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.

"The only thing I know about my grandmother's home is that it's in an isolated area of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Zirconia, North Carolina."

~ Happy Land by Dolen Perkins-Valdez 

Low Road

"I'm writing my life." ~ 58%

I cannot let Black History Month end without a spotlight on one of the best urban fiction authors to ever grace bookshelves around the world: Mr. Donald Goines.

In spite of growing up in a two-parent stable household, being heir to a legit family business and a Catholic school education, Donald Goines was pulled into the lure of the streets. Born in Detroit, he lived the life of a street hustler: pimping, boosting, drugs, stealing and gambling. It was during one of his prison stays that he began to draw on his own life experiences to write an impressive catalog of sixteen fiction novels in only three years, all while high on heroin at the typewriter. 

In this updated biography, previously published 20 years ago, Eddie B. Allen Jr. intends to commemorate Donald Goines' life and lasting legacy. It begins with an extensive recount of The Great Migration to his high school dropout years, military service, smack (heroin) addiction, criminal stint, author status, family life and unexpected violent death. The book ends with Allen Jr.'s visit to Detroit Memorial Cemetery where Donald Goines is buried, speculation about the double murder, research used and contact with relatives. The Epilogue is the best part of the whole book.

"It was the streets, ironically, that helped stage Donnie's brief but memorable literary career." ~ 3%

Low Road is not what I expected. I wanted to read about Donald Goines' childhood, adulthood, addiction and journey to become a writer. Instead, the book is largely about American history, social justice, racism, war, a nod to Detroit and very little about what is not already publicly known about Donald Goines. I appreciate the author giving context about the state of affairs during pivotal points in Goines' life but it reads like an in-depth history lesson of the United States. Not what I'm here for!

Lastly, I cannot give an opinion on the Foreword by the late, great DMX because it was not included in my ARC. It is mentioned in the description and on the cover page so I was expecting and looking forward to what DMX had to say about Goines. Yet another letdown. Readers can gain a better sense of Donald Goines' by reading between the lines of his bestelling novels like Whoreson, Dopefiend, and Never Die Alone.

Happy Early Re-Pub Day, Eddie B. Allen Jr.! Low Road will be available Tuesday, March 25.

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: Low Road: The Life and Legacy of Donald Goines
Author: Eddie B. Allen Jr.
Re-Published: March 2025
Pages: 202
Edition: Galley
Genre: Biography
Rating: 🖤 🖤

Chloe

"Love and jealousy made people do crazy things." ~ pg. 168

Bestselling author Connie Briscoe returns with a retelling of Daphne Du Maurier's classic Rebecca. This tale of domestic suspense centers around a whirlwind romance that culminates in a quick marriage between private chef Angel and a Black billionnaire named Everett. Once she moves into the massive mansion located along the Potomac River, Angel discovers he is haunted by his first wife's death and begins to question what really happened to Chloe. Things aren't adding up. Everett is not answering questions. And no one seems able to let Chloe go.

I read Rebecca umpteen years ago but still remember the premise. There are multiple retellings and even a Netflix production for those that want a quick refresher of the story. Chloe is the first that I know of that features Black main characters. Love this for us!

Unfortunately that is where my love for this story stopped. It starts off rather boring and is too predictable. Angel ignored all the red flags making it harder to empathize and like her. The ending, to say the least, is unsatisfying and abrupt. It was a struggle to stay interested enough to finish, but I did on the strength of the author being thee Connie Briscoe. Fans of the author may want to skip this new release and re-read her earlier works instead. I, on the other hand, am going to re-read the original Rebecca.

Happy Early Pub Day, Connie Briscoe! Chloe will be available Tuesday, March 18.

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: Chloe
Author: Connie Briscoe
Published: March 2025
Pages: 186
Edition: Galley
Genre: Domestic Suspense
Rating: 🖤 🖤

Series Sunday: The Chow Maniac

(Noodle Shop Mystery #11) 

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 Chow Maniac, the 11th book in the Noodle Shop mystery series by Vivien Chien. There is dissension in the ranks of a century-old Asian organization known as the Eight Immortals. Each member holds an artifact and someone is dying to own them all. Three members have already died under seemingly natural circumstances, but one of the members suspects they are actually murders and that he may be next. Enter the return of Lydia, a private investigator that enlists the help of Lana (manager of Ho-Lee Noodle House) to help solve the case with her close ties to the community.

