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#BookReview | Indigo by Beverly Jenkins

Mybeautymark 2 Comments
My review/ thoughts:

Instead of giving a full review of this story I’ll share my personal thoughts and how I felt. Indigo by Beverly Jenkins is my first historical romance novel that I read. I always wanted to read historical romances but had no idea where to start. I knew for a fact that I wanted to read some written by a black author to start me off. Indigo sets the tone of what real romance is especially during a dangerous time like the 1800s where blacks were bought and sold into slavery and had very little power.

I strongly believe Beverly Jenkins captured the historical part very well and made it seem very believable. 
Hester and Galen are the perfect couple. Hester I felt was a strong woman and did for herself she wasn’t use to a man doing for her. Which for me I’m glad the author didn’t write Hester as a weak woman that needed a man for everything. And Galen he is a alpha male he knows what he wants and goes after it. He knew he wanted Hester and wouldn’t stop until he had Hester as his wife.

The whole story is swoon worthy. Every page when Hester and Galen were together I was smiling and I felt happy for them. They have gone through so much together and in the end still managed to be together and build their family, even during the tough times that was slavery.

I actually buddy read this with my good read and now because of her I want to read more of Beverly Jenkins books. I can now say I like reading historical romance and I can see why a lot people of enjoy reading them. Reading Indigo has made me want to read other historical romances novels from other authors as well. 

Overall this was a great story 5⭐ I can definitely see myself re reading this again.

Click here for Synopsis of Indigo:INDIGO

Thanks for stopping by, let me know if you read this or any other book by author Beverly Jenkins

Xoxo Nikki🤎

#BookReview Her Night With Santa by Adriana Herrera

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My thoughts (review)

This was my first retelling told in a erotic way. This is about Farnaz coming to stay at her uncle’s friends house for a night. Her uncle is best friends with kris kringle, and he has a daughter …her name is Kristina and she is the new Santa in charge of the toy run. Farnaz uncle had her stay at Kris kringle beach house for a night to get away from a her family during the holidays, over her bad choice to leave her job to sell adult toys.
And this is where Kristina catches Farnaz in the act at her dad’s beach house. Overall this was written well and it’s different than anything I would normally pick up. Andrea Herrera is a new to me author and I’m glad I picked this one up.
I do like the element of the fairytale of a female Santa that element I felt was different a cool.

***This is a female/female erotica so please be aware that there is language and sexual topics being discussed thoughout this novella.**

I enjoyed this novella, 4⭐

Click the link to the Synopsis: HER NIGHT WITH SANTA

Books I Recently Read📚…

Mybeautymark 2 Comments
So I wanted to a catch up on my recent reading. Share what I read over the last few months with my personal thoughts and reviews on the books I read.
My Thoughts (Review):

I came across this author’s book through my library and decided to take a chance. I chose this title to start with. I do like the flow of the story and how it’s set up like a mix-tape.


This story is about two people who fell in love and are trying to find ways to keep their love strong. This was a simple love story I just wanted more.


I also was draw to this because of the cover, this was strictly a cover read and I see the author has similar cover art for all his books so that’s a win. I will be reading more from him to get a more feel and understanding of his writing style.


Rating: 3.75 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Click here for Synopsis of Book: BEES + THINGS + FLOWERS + MICROFICTION

My Thought (Review):

Harper was a bad b!tch and she seemed to play the game very well. She knew what she wanted and went after it. The whole situation with Mahoney and his wife was messed up. But in reality that’s how it is. I can’t be too mad with Harper she did what she was supposed to do, while making sure she got paid in the process. In the beginning I felt bad for both women but after reading to the end I don’t. These are games people play, any and everything will have a consequence. Mahoney just didn’t play the game right, facts! I enjoyed this wanted more.

5 ⭐

Click here for Synopsis of Book: TOXIC

My Thoughts (Review)

This was a really cute short story. I always enjoy Daria White’s writing and the characters she brings to her readers. I want to read more about these two characters. Lovely story. 5⭐

Click here for the synopsis of the Book: WHAT MACKENZIE NEEDS

My Thoughts (Review)

I enjoyed this middle grade novel, this is about a young girl named Bea her mom and dad are now divorced but her dad is getting re married to a man named Jesse. In the beginning Bea is trying to gather her feelings about it all. But once she sees that her mom is okay with it she feels she can be okay with it.

Jesse has a daughter named Sonia, and at first she seemed standoff-ish towards Bea and the idea of her dad marrying another man. But she learns this is going to be her new family now.

I really like Rebecca Stead’s writing this is the second book I read by her. The way she writes middle grade is not in a way that it’s watered down for the younger audience but she puts her young characters in real world situations, that’s something I enjoy.

The writing and the topic of discussion is something that drew me into the story more. This is another book by Rebecca that I would re read really good, about family, friends, love and being there for one another.

