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bookish_afrolatina's reviews
409 reviews
The Broposal by Sonora Reyes
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book tore me apart and then put me back together again. I love this author’s writing and knew this would be a good book but I was a bit apprehensive to read it. Han and Kenny’s friendship is so pure and I loved their flirtatious scenes together. As heartbreaking as some of the story was, I am so happy with how it ended. Reyes covers some incredibly heavy topics with care. The characters felt real to me. Heads up, this story contains a few explicit scenes, so don’t be surprised when they sneak up!
Please read this book y’all!
Please read this book y’all!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Xenophobia
Moderate: Addiction
James by Percival Everett
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This novel is so damn good! I’ve never actually read the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn so I went into this book blind but I still found it captivating. Jim’s code-switching, planning, dream conversations, and drive are perfect for combatting the frequent depersonalization of enslaved folks. The pacing was steady and the ending was cathartic for me. I don’t know what else to say without giving spoilers!!!
I had a feeling that Huck was actually Jim’s son from the get-go! I wasn’t expecting that conversation to go the way it did, though. It was heartbreaking that Jim’s white-passing friend had to die in order for him to same Huck. That ending though!!! I’m so glad Jim/James got his moment to fuck up the slave owners and save his family.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Slavery, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, and Rape
Freedom Is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement by Angela Y. Davis
Davis's words will probably be echoing in my mind for days and weeks to come.
challenging
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
5.0
Despite the title, I found much of this book to be comforting. For one, we have Angela Davis, a woman who was once targeted by our government, sharing her insights on every issue from Black Feminism and Civil Rights to "terrorism" and occupied Palestine. Through all of the activism she has been a part of she is still here and I'm incredibly grateful that she hasn't given up the fight. One of my favorite passages is:
It is essential to resist the depiction of history as the work of heroic individuals in order for people today to recognize their potential agency as a part of an ever-expanding community of struggle.
Davis's words will probably be echoing in my mind for days and weeks to come.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Genocide, Gun violence, Homophobia, Racism, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Murder, Gaslighting, and War
Clap Back by Nalo Hopkinson
challenging
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
I have mixed feelings about this book. I listened to it on audiobook, which may have been a mistake because some of it ended up being hard to follow in the end. The story itself was very creative and cool but the disjointed ending made me feel like I was suddenly reading a completely different book.
Bemused by Farrah Rochon
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This is such a sweet book! The muses were definitely my favorite part of the Hercules movie so I loved this take on their backstory. It’s pretty fast-paced and adventurous which made it an entertaining book to listen to while I did chores.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Kidnapping
Breathless by Beverly Jenkins
adventurous
hopeful
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Portia had a terribly rough life at a young age so I was very happy to see her life as an adult with her aunt and uncle. I loved exploring her community in New Mexico during the late 1800s through this story. It's not common knowledge that Black folks had communities out there. It was really cool to get a glimpse into Black feminism at the time, too!
Portia and Kent are very sweet together and their sexual tension is immediately explored. The only parts of the book I wasn't enthused by were when the author repeatedly described Portia as "aware of his maleness" and "made her feel female." I'm always turned off when folks use those terms to describe people because those are scientific terms that are usually followed by a species name like, "she saw a female bear." I feel like that made some of the scenes less romantic to me.
Portia and Kent are very sweet together and their sexual tension is immediately explored. The only parts of the book I wasn't enthused by were when the author repeatedly described Portia as "aware of his maleness" and "made her feel female." I'm always turned off when folks use those terms to describe people because those are scientific terms that are usually followed by a species name like, "she saw a female bear." I feel like that made some of the scenes less romantic to me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Misogyny, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, and Classism
Minor: Cancer, Death, Death of parent, and Abandonment
In the Shadow of the Fall by Tobi Ogundiran
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I am hooked! In The Shadow Of The Fall is a story about belonging, secrets, and faith. Despite this being so short, I felt fully immersed and invested in Ashâke’s journey. She has longed to be with her peers as a priestess and feels like something must be wrong with her if the orisha have yet to contact her.
