Blog Tour and review: Banned Together

 

Title:  Banned Together 

Author: A Variety

Genre:  YA anthology

Publisher:  Holiday House

Publication Date:  March 4, 2025

Rating:  💥💥💥💥💥

About The Book 

A dazzling YA anthology that spotlights the transformative power of books while equipping teens to fight for the freedom to read, featuring the voices of 15 diverse, award-winning authors and illustrators.

Books are disappearing from shelves across the country. 

What does this mean for authors, illustrators, and—most crucially—for young readers? 

This bold collection of fiction, memoir, poetry, graphic narratives, essays, and other genres explores book bans through various lenses, and empowers teens to fight back. From moving personal accounts to clever comebacks aimed at censorship, fifteen legendary YA authors and illustrators confront the high-stakes question of what is lost when books are kept from teens. 

Contributors include Elana K. Arnold, Nikki Grimes, Ellen Hopkins, Kelly Jensen, Brendan Kiely, Maia Kobabe, Bill Konigsberg, Kyle Lukoff, MariNaomi, Trung Lê Nguy?n, Ashley Hope Pérez, Isabel Quintero, Traci Sorell, Robin Stevenson, and Padma Venkatraman; the collection is a star-studded must-read that packs strength and power into every last word. 

Striking illustrations from Ignatz-nominated artist Debbie Fong pair perfectly with the searing, impactful narrative. Resources include tips from the Vandegrift Banned Book Club and other teen activists, as well as extensive recommended book lists, a How to Start Your Own Little Free Library flier, and more.

My Thoughts.  

Although it's geared for a young audience, alone who supports equality and our freedom to be able to choose what to read should get and read this book.  There are a variety of thoughts,  and not one of them with a bad take.  This is the perfect resource for anyone who is truly fighting for human rights.  And it uses a variety of graphics and essays for anyone and is powerful and educational. 

Book Review: A Sky Full Of Love by Lorna Lewis

 Title:  A Sky Full Of Love

Author:  Lorna Lewis

Genre:  Women's Fiction

Publisher:  Union Lake Station

Publication Date:  June 1, 2025

Rating: 💥💥💥💥💥

About The Book

Following a harrowing disappearance, a woman returns home to her family—and a life-changing secret in a powerful novel about betrayal, resilience, and love’s unbreakable bonds.

After fifteen years in captivity, Nova Lefleur is free, back home, and reunited with her Louisiana family. Through her ordeal, she never forgot them. They never forgot her either. But things have changed since Nova’s been gone.

Nova and her encouraging seventeen-year-old daughter, Skye, are getting to know each other for the first time. Her husband, Quinton, is rebuilding a relationship with a wife he thought was gone forever. And Nova’s sister, Leah, is overjoyed—and overwhelmed.

Leah shares a secret with Quinton neither can bear to tell the woman they cherish. Not yet. Five years ago, bonding over grief and finding a reason to smile again, Quinton and Leah were married. When it’s time for the truth to come out, they could lose Nova all over again.

As Nova is eased back into a life both familiar and unfamiliar, she and her family must confront their deepest fears, the choices they made, and the choices to come that will reshape each of their lives forever.

My Thoughts

After finishing this book, I don't know what the author put in this book, whether it was crack or some other kind of addictive substance, because this story was truly that addictive.  I did not want it to end nor did I want to put it down, although there were times I had no choice but to.  The story was mesmerizing and captivating and took me on a roller coaster ride like no other.  I was a complete emotional wreck.  I have been reading her books since the beginning of her career, and she just keeps getting better and better.  So exicted to see what she comes up with for her next book.

About The Author

Lorna is gifted at turning characters’ dreams into drama and crafting stories rich with emotion while exploring the complexities of real-life situations such as marriage, infidelity, fertility struggles, betrayal, and the power of forgiveness. In addition to being an author, Lorna is also an educator. She believes in using her creativity to inspire and teach others both in the classroom and through her writing. A native of Varnado, Louisiana, a small town much like the ones she loves bringing to life in her stories, Lorna’s southern roots influence the sense of community, culture, and warmth in her work. When she’s not writing her next novel, Lorna enjoys spending quality time with her husband and their two beautiful children, finding joy in family life, and drawing inspiration from her own experiences to enrich her writing.

Blog Tour and Review: Beneath The Sunshine by Smardline S.

 Title:  Beneath the Sunshine

Author:  Smardline S.  

Genre:  Billionaire Romance

Publication Date:  May 27, 2025

Rating: 💥💥💥💥💥

About The Book:

She ran from him once. Now, he’ll do anything to keep her.

