Blog tour and review: Better Must come by Desmond Hall

 

Title:  Better Must Come

Author: Desmond Hall

Genre:  YA Suspence

Publication Date :  June 4, 2024

Publisher:  Atheneum/Caitlin Dlouhy Books

Rating:  💥💥💥💥💥

About the book

Barely Missing Everything meets American Street in this fiercely evocative, action-packed young adult thriller that looks at the darker side of light-filled Jamaica and how a tragedy and missing drug money helplessly entangle the lives of two teens who want to change their fate.

Deja is a “barrel girl”—one of the Jamaican kids who get barrels full of clothes, food, and treats shipped to them from parents who have moved to the US or Canada to make more money. Gabriel is caught up in a gang and desperate for a way out. When he meets Deja at a party, he starts looking for a way into her life and wonders if they could be a part of each other’s futures.

Then, one day while out fishing, Deja spies a go-fast boat stalled out by some rocks, smeared with blood. Inside, a badly wounded man thrusts a knapsack at her, begging her to deliver it to his original destination, and to not say a word. She binds his wounds, determined to send for help and make good on her promise…not realizing that the bag is stuffed with $500,000 American. Not realizing that the posse Gabriel is in will stop at nothing to get their hands on this bag—or that Gabriel’s and her lives will intersect in ways neither ever imagined, as they both are forced to make split-second choices to keep the ones they love most alive.

My thoughts

I went into this story a little blind, and I'm so glad I did.  This was such an emotional ride that kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end.  I could really relate to Deja's character, being the oldest daughter to younger siblings and some of the pressure and responsibilities that role entails.  I got a little scared for a moment as I was reading, wondering what was going to happen next.  The characters were well written, and there was si much growth for several of them.  If ypu like books with a lot of surprises,  then I think you'll enjoy this one.

About the Author

Desmond Hall is a Jamaican born author whose debut YA novel, YOUR CORNER DARK, is a fast-paced thriller that has been described as American Street meets Long Way Down. This searing and gritty novel takes an unflinching look at the harsh realities of gang life in Jamaica and how far a teen is willing to go for family. The book confronts police brutality, “Colorism”, gang culture and political deception.

He graduated Marquette University with a BA in Journalism and was selected for the “Who’s Who of American College Students.”

He’s written and directed an HBO feature movie, “A Day in Black and White” which was nominated for the Gordon Parks Award. He’s also written and directed a full-length stage play, “Stockholm, Brooklyn” that won the Audience Award at the Downtown Theater Festival at the Cherry Lane theater. The play was also picked for the Public Theater's New Works Series.

For two years, he worked as a high school Biology and English teacher in Brooklyn, NY. In this period of his life he also counseled teenage ex-cons after their release from Rikers Island Correctional Institution.

As an advertising creative director, he’s written many TV campaigns, two Superbowl commercials and won multiple awards while running the creative side of Spike Lee’s advertising agency.

While working in the advertising and film industry he’s served on the board of the Partnership for a Drug Free America, the Advertising Council, judged the One Show, Addys and the NYC Downtown Film Festival. He’s also been named one of Variety magazine’s Top 50 Creatives to Watch.

"The best way to describe Your Corner Dark, is to say it’s a stomach-knotter. It’s one of those tales that ties you up, turns you inside-out, wrings you like a wet cloth. Desmond Hall leaves us no choice but to root for Frankie Green, a young man in Jamaica doing everything he can to claw himself out of the bear trap of his environment, that has transformed him, not exactly into a bear, but definitely into more than just a good boy. Take note—Hall is a hurricane of a writer." --Jason Reynolds, author of New York Times bestseller Long Way Down

"A riveting, fiercely heartfelt and gutsy exploration of one boy's determination to wrest control over his own life, on his own terms. Readers will find it impossible not to root for Frankie as he is confronted with one impossible choice after another. Your Corner Dark is a memorable and unmissable debut by an author to watch." --Courtney Summers, author of the New York Times bestseller Sadie

Book Tour and Review: What you Leave Behind by Wanda Morris

 Title: What You Leave Behind

Author:  Wanda Morris

Genre:  Suspence/Mystery

Publication Date:  June 6, 2024

Publisher:  Harper Collins /William Morrow

Rating : 💥💥💥💥💥

About the Book:

Award-winning author Wanda Morris returns with a powerful, haunting thriller following a lawyer who after the mysterious disappearance of a local landowner and the death of his sister just months before, uncovers a conspiracy that dates back to Reconstruction and persists in half the United States today.

