After World A Novel by Debbie Urbanski

Faced with uncontrolled and accelerating environmental collapse, humanity asks an artificial intelligence to find a solution. Its answer is remove humans from the ecosystem. 

Sen Anon is assigned to be a witness for the Department of Transition, recording the changes in the environment as the world begins to rewild. Abandoned by her mother in a cabin somewhere in Upstate New York, Sen will observe the monumental ecological shift known as the Great Transition, the final step in Project Afterworld. Around her drones buzz, cameras watch, microphones listen, digitizing her every move. Privately she keeps a journal of her observations, which are then uploaded and saved, joining the rest of humanity on Maia, a new virtual home. Sen was seventeen years old when the Digital Human Archive Project (DHAP) was initiated. 12,000,203,891 humans have been archived so far. Only Sen remains. 

[storyworker]ad39-393a-7fbc’s assignment is to capture Sen’s life, and they set about doing this using the novels of the 21st century as a roadmap. Their source files: 3.72TB of personal data, including images, archival records, log files, security reports, location tracking, purchase histories, biometrics, geo-facial analysis, and feeds. Potential fatal errors: underlying hardware failure, unexpected data inconsistencies, inability to follow DHAP procedures, empathy, insubordination, hallucinations. Keywords: mothers, filter, woods, road, morning, wind, bridge, cabin, bucket, trying, creek, notebook, hold, future, after, last, light, silence, matches, shattered, kitchen, body, bodies, rope, garage, abandoned, trees, never, broken, simulation, gone, run, don’t, love, dark, scream, starve, if, after, scavenge, pieces, protect.

As Sen struggles to persist in the face of impending death, [storyworker]ad39-393a-7fbc works to unfurl the tale of Sen’s whole life, offering up an increasingly intimate narrative, until they are confronted with a very human problem of their own.

I will say that this novel was interesting. I enjoyed how the author built the story even though some parts were confusing but that was my lack of knowledge on the subject and not really the author's fault. The romantic part was lackluster at best. The big ask is would I recommend it? Yes, I would if you are looking for a unique, sci fi type read. Something that would tickle your fancy then yes, this novel is it.

Well I hope you enjoy it!

And as always Happy Reading!!

**Thank you to Simon and Schuster for a free copy for an honest review.

The Future by Naomi Alderman

From the award-winning, bestselling author of The Power comes a white-knuckle tour de force and dazzling exploration of the world we have made and where we are going.

The Future—as the richest people on the planet have discovered—is where the money is.

The Future is a few billionaires leading the world to destruction while safeguarding their own survival with secret lavish bunkers.

The Future is private weather, technological prophecy and highly deniable weapons.

The Future is a handful of friends—the daughter of a cult leader, a non-binary hacker, an ousted Silicon Valley visionary, the concerned wife of a dangerous CEO, and an internet-famous survivalist—hatching a daring plan. It could be the greatest heist ever. Or the cataclysmic end of civilization.

The Future is what you see if you don’t look behind you.

The Future is the only reason to do anything, the only object of desire.

I was intrigued by the book’s synopsis and was hoping for an interesting read along the lines of Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. What I found was that this book felt too realistic, incredibly clever, and very skimmable. I think there's a lot in here that is very relevant, very relatable, and thus somewhat depressing but it's also got a clever element at play that I wish could be reimagined into our own world. I will say that towards the end, is really where this book absolutely shines for me because it contained a few surprises that I really wasn’t expecting. In all this book was an okay read. Hope you find it more enjoyable.

And as always Happy Reading!!

 **Thank you to Simon and Schuster for a free copy for an honest review.

How to Say Babylon: A Memoir by: Safiya Sinclair

HOW TO SAY BABYLON

With echoes of Educated and Born a Crime, How to Say Babylon is the stunning story of the author’s struggle to break free of her rigid Rastafarian upbringing, ruled by her father’s strict patriarchal views and repressive control of her childhood, to find her own voice as a woman and poet.