Beautiful. Bold. Guarded.

Rylee Queen del Sol has spent years keeping her heart locked away, convinced love isn’t meant for her. But when she takes a dream job in Paris, she never expects her new French billionaire boss to be the man she ghosted a year ago-the only man who ever made her want more.

Charming. Rich. Possessive

Lucien Kingley has everything: wealth, power, control. Everything except her. So when the opportunity to bring her back into his life presents itself, he takes it. Hiring her as his new marketing director.

Lucien needs a wife to secure his CEO position before his 30th birthday. Rylee needs a way to gain custody of her sister.

A marriage of convenience is the perfect solution... until the lines between business and desire start to blur. The longer they pretend, the more real it becomes.

But when Lucien’s secrets come to light, Rylee is ready to walk away.

Now, he has to convince her to stay.

Because the only thing more important than his CEO role... is her.

My Thoughts

This is my second book from this author, and I am enjoying her stories more and more with each one.  Lucien and Rylee were perfect for each other. It has become one of my favorite billionaire stories.  And the chemistry they had for each other made me so happy and giddy.  And the supporting characters added so much to the story. Riley's strength made her one of my favorite FMC's.   I really enjoyed this book and can't wait for the author's next story.  

About The Author:

Smardline is a passionate Black author with a passion for reading for as long as she can remember. She writes heartfelt stories with a touch of magic (because what’s life without a bit of wonder?), and she's planning to explore the fantasy genre soon. Nature holds a special place in her heart—especially waterfalls. Her dream? A cozy home in the countryside, ideally with a waterfall view, but she’d settle for a small river in the background. Add a garden, a few goats, and chickens, and she’d be living her best life.

Blog Tour and review: Out Of Step Into You by Ciera Burch

 Title:  Out Of Step Into You

Author:  Ciera Burch

Genre:  YA Sapphic 

Publisher:  Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Publication Date:  May 20, 2021

Rating: 💥💥💥💥

About The Book

You can’t outrun love.

Taylor and Marianna were each other’s whole world – best friends, running partners, practically sisters – until Marianna moved away and Taylor promptly ghosted her. When the former best friends turned rivals end up on the same cross-country team three years later, everything is a competition… and a reminder of old feelings, as well as blossoming new ones.

Marianna runs because she’s angry.The oldest child of a single mother, she knows all about responsibility – for her siblings, at her part-time job. She just has to stay focused and be faster than the past nipping at her heels if she wants to secure a new, brighter future. With or without Taylor.

Taylor runs to prove herself. The only child of a Divison 1 athlete, she’s no stranger to high expectations. With enough effort, she knows she can immortalize herself with a state record and make her parents proud. Then, she can discover her own passion. She definitely doesn’t have time to untangle her feelings towards Mari.

Can this pair figure out a way to work together before their past catches up with them?

My Thoughts

This was such an endering and emotional story.   The characters were authentic and i appreciated reading how they handled life's circumstances as well as the transition from enemies/rivals to lovers.  The Author did a great job with showing emotions from both characters.  I will be looking for more books from the author in the future.

Blog tour and review: Flying In Colors by Padma Prasad Reddeppa

 

Title:  Flying in Colors

Author: Padma Prasad Reddeppa

Genre: Middle School

Publisher: Lee and Low

Publication Date:  May 6, 2025

Rating:  💥💥💥💥

About The Book

Aunties tell nine-year-old Pavi that she's asking too many "big women" questions, but she's tired of grown-up secrets. How are babies born? And why do people die? A beautiful debut about family, tradition, and the healing that comes from finding the answers.

It's 1975, Tamil Nadu, South India, and nine-year-old Pavi is living a carefree life with her large intergenerational family. Everyday is an adventure. Why not steal 233 mangoes from the neighbor's tree? Or make up grand stories that take her to Jupiter? If only there wasn't a sadness lingering over the family. You see, her uncle Selva died just five months after she was born.

Pavi may have been just a baby when Selva died, but she feels close to him, as if he's watching over her, helping her when she needs it. But she has so many questions about Selva's death. And why does anyone die when they do?

The grown-ups in Pavi's life are hiding something. They dismiss her questions. For instance, when Pavi and her cousins ask about babies, all anyone says is "Little women are asking big women questions." And when she asks about Selva, there are no answers either. Why is talking about life and death so hard? Pavi is tired of grown-up secrets!

But what if those answers can hurt, or bad things happen? Can prayers and traditions really protect those we love? Pavi is determined to find out.

