(Find it HERE) First review of the year! This is the first published novel in the Between Earth and Sky epic, a fantasy series based on the histories and mythologies of pre-settler Meso-America (think Maya, Inca, Aztec, etc). Despite the very unique worldbuilding, in many ways it’s still a very traditional fantasy story. There’s aContinue reading “[REVIEW] Black Sun, by Rebecca Roanhorse”
Author Archives: Mel The Bookworm
[BOOKLIST] Divas, Ghosts, and the Opposite of Stranger Danger: The Best Books Published in 2020(that I actually read)
It’s been a hell of a year, hasn’t it? I may be the only writer on the planet to feel this way, but I have absolutely no desire to rehash this year in all its pandemic-ridden, protest-fueled, iconoclastic glory. I don’t want to talk about publishing drama, Black Lives Matter booklists, trends, predictions, or theContinue reading “[BOOKLIST] Divas, Ghosts, and the Opposite of Stranger Danger: The Best Books Published in 2020(that I actually read)”
[REVIEW]Royal Holiday, by Jasmine Guillory
(Buy it HERE.) 🎄⠀As much as I love Black romance, this is somehow the first book by Jasmine Guillory I’ve ever read. As romances go, this one is pretty standard. Social worker Vivian gets the chance to accompany a relative to the UK for Christmas–while they work hard styling royals, she plans to read, drinkContinue reading “[REVIEW]Royal Holiday, by Jasmine Guillory”
[REVIEW] Black Indian, by Shonda Buchanan
(Find it HERE.) Why don’t I like this book? ⠀⠀ I really wanted to. It’s a memoir of the author’s multiracial family, who were coded Black by American caste norms but felt culturally closer to their Choctaw and Coharie Indigenous ancestors who purchased and integrated African slaves, then expelled their mixed descendants in a bidContinue reading “[REVIEW] Black Indian, by Shonda Buchanan”
[REVIEW] Jingle Balls, by Vanessa Waltz
(Find it HERE.) I can’t believe I’m actually posting this… I’m not even going to pretend I can keep a face straight enough to actually review this. Just know that it’s exactly what the cover and title promise. This is the kind of good and terrible fun read no one ever admits to in publicContinue reading “[REVIEW] Jingle Balls, by Vanessa Waltz”
[REVIEW] Too Many Tamales, by Gary Soto, illustrated by Ed Martinez
(Buy it HERE.) **This book is also available in Spanish as ¡Qué montón de tamales! Thing I said approximately 337 times while reading this book: Awwww, my HEART! 🎄⠀Christmas is a great time to create, remember and celebrate childhood memories and this beautifully illustrated picture book is great for all three. Little Maria is feelingContinue reading “[REVIEW] Too Many Tamales, by Gary Soto, illustrated by Ed Martinez”
[REVIEW] When The Wind Chimes, by Mary Ting
(Buy it HERE.) ⠀ As far as I am concerned, there are only 2 categories of holiday reading–romance novels and Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. The end of the year is often hectic and it’s nice to take a moment and remember that love is real and ghosts sometimes yell at stingy rich guys. TheContinue reading “[REVIEW] When The Wind Chimes, by Mary Ting”
[BOOKLIST] Indigenous Americans Still Exist!: What I Read for Native American Heritage Month
All year I’ve been reading around themes. In February I read books by Black American authors for Black History Month. In May I read books by Asian and Asian-American authors for Asian-Pacific-Islander Heritage Month. Pride Month had me exploring the words of authors in the LGBTQIA+ community and a little over a month ago, IContinue reading “[BOOKLIST] Indigenous Americans Still Exist!: What I Read for Native American Heritage Month”
[REVIEW] The Brave, by James Bird
(Buy it HERE.) 13-year old Collin has an OCD-related condition that makes him compulsively count the letters in every word said to him and blurt it out. This has gotten him bullied out of every school in the area and his distant, alcoholic dad finally can’t take it anymore. He packs up Collin and hisContinue reading “[REVIEW] The Brave, by James Bird”
[BOOKLIST] Books by Trans Folks; A Quickie Booklist for Trans Awareness Week 2020
Update: As of March 31st, 2021(aka Transgender Day of Visibility) I’ve updated the booklist with a few new titles. See the whole thing at this link). Today, November 20th, is Transgender Day of Remembrance. It’s a day to memorialize the individuals who have lost their lives due to anti-transgender violence — a shockingly normal occurrence.Continue reading “[BOOKLIST] Books by Trans Folks; A Quickie Booklist for Trans Awareness Week 2020”
Equal Opportunity Reader 