Wow. So, I've never told anyone this, but all of my life, there has been this part of me that sees the little nuances of life as a sort of fabric: it has textures and smells and sounds and feelings that reach a sacred place inside of me -- the same place my writing comes from. This ability always made me follow my own path.

Reading this book, Taja reminded me of this part of my being. Being in Taja's world was like reliving my tween and teenage years again, all except for the boyfriend part (and reading about her heartbreak, I'm glad I didn't have one during those years).

This book so beautifully explores the world of a young black girl's mind as she evolves from a girl into a young woman. Calling My Name so perfectly captures the universal thoughts and feelings and every day problems of one of the most tumultuous periods of life, the teenage years. From getting her period (and the dreaded leak on her shorts that every girl hopes never happens to her) to first love and first boyfriends and the pressures of having sex to the love-hate relationships between siblings, to the endless hours spent in the pews at church on Sunday -- it's all here.

Reading this book was like having the author, Liara, chillin' with me in the living room in our PJs having a girl's day and her saying "girl, do you remember...."

Thank you for sharing Taja with us, Liara.

I am forever in your debt.