Welcome to Litsy!

#2022Book141
This started off as a light, fun read, but quickly became heavy (in a good way!). The characters are complex and the situations they face are way too real. And the end had me bawling.

Coffee shop reading date in the AC ? We had to escape our sweltering apartment in this heatwave ? Chuckling at the line "The air between us was pregnant in the way that I was not" ? But enjoying this book ? #ARC #AdvanceReadingCopy @CounterfeitNickel

I loved this book. The friendship between Tabitha and her girls. The love between her and her grandmother. The fierceness with which she lives her life! Her refusal to give up her plan for life even if it had to change slightly! Loved it! https://heartandsoulbooks.blogspot.com/2022/03/black-girls-must-die-exhausted.ht...

I liked it. An unexpected family dynamic added dimension to the story. Though I did get distracted at the consistent use of exclamation points. Literally every conversation had an exclamation point. I had trouble believing the relationship was more than a “friends with benefits” deal since they had been dating for over a year and she had never met his family. Overall, I‘m a fan. A quick read that packs a lot in.

4 1/2 stars. Really enjoyable read, with an easy-to-read writing style and characters that were genuine and believable. Looking forward to the series.

February #bookspin list is ready!

For the first time I have added free spaces. I've started back listening to audiobooks at work and want to make sure I'll have room for them on the bingo card. Thank you @thearomaofbooks for hosting this wonderful challenge. Truly keeps me from falling for any book with a pretty cover.

Tabitha Walker and her circle of family and friends are worth getting to know. The book reads like a slice of life. This will be a series of three books. Yes to modern day black girls embracing and navigating womanhood and life. Welcome to the main stage, Jayne Allen. What a great first novel. And remember: If a man ain‘t got a plan for you, he ain‘t your man.

3.5⭐️ It took me a while to get into this one, but I enjoyed it. I liked the story and the message I took from it is perspective is everything. If I skid into heaven as the last wheel falls off (paraphrasing Gretchen), that‘s not a bad death. In other words, live to your fullest and die happy/unbothered/without regret.

This one has a pretty low rating on here. But I really liked it! Besides a bizarre Serena Williams sidetrack moment, I loved it.

“I just learned that life, no matter what kind of bad happens… It‘s all about finding some bit of optimism, some kind of hope that the next moment, or even the moment after that…. Is going to be all that you had originally wished for, and that your good, it‘s still on the way.”

And, just like Laila, didn‘t we all need the space to fall short and keep fighting?

Just ok. Interesting characters but the plot was lackluster. May be dolling it out over the trilogy, but not enough I‘m this first one for me to continue. #ARC #Netgalley

Amazing swag set sent by the publisher for this book!!!

This one wasn‘t for me. The friends weren‘t very likable, the main character wasn‘t very likable, and after she got her medical diagnosis from her doctor, she decided to use her boyfriend to get what she wanted. I get stress and anxiety making you do things you might not normally do, but I didn‘t get that impression here. Think it was all her. Might be for someone else, but I don‘t need the sequel. Moving on.

This one is calling to me and I have no willpower. 😂

Book mail looks especially good today.

I can‘t hardly wait!! Don‘t forget to preorder and show some love! 💗 #BGMDE

Day 10: Not sure this counts as very much of a full catalog flex, but in light of some super exciting news from the author this week I decided to post a pic of these first edition copies of BGMDE, which will soon be retired as we make way for the new editions being published by Harper Perennial. 🙌🏽 #Blackliteracyisrevolutionary

Thanks for the tag @MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm ✨sadly I missed it ✨end of summer, back to school. Halloween 🎃😂, and my husband‘s bday ✨#BGMDE2: And Baby Makes Two... I am enjoying it, but so far not nearly as much as the first book. @MoonWitch94 I know I‘m super late, but if you want to play along @Chelleo @sprainedbrain @riversong153

I bailed on it. The cover was gorgeous but I struggled with the style of writing and battled to follow the story 💔

Sharing books by black authors during the month of July. I will add the synopsis from Goodreads below and in the comments.
PS-How adorable is Jayne Allen?!
Black girls must die exhausted” is something that 33-year-old Tabitha Walker has heard her grandmother say before. Of course, her grandmother (who happens to be white) was referring to the 1950‘s and what she observed in the nascent times of civil rights. ⬇️
#readblackauthors

Starting this book this eve. The cover of this book is simply gorgeous 😍

So I‘m a member of #bethannesbookclub (over on Instagram) as a group we are trying a more diverse range of reading; luckily Beth was able to arrange a zoom chat with Jayne Allen all the way from California!