Rating: 4⭐

Click on the link for the synopsis of the Book: THE LIST OF THINGS THAT WILL NOT CHANGE

My Thoughts (Review)

I read this as a buddy read with my friend. This was an okay quick read. I really wanted more with Eve and Layton, this book talked more about their profession than anything else. I honestly just wanted more. I liked the beginning of the story of how Eve and Layton met I thought that was nice. But overall this was a quick read and I can’t be too mad with that, this was the first book I read by Beverly Jenkins and I plan to read more from her soon.
2.75 stars ⭐

Click on the link for the synopsis of the Book: ONE MASKED NIGHT

Overall I enjoyed reading all of these. They were fun reads that I can see myself re reading one day soon.😉

Thanks for stopping by

Xoxo Nikki🤎

Surviving Home By Katerina Canyon | Book Review

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Synopsis:

Concisely arresting and challenging the beliefs of family and the fantasies of tradition, the poems in Surviving Home show that home is a place that you endure rather than a place where you are nurtured. With unyielding cadence and unparalleled sadness and warmth, Katerina Canyon contemplates the prejudice and limitations buried in a person’s African American heritage: parents that seem to care for you with one hand and slap you with the other, the secret desires to be released from the daily burdens of life, as well as the surprising ways a child chooses to amuse herself. Finding resilience in the unexpected, this collection tears down the delicate facades of family.

Review:

This collection of poems was the most honest collection I have read in a while. The author dives deep into her life and touches on topics such as her family, sexual abuse, her life growing up, and political opinions.

Reading this made me feel a real close connection to the author, as if she was telling me something private yet something that needed to heard. The author seems to not hold back on her thoughts about current events. I liked that she is using her voice to talk about important topics such as political power, abuse, and home life.

I liked how this collection of poetry was written. It’s not like like today’s instagram poetry but more like what I grew up reading when I was in school and I appreciate that, a lot. This is something I can see myself reading again and referencing  back to. I took my time reading this because I knew from the first page it was going to be an important read.

Rating 4.75 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

**I want to thank the publisher for sending me this to read and review. This review and opinions are of my own.This comes out December 2021**

A Tale of Two Cities A Halloween Novella By Alexandra Warren | Book Review

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Synopsis:

When people think of a holiday for love, they automatically come up with Valentine’s Day.
But who’s to say that’s the only one?

A trip to sin city for a Halloween-themed joint bachelor-bachelorette party is all it takes for Savannah and Lincoln to learn this the… not so hard way. 😉

A Tale of Two Cities Collection:
Cute & Sweet Millennial Meets Over a Holiday,
All With One Thing In Common; Cities.

Note: This is a short novella with a happy-for-now ending.
If you prefer your stories longer, I’d recommend checking out another Alexandra Warren project. 🙂

Book Review:

I found this to be funny especially when Savannah and Lincoln where at the Haunted House, lol. 

Savannah and Lincoln and their friends all go out to Vegas for their best friends bachelor & bachelorette party. This is where you see just how Savannah and Lincoln are into each other.

This was had ome funny moments and I like that this took place around holiday. I liked the story cute and sexy.

I read this for black author readathon 2021

Rating: 3.75⭐⭐⭐

The Office Party By Whitney G. | Book Review

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Synopsis:

I can’t believe that I pulled my boss’s name for our company’s annual Secret Santa tradition…

As the devil incarnate, this infuriating, cocky bastard never gives us the holidays off, and he honestly expects us to be grateful for his generous alternative: The Office Party.

It’s a mandatory, all-expenses trip for two weeks at a surprise luxury resort—where we still have to work twelve to fifteen hours a day.

I’m so over this…

So, I put zero percent effort into his gift. I tear the tag off whatever my sister gifts me, add a five-dollar amazon gift card, and hand it off to him.

It’s not until my sister sends me a text that I realize how terrible of a decision that was.

Georgia: Why haven’t you sent me a ‘LOL’ about the brand-new vibrator I got you? I really do hope that you use your boss’s face as a muse, like my note says. 🙂

If that’s not bad enough, this year’s “luxury trip” will be in my hometown–the place I’ve avoided for years. At the resort that my grandmother owns…

If the universe gets me out of this, I will never ‘regift’ anything ever again..

Book Review:

I enjoyed this, I liked the banter between Savannah and Garrett. Savannah works at a big company with a stuck up boss. Savannah just deals with it because Garrett is her boss but she feels she doesn’t have to like him.

It’s around Christmas time and savannah has Garrett’s name for a secret Santa. And she feels yet another yet she is tied to this man she doesn’t care for, she just wants to do her job and go home. 

Garrett is basically sending so many messages to savannah that he wants her and will be with her. But savannah still sees him as her boss. Even though she starts to feel some of the same feelings as Garrett later on.

This was my first book by this author and I liked her writing. I read this for the black author readathon 2021.

Rating: 4⭐⭐⭐⭐