Okra Stew is one of my favorite dishes to consume and it's now one of my favorite picture books :-).

I enjoyed this picture book so much that I created a hidden message puzzle with words from the Gullah language written in the book. Check out my blog post to download a FREE copy. https://readingbeyondthebookcover.com/okra-stew-natalie-daise/

I love book mail! Huge thank you to the author for a signed copy of her debut novel, The Memory Concierge.

🙌🏾👏🏾🫶🏾

Go get you a copy!

#debutauthor #debutnovel #TheMemoryConcierge

Full Review: https://readingbeyondthebookcover.com/d-w-brooks-homecoming-chaos/

Check out Homecoming Chaos if you want your next read to have family drama, vengeance, suspense, and things that linger; kisses, stares across the room, lies, and past secrets. You will not regret embracing chaos after you read this book.

I received an advance review copy for free from the author to read and review.

I picked this graphic novel up on a whim. It features several mythical creatures, and that‘s my jam. In Another Kind we follow a diverse group of characters that go beyond their creature type. I would tell you which characters we follow, but that would take the fun out of the story, so go pick up Another Kind and find out. 😉

Easiest 5 stars I‘ve given in a long time! Absolutely adore this book and will be getting a physical copy soon!

This Red Riding Hood is a beast with an axe!

Absolutely loved this book. I need to read more from this author. Fast paced, engaging plot, and excellent character development in under 300 pages.

I hybrid read this and enjoyed it from beginning to end. You can never go wrong with audiobooks narrated by January LaVoy. Excellent voice work!

Book Mail!

Homecoming Chaos by D. W. Brooks, set to release November 21, 2023. I‘m so excited to read and review. It‘s an honor to be chosen for their upcoming book tour. 😃

#HomecomingChaos #Mystery #RomanticSuspense #bookmail

One of my favorite graphic novel series. Check it out: Witches of Brooklyn. This is book 4, Spell of a Time 🧙🏽‍♀️

Slow paced, but intriguing horror story. I was locked in because the pit of Our Love Will Devour Us is a character study. With character flaws on display, you can‘t help but wonder how they will overcome their fallacies for the sake of their children who‘ve disappeared in the midst of a snow storm. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and will be reading from R. L. Meza again. Links to full review in comments.

Listening to this song while reading the last few pages of Heartstopper #4 is what made me enjoy this volume more than I did before. This one handles heavier topics that definitely made me want to give everyone the firmest of hugs. I love, love and how the relationships created in this series continuously highlight the ups and downs of all relationship types and the work that‘s necessary to keep and evolve in and with them. Get your tissues ready.

Blog Post: https://readingbeyondthebookcover.com/love-honor-betray/

YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/sDk_-eJFAbk?si=Ef58rK2BPCSxOHpz

Although not my cup of tea, I recommend this book to readers who enjoy historical fiction, small-town settings, are suckers for porch tails, unfailingly nosy, unbothered by cheating, or if romance via forced proximity is your go-to book trope.

🫣😰 At this point, just take my whole hand. I don‘t think I want to go through the same pain with the 8 fingers you left me with.

Empty Vows lacked the pacing and character development that was present in Mrs. Wiggins. If I am to recommend this book, I recommend it mostly to readers who are curious to know what happened after Mrs. Wiggins AND do not mind a meandering storyline without a plot. If you want to ‘just be there for the ride‘, then give it a try. You may enjoy it more than I did.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/MIvln37QaG8

Listening to the audiobook. 😮‍💨 Oof, this has been a tough read so far.

I‘m about 42% into the book 😬😂 Let‘s see how much progress I can make in the hour I have left with it before it‘s returned to the library 😮‍💨.

Gumbo, Gossip, Lies, and Deceit! Mrs. Wiggins is full of it. I had a lot of fun with this book. The restrictions of time and location really made for a creative web of lies and kept me interested. I could easily see this being a Tyler Perry production if it were a film adaptation.

