Zinnia

Katarina Shaw and Heath Rocha rise from troubled childhoods to captivate the world as champion ice dancers. Their fiery chemistry and rebellious style on the ice mirror their turbulent off-ice relationship and made for a good romance read. It’s wasn’t quite the Olympic gold, but it’s a solid silver medal 🥈 read for a sports romance drama.

UNPUTDOWNABLE historical fiction read that takes you back to the heart of the Harlem Renaissance, highlighting the life and legacy of Jessie Redmon Fauset—a literary powerhouse often overshadowed by the very writers she helped shape. As the first Black woman to serve as the literary editor of The Crisis, she played a pivotal role in discovering and promoting legendary voices like Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, and Nella Larsen.

The book also shares Fauset’s complicated and secretive affair with W. E. B. Du Bois. The author’s note stresses this is historical fiction but also shares the extensive research she did on this fact.

I loved how the book brings to life such an interesting time in our history filled with artistic revolution and racial uplift - a perfect historical fiction and Black history read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #historicalfiction #HarlemRenaissance #harlemrhapsody

Required reading. Equally as important, this should be discussed.

UNPUTDOWNABLE! TRIGGER WARNINGS! SICK! TWISTED!
Geez, this book was one of the most twisted pieces of writing I have ever read. This author needs some psychological help. AND I LOVED EVERY PAGE OF IT!

15yr old Fern (Neva) is sent to Wellwood House in 1970 to give birth in secret and surrender her baby for adoption. Under the horrible supervision of Miss Wellwood, Fern and the other pregnant girls form bonds, united by their shared isolation and desperation. When a librarian gives Fern an occult book but kind of kitschy on witchcraft, the girls discover a way to reclaim their power in a world that has stripped everything. But wielding such power comes with major and dangerous consequences.

“There’s power in a book” is a great way to describe this scary, highly uncomfortable story about young girls reclaiming their power in a society intent on silencing them. This was a great story of defiance, sisterhood, and the dangers of wielding forbidden knowledge. I loved all of that part! I loved it enough that I wanted to read it slower to stay in that story longer. AND THERE’S A CHARACTER NAMED ZINNIA!!!!

HOWEVER, I didn’t like the way he wrote some characters and moments—especially involving Black characters and birth scenes—feels inauthentic and could have benefited from greater sensitivity. The birth scenes were kinda comical and I thought, “ugh a man definitely wrote this!”

Despite these missteps, the book’s feminist undertones left an indelible mark, reminding me of that quote, “they didn’t burn witches, they burned women.” - witch hunts were never about witches, but about silencing women. If you like eerie, thought-provoking stories then I definitely recommend this one!

“They hate us enough. Don’t hate yourself too.”

“What do you think librarians do? Checkout books? Certainly not! We deliver knowledge to those who need it.”