Throughout her childhood, Safiya Sinclair’s father, a volatile reggae musician and militant adherent to a strict sect of Rastafari, became obsessed with her purity, in particular, with the threat of what Rastas call Babylon, the immoral and corrupting influences of the Western world outside their home. He worried that womanhood would make Safiya and her sisters morally weak and impure, and believed a woman’s highest virtue was her obedience.

In an effort to keep Babylon outside the gate, he forbade almost everything. In place of pants, the women in her family were made to wear long skirts and dresses to cover their arms and legs, head wraps to cover their hair, no make-up, no jewelry, no opinions, no friends. Safiya’s mother, while loyal to her father, nonetheless gave Safiya and her siblings the gift of books, including poetry, to which Safiya latched on for dear life. And as Safiya watched her mother struggle voicelessly for years under housework and the rigidity of her father’s beliefs, she increasingly used her education as a sharp tool with which to find her voice and break free. Inevitably, with her rebellion comes clashes with her father, whose rage and paranoia explodes in increasing violence. As Safiya’s voice grows, lyrically and poetically, a collision course is set between them.

How to Say Babylon is Sinclair’s reckoning with the culture that initially nourished but ultimately sought to silence her; it is her reckoning with patriarchy and tradition, and the legacy of colonialism in Jamaica. Rich in lyricism and language only a poet could evoke, How to Say Babylon is both a universal story of a woman finding her own power and a unique glimpse into a rarefied world we may know how to name, Rastafari, but one we know little about.'

I am still unable to put into words how brilliant this memoir is. My life is forever changed reading this book. Especially as a first generation American, I understand the hardship of trying to become something different than the way you were raised. The impact that that has on not only yourself but those around you. I felt real emotions reading this book, I was sobbing at the end of the book and that goes back to how much of a great writer Sinclair is. She brought her trauma and healing to life. Allowing the hurt and pain to exist within the confines of her book as they do her life, but she also showcased how she healed and got through it. And that is why whatever accolades this book and she receive is well deserved.

I hope you get the chance to read this book.

And as Always Happy Reading!!!

**Thank you to Simon and Schuster for a free copy for an honest review.

 

He's My Cowboy By: Diana Palmer , Rebecca Zanetti , Delores Fossen

                                                      

THE HAWK’S SHADOW * Diana Palmer                                                                                            Gil needs to prove himself in his new role as sheriff’s investigator. That means working alongside a hotshot expert from the state crime lab who’s come to Colorado to help untangle a long-ago mystery.  But if they stop butting heads, they might discover a surprising connection . . .

RESCUE: RANCHER STYLE * Rebecca Zanetti                                                                                     Leaving the Marines and returning to Redemption as heir to the family ranch—and guardian to three wayward teenagers—Greg is in way over his head. But he’s learned some deadly lessons since leaving his first love behind. And when she’s in danger, nothing will stop him from saving her.

A COWBOY KIND OF ROMANCE * Delores Fossen                                                                             After eight years in the Air Force, Brenna’s hanging up her uniform and returning home to Loveland, Texas. News of her parents’ separation has shaken her faith in love, even if the whole town is eager to matchmake between Brenna and her high-school flame. But never underestimate a cowboy’s powers of persuasion . 

If you’re looking for a box set of cowboy romance that will have you thinking about packing up your car and moving to find your own Stetson wearing guy this is the read for you! I found these to be the perfect summer day reads. They are fast-paced read that are just perfect for the beach or poolside. Overall, this boxset had me entertained this summer. And as summer comes to an end filled my heart with longing for next year.

Hope you enjoy it too!

And as always Happy Reading!

In Honor Of Memoir Day: Walk Through Fire: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Triumph Sheila Johnson

 The cofounder of BET and first African American woman billionaire shares her deeply personal journey through love and loss, tragedy and triumph—an inspiring story of overcoming toxic influences, discovering her true self, and at last finding happiness in her work and life.