See my full thoughts here: https://readingbeyondthebookcover.com/mrs-wiggins-by-mary-monroe/

And here ☺️: https://youtu.be/OGnW0NYRDsY?si=dHbPGF1vyEgjRp7z

I can‘t get enough of the Harrow County series. I flew through volume one and quickly picked up volume two. I saved this panel because I have rarely heard or read someone say “I‘ll be out directly.” I think I‘m going to bring it back and say it amongst my social circles. 🤭

Spooky Season cannot come fast enough and I‘m too ready for this weather to cool down!

Until then, I‘ll pretend and get lost in this spooky, middle grade novel, The Bellwoods Game. I couldn't ignore it. This book was literally staring at me. Can you see those eyes lurking on the cover? 🫣

I‘m not quite done with it yet, but so far it‘s atmospheric and fun. Perfect for reading by flashlight, under a blanket. 👻😱

Complex Family Dynamics and Second Chances

Get into it 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

#BLRBookClub #BigLibraryRead #AVeryTypicalFamily #SierraGodfrey #familylife #Siblings #books #BooksWorthReading #BookReview #bookbloggers #bloggingcommunity #blogging

Full Review: https://readingbeyondthebookcover.com/a-very-typical-family/

It‘s another week!

I‘m diving into I Almost Forgot About You. This isn‘t my first Terry McMillan book, but it is one of her most recently published books that I have yet to read.

I picked it up because I‘m trying not to read our September book pick for the Buddy Reads with Reading Beyond the Book Cover, It‘s Not All Downhill From Here.

I‘m expecting multidimensional characters and drama from this audiobook.

What are you reading this week?

8/14/2023: This is my first workplace horror and I have thoughts. Review coming soon, but I'd like to say this now: This book felt like I worked there and those consultants were on something else. I was ready to quit and wondered why most characters didn't (lol).

8/19/2023: It‘s been a couple days since I‘ve finished this book and I‘m still not sure what to say about it. I guess what I said before is all.

Current weekend read: And Then She Fell by Alicia Elliot

Release Date: September 26, 2023

This book, my sister‘s dog, a pint of Mango Chamoy Sherbet, and the first three episodes of Harlan Coben‘s Shelter is what‘s kept me entertained this weekend.

What about you all?

It was a refreshing read. I love how community focused the journey was for the ingredients needed for the juice. It‘s full of teachable moments and I wouldn‘t be surprised if someone builds an entire lesson plan based on this light and informative read.

Work and commute audiobook for this week ^_^ !

What audiobook are you currently listening to?

#audiobooks #TheParisApartment #LucyFoley #nowlistening

This book expresses most, if not all feelings that many people experience while navigating their work and personal lives. It‘s a quick read with a relatable main character trying to make sense of adulthood.

Written with a magical realistic flair, Hope‘s story of maneuvering around Mount Adulthood hits home in more ways than one.

Full Review: https://readingbeyondthebookcover.com/how-to-be-a-better-adult-by-jacque-aye/

“Life is meaningless when you know where every step will lead you.” - Mona

Loving hugs are always comforting. These two are so stinking cute 🥰 #heartstopper

Ok…so I‘m thinking that this book would‘ve been better if we had another point of view. I‘m thinking something along the lines of Joe from You by Caroline Kepnes. I wanted more of the unhinged moments that kept me on the edge of my seat. I may or may not write a longer review because this sums up how I felt about the book. 🤷🏽‍♀️ we will see.

Heartwarming and cozy. I absolutely adore this graphic novel series and super excited to binge watch season 2 of the tv series. I am in awe of how closely the tv show matches it‘s source material. Love it! It‘s the perfect way for me to recap season 1 😂

A. M. Shine's 'The Creeper' is negligibly unnerving and and had me at “Uh Oh” 🫣🤭. The Creeper and its rules played with my mind and dredged up fear of suffering from the consequences of not believing in the unexplained.

Let‘s say I won‘t be looking out my window at night anytime soon.

Check out my blog for more of my thoughts about this horror novel.

