Drea Fully Booked

Chasing A Second Chance

By Brenda Jackson

3.75⭐ This book truly had it all: wealthy Black elite families, ranches, cowboys, deep family secrets, and a beautiful mature romance. As an older adult—navigating grown children, divorce, and becoming an empty nester—I loved seeing characters tackle the complexities of finding a new path in life.
Matthew and Iris were absolutely perfect, and their chemistry was spot-on without the spice level ever overpowering the story. I also have to shout out the audiobook narrator; he told the story flawlessly!
My only critique is that the complicated family tree situations made it hard to keep track of who was who, causing me to occasionally zone out during those explanations. However, I’m not usually a short story fan, but this one completely won me over. It didn’t leave me wanting more; it wrapped up perfectly.

The Girls Who Grew Big

By Leila Motley

5⭐ Completely speechless. I need a moment to sit back and process this incredibly beautiful, emotional, and meaningful book. It is absolutely going to stick with me for a long time.

My heart completely ached for these characters and their struggles. Being a teen mom myself, even with all the support in the world it was still hard. I felt so much empathy for these girls and just wanted to save them all.

Leila’s writing style is gorgeous and utterly captivating. I am officially obsessed and could read her words all day long! The only negative thing that I have to say, is that there was no epilogue. I’m so sorry. I just need epilogue , I’m an epilogue girly🤪 I like things to be wrapped up in a pretty bow and updates on everyone.

The Ladies Hall

By Vanessa Miller

4.50⭐ I absolutely love Vanessa Miller’s historical fiction! I had the pleasure of meeting her this past February at a book signing, where I heard her speak about the incredible research she did for Ladies Hall. I was thrilled to receive this early ARC, and I am so grateful to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the advanced audio copy!

Miller paints a vivid, devastating picture of the harsh realities and cruel treatment Black people endured during this era. Her writing always evokes a deep, visceral emotional response in me. It is harrowing to reflect on a time when a person could be stripped of their dignity—or wrongfully imprisoned and forced into labor—for simply speaking the wrong way or sitting in the wrong seat. This story made my heart ache for what my ancestors endured, but it also highlighted the incredible bravery and strength of these women. While I wish the narrative had dived a bit deeper into the individual lives and personal backgrounds of the ladies, I understand a single book can only hold so much. This important story has inspired me to do my own research into these trailblazing women. Thank you, Vanessa Miller, for bringing another vital piece of history to light!

Take What You Can

By Naima Coster

3.75⭐ This book is a profound character study of how female friendships adapt, change, and sometimes buckle under the weight of life. The connection between Val and Milly is so consuming that they rarely know how to handle it. I highly recommend this if you appreciate reading about layered, intricate relationships. I love Naima Costers work, this book did not disappoint!

Thank you Net Galley for this advance coopy!!

Children Of Blood And Stone

By Tomi Adeyem

4.50⭐ I’m not usually a YA fantasy reader, but I really loved this book!! It is the perfect blend of magical realism, action, and romance, avoiding the overly complex magic systems that sometimes makes me dislike this genre. I was shocked about some of the deaths, I was expecting certain characters to make it further in the series, so that surprised me. Some of the intense themes felt a bit too mature for the YA label, but again I don’t read a lot of YA so maybe this is normal. I am officially hooked and cannot wait to continue the series!

The Wilderness

By Angela Flournoy

2.75⭐I had high hopes for this one, but it didn’t quite hit the mark. While I loved the beautiful exploration of lifelong Black female friendships and was highly invested in January and the sisters, the execution fell short. The jumping timelines were incredibly confusing, and the pacing suffered from bloated, unnecessary scenes (like the earthquake dinner). I nearly DNF’d but managed to push through by switching to the audiobook. Glad I finished, but the confusing structure held it back.

Good Hair Days

By Grace Helena Walz

3.75⭐ If you love Sweet Magnolias, Steel Magnolias and Hart of Dixie, this book is for you. I adored the small-town setting, the family dynamics, and the 2nd chance romance between Georgia and Eddie. The fun banter from the aunts and the Silver Ladies made it highly entertaining. It lost a star for me because the characters’ family secrets were dragged out too long, and the sisters’ constant self-blame got a bit repetitive. But once the truth came out, the pacing picked up beautifully. Warning: The ending absolutely gutted me. Despite the heartbreak, I completely fell in love with this town and its unforgettable characters.

Brighter Than Before

By Courtney Walsh

4.50⭐ I listened to the audiobook version and immediately wanted to buy the physical copy. I absolutely loved the narration, but the story is so incredible that I know I will enjoy reading it on the page even more. I love stories focused on characters over 40, and Claire’s journey of rebranding her life is beautiful. I especially appreciated that the plot focuses on more than just romance; it is truly about self-discovery, building real friendships, and finding a strong support system. As an older reader, I deeply related to this. Stepping out of your comfort zone and defying expectations is terrifying and takes immense strength. This book is funny, empowering, emotional, and heartwarming. I highly recommend it to everyone!

Bitter and Sweet

By Rhonda McNight

5⭐ What a beautiful story of multi-generational determination and survival! The complicated sister dynamic adds so much complexity to the book. Mariah definitely pissed me off with her hateful, selfish attitude at first, but watching her heal and change through therapy was incredibly beautiful to witness.

As a Greenville native, I loved how the story moved through the South Carolina Upstate. From Charleston and Georgetown to Greenville, Rhonda painted a picture-perfect background that truly drew me in.

