The Marriage Monitoring Aunties' Association

"Is this going to find you husband?" ~ pg. 114

Sade is ready to live the Nigerian dream and meet "the one." For sure, this is the year. Especially if her mother, two best friends and younger sister have any say. According to the unofficial Marriage Monitoring Aunties Association, the reason Sade is still single at 50 is because she loves her job and owns her own home. So independent that her prayers for the perfect man are lost. Hence the need for a miracle of romance.

This is a book I judged from the cover and title so it drew my interest. I expected meddling comedic aunties and Nigerian culture. I looked forward to reading from the perspective of a black mature-aged female. I was quite disappointed that the aunties are not a big part of the novel. In fact, it is the main character's helicopter mom that monitors the most. And what I liked most about Sade was negated by end of the novel.

Just because I think The Marriage Monitoring Aunties' Association was an okay read doesn't mean this multicultural romance is not for you. Give it a try, Bookhearts.

Happy Early Pub Day, Ola Awonubi! The Marriage Monitoring Aunties' Association will be available Tuesday, July 11.

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 Marriage Monitoring Aunties' Association
Author: Ola Awonubi
Published: July 2025
Pages: 283
Edition: Galley
Genre: Romance
Rating: 🖤 🖤

The Girls Who Grew Big

"You don't know what you're capable of until you surpass yourself, outgrow yourself, and still find your feet on the ground." ~ pg. 213

A fierce group of teenage moms in the small town of Pauda Beach, Florida panhandle are the center of new novel, The Girls Who Grew Big. Simone is the mother of young twins and finds herself weighing options when she becomes pregnant again. Adela's parents send her to live with grandmother as they cannot handle her pregnancy. She meets Emory upon arrival, who is struggling to balance new motherhood and higher education. The whole town has written the girls off as lost outcasts but their bond grows big as their bellies, as the artistic book cover displays. 

It took a good third of the book for me to get into the story. It is told from the point of view of three girls; eventually, their stories intersect in unexpected ways. This is where the storytelling of Leila Mottley shines through the pages. Her writing is raw yet engaging. If you previously read the bestselling author's novel, Nightcrawling, then you know! 

The personal growth of characters Simone, Adela and Emory as they navigate pregnancy, motherhood, relationships and friendships will interest readers. It will make you think twice before judging teenage moms. Readers will admire their resilience and desire to just win. By the time I reached the last page, I cared about each girl and their unique journey. I'm confident you will too, Bookhearts.

Happy Early Pub Day, Leila Mottley! The Girls Who Grew Big will be available Tuesday, June 24.

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 Girls Who Grew Big
Author: Leila Mottley
Published: June 2025
Pages: 303
Edition: Galley
Genre: Coming-of-Age Fiction
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

Sistah Speak Sunday: Am I the Asshole?

(Sistah Speak: Ask the Sistahs) 

Are you looking for a podcast hosted by diverse women? Listen to the new episode of Sistah Speak: Ask the Sistahs where we discuss some of the latest Am I the Asshole? threads and a family member's burning question from a Sistah's point of view.

Listen Now 🎧 Ep 31 Time: 1 Hour, 41 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.

"Amos Decker would forever remember all three of their violent deaths in the most paralyzing shade of blue. It would cut into him at unpredictable moments, like a gutting knife made of colored light. He would never be free from it."

~ Memory Man by David Baldacci

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

This Book Might Be About Zinnia

"That's a New York Times bestselling pitch if I've ever heard one." ~ 24%

Told in two timelines, two very different girls at the same age share a connection. In 2024, Zinnia gets a heads up on her personal essay to Harvard University; it lacks heart. It seems like a sign when her favorite author releases a new novel about a princess with a heart-shaped birthmark on her forehead separated from her mother at birth—just like Zinnia. Her personal essay could be about following a bestselling novel to find her birth mom. Doesn't get more original than that!

