Amelia

I'm sure I will come back to it.. eventually. But it was a not now for me. The amount of DV made my soul sad. 

The book, the entire story is told, and built with no central narrator!

This is a story of an Afghan family. They are wonderful, loving and great parents! They are too strict and they are borderline abusive. Which should we believe? We just listen to a cast of characters tell us their views on this family. As we learn of a tragic event.

There’s islamaphobia, xenophobia, racism, sexism. All the isms! It will make you think, and question what truth is. How does one actually determine what the truth is? What a book! This is the authors debut novel!!!!!! What talent!👏🏾

A historical fiction packed with humor and wit. Doris is a 17 year old from a small town near Atlanta who finds herself pregnant with no desire, and capacity to have the baby. She reaches out to her English teacher Ms. Lucas for help. Ms. Lucas says she knows someone in ATL who can help. What ensues is a weekend trip to ATL packed with historical relevance (she meets MLK jnr, and his wife, joins a meeting about the famous sit-ins in Atlanta). She also learns a lot about real life, has a sexual awakening of sorts..she essentially has a weekend to remember. Doris has been raised ultra religious and her view of life is challenged by this weekend in ATL. She’s a character I won’t soon forget, with her funny quotes and biblical references!

Fascinating account of the Jamaican maroons in Nova Scotia. I had never learned of the maroons and reading Fireflies in Winter led me on a journey of further learning about them. The Maroons were a determined group of freedom fighters from Jamaica. For nearly a century and a half, beginning in the 1650s, they had waged an intermittent war with the British administration of the island. They wanted independence. In 1795 the administration in Jamaica decided to remove the Maroons. Three ships brought 543 men, women and children to Halifax in late June 1796.

I learned that there are descendants of Maroons today. Still living and trying to preserve the lifestyle of their ancestors.

This was a short and “easy” book- in as much as reading about anything related to slavery is. Cora is an orphan from Jamaica trying to get used to life in Nova Scotia. One day she sees prints in the snow which leads her to meet Agnes. Agnes is in hiding and somehow they foster a deep friendship. Agnes’ past closes in and they have to make difficult choices.

I’d recommend it as a great starting point in learning about the maroons from Jamaica who settled in Nova Scotia, and further into Africa.

What a book! What a ride!

Viola Davis’ narration made the experience even more potent.

A black woman circuit Judge in rural Alabama is presiding over an abortion case and all the crazies come out. She is threatened every way possible to recuse herself numerous times and she adamantly refuses. The case draws national attention and is symbolic of the intersection between private health decisions, religion and law.

The story of how the abortion came to be is sad and sadly not a rare thing which will break your heart.

5 stars! I’d recommend this to everyone.