lit_vibrations's reviews
319 reviews

Out of Body by Nia Davenport

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adventurous 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? No

4.5

I really enjoyed reading this one so much. The cinematic details were giving Down to Earth, Bourne Identity, Freaky Friday, or Hot Chick type vibes but a bit different with the YA twist. From the first chapter the action and mystery unraveled flawlessly and continued until the end. The plot was perfectly structured and I loved the concept of the body swap. It added an intriguing twist to the narrative and seeing the fate that lied ahead for the MC’s was golden. 

On the night of their friendiversary Megan and LC shared more than a bonding experience and some fake drugs but bodies as well. Megan with no recollection of the things that transpired after she’d taken the fake Molly awoke to find herself no longer as herself‼️ At this point the author begins  to create this sense of urgency and suspense around Megan getting to the bottom of what happened, having to pretend to be LC, and figuring out how to get her life back. 

The novel explores themes surrounding advanced technology, research, friendship, identity, family bonds, forgiveness, and a battle between right and wrong. The unpredictability throughout is what will keep you engaged and on the edge of your seat. The twists unfold so intricately with a few shocking reveals like what really happened the night of their friendiversary. I wanted so bad for it to be some kind of crazy ritual LC performed that caused the swap. That was probably the only thing that disappointed me with the book and how rushed the ending was to me. 

Overall, it’s so worth the read. The pacing was fast, details were vivid, and the character development was great. You’re in store for an endless adventure, hidden secrets, action, a nonstop manhunt, and fake identities (plot twist). If it’s not on your TBR definitely recommend you add it. Special thanks to the author & @macmillanusa #BalzerandBray for my gifted copy‼️
Double Lives by Mary Monroe

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adventurous funny mysterious slow-paced

3.75

The last time I journeyed through Lexington, Alabama I said goodbye to Jessie and Hubert. Now I’m back in book 4 and there’s some new characters on the scene identical twin sisters Leona and Fiona. If you’ve read this series then you know the messy drama that comes with it. While Double Lives was full of mess it didn’t hold up against the other books in the series.

The storyline was interesting and seeing the sisters switch identities knowing the switch really only benefited one of them was a wild ride. Everybody saw Fiona as the saint but that girl was far from it. The things she did lol and Leona was always there to protect her even when she was in the wrong. A lot of craziness happened in this book shared boyfriends, unexpected pregnancies, infidelity, secret crushes, murder, and a little prostitution. 😂 If nothing more Monroe definitely knows how to make you laugh because I had a few moments. 

Overall, I think this one was meh it really dragged a lot up until the 2nd part of the book when the sisters became adults. The last few chapters increased my rating and the ending was unexpected which makes me wonder if there will be another book in the series. Not gonna lie she should really end things here but if there is another book I’ll be reading it. Special thanks to the author & @kensingtonbooks #Dafina for my gifted copy‼️

Rating: 3.75/5⭐️
The Black Girl Survives in This One by Saraciea J. Fennell, Desiree S. Evans

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adventurous dark mysterious 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? No

5.0

A YA anthology of horror stories centering Black girls who battle monsters, both human and supernatural, and who survive to the end‼️ 

Fifteen chilling and thought-provoking stories place Black girls front and center as heroes and survivors who slay monsters, battle spirits, and face down death. Prepare to be terrified and left breathless by the pieces in this anthology.

This was a top tier collection of short stories that I could barely put down. The representation was everything‼️ Each author created a unique balance of emotions and unpredictability within their stories. We get mystery, suspense, supernatural elements, folklore retellings, ancestral inheritance, generational curses, terror and fear woven together to highlight a courageous Black character in the end. With any collection there are stories that will always standout amongst the rest. 

Favorite short stories:

Ghost Light 
The Screamers
Queeniums from Greenium!
Black Girl Nature Group
Local Color
The Black Strings

Overall, this was an amazing collection highly recommended. The pacing was fast, it was vivid and well-written. You’ll never experience a dull moment with this one. I always felt connected to the stories and the characters. Special thanks to the author & @flatironbooks for my advanced copy.
Tender Beasts by Liselle Sambury

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adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-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

4.0

“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘪𝘭𝘬 𝘔𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘏𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘬.” 

Sambury is an auto-buy author for me so when I saw Tender Beasts in the works it was a must I get this book. I mean look at the cover how could that not influence you to read/buy it?

Tender Beasts was full of interesting twists and surprises packed with gory murders, family secrets, drama, and a mysterious supernatural entity. It’ll have you wondering and questioning who and what the milk man is. 

