First of all, this book was not a comedy so I did not understand the blurbs that compared it to Bridget Jones. TW, mental health issues, childhood abuse, and violent sexual scenes abound. Some very heavy subjects are handled in this book. I understood most of the characters motivations, but that didn‘t make me like them. The dialogue was a bit amateurish, but the way it was broken up did make for a fun and quick read
⭐️⭐️ out of 5 stars
2/26/2021

An interesting read, I enjoyed the prose very much, but it felt a bit disjointed to me. I also found the characters interesting, but not really fleshed out enough for me to be really invested in them.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5 stars

Guys, my reading list this month has been hefty and hard. My picks for #blackhistorymonth have left me feeling sad, upset, angry! But I keep telling myself, if it makes you feel this way just reading it, how much more does it hurt to live it?? Black people in America deserve so much more. This country built itself on their backs and bodies and it owes them. Can‘t even bring myself to rate this but it‘s excellent.
Read date: 2/23/2021

Honestly, I did not like this book at all. I enjoyed the other books I‘ve read by this author, but not this one. The writing was pedantic, long winded, fancy just for the sake of being fancy. It was like he wanted to show off what a GOOD writer he was, but it came off all wrong, verging on ridiculous in my opinion.
⭐️ out of 5 stars
Read date: 2/21/2021

This book had me on the verge of tears the entire read. All at the same time a love letter, a warning, and a song to his son, it poetically encapsulates the struggle Coates has faced his entire life, that of being a black man in America. I can‘t imagine this book being any better than what it was.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5 stars
Read date: 2/18/2021

Another book that should be required reading, particularly for women who count themselves as feminists. This collection of essays pinpoints issues that should be focused on and problems that need solutions centered around those being impacted.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5 stars
Read date: 2/18/2021

What can I say, it‘s a Toni Morrison book... her portrayals of womanhood and motherhood are unparalleled. This book had such beautiful prose, such atmosphere, such depth of scenery. Vivid, dramatic, and of course, dark.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5 stars.
Read date: 2/17/2021

This book is powerful. It felt like an outcry, a scream that cries out to the reader for some sort of justice, or at least a witness. This book is violent and dark, a direct look at humanity, and how people stripping humanity away from others causes them to lose their own in the process.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟 out of 5 stars
Read date: 2/16/2021

A long, somewhat difficult book, with lots of interwoven threads and characters. I actually put this book down a while back, and almost DNF‘d it. But I made it through. If you like wide, multi-generational stories with complex themes and hit-you-on-the-head symbolism this might be up your alley.
⭐️⭐️ out of 5 stars
Read date: 2/11/2021

This was a great book, the heroine is wonderful. I cheered for her from start to finish. What a wonderful character with such a beautiful spirit. 💜
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5 stars.
Read date: 2/9/2021

This book should be required reading for everyone. An absolute masterpiece of non-fiction that manages to weave beautiful prose into the true stories it tells. An excellent read.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟 out of 5 stars
Read date: 2/8/2021

A novelization of a true story told by the character to the author. Originally meant as a screenplay, and it reads that way. The writing wasn‘t my favorite and it was a clunky read, the flow didn‘t work particularly well.
⭐️⭐️ out of 5 stars.
Read date: 2/6/2021

Fantastic read. Lyrical, almost musical. In a relatively short amount of pages, these characters get wonderfully developed, to the point where I felt each and every one of their stories. Absolutely fantastic.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌟 out of 5 stars.
Read date: 2/4/2021

This book was hyped up but I just didn‘t love it. The writing style was heavy on details and light on character development. I didn‘t really like anyone in the book, and everything was so overly descriptive it just kept taking me out of the story.
Overall felt very forced and heavy handed, and could have used a heavier edit.
⭐️ out of 5 stars
Read date 2/3/2021

There‘s a reason it‘s a classic. God, man, family, sexuality, morality, all on display. Who is right or wrong? How do we learn to live with our sins? Or do we just placate ourselves in order to be able to live with who we are?

Read 2/2/2021

This book was really good but also sad. The expectations that parents can put on their children are scary and tough. Families are hard.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2 out of 5
Read date 2/1/2021

“I don‘t know why we long so for permanence, why the fleeting nature of things so disturbs.”
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️ out of 5
Read date 2/1/2021

Great little read, enjoyed the mix of horror and fantasy that is a Gaiman classic, had some negatives that doesn‘t make it my fave, but over all enjoyed.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5
Read date 2/1/2021

Diving into 2021 with a bulky January total of 23 books. Ready to see where this year is going to take me. The tagged book was one of my Jan reads and I highly recommend. Fingers crossed I have time to mini review the books I go through for February!

Blown away by this book. Absolutely loved it. The best book I‘ve read this year.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My TBR hates me 🤦‍♀️

Here are my March stats, the tagged book I just finished today to squeak into the months roundup.
14 books total, quite a few good books this month! Hard to pick a fave.
5,060 pages

I was very pleasantly surprised by this book... didn‘t have high expectations, and it wasn‘t perfect by any means, but it was entertaining, kept my attention, and I liked it overall.