"It was one of those earth-shattering moments where if I had been drinking coffee, I would have sprayed it out of my mouth every which way. It was something I hadn't seen coming nor could have guessed at by a long shot." ~ pg. 226

Bookhearts may read this as a standalone or in series order. Why? Because Vivien Chien knows how to do a proper series introduction. In the first few paragraphs, readers are introduced to the main character, the setting and a brief recap. Too many other authors miss this important step by assuming all readers are familiar with the series and just jump right in. Or that existing readers of the series remember everything and everyone from previous books. So thanks to Vivien Chien for doing it right!

The Chow Maniac has all the necessary elements of a cozy mystery: a relatable amateur sleuth (Lana), food (pineapple cakes, asian noodles and pork dumplings), colorful cast of characters (Mahjong Matrons), a charming setting (Asia Village), romance (Detective Adam), a dog (pug named Kikkoman), light tone, non-gory murder, false pretenses and plenty red herrings. There is also a dose of Chinese mythology that brings intrigue to the story. Although some chapters can be wordy, Chien delivers another good read in the Noodle Shop mystery series. The Chow Maniac has my stamp of recommendation!

Happy Early Pub Day, Vivien Chien! The Chow Maniac will be available Tuesday, April 1.

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: The Chow Maniac

Author: Vivien Chien

Published: April 2025

Pages: 265

Edition: Galley

Genre: Cozy Mystery

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.

"There it was again. The nightmare. Creeping up, invading."

~ Chloe by Connie Briscoe 

Lit Tidbits: Pithy Picks XVIII

Hey, Bookhearts! Pithy Picks are a bookish meme created to help you quickly find books that are worth your time and coins. Today's pithy picks are giving meh with one extraordinary exception.

Title: Things I Never Said to Myself

Author: Duduzile Noeleen Ngwenya
Published: August 2022
Pithy Review: I'm not a fan of poetry. Never have been. But there are certain books in poem format that I give a try if highly recommended by Bookhearts. Such is the case here. Don't be fooled by the simple cover. I highlighted so many passages in this book that I started writing quotes on sticky notes as reminders and writing in my planner as affirmations. Beautifully written. Spoken straight to the readers' heart providing a boost of self-love, self-esteem and healing.

Quote: "If it doesn't feel mutually beneficial anymore, let it go." ~ pg. 15
Recommend or Nah? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: The Crash

Author: Freida McFadden
Published: January 2016
Pithy Review: I'mma ride with Chickadee and temporarily hop off the Freida McFadden train. Give her a little break. The glass of red Kool-aid is empty and I don't want a refill. It was once thrilling to read her books with twists I never saw coming. Now you're playing in my face with exaggerated twists that make no logic sense. The premise is realistic and starts off fine; a woman eight months pregnant crashes her car in a snow blizzard but is rescued by a couple offering a warm safe haven until the snow clears. But then it becomes an eye-rolling reading experience with a predictable yet ridiculous conclusion. Focus on your professional medical career for a while instead of cranking out books every quarter because the quality is suffering, Freida girl.

Quote: "I've listened to enough true crime podcasts to know where this is going." ~ pg. 64
Recommend or Nah? ⭐️⭐️

Title: The Secret Keeper of Main Street

Author: Trisha R. Thomas
Published: June 2024
Pithy Review: Bailey Dowery is a Black dressmaker with the gift of second sight. Set in 1954 Oklahoma, Bailey is in high demand. It is safer to stay out of white folks' business but Bailey reluctantly reveals the true intentions and loves of her socialite clients until one day, she becomes a silent witness to a crime. The synopsis had me thinking that Bailey was the main character but it just as equally centered about Elsa, a young white bride. Not what I expected so it was just an okay read.

Quote: "Strong women and weak women. You know what the difference is between them? Choices." ~ pg. 191
Recommend or Nah? ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Title: Who's That Girl?

