• book review,  Books

    Magic For Liars by Sarah Gailey – Book Review

    I’m catching up on all the book reviews I meant to do just before a polar vortex gripped Texas and knocked out all power1. The only writing I did last week was on paper, and unfortunately, the writing the week before that was mostly in my head. Sorry you didn’t get to read it. It was really good. Just like Magic for Liars was REALLY good. I loved it! (How smooth was that segue???) This post contains some affiliate links that may earn me a commission if you purchase through them.   1At least, that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. SYNOPSIS     REVIEW I ADORED Magic for…

  • Ring Shout
    book review,  Books

    Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark

    I have read a LOT of books this year (no small surprise) but none like Ring Shout by author P. Djèlí Clark. This alternative history packs a powerful punch in novella form. Superb and unputdownable, it digs in and doesn’t let go. I received an advanced copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley; all opinions are my own. This post contains some affiliate links that may earn me a commission if you purchase through them.. The Book My Thoughts on Ring Shout Ring Shout is a speculative fiction set in 1915, as D.W. Griffith’s horrendous film The Birth of Nation feeds the hate in the Ku Klux Klan. And…

  • book review,  Books

    Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber

    I absolutely fell in love with Heather Webber’s recent novel Midnight at the Blackbird Café. It’s magical, layered, whimsical, and moving, with fabulous characters and a well-imagined setting. Read on to find out WHY this book has captured my heart. Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC of the book; all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links. That means if you click on my link and buy something, I might earn a small commission from the advertiser at no additional cost to you. My Thoughts on Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe Midnight at the Blackbird Café is a magical book (and not just…

  • book review,  Books

    Books to Help Understand Anti-Racism and Race

    Wanting to be a better white ally means learning about systemic racism. To do that, we need to dig a little deeper into U.S. history, because we’re simply not taught it fully in school, at least in a way that we understand the nuances and all that shaped how we ended up where we all are today. As the fantastic graphic above by illustrator Jane Mount shows, there is no shortage of books that talk about race and racism. Non-fiction offers a direct (and often blunt) path to understanding. Fiction provides an excellent means to see and feel things from a different perspective. Putting both together marries the factual aspects…