The whole Behre family was rather odd and I love how Sambury played the characters against each other. She vividly describes them in such an intriguing way adding more emphasis to their mischievous side which made them all appear as suspects. Dom, the Feeny’s, the dad, the middles, a student seeking revenge, the crazy lady who keeps showing up‼️ It was nonstop back and forth between who was behind the school murders. I didn’t wanna believe it was Dom I actually thought it was the dad the whole time. But the author found a clever way to twist that narrative. 

She staged the deaths and portrayed them with the kind of suspense you’d get from movies like The Bone Collector or Mindcage. She really  used mystery and suspense to her advantage with this one but I still felt it was missing something. If it weren’t for the journal entry’s written by Ainsley I don’t think the story would’ve come together as smoothly. 

Overall, Tender Beasts was worth the read Sambury is a masterful storyteller and knows how to keep you guessing. Although it didn’t outdo her last book I still think it’s worth the read. Special thanks to the author & @simonandschuster #MargaretKMcElderryBooks for my e-ARC‼️
Green Dot by Madeleine Gray

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adventurous dark funny lighthearted slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

First let me say you cannot judge a book by its cover. I briefly skimmed the synopsis and jumped right into it. With that said I enjoyed reading this way more than expected. 

Hera “the gullible mistress” was such a character. There were a few laughable moments in this one and other times I questioned her judgement. First questionable moment was her attraction to Arthur cause boo why? She was a lesbian so he had to really be a snack to catch her eye right? Hera was young, their office fling was a secret, and being involved with an older man probably seemed exciting. But that didn’t give her a pass to continue dealing with him once she found out about his wife. 

Somebody should’ve told her rule #1 never believe a man if he says he’ll leave his wife for you. Him cheating on his wife is your red flag 🚩 to run. Arthur lying like he’s gonna leave his wife she was supposed to ABORT MISSION. Hera’s friends tried to warn her but a hard head makes a soft ass so she learned the hard way. I found it hilarious whenever Hera spoke of Arthur it gave “My man is my man, is your man
heard it's her man too.” 😂 The excuses she kept telling HERSELF for him were crazy. Then the BABY and the name . . . . Arthur was trifling‼️

Overall, I enjoyed the book but it was a slow burn for about 40% of it and I almost gave up but I’m glad I pushed through. The character development was fair and the plot was well put together but I didn’t really get the ending. If you’re into workplace romances with dark humor you might enjoy this one. Special thanks to the author and @henryholtbooks for my gifted copy.‼️
Jaded by Ela Lee

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dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

4.0

I finished this a day after it published and I’ve sat on my review to really gather my thoughts because they were really up and down most of the book. The novel follows Jade a young lawyer who’s been sexually assaulted but has no recollection of the night and is now trying to navigate life thereafter. 

The novel is broken down into three sections which I feel we’re given three different sides of Jade. Part one we have successful lawyer Jade with the perfect boyfriend, caring family, great friends, white picket fence all the good stuff up until that tragic night. 

Part two we journey through life with broken Jade. The young woman now unsure of herself and is lost in the world because she can’t cope with what she’s experienced and is afraid to speak up about it. This is silent Jade, depressed Jade, confused and traumatized Jade. 

Then part three we experience healing Jade. She went from the young woman who had it all together and life mapped out to just simply Jade. Picking up the pieces of a shattered life at no fault of her own we get to see courageous Jade. Jade who will and can now stand on her own two feet because she knows her worth and refuses to accept anything less than what she deserves JUSTICE‼️

Overall this was a decent debut but the pacing was really slow. I ended up using audio to finish which made reading a little better. The beginning was overly descriptive and it took a few chapters to circle back around to what really happened that night. Josh’s reaction to that night pissed me off and Kit’s inconsiderate behavior toward Jade was unacceptable. I have no words for her parents maybe it’s their culture. We all need friends like Adele loved her. HR was only there to protect the company not Jade. Special thanks to the author, @simonbooks, @bookclubfavorites for my gifted copy‼️

Black Girl You Are Atlas by Renée Watson

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hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

5.0

I’ve read some really good poem collections this month here’s another to add to the list. This was such an enthralling poetry collection centered around the black girl experience. From a young black girl to a black woman each poem was a vivid portrait of many of our lives. These poetic stories felt relatable and empower us not to forget our origin story and what makes us US‼️ When I say I Love Us was the perfect poem explaining what I mean by that. 

Favorite Poems:

Where I’m From
Resurrection 
At•las | \ ‘at-les \: From Merriam-Webster Dictionary 
That Girl
When I Say I Love Us 
Underbelly
How to Survive Your Teen Years
An Etheree for Moving On
Knock,Knock: For Renisha McBride
Phenomenon 

I was pleased to receive a ALC of this gem but will definitely purchase a physical copy. I heard the illustrations inside were amazing. The target audience was YA/Teens so younger me would’ve loved this but it’s still a collection for all to read. It’s overflowing with nostalgia, self-reflection, black culture, and personal life experiences. 

