First Lines Friday

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

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

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

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

Love in 280 Characters or Less

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Needy Little Things

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Series Sunday: Persuader

(Jack Reacher #7) 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Title: Persuader

Author: Lee Child

Published: April 2003

Pages: 465

Edition: Paperback

Genre: Mystery

Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤

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 best summer of my life evaporated as fast as it had appeared. Those long sunlit days were like smoke, barely there and yet somehow managing to leave a lingering aroma that clung to everything, asserting its presence."

~ Love in 280 Characters or Less by Ravynn K. Stringfield

Happy Land

"I didn't know until I'd lost it how much Mama's Virgo predictability had stitched our lives together." ~ 14%

Rightfully named a Most Anticipated Book of 2025; Happy Land is finally here! A young black woman learns the story of her family's ties to an American Kingdom in this multi-generational novel inspired by true events.

When Grandma calls, granddaughter comes running. After years of silence due to a mysterious estrangement between her mother and grandmother, Nikki does not hesitate to drop everything when her grandmother calls out of the blue asking for a visit. Upon arrival, Mother Rita tells Nikki about a kingdom on this very mountain and its Queen Luella.

The Kingdom of Happy Land sounds like a fairy tale—royalty, community, freed people, acres and acres of owned land. Nikki soon learns this land is their legacy so she must do whatever possible to protect it while trying to heal a broken relationship.

"Calling something your own is a powerful prayer and there was God in it." ~ 19%

Dolen Perkins-Valdez took her time with this one, Bookhearts. The prep, the history, the facts, the setting details, the character development and the story itself was so well written and thorough. I had no prior knowledge of kingdoms on U.S. soil or the rich origins of bordering land. I was as caught up in the logistics of land ownership as I was the character's relationships and emotions. 

Happy Land just may have sparked a leisure research project. It truly is a fascinating 5-star story.

Happy Early Pub Day, Dolen Perkins-Valdez! Happy Land will be available Tuesday, April 8.

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: Happy Land
Author: Dolen Perkins-Valdez
Published: April 2025
Pages: 363
Edition: Galley
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤 🖤

The Sideways Life of Denny Voss

"Probably more like Honey Boo Boo." ~ pg. 43

Denny Voss is a 30-year-old man who lives at home with his elderly mother and blind, deaf Saint Bernard in rural Minnesota. (The book cover is so perfect!) He lives a relatively quiet boring life cleaning up roadkill for a living. Even though he is limited by a developmental delay, Denny considers his life a good one. Until he is charged with the murder of a politician after crashing a sled full of guns into a tree. Wait, what?! 

As Denny awaits trial, his court-appointed therapist walks him through events of the past year, his family history, painful truths and what led up to the murder. It is shocking, sometimes funny and makes you feel empathy toward Denny. Chaos seems to find him when he just tries to mind his own business.

Even though the author Holly Kennedy did an excellent job penning a realistic story with elements of humor and care, the story was not as memorable once I finished reading. It did not leave a lasting impression; therefore, The Sideways Life of Denny Voss was just okay. Worth adding to your TBR if you're looking for an unconventional murder mystery.

Happy Early Pub Day, Holly Kennedy! The Sideways Life of Denny Voss will be available Tuesday, April 8.

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 Sideways Life of Denny Voss
Author: Holly Kennedy
Published: April 2025
Pages: 330
Edition: Galley
Genre: Chick Fiction
Rating: 🖤 🖤

Series Sunday: The Handler

(Maddie Castle #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 Handler, the first book in the Maddie Castle series by L.T. Ryan and C.R. Gray. This was our December selection for the Sistahs Be Readin' Book Club. What a good pick!

Maddie Castle is a former K9 Handler wounded in the line of duty. A bullet shattered her leg and took the life of her four-legged partner. Castle is back home in the trailer park she swore she'd never return to, trying to make ends meet as a PI. When she's called in to assess whether a dog can be rehabilitated, she is reminded of her lost career. Meanwhile, the hunt for a missing boy leads Maddie into the criminal dark streets of Pittsburgh.

"Inhale for five seconds, hold it for three, and exhale for seven." ~ pg. 208

My plan was to quickly catch up on this series then review all the books released to date in back-to-back Series Sunday posts. However, time has clearly got away from me as it's three (3) months later. I haven't found time to read more of the series but won't wait any longer to recommend it to Bookhearts that have time to dive in!

If you like a good mystery, a flawed main character and canines, then look no further than The Handler. You just may discover a new favorite heroine in Maddie Castle. For more details and the Sistahs' opinion, please visit Sistahs Be Readin' Book Club at www.patreon.com/sistahspeak to watch our review and leave feedback.

Title: The Handler

Authors: L.T. Ryan and C.R. Gray

Published: January 2023

Pages: 280

Edition: eBook

Genre: Crime Mystery

Rating: 🖤 🖤 🖤

The Writer

"Well-orchestrated bullshit." ~ 83%

This quote perfectly describes James Patterson's newest thriller titled The Writer. Booklist recommends setting aside uninterrupted reading time. Early readers call it wild, full of twists, suspenseful and entertaining. But you're here for my opinion. 

Let me tell what this story is about first. It begins with Detective Declan Shaw in the wrong place at the wrong time when he receives an order to get to a crime scene. In the affluent tower apartment, Shaw finds a woman waiting for him. She specifically asked for him by name. She's covered in blood. A knife and a body is lying dead on the floor. Shaw notices that every book in the luxurious apartment's floor-to-ceiling shelves is by the same true crime writer Denise Morrow. And now she's the number one suspect in her husband's murder. 

When I say twist after twist after twist...it will make you spin! The Writer made a right turn when I for sure thought it was turning left. Patterson and Barker make a good writing duo playing off each other's strengths while maintaining a fast-paced page-turner. Well done and highly recommend!

Happy Pub Day, Patterson and Barker! The Writer 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 Writer
Author: James Patterson and J.D. Barker
Published: March 2025
Pages: 378
Edition: Galley
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.

"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: 🖤 🖤 🖤