Author: Eve with Kathy Iandoli
Published: September 2024
Pithy Review: Eve was, and still is, that girl. From being the First Lady of Ruff Ryders, to having Prince on speed dial then becoming half of a power couple. This memoir glosses over her journey to superstardom revealing nothing new. She shares experiences going from Philly to Hollywood with an obvious barrier of remaining private. I question why she bothered with writing a memoir to begin with if unwilling to be transparent. I feel she had a lot of life experiences and struggles that other women could learn from and relate to. It's a shame she missed the opportunity to connect with fans.

Quote: "There's this thing about receiving messages from a higher power, where anyone can be tapped in to send the message, but you have to be open to receiving it." ~ pg. 45
Recommend or Nah? ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Firstborn Girls

"If damned if you do and damned if you don't were a people, those people would be Black." ~ 79%

On September 27, 1967, award-winning author and creative writing teacher Bernice L. McFadden died at the age of two years old. She was resuscitated and rescued from a flaming car wreckage. In this new memoir, she chronicles her life from that moment to when she published her first novel, Sugar. Heavily influenced by Alice Walker and Toni Morrison, Bernice writes with care about her descendants, self and offspring.

Firstborn Girls is a true story of mother-daughter bonds, generational trauma, inherited family secrets and fierce love. Bernice takes us from the very beginning of her angelcestors to motherhood. The setting spans from Detroit to Brooklyn to Barbados. It is moreso a family history in novel format than a personal memoir, yet it beautifully defines the woman Bernice L. McFadden has become based on her family's past. It celebrates Black families while acknowledging historical events, much like a handmade quilt passed down through generations.

I recommend Firstborn Girls for fans of literature and memoirs.

Happy Early Pub Day, Bernice L. McFadden! Firstborn Girls will be available Tuesday, March 4.

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: Firstborn Girls
Author: Bernice L. McFadden
Published: March 2025
Pages: 400
Edition: Galley
Genre: Memoir
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤

Series Sunday: The Next Deadly Chapter

(Mystery Bookshop #10) 

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 Next Deadly Chapter, the tenth book in the Mystery Bookshop series by V.M. Burns. Samantha "Sam" Washington is a mystery bookshop owner that writes murder mysteries. She doesn't get paid to solve crimes but instead writes about them and solves local murder mysteries with the help of friends and family, which includes her gun-toting grandmother, Nana Jo. 

Sam is treated to a weekend at a world-class resort and casino. It is the perfect opportunity to spend quality time with her soon-to-be mother-in-law, the prim and proper Dr. Camilia Patterson. Spa massages, light gambling, delicious food and relaxation is the plan. What could possibly go wrong? The lively ladies of Shady Acres Retirement Village and Nana Jo throw a surprise bridal shower for Sam. Things spin out of control faster than a roulette wheel. The next morning, a dead body is found in their luxurious suite. Sam and the ladies, with the help of Detective "Stinky" Pitt, aim to discreetly solve the murder of a white man murdered on Native soil.

"Yes, well, cozy mysteries aren't everyone's cup of tea. That's the beauty of mysteries. There's something for everyone." ~ 57%

V.M. Burns has once again proven why she's one of the best at cozy mystery series. This cast of characters are a hoot with chemistry that leaps off the page. Every sleuth plays an important role in solving the murder and walks readers' through the investigation. I guessed the killer early on but there were other suspects that raised my brow thanks to good pacing.

A book within a book can be tricky. While I like that the main character is not only a mystery bookshop owner but an author, it takes some getting used to balancing both worlds. It was clear when the story changed from present-day to the novel-in-progress but I found myself skipping over the manuscript parts. It just wasn't as interesting and became a distraction. It did not help that this story-in-a-story was new to me.

"When it came I ate and went back to the place where things made sense. In my book." ~ 33%

Perhaps I will feel differently when I read the series in chronological order. This is the tenth book but the first I've read in this series. I enjoyed the characters enough to want to officially meet them starting with book one. The two poodles, Snickers and Oreo, are a bonus! Spend the remainder of Black History Month reading this new release by an author of color. It is a good representation of a generational Black family, Indigenous people, teamwork and smarts.

