Tag monthly TBR

December TBR | Reading Plans

Mybeautymark 4 Comments
These are the books I picked out to focus on for the month of December. I have a mixture of all kinds of books. Some in which I already started but needed to finish, and some are new to me authors I checked out from the library or from Kindle unlimited. My plan is to read as much as I can this month. Lately I been feeling that reading mojo of wanting to read everything, and I think that’s good but can be overwhelming at times. I plan to pace myself and not force myself to read at that moment when I don’t want to. Pace myself and have fun this month.

Down below is a listing of where you can read the synopsis of each book I decided to read this month.

HER NIGHT WITH SANTA

LUXE TWO
THE DINNER
INDIGO
JUST FOR THE HOLIDAYS
CHOKE
ICE PLANET BARBARIANS
NO LOYALTY
CRESCENT CITY

Hope you enjoyed this post and got and idea of how my month is looking like reading wise. Share in the comments your readings plans this month.

Xoxo Nikki🤩

The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson | Book Review

Mybeautymark 2 Comments
Synopsis:


In the lands of Bethel, where the Prophet’s word is law, Immanuelle Moore’s very existence is blasphemy. Her mother’s union with an outsider of a different race cast her once-proud family into disgrace, so Immanuelle does her best to worship the Father, follow Holy Protocol, and lead a life of submission, devotion, and absolute conformity, like all the other women in the settlement.

But a mishap lures her into the forbidden Darkwood surrounding Bethel, where the first prophet once chased and killed four powerful witches. Their spirits are still lurking there, and they bestow a gift on Immanuelle: the journal of her dead mother, who Immanuelle is shocked to learn once sought sanctuary in the wood.

Fascinated by the secrets in the diary, Immanuelle finds herself struggling to understand how her mother could have consorted with the witches. But when she begins to learn grim truths about the Church and its history, she realizes the true threat to Bethel is its own darkness. And she starts to understand that if Bethel is to change, it must begin with her.

Review:

So I had to DNF this @ 62% I really didn’t want to but continuing on to finish this was making me fall into a reading slump that’s when I know I have to give up reading this.

So this isn’t a bad story at all it’s just all over the place for me. I picked this up for two reasons because I assumed there will be a story about witches and magic and also because of the bookclub I’m in.

Immanuel is basically shunned because of her mother’s sins. There’s talk about a plauge and Immanuel is trying to uncover more about it. Very little talk about witches, and when you do hear from them it’s much later in the story.

I wanted to like this, but this didn’t work for me at all. I didn’t really care for the style of writing. Maybe …just maybe I might pick this back up in the future but for now it’s a 2.5 star

I know a lot of people love this book but when a story is making me dred reading I know I have to stop what I’m reading. Once again not a bad story, it just didn’t work for me.

Rating: 2.5 ⭐⭐

#RecentReads | July Recap 2020

Mybeautymark Leave a comment


44800078. sx318Synopsis: Sulwe has skin the color of midnight. She is darker than everyone in her family. She is darker than anyone in her school. Sulwe just wants to be beautiful and bright, like her mother and sister. Then a magical journey in the night sky opens her eyes and changes everything.

In this stunning debut picture book, actress Lupita Nyong’o creates a whimsical and heartwarming story to inspire children to see their own unique beauty. 

SulweSulwe by Lupita Nyong’o
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a great representation of self love for young black children. Sulwe although didnt love her dark skin once she saw that her dark black skin is just as beautiful as having light black skin, she saw the beauty in herself. 

I remember when I was younger going to school hearing the light black skin vs dark black skin argument as a child you dont understand. But now as an adult with a child of my own that way of thinking, that complex just keeps people back within the black community. Black is beautiful no matter how light or dark the complexion.

I now have a son who realized that he has dark brown skin, darker than his mommy. He came to me and said “Brown…like me, I have dark brown skin!”  And I said “yes you do always remember that” 

This book is great for young kids to understand self love and I love the illustrations and the bright colors too, very inviting for children and for adults when reading to them. I will be buying a hard copy of this book to read out loud to my son at night. Awesome story great message! 

“My Black is Beautiful!!” 

53494754. sy475
Synopsis:
Arianne’s birthday goals aren’t the kind you wish for when blowing out your birthday candles. They’re the kind you put in work for. Except that one about getting Kammal in her bed…


#birthdaygoals#birthdaygoals by AshleyNicole
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

#BirthdayGoals was perfect and hilarious. AshleyNicole got a banger with this one. This is Ari and Kammal story. Basically every year for Ari’s birthday she has two goals she wants to accomplish for a year. For her birthday one crazy goal was to get with Kammal. 

