(Get more information about this book here.) (Full disclosure: Tracy and I were in the same master class at Under The Volcano this January, and she graciously sent me an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair review.) Something about Rootwork feels like it’s from another era. While I was reading, tendrils of theContinue reading “[REVIEW] Rootwork, by Tracy Cross”
Author Archives: Mel The Bookworm
[Hear Me Out] The Television Adaptation of Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko Wasn’t Made For Me–And I’m Both Glad and Worried
(This is an edited version of a post from the Equal Opportunity Facebook page. To buy the book the series is based on, click here.) Thanks to a kind and generous soul in The Black & Asian Alliance Network, I now have an Apple TV account and have been watching the series adaptation of MinContinue reading “[Hear Me Out] The Television Adaptation of Min Jin Lee’s Pachinko Wasn’t Made For Me–And I’m Both Glad and Worried”
[Reading Challenge] Arab-American Heritage Month
Did y’all know that April is Arab-American Heritage Month? I definitely didn’t. Apparently, it was only made official last year, although it’s been celebrated since 2017. One of my favorite things about curating this bookish space on the internet is that I get to learn things and illuminate my blind spots publicly, sharing what IContinue reading “[Reading Challenge] Arab-American Heritage Month”
[REVIEW] Legendborn, by Tracy Deonn
(Click here to buy this book.) Me, last year when Bookstagram blew up with 5-star reviews on a YA book about a Black girl who is somehow involved in Arthurian legends: That is a really stupid idea. No way I’m reading it. Me, now, after reading that book: crackhead scratch WHERE’S THE NEXT BOOK? GIVEContinue reading “[REVIEW] Legendborn, by Tracy Deonn”
[REVIEW]How To Catch A Queen, by Alyssa Cole
(Buy this book!) Black. Royals. In. Love. Let me say that again, y’all. Black. ROYAL. Romance! That’s it. That’s the whole review. Go read the book. Okay, fine. As much as I wish that was the whole review, it’s not. As much as I wanted to adore this tale of stern King Sanyu finding andContinue reading “[REVIEW]How To Catch A Queen, by Alyssa Cole”
[READING CHALLENGE] Read All The Women
whew This is extremely late. Things have been busy offline for me lately, but instead of boring you with that, let’s just jump into a reading challenge for what remains of this month. March brings spring, flowers, and a month-long celebration of women’s history for us to read through. There’s a lot I want toContinue reading “[READING CHALLENGE] Read All The Women”
[REVIEW] The Chiffon Trenches, by Andre Leon Talley
(Buy this book here.) I was a very casual fan of the iconic fashion editor Andre Leon Talley. I remember seeing him on television shows in the 90s and early 2000s and being struck by his grandiosity. I also noticed him because even then I had a laser eye for #ownnormal fam living their biggest and bestContinue reading “[REVIEW] The Chiffon Trenches, by Andre Leon Talley”
[REVIEW] Fledgling, by Octavia Butler
(Buy this book here.) *Content warning* Not every written word ages well. Every author has something in their catalog that gives readers of the future the ick. Sometimes it’s the whole catalog. If they’re lucky, it’s just one book or part of a book. Octavia Butler got lucky. Fledgling has been called Butler’s vampire novel,Continue reading “[REVIEW] Fledgling, by Octavia Butler”
[READING CHALLENGE] February Reading Challenge: Black Love
(Check out the booklist here.) Is it February already? Last month I challenged all you beautiful people to read a memoir by someone really different than you.(Hit the comments with what you read!) This time I’d like to challenge you to read one of my favorite literary things because this month is too perfect notContinue reading “[READING CHALLENGE] February Reading Challenge: Black Love”
[Review] In Every Mirror She’s Black, by Lola Akimade Akerstrom
(Buy this book at Bookshop) It feels like it’s been 935 years since the last time I wrote a book review but I couldn’t let any more time go by without telling y’all about this one. Work, weddings and war. I lived abroad in 2 different countries over 15 years and I heard this constantly.Continue reading “[Review] In Every Mirror She’s Black, by Lola Akimade Akerstrom”
Equal Opportunity Reader 