In 2006, Tuesday Walker is coping with a loss and huge secret. She is barely making it through high school after what her mother calls "the incident." Tuesday writes her feelings in a journal that is later lost. It is the entries told in that very journal that brings the two girls together.  

What a heartwarming story with unexpected suspense. Themes of bravery, independence, parenthood and security are explored within its pages. Such a beautiful tale wonderfully told with the right pacing. I do not favor multiple points of view and past/present narration but Brittney Morris' writing style made it clear and easy to read. 

"I clutch the journal tighter against my chest. My heart is in here." ~ 46%

The author mentions going no-contact in the Acknowledgments. This was actually my favorite section of the book and a strong message that I needed to hear at this time. Sometimes we have to protect ourselves and respect our own boundaries. Like Zinnia, she protected her peace while discovering herself and searching for the woman responsible for her life and could change it moving forward. Again, this is a level of bravery that all young adults could strive for.

I recommend the perfectly titled This Book Might Be About Zinnia for young adults to read this summer. Make it a buddy read with a friend or mom. Soak in the lessons and sunshine.

Happy Early Pub Day, Brittney Morris! This Book Might Be About Zinnia will be available Tuesday, July 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: This Book Might Be About Zinnia
Author: Brittney Morris
Published: July 2025
Pages: 352
Edition: Galley
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

Blood in the Water

"The thing about sharks is, when you see them coming, it's already too late." ~ 93%

Bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson is back with a new beach read for young readers. Kaylani is a born-and-bred Brooklyn girl at heart. She's also a Daddy's girl, perfectly content with spending her days on the phone with her imprisoned father. But her mother insists that Kaylani spend this summer in Martha's Vineyard with family friends, the Watsons.

The Watsons live in Oak Bluffs, a town in Martha's Vineyard with a rich Black history. Although their daughter is snobby, Kaylani connects with other kids who show her around the beach town. A time is had until a shocking murder rocks the community. Of course, the main character Kaylani is determined to solve the mystery.

"That's when it really hits me—someone I met, someone I knew, is now dead." ~ 37%

Not only does Tiffany D. Jackson perfectly execute a story for a younger audience, but she managed to hold my grown attention span! I was drawn into the mystery and felt the suspense through the pages. Do not let the title fool you; it is not a gory read. While it may be predictable for adults, the story has good pace and explores themes like racism, imprisonment, justice and murder at a level appropriate for Scholastic readers.

School is out; fiction is in! I recommend Blood in the Water for middle-school readers. Parents/guardians, add this to your kids' summer reading list. Teachers, consider Blood in the Water for your curriculum in the new school season. Encourage the pre-teens to research Martha's Vineyard, Oak Bluffs and Black history. 

Happy Early Pub Day, Tiffany D. Jackson! Blood in the Water will be available Tuesday, July 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: Blood in the Water
Author: Tiffany D. Jackson
Published: June 2025
Pages: 277
Edition: Galley
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

Series Sunday: Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers

(Vera Wong #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 Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers, the first book in the Vera Wong series by Jesse Q. Sutanto. It was chosen as the April selection in our Sistahs Be Readin' Book Club. I have been looking for a new funny series so this was perfect timing.

Jesse Q. Sutanto met my expectations and more with this one! In this first installment, we meet Vera Wong: a 60-year-old tea shop owner. The business doesn't get much traffic so she spends most days checking on her busy son, meddling in his adult life. But one day, Vera wakes up to find a dead man in the middle of her tea shop. Convinced that she can do a better job than the police ever could, this Chinese woman with nothing but time on her hands becomes an amateur sleuth to sniff out the killer. Her first task? Hilariously outlining the dead body with a Sharpie!

"Hey, ma'am, who drew the outline around the deceased?" ~ pg. 29

The story introduces us to a colorful, entertaining cast of diverse characters. Like most cozy mysteries, there is a plethora of suspects in a small community. However, the author did not make it too predictable. There is nothing like a suspects-turned-found-family trope. 