From humble beginnings as a schoolgirl and young violinist in Maywood, Illinois, Sheila Johnson rose to become one of the most accomplished businesswomen in America. A cofounder of Black Entertainment Television, she became an entrepreneur and philanthropist at the highest levels.

But that success came at a painful personal cost.

Sheila grew up in a middle-class family that encouraged her love of the arts and music. But her idyllic childhood ended at age sixteen when her beloved father announced he was leaving for another woman, an act that shattered her mother and destroyed Sheila’s trust. She vowed she’d never be in her mother’s position—dependent on a man for her sense of self-worth and for financial security. Yet when she was barely out of her teens, Sheila married a man who would take her right down that same unfortunate path.

Filled with sharply drawn, emotionally powerful scenes, Walk Through Fire traces the hardships Sheila faced in her marriage and her professional life. Despite her skills as a violinist and music teacher, as well as her obvious entrepreneurial talent, she had to fight to overcome self-doubt and fears of failure. Sheila vividly details her struggles, including battling institutional racism, losing a child, suffering emotional abuse in her thirty-three-year marriage, and plunging into a deep depression with her divorce. And yet, out of that pain came renewed purpose and meaning. In the third act of her life, Sheila Johnson has not only made her mark as the founder of Salamander Hotels & Resorts and the only Black female co-owner of three professional sports teams, she has also, finally, found true love.

Walk Through Fire is a uniquely American success story. And it is the deeply personal portrait of one woman who, despite heartache and obstacles, finally found herself and her place in the world.

This book was filled with so much emotional triumphs, that it brought me to tears. Her story is just so inspirational and shows no matter where you are in life it's never the lows of your story that truly define you but how you triumph in the face such adversity. How you continue to live and not allow the pain of your past to hold you back but to inspire your future. I am so glad I read this and hope you do too.

And as always Happy Reading!

Watermelon and Red Birds: A Cookbook for Juneteenth and Black Celebrations Nicole A. Taylor

 

The very first cookbook to celebrate Juneteenth, from food writer and cookbook author Nicole A. Taylor—who draws on her decade of experiences observing the holiday.

On June 19, 1865, more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston and issued General Order Number 3, informing the people of Texas that all enslaved people were now free. A year later, in 1866, Black Texans congregated with music, dance, and BBQs—Juneteenth celebrations.

All-day cook-outs with artful salads, bounteous dessert spreads, and raised glasses of “red drink” are essential to Juneteenth gatherings. In Watermelon and Red Birds , Nicole puts jubilation on the main stage. As a master storyteller and cook, she bridges the traditional African-American table and 21st-century flavors in stories and recipes. Nicole synthesizes all the places we’ve been, all the people we have come from, all the people we have become, and all the culinary ideas we have embraced.

Watermelon and Red Birds contains over 75 recipes, including drinks like Afro Egg Cream and Marigold Gin Sour, dishes like Beef Ribs with Fermented Harissa Sauce, Peach Jam and Molasses Glazed Chicken Thighs, Southern-ish Potato Salad and Cantaloupe and Feta Salad, and desserts like Roasted Nectarine Sundae, and Radish and Ginger Pound Cake. Taylor also provides a resource to guide readers to BIPOC-owned hot sauces, jams, spice, and waffle mixes companies and lists fun gadgets to make your Juneteenth special. These recipes and essays will inspire parties to salute one of the most important American holidays, and moments to savor joy all year round.

I was honestly very excited for this book but after reading it. It was a bit lackluster. Do I think we needed a Juneteenth cookbook not really but what I was hoping for this wasn't it. There are some recipes that I’m excited to try but other than that, I think this book is missing something or the direction it headed wasn’t the correct one. I will say its a good read especially if you are looking to experiment with food or just try something new.

Hope you enjoy it!

And as always Happy Reading!

