June 2020 – LairOfBooks

WWW Wednesdays 6/17/2020

WWW Wednesday is a meme hosted by Sam @ Taking On a World of Words and to participate all you have to do is answer the three W’s listed below. Once you’ve posted your WWW, drop a link to your post in Sam’s comments <3’s!

The questions:
1. What are you currently reading?
2. What did you recently finish reading?
3. What do you think you’ll read next?

Hello Bookworms! I’m currently trying not to think of how many reviews I’m behind *failing* cause the urge the read has returned & so I’m finishing books at lightning speeds. I’m also thanking the universe for Librofm which has been the only thing to keep me actively reading. As I slowly make my way back to my TBR’s & eARCS, I have it in mind to read and boost black voices. Most importantly to read books that highlight intersectionality since we don’t see enough of these being spoken about in the bookish community. We have made great strides recently but that’s just the beginning, I will always do my part here on Lair Of Books to read, review & boost Diverse books. June being pride month means there are some amazing recommendations posts & videos in the community I encourage you to seek out.

Earlier this month, a friend reached out with the purpose of doing her part in boosting black voices with a Giveaway on my Bookstagram. This giveaway will be running through the month of June Internationally, five winners will be chosen to select from any of the books listed below. If you’re interested in entering, please click on the link below & see the original post on IG for details:

LAIR OF BOOKS

The Boyfriend Project by Farrah Rochon– I am about 40% into this audiobook having received an early copy from Librofm’s arc program. I was STOKED up until a few of my trusted bookish friends started giving mixed reviews. I didn’t let that deter me from starting my copy but I can honestly say that I agree so far with them. I love the friendship that forms between Somaya, London, and Taylor which is why I haven’t DNF’d. I say this because although it has a strong start, the mid-section dips & now I’m just kind of wondering if it’ll pick up again. We shall see…

The City of Brass (The Daevabad trilogy #1) by S.A. Chakraborty– 70% into this wonderfully complex fantasy and loving every minute of it. I’ll admit I’ve been reading this book for a while now but tbh with the state of the world being what it is, escapism wasn’t something I felt I could indulge in. It wasn’t until recently when I took a step back for self care that I’ve managed to read this book in doses. It is no doubt worth all the hype it received back when it first released, full review to come.

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta– I listened to this one on Librofm as well & loved it so much! narrated by the author, this is a coming of age story of a mixed-race gay teen. We follow Michael from childhood into college years where he finds a home within the Drag Queen club on campus. If you’re looking for more books with supportive families, this is definitely one to pick up. Full review to come.

All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson– Another Librofm listen cause I will never not listen to an audiobook where the narrator is the author themselves. Here we have a memoir written as a series of short personal essays on the authors life as a black queer child up until his adult years. I cannot stress this enough! If you only read 1 book this year, please make it this one. I have a full RTC where I’ll try my best to get my reasons across for why this book is important. How there currently isn’t anything like this on YA shelves & yet there are many black queer teens who can & will relate to George Johnson. This is a definite for my Top 20 of 2020!

You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson– I purchased this book from Librofm after hearing so many glowing reviews from my trusted few. I purposely didn’t read the synopsis but know this is a F/F contemporary that takes place in a small town in Indiana. Stoked to take this one on the road this weekend.

I Killed Zoe Spanos by Kit Frick– This may seem like an odd selection for this month however I was granted an eARC by Simon & Schuster that I’d like to review in time for its publication date. This book hits the shelves on June 30th & other than it being a YA Thriller that is reccommended for those who loved the Podcast SERIAL (it me), I didn’t look into this one too much. I have a feeling I’m going to enjoy the read *fingers crossed* but we shall see…

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Spoiler Free Review: Take a Hint, Dani Brown (The Brown Sisters #2) by Talia Hibbert

Title: Take a Hint, Dani Brown (The Brown Sisters #2)