The best part were the teas. I thought I was a tea expert (also self-proclaimed) but Ms. Vera knows her teas! By the end of the book, I had a list of tea leaves flavors to blend. I am looking forward to brewing a pot while reading the next book in the series. Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) is already queued on my Kindle!

Jesse Q. Sutanto delivers the laughs, suspense, character development and plot to readers looking for a fun cozy mystery series. Need I say more? Add to your bookshelf now.

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

Title: Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers 

Author: Jesse Q. Sutanto

Published: March 2023

Pages: 339

Edition: Hardcover

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.

"I press myself against the brick wall and curse."

~ After We Burned by Marieke Nijkamp 

Joy Goddess

"You know I am not afraid of dying but just the same one can never tell." ~ pg. 244

A'Lelia Walker is the daughter of millionaire entrepreneur Madam C.J. Walker, dubbed the "Joy Goddess of Harlem 1920s" by poet Langston Hughes. In a new biography by her namesake, A'Lelia Bundles tells the great inspiring story of her great grandmother. She was a fascinating figure in history who threw extravagant parties. Her salon helped define the Harlem Renaissance era. After inheriting her mother's haircare enterprise, A'Lelia became America's first high profile Black heiress. 

Through extensive research and personal correspondence, this new biography tells a rich history that is inspiring to readers. A'Lelia shares the details of her great grandmother's glamorous life, radiant personality and business sense outside of her famous mother's legacy. Very well written! I recommend Joy Goddess for readers of all ages for a look into a lesser known Black history figure. Educate yourself and others by adding Joy Goddess to your summer reading list.

Happy Early Pub Day, A'Lelia Bundles! Joy Goddess: A'Lelia Walker and the Harlem Renaissance will be available Tuesday, June 10.

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: Joy Goddess: A'Lelia Walker and the Harlem Renaissance
Author: A'Lelia Bundles
Published: June 2025
Pages: 384
Edition: Galley
Genre: Historical Nonfiction
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤

The Glory in Your Story

"Trusting God and the people He sends will always work out—if not in your favor, certainly for your good." ~ 20%

Founder & CEO of Mielle Organics, Monique Rodriguez, shares how her trials led to triumphs and a testimony in a new book titled The Glory in Your Story: Activating a Fearless Faith to Change Your Life, Your Career and the World. Mielle Organics is a Black-owned multi-million dollar hair company. But it wasn't an immediate success story. There were challenges and pivots along the way. Monique built resilience, recognized she needed positive partnerships with same values and leaned on her faith in God. Then the blessings flowed.

"Do not compare your dream, your journey, your chapter to someone else's." ~ 54%

Through guiding principles, Monique helps readers step into their God-given purpose and live in their glory. There are questions for reflection that I took the time to journal (also my favorite way to pray) and really think about next steps in my own path. She is transparent and ever more inspiring within these 240 pages. The Glory in Your Story is an easy read that can be finished in days but the exercises/lessons will stay with readers for far longer.

The Glory in Your Story 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: The Glory in Your Story
Author: Monique Rodriguez
Published: April 2025
Pages: 240
Edition: Galley
Genre: Spiritual Nonfiction
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤

Super Series Sunday: Glory Be / Glory Daze

(Glory Broussard #1 & #2) 

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.

"As it turns out, tears aren't just a physical reaction, but a feeling." ~ pg. 8

My Super Series Sunday pick is Glory Be, the first book in the Glory Broussard series by Danielle Arceneaux. Set in the Louisiana bayou, we are introduced to an amateur sleuth named Glory Broussard. The book cover may give the impression that she's a righteous church lady in pearls and a big 'ole hat. After church though? Glory is an elderly urban gambling operation mastermind with headquarters in the local coffee shop.

On one hot sticky Sunday, Glory overhears the news that her best friend has been found dead. Glory disagrees when the police declare it a suicide. With her daughter in tow, she aims to find out who'd want to kill a nun. As a Black woman of a certain age who grew up in segregated Louisiana, she is used to being overlooked so uses it as an advantage. 