If you’re into poetry or looking to get into the genre this would be a great start. Special thanks to the author @librofm @penguinteen @kokilabooks for my ALC‼️
Perish by LaToya Watkins

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

4.0

Okay I’m gonna keep this one short and simple. This book . . . . . this boooooook . . . The Turner family‼️ I’ve never read anything so traumatizing and gut-wrenching in my life like I don’t know where to begin. The writing was very descriptive and the dialogue was raw love Latoya Watkins but the way she wove this book together it’s not for the faint hearted man. It was sooooo heartbreaking not even a happy ending. PERISH is the right title because that’s exactly the energy it gave. It was so hard to love any of the characters if anything I felt bad for them all. 

So, much generational trauma and everyone turned a blind eye to what was happening. Was it outta fear or complete denial? Helen Jean failed her children and grandchildren because someone failed her. I kept thinking when will this end because it was all so horrific. I do applaud Watkins for touching on such a tough subject because let’s be honest this was very common back in the day I just wasn’t ready for it. I can’t even tell you how many times I stopped in between reading this. 

Overall, the book was okay just traumatic asf and tough to read at times. I’m not gonna say I recommend but if you want your heart ripped out of your chest then read it but be prepared‼️
This Is the Honey: An Anthology of Contemporary Black Poets by Kwame Alexander

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funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

5.0

I love poetry and this was truly a captivating piece of work filled with so many amazing poets‼️ Kwame Alexander curates a collection of contemporary anthems at turns tender and piercing and deeply inspiring throughout. This Is the Honey is a rich and abundant offering of language from the poets giving voice to generations of resilient joy, “each incantation,” as Mahogany L. Browne puts it in her titular poem, is “a jubilee of a people dreaming wildly.”

Honey can symbolize many things from pleasure, sweetness, truth and knowledge. The title of this book fits perfectly because each poem was smooth, rich, and flowed like honey. Some poems were sweet, some a little sticky cause they definitely stuck with me, and the others will feed your soul. I was not only moved but I found so much substance within these words even a little humor. 

Within this anthology we discover poets from our current time all adding a different flavor into the honey pot. Divided into six sections the collection addresses love, family, friendship, joy, culture, heritage, and so much more. Alexander refers to This Is The Honey as the in-between or a gathering space for Black poets to honor and celebrate. 

Overall, loved this anthology highly recommended cause it was a must I purchase a physical copy. Whether you’re just getting into poetry, seeking a comfort read, or looking for new poems or poets This Is The Honey has something to offer everyone. Special thanks to the author & @littlebrown for my gifted copy‼️
Neighbors and Other Stories by Diane Oliver

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challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This was an interesting collection of 14 short stories following a slew of characters delving deep into the day-to-day perils of Jim Crow racism. Each story was perfectly layered and varied with its own uniqueness. The reader never really knows how much the author is going to give before bringing the story to a close. We get themes surrounding trauma, racism, the day-to-day reality of growing up black in America, and heart-breaking revelations of being a parent in this era. 

Of the 14 stories the last two Our Trip To The Nature Museum and Spiders Cry Without Tears were the longest and most in-depth but none of the stories felt incomplete or rushed. There were a couple that did leave me wanting more so I see that as a good thing. 

With any collection there are always a few that stand out among the rest. But each story written highlights characters being placed in unconventional situations.

Neighbors- follows a family as they prepare for their son Tommy to attend a desegregated school.

The Closet On The Top Floor- follows Winifred (Chicken)  attending college as the only black student where her presence is immediately recognized.

Health Service- We follow Libby a mother of many children which she can’t seem to handle on her own as she takes them to the clinic only to never receive care. 

Mint Juleps Not Served Here- Mr. & Mrs. Mack lost their first son Alvin 3 days after being born; when their son Rabbit was born they vowed to do whatever it took to protect him even commit murder. Miss Langley a rude case worker looking into the family ended up being a victim. 

Key To The City- Nora was headed off to school and her family packed up to go with her. When they arrived in the new city her father was supposed to pick them up from the terminal but never came. 

The Visitor- Katie arrived in town from school in Memphis. After only being there a few days Katie packs her things to return home. Alice who was married to her father didn’t want Katie in the picture anyway. 

Frozen Voices: Jenny had to prove that men needed her and that she didn’t need a man; and Gab had to prove that women needed him, that he didn’t need a woman. 

Overall, this was a pretty good collection definitely something I’d recommend. Special thanks to the author & #GroveAtlantic publishing for my gifted copy‼️