My Thoughts 

This was such an emotional and adorable read. TBH, This was me at 9, always asking questions then being told to stop talking or being "grown folks business". I do wish parents did better with those of us that happen to be inquisitive (or nosey, as some of the elders would say). I loved her character and some of the antics that she found herself involved in. Perfect read for those who have Littles in their lives

Blog Tour and Review: It's you every time by Charlene Thomas

 

Title:  Its You Every Time

Author:  Charlene Thomas

Genre:  YA Romance

Publisher:  Scholastic Press 

• Publication date: May 6, 2025
• 
  
• Rating:  💥💥💥💥

About The Book

A story about self-discovery, grief, and destiny that begs the question: How do you keep going when your world has stopped spinning?

When Sydney Michaels stops for breakfast in order to put off scholastic ruin a little longer, she never expected to-quite literally-bump into cute-boy stranger, Marcus Burke.

When Marcus invites her to have breakfast with him instead of going to class, she can't ignore the urge to get to know him better-or the fact that this charming new acquaintance seems just as interested in her.

After a magical day together in their hometown of New York City, Sydney is finally willing to believe that maybe-just maybe-after years of loss and heartache, she's finally reached the good part.

But when it comes time to say goodbye, as they linger in a crosswalk, something happens. An accident? Sydney isn't sure-all she knows is that, after screeching tires, blinding headlights, and a moment of searing pain, she opens her eyes and is back in her bed. On September 24-the morning of her big exam-again

My Thoughts 

This was a cute story with Groundhog Days vibes (The Movie).  It was fast paced and such an enjoyable read.  I loved the short chapters.  There are also themes of grief as well as lessons and social themes throughout the book.  And I enjoyed the dual POV..  I think my favorite part was their visit to one of my favorite cities.  The author showed the beauty of it that those of us that live there or near by see often.  And some parts brought straight tears to my eyes, with what they both had to endure.  Especially Marcus.  But the way the author handled their individual grief situations was nothing short of emotional.   I will be looking for future stories from this author 

About The Author

Charlene Thomas started writing when she was a little girl because she has a tendency to love telling stories just as much as she loves living them. She was sixteen when she wrote a manuscript that won the National Novel Silver Award from Scholastic Books, and went on to minor in creative writing at North Carolina State University. She writes books about the world we live in, inspired by her experiences growing up in Montgomery County, MD. She believes a lot in people and what all of us are capable of, and maybe that’s why she loves creating big characters who are steadfastly determined to change their own little parts of the world.

When Charlene isn't writing, she's also a marketer. She earned her MBA from Emory University, a Certificate in Digital Marketing from Cornell University, and a Certificate in Teaching Creative Writing from The University of Cambridge.

Blog Tour And Review: 52 Weeks, A Party Of One by Bianca Pensy Aba

 

Title:  52 Weeks A Party Of One

Author:  Bianca Pensy Aba

Genre: 

Publisher:  Bianca Pensy ABA

Publication Date:  April 23, 2025

Rating: 💣💣💣

About The Book

Aisha isn’t known to hold her tongue, but that’s until she finds out her boyfriend and her best friend are having an affair on New Year’s Eve. This sends her packing. She leaves Denver and moves to Dallas to have the time and space to process the betrayal.

Spending time alone also spotlights other issues she has been trying to conceal: her broken relationship with her mother, her growing apart from her brother, and the impact of her late absentee father on her life.

Aisha is overwhelmed by everything, so instead of using her time away to “do the work,” she spends weeks putting it off and indulging in every possible distraction—until she hits a wall.

Aisha will have to either confront the ghosts from her past before the year ends or continue to pretend they aren’t there and let them haunt her until the very end.

My Thoughts

NGL, the start of the book, had me excited to read the book, but after the first couple of chapters, I struggled with the story.   Although everyone's journey to helimg is different, the FMC didn't really take any step to actually start healing, in my opinion.  It did seem to become more enjoyable at the halfway mark.  I normally don't have a problem with slower paced stories, but this one felt much more slower and parts seemed to drag.  And Aisha's character frustrated me through the story.  But my feelings could be because I've been in and out of slumps recently.  I would still read future books from this author.

About The Author

BIANCA PENSY ABA was born on May 27, 1993, in Yaoundé, Cameroon. She lived in her native country until she turned eighteen. She graduated from Graceland University in 2017. She was a college athlete who played sports most of her life. Her second love was basketball. Her first was writing. She is the author of ACROSS BOTH SIDES OF THE MIRROR and 52 WEEKS A PARTY OF ONE. She lives in Allen, Texas, where she enjoys picnicking, reading, hiking, watching terrible dating shows, sipping a glass of wine on her balcony, and doing whatever else she is in the mood for