Deena Wood’s life has fallen apart in the aftermath of losing her beloved mother, her marriage, and her prestigious job at an Atlanta law firm. She needs what the Geechee people of coastal Georgia call a “dayclean,” a fresh start.

She returns to her childhood home in Brunswick, Georgia, to heal. But her return is anything but the respite she thought it might be. To make peace with all her loss, she often drives through the city. One day, she unwittingly finds herself on the oceanfront property of a loner widower who is fighting to keep land that has been in his family since the end of the Civil War. He threatens her and warns her to never return. But shortly after, he disappears, and his very expensive property is quickly put up for sale. Curious about what has happened to the man, Deena digs into his disappearance and finds a family legacy at risk. What starts out as a bit of curious snooping, turns into a deadly game of illegal land grabs and property redevelopment in poor and rural communities with dark and powerful forces at work.

Without realizing it, Deena finds herself caught up in a nightmarish scheme that threatens her community and her family. She’ll need help and finds it in a close but unlikely source because she knows she must do whatever it takes to stop the sinister forces at play before she becomes their next target.

My Thoughts:

I have some of the worst sleep habits ever.  And there are just some authors that make it worse, but in a good way ( as a matter of fact, I'll probably be taking a nap by the time you read this).  I went to sleep around 3:30 this morning, and could only get a few hours in before i couldn’t sleep anymore, because of these characters.  I could not rest until I knew what happened to the characters.  (Now mind you, I was at 80% when I tried to our the book down).  This book was absolutely such a ride.  It also covers a topic that happens a lot in minority community, and especially black ones.  Although she didn't originally know it, Deena was destined for this assignment and was not alone.  Not only did she have her family’s help, but she was unknowingly guided by the ancestors.   And it makes me want to know more about the Gullah region.   I've read many good books this year, and so far this one tops all of them.  I have yet to read a book by this author that I not only enjoyed, but gleaned some unknown information to me.  It was brilliantly executed and I loved and enjoyed every minute of this ride.

About the Author

Bestselling author, Karin Slaughter, has described Wanda M. Morris as a "vibrant and welcome new voice to the thriller space."

Wanda M. Morris is the acclaimed author of All Her Little Secrets, named as one of the “Best Books of 2021” by Hudson Booksellers and selected as the #1 Top Pick for “Library Reads” by librarians across the country. Her novel, Anywhere You Run, was named One of the Top Ten Crime Fiction Books of 2022 by The New York Times. It has received starred reviews from Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Booklist and won an Anthony Award and the Lefty Award for Best Historical Novel of 2023, along with the 2023 Georgia Author of the Year for Mystery. Anywhere You Run was also longlisted for the prestigious Mark Twain Voice in American Literature Prize.

Blog Tour and Review: Troubled Waters by Mary Heglar

 

Title :  Troubled Waters

Author:  Mary Heglar

Genre:  Women's Fiction

Publication Date:  May 7, 2024

Publisher:  Harper Muse

Rating:  💥💥💥💥💥

About the Book

In this intimate portrait of two generations, a granddaughter and a grandmother come to terms with what it means to heal when the world is on your shoulders.

The world is burning, and Corinne will do anything to put out the flames. After her brother died aboard an oil boat on the Mississippi River in 2013, Corrine awakened to the realities of climate change and its perpetrators. Now, a year later, she finds herself trapped in a lonely cycle of mourning both her brother and the very planet she stands on. She’s convinced that in order to save her future, she has to make sure that her brother’s life meant something. But in the act of honoring her brother’s spirit, she resurrects family ghosts she knows little about—ghosts her grandmother Cora knows intimately.