There is so much packed in less than 300 pages. Oil tycoons, nosy neighbors, gamblers, church gossips and more. The mystery unfolds at a great pace with no fluff or slow parts. Glory Be is a great introduction to this unforgettable character that is so full of personality.

"Ain't that a blip?" ~ pg. 202

I immediately borrowed the second book, Glory Daze, from my public library since it ended on a cliffhanger. Thank goodness I didn't have to wait in real time since I'm new to the series. All Glory wants is peace and quiet after solving the mystery of her best friend's murder. Then the woman responsible for breaking up her marriage walks into the coffee shop asking for help to find Glory's ex-husband. Of course she finds him...with a knife in his chest.

Glory is only playing amateur sleuth in this case for the sake of her daughter. She would much rather continue being a small-time bookie minding everyone's business. The deeper she digs into seedy casino culture and shady dealings, the more secrets she uncovers. Glory's no nonsense attitude takes a front seat but it's not enough to make this second installment as interesting as the first. Glory Daze was just okay. Still worth reading though!

Title: Glory Be

Author: Danielle Arceneaux

Published: October 2023

Pages: 272

Edition: Hardcover

Genre: Mystery

Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

Title: Glory Daze

Author: Danielle Arceneaux

Published: March 2025

Pages: 304

Edition: Hardcover

Genre: 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.

"As a little girl, I was obsessed with all things beauty."

~ The Glory in Your Story by Monique Rodriguez

The First Gentleman

"Don't get involved. Observe and report." ~ pg. 142

The President of the United States is up for re-election. But her husband is on trial for murder. Talk about bad timing. A pair of journalists hit the streets, do their research and investigate whether the First Gentleman is a killer.

I am disappointed with The First Gentleman. I loved the previous collabs from Patterson and Clinton, The President is Missing and The President's Daughter, so much that my hopes were up. I just knew it would be a page-turner. Their writing did not complement each other this go-round. It did not flow. The chapters were choppy trying to stick with Patterson's signature writing style. It lacked the usual suspense and plot building that Patterson is known for. Clinton slacked on the political intrigue.

Where was the thrill in this thriller? Pass on it, Bookhearts. Save the time of reading almost 500 pages of an unsatisfying read.

Happy Early Pub Day, James Patterson and Bill Clinton! The First Gentleman will be available Monday, June 2.

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 First Gentleman
Author: James Patterson and Bill Clinton
Published: June 2025
Pages: 474
Edition: Galley
Genre: Thriller
Rating: 🖤

A Clean Mess

"But that's the thing, my emotions are like a jack-in-the-box. I never know which one is gonna pop up. And I don't have the right tools to, like, deal with them." ~ 23%

A Clean Mess: A Memoir of Sobriety After a Lifetime of Being Numb is a vulnerable, transparent look into Tiffany Jenkins' life after addiction. In a funny, raw new memoir that reads easy like a novel, Tiffany tells of her fresh start after being released from prison and struggle with an opioid addiction. Parenthood, romance, marriage, divorce, adulthood and entering the workplace are just a few of the topics. Life came at her fast! 

Memoirs are my favorite genre. It is admirable how writers open their hearts and life to the public. Tiffany Jenkins bared her soul on these pages! Girl, it was a lot! She shared truths and vulnerabilities despite the judgment or criticism she may receive. The positive impact that her story will give the sober community and addicts will make it worth it. Her clean mess is an inspiring 5-star read.

"Yes, bitch, that's when naps take place." ~ 26%

I most certainly added her first memoir, High Achiever, to my reading list. I recommend Bookhearts add both to their shelves.

Happy Early Pub Day, Tiffany Jenkins! A Clean Mess will be available Tuesday, June 3.

