bookdragon217's reviews
597 reviews

"All stories are good stories if you find the right listener."

I was in awe of Julia Alvarez and Edwidge Danticat's discussion of The Cemetery of Untold Stories at The Center for Fiction. Hearing about the power of storytelling and the importance of oral histories to preserve culture left me inspired and I couldn't wait to meet the characters that I heard so much about.

Reading this one felt like I was listening in on all the good chisme being discussed at a family gathering. I instantly fell in love with Filomena and her ability to receive all the stories from the ghosts of the cemetery. I also fell in love with her own personal story that has yet to be told to the world. It has been difficult to read lately but this completely captivated my attention and I found it so easy to immerse myself in this world and forget everything heavy I was going through in real life. Filomena and Bienvenida are unforgettable and by the end of the book I just couldn't let them go. I find myself wondering about them.  

This is a book that is heavily driven by the characters and the stories they share and there is no real plot, but the vibes and the feelings are perfect. I loved how some of the ghost stories were interconnected and how the use of language, including Dominican Spanish, added even more flavor. It wasn't my favorite of Alvarez's work, but it is one that I will always think of because it feels like a warm hug from the Caribbean. Thanks to @algonquinbooks for the gifted copy.

Some thoughts I'm left with are:
• Who decides the validity of stories and oral histories?
• What happens to stories when authors stop writing?
• Every story has its ideal listener, so they all need to be told.
• How do authors reconcile aging and end of life with the amount of untold stories left in them? 
• The best stories come from your own families.
• Dominican history has facets that have been erased and can only be uncovered through the stories of ordinary people. 
• Where do stories go to die?
• Caribbean stories are a vital part of literary legacy.
• You can't undo harmful history without uncovering stories from different aspects of an event. 
• "There are stories in the silence."

"Some kinds of dirt rise to the surface, even if you sweep them under the carpet."

Flames of Wrath by J. L. Campbell was an addicting, propulsive read about privilege, justice, racism and revenge. If you've ever wondered about what lengths a mother would go to, to get justice for her daughter after she was set up by "friends" and violated in the worst ways, then this one is a perfect example. The story starts off with a bang with a very triggering event and from there, the author grips you by the throat and holds you hostage. You won't want to put this one down until all the pieces of the puzzle are put together. This is one psychological wild ride you don't want to miss. 

Even though this one was action-packed, it tackled some heavy themes and topics of:
• the ways the justice system fails Black women 
• examination of "friendship" 
• the repercussions of social media and cybersurveillance 
• vigilante justice when the legal system fails
• the complications of cooperation with international entities 
• the rich using their donation money to influence college admission for their kids
• r*pe culture and the systems that protect perpetrators
• the strength of Black mothers

If you're looking to diversify your TBR and read more small press women authors, then give this one a try. Thanks to @iamblackodyssey @cocoachapters for the gifted copy and tour opportunity.

Safe Passage by G. Neri & David Brame put me through the wringer. It's a middle graphic novel set in Chicago about three kids who ditch school to try to get money from an overturned Brinks truck in hopes of saving their family from the impoverished conditions and violence of their city. Darius and Cissy already lost their mom to gun violence, and Booger seems to have lost hope and has a death wish with all his poor decisions. Darius was also hurt due to being shot. This graphic novel depicts the dangers of life in Chicago for today's youth. Much of  the rise in violence was due to over 50 schools being closed and kids being forced to travel farther through territory to get to school. The public schools that remained open enacted the Safe Passage Program, where adults, many veterans undertake the job of ensuring students make it to school safely. There are signs posted delineating safe zones, and the adults coordinate safe passage and try to be informed about where violence is escalating. Reading this one had me so emotional, sad and heartbroken because there are so many inner city children losing their lives due to  the consequences of  the rising cost of living due to gentrification, police brutality, poverty, lack of  resources, lack of strict gun laws and racism. There were times I didn't realize that I was holding my breath because I felt waves of tears coming uncontrollably. Overall, it was a really thought-provoking read & the illustrations bring the story to life. I highly recommend this one and it will be a great conversation starter for many about the harsh realities that Black youth face in the inner city. Take care of yourself while reading because this one will seep deep underneath your skin & make you uncomfortable. 

