RECOMMENDED READING: CAREFREE BLACK GIRLS BY ZEBA BLAY

"How do Black girls find freedom? Where do they go to find it, to feel it, uncomplicated and uncompromised?"

Carefree Black Girls is a collection of writer Zeba Blay's musings on the #carefreeblackgirls we identify with in society and pop culture. If artists like Lizzo, Cardi B., and Nicki Minaj come to mind, you are in luck, as they all make appearances in these essays. 

Blay writes with so much insight and introspection that I could not help but to lean in and nod repeatedly as she spoke about feelings I've had about my own body and life. The essay "Girlhood" could have easily been written for me, with my obsession with the Spice Girls (particularly Scary Spice) in middle school and my unrequited crushes on guys that would never really "go" for my type. 

It was cathartic reading Blay's experiences in this book, as they mirrored quite a few of mine-- giving me the language to articulate thoughts I couldn't quite form before. This was a great collection of essays that brought up so many points I can't wait to discuss with my good girlfriends. 

Thank you, Zeba Blay, for keeping these necessary conversations going. Special thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC!

To purchase your own copy of Carefree Black Girls on Amazon, click here. 

WILL YOU BE READING CAREFREE BLACK GIRLS?

Recommended Reading | Vibrate Higher: A Rap Story by Talib Kweli

"Before Talib Kweli became a world-renowned hip-hop artist, he was a Brooklyn kid who liked to cut class, spit rhymes, and wander the streets of Greenwich Village with a motley crew of artists, rappers, and DJs who found hip-hop more inspiring than their textbooks (much to the chagrin of the educator parents who had given their son an Afrocentric name in hope of securing for him a more traditional sense of pride and purpose). Kweli's was the first generation to grow up with hip-hop as established culture--a genre of music that has expanded to include its own pantheon of heroes, rich history and politics, and distinct worldview.

Vibrate Higher illuminates Talib Kweli's upbringing and artistic success, but so too does it give life to hip-hop as a political force--one that galvanized the Movement for Black Lives and serves a continual channel for Black Resistance."

REVIEW | I'll Fly Away by Rudy Francisco

"I tell myself that every hour is happy hour, as long as I am on this side of the ground..."

If you are among those of us who believe books find us at just the right time, believe me when I say I'll Fly Away by Rudy Francisco found me and entranced me at a most convenient time. 

I am no stranger to Francisco's work. In fact, I've been following him for quite some time. Becoming a fan after finding his spoken word poetry on YouTube, then connecting so deeply with his collection, Helium, I could not wait to devour I'll Fly Away. Digesting this book of poetry did come with a price, however. You will feel the words in your chest long after the read is over.

REVIEW | Dressed in Dreams by Tanisha C. Ford

“Each time we stand before our closet to pick out our clothes, we make a series of choices about how we want to appear before the world. This is just as true for people who claim not to care about clothes as it is for self-proclaimed fashionistas. It’s because we recognize that the way we adorn ourselves communicates something about who we are and where we come from.” - Tanisha C. Ford

Dressed in Dreams: a Black Girl’s Love Letter to the Power of Fashion by Tanisha C. Ford has easily been one of my favorite reads so far this year. Part history lesson in style, part coming-of-age tale, Dressed in Dreams lures readers into the world of a Midwestern Black Girl defining herself one wardrobe choice at a time.

REVIEW: SLAY by Brittney Morris

SLAY by Brittney Morris is about a 17-year old black girl named Kiera Johnson, who seemingly leads an ordinary life from the outside looking in. She lives in the suburbs of Anytown, USA with her parents and younger sister, Steph. She and Steph both attend Jefferson Academy, a preparatory high school where they, along with Kiera’s boyfriend Malcolm, are the only black students.

Having previously attended a predominantly-black school, Kiera is all too familiar with code-switching and being the “black authority” to her best friend Harper and her other classmates. Aside from holding it down as her boyfriend Malcolm’s “queen,” Kiera seems to have no safe space where she can just be herself.

That is, until we find out that she is not only a gamer, but game developer of super popular virtual reality game SLAY. It’s a multiplayer universe similar to Black Panther’s Wakanda, where Kiera reigns as character “Emerald.”

Kiera has been running this game for three years, while her family, friends, and even her boyfriend are none the wiser. No one realizes Kiera even plays video games. Kiera feels safe in her virtual fantasy world until tragedy strikes, bringing her perfectly crafted virtual oasis, SLAY to the headlines of international news.

REVIEW | Intercepted by Alexa Martin

I thoroughly enjoyed Alexa Martin’s debut book, Intercepted. It’s a spicy, sports romance complete with complicated relationships, love triangles, unrequited love, and (dare I say) MEAN GIRLS. These are all the makings of a fun read.

