Tag: Black BookTube

Book Reviews

Three Dark Crowns, Kendare Blake

India
There is only room for one Queen in the isle of Fennbirn, but there are three queens who are trying to be the strongest they can to take the throne. When the time comes it is going to be up to the all three queens to try and defeat the other in order to be called the true Queen. Each generation there are triplets that are born in the hopes that one of them will become the next true Queen. They grow up together for a few years and then are separated to go to their prospective part of the kingdom where they can learn how to grow the unique gifts that they were born with. Mirabella is an elementalist who can control the weather with a fierce energy and bring flames and lightening down on whomever gets in her way. Arsinoe is a naturalist who is said to be able to bloom flowers and help trees to grow, as well as have a familiar, or an animal, who she is said to be able to communicate with. Finally there is Katharine who is a poisoner, which makes her immune to all of the deadliest poisons to where she can even eat a whole feast of them.
I genuinely enjoyed this book. Once I finally got into it I could not put it down. There is a lot of world building in the beginning and with the fact that there are three queens, you have to see each of their worlds. There are a lot of characters in the book, which sometimes gets confusing, but as you keep reading they start to really set themselves apart. I love the different ways these queens grew up, and I was also glad to know that they all knew what happened for them to become the queen instead of the finding out on their 16th birthday. I would definitely recommend this book. It’s kind of in the dark fantasy realm. It’s not a typical princess book by any means, and that’s what I loved about it. Until next time,
Keep Turning the Pages
India
Bookish

1000 Subscriber Giveaway!!

India
1000 Subscriber Giveaway Items!
Thank you thank you thank you!!!!
I don’t know how many times I can say thank you for all of your support and subscribing to my ever changing and growing channel. I still want to do more be more and create more and knowing that I have the support and am still making friends in the community, which really keeps me going. My interests change and stay the same, and I’m trying to bring you all along on all of my changes. Sometimes it is hard to bring you into my life because I don’t know how much you want to see, but let’s be honest when I’m on social media I want to see it all. The dirty, the gritty, the expensive, the cheap, the happy, and the exciting. I’m going to try and bring you more!
For right now, I wanted to bring you a giveaway! It’s going to be a good one!
First let’s start with some bookish merch.
Let’s start with the small stuff. I’ve got a lot of magnetic bookmarks, and so I’m giving away these fantastic “Where the Wild Things Are” bookmarks.
We’ve got a pencil pouch with a quote from William Shakespeare, “Virtuous and fair, royal and gracious”
And a beautiful cream and gold pillow case
Now for the actual book related stuff. I’ve been working on myself lately and loving myself, so I’m giving away a signed copy of Puddin’ by Julie Murphy
And for a little added bonus I’m giving away this Kelly Moore bag, The Riva! It is great for mirrorless cameras and small cameras or a DSLR with a lens attached.
You can find the link for the giveaway here! Good luck! Make sure to check out the video for the rules of entry! Until next time,
Keep Turning the Pages
India
Bookish, Unboxings

UNBOXING BOOKTUBE | March 2019 Owlcrate

India

Here comes another Owlcrate Unboxing! Last month’s box included items from books like Game of Thrones and Nevernight to go with their Murder and Mayhem theme for March. Instead of talking too much about it let’s list out some of the items that are in the box! If you would like to watch me unbox it you can either click here, or you can find it down below!

First up! We’ve got Owlcrate’s first travel mug inspired by Nevernight and designed by Catarina Book Designs.

There an exclusive Owlcrate canvas drawstring backpack designed by Michelle Gray. It has a nifty zipper pouch on the inside, which makes it different than a lot of other “dump” drawstring backpacks

We’ve got a wooden bookmark by the royal wooden bookmark makers themselves Ink and Wonder Designs featuring a Game of Thrones quote paying homage to the Stark Family.

The illustrious candle makers at In the Wick of Time created three different candles inspired by This Savage Song. I got Corsai, which one did you get.

Next up we got a sticker designed by Jamila Mehio inspired by Three Dark Crowns.

The pin was created by Iron and Ink Designs and is an incredible compass pin that helps to represent the book for the month and its four quadrants.