Author: Talia Hibbert

Pub. Date: June 23rd. 2020

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Format: eGalley

Publisher: Avon

Pages: 320 Pages

🖤ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review🖤

GOODREADS | BARNES & NOBLES | AMAZON

I’m tempted to just start GUSHING from the start but I guess we should start with a brief synopsis. This is the second book in The Brown Sisters trilogy where we follow Danika Brown who is Chloe Brown’s sister (Get a Life Chloe Brown Spoiler Free Review) & hands down my favorite of the three. Dani is a bi-sexual plus sized scholar and witch who loves the Goddess Oshun. On the fast track to being a star in her career, Dani doesn’t have time for relationships or really the desire to be in one. She asks Oshun to send her a friend-with-benefits when her current lover ends up catching feelings she is not quite ready for which leads to a break up. Prayers seem to get answered quite quickly but it’s all a matter of seeing what’s right under your nose. Dani gets stuck on a elevator during a routine fire drill on campus & the brooding security guard Zafir Ansari comes to her rescue carrying her out in an Instagram worthy moment. Soon enough they’re all the buzz & people want to know more about this hot couple who they’ve assumed are dating. It turns out Zaf runs a charity for kids that could really use the publicity in order to raise funds & Dani is more than willing to help her very attractive friend with this endeavor. She’s also behind the scenes plotting to propose to Zaf that they enter a no strings attached agreement as bed mates. It all seemed like a good idea until it wasn’t & Zaf turns out to be the one who can finally have her face her fears head on.

Dani – Dani’s inner monologue alone had me smiling from ear to ear but the banter between her & Zaf had me outright laughing. Not only was the chemistry intense but the dialogue was non-stop entertainment. Dani is a strong empowered black woman who knows where her focus lies & that’s on her career & field studies. She has had her heart broken & since then has taken partners in that she keeps at arms length. There is no room for feelings & besides, allowing anyone in has only led to arguments & guilt trips. Dani recognizes she isn’t the mushy type & that mental stimulation trumps romance most of the time. Getting someone to understand that however is too hard a task & that’s why she opts for friends-with-benefits.

Zaf – Perhaps the complete opposite of Dani in every which way except in the confidence sector. Zaf is lovable, he is attentive & caring in all the things that matter. He listens to Romance audiobooks while manning the security desk! *smiles* & YES it does lead to an awkward moment that I truly LIVED for! ❤ I can honestly say I’ve never looked at a male lead & called him Book Bae but Zaf would absolutely get the part. Not only does he adore Dani to pieces, is NOT intimidated by her intellect & confidence, but he also really cares to give back to kids through his charitable organization. Zaf struggles with anxiety & there is a on the page panic attack he copes with, this is something he’s had to deal with all his life. He found a way to help boys on the Rugby team talk about their feelings & shed toxic masculinity. Zaf can do NO wrong in my book peeps #jussayin

I thought Get a Life Chloe Brown was unbelievably funny but this book made me feel SO good! I laughed, smiled, teared up & cheered on my new fave characters. I don’t think I’ve ever read dialogue this good, Talia Hibbert will always have my support. These characters are so well developed leaving you with a sense of comfort & familiarity. In many ways I found that I could relate to Dani who has built her defenses pretty high so as to not get hurt again. I found Zaf to be endearing & just all around the ideal partner. One who is supportive but knows when to give space. One who is in touch with his emotions in a healthy manner & therefore can show vulnerability. I love that their story starts off with real friendship & slowly builds. The fake dating trope was done so well I now want to read more books like this one. It’s modern romance done so well it leaves you wanting more. My copy has already been pre-ordered & a special spot reserved on my shelves 🙂

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Friday Reads & Thangs…

Hello Book Lovers! It’s been about 2 weeks since my last post where I reviewed Real Men Knit by Kwana Jackson. There has been very little to no reading on my part since then. Friday Reads & Thangs is usually where I check in & share life updates, what I’m reading, watching, or sight seeing. However, this past week it was more important to stand up for a movement. I’ve been more visible on my Bookstagram trying to do my part in uplifting Black voices as well as sharing resources as I come across them in my IG stories. I’ve always aimed to read diversely & boost marginalized POC voices for my personal growth as well as to share on this platform. As a mother of two amazing Afro-Latinx kids, I consider it my every day goal to seek out knowledge that I can share with them. The need to listen & uplift black voices in the book community shouldn’t be something that is only now being done. That it is being done (Finally!) is a step in the right direction. I will continue to boost on all platforms with hopes that our tomorrow looks nothing like our present. Below are some of the links I’ve come across & utilized, there are many more easily accessible online. The petitions listed below are very quick to sign & will only take a moment of your time. I’ve also attached links for some of the resources I’ve come across as well as a list of where you can donate if you’re able to. Whether you’re on the front lines battling injustice through peaceful protests or signing a petition, you are doing your part in the fight to bring down systemic racism.