It was incredibly inspiring to hear and see Jayne‘s energy and her story.

It‘s going to be our next read.

#jayneallen #blackgirlsmustdieexhausted #bookclub #instagrambookclub #diversifyreading #instagrambookclub

What are your favorite books by black authors? Here are a few that I‘d recommend: the tagged book series #BGMDE, The Changeling or The Devil in Silver by Victor LaValle, Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid, My Sister the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite, and anything by the queen, Octavia Butler.

OMG you guys! I am fangirling TF out right now! The author of #BGMDE, the fabulous Jayne Allen, has agreed to join the virtual discussion of her novel scheduled for the end of this month! I can‘t wait!

This book was so amazing. I feel seen on so many levels. Idk why it‘s taken me this long to read it. I recommend it to anyone, but especially fellow black girls. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Due to popular demand (mostly mine lol) I‘ve decided to launch a virtual book discussion for the tagged book and hopefully others to come! Next online meet up will be Friday, May 22nd at 6pm PST. We‘ll be talking about #BGMDE and also starting reading/discussing The Stand by Stephen King. Let me know if you‘re interested!

It feels a little dramatic to say, but this may be the best book I‘ve ever read. It‘s certainly the best I‘ve read in recent years. The author describes #BGMDE as chick-lit, but to me it is so, so much more. The realness and wisdom between these pages is unmatched, and so perfectly expresses what it is like to be a modern black woman. I fell in love with the characters and experienced Tabby‘s wins and heartbreaks as if they were my own.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️+

Just over a chapter in and already loving this book so much.

Sorry, I‘m late to #openingday... I rushed straight home from the airport to open these goodies! OMG @riversong153 you are the absolute best!! I love everything so much, thank you, thank you, thank you!! @Chelleo thank you for inviting me to participate in this exchange, I had a ton of fun! Can‘t wait for next year‘s swap! #BHMswap #BlitsyHistoryMonth What a perfect way to end Black History Month 2020.

I went into the bookstore today to see if the book I have been waiting for since The end of June was in. I found this instead. So excited but I have to finish my current read first. 🙂

Don‘t you just love a beautiful cover? This is just to pretty for words. I heard about this book from several other bloggers so so decided to set my other To Buy books aside and get this last week. #books #janyeallen #summerteads

☹️☹️☹️

@sweetpealsd Thank you so much for all the amazing books and goodies! I love the coffee and coffee mugs and what a beautiful bookmark ❤️❤️❤️ I did receive two of the Maya Angelou books and will get the second copy sent back to you 😊 @Chelleo Thank you so much for organizing this swap❤️ I loved how you were on top of everything and I feel like I got connected to some more wonderful new Littens 😍#blitsyhistorymonth #BHM

#WeekendReads
1. Tagged and The Plastic Magician
2. Yes
3. Monster by Walter Dean Myers tried to read as part of my children‘s literature class but it was sooo depressing

I‘m not keeping track of time as I‘m sneak reading at work but jumping into my first #24B4Monday pick.

I really love this cover. It‘s so pretty.

Just beginning this tonight; love the tag “a novel for grown ups” should I be included? Am I grown up enough?

I wish I could give this a raving review but I can‘t. The plot wasn‘t very well structured. All but the main character needed development. The author handled issues regarding race and discussing racism and how it still affects Black communities well but that‘s about all the praise I can give it. I was really hoping to love this book. It isn‘t bad but it isnt great. More showing of character traits and less telling would have helped.

Just started this and I am absolutely in love with cover!!!! I love it. The book is starting off interesting. This author is really laying the ground work for her writing style and it‘s very exposition heavy but so far it has a good flow.