•  

  Cora’s ghosts have followed her from her days as a child desegregating schools in 1950s Nashville to her new life as a mother, grandmother, and teacher in Mississippi. As a child of the Civil Rights movement, she’s done her best to keep those specters away from her granddaughter. She faced those demons, she reasons to herself, so that Corinne would never know they existed. Cora knows what it feels like to carry the weight of the world—and that it can crush you.

   

  When Corrine’s plan to stage a dramatic act of resistance peels back the scabs of her family wounds and puts her safety in jeopardy, both grandmother and granddaughter must bring their secrets into the light to find a path to healing and wholeness.

   

  In heartfelt, lyrical prose based on her own family’s history, Mary Annaïse Heglar weaves an unforgettable story of the climate crisis, Black resistance, and the enduring power of love

• My Thoughts

• Have you ever gotten to the end of a superb book and shocked that it's over with? (even though its a full book and you know in your mind books have to have an ending at some point)  That was me by the time I came to the end.  I was surprised, because I wanted more although it's a full story.  I just did not want this book to end.  I absolutely loved and understood the characters and why they acted like they did, the story line and relationships were just beautiful.   And it was just such a well written and heartbreaking read.  I learned so much and these characters will be embedded in my mind for a good while.  If I could give this book 10 stars,  i would.  Wonderful job.  

About the Author

Mary Annaïse Heglar is known for her essays that dissect and interrogate the climate crisis, drawing heavily on her personal experience as a Black woman with deep roots in the South. Her work has appeared in New York Magazine, The Nation, The Boston Globe, Vox, Rolling Stone, and other outlets. They have also been featured in collections like All We Can Save, The World As We Knew It, The Black Agenda, Letters to the Earth, and Not Too Late. Mary hails from Birmingham, Alabama by way of Mississippi and she is based in New Orleans. Connect with her on Instagram: @mary.heglar; Twitter: @mary.heglar

Blog Tour and review: The Library Thief by Kuchenga Shenie

 

Title:  The Library Thief

Author:  Kuchenga Shenie

Genre:  Historical

Publication Date:  May 7, 2024

Publisher:  Hanover Square Press

Rating: 💥💥💥💥

The library is under lock and key. But its secrets can't be contained.

1896. After he brought her home from Jamaica as a baby, Florence's father had her hair hot-combed to make her look like the other girls. But as a young woman, Florence is not so easy to tame—and when she brings scandal to his door, the bookbinder throws her onto the streets of Manchester.

Intercepting her father's latest commission, Florence talks her way into the forbidding Rose Hall to restore its rare books. Lord Francis Belfield's library is old and full of secrets—but none so intriguing as the whispers about his late wife… 

Evocative, arresting and tightly plotted, The Library Thief is at once a propulsive Gothic mystery and a striking exploration of race, gender and self-discovery in Victorian England.

My thoughts

Because it was listed as a Gothic mystery, I was a little nervous that it was going to be scary., but that was not the case.  It was such an wild ride of a read with a lot of racial undertones (because that was the norm during that time period), as well as secrets and a mystery that will have you guessing who done it right up until the very end.   It was very well written and such an entertaining read.

About the Author

Kuchenga is a writer, journalist and speaker with work on many media platforms including Stylist, British Vogue and Netflix.

She has contributed short stories and essays to several anthologies, most notably It's Not OK to Feel Blue (And Other Lies), Who's Loving You and Loud Black Girls.

Owing to a lifelong obsession with books and the written word, Kuchenga studied Creative Writing at The Open University.

Her work is focused on the perils of loving, being loved and women living out loud throughout the ages.

Her first novel The Library Thief is the ultimate marriage of her passions for history, mystery and rebels.

She currently resides in Manchester where she is determined to continue living a life worth writing about.

Blog Tour and Review: One Of Us Knows by Alyssa Cole

 Title:  One Of Us Knows

Author: Alyssa Cole

Genre: Phycological Thriller

Publication Date: April 19, 2024

Publisher: William Morrow Publishers

Rating: 💥💥💥💥

About the Book

From the critically acclaimed and New York Times bestselling author of When No One Is Watching comes a riveting thriller about the new caretaker of a historic estate who finds herself trapped on an island with a murderer—and the ghosts of her past. 