What beautiful grace shown by the family elders, they chose encouragement over judgment, especially concerning Tabitha’s situation. Witnessing them welcome her back after so many years was incredibly moving, as was the heartwarming reception Mariah and Sabrina received from their grandmother. I am truly in awe of this story. It is a powerful tale that will stay with me for years to come.

I, Medusa

By Ayana Gray

4⭐ I thoroughly enjoyed this retelling. Ayana brilliantly highlights the injustice faced by Medusa and the other women. Living in a world where you are completely powerless, unable to escape your circumstances without relying on a man is infuriating. Seeing these characters claim their own agency was deeply empowering. What was originally intended as a punishing curse ultimately became the very freedom they needed to build lives of their own, and give them their very own power.

The Revaluation Of Dion Daphane

By Mara Brock Akil

4⭐ While it took me a chapter or two to fully sink into the narrative, I was completely hooked once I did. However, I wasn’t prepared for the sheer amount of trauma in these pages. I actually had to skip a few intense scenes, so please take note of a heavy trigger warning for sexual assault. Knowing that this is someone’s true story out there in the world is absolutely heartbreaking. Mara handles the painful subject matter with incredible grace, and the added HIV epidemic was very insightful. These are the stories that need to be told and heard. The pacing stayed medium to fast throughout, and the ending felt a bit abrupt. Overall, I loved this book. It left me emotionally wrecked, and it is absolutely one of those stories that will stay with me for a very long time.

The Family Chao

By Lan Samantha Chang

3⭐ I almost gave up on this book at first and seriously considered DNFing it. The writing style was really frustrating, which made it hard to get into. But I’m so glad I stuck with it! I love learning about different cultures, and this book delivered that beautifully. Once the story finally clicked for me, I couldn’t put it down!

Score

By Kennedy Ryan

5⭐ While Reel didn’t quite hit the mark for me, I absolutely devoured Score! It was a fantastic read from start to finish. The book dives deep into the complexities of mental health and bipolar disorder, making it an incredibly emotional journey that took me a couple of days to fully process. Kennedy does a phenomenal job bringing these tough topics to light. She writes about them with so much empathy that you can deeply connect with the characters’ experiences, even if you haven’t gone through them yourself.

On The Hook

By Rea Keech

3⭐ This was my first sailing cozy mystery, and I really enjoyed it! The story was fast-paced and jumped straight into the action right off the bat. While I didn’t hate the quick start, it did feel a bit rushed, leaving little time to connect with the characters. I also generally dislike third-person narration, which made it a little hard to follow the plot and bond with the cast. However, those are my only negatives! I absolutely loved the small town vibes, the nosy neighbors, the hidden secrets, and the central murder mystery. 

Home Wrecker

By Becky Mandelbaum

4⭐ A bit unhinged but in the best way possible, I could not put it down! Heads up for a trigger warning here, as there are some really dark elements and a lot of tragedy. The story takes form through the grief of losing a sibling, and the way he passed was truly tragic. Piper is a complex character you can’t help but root for; you just want to see her win. I really enjoyed Mandelbaum’s writing style and connected deeply with it. I absolutely hated Aaron, he was awful, and I wish Piper had handled things differently with him. The ending wasn’t what I envisioned for such a crazy ride, but overall, it was a solid read that I’m sure I’ll be thinking about often

Bottled UP

By Liberty Stowe

3.75⭐ I am a sucker for a small town romance, and this book did not disappoint! Vogal Springs is such a vivid setting that I’m already manifesting a screen adaptation. As a first time reader of this author, I realize I’m late to the party and need to jump back to book #1 immediately. Delilah was a fantastic protagonist. Watching her navigate her struggles and heal from her past was incredibly rewarding. Her dynamic with August was another highlight their playful banter and matching energies made them so fun to root for. The pacing slowed down in a few spots, but it quickly recovered. Overall, it was a highly enjoyable story that I gladly recommend!

All The Truth In My Lies

By Elisabet Benavent

3.75⭐ This story is an absolute rollercoaster of emotions! It is funny, fresh, entertaining, and deeply moving. The plot flows so effortlessly that I couldn’t put it down. I completely fell in love with Coco and the rest of the cast. The character development is outstanding, making it easy to form a genuine connection with everyone. There is so much substance here beyond the gossip, sex, and drama. Even with a few predictable moments, the execution was so brilliant that it kept me hooked until the very last page. What a fantastic book!

Handsome

By Ezra Palmer

4⭐ Listening to this audiobook felt like sitting on a park bench while an older woman shared her life story with me; the narrator made the experience incredibly personal. It is easily one of the absolute best audiobooks I have ever heard. Imagine being forced to relive the worst part of your life every single day with no way to stop it. What I expected to be a simple story about an awful husband turned out to be so much more. The author packed an incredible amount of depth into just six hours. While entirely heartbreaking, this book offers a gut-wrenching, front row seat into the mind of someone living with Alzheimer’s, and it was executed brilliantly.

Summer On Highland Beach

By Sunny Hostin

The Identicals

By Elin Hilderbrand

4.50⭐ Making my way through Elin’s catalog this is my 2nd book, and I loved it just as much as the first! While I’m not a huge fan of third-person narration, the story was such an addictive page-turner that I couldn’t put it down. The character development was wonderful, I felt deeply connected to both sisters and the daughter. I absolutely hated Tabitha at first, so I was incredibly grateful for her redemption arc! Though a cheating trope is never my favorite (especially for a character I love like Harper), watching everyone evolve and come full circle was beautiful. My only minor complaint is that the ending felt a bit rushed, but overall, it was an amazing read!

One Golden Summer

By Carley Fortune