Review: Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry by Joya Goffney

"She’s right. I am a warrior. I faced my to-do list. I fought for my freedom...and now I’m here. I’m back at the place where I first found myself, finding more pieces of who I am." Goodreads Quinn keeps lists of everything—from the days she’s ugly cried, to “Things That I Would Never Admit Out…

ARC Review: And We Rise by Erica Martin

"Retrospect is a place where truth lives guilt-free." Goodreads In stunning verse and vivid use of white space, Erica Martin’s debut poetry collection walks readers through the Civil Rights Movement—from the well-documented events that shaped the nation’s treatment of Black people, beginning with the “Separate but Equal” ruling—and introduces lesser-known figures and moments that were…

Review: The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna

“Like all the rest, giving us impossibilities and calling them choices.” Goodreads Sixteen-year-old Deka lives in fear and anticipation of the blood ceremony that will determine whether she will become a member of her village. Already different from everyone else because of her unnatural intuition, Deka prays for red blood so she can finally feel…