Intercepted lured me in from the very beginning. I felt like I was in an early episode of The Game, smack- dab in the middle of a Sunbeam meeting. I don't know too much about football, so many of my thoughts on the “sport star’s lifestyle” has been jaded by that show and a few other reality-shows I won’t mention. I apologize in advance. But anyways, the main character Marlee was smart, quick-witted, and just a wee bit of a hot mess. And I was all the way here for her.

REVIEW | She Begat This: 20 Years of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by Joan Morgan

I fell in love with journalist + feminist author Joan Morgan’s writing after reading When Chickenheads Come Home to Roost years ago. So, when I found out she would be working on She Begat This: 20 Years of The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, I knew I had to get my hands on it ASAP. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill plays loudly in the soundtrack of my teenage years and I still find myself learning and relearning love lessons as I listen to it today. Joan Morgan’s exploration of this album, along with the likes of Michaela Angela Davis, dream hampton, and DJ Beverly Bond (#BlackGirlsRock) is so necessary + such a dope way to commemorate the 20-year anniversary of such an iconic album. I read this baby last weekend and when I tell you I got my whole life, please believe me!

I love how She Begat This opens with the late 90s when Lauryn Hill emerged on the scene as a solo artist and what makes this moment so iconic. Lauryn Hill created her own lane, sharing bold style choices, and a dark-lipstick, dread-locked aesthetic that was ahead of its time. I love that Michaela Angela Davis notes that she did this move to mainstream without “altering her blackness.” She began setting trends in her own way, making others take notice. This alone is a political AND feminist statement, long before the days of social media. Not only was it seen by women of color, but picked up on by Harper’s Bazaar, as they gave her the September 1999 cover. Not only was Hill's presence saying something serious, her lyrics could rival many in the male-dominated space of hip-hop. Lauryn Hill was becoming an icon before our eyes and Morgan noted every detail, lest anyone forgot or didn't know how major this was in the 90s.

REVIEW | From Twinkle, With Love by Sandhya Menon

Have you ever found yourself wanting to fit in so badly with the “cool kids,” you’d do anything to be a part? And if you’re shaking your head “no” straight away, imagine for one second that your one and only friend at school (who understands you better than virtually everyone) has been kicking it with the cool kids lately and you’ve been left out all by yourself. Many kids feel this pressure to belong, so this situation isn’t new to us. It’s one we find our friend Twinkle in the middle of as we get into From Twinkle, With Love by Sandhya Menon.

Review | All Summer Long by Hope Larson

School's out for summer and we can't wait to do ALL THE THINGS we have planned with our best friends. How many can relate to this feeling? Take your mind back to that summer between middle school and high school and ponder on how excited you were to finish middle school. There may have been nervousness looming about entering high school, but there was time to worry about that later. All you thought about was doing something amazing to commemorate THAT special summer. But what if your friends decided they had better things to do? In All Summer Long by Hope Larson, I took a trip down memory lane with my daughter as we read about a similar situation.

Living a Blessed Life with Kim Fields

“Let life happen. Then be ready when it does.” 

-Kim Fields 

Blessed Life: My Surprising Journey of Joy, Tears, and Tales from Harlem to Hollywood by Kim Fields is a true testament of growth and staying the course in your life’s journey. In her beautifully written memoir, Kim Fields speaks candidly about the lessons she’s learned throughout her life as a childhood star, actress, creative, wife, and mother. Reading this book was so refreshing, because not only was she transparent about her trials and struggles, she also shared how she moved out of her own way to get through to the better days.

REVIEW | Decluttering At The Speed of Life

I will admit that books on home organization don't always appeal to me. I am not easily urged to sort through things based on emotion, or whatever new way folks are telling us we should clear space in our homes. But after reading more about author Dana K. White and her blog, A Slob Comes Clean, I felt compelled to read this book. Her writing style and voice reads like an honest conversation I would have with friends, so I was curious to learn more about her methods.



Reading Decluttering At The Speed of Life was refreshing for me. I was reading along with someone who had a few of the same issues with clutter that I have, and she was tackling it. She had dealt with much heavier issues than myself and came out from under the clutter to help someone else. Now that is an impressive feat! This made me more inclined to listen to her advice. She doesn't shame you for your clutter either, but she does call you out on your stuff.

REVIEW | In Real Life by Cory Doctorow + Jen Wang

How do the decisions we make in the worlds we've created online affect our REAL lives? This is a question I had to ponder as I flipped through the pages of Cory Doctorow's graphic novel In Real Life, illustrated by Jen Wang. Keeping this thought in mind, I was able to thoroughly enjoy reading along and sympathizing with teenage characters who learned that the two worlds oftentimes collide with lasting effects.