Happy Early Pub Day, V.M. Burns! The Next Deadly Chapter will be available Tuesday, February 25.

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: The Next Deadly Chapter

Author: V.M. Burns

Published: February 2025

Pages: 272

Edition: Galley

Genre: Cozy Mystery

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.

"It's been about three years since I started writing this book. Well, for starters, I'll put it out there that one of the reasons for that is that I felt it isn't worth being read by the world."

~ Things I Never Said to Myself by Duduzile Noeleen Ngwenya

Tilt

"Home so close, it beckons like a siren call." ~ pg. 161

A massive earthquake hits when Annie, who is nine months pregnant, is shopping alone at IKEA for a crib. With no way to reach her husband and a city in chaos, she realizes there is nothing to do but walk home. As she walks, she encounters strangers helping strangers, a grocery store riot, kindness, rudeness and hope. She uses the walking time to reflect on her marriage, career and anxiety of becoming a mom.

It took me quite a while to write this review of Tilt. I wasn't sure how to rate it based on the content and abrupt ending. The story did not have a lasting effect other than its incomplete ending that was unnecessarily left open-ended. I even double-checked the page count to be sure I was not missing an ending chapter. And once I finished the story, I wondered whether the author's intention came across to readers. Was there a lesson to be learned? Was it a happy ever after? Or was it simply storytelling set in the course of one day? If so, Tilt is satisfyingly okay and fits into the genre I call Reflection Fiction.

Happy Early Pub Day, Emma Pattee! Tilt will be available Tuesday, March 25.

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: Tilt
Author: Emma Pattee
Published: March 2025
Pages: 240
Edition: Galley
Genre: Reflection Fiction
Rating: 🖤 🖤

I Lived to Tell the Story

"The good news is that I lived to tell the story, but lord knows I was bruised and broken in the process." ~ 59%

Triumph over tragedy is the theme of a new powerful memoir from Tamika D. Mallory, social justice leader and co-founder of the Women's March. She is a trailblazing force from the early days of protesting with Black civil rights activist parents in Harlem to present-day work in America.

The beginning of Tamika's story reads like an urban novel reminiscent of The Coldest Winter Ever. She grew up in a solid two-parent household with doting overprotective parents that did their absolute best to raise her and not let the streets have an influence. As we know, sometimes it is the sheltered children that lash out. Her teen years were a product of that and led to rebellion. Tamika was the girl from a good home making bad decisions.

"Living, through trial and error, is the only way to get where we are supposed to be." ~ 45%

In a writing style that commands readers' attention, Tamika takes us through the details of her upbringing, consequences to decisions, young motherhood, addiction, romantic and professional relationships, faith in God, and journey to becoming the admirable woman we know today. One thing is abundantly clear: she was always fighting for the people, making her voice heard, organizing movements and an activist at heart.

Wow! Just wow! Tamika D. Mallory is unflinching in telling her life story. She bares it all with no apology, head rightfully held high, acknowledging missteps and celebrating achievements. She shares pain and blessings in great detail. It truly is a memoir of love, legacy and resilience. I Lived to Tell the Story is my best recommendation for nonfiction to read this Black History Month and beyond. Readers will feel inspired, motivated, heard, understood and called to action. Power to the people!

Happy Pub Day, Tamika D. Mallory! I Lived to Tell the Story is now available. MasterClass is in session.

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: I Lived to Tell the Story
Author: Tamika D. Mallory
Published: February 2025
Pages: 281
Edition: Galley 
Genre: Memoir
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

Series Sunday: The Secret World of Maggie Grey

(Drew Collins #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 Secret World of Maggie Grey, the first book in the Drew Collins series by Granger. It was also the January selection for the Sistahs Be Readin' Book Club. 

I admit that I judge books by the cover. And this cover is creepy AF. Along with the alternate book covers...all creepy AF. I like to display the book I am currently reading as my Kindle lockscreen. With this book, I kept my Kindle facedown and away from me as I slept. The red eyes. The vampire fangs. The white hair. That neck. The lifeless stare. Nope.