Ari is the type to go bed early and don’t live life as much. I think the push she needed from her sisters to get with Kammal was all that she needed.

The sex scene with Kammal and Ari was bomb yet funny too, how you playing Savage by Meg Thee Stallion in your head and jump to another wild as song ….LMAO I was laughing so much reading this.

This was a true birthday gift for a 31 year old single woman. I enjoyed the story and plan on reading the next in the series. 

17973357
Synopsis:
Shana Harris keeps it sexy at home, cooking in stilettos and being a freak in bed. Still, her man, Rome doesn’t seem satisfied, and Shana suspects he’s cheating. The evidence against Rome is overwhelming: late nights with the boys, sexually explicit texts and pics, and he frequently comes home smelling like perfume. So, what’s a girl to do? Shana’s best friend suggests she should get even by having a one night stand. And Shana agrees. But she’s in for the shock of her life when a one-time encounter turns into much more than she ever bargained for. Rome or the sexy stranger…which one will claim her heart? 



One Night StandOne Night Stand by Allison Hobbs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was crazy and I felt bad for Shana. But at the same time she shouldn’t had listened to her best friend telling her to cheat on her man to get back at him. As I was reading this I truly thought Rome was hiding something like he had a side chick or something and I was waiting for that to happen but it never did.

Relationships are hard enough but to have revenge sex on your partner is not the way to do it. Amir is sick asshole who needed to be locked away for good. If he’ll do it to Shana he’ll do it to any other woman. And it’s people are really like this in reality, crazy and sick minded.

I like that this was fast paced kept me guessing the whole time and it was written by my favorite author Allison Hobbs. This was quick and has a message at the end which is dont listen to your friends and dont go sleeping around because you can lose everything. Overall great story. 

30304222
Synopsis:
There Are More Beautiful Things Than Beyoncé uses political and pop-cultural references as a framework to explore 21st century black American womanhood and its complexities: performance, depression, isolation, exoticism, racism, femininity, and politics. The poems weave between personal narrative and pop-cultural criticism, examining and confronting modern media, consumption, feminism, and Blackness. This collection explores femininity and race in the contemporary American political climate, folding in references from jazz standards, visual art, personal family history, and Hip Hop. The voice of this book is a multifarious one: writing and rewriting bodies, stories, and histories of the past, as well as uttering and bearing witness to the truth of the present, and actively probing toward a new self, an actualized self. This is a book at the intersections of mythology and sorrow, of vulnerability and posturing, of desire and disgust, of tragedy and excellence. 



There Are More Beautiful Things Than BeyoncéThere Are More Beautiful Things Than Beyoncé by Morgan Parker
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Beautiful writing and relatable! This collection of poems was what I needed at this moment. The author touched on a lot of things and used Beyonce as a metaphor. Like stop looking for something from another pretty female when you should having that same energy for yourself. The women we see on IG or TV are not the equivalent of what real beauty is. It’s all marketing and fake. Morgan Parker talks about mental illness, and accepting her the way she is and not being ashamed of her sexuality (or being overly sexual)

I enjoyed everything about this collection I want to re read it because it was just that strong and powerful. Morgan also talked about women rights and not being at fault for being a woman and doing what women do on the daily. 

This is something I want my son to read when he is old enough to understand it. I really enjoyed reading this and I got a lot from it. Great poetry collection with a strong message at the end. 

40944115. sx318
Synopsis:
Zuri’s hair has a mind of its own. It kinks, coils, and curls every which way. Zuri knows it’s beautiful. When mommy does Zuri’s hair, she feels like a superhero. But when mommy is away, it’s up to daddy to step in! And even though daddy has a lot to learn, he LOVES his Zuri. And he’ll do anything to make her—and her hair—happy.

Tender and empowering, Hair Love is an ode to loving your natural hair—and a celebration of daddies and daughters everywhere.



Hair LoveHair Love by Matthew A. Cherry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a very cute children’s book, something I can definitely see myself reading to my son.
This story is about Zuri and she has thick kinky curly hair and she feels special with her hair because it can do so much on its own.

Zuri wanted a cute hairstyle for her mom but needed help so her dad decided to help. This was a good story that showcased motivation and self-esteem in children. Zuri learned at a young age to love her hair because she knows that her hair is not just hers but from her mom and dad. I loved this story very cute and I loved the illustrations too. 5 star read!