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: 🖤 🖤