These days it's not an issue of IF a secret gets revealed, but when, how and by whom.   [a bookstack of 9 books from top to bottom: It All Falls Down, Summer's Echo, Only Lovers in the Building, Alice Chen's Reality Check, Ready to Score, Eliza and the Duke, Broken Harbor, The Story That Wouldn't Die, Framed in Death]  It All Falls Down (Trust #3) by Daines L. Reed  contemporary fiction  Juliene Dune is at a crossroads. Every aspect of her life and nearly all of her relationships are forcing her to make hard choices. How will she decide who to keep and who to cut loose? Compelling narrative momentum and complicated characters in messy entanglements make her journey an irresistible read.  Summer's Echo by Robbi Renee  contemporary romance  What happens when unspoken truths fester for years? Summer and Echo discover difficult answers while working to heal and thrive. First love, heartache, and lessons learned the hard way on the path to reconciliati...

Reading is my happy headspace. The more stressful life is, the more solace books offer.  [ 2 trade paperback books face-up - Love on the Rebound and Beautiful Broken Love next to 3 trade paperback books standing spines outward from left to right - Lavender's Blue, Rest in Pink, One in Vermillion]  Love on the Rebound by Aries Skye  contemporary romance  Black Odessey Media, 2024  Angela Richards is recovering from more than one kind of heartbreak and masking her private hurts with public bravado. Kinston Jordan isn't fooled even as he deals with the aftermath of his own romantic disappointments.  The name glossary, acknowledgements, and teaser for Love on Board also entertain and entice.  Beautiful Broken Love by Shanora Williams  contemporary romance  Montlake, 2024  Nearly paralyzed with grief, Davina Klein-Roberts is struggling to move forward. Entrepreneurial success leads her to crossing paths with Deke Bishop who's dealing with his...

Laugh or cry; do or die. [ front cover of a hardcover copy of "That's How They Get You..." ] That's How They Get You: An Unruly Anthology of Black American Humor edited by Damon Young  nonfiction & some fiction  Pantheon Books, June 2025  This scintillating mix of personal essays, short stories, stream of consciousness musings, text threads and more all portray and dissect examples of the sharp observations and fundamental truths of the broad array of Black humor from slapstick absurdities to poignant angst. Make sure to read and savor every word.  Current & previous BAC Issues (Book Acquisition Compulsion) courtesy of the public library, as usual   [ a bookstack of 10 books: bottom showing only the bottom page edges; top 3 with spines outward-from top to bottom; Lavender's Blue, Rest in Pink, One in Vermilion ]  During these very challenging times please make extra effort to prioritize taking care of yourself and make time for enjoying some simple ...

Echoes of past trauma haunt these complicated, intrepid characters who sail the high seas while also navigating assorted forms of treachery. Poignant emotion combined with humor and daring exploits make Sorinda's story a compelling read that entertains in multiple ways.  [cover art for a hardcover edition of Vengeance of the Pirate Queen by Tricia Levenseller: three-quarter profile image of a young Black woman with long braids while holding an unsheathed dagger]  Vengeance of the Pirate Queen (Daughter of the Pirate King #3) by Tricia Levenseller  YA fantasy with romantic elements Macmillan, 2023  It's rare for me to read YA fiction because it tripwires visceral memories of my own angsty young adult years, and while my gratitude toward all the merciful deities is immense in appreciation for my survival and eventual flourishing, revisiting that angst in any way doesn't appeal.    With that in mind, Sorinda's story satisfied in every way: character developmen...