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February Mini Book Reviews: Part 2
This batch of mini reviews are all connected to secrets that each main character has had to keep for their own protection and/or survival:

James by Percival Everett
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, & drive are perfect for combatting the frequent depersonalization of enslaved folks. The pacing was steady & the ending was cathartic for me. I don’t know what else to say w/out giving spoilers!!!

The Broposal by Sonora Reyes
This book tore me apart & then put me back together again. I love this author’s writing & knew this would be a good book but I was a bit apprehensive to read it. Han & Kenny’s friendship is so pure & I loved their flirtatious scenes together. As heartbreaking as some of the story was, I am so happy w/ 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.

The Color of a Lie by Kim Johnson
The Color of a Lie is a fantastic book for putting readers into the shoes of Black folks in the Civil Rights era. A lot of folks don’t realize that northern cities were also violent towards Black folks & how that played into the creation of the suburbs of America. I love the way the author included details like the instructional video in Levittown, students reading 1984, & connected the story to historical events.
Calvin’s struggle w/passing for white hit close to home for me because my great-grandfather had to pass in order to get work in Philly. I don’t think people realize how painful that experience is & that it left folks with consistent anxiety.
I recommend this book to anyone from the age of 12 (10/11 if your child has good comprehension & seems to be emotionally mature enough to handle it) & up.If you want to learn more about racial passing and depictions of it in media, check out my content & research here: https://www.bookishafrolatina.com/passing

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February Mini Book Reviews: Part 2

Welcome to my bindery! I will mostly be sharing content on books by & about Black & Latine folks but you can also expect some of my work to be geared towards book bans. Genres you can expect to see are Romance, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Speculative Fiction, Historical Fiction, Magical Realism in YA, NA, and Adult books. If any of that appeals to you, I hope you'll subscribe!

 Bookish AfroLatina's Library

Gabrielle Womack

bookshop

My Real Name

Welcome to my bindery! I will mostly be sharing content on books by and about Black and Latine folks but you can also expect some of my work to be geared towards book bans. My go-to genres are usually Romance, Fantasy, Speculative Fiction and Historical Fiction but I am also exploring books outside of those, too. If any of that appeals to you, I hope you'll subscribe!
Special interest: Black & Latine books.

I’m a bisexual & disabled, Black Latina who loves reading & talking about books. 
Librarian, Historian, Influencer, Author
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