For What It's Worth


Thursday, February 18, 2021

Tell Me Something….Tuesday??


Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post where bloggers discuss a wide range of topics from books and blogging to life in general.

Join in by answering this weeks question in the comments or on your own blog.

If you would like to join TMST and receive periodic emails of upcoming topics, please fill out this GOOGLE FORM. TMST is a laid back meme – join in or opt out depending on your interest in topics or schedule.




I am forever late with these prompts lol I have no idea why I can’t get my shit together when it comes to the blog anymore but I’m just rolling with it at this point. I’m much more interested in doing puzzles and cooking these days.

But I did want to get to a few of these prompts (albeit very late) so here we go…

2/2 – Share some of your favorite books written by PoC authors. 

In honor of Black History Month, I’ll stick with that – although a few of these are multiracial.

YA

Hands down – Elizabeth Acevedo is one of my favorite PoC authors. The Poet X, With the Fire on High and Clap When You Land all have a slightly different tone from each other but all center vulnerable but strong black girls fighting for and embracing the promising futures due to them. I recommend all her books on audio. Her narration is perfection.

Brandy Colbert – another author that is very versatile in her writing – everything from serious (Pointe), lighter (The Voting Booth) & a mix (Finding Yvonne). I’m still working through her backlist but she rarely disappoints.

Jason Reynolds – I had a break between signings at ALA once and stumbled into his signing line and  I’m so glad I did. For Every One was my first Reynold’s read. It’s a print version of a commencement speech he gave. Followed by Long Way Down and Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You. His books are powerful and thought provoking and another author I recommend on audio.

Ibi ZoboiPride was a fun adaption of P&P while tackling gentrification and I recently finished Punching the Air (co-authored with Yusef Salaam) about a boy falsely accused and trying to survive the prison system.

New to me - YA:

Leah JohnsonYou Should See Me in a Crown was the feel good book I needed in 2020 – pure joy and a spectacular debut. I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

Tiffany Jackson – Wow. WOW. Grown was such a powerful, POWERFUL read about toxic relationships, power imbalances and so much more. Brilliant! I had never heard of the author before but luckily she has a long backlist for me to read.

Akwaeke Emezi – Emezi’s YA debut title Pet, about a young transgender Black girl and the monsters that lurk in plain sight was weird and wonderful.

Jordan Ifueko – I am not a fantasy reader but Ifueko’s debut Raybearer had me hooked from the start.

Romance



Talia Hibbert – Hibbert is probably best known for her hilarious and sweet Brown Sisters series, but I started reading her back in 2018 starting with A Girl Like Her. Her writing just has that spark that makes you smile and immediately connect to the characters – who are written in very realistic *real life* ways. The have chronic illnesses that are addressed but don’t define them, the heroines get their periods *gasp*. It’s just all very relatable and normal.  

Alyssa Cole – I had a rough start with Cole reading her Off the Grid series, which didn’t quite work for me, but the Reluctant Royal series is a hit and I have her Civil War era The Loyal League series waiting on my Kindle.

Okay – I’ll stop there because the list is getting long lol but I do want to add a link to my friend Amber’s post My Thoughts on Celebrating Bookish Black History Month about what she hopes to see (and not see) during Black History Month and beyond in the bookish blogosphere.


2/8 How has your reading changed since the pandemic?

Answer: I think that’s pretty clear lol It’s almost non existent, although getting a little better recently - meaning I'm reading but it's still taking me months to finish a book. 


2/16 Share some of your favorite romantic stories/books.

Answer: So this post doesn’t go on forever, I’ll just name one and it’s one of my all time favorites – Josh & Hazels Guide to Not Dating. CLo’s books are 50/50 for me but I’m a total sucker for nice guys and humor and this book hit all the marks.




Hit me up on any of these topics! Who are your favorite PoC authors? Has your reading changed during the pandemic? What are favorite romance books?

33 comments:

  1. One would think that the pandemic would be the perfect excuse to read more - both because people were/are staying at home more and because it provides escape and consolation...I still can't wrap my head around the "reading less" effect LOL.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, I don't know. I thought I would finish every book I own and need to buy more but nope.

      I just cannot focus on anything. Literally anything can disrupt my focus from a book these days.

      Delete
  2. IS THIS HEADER NEW? I love it!

    I'm slowly making my way through Hibbert's Ravenswood series.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Elizabeth Acevedo's prose is fire. I absolutely love all her books!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I don't think the pandemic has changed my reading much. In theory, being at home all the time seems like my reading would have increased, but in reality it's remained at about the same level over the last year. Josh & Hazel is so priceless. One of CLo's best.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm not even sure it has anything to do with the pandemic. I'm just kind of interested in other things right now.

