Starting off like always! By taking out a small amount of time to once again express my appreciation for all the authors that I’ve read this week.
I see your time, efforts, and dedication to your expression of art.
And
I enjoyed this week! I had some very enjoyable buddy reads, received two ARC’s through NetGalley, got put on to a good book courtesy of Twin. Now let’s see the result of my good week.
Some stats about my week
- I completed 9 books this week (2 not posted)
- by 9 different authors (3 new to me)
- totaling 3.204 pages
- making it 356 pages per book
- averaging 457.7 pages read per day
Overview of the Books read
- War About You by Mrs. Nek Mills
- Sweet Serenity by Mrs. Lily S. Flowers
- Kentrell by Mrs. Amillian
- Obsessive Love by Mrs. Aubry J.
- Burn Down Master’s House by Clay Cane
- Don Caselli by Mrs. Jahquel J.
- Restore Me by Mrs. JL Seegars
Week Opener
I opened this week with the latest release of Mrs. Nek Mills War About You, book two in her Mills Brothers Series
About Skip, MMC, brother to Uno.
I wasn’t a rude person, but I have boundaries that will be respected at all times, no matter where I am or who I’m with. It seemed women thought common decency didn’t apply to them since they had pussies.
Mills, Nek. War About You (Mills Brothers Series Book 2) (p. 11). Kindle Edition.
and Noemi, FMC.
Both Skip and Noemi don’t have the best outlook on love for somewhat similar reasons. But together?
“You gone have to be a man and force me down because I’m forever standing ten toes about that one.”
Mills, Nek. War About You (Mills Brothers Series Book 2) (p. 259). Kindle Edition.
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: How we feeling about Rozier after this?
SheReadsaLot:
SheReadsaLot: I just can’t get behind his actions this time. Thankful for my boo Jules however!
“Call Sweets and tell her you need the Witch Boy special. She’ll get you right. You’ll be fine, bro. Welcome to the fuckin’ ghetto.”
Mills, Nek. War About You (Mills Brothers Series Book 2) (p. 328). Kindle Edition.
I followed my read up with Mrs. Lily S. Flowers‘ latest release, Sweet Serenity.
This is a love letter to Black women. To your joy, your grief, your becoming. You are held. You are honored. You are everything.
Flowers, Lily S.. Sweet Serenity : A Glucose Guardians Novel. Lily S. Flowers. Kindle Edition.
And it was!
About Wade, (MMC, 40, author) and Serenity (FMC, 28, medical student).
This read was more than a love letter to me.
If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I love the spice that Mrs. Flowers right. She is just downright filthy with it.
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot:
Safe to say I genuinely love Mrs. Flowers’ writing style. And after this read my appreciation for her writing and delivery of it is higher than it was before.
Mrs. Flowers hit me deep in my feelings with the honesty and vulnerability shown by both characters.
“I’m glad you called again.” A breath answered her. “I wasn’t sure if I would,” he admitted. “Not because I didn’t want to, I just…I don’t always know how to take up space.”
Flowers, Lily S.. Sweet Serenity : A Glucose Guardians Novel (p. 38). Lily S. Flowers. Kindle Edition.
Her social commentary.
“I hate how quick we are to mock people for struggling. We don’t even ask what happened. We just film and assume the worst. Fight, flight, faint—it’s still your nervous system trying to protect you.”
Flowers, Lily S.. Sweet Serenity : A Glucose Guardians Novel. Lily S. Flowers. Kindle Edition.
And imparting wisdom and healing with her words, because sometimes you need to be reminded.
“I wanted you to remember what it feels like,” he said gently, “to be cared for without earning it. You already did enough just by waking up.” … “You don’t have to earn softness,” he whispered, kissing her temple. “You deserve it. Always.”
Flowers, Lily S.. Sweet Serenity : A Glucose Guardians Novel (p. 174). Lily S. Flowers. Kindle Edition.
SheReadsaLot to Mrs. Flowers: Thank you!
After that Mrs. T.S. Martin, roped me into an impromptu buddy read of the debut Kentrell , of new (to me) author Mrs. Amillian next.
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: Now why would you present this read like that? Let’s keep it real for the audience shall we!
SheReadsaLot to Audience: So, Mrs. Martin didn’t have to do a lot of roping in…. Maybe I tend to be a lil bit dramatic.
