gets caught in a conspiracy. Despite all she is taught, whom does she defend? And will America return to its glory days?

Listen. I am not a fan of science fiction or zombies or shamblers (the undead). This is so not a book I would normally read. But this year, I am broadening my reading culture to include genres new to me. Hence why I paid attention to a recommendation by my Sistah K: Read Dread Nation! 

"I ain't waiting for an opportunity. I'm making one." ~ pg. 195

Another buddy read with my Chickadee! Surprisingly, I was all in. The main character is an intelligent black young woman. She thinks before acting, unlike a normal teenager. Her will to live and defend was extraordinary. I felt her determination through the pages. I felt when she quickly analyzed a situation and followed her instinct. And I admired how she looked out for others, sometimes risking her own life in the process.

The story jumped off into action and there were no unnecessary chapters or mindless dialogue. It seemed almost every part was needed to tell a complete story. Even though this is book one of a series, there were not many cliffhangers or loose ends. All the more reason to give it a try!

"Newsletters and novels are considered unnecessary distractions." ~ pg. 19

I recommend this new series because it's really good, but most importantly, it features a main character of color. Perfect book for Black History Month! It is based on actual historical events whereas Native American children were sent to boarding or industrial schools to learn how to be "civilized." This practice implies that Native American culture is wrong while white/European culture is the norm. Ugh—don't get me started how our country did minority groups WRONG! Anyhoot, fans of The Walking Dead, The Passage, and 1800s history will definitely enjoy Dread Nation. This book ain't got almost 10,000 positive ratings for nothing!

Title: Dread Nation

Author: Justina Ireland

Published: April 2018

Pages: 302

Edition: eBook

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.

"Political repression in the United States has reached monstrous proportions. Black and Brown peoples especially, victims of the most vicious and calculated forms of class, national and racial oppression, bear the brunt of this repression. Literally tens of thousands of innocent men and women, the overwhelming majority of them poor, fill the jails and prisons; hundreds of thousands more, including the most presumably respectable groups and individuals, are subject to police, FBI and military intelligence surveillance."

~ If They Come in the Morning...Voices of Resistance by Angela Y. Davis 

Perfect start to Black History Month reading!