Quick Reviews and Previews

I’ve been reading and listening to quite a few books lately, but not taking the time to review them. Some of them have been quite good and definitely deserving of a mention. All of them are 2024 releases. Here are some of my mentions!

How the Boogeyman Became a Poet by Tony Keith (HarperCollins) I listened to this one and enjoyed it so much that I’d often sit in my car after I arrived where I was goind just so I could hear more. The narrator’s voice delivered an authenticity to this memoir that I would not have experience if I’d read the book on my own. Nearing the end of his high school career, Keith had choices to make about his future but before he could do that, he needed to finish wrestling with his identity. His Blackness had been established by the community that surrounds him but his identities as gay and as a poet had no role models. He’s pretty much figured this out on his own.

Libertad by Bessie Flores Zaldivar (Dial Books) Set in Honduras 2017, Libertad knows she is queer, knows she’s a poet, and knows her country is not a good place for her. Her brother is able to maneuver in ways she can’t and he uses that ability to protect his sister. Zaldivar deftly explores the role of education as a tool as it relates both to oppression and liberation.

Tangleroot by Kalela Williams. (Macmillan) Noni Castine has to move from New England to rural Virginia when her mother accepts a job as president of Stonepost College, an historically Black college that Dr. Castine believes her ancestors started. It’s not often that we read about a young Black girl who has to examine her own privilege. Noni always seem to always say the wrong thing!

Please give me more time in the day so I can read the following sooner rather than later!

Between Two Brothers by Crystal Allen. (Balzer+Bray) I’ve always enjoyed Crystal’s work; the wholesome, relevant characters that she develops make for a solid read any day of the week.

49 Days by Agnes Lee. (Levine Querido) I’m due for a good graphic novel!

Everything We Never Had by Randy Ribay. (Kokila) I’m fifth in line on Hoopla, patiently waiting for the audiobook to be available.

How Do I Draw These Memories? by Jonell Joshua. (Levine Querido) This one is patiently sitting on my shelf waiting for me.

The Oracle’s Door by Zetta Elliott (Rosetta Press) I’ve heard nothing but good about this prequel to the Dragons in a Bag series.

Boy 2.0 by Tracey Baptiste. (Algonquin) Anything by Tracey Baptiste, please!

Under the Heron’s Light by Randi Pink. (Feiwel & Friends) Pink always goes deep, urging her readers to think. And she unboxed in her garden!

Twenty-Four Seconds from Now by Jason Reynolds (Simon and Schuster) I haven’t has a chance to read this one yet, but listening to Jason’s interview on It’s Personal really piqued my interest in the book. Jason discusses Black male sexuality, what young Black men need to hear, particularly from older Black men, and his own career path.

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