Here are some additional books that would pair well with this one:
📚 I am Alfonso Jones (graphic novel)- Tony Medina
📚 Yummy, the Last Days of  a Southside Shorty (graphic novel) - G. Neri
📚 Long Way Down (graphic novel)- Jason Reynolds 
📚 Monster (MG novel)- Dean Myers
📚 Ghost Boys (MG novel)- Jewell Parker Rhodes
📚 Something Happened in Our Town: A Child's Story About Racial Injustice
📚 Children of Chicago - Cynthia Pelayo

"In the end, maybe it's disturbing how easy it was to adjust. How easy it is for the worst things imaginable to become normal." 

I won Your Shadow Half Remains by Sunny Moraine through a @goodreads  @tornightfire giveaway and it was such a creepy, little mind game. For such a short tale, it had all the terrifying elements I love that made me close the book at night because it was eerie and sinister. I love an unreliable narrator, atmospheric writing and dystopia caused by an event where the consequences aren't fully revealed yet. This one is described as Bird Box mixed with the Last of Us and it lived up to the hype but it also gave so much area as far as tension and  character struggle. I was completely tuned in and couldn't wait until the truth was revealed.

The psychological aspects of this story are what really kept me interested until the end. The author really took her time building this world and introducing characters that had an air of mystery about them. I didn't really know who to trust because the characters were guarded but their world's circumstances amplified their isolation and feelings of anxiety about others. In their world, literally looking at someone could be the trigger to activate the "infection" that causes someone to spiral into violence. Riley, the main character has been isolated for so long that when she comes in contact with Ellis, old traumas resurface and her mind begins to play tricks on her. As a reader at one point, even I questioned if there even was a reason to not look because no one had a definitive answer as to what exactly was the cause of their current situation. 

The mood definitely parallels the paranoia and fear people have felt during the last several years of this pandemic. By the end of this one, I could definitely understand how eventually some people could just snap and how the mind plays tricks on people in order to protect them from their innermost demons. The ending was jarring and left me with my jaw on the floor because it was pretty twisted. I have so many questions but I'm almost afraid to know more because this one really makes you feel uncomfortable and makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

If you fancy slow paced, horror novellas with lots of gore that delve into what happens to the human psyche when pushed to the limit then definitely give this one a try and read it in the dark. Movies and shows that come to mind when I think about this one are: The Strangers, The Walking Dead, The Crazies and The Happening. I loved this one so much I can't wait to read more of Moraine's work.

"How the Boogeyman Became a Poet" by Tony Keith, Jr. is a poignant, memoir in verse  that will capture your heart forever. Tony's poetry has sharp edges and cuts you deeply at times but it also scoops you up in a big hug and leads you towards the light of hope. Keith makes you take a long look at the ways that queer Black youth are made to feel unsafe and forced to role play their lives in order to make others comfortable and not want to hurt them. 

I loved the format of this novel. It included photos, poems and pages from Keith's notebook. This mixed media form was a perfect way to show how Keith navigated life as an anxious, queer Black boy trying to figure out his own sexual identity and make place for himself in a world that is hostile and violent towards Black people. I loved that the poems gave you a personal glimpse into Keith's thoughts and you are given the opportunity to question what he questions about society.

Reflecting on this one, I am left pondering about:
▪︎the ways that straight performance pervades every aspect of society
▪︎ the ways that queer kids have to hide within themselves and battle their own inner voices of shame because of not having safe spaces to be themselves 
▪︎ the ways that poetry can speak what is in the heart and be used to break down systems of oppression
▪︎ the importance of community and acceptance for queer kids
▪︎ the ways that people pleasing create anxieties and heighten fear about showing up authentically and in the fullness of ones identity 
▪︎ the ways that self-talk is important when you're learning to take leaps of faith in yourself and get over the imposter syndrome
▪︎ the"coming out" journey as a complex process that is further complicated by racism, homophobia, violence, social stigma & toxic masculinity
▪︎ how HBCU's can foster self esteem and become a safe space for self exploration
▪︎ how language and the arts can create freedom 
▪︎ the importance of safe adults to development of self-worth and identity

If you loved The Black Flamingo, When We Make It, The Poet X and All Boys Aren't Blue, then run and go grab this one immediately. There are so many beautiful lines.Thanks to @epicreads for the gifted ARC. 

Not in the mood and felt like I needed to read first book