Mel The Bookworm

[HEAR ME OUT] Girl, Where You Been?; A Quick Apology

Things I intended to do over the last four and a half weeks: Review Gideon The Ninth, See No Stranger, Pussy Prayers and a bevy of self-published children’s books featuring little Black and Brown children being great. Do a big long overthink discussing the recent surge of creativity in African science fiction, Africanfuturism and Afrodystopia,Continue reading “[HEAR ME OUT] Girl, Where You Been?; A Quick Apology”

Last Week in Books, August 17th – 24th: Lovecraft Is Fine and The Apocalypse Already Happened

Let’s start with the biggest news and work our way across: HBO’s Lovecraft Country, based on the book by Matt Ruff, premiered last week to rave reviews. Classic horror fiction fans are pinning a lot of hopes on its potential to both highlight Lovecraft’s creations and redeem his racist legacy. Also, in case you missedContinue reading “Last Week in Books, August 17th – 24th: Lovecraft Is Fine and The Apocalypse Already Happened”

[HEAR ME OUT] Why I Link to Bookshop Instead of Amazon

man with dreadlocks reading book, bookshop

One of the questions I’m often asked in my Facebook page inbox is “why do you always share Bookshop links, and not Amazon?” I figure now is as good a time as any to answer that question. Let me start by saying I’m not on the self-righteous cancel train at ALL when it comes toContinue reading “[HEAR ME OUT] Why I Link to Bookshop Instead of Amazon”

[REVIEW] The Testaments, Margaret Atwood

(Buy it HERE.) I think I may have been predisposed to dislike this, simply because it comes on the heels of the popularity of the television adaptation of its predecessor, The Handmaid’s Tale. I enjoyed the book, but I find the later seasons of the show deeply irritating–they may as well re-title it “American HorrorContinue reading “[REVIEW] The Testaments, Margaret Atwood”

[REVIEW] For Our Country, Fatemeh Farahani(published as Shahein Farahani)

A tablet sits on a countertop in front of a window. There is a tall purple drink on one side and a plate of green and white rice cakes on the other.

(Download it for free HERE.) Woman’s the soul, and man the body of our countryWith soul and body linked, new life will have returnedto our country… In the landscape of weird that has made up 2020 so far, “Bailey’s is teaming up with The Women’s Prize For Fiction to work for progress in feminist publishing,”Continue reading “[REVIEW] For Our Country, Fatemeh Farahani(published as Shahein Farahani)”

Last Week In Books, August 10th – August 17th: A Literary Ladies Night

This one’s a quickie, fellow readers. Most of the news this week involves literary women doing big things, and they can all speak for themselves. So click, click, click away! British writers are pleading with OfQual to keep poetry in the GCSEs.[The Guardian] The dirty rap song W.A.P. by Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi BContinue reading “Last Week In Books, August 10th – August 17th: A Literary Ladies Night”

[REVIEW] The A.I. Who Loved Me, Alyssa Cole

A Kindle e-reader sitting in front of an iced coffee and a donut on a wooden table. The book displayed on the reader is The A.I. Who Loved Me. There is a Black woman, an Asian man, a house cat and a basket of laundry on the cover.

(Buy it HERE). I have to admit–I wasn’t sure what to think about this romance novella at first. The premise seemed like it could easily go very wrong. Trinity, a Black data analyst is home on admistrative leave recovering from PTSD from a mysterious work accident when she falls for Li Wei, a Chinese…robot? Correction–he’sContinue reading “[REVIEW] The A.I. Who Loved Me, Alyssa Cole”

[BOOKLIST] WAP: Seven Books About Black Women, Pleasure and Sexuality

(The following blog post is for grown folks and the generally mature. Words that could be considered sexual and vulgar as well as NSFW links will be included without warning.) The internet is such a weird place. One minute you’re surfing along, watching Chinese uncles criticize gloopy rice and the next you’re tumbling down aContinue reading “[BOOKLIST] WAP: Seven Books About Black Women, Pleasure and Sexuality”

[REVIEW] A Good African Story: How A Small Company Built A Global Coffee Brand, Andrew Rugasira

(Buy it HERE.) As an American who travels a lot, I’ve learned not to be surprised by finding random brands from my homeland, but I am still startled by what I sometimes find. (Randy’s Donuts in Korea? Hubba Bubba in Indonesia? Ok then…) I live in an Asian country obsessed with foreign brands despite itself,Continue reading “[REVIEW] A Good African Story: How A Small Company Built A Global Coffee Brand, Andrew Rugasira”

[REVIEW] The Land, Mildred D Taylor

(Buy it HERE.) In the run up to the January release of All The Days Past, All The Days Yet To Come, I did myself a favor and re-read all the of books in the Logan Family Saga by Mildred D. Taylor. The evocative 9-book series follows a Black American family in Jim Crow-era MississippiContinue reading “[REVIEW] The Land, Mildred D Taylor”