The book of the month was Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte. Four Dead Queens brings total opposites together in a tale filled with twists and turns to figure out who has been murdering the four queens. This definitely seems like a book if you like Three Dark Queens.

 

For more pictures and to always stay up to date, make sure to follow me on Instagram!

 

Murder and Mayhem Box by Owlcrate
Book Reviews

Anything For Your Love, Amore

India
Anything For Love follows an up and coming lawyer, Alexander Love, who has everything he currently wants, a job he loves and a family who loves him and whom he loves back. If you don’t want to read past here this review is up on my Youtube Channel here and it is down below, but let’s keep going with this review! After having his heart broken by his high school girlfriend he never thought that he would want to be in another serious relationship again. Then in walks his cousin, Ami, with the most beautiful woman he has ever seen, Jada Whitman, and is instantly drawn to her. Jada is a producer from California who has come to visit with Ami for a vacation, but even with the certainty of her going back they end up seeing where this relationship can go. With both of their pasts coming up to bite them they find a way through it. I don’t want to give a lot of it away because it is good. A little confusing to read, but it is good.
The story was good…the writing not so much. I hated that instead of giving the characters their own chapter, like a lot of romance novels do, the point of view was switching from chapter to chapter. I felt like there was a better way to write it than to jump around and I could even write it so that the point of was seen from the original character at hand. I enjoyed the family aspect of the main character and seeing a black character have a strong family background with no dysfunctional parents or relatives. I enjoyed seeing all of the success of the family and how they supported one another. I did also enjoy the twist we got there at the end of the story that made it so much more interesting than a wealthy black man meets the love of his life. I’m trying to take out my automatic praising for a healthy black family life for an unbiased opinion of this book and it’s hard. I don’t think that it is a go out and get it right now kind of book, but it is a good read. A review is also up on my Youtube channel! Until next time,
Keep turning the Pages
India
Bookish

BLACKATHON TBR!!

India
Hi everyone and welcome back to my channel. My name is India and today we are going to be doing my TBR for Blackathon, which started at the beginning of the month, but that I’m finally getting up now. If you’ve been following me on twitter then you know that I had a difficult time getting some of these books and went ahead and started reading some other books. Let me know what you’re  reading during this challenge!
I’m really excited about this read a thon because it is centered around books written by black authors and/or books with black main characters. This read a thon is hosted by Francina Simone over at Francina Simone, Lauren over at The Novel Lush, and Jessie over at Bowties and Books. They have decided to do this with reading challenges to help pick out your books and to force you to try to read more diversely, which I think is awesome! I know that I’ve picked way too many books for this read a thon and probably won’t get to a lot of them, but I decided to aim high. It also gives me a lot of variety to read, so I can go from book to book. What are some of the books that you’re reading? Below are some of the books that I have chosen as well as a couple that I have read and loved that fit into the categories
1. FEEL THE LOVE. Read a book (any genre) featuring romance between two black people (or one black person + a person of color).
An American Marriage, Tayari Jones
Recommend A Princess Theory, by Alyssa Cole
2. WAKANDA FOREVER Read a graphic novel or comic series with a black or African MC
Kindred, Octavia Butler
3. HEAR US ANY work by a Black or African author
Dread Nation, by Justina Ireland
Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany Jacksonn
Let’s Talk About Love, Claire Kann
Black Enough, Anthology by multiple authors
Well Read Black Girl, Anthology by multiple authors
4. FEEL THE BEAT. Spoken word: listen to these 4 poems and share your favorite on social media or with a friend. Discuss what this poem means to you and why it matters.
Balaenoptera by Joshua Brandon Bennett https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9TWj…
What I’ve Learned by Aja Monet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8byI7…
“Waiting” by Jasmine Mans, Alysia Harris, and Jennah Bell https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CgxU7…
Cuz He’s Black by Javon Johnson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9Wf8…
5. MORE THAN A COLOR. We house complexity within us. Read a book starring an intersectional black character (black & LGBT, black & neurodivergent, black & disabled, etc)
Let’s Talk About Love, Claire Kann
Recommend: Odd One Out by Nic Stone, Little and Lion by Brandy Colbert
6. IN THIS TOGETHER Read the group book with us! Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo