Publisher: Atria Books Page Count: 320 Genre: Contemporary Fiction Year Published: 2020 Synopsis: From the number-one New York Times best-selling author of the Gossip Girl series, a deliciously irresistible novel chronicling a year in the life of four families in an upscale Brooklyn neighborhood as they seek purpose, community, and meaningful relationships—until one unforgettable night at a […]

I’ve tried to boil my thoughts about this book down into something articulate, and I’m not sure I succeeded, but here we go. In the most basic sense, this book blew me away. This novel is a family saga with an underlying mystery. The story begins with a series of murders in Kensington, PA, a […]

I usually wait a day or two to write a review after finishing a book, but after finishing An American Marriage by Tayari Jones, I have so many emotions that I wanted the feeling I have to be reflected in my review. Honestly, few books leave me with a physical reaction to a book. But this book […]

“They knew our names and they knew our parents. But they did not know us, because not knowing was essential to their power. To sell a child right from under his mother, you must know that mother only in the thinnest way possible. To strip a man down, condemn him to be beaten, flayed alive, […]

Desiree and Stella Vignes are twin sisters from Mallard, a town that is comprised of Black people who have lighter and lighter skin with each generation. Hearing Brit Bennett discuss the setting, and how she came to this story, is really interesting. Highly recommend watching her interviews! The way Bennett describes Mallard, so early in […]

Today I’m excited to discuss Three Women by Lisa Taddeo. This book popped up all over my Instagram feed sometime around May and continued to be a consistent sighting. Initially, I disliked the book. I felt it was a bit overdone, overhyped, and too flowery at times. While I have reservations (discussed below), I’m thankful I read this book. […]

Browsing Barnes and Noble last year, I spotted The Girl He Used to Know on the shelves. The cover held a certain familiarity because I’d seen it filling up my Instagram feed for months. The cover, a watercolor of a woman facing away, is pretty and captivating. Alas, I bought the book and then it […]

Told in alternating timelines, Next Year In Havana tells a story of family history, self-discovery, forbidden love, and the effects political turmoil and war have on a country and its families. First thing first, I enjoyed the audiobook, but I think this story is rich and better consumed in hard copy, which is why I plan to […]

Breaking bread, family meal before dinner service, indulging in the buttery goodness of a rich dessert–they are all moments in time that carry flavor triggers. When we smell the aroma of bacon grease from bed in the morning, when we sniff the hearty smell of cheese melted into a relative’s signature dip, when a cloud of […]

Today, I’m excited to share my thoughts on The Golden Hour by Beatriz Williams. Last summer, when I finally got back into reading for pleasure after a bit of a hiatus, I read Williams’ novel The Summer Wives, which I loved. Williams is an incredible writer and I always enjoy her stories. I will admit, however, The Golden Hour was a slow […]