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot:
SheReadsaLot to Audience: So eventhough I was in a current read, I decided to open up the book and read a few sentences…
Raven whimpered as I slammed into her, hitting every inch of her walls.
Amillian. Kentrell (The Caldwell Brothers Book 1). Kindle Edition.
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: Ma’am… First sentence?
SheReadsaLot: First sentence!
SheReadsaLot and SheReadsaLot:
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: Guess Mrs. Martin didn’t have to do that much to rope you in huh?
SheReadsaLot to Audience: Let’s continue on to my thoughts about this read on Kentrell, MMC, and Zoe, FMC, shall we?
Mrs. Amillian gave us:
- secrets (so many secrets), each one revealed had me mouth agape.
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: You remember Yam and Star?
SheReadsaLot: Because how?
- Intrigue
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: You really don’t know who you can trust!
SheReadsaLot: You sure can’t!
- A lot of love and laughs. So many laughs between Wani
“Nah… I mean, we got into it bad. And you know how females be… tryna say shit just to get a reaction. She told me don’t trip… then hit me with the Usher ‘Watch This.’”
Amillian. Kentrell (The Caldwell Brothers Book 1). Kindle Edition.
- and Mars
My gaze drifted across her open floor plan, catching sight of another pillow—full-on velvet clit. Pink and soft-looking, bold as hell in the center of her accent chair like it belonged there. Close behind it… just… a dick. Like… no disguise. Just a dick pillow. Sitting there. Watching me back. I paused. Taking it all in. The scattered plants—hanging, sitting in corners, posted up on shelves. The mood lighting. The army of pussies. Just… everywhere.
Amillian. Kentrell (The Caldwell Brothers Book 1). Kindle Edition.
SheReadsaLot and SheReadsaLot: Tears!
- And Main Characters I could really get behind.
“I missed you,” she whispered, lips brushing my skin. “I been right here with you.” I laughed low as she lifted her shoulders like she couldn’t help herself. “No… you been over here, and I been way over there.” She pointed across the bedroom.
Amillian. Kentrell (The Caldwell Brothers Book 1). Kindle Edition.
These Caldwell brothers are something special, and can’t wait to see how Kenwan’s story will turn out.
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: So you’re saying that you’ll be there on the 28th when Kenwan drops?
SheReadsaLot:
Mrs. Aubry J. regaled her readers with the release of Obsessive Love: Fable & Pyrite’s Story.
Fable, (FMC, baker), and Pyrite‘s (MMC, entertainment mogul) love story is a bit unconventional.
“See!” Xoey said, looking at me. “You heard the man; he fell in love with his captor, and they have a good life. She made a hood nigga a stay-at-home husband.”
J., Aubry. Obsessive Love : Fable and Pyrite’s Story. Kindle Edition.
SheReadsaLot and SheReadsaLot:
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: But could we truly expect any less, when it involved Pyrite?
“Have you lost your black ass mind?”
J., Aubry. Obsessive Love : Fable and Pyrite’s Story. Kindle Edition.
“Yes,” I answered with a singular nod. “I have, and I can accept that.” “Boy!” Mama stood, wiped her hand over her face, and then dropped her head. “I had to drop you on your head as a child one too many times.” “Probably,” I agreed. It was the only explanation as to why I acted the way I did.
SheReadsaLot: At least he is aware of who he is, amiright?
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: So what are your thoughts, because this is a new release right?
SheReadsaLot: I very much enjoyed, and do still think that Mrs. J. did us dirty with that ending!
SheReadsaLot to Mrs. Aubry J.: Why?!
And then I ended up in another impromptu buddyread. This time with Miss Lady, when we found out that we both got approved, on the same day, for Mr. Clay Cane‘s, Burn Down Master’s House.
Mr. Cane opened up this read with an introduction, that was substantiated with references.
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: Mr. Cane hooked you in right there… didn’t he?
SheReadsaLot: What can I say… I’m a sucker for references in my fiction, because I love to go on and research on my own after.
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: You are such a nerd.
SheReadsaLot: And Am!
This story on resistance during the enslavement is told through characters that time has forgotten.
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: You meant to say that they erased, or banned the books that discussed them!
SheReadsaLot and SheReadsaLot:
This story was not at all an easy read, but gave me so much to think about.
Resistance isn’t always obvious, it can be in the form of silence when they expect you to speak, in the form of incompetence when they expect you to perform, in the form of observing when they expect you to be blind, in the form of sharing love when they expect you to feel worthless, in the form of suicide when they expect you to kneel, in the form of sharing knowledge when they expect you to be dumb, in the form of going back to your roots when they expect you to forget, and in using violence when they expect you to cower.