Years after a breakdown and a diagnosis of dissociative identity disorder derailed her historical preservationist career, Kenetria Nash and her alters have been given a second chance they can’t refuse: a position as resident caretaker of a historic home. Having been dormant for years, Ken has no idea what led them to this isolated Hudson River island, but she’s determined not to ruin their opportunity.

Then a surprise visit from the home’s conservation trust just as a Nor’easter bears down on the island disrupts her newfound life, leaving Ken trapped with a group of possibly dangerous strangers—including the man who brought her life tumbling down years earlier. When he turns up dead, Ken is the prime suspect.

Caught in a web of secrets and in a race against time, Ken and her alters must band together to prove their innocence and discover the truth of Kavanaugh Island—and their own past—or they risk losing not only their future, but their life.

My Thoughts:

Wow.  This story was such a twisted ride.  As far as emotions, it had me all over the place.  Although the main character has multiple personalities, (AKA Dissiocative Identity Disorder, which is referred to head mates in the story)   It did take me a minute to make sure I kept them straight, but once I did, I could not put it down, especially once it hooked me.  As far as thrillers go, it kept me guessing right until the very end, especially once the action started.  The story was twisted, but in such a good and enjoyable way.  

About the Author:

Alyssa Cole is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of romance and thrillers. Her debut thriller When No One Is Watching was the winner of the 2021 Edgar Allen Poe Award for Best Paperback Original and the Strand Critics Award for Best Debut. Her Civil War-set espionage romance An Extraordinary Union was the American Library Association’s RUSA Best Romance for 2018, and her contemporary royal romcom A Princess in Theory was one of the New York Times’ 100 Notable Books of 2018. Her books have received critical acclaim from the New York Times, Library Journal, BuzzFeed, Kirkus, Booklist, Jezebel, Shondaland, Vulture, Book Riot, Entertainment Weekly, and various other outlets. When she’s not working, she can usually be found watching anime or wrangling her pets.

Book Tour and Review: The Door is Open: Stories of Celebration and Community by 11 Desi Voices Edited by Hana Khan

Book Info:

The Door is Open: Stories of Celebration and Community by 11 Desi Voices Edited by Hana Khan

Genre: Middle Grade Short Stories

Publishing Date: April 24, 2024

Rating:  💥💥💥💥💥

Synopsis:

Discover stories of fear, triumph, and spectacular celebration in this warm-hearted novel of interconnected stories that celebrates the diversity of South Asian American experiences in a local community center.

Discover stories of fear, triumph, and spectacular celebration in the fictional town of Maple Grove, New Jersey, where the local kids gather at the community center to discover new crushes, fight against ignorance, and even save a life. Cheer for Chaya as she wins chess tournaments (unlike Andrew, she knows stupid sugary soda won’t make you better at chess), and follow as Jeevan learns how to cook traditional food (it turns out he can cook sabji– he just can’t eat it).

These stories, edited by bestselling and award-winning Pakistani-American author Hena Khan, are filled with humor, warmth, and possibility. They showcase a diverse array of talented authors with heritage from the Indian subcontinent, including beloved favorites and rising stars, who each highlight the beauty and necessity of a community center that everyone calls home.

My Thoughts:

This book was simply amazing, and right on time with AANHPI month starting next week.  It is a great read and resource for children and everyone with many lessons in each story.  I enjoyed all of the stories, and some of my favorites include Check yourself, Alok at the Dance, The Map of Home, Answered Prayers, and Out In The Open.  It has South Asian American representation and was written so beautifully, I could imagine each and every story.  It is a must read.

Book Links:

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/195820800

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Door-Open-Hena-Khan/dp/0316450634

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-door-is-open-veera-hiranandani/1144296493

IndieBound: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-door-is-open-hena-khan/20348333

About the Author:

Hena Khan writes books in a multitude of formats, including picture books, middle grade fiction, pick-your-path adventures, and graphic novels. Her stories are often centered around community, friendship, and family, and draw from her own experiences and culture. Hena’s novels include AMINA’S VOICE, MORE TO THE STORY, and DRAWING DEENA. She is the author of the Zayd Saleem Chasing the Dream, Zara’s Rules, and Super You! series. Hena’s picture books include GOLDEN DOMES AND SILVER LANTERNS, UNDER MY HIJAB, and IT’S RAMADAN, CURIOUS GEORGE, among others.