Just finished this lovely book. A glimpse into a family, exploring the ties that bind us and the way loss can impact people in different ways. Incredibly well written, and wraps you up in the lives of the characters. A good book.

I liked this book overall. The different time periods and narrators made for an entertaining read. The one part I disliked was the last portion. It irritates me when authors attempt to predict the near future, as it invariably seems dated. NO ONE TEXTS LIKE THAT 😂💁‍♀️
#awardwinning #readingfromquarantine

I am not a fan of either YA or romance books... but I am a fan of this book! I liked everything about this lovely little read!

Moving and powerful, a book that frustrates and sometimes almost overwhelms.

Three questions from my daughter.
Why is there salt in the sea?
Will you die before me?
Do you know how many dogs George Washington had?

Don‘t know.
Yes. Please.
36.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This read like a long feature article, and it was an awesome look at how big farms operate, why we grow what we grow, climate change, politics, family, and all sorts of other things all rolled up into one. Educational and super interesting!

“I am not a muse. I am the somebody”
🤩 what a fantastic book.

Once again I have been alerted by @ErinSueMreads that I read too fast...
this book was another story about immigrants, just like my last couple reads. It wasn‘t bad, but not as engrossing as I had hoped. It was hard for me to be invested in the characters.

An interesting, entertaining read, a fantastic commentary on immigration, and family, and legend/myth and how experiences shape us. It was sincere and authentic and unique.
#awardwinning #pulitzer #aoc

This was a fantastic book. The characters were fleshed out, the story was engaging, aching and beautiful. The narrative was very well done, the switches between time periods and narrators was smooth. A lovely read that hits hard.

Read more books by #WOC #browngirldreaming

My last read for #blackhistorymonth... I‘ll preface by saying I‘m not a big fan of YA... but I didn‘t think this book deserved the hype it got. It was interesting, but the writing and characters were not my favorite. It suffered from plot holes and sophomoric writing and phrasing. Not as good as I hoped. 🤷‍♀️

Another of my Black History Month reads... lots of beautiful passages along with some really heavy stuff. There‘s a reason this one is a classic.
#beloved #blackhistorymonth #quotes #prizewinningbooks #classics

This fantasy fairy tale was beautiful. Immersive and lush and surprising and heartbreaking. I absolutely adored it. I couldn‘t stop thinking about it when I had to put it down. Absolutely LOVED this book. #blackhistorymonth #fantasy #mustread

This book. Made me feel so many things. It was amazing. “SHE WAS NEVER PROPERTY”.
#blackhistorymonth #blackauthors

For black history month I‘m reading books by authors of color, and started with this super quick read... I enjoyed it, the characters and the writing are very well done.
#blackhistorymonth

I‘ve been reading much more slowly recently, because I‘ve been crazy busy, but I blew through this book at top speed.
King has always been my favorite author, and for whatever reason I never read the Bill Hodges books.
This book was a fast paced, pull no punches, thrill ride. Not classic King horror, but still scary. The climactic scene had me holding my breath.

This book wasn‘t my favorite, although I know lots of people loved it. It didn‘t flesh out the characters as much as I would have liked. An entertaining read though.

Cruised through this classic while on vacation, it was heart crushing and so lovely. Also probably the most picturesque background for a book pic ever! 😂 #classic #Steinbeck #eastofeden #grandtetons

@ErinSueGreads and I have a new #photochallenge, inspired by the fact I just bought my first house!! The challenge is called #packingpages, and there are two rules. 1. You must own the book 2. You can‘t repeat books.
Today‘s question: which book are you currently packing around? Mine is the tagged, which is a beautiful essay collection by an amazing scientist and writer!
Sign up in the comments and play along!!

My favorite couple are doing double duty as my star crossed lovers, as well as coming from my favorite book. Mr Rochester and Jane are the best couple ever. Give me a brooding, tormented man with a secret wife in the attic any day!! @ErinSueG 🙌 #lovehate #gothicromance #janeeyre #favorites #iwillbemyselfmrrochester

My pick for a “bad” villain is actually an amazing character who I love... but who is super bad at being a villain. Although I think he would disagree with me...
Count Olaf is spectacularly awful at his one simple job. Stealing the Baudelaire orphans enormous fortune. #lovehate #badvillain #poorbeatrice @ErinSueG

He‘s a true abusive asshole, and this book is not one of my favorites, but man I can‘t help but love old #heathcliff. @ErinSueG
#lovehate #wutheringheights #revengeporn

Thanks @Meaw_catlady !! Perfect bookmark for me from @That-Bookish-Hiker ! Also I‘m super excited for extremely wicked, shockingly evil and vile. Don‘t @ me. 😂😂🤷‍♀️#serialkillers #tedbundy #bookmarks #sorrynotsorry

These were my favorite reads of 2018! Can‘t wait to see what 2019 has for me! Now taking recommendations for my list!!
#newyear #favorites #lovetoread

Ugh I‘m so sorry, I had to bail and DNF this... I‘m not great at nonfiction, and although I really wanted to get into this book, I couldn‘t. I might go back and try again another time.

My favorite book! Love this quote! #quotsy #bronte #janeeyre