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Home / 2021

Year: 2021

For All Time Tour Banner
Blog | Book Tours

For All Time by Shanna Miles: Blog Tour

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As If On Cue by Marisa Kanter: Blog Tour

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Things We Couldn’t Say by Jay Coles: Book Tour

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Writing Through The Black Girl Lens by Jordannah Elizabeth: Guest Post

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Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche by Nancy Springer: Book Tour

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Lucky Girl by Jamie Pacton: Book Tour

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Out Front the Following Sea by Leah Angstman: Cover Reveal & Giveaway

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Hurricane Summer by Asha Bromfield: Blog Tour

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In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens: Review

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Squad Goals by Erika J. Kendrick: Book Tour

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🏃🏽‍♀️ If I Could Go Back—05/06/25 🏃🏽‍♀️

If I Could Go Back was a strong debut novel, and I eagerly await whatever the author writes next. I finished the book in three hours as it has the perfect pacing for YA, which I think a lot of teens will appreciate. The content itself pulls at the heartstrings, and I quickly became invested in Aaliyah’s journey to reunite with her birth parents. It was a journey filled with ups and downs as Aaliyah’s focus was more on keeping others happy than making herself happy.

I think for many of us who have an absent parent, there are times of being perfectly content and never thinking about them, and then there are times where the what if’s won’t leave your mind, and you desire answers, no matter what you have to do to get them. I don’t think everyone will understand why Aaliyah went through the lengths she did, especially since her own family wasn’t always on board in the story, but I really felt for her. And while I don’t have generalized anxiety, I do have a panic disorder, so I really loved that representation and seeing how it affected Aaliyah in her everyday life, and why it made it so hard for her to shake this need for reunion.

One thing I really appreciated about the book was the portrayal of an abusive relationship with the man being the one abused. It allowed for some very vulnerable conversations between him and the main character while also showing tangible ways to support someone being stalked and struggling to escape the cycle of abuse.

I did not get through the book without shedding a few tears, so a story that can make me cry is always going to end up on my recommendation list. While adults can surely get something out of this book, I truly feel like this is a book that can help a lot of teens recognize their own feelings and struggles.

*Thank you to the publisher for sending me a finished copy. All opinions are my own.*

#BookishEnds #BlackBookstagram #PeachtreeTeen #BookReviews
Look what I just got in the mail 😍 Thanks so mu Look what I just got in the mail 😍 Thanks so much to @mstinaknowles @oneworldbooks @penguinrandomhouse @caseykelly.co for my #giftedcopy of the #MatriarchBook 

This is a thick book, so I’m already ready for all the insight 🙌🏼 It also recently hit # 1 on the NYT. I can’t wait for the tour stop in Atlanta this week 🤩 Is anyone else going? 

Description: Tina Knowles, the mother of iconic singer-songwriters Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Solange Knowles, and bonus daughter Kelly Rowland, is known the world over as a Matriarch with a capital M: a determined, self-possessed, self-aware, and wise woman who raised and inspired some of the great artists of our time. But this story is about so much more than that. 
Matriarch begins with a precocious, if unruly, little girl growing up in 1950s Galveston, the youngest of seven. She is in love with her world, with extended family on every other porch and the sounds of Motown and the lapping beach always within earshot. But as the realities of race and the limitations of girlhood set in, she begins to dream of the world beyond. Her instincts and impulsive nature drive her far beyond the shores of Texas to discover the life awaiting her on the other side of childhood. 

That life’s journey—through grief and tragedy, creative and romantic risks and turmoil, the nurturing of superstar offspring and of her own special gifts—is the remarkable story she shares with readers here. This is a page-turning chronicle of family love and heartbreak, of loss and perseverance, and of the kind of creativity, audacity, and will it takes for a girl from Galveston to change the world. It’s one brilliant woman’s intimate and revealing story, and a multigenerational family saga that carries within it the story of America—and the wisdom that women pass on to each other, mothers to daughters, across generations

#BookishEnds #BlackBookstagram #BookFeature #MatriarchAMemoir #TinaKnowles #OneWorldBooks
🌸May TBR🌸 Do you have a book you’re excit 🌸May TBR🌸

Do you have a book you’re excited to read this month?

It’s my birthday month 🥳 which means I’m having my cake and eating it too with this TBR. I have no idea what I’ll finish, but I want to give myself a plethora of options.

I’m reading Kiss Me, Maybe right now and the last three books on the list are for @blackromancebookfestival which lands on my bday, May 31st. 🤭 

I will read some nonfiction this month, but I don’t really plan that out. I just read whatever seems interesting or is available on Libby.

•Kiss Me, Maybe by Gabriella Gamez*
•If I Could Go Back by Brianna Johnson*
•The Duke Steals Hearts & Other Body Parts by Elias Cold*
•The Art of Exile by Andrea Max*
•Get Real, Chloe Torres by Crystal Maldonado*
•This Could Be Forever by Ebony LaDelle*
•When Devils Sing by Xan Kaur*
•The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest
•The Romantic Agenda by Claire Kann
•The Blood Gift by N.E. Davenport

*Thank you to the publishers who sent ARCs, eARCs, and finished copies 💕

#BookishEnds #Bookstagram #MayTBR
Did you read anything good in April? I started ou Did you read anything good in April?

I started out April very strong, finishing four books in the first eight days of the month. Unfortunately, that fire died down as I started rewriting my women’s fiction book and as my desire to read physical books declined. Because two of the ARCs I had to read were physical, I slowed down significantly and procrastinated a bit, so I only got one finished. I really blame this on getting a Kobo Libra Colour because I’m obsessed with reading on it. I don’t even want to read on my phone anymore.

I’ve also now hit 46 books read this year, so I’m inching even closer to my goal of 50 books, which I should hit this month barring catastrophe. I read four of the seven books on my April TBR, which isn’t bad. I would have liked to get to them all, but there’s always May. I also read Kaya Morgan’s Crowning Achievement, which was a book on my Black Romance Book Fest TBR, so that’s a win for me.

Since BRBF is this month, I’m going to prioritize finishing everything I want to read for that, so I can make sure I have the books I need to get signed. But since it’s also my birthday month, and I have several book events to go to, I’m not going to stress myself about what I do or don’t read. 

#BookishEnds #BlackBookstagram #ReadingWrapup
The Floating World — 4/29/25 I don’t believe The Floating World — 4/29/25

I don’t believe I’ve ever read a story about the celestial maidens, so the worldbuilding and lore in The Floating World sucked me in.

Ren had this aura of innocence to me, and I loved seeing how her goals and desires shifted over the course of the story. Her skills being a troupe performer came in handy so much throughout the book, so I appreciated that her past and present were such a factor in her temperament and choices. I mostly felt bad for Sunho because of what he’d been through, but his protection of Ren was everything. They were such a great team.

And when the description says the book is a romantic fantasy, it’s not lying. Ren and Sunho’s interactions were so sweet and heartwarming. Lately I’ve been growing a little tired of the heavy emphasis on romance in a lot of fantasy, so I was glad that the emphasis of the book was more on Ren and Sunho’s journey than their budding relationship. 

I really enjoyed the multi-POVs, and how though Jaeil didn’t have a lot of chapters, his perspective always came in at the right time to give us the right amount of information or to drop more curiosity seeds.

Honestly, the only thing I’m upset about is that the book ended. I need to be able to dive immediately into the next book to see how everything is going to come together, but patience is a virtue. I would recommend this for readers that love books with expansive worlds, memory loss, and characters with intertwined histories and destinies.

*Full review on my blog. Thank you to the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.*

#BookishEnds #BookReviews #TheFloatingWorld #AxieOh #YAFantasy
It’s Indie Bookstore Day tomorrow, and I can’t It’s Indie Bookstore Day tomorrow, and I can’t wait 🥳 I might need to pick up an actual copy of this, but I like this cover more than the new ones 🤔 

I’ve started The Blood Trials twice over the years and never got past the second chapter, but I’m happy I tried again because this ended up being a really enjoyable read. I don’t think I was as invested as I wanted to be in the characters, so certain deaths didn’t affect me, but the way the plot came together at the end sold me. 

And lemme just say, this book was a lot more brutal and gruesome than I expected. It did not shy away from the harsh realities of training warriors and eliminating the weak. There was a lot of deceit, racism, and betrayal throughout the story, and I enjoyed seeing the farther Ikenna got in the Trials, the more she uncovered. The worldbuilding was also interesting, and I liked seeing Ikenna contend with hiding her secret in a deadly environment. I definitely would have preferred to see a little bit more information about her origins and the magic though, so I’m hoping the lore will expand in the next book.

The only aspect of the book that didn’t really work for me was the romance. For an enemies to lovers story, the sex happened too early for me and felt contrary to Ikenna’s character. I understood how her unstable powers influenced it, but it was a miss for me. And I actually like the love interest, so it wasn’t about who was involved either.

Overall, the combination of the fast-paced plot and the Trials themselves really kept me turning the pages. I’d recommend this for those trying to read more Black fantasy if they don’t mind discrimination being central to the plot.

#BookishEnds #BlackBookstagram #BookReviews
🛑 Black Romance Book Fest TBR Update 🛑 Do n 🛑 Black Romance Book Fest TBR Update 🛑

Do not pass go, do not collect $200 if you haven’t checked if you’re on track with your TBR 🤚🏼

I’ve honestly done so much better than I thought I would, but I don’t know if I’ll finish strong. I have three books left I want to get to, but I’m also at the point where instead of trying to fit in new authors, I want to read more of the authors I love so I can get everything signed. We’ll see.

I’m already stressing about trying to work out my schedule with signings and panels. I need like five of me 😩 My birthday’s gonna be so lit though 🥳

✅The Blood Trials by N.E. Davenport
✅Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan (This Could Be Us + Can’t Get Enough)
✅Love Radio by Ebony LaDelle
✅A Legend in the Baking by Jamie Wesley
✅I Think They Love You by Julian Winters
✅Kaya Morgan’s Crowning Achievement by Jill Tew
✅Looking for Love in All the Haunted Places by Claire Kann
➖Flirting Lessons by Jasmine Guillory
➖The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest
➖Outdrawn by Deanna Grey

#BookishEnds #BlackBookstagram #BlackRomanceBookFest #BRBF25
Julian Winters’ adult debut did everything it ne Julian Winters’ adult debut did everything it needed to. It was funny and heartfelt, and the brown paper bag scene absolutely sent me. Sometimes it’s hard to write reviews for books I enjoyed so much because what else is there to say besides read it? But seriously, a trad romance with a Black, queer, male MC feels rare, so I need people to tap in so we get more of these. I really appreciated the moments in the story of Denz being aware of how the world sees him.

Second chance romance is my bread and butter, so I ate up Denz and Braylon’s attempt to navigate their relationship based on who they are as adults versus who they were in college. The scattered flashbacks were nice to give more context into their past relationship and how things went awry. 

One of the best parts of these kinds of romances is how often the characters get met with a similar situation from their first time together, and they can either course correct when they face it again or allow themselves to make the same mistake. Denz’ growth was wonderful to witness, especially because he spent so much of the book in conflict with himself and pushed it onto the people close to him.

There were so many elements of the book that I enjoyed, like the one bed trope, when characters who love romance lean into the big gesture, and the Carter Family Group Chat text messages. Denz’s family was large and in charge, so it was easy to understand why Denz felt so much pressure to present himself in a certain way. Even though his family can be the fun kind of messy, their support did make me tear up at one point.

Overall, if you like rom-coms, I would add this one to your TBR. You might also find yourself craving a french toast grilled cheese. 

#BookishEnds #BlackBookstagram #IThinkTheyLoveYou #LGBTQBooks

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Banner for the Blood Trials by N.E. Davenport review with a cover of the book
The Blood Trials by N.E. Davenport: Review
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I Think They Love You by Julian Winters: Review
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A Legend in the Baking by Jamie Wesley: Review
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Can’t Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan: Review

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