Author Links:

Website: https://henakhan.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/henakhanbooks/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/170644

Tour Schedule

https://tbrandbeyondtours.com/2024/03/24/tour-schedule-the-door-is-open-stories-of-celebration-and-community-by-11-desi-voices-edited-by-hana-khan/

Blog Tour: Kicked Out by A. M. Dassu

 

Title:  Kicked Out

Author:  A. M. Dassu

Genre:  YA

Publisher:  Lee and Low Books

Publication Date:  April 23, 2024

Rating:  💥💥💥💥💥

About The Book:

In this companion novel to the acclaimed Boy, Everywhere, A.M. Dassu returns to extend the story of Sami's best friend Ali, who organizes a charity soccer match for their friend Aadam while his whole life is privately unraveling.

After their friend Mark's mum wins the lottery and gets a giant house with an indoor pool, Ali and Sami have been having the time of their lives hanging at Mark's house. Even their friend Aadam gets a job there, which means he can make more money for his legal battle for UK residency. But when some money goes missing, Aadam is accused of stealing it--and all three boys are unceremoniously kicked out of Mark's house in suspicion.

On top of that, Ali's dad, who abandoned the family when Ali was little, is suddenly turning up everywhere in town, and a half-brother Ali never knew has shown up at Ali's school. Ali feels miserable and resentful about it, making it hard to be a good friend.

The boys know Aadam is innocent, and if he doesn't raise thousands of pounds right away, he could get deported back to Syria amidst its civil war. At least Ali has a plan: they'll host a charity football penalty match to raise money for Aadam so he can stay in the UK.

But can Ali pull together the match--even if he feels his whole life at home is falling apart?

My thoughts:  

Wow.  I started this book before I went to sleep this morning, and got back started on it as soon as I woke up.  This was such a simply amazing read that kept me wanting to devour it until I was finished.  There were many lessons, ( and not just for teens, but adults as well)  including how just because they're not blood related, they're still family, as well as the importance of a good and solid friend group, one that will be there for ypu when needed as well as to hold ypu accountable, also when needed.  Although the book tackles tough situations, it was one that I couldn't put down.  This is another new to me authors that will be on my list of authors to look out for.  

About the Author 

A. M. DASSU is the internationally acclaimed author of Boy, Everywhere and Fight Back, which have collectively been listed for forty-six awards, including the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, the Carnegie Medal, The Little Rebels Award for Radical Fiction, the American Library Association Notable Book List and Jane Addams Peace Book Award.

She is a director at Inclusive Minds, which is an organisation for people who are passionate about inclusion, diversity, equality and accessibility in children’s literature; a patron of The Other Side of Hope, a literary magazine edited by immigrants and refugees, which serves to celebrate the refugee and immigrant communities worldwide, and one of The National Literacy Trust’s Connecting Stories campaign authors, aiming to help inspire a love of reading and writing in children and young people.

A. M. Dassu grew up in the Midlands dreaming of becoming a writer but studied economics instead and worked in marketing and project management before realising her dream. Her work has been published by The Huffington Post, Times Educational Supplement, SCOOP Magazine, Lee and Low Books, Scholastic, Old Barn Books, DK Books and Harper Collins, Hachette, Oxford University press and Scholastic. She writes books that challenge stereotypes, humanise the ‘other’ and are full of empathy, hope and heart. Her most recent book, Boot It! was a bestselling World Book Day novel.

A. M. Dassu used her publishing deal advances for Boy, Everywhere to assist Syrian refugees in her city and set up a grant to support an unpublished refugee/recently immigrated writer. ‬She has donated a part of her advances for Kicked Out to Baca, a UK charity that supports young people who arrive in the UK alone seeking asylum (www.bacacharity.org.uk/about), and to Syrians in Idlib, who lost everything once again due to the devastating earthquake in 2023.

Twitter @a_reflective

Instagram @a.m.dassu

www.amdassu.com.