Review | Quiet Girl in a Noisy World by Debbie Tung

Have you ever felt like a quiet girl is a noisy world? Do you often find yourself overwhelmed by everything going on around you? Are you one of those people who can't wait to get home after a long day and retreat to your privacy, phone off and all? If you are one of these people, you can probably relate to author Debbie Tung and her new book, Quiet Girl in a Noisy World: An Introvert's Story.

Review | Depression and Other Magic Tricks by Sabrina Benaim

When is the last time you read a book of poetry that literally shook you to your core? Reading Depression and Other Magic Tricks felt like I was reading Sabrina Benaim’s personal journal. It was an intimate experience, as I’ve never read an author write with such raw and honest emotion about depression. And with every poem I read, I grew more and more intrigued to read the next straight away.

New York Street Style | An Adult Coloring Book

I'll be the first to tell you that I didn't immediately jump on the adult coloring book train when it arrived. I never mind grabbing up a coloring book from the children's section of any store and having my way with the pages, coloring everything in whatever hue I desire. But when I scored a review copy of New York Street Style: A Coloring Book by Zoé de las Cases, I decided it was time for me to step up my coloring game. Fashion-inspired coloring pages? Illustrations of stylish clothing and accessories sprinkled all throughout? Why had no one told me these types of coloring books existed? I was all the way here for this concept.

BEAUTY BOOKSHELF | VOLUME II

Am I the only one that brakes for beauty books? In my previous Beauty Bookshelf post, I shared with you guys the origin of my beauty book love affair, so in today's post I thought I would jump straight into the good stuff. When I'm browsing the internet or out and about in discount stores, I always keep an eye out for a beauty book that can provide some sort of value. Because I'm a girly-girl and I love all things beauty products, routines, rituals, hacks, and skin care secrets, my eyes immediately scan for them. And along the way, I've found quite a few great ones. This week I have a few more from my personal favorites that I would love to share with you.

REVIEW | Real American: a Memoir by Julie Lythcott-Haims

I received a free copy of Real American: A Memoir in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

When was the last time you looked deeply into yourself to ask, "What truly makes me who I am?"

I believe we all, as we journey down our unique paths to self-discovery, ponder this question from time to time. Lately for me, this question ballooned into something larger than I expected, as it turned into a series of questions: Who am I, authentically and organically? Is this based on the family I was born into? Is it the way society perceives me? Is it what my parents have taught me to be? Or is it who I truly believe I have grown to be, through all of my life experiences? Being a black woman in America, this line of questioning plagued me as I delved into my advanced copy of Real American: A Memoir by best-selling author Julie Lythcott-Haims.

 

REVIEW | Bloom by Brittany Travesté

Where are you in your self-love journey? And when is the last time you read something that encouraged you to BLOOM? While I feel that I have grown to love myself and everything that has shaped to be who I am, I still have a way to go. Like many of us, I still have a tendency to conceal or hide the not-so-desirable parts of myself and my past. So you would believe it had to be fate that while dealing with this very issue I would receive a book in the mail that spoke directly to my situation. Enter: Bloom by Brittany Travesté.

BEAUTY BOOKSHELF | VOLUME I

Long before I became active in the wonderful world of blogging, created accounts all over social media, and became addicted to binge-watching YouTube makeup tutorials, I had a serious addiction to beauty books. You know, the big coffee table books chock full of beautiful makeup artistry embossed over several glossy pages? Yeah, I wanted ALL of them. I would peruse the library on campus and gather up all of the beauty books I could find and study them during breaks between classes. I have been a lover of all things beauty and skin care since I was a teenager, so once I came across these books full of information about skin care routines, color theory, and how to properly apply makeup, I was on to something, y'all.

 Alongside being an Avon Representative at the time, gaining this newfound knowledge about beauty care sparked the beginnings of my beauty blog. I wanted to share all the things I was learning from these books with my family, friends, and my so-to-come readers on the Internet. Before I knew it, I was saving up money to purchase my favorites so that I could read them at home and own them, creating a beauty library for myself. That way, I could study Social Work and English during the day with my tuition and teach myself all things beauty at night when I wasn't doing homework.

These are among the first set of books I bought as a beauty enthusiast. I've learned so much from them, that I decided to create two posts sharing my personal beauty library. And while I know much about beauty can be found online in videos and blog posts nowadays, I still prefer physical books for research and wanted to share for others that do as well. Below are some of my personal favorites.

BOOKS | Spring Reading List

Happy Tuesday, guys! It's been a while since I've shared a reading list over here, which is a shame because I'm always reading something, right? So I thought today's Top Ten Tuesday link-up over at The Broke and the Bookish would be the perfect opportunity to get back in the groove of things. Today's link-up calls for the Top Ten Books on my TBR list. Below are the books I'm looking forward to getting into this upcoming season.