In Lieu of Flowers Review

The Devil wants Noami’s baby (Peter), and he’s instructed Gunari to deliver the baby to him. Reluctant at first, Gunari agrees for fear of his family’s safety. However, after speaking with his sister, she convinces him to return the child to his mother. Gunari’s thwarted the Devil’s plan. If only. Years later, the Devil is determined to enact his plan by any means necessary. What ensues is unfortunate chaos, violence, and death, leaving only one person to stop this madness from happening, and they do so from beyond the grave. 

Readers and fans of Keith Steinbaum’s literary work get ready for an action-packed, captivating read as he delivers In Lieu of Flowers! This book is as entertaining and suspenseful as his last two novels, The Poe Consequence and You Say Goodbye. You are in for a delightful treat as you meet lively characters and become enthralled by vivid scenes and an extraordinary narrative. 

The book cover and synopsis fascinated me, and once I read the content, I was immediately engrossed in this promising novel. I also appreciate Steinbaum’s religious references and appreciation of the disability community. In Lieu of Flowers is a wonderful addition to his other books. Keith Steinbaum’s In Lieu of Flowers will be available later this month. 

Around The Way Girl Review

Taraji P. Henson is resilient.

She’s an Academy Award nominee and Golden Globe winner, and she recently starred in the 2023 film The Color Purple alongside Fantasia, Whoopi Goldberg, and Ciara. Navigating the ins and outs of Hollywood has been challenging. Henson has had some highs and lows throughout her personal life and career. And she’s used those moments to persevere, proving to herself and the rest of the world that she’s here to stay. 

Henson’s memoir, Around The Way Girl, is an in-depth look into the life of Taraji P. Henson. Readers see what makes Henson who she is. She details living in Southeast DC with her Mom, her relationship with her Dad, attending college at Howard University, raising her son as a single parent, and the dynamic of their relationship, as well as how she got her start as an actress in Hollywood. 

Nothing is off-limits in this book. Henson gives it to you straight, real, with no filter. She’s authentically herself. She celebrates her wins and openly discusses her losses, the pain she felt when certain family members passed, and how she’s been able to navigate and have longevity in a business that’s at times inconsistent. 

It took me some time to decide whether to read Henson’s story. When it came out in 2017, I immediately said no. I can’t quite decipher why, but fast forward seven years later, and here we are. I wasn’t expecting anything shocking or eye-opening with this book because, as I said, what you see with Henson is what you get, so she delivered on telling her story. There wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. Overall, this book was okay. It’s not a must-have on my to-be-read list, but most, if not all, of you have read this book already and given your opinions, so now I’m giving mine. 

I will say this: Henson is an around-the-way girl, so the title is fitting. If you haven’t already and are looking for a quick read, take a look at Henson’s book. Around The Way, Girl is available everywhere books are sold. 

The Personal Librarian Review

It’s 1900, and Belle Marion Greener is a fair-skinned twenty-eight-year-old woman who forgoes her African American identity to pass for a white American. She now goes by Belle da Costa Greene and works and socializes among the high society. Belle is the personal librarian for Mr. J.P. Morgan, acquiring artwork, manuscripts, and books for Morgan’s Pierpont Morgan Library. She’s adjusting fairly well to her new life. While dangerous, passing as white gives Belle and her family a new sense of living and a chance to experience what it’s like to be among the elite in Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray’s The Personal Librarian. 

Belle’s mother understood the struggle for African Americans in the 1900s, and she didn’t want that for her children. So, because her children were fair-skinned, she decided that they would pass as white. Belle’s father fought for Black’s civil rights and didn’t want Belle to forget who she was. He inspired Belle’s love for art and books but disagreed with his wife on her decision regarding their kids, so he left. It would be years before Belle reconnected with her father.

In between that time, Belle would experience heartbreak, a miscarriage, disagreements with her mother, fear of her true identity getting revealed, death, and inner turmoil with herself for who she truly is and the person she is pretending to be. The only consistent part of her life was working for Mr. Morgan and her love for the library. 

The Personal Librarian is a book with layers of historical fiction, compelling and significant discourse regarding racial discrimination against the have and have-nots, intricate scenes, and a dominant female lead. It’s one woman’s journey navigating a world that isn’t kind nor fair to the less fortunate or of another race; however, they are accepting of white America during that time. 

The Personal Librarian is a beautifully written novel with depth and captivating storytelling. It is available everywhere books are sold. 

No Matter What Review

Can Jess Hayley find love a second time around? She’s sworn off dating and finding love and focuses solely on work. But when her roommate and friend, Stacy, convinces her to be her wing woman for a night and tag along on a double date, Jess’s world is no longer the same. Jess has a gift for discerning people’s thoughts and feelings by observing their body language and expressions. When she meets Bryan Carsen that night, everything shifts. Bryan works for the US Army Cyber Force. His life is structured, and he isn’t open to dating, but meeting Jess changes that. A whirlwind romance develops between them, and they’re married after fifteen days of meeting one another. Suddenly tragedy strikes, thus opening the door to Pandora’s box, leaving Jess to rethink everything she thought she knew and find answers to the unfamiliar situation happening in her life. Can Jess find the strength to continue and resolve the concerns surrounding her situation? And is she willing to open her heart to love again as a new man offers to help her heal and find a solution to the answers she seeks? 

I got hooked on the synopsis of Jennifer Carr’s No Matter What. This story has passion, suspense, love, loss, and, most importantly, it has faith. God is at the center of this book, which I absolutely love! There are powerful and vulnerable characters, and the plot is engaging. Picturesque scenes add another layer to this faith-filled love story. I didn’t understand the purpose of the book cover at first, but after finishing the book, I understood why she chose the book cover that she did. It ties everything together. If you’re a reader that likes to have action, love, heartbreak, and a thrilling storyline from beginning to end, then Jennifer Carr’s No Matter What is the book for you! No Matter What is available everywhere, books are sold, and part two The Lost & Found was released earlier this year.

Order of The Void Review

• 

Synopsis: Internet vlogger Jeffery Bailey attends the funeral of his dead best friend. While at the funeral, Jeffery is given a package from his friend’s mother. After looking through the contents of the package, Jeffery learns that it was more than just a simple home invasion that took his friend’s life.

My Thoughts: The first question that came to my mind was, why did Robert Vaughn write this book? I wondered this because the title of the book said one thing, and the synopsis said another. I wanted to know what “the void” meant and what happened to Jeffery’s friend. As I read, I discovered that the void was a cult determined to bring what they called “Rajachar” to life by any means necessary. 

Order of The Void focuses on Jeffery’s quest to find out the truth about his best friend’s murder, and in doing so, he uncovers who was behind it and risks his own life to expose the truth behind this cult and their reason for wanting to bring Rajachar to life.

Order of The Void is an intriguing read. There’s a solid plot and a strong male lead. However, parts of the story moved a bit slow for me, and I noticed that the author did a lot of telling versus showing in specific chapters. There were also added words that didn’t need to be there and missing and misspelled words. 

Despite the errors, I believe Robert Vaughn’s Order of The Void will keep readers engaged from beginning till end. And if you’re into occult and thrillers, then this is a book you’ll want to check out. Order of The Void is available everywhere books are sold.