I’m back w/ my reading wrap-up for the month of February.
The Stats
100% were by & about Black, Indigenous, & Latine folks! I read 7 books which totaled 2,246 pages/about 53 hours of listening. 28.6% YA Fantasy, 28.6% Romance, 14.3% Young Adult Romance, 14.3% Contemporary Young Adult, and 12.3% Nonfiction.
I read 4 out of 7 books in print, 2 as audiobooks, 1 electronically, and 3 in multiple formats.I borrowed 4 of these books from the library, 2 were titles I already owned, and 2 were ARCs or ALCs.
Here are the books I read with mini reviews:
A Few Rules for Predicting the Future by Octavia E. Butler
This was my first read of the month & it did not disappoint! It’s a fantastic essay filled w/ wisdom & I highly recommend everyone get a copy for their libraries. Full review in an earlier post.
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
A moving & poignant story about a teen named Will dealing with grief & feeling the need to seek retribution. His elevator ride turns into a minute of reflection in the form of this novel-in-verse. Jason Reynolds is a powerful wordsmith. There’s a reason this book has so many awards! He was a fantastic narrator & I highly recommend y’all read and/or listen to anything he writes.
Content Warnings: gun violence, murder, death or a parent, grief, toxic masculinity
A book published by Wednesday Books which I won’t review until they meet the demands of the #SpeakUpSMP boycott.
Witch of Wild Things by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland
I really enjoyed reading this book!! In this story we follow Sage Flores & her dysfunctional family of magical women. I loved the romance part of it but the family story is what kept me glued. Y’all know I love a good mystery.
Content Warnings: grief, sexual content, abandonment, domestic abuse, accidental death, infidelity, racism, sexual assault
Shadowshaper & Shadowhouse Falls by Daniel José Older
I can’t believe I waited so long to read books by Daniel José Older. How embarrassing for me because this series is so underrated!! Between the setting in Brooklyn, (my family’s old stomping grounds), the magic (duh), & the themes of chosen family, trust, Blackness in the Latine community, I could not put these books down! If y’all knew these books were bangers & didn’t tell me, I’m mad at you! Lmao just kidding, friend.
Content Warning: death, body horror, racism, sexism, ableism, police brutality, stroke, white supremacy, panic attacks/disorders
Sex, Lies, & Sensibility by Nikki Payne
Nikki Payne’s books put me on an emotional rollercoaster, complete w/ giggles & calls for more. The romantic & sexual tension was palpable. As if this book couldn’t get any better, Payne showed such care w/ how she portrayed Abenaki culture in Maine. Y’all need to add this to your TBR immediately.
Content Warnings: sexual content, colonization, chronic illness, infidelity, panic attacks/disorders, racism, death of a parent, manipulation
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