Burning down the house cannot only be taken as a literal burning down of the house.
It’s also a metaphor for the institutions keeping us in chains, and a reminder to never stop resisting.
The hope is to keep you misinformed, if I keep you in ignorance, you won’t even have the will to fight back.
Cane, Clay. Burn Down Masters House
…
Remembering is an act of resistance.
Mrs. Jahquel J.‘s release meant that I’d be dedicating the rest of my day to Don Caselli.
Mrs. J. said that this read was minimal drama, a reprieve if you will.
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: Kennedy?
SheReadsaLot:
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: Peeks into what’s to come?
SheReadsaLot:
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: So minimal drama?
SheReadsaLot: Minimal drama, but not devoid of an elevated bloodpressure!
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: And how to keep you laughing!
“Navy, I ain’t seen you in a minute.” Navy’s head shot up confused. “I’ve never been here.” Menace looked at her. “She said she gonna rob this fucking house, Wonder? We just letting anybody up in this bitch now, huh? Fuck security clearance and safety now, right?”
Jahquel J. . Don Caselli (Caselli Family Book 2). Kindle Edition.
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: And how to write a man that will have you clutching your pearls!
“Sorry in advance, Bleu,” he apologized, and I had a feeling I was gonna know exactly why he was apologizing, because I was about to be like that little nigga on the bike in Saw. Crazy behind his ass.
Jahquel J. . Don Caselli (Caselli Family Book 2). Kindle Edition.
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: And how to give you some social commentary
The hypotheticals were more important than what I wanted as a grown ass woman. My hypothetical husband had more rights than I did, and that proved to me how fucked America was.
Jahquel J. . Don Caselli (Caselli Family Book 2). Kindle Edition.
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: And switch it up to have you laughing again
“Nah, bitch… you said that shit. Beans, you heard him?” “Crystal clear… called you a bitch, too,” Beans added, and although I knew those words never left his mouth, I was having a hard time separating what he said, and what he didn’t say, so he said everything, and he even called my mama an old hoe.
Jahquel J. . Don Caselli (Caselli Family Book 2). Kindle Edition.
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: And how to write love!
I enjoyed that we could have each other anytime we wanted. The freedom to just exist and do whatever we wanted in our bubble.
Jahquel J. . Don Caselli (Caselli Family Book 2). Kindle Edition.
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: Mrs. Jahquel J. really does know how to keep you hooked, doesn’t she?
SheReadsaLot:
Week Closer
And Twin with the good recs, had me closing out my week with (new to me author) Mrs. JL Seegars‘ Restore Me.
Not without multiple warnings however:
Girl Mr. Alexander is a man. Check your triggers. That’s my husband. 😂
Twin in the DM’s
When I told her thank you for the rec. Twin had to make it known once more!
… Dominic Alexander is my husband
Twin in the DM’s
Twin was willing to fight me for Dominic Alexander, MMC.
For me to turn around and receive a DM from Mrs. Martin:
Mrs. Martin in the DM’s
I love Dominic sooooooo much
He’s mine and you can’t have him EVER!!
SheReadsaLot and SheReadsaLot: Well d*mn, let us find out what has them willing to fight innocent lil us
“You’re not a bastard.” A dark chuckle rumbles in his chest. “Oh, but I am, angel. If I wasn’t I wouldn’t be considering ripping your panties off, eating your pussy until you scream the walls down, and sending you back to your date with the juices of your orgasm running down your thighs.”
Seegars, JL. Restore Me: The New Haven Series (Book #1). Kindle Edition.
SheReadsaLot and SheReadsaLot:
So we have Dominic, and Sloane, FMC, they have met before, but only one is left remembering.
This story on the surface reads as a story of finding love after loss, but it is so much more, which Mrs. Seegars alludes to as well when she discusses the topics. it deals with the navigation of the wounds that neglect of a parent leaves behind, finding your self-worth, grief, and healing.
SheReadsaLot to SheReadsaLot: Anything else you’d like to add?
SheReadsaLot: No Ma’am! I can handle one, but two? At once? I’m good where I’m at.
SheReadsaLot to Mrs. Martin and Twin: We good!
And that is how we’ve come to the end of this Week in Review! Off to see what next week will bring!
👩🏾SheReadsaLot 