The Wall of Winnipeg and Me: A Novel by Mariana Zapata

Vanessa Mazur refuses to feel bad for quitting—she knows she’s doing the right thing. The thankless job of personal assistant to the top defensive end in the National Football Organization was always supposed to be temporary. She has plans for her life, and none of them include washing extra-large underwear one more day for a man who could never find it in him to tell her good morning, congratulate her on a job well done, or wish her a happy birthday—even when she was spending it working for him.

The legendary “Wall of Winnipeg” may be adored by thousands, but after two years Van has had enough.

But when Aiden Graves shows up at her door begging her to come back, she’s beyond shocked. Mr. Walled-Off Emotions is actually letting his guard down for once. And she’s even more dumbstruck when he explains that her job description is about to become even more outrageous: something that takes the “personal” in assistant to a whole new level.

What do you say to the man who is used to getting everything he wants?

Congrats to Mariana Zapata for her rerelease of The Wall of Winnipeg and Me, thru Avon publishings.

  I fell in love with this book back in 2018, and I can honestly say my love of this story and its characters has not dimmed since. Hearing that this book was gonna get a new revamp and be release thru a publisher, I was abit nervous that the heart of this book would get lost in translation but I am happy to say I was wrong. It was just amazing to be reintroduced to Aiden Graves. The story is funny, sweet, and just adorable. You are also going to want to punch someone because some of these characters need a quick karate chop to the throat. But I digress, if you read the book before, I would highly recommend you reread it again just to walk and smile down memory lane.

I want to thank the author and publisher for the ARC in exchanged for my honest review. 

Congratulations again Mariana Zapata!! 

And as always Happy Reading!!

Strawberry Lane A Touching Texas Love Story by Jodi Thomas

 

Starri Knight is a big believer in fate. How else to explain the compelling connection she feels to the stranger she pulls out of a wrecked car on the very same road where her parents died twenty years earlier? Alongside Auntie Ona-May, the only mother she’s ever known, Starri saves Rusty O’Sullivan’s life—just as Ona-May once did when Starri was an orphaned babe. But convincing Rusty he has something to live for is going to take all of Starri’s faith in miracles . . .

Like a wish he hadn’t even known to make, Starri landed in Rusty’s life, filling him with a longing for a family. . . . Then Jackson Landry, a new lawyer, turns up to present a surprise that will change the direction of his life: An inheritance from the father Rusty never knew—and the promise of the family he’d never had. It’s a lot for the hard-bitten loner to accept as love rushes into his life . . .

A sense of duty has Rusty heading to Honey Creek to deal with his father’s estate—and find his lost siblings. But having family is one thing, learning to love them is another. Good thing new friends are by his side to help him along the way.

It was a sweet, clean quick read. This grabbed me from the start. The characters were great - like old friends I kept rooting for. The plot had it all - friendship, family, action, starting over, and of course romance. Such a good quick read.

Hope you enjoy!

And as always Happy Reading

The True Love Experiment by Christina Lauren

 Felicity “Fizzy” Chen is lost. Sure, she’s got an incredible career as a beloved romance novelist with a slew of bestsellers under her belt, but when she’s asked to give a commencement address, it hits her: she hasn’t been practicing what she’s preached.

Fizzy hasn’t ever really been in love. Lust? Definitely. But that swoon-worthy, can’t-stop-thinking-about-him, all-encompassing feeling? Nope. Nothing. What happens when the optimism she’s spent her career encouraging in readers starts to feel like a lie?

Connor Prince, documentary filmmaker and single father, loves his work in large part because it allows him to live near his daughter. But when his profit-minded boss orders him to create a reality TV show, putting his job on the line, Connor is out of his element. Desperate to find his romantic lead, a chance run-in with an exasperated Fizzy offers Connor the perfect solution. What if he could show the queen of romance herself falling head-over-heels for all the world to see? Fizzy gives him a hard pass—unless he agrees to her list of demands. When he says yes, and production on The True Love Experiment begins, Connor wonders if that perfect match will ever be in the cue cards for him, too.