The pacing of this book starts off a little bit slow, builds some intrigue and then picks up speed towards the end. I’m assuming that is because the second book is meant to bring the action. I’m ready for that!
I highly recommend this book to everyone!
The pacing of this book starts off a little bit slow, builds some intrigue and then picks up speed towards the end. I’m assuming that is because the second book is meant to bring the action. I’m ready for that!
I highly recommend this book to everyone!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Gaslighting
The Black God's Drums by P. Djèlí Clark
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
This is a mysterious and kinda cute YA speculative fiction book. It has a sort of steampunk vibe and takes place in a version of the U.S. where the Confederacy doesn’t lose the war. However, this is done well as it imagines New Orleans as even more connected to Haiti and Yoruba gods.
The MC is headstrong which is always needed in an adventure like this. Her story is filled with spy craft, powerful women, and love of her city.
I enjoyed this book but would have loved a bit more character-building for the MC.
The audiobook narrator also pronounces New Orleans differently than I’ve heard natives say it. This was distracting, at times.
The MC is headstrong which is always needed in an adventure like this. Her story is filled with spy craft, powerful women, and love of her city.
I enjoyed this book but would have loved a bit more character-building for the MC.
The audiobook narrator also pronounces New Orleans differently than I’ve heard natives say it. This was distracting, at times.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Violence
Minor: War
A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Wow! This book is really beautiful. It’s slow-going, at first, because we need space to get to know Dex and their world. I think that the conversations between Dex and Mosscap hit this wonderful cross-section between humorous, reflective, emotional, and grounding. There are so many quotes that I loved but I think the message that affected me the most was about purpose. I’m not gonna share what exactly, as I don’t wanna spoil it for y’all!
Also a heads-up, the adventure with the robot doesn’t begin until halfway through the book so you’ve gotta be patient! This is the first in a series.
Also a heads-up, the adventure with the robot doesn’t begin until halfway through the book so you’ve gotta be patient! This is the first in a series.
A Tropical Rebel Gets the Duke by Adriana Herrera
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This is now my favorite book of the Leonas series and absolutely one of my favorite reads of 2025 already!!!
Adriana Herrera brings us an amazingly smart and resilient heroine finding the love she deserves with a head-strong, passionate, and dedicated man who will never stop fighting systems of oppression. I feel like the characters in this book (and the series as a whole) are whole people with rich lives.
Aurora's background hit me hard and I related a lot to her feelings of abandonment and shame. Something that brought me a lot of joy was the way Herrera showed the truth about being a Black woman (in any time, really) who is forced to put up a shield and take any hits that come our way; we need tenderness and care and love. We deserve to be adored, too.
The chemistry between Aurora and Apollo is off the chartsssss!!! These two can't keep their hands off of each other. I think that this is probably the most explicit of the three books, too, but I might reread them all just to make sure lmao!
If you've never read Historical Fiction before, I highly recommend this series, any books by Beverly Jenkins, and books by J.J. McAvoy.
Adriana Herrera brings us an amazingly smart and resilient heroine finding the love she deserves with a head-strong, passionate, and dedicated man who will never stop fighting systems of oppression. I feel like the characters in this book (and the series as a whole) are whole people with rich lives.
Aurora's background hit me hard and I related a lot to her feelings of abandonment and shame. Something that brought me a lot of joy was the way Herrera showed the truth about being a Black woman (in any time, really) who is forced to put up a shield and take any hits that come our way; we need tenderness and care and love. We deserve to be adored, too.
The chemistry between Aurora and Apollo is off the chartsssss!!! These two can't keep their hands off of each other. I think that this is probably the most explicit of the three books, too, but I might reread them all just to make sure lmao!
If you've never read Historical Fiction before, I highly recommend this series, any books by Beverly Jenkins, and books by J.J. McAvoy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Violence, and Classism
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Sexual violence, Blood, Medical content, and Medical trauma
Minor: Abortion, Death of parent, and Abandonment