"What was once bad is now good." ~ pg. 52

So based on the cover, I expected a haunting tale. The premise sounds awesome. A witch, a vampire and a siren get accepted into a mystical magical HBCU. A cool setting. The friendships between the main characters are endearing. The minor characters have interesting back stories. Beautiful art within the pages. The pacing is very well done. Conflict at the right moment. I even started to overlook the many typos, grammatical and punctuation errors. I was pleasantly surprised how into the story I got. Until the very last pages...

I am all for bending the rules of genres. But be clear! We chose The Secret World of Maggie Grey based on it being a paranormal fantasy. 97% of the book fits this genre. Then in the last pages, you flip the script and proclaim it as your first murder mystery. Wayment...WHAAAAAAT?! Then you further confuse readers by working out the mystery in the Author's Notes as if you, yourself, do not know WTF is happening. As a result, I will not continue with this series. You lost me, Granger. Wish you luck in figuring it the fuck out.

Title: The Secret World of Maggie Grey

Author: Granger

Published: August 2024

Pages: 450

Edition: eBook

Genre: Paranormal Fantasy turned Mystery

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.

"While most people know me as a successful rapper, the truth is that, above all else, I'm on a path of self-knowledge and spiritual development."

~ Go Higher: Five Practices for Purpose, Success, and Inner Peace by Big Sean 

Famous Last Words

"This case continues to invert and invert, like a sand timer tipped this way and that, the grains falling one way and then completely the other." ~ pg. 293

June 21 is the longest day of the year. After months of maternity leave, new mother Camilla will drop off her babygirl at daycare for the first time and return to work as a literary agent. But when she wakes, her husband Luke is not around. In his place is a cryptic note. According to the news, there is a hostage situation with her husband as the gunman. It doesn't make sense. He is a doting father, eternal optimist and loving husband. There must be a misunderstanding, right?

Famous Last Words started off real rocky. It is written like a script, not a fictional novel with directives like, "Stage left." and "She touches the note, just once, sends a text, then leaves." Um, okay. It was very jarring and made it difficult to read. It was not until 100 pages in that I could push past the writing style. From there, it was on! Holy crappers twist, fast paced action and a storyline that was inverted so masterfully.

I recommend Famous Last Words to bookhearts that enjoy thrillers that read like a movie. Just when you think you know, McAllister throws a curve ball you don't see coming. A lot happens in this mystery thriller love story.

Happy Early Pub Day, Gillian McAllister! Famous Last Words will be available Tuesday, February 25.

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: Famous Last Words
Author: Gillian McAllister
Published: February 2025
Pages: 334
Edition: Galley
Genre: Thriller
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

Harlem Rhapsody

"Nothing a writer writes is just words. There's an intention behind every line." ~ 72%

Have you ever heard of Jessie Redmon Fauset? No? Then you are in for a Black history lesson when you read the new novel by Victoria Christopher Murray titled Harlem Rhapsody. Let's go back to 1919 when civil and social unrest gripped the nation. But there was a corner of the world where talented Blacks expressed their art, music, theater, fashion and writing. In the center is Jessie Redmon Fauset, literary editor of The Crisis magazine founded by W.E.B. Du Bois.

Harlem Rhapsody follows Jessie's task of discovering new writers and building the legacy of Harlem Renaissance. She had a dream of one day becoming the editor of the Negro magazine while overcoming sexism, racism, an ambitious drive and desire for her very married boss. Is love worth the cost of success?

It was uncomfortable reading Harlem Rhapsody. While I appreciated learning about the woman who'd discovered so many Harlem Renaissance writers, it was awkward reading about her affair with a historical hero, W.E.B. Du Bois. However, the author took great care in preserving their legacy. Murray proved that even our greatest have complicated lives and may fall short but we can still celebrate their contribution to Black culture. Well written!

Happy Pub Day, Victoria Christopher Murray! Harlem Rhapsody 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: Harlem Rhapsody
Author: Victoria Christopher Murray
Published: February 2025
Pages: 400
Edition: Galley
Genre: Historical Fiction
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've never killed anyone before."

