She remembered her mother’s words: to always rise above. Because her family was rare. Wealthy. Beautiful. Black.
–The Davenports by Krystal Marquis
The Davenports by Krystal Marquis is a charming YA romance following four women in the early 1900s Chicago: Olivia, the eldest Davenport daughter; Helena, the youngest Davenport daughter; Ruby, Olivia’s best friend; and Amy-Rose–the maid. All four of these women have dreams, ambitions, and a swoony love story unfolding in this historical fiction novel.
Hear more of my thoughts below by listening to the latest episode:
It is rage, expanding so fast and so hot that it fuels itself beneath your skin. Grief so deep you are only an open wound, only pain. Pain so fresh that the world itself feels like it should be burning.
–Bloodmarked by Tracy Deonn
My most anticipated release of 2022 is finally here, and I couldn’t be more excited to share my thoughts! Today’s episode is chokeful of spoilers, so if you haven’t read both of these books (and you care about spoilers), then I would wait to listen to this one! The Legendborn Cycle is definitely shaping up to be one of my favorite fantasy series, for sure…
“Consumers are fickle—they crave something new, but not that kind of new. They want to be challenged but comforted at the same time. They desire fresh takes, but only in a form that’s familiar to them. That’s to say, audiences will accept something different as long as it feels the same.”
Elissa sussman, Funny You should ask
Towards the beginning of August, I found myself once again in the throes of contemporary romance, but I have to admit—I was excited to be there. Funny You Should Ask by Elissa Sussman was a highly anticipated novel for me, one I was sure I would love because of the stellar reviews and the intriguing plot. And much like the above quote, and like my expectations for a lot of romance novels, I thought I was getting a story that felt familiar yet new.
This novel follows a writer/journalist named Chani Horowitz, who, by some stroke of luck, is given an assignment to interview an up-and-coming, insanely attractive actor named Gabe Parker. Gabe has just been cast as James Bond, and the world is abuzz with how this American HIMBO could be cast as the stylish, sophisticated, and very British spy. Chani spends three days with Gabe, and from their unconventional time together, she is able to produce an article that not only helps to sell Gabe as Bond, but also puts the question in everyone’s mind–did more happen between the two of them than either of them are letting on? Ten years later, however, Chani and Gabe are thrust back together to recreate the magic of that first interview and to breathe life back into Gabe’s career after a series of public blunders and a few stints in rehab. With Gabe now sober, and Chani now divorced, the two reconnect to face each other and the spark they’ve been running from for a decade.
Funny You Should Ask is a book for those who love the mythos behind celebrity and all things celebrity culture, those who wish they could peek behind the curtain, if you will. In the end, this book didn’t work for me completely, but I still recommend it for a fast, entertaining read. If you want to hear more of my thoughts on this novel, give the latest episode a listen:
She Happily Reads 