Full Review: https://readingbeyondthebookcover.com/the-creeper/

This book is a crime thriller and revenge story built around a father-son relationship between neighbors, a man with a Scouse accent and a penchant for violence and soft spot for the underdog, and a prison murder in a small town. Although I enjoyed some parts of the book, the timeline switches and chaotic dialogue made it hard to read. See full review for more details: https://readingbeyondthebookcover.com/the-devil-wont-keep-us-apart/

Natalie…I‘m looking at you.

#BLR #biglibraryread #audiobook #AVeryTypicalFamily

Crushing candy while The Creeper creeps me out. 😜

I‘m enjoying The Creeper so far. There‘s a small part that got under my skin and before I knew it I had shared a tweet and thread about it. This coupled with my rewatch of Final Destination 2 and 3 have inspired a blog post I‘m working on, appropriately titled “Things That Make Me Go Eww”. What makes you go “eww” in the books you‘ve read or are reading? So far, in this book, it‘s swallowing loogies. Eww, yuck, gross. 🤢 🙃

Full Review: https://readingbeyondthebookcover.com/love-and-pompoms/

First Wendy Walker book. The cover and title looks like the story is going to be intense. Let‘s get it!

4 stars 😀 Full Review: https://readingbeyondthebookcover.com/book-review-burn-down-rise-up-by-vincent-t...

I appreciate a book with more than one narrator ☺️.

Early Saturday #Bookmail! Super excited to receive this copy of Cherie Diimaline‘s Funeral Songs for Dying Girls. I won it from the April 2023 batch of LibraryThing‘s Early Reviewers giveaway. I was nervous it wasn‘t going to arrive before we moved. Worry no more 😉. I will be reading and reviewing it soon. 🤞🏾 Hopefully, I enjoy it.

I'm somehow still surprised when someone expresses a thought that's almost my exact sentiments. The tweet above came across my Facebook feed via a Facebook Group I'm a member of, and I immediately had to 'love' and share.

What are some books that you have multiple copies of?

Do you have multiple copies for the same reasons outlined in the tweet?

Hubert…🙄

I have never read from such a selfish character.

This is such a beautiful and nostalgic cover 😍

#currentlyreading #TheShadowGlass #80saesthetic

Describe your current read with only emojis. I‘ll go first:

🧛🏾‍♀️📖👼🏾🏘️👩🏾‍❤️‍💋‍👩🏾

#emoteonly

Hey, y‘all!!

I am hosting an asynchronous #buddyread of Mrs. Wiggins. Here is the suggested reading schedule for week 2, starting May 1. The chapters are short. Hence the schedule has a set goal of 3-4 chapters daily. Take your time. No pressure. Get in where you fit in.

We look forward to having you join us. More details will be in a blog post. In the next few days, a link will be sent in reply to this post. #buddyreadswithrbtbc 🤗

#buddyread

Hey, y‘all!!

I am hosting an asynchronous #buddyread of Mrs. Wiggins. Here is the suggested reading schedule for week 1, starting May 1. The chapters are short. Hence the schedule has a set goal of 3-4 chapters daily. Take your time. No pressure. Get in where you fit in.

We look forward to having you join us. More details will be in a blog post. In the next few days, a link will be sent in reply to this post. #buddyreadswithrbtbc 🤗

#buddyread

“I seen how close your old shoe been sticking to you ever since y‘all walked in.”

I couldn‘t help but laugh at this. 🤭

I wonder if people still use this expression when referring to someone‘s partner. 🤔

Pungently Cozy, Warm, and Sweet ☺️

Full Review: https://readingbeyondthebookcover.com/for-the-love-of-garlic/

Buzzwords to sum up What Stays Buried by Suzanne Young: Middle Grade, Ghosts, Coming of Age, Supernatural

Full Review: https://readingbeyondthebookcover.com/what-stays-buried-by-suzanne-young/

Pungently Cozy, Warm, and Sweet ☺️

Full Review: https://readingbeyondthebookcover.com/for-the-love-of-garlic/

I am aware that I am not the target audience for this book. However, I do feel that even if I were, I would not have finished it. My reason for saying so is due to the lack of character development. Please see full review for more of my thoughts: https://readingbeyondthebookcover.com/book-review-cameron-battle-and-the-hidden-...