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: A Clean Mess
Author: Tiffany Jenkins
Published: June 2025
Pages: 304
Edition: Galley
Genre: Memoir
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

Sistah Speak Sunday: The Last of Us

(Sistah Speak: The Last of Us) 

Do you watch the HBO Max original series, The Last of Us? Did you play the game? Are you looking for a podcast hosted by diverse women? Well, check out Sistah Speak: The Last of Us where we discuss the second season from a Sistah's point of view.

Listen Now 🎧 

Watch Now 🎥

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.

"They say there is no love like a mother's love for her child."

~ The Last Sound by Jack Hunt 

Go Higher

"Feeling uncomfortable signals to me that I'm about to encounter an opportunity to learn or grow." ~ pg. 194

Coming from the same hometown (Detroit) and high school (Cass Tech), I have followed Big Sean's career and am fan of his music. So when I saw he was publishing a nonfiction book, I immediately added to my TBR anticipating its release day. It was not what I expected!

Don't judge a book by its author (a rapper). Go Higher is part memoir, part mental health awareness/self-help, part letter to his son. He shares five (5) best practices that have shaped his purpose, success and inner peace. Every chapter ends with questions that prompt an action or opportunity to reflect. Even though at times an anecdote seemed better placed elsewhere in the book, his personal stories give testimony to the practices he suggests for readers and were a welcome addition. It gave Go Higher that personal touch. Another way for Big Sean to connect with fans.

I took my time reading this one, Bookhearts. I picked up my reserved copy from the local library late January and just now finishing. I read a chapter, journaled my answers to the prompts and put what I learned into action. My writing hand and mind got a workout! Go Higher helps with mental health, personal growth and will serve as a resource that I will revisit as needed.

If you are looking for a reference to help motivate your journey to success, I recommend Go Higher. Have your notebook, highlighter and blue ink pen ready.

Title: Go Higher: Five Practices for Purpose, Success, and Inner Peace

Author: Big Sean

Published: January 2025

Pages: 253

Edition: Hardcover

Genre: Spiritual Nonfiction

Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤 

Series Sunday: Fifty Fifty

(Eddie Flynn #5) 

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 Fifty Fifty, the fifth book in the Eddie Flynn series by Steve Cavanagh. There are two calls to 911 within minutes from the same residence. Two sisters asking for help because their dad is dead, claiming the other twin killed him and is still in the house. One of them is a liar and a killer. But which one?

"Sometimes you just can't see something because you're looking at it from completely the wrong angle." ~ 91%

Eddie Flynn is an ex-con, now lawyer. He is good at reading clients and juries. He can usually determine right away if a client is telling the truth of innocence. For majority of the book, readers are led every which way before figuring out whether Flynn is defending the right sister in court. 

What started as super interesting ended as meh. The dual 911 calls. The intrigue of murder. The twin dynamic. All very interesting. Then it went downhill and didn't quite deliver. Fifty Fifty is my introduction to this series and the character Eddie Flynn. Unfortunately, it did not make a good enough impression for me to start the series from the beginning.

Happy Early Pub Day, Steve Cavanagh! Fifty Fifty will be available Tuesday, June 3.

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: Fifty Fifty

Author: Steve Cavanagh

Published: June 2025

Pages: 384

Edition: Galley

Genre: Thriller

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.

"Later, a daughter will miss the sound of her mother calling her name."

~ Matriarch by Tina Knowles

Follow my Live Read here!

The Great Mann

"There ain't no peacetime for the American Negro." ~ 59%

I am not a fan of retellings. I find that most are too close to the original so why bother. While others are so modernized that it's, again, why bother. The Great Gatsby is one of the few classic lit books that I enjoy re-reading every few years. So when I saw there is a new retelling set amongst L.A.'s Black elite, I could not resist reading the advance copy.

Let me set the picture for you, Bookhearts. The year is 1945. Young veteran Charlie Trammel steps off a cross-country train into Los Angeles. He is looking to settle in starting with a promising career at a Black-owned insurance firm. His cousin, Margie, introduces him to Black excellence in Sugar Hill. 