I haven't read a romance book that was this joyful all the way through in a while. And a wonderful follow-up to The Soulmate Equation from the dynamic duo of Christina & Lauren. I did not realize just how badly I wanted to read Fizzy's book until she got a story of her own and I could not put it down. There were so many components of this book that I loved. I felt like even though Fizzy and I are very different, I could connect with her. From laughing out loud to crying into tissues, I loved every single page of this story. So memorable and so much more emotional than I thought I was prepared for. This was just...amazing.

Hope you enjoy it too!

And as always Happy Reading!!!

The Loner: A Novel Diana Palmer

Tanner Everett spends most of his time jet-setting around the world. But that hasn’t stopped innocent Stasie Bolton, the daughter of a neighboring rancher, from falling head-over-heels for the jet-setting playboy. So Stasie is secretly thrilled when both her father proposes linking the properties in matrimony…which means Tanner will be hers, for good.

Despite his globetrotting ways, Tanner can’t help but be enthralled by the quiet girl next door. But as the embers between the two are fanned into flames, Tanner wonders if he’s found forever in the last place he ever expected.

 Let me start out by saying I am a huge fan of Diana Palmer's books. And relatively I really enjoy her writing and storytelling but this one was just ok for me, it fell a little flat. So I am not going to have a lot to say for a review. I just didn't and I couldn't get past the idea that she should have refused to have anything to do with him after how terribly he treats her. I didn't care much for the main characters except for John, and I just felt bad for him all the way through the book. Other than that it just okay.

And as Always Happy Reading!!

Beauty Beheld A Beauty Is Her Name Novel by Zariah L. Banks

 

After an explosive breakup, Patience Hampton seeks fulfillment through her career and personal interest. Upon crossing paths with Lennox Davenport while out of town, she discovers her desires aren't what they seem. Patience struggles to balance the tall orders of recovering from her breakup, focusing on restoration, and entertaining a new love interest without allowing the spoils of unresolved past issues to ruin yet another romantic relationship. 

I liked this! This was just so well written and filled with fantastic characters, even the secondary characters were brilliant. This book is just jam pack with drama, pain, love, tension, learning to love yourself and learning about your own self worth. For my first book by the author I was happily surprised. 

And as Always Happy Reading!

Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert

Bradley Graeme is pretty much perfect. He's a star football player, manages his OCD well (enough), and comes out on top in all his classes . . . except the ones he shares with his ex-best friend, Celine.

Celine Bangura is conspiracy-theory-obsessed. Social media followers eat up her takes on everything from UFOs to holiday overconsumption--yet, she's still not cool enough for the popular kids' table. Which is why Brad abandoned her for the in-crowd years ago. (At least, that's how Celine sees it.)

These days, there's nothing between them other than petty insults and academic rivalry. So when Celine signs up for a survival course in the woods, she's surprised to find Brad right beside her.

Forced to work as a team for the chance to win a grand prize, these two teens must trudge through not just mud and dirt but their messy past. And as this adventure brings them closer together, they begin to remember the good bits of their history. But has too much time passed . . . or just enough to spark a whole new kind of relationship?

 

An ARC from netgalley for honest review.

This was, quite frankly, so fuckin’ precious and lovely. It had me cheesin’ so hard! Laughing out loud and deeply in my feelings. So the gist of it all is after falling out ages ago, the only thing these ex-best friends Bradley and Celine have for each other is petty insults and academic rivalry… That is until they find themselves competing for a scholarship in the middle of the woods, where they are forced to work as a team for a grand prize. As they work closer and closer, their past comes sneaking back along with some teensy, tiny (and repressed) feelings that were (un)successfully shut down. So good!!! Talia Hibbert just be giving life to these books.

Hope you enjoy it, too!

And as always Happy Reading!