      Delete
  5. The pandemic hasn't really touched my reading habits at all. Ken got sick just as the pandemic started and having him in home hospice is what really turned everything upside down for me. It's been 3 months since he's been gone and I'm really jumping into the books again just to keep my mind occupied. I don't know what I would do without these books to give me something to do right now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm sure reading has been a huge help for you Mary.

      Delete
  6. The pandemic has made me want more fluff in my life, and I am reading slower, but I am still keeping my pace of five books a week. I have read almost all the authors you mentioned in the first part of this post (you know, the ones who write contemporaries), and Johnson's book is a favorite. Such a feel-good story.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I almost always love fluff but for some reason I've been reading heavier books. I'm not even sure why. All on audio though.

      Delete
  7. Reluctant Royals is the only series out of all of these I've read, and I really enjoyed them. First one especially. Pandemic didn't affect my reading because I was already in a reading slump for the last 3 years, but I'm getting better now. All I needed was to embrace that I'm reading as much now as I'm watching tv dramas and incorporate it in my blogging, which gave me my spark back and relieved the pressure.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think my lack of reading has to do with more than the pandemic. I just thought all the extra time would kick me into gear but nope lol

      Delete
  8. I really need to read more Jason Reynolds. I love his Miles Morales book though. I really like Elizabeth Acevedo as well. I'm going to add Sharon M. Draper. I do love the books I've read by her, and her novel Tears of a Tiger has been a favorite of mine for years!!!

    I was off with my reading at first, but I've been doing better. It can be hit or miss, but lately, I've been reading a lot.

    I still need to read Josh and Hazel!!!!

    -lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'll check out Draper. Thanks for the rec Lauren!

      Delete
  9. I mean "Tell Me Something Thursday" sounds just as good, right? 😂 I have had more time to read during the pandemic, so that makes me happy, at least. Idk if I can narrow down all-time favorites, but two of the best I have read recently are The Gilded Ones and Some Other Now, both of which are just incredible!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Just Tell Me Something...anything lol

      I have more time to read - I'm just not feeling the urge to read anymore. It's fine but also weird, if that makes sense lol

      Delete
  10. I've been reding the same book for three weeks and skipping posts so lol. The pandemic has totally changed my reading- meaning it's way down! But I'm still reading even of only in small snippets so it's good. Like you said, I'm rolling with it...

    Love the new look!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Greg - you are my pandemic reading soul mate lol I used to be able to read a book a day now it takes me weeeeeeks.

      Thanks!

      Delete
  11. My reading during the pandemic has been pretty poor overall. I resorted to lighter kids reads and non fiction but even that became a struggle at times! I'm not sure if I'll ever get back to normal reading!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's weird that I'm reading heavier books these days. I'm usually a big fan of lighter - escapist reads. But that's not saying much because even that is rare and slow going lol

      Delete
  12. Yeah, my reading has taken a hit during the pandemic. I binge read like a fiend or I read nothing for weeks... It's ridiculous but I'm just accepting it for what it is at the moment.
    Blogging is the same. It's been a couple of weeks since I've posted and though I feel bad I'm just not in the head place to do it. (Although, I was inspired yesterday and have at least one post finished for next week! I'm shooketh!)

    I still haven't gotten around to reading anything by CLO. Josh and Hazel is still on my kindle... Still neglected... Ill get there eventually! Everyone seems to love that one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. CLo is very hit or miss for me. They write really alpha heroes or super sweet and I'm a fan of the sweet guys lol

      Delete
  13. Josh & Hazels Guide to Not Dating is a Christina Lauren book I've been eyeing. Read nothing but good things about it!
    The pandemic sure hit everyone differently. It was an on-and-off for me in reading. There were months were I was too slow and other times I finish things fast.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That book made me super happy.

      I thought for sure I would finish every book I owned but nope lol

      Delete
  14. That's the great thing about this meme - you can do it when you have time and not even on a Tuesday! LOL *HUGS* You are doing fine.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know! It's so low pressure for me. I never feel judged if I can't do it or - if I post 9 questions at once lol

      Delete
  15. Oooh thank you for this! Just added a few of these books to my must-read list ❤️ It’s so rare I finish anything these days (as I mentioned in my tweet earlier lol) but I want to try! Thank you for sharing!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Same!! I finished two books this week and I feel like a rock star lol

      Delete
  16. With the Fire On High! 🙌🙌🙌

    I am definitely going to read Pet, and Grown! 😊

    ReplyDelete