(I can’t imagine why you’d want to, but find this HERE) (This is a slightly-edited form of a review originally posted in 2014 on Goodreads. Were I to write this now, it would be better organized, but even more scathing.) It’s taken me a long time to write a review of this, because I’m tryingContinue reading “[REVIEW]Jews, Confucians and Protestants: Cultural Capital and the End of Multiculturalism, by Lawrence E Harrison”
Author Archives: Mel The Bookworm
[HEAR ME OUT] Less Announcing, Less Buying, More Enjoyment: My Reading Plans for 2021
It’s pretty simple, really. Last year, I read $611.23 worth of books. That’s a lot of money. Then again, it doesn’t seem so when you realize that I read 122 books last year. That’s roughly 5 dollars per book, so–not so bad. When you add in the fact that libraries have been closed due toContinue reading “[HEAR ME OUT] Less Announcing, Less Buying, More Enjoyment: My Reading Plans for 2021”
[REVIEW] Vox, by Christina Dalcher
(Find it HERE.) Maybe today isn’t a good day to write about a dystopian novel in which hyper-conservative, racist, sexist ideals permeate the US, resulting in the election of a wannabe despot who encourages horribly oppressive policies necessitating an organized movement of diverse people working together to legitimately reclaim the country despite his last ditchContinue reading “[REVIEW] Vox, by Christina Dalcher”
[HEAR ME OUT] Eric Jerome Dickey, in Memoriam
It was a shock to wake up this morning and discover that best-selling author Eric Jerome Dickey has passed away at the relatively young age of 59. I read a lot of Dickey in my 20s, and the news really rocked me–he was a Black cultural institution of sorts, and his work had a hugeContinue reading “[HEAR ME OUT] Eric Jerome Dickey, in Memoriam”
[REVIEW] Black Sun, by Rebecca Roanhorse
(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”
[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”
Equal Opportunity Reader 