It is there that Trammel meets James "Reaper" Mann, the host of extravagant parties with guests such as Hattie McDaniel. Even though everyone keeps saying Sugar Hill is safe, tension thickens as whites become frustrated with their own dwindling fortunes while watching the Black elite thrive in a post-war America.

"Wealth's got a heartbeat." ~ 81%

The Great Mann is a retelling done right! Just enough of the original story with a unique point of view. Extravagance, lies, courtroom drama, an affair, wealth and cameos. At the heart of the story is the central theme of the American Dream, just like in The Great Gatsby. The characters and dialogue kept me so interested that I was lost in their 1940s world. Kyra Davis Lurie masterfully remixes a classic with a Black spin. Need I say more? Add to your bookshelves soon as it is available.

Happy Early Pub Day, Kyra Davis Lurie! The Great Mann will be available Tuesday, June 10.

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 Great Mann
Author: Kyra Davis Lurie
Published: June 2025
Pages: 320
Edition: Galley
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤

When We Talk to God

"Jesus paid it all, and I would like the dividends of peace, please." ~ pg. 59

Poet-theologian Sharifa Stevens captures the arc, ache and grace of a Black woman in a new release titled When We Talk to God. Through prayers and poems, she covers a broad range of topics such as motherhood, grief, joy, faith and success. I did not relate to all but there were plenty that I bookmarked to revisit again. There is a poem/prayer for every mood and every season in a Black woman's life within this collection.

I admit a few of the passages threw me off because of the language bordering on blasphemy (questioning God) but the author keeps it real. She put on paper what some of us may be thinking. My major takeaway was how the prayers encourage us to talk to God. Have a conversation. Nothing is off limits. Don't worry about being politically correct or saying the right thing the right away at a designated time. Just open your heart and talk to Him.

The vivid artistic book cover of When We Talk to God, as well as the beautiful illustrations within, will make it a good addition to your personal library, coffee table, or gift for Mother's Day, Women's Day or Girls' Night. 

Happy Pub Day, Sharifa Stevens! When We Talk to God 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: When We Talk to God
Author: Sharifa Stevens
Published: May 2025
Pages: 192
Edition: Galley
Genre: Spiritual Nonfiction
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.

"For a trial lawyer, there are two words in the English language that terrify us more than any other."

~ Fifty Fifty by Steve Cavanagh

If You Stayed

"Let go of what's dragging you, baby girl. Then you can walk more freely." ~ 6%

How many times have we asked ourselves this book title? What if you stayed? Well author Brittainy Cherry answers this question and more in a new romance fiction novel. 

Gabriel is Kierra's first everything. Her first friend, first kiss, first love and first heartbreak. One tragic accident tore them apart, leaving Gabriel with no memory and Kierra with a world of guilt. Fast forward a few years to Kierra in a loveless marriage when Gabriel re-enters her life (because we all know it's a small world). Feelings stir, memories threaten to surface and controlling jealousy rears its ugly head.

"Self-forgiveness was one of the hardest things to do." ~ 68%

As an overthinker, I appreciated Kierra's natural instinct to think through every possible scenario. She did not make any kneejerk decisions like chicks in romance novels often do. She was a planner that considered others' feelings before her own. This was not the typical spin the block plot. It really was a second chance romance that I could not put down.

Oh, the emotions this book gave me! All the feels as the story came together! Bookhearts, you will want to read this book in just one or two sittings. It is not spicy or steamy romance. It is what could happen IRL type romance. All sides of love are explored: the good, the bad and the ugly. Tension is built with suspense hanging at every chapter. And the writing is just beautiful.

I have not read many of Brittainy Cherry's books, but I will definitely add more to my shelf now. I recommend you do the same.

If You Stayed 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: If You Stayed
Author: Brittainy Cherry
Published: April 2025
Pages: 397
Edition: Galley
Genre: Romance
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

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: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