~ The Crash by Freida McFadden

Pure Innocent Fun

"The beauty of nostalgia, however, is that most people forget the things that they hated about something they love." ~ 14%

New year, new books! Look no further than Ira Madison III's new book of essays titled Pure Innocent Fun. He is the host of pop culture podcast Keep It. He has written for many publications including MTV News and GQ. He's also appeared on WWHL with Andy Cohen and The Wendy Williams Show. To say he is qualified to write about pop culture is an understatement.

In this nostalgic collection of original essays, Ira combines memoir and entertainment criticism. The essays are written strong enough to stand alone but together, they create a worldview of pop culture in the 90s and 2000s sprinkled with Ira's coming-of-age as a Black gay man. Key cultural moments shaped him into the funny talented man he is today. 

Reading Pure Innocent Fun was like meeting an old classmate at a reunion brunch and reminiscing. Ira had me cackling and nodding my head in agreement throughout most of the book. He captured the sentiments of Gen X / millennials that grew up watching a lot of Black families on TV. 

His takes are hilarious on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Steve Urkel vs. Stefan Urquelle, Marlena Evans being possessed by the devil on Days of Our Lives and the younger daughter from Family Matters that was written off the show with no explanation. I thought I was the only one that remembered she was sent up to her bedroom and never came back downstairs!

Ira could not have picked a better title. It is pure fun to read this collection of essays, especially if you were born in the 80s. Prepare to be entertained!

Happy Early Pub Day, Ira Madison III! Pure Innocent Fun will be available Tuesday, February 4.

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: Pure Innocent Fun
Author: Ira Madison III
Published: February 2025
Pages: 207
Edition: Galley
Genre: Nonfiction Pop Culture
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

The Great Gatsby

The Cambridge Centennial Edition

"Despite his best efforts, however, Fitzgerald's most acclaimed novel arrives a century after its publication encrusted with them: the American dream, the Roaring Twenties, Gatsby's green light, hot jazz and cold gin, feathered flappers dancing the Charleston, a book that's all one extravagant spree." ~ pg. xiv

First published in 1925, The Great Gatsby is often referred to as an American masterpiece. On the surface, it can be categorized as a romance tragedy. Self-made millionaire Gatsby reunites with a woman he loved in his youth named Daisy. The book is narrated by Nick Callaway, who recounts the events of his 1922 summer on Long Island. There is scandal, criminal activity, murder, love affairs and a glamorous party. For those unfamiliar, I bet you didn't know this classic had all this going on!

My first introduction to this classic literature novel was in middle school. Looking back, it was probably inappropriate for the average preteen; however, it was required reading in my English class for the gifted and talented students. Shout-out to my fellow Bates Brats! It was my first introduction to New York as a setting and the Roaring Twenties era. Since then, I have read The Great Gatsby three more times. With every re-read, I pick up new details and more themes like morals, love affairs, wealth, power, glamour and greed.

"There is no confusion like the confusion of a simple mind..." ~ pg. 127

This centennial edition is a different experience with The Great Gatsby because it goes beyond the story in a collector's volume style, complete with social, cultural and historical context. Illustrations include leaves from the manuscript, new material and dust jackets. Alternate passages are shared (all these years and editions later!).

As a copyeditor, I found the chronology of composition very interesting. It briefly details the steps Fitzgerald took to bring The Great Gatsby to publication from June 1922 to April 1925. And here we are 100 years later in 2025 with a fresh outlook. The story itself is about 175 pages; the rest is goodies for lit geeks and professionals.

"Perhaps the most famous passage in The Great Gatsby appears on the final two pages of the novel in a luminous evocation by Fitzgerald of American innocence, aspiration, and hope." ~ pg. 230

I recommend The Cambridge Centennial Edition of The Great Gatsby to all. Those who enjoy classic literature, read it once before or never read it at all. It is the great American novel bringing to life the American dream in depth. Start the year with this great read!

Happy Pub Day and 100th Anniversary! The Cambridge Centennial Edition of The Great Gatsby is available today.

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: The Cambridge Centennial Edition of The Great Gatsby
Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald
Published: January 2025
Pages: 251
Edition: Galley
Genre: Classic Literature
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