diverse baseline challenge – Cannonball Read 17

For what was earth but a mirror of heaven? And what was she but a thing caught in between?

Mirrored Heavens by Rebecca Roanhorse

November 1, 2024 by Emmalita 3 Comments

The first two books in Rebecca Roanhorse’s Between Earth and Sky series, Black Sun and Fevered Star, are two of my favorite books of the last five years. I’ve proselytized these books so many times, and now, at last, I can tell people the end is worth it. Mirrored Heavens is a tense read. There were many points where I had to put my tablet down and pace in circles because otherwise I would scream just to relieve the pressure. This is exactly the kind of […]

A warm, cozy, romantic story about magic and family.

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu. Mandanna

February 27, 2024 by Emmalita 2 Comments

I’ve been wanting to read Sangu Mandanna’s The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches for months. One of the reasons I decided to join the Diverse Baseline Challenge this year was to give myself permission to read the books I already have that are not arcs. The Very Secret Society fit one of the prompts for February, a book by a BIPOC author with found family. At the Cannonball Read 16 Romance Zoom Saturday night, I tried to explain why I love romance. Afterwards, I thought of how […]

Is this a romance? I’m saying yes.

This Could be Us by Kennedy Ryan

February 19, 2024 by Emmalita Leave a Comment

“So tell us what happened between Oh, my gosh, my inmate husband has a secret baby and I smashed the man who put him in prison,” Yasmen says, resting her chin on her folded hands. “This is some Days of Our Lives shit.” Kennedy Ryan’s Before I Let Go was one of the best books I read in 2022. I can still call up the big emotions between a divorced couple who are trying to co-parent and run a business together while also trying to […]

“Get in, loser, we’re going to The Saloon!”

Mickey Chambers Shakes it Up by Charish Reid

January 31, 2024 by Emmalita Leave a Comment

Mickey Chambers Shakes it Up was a fun read. Mickey is a human ray of sunshine and a delight to spend time with. She is an adjunct faculty member at a university. Her love interest, Diego, is a bar owner and returning college student who isn’t good with people and just starting to come back to life after his wife died 5 years previously. When Mickey realizes she isn’t going to be able to afford to pay for the prescriptions she needs to manage her […]

Zirza on A Gothic Classic for a ReasonIt's one of those wish-you-could-read-it-again-for-the-first-time books. I loved it.
Emmalita on “It came to something when you found yourself hoping that the footsteps you heard were ghosts.”I loved the ending! I don’t think it’s been out long enough to talk about why though.
Dixie on Track Her Down by Melinda LeighI am just starting Track Her Down and I have read them all in order till now and thought I...
Roland of Gilead on How can you give us the gift of a crazy character named Rando Thoughtful and then just as suddenly take that gift away? We need to talk, Uncle Stevie.I came across this randomly years after it was written because I was searching "Random Thoughtful. But I have the...
Emmalita on “Only you, Em, would refer to heartbreak as a distraction. I think I would have a more sympathetic response if I asked to marry a bookcase.”Oh my goodness, Gallifrey was beautiful. I’m sure her mittens were gloriously murdery.

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