[REVIEW] The Duke Who Didn’t, by Courtney Milan

(Buy it from Bookshop) I usually cleanse my mental palate with romance after reading horror. A British-Chinese duke in Victorian England is a pretty big switch from depressed teenage ghost hunters–but the cover of this really caught my eye and Courtney Milan’s name was familiar due to her role in calling out anti-Asian racism inContinue reading “[REVIEW] The Duke Who Didn’t, by Courtney Milan”

[REVIEW] Pashmina, by Nidhi Chanani

(Buy it on Bookshop.) Something that I’m always learning is that discussions of trauma don’t always have to be epic. There is a time to dive deep into injustice, of course. But sometimes, it’s right to acknowledge something happened, commit to examining its effect on your life and community, and fold that understanding into theContinue reading “[REVIEW] Pashmina, by Nidhi Chanani”

[REVIEW] Girls of Might And Magic, An Anthology by Diverse Books With Magic

(This book is only available on Amazon, and y’all know how I feel about that. Still, as an indie, it gets the rare link-to-Amazon special–find it HERE.) Does anyone remember when it was “weird” for women to read fantasy? I distinctly remember getting into an argument with a total stranger who walked up and startedContinue reading “[REVIEW] Girls of Might And Magic, An Anthology by Diverse Books With Magic”

[REVIEW] Engine Empire, by Cathy Park Hong

(Find it HERE.) The bleached ruin of light lasts and lasts, no night/to repair our miinds, no white clip moon to give us rest. / Only pitiless noon where our sleep-starved consciousness/patters faintly behind our squinted eyelids. ~ Ballad of Tombstone Omaha Have you ever read something and not been exactly sure if it wasContinue reading “[REVIEW] Engine Empire, by Cathy Park Hong”

[Review] A Little Life, by Hanya Yanagihara

(Find it HERE.) Jude, Willem, JB and Malcolm meet during their freshman year of university, and luckily the friendship lasts a lifetime–through failures, successes, relationships, jobs, deaths and heartbreak. They’re a motley crew–all different races, classes and sexualities–but the main character is Jude, the shyest and most secretive of the group, tortured by an unspeakableContinue reading “[Review] A Little Life, by Hanya Yanagihara”

[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”

[REVIEW] See No Stranger, Valarie Kaur

(Buy it HERE.) Breathe and push.⠀⠀This book is so many things, and I loved them all. ⠀⠀It’s a manifesto–a revolutionary encouragement to love not only with community and caring, but with law, protests, and the pent up rage that comes from receiving injustice. It’s warm, empowering, & sharply attuned to our current times and theirContinue reading “[REVIEW] See No Stranger, Valarie Kaur”

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

(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)”

[REVIEW] An Ember In The Ashes, Sabaa Tahir

(Buy it HERE.) 🔥⠀I’m usually pretty indifferent when it comes to YA fantasy. The genre is over-saturated and usually far too full of belabored love triangles and incompetent parents for me. I bought An Ember In The Ashes not knowing that it was young adult fiction–once I realized, I instantly lowered my expectations. However, thereContinue reading “[REVIEW] An Ember In The Ashes, Sabaa Tahir”

[BOOKLIST] If You’re Brown, Stick Around: Books About Colorism

If you’re Black, get back! If you’re brown, stick around. If you’re white, you’re alright! ~ Big Bill Broonzy Even though I make a conscious effort to read across genres, cultures, and time periods I still sometimes find myself stuck in thematic patterns. For months I’ll find myself somehow reading books that feature sharks orContinue reading “[BOOKLIST] If You’re Brown, Stick Around: Books About Colorism”