beautynbks's reviews
311 reviews

How to Walk Away by Katherine Center

Go to review page

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Her Pretty Lies by Angela Henry

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

The Color of a Lie by Kim Johnson

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Pardon My Frenchie by Farrah Rochon

Go to review page

funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted 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? Yes

5.0

I loved this book and Farah Rochon had me wanting to get a dog. 
A Talent for Murder by Peter Swanson

Go to review page

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Curvy Girl Summer by Danielle Allen

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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? Yes

3.5

Things I loved:

A fabulously thick Black woman comfortable in her own skin. Aaliyah had a great support system with her girlfriends. We are nothing without our girls. Her family loved and supported her except for her Uncle Al. I couldn’t stand him. 
Ahmad was EVERYTHING. Enough said. 

Things I didn’t love:
What I didn’t enjoy was how Aaliyah got in her own damn way and the need to have a boyfriend by her thirtieth birthday. It was giving desperation and she was better than that. The endless dates Aaliyah went on stretch on far too long. The book could have ended 100 pages earlier. 

Danielle Allen is a fantastic author but I didn’t love this one.
From Come Over To Come Home by Jahquel J.

Go to review page

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

Blood at the Root by LaDarrion Williams

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I’m going to tell my kids this is Harry Potter. Blood at the Root was filled with no stop action. A black boy with magical powers is what we need in this world because Black  people are magical. Act I was nonstop action and Malik is coming to the realization that he has power in his hands but doesn’t know how to harness it. 

As another reviewer stated, Act I and III were filled with action, lies and betrayal but something was missing in the middle of the book. The story became muddled and confusing. Overall this is an amazing book and I’m glad I was finally able to listen to it and I’m ready for book two right now. 
Bitter and Sweet by Rhonda McKnight

Go to review page

emotional inspiring reflective medium-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? Yes

4.5

Nightwatching by Tracy Sierra

Go to review page

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0