#modveronika

I’M GROWN! 👸🏾

The great theologian Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter once said, “I’m a grown woman, I can do whatever I want”, and I wholeheartedly agree! However, when it comes to 17-year-old aspiring singer Enchanted Jones, legendary R&B artist Korey Fields takes that statement a little too far.

Thank you so much to @harpercollins and @epicreads for sending me an arc copy of @writeinbk-blog’s newest book Grown, which comes out on September 15th, and for sending me these dope earrings (I was not expecting them to be so big lol)! When you preorder a copy of the book from your favorite book retailer (preferably a black-owned bookstore) and submit your receipt HERE, you will also receive a pair of these fabulous earrings too!

Synopsis:

Grown is a story ripped straight from the headlines. This book is about the abuse of power; it’s about the pattern of excusing men for their behavior while faulting young girls for theirs.

When legendary R&B artist Korey Fields spots Enchanted Jones at an audition, her dreams of being a famous singer take flight. Until Enchanted wakes up with blood on her hands and zero memory of the previous night. Who killed Korey Fields?

Before there was a dead body, Enchanted’s dreams had turned into a nightmare. Because behind Korey’s charm and star power was a controlling dark side. Now he’s dead, the police are at the door, and all signs point to Enchanted.

So make sure you participate in the preorder campaign for this book that is sure to be amazing, as all Tiffany D. Jackson books are, and submit your receipt to receive your own pair of Grown earrings!

A BLACK GIRLS LIT BOOK REVIEW:

[Self-Care Sunday Edition]

Wash Day by Jamila Rowser & Robyn Smith

This comic is something that I’ve talked about in another post and I have loved and raved about this comic to everyone I know but I realized that I never actually reviewed it so here it is...

Synopsis: Wash Day is a slice of life comic that pays tribute to the beauty and endurance of Black women and their hair. Set in New York City, the comic follows Kimana, a 26-year-old woman living in the Bronx, as she cares for her long, thick, natural hair on a lazy Sunday morning.

This is a 27 page story of absolute brilliance sharing themes of gentrification, cat calling, fuckboys, and the importance of protecting your energy. From the end pages and dedication, hilarious dialogue and storyline, to the beautifully crafted illustrations and intricate details, this comic will make you feel right at home and will solidify the fact that this is a comic that was truly made for the sisterhood. It literally felt like I was listening to one of my homegirls or bestfriends recall the events of their day or felt as if I was watching a vlog from one of my favorite youtubers. It is the perfect wash day companion; read it while you're deep conditioning your hair or while you're waiting for your twist-out to dry.

Reading this changed the way that I look at comics and has even encouraged me to want to create my own someday! This comic was also the first comic that I ever supported on Kickstarter and because of that it inspired me to support more independent comic book creators and contribute to other Kickstarter campaigns.

The only issue I had with this comic is that I wish it was longer lol! This was such a tease and I just need more! I definitely will be looking forward to whatever Jamila Rowser and Robyn Smith publish! Also shout out to Pontie Wax for this amazing smelling Wash Day candle; it smells so good I barely want to light it! Lol

Rating: 😸😸😸😸😸/5 (Five bodega cats out of five!)

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You can purchase Wash Day HERE!

(available in both English and Spanish!)

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 Even though most of us live and celebrate all year long, we still wanted to do something special in order to get people to read more Black literature this year. With that being said, we have been currently participating in a month-long readathon called Read Black Lit Bingo put together by @ps_i_still_read_you! So Victoria and I, along with Kiana from @NovelisticNotions, Deja from @CityofDeja, Phylicia from @TheCurlyProse, and Latonya from @RemindMetoRead will be cohosting this awesome event! Here's how it works: There are 5 categories, one for each letter. As long as you complete one challenge for each category, you earn a BINGO. Tou donnotnabe tonhet a perfect bingo; the object is to try to read one book from each category. However you can't use one book for two or more challenges in the same category. For example you can't use one book to complete the new release and new to you author challenges. Also because Lydia (@ps_i_still_read_you) is so great, she created a Read Black Lit Database to give everyone suggestions for books to read for the readathon Check it out HERE! To join in on the fun all you have to do is post throughout the month of February with your readathon reads and use the hashtags #readblacklit and #readblacklitbingo! And don't forget to post your bingo board after you complete a challenge or at the end of the readathon so everyone can see how you got bingo.  So join in if you would like because this Read Black Lit Readathon is gonna be dope!!! 🔥🔥🔥

Participated in a book swap for Women's History Month!

Thank you to my swap sis for sending me these two gorgeous books from my wishlist:

• Black Girl Unlimited by Echo Brown

• My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich by Ibi Zoboi

Can't wait to dive into these and it is the perfect time for me to read these, especially during this time of social distancing.

Stay safe y'all! ✌🏾

Hey Anon! Thanks for the question! And sorry for the VERY late response. I wanted to do a bit more research into this and get suggestions from others before replying so I hope you see this! (Please let me know if you do!)

I actually know exactly how you feel! I too have struggled myself to love and accept my blackness and my dark skin and it is especially difficult when the media seems to be showing propaganda to the world that would suggest otherwise. 

VERONIKA’S SUGGESTIONS:

(The books that came to mind for me in response to this)

✨The Skin I’m In by Sharon G. Flake (My grandmother gave me a copy of this to read when I was growing up and I remember loving it so much! It’s more of a middle-grade/YA read but I think the message to love the skin you are in can be read at any age. I think if I had to pick one, this would be one of my favorite books, and I am definitely in need of a reread of this soon! The 20th anniversary edition of this was just published not too long ago too!)

✨ For colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf by Ntozake Shange (I’ve only seen the film adaptation for this play but I believe this is an excellent story of the strength and resiliency of the black woman, those of any shade, age, or circumstance.) 

✨The Darkest Child by Delores Phillips (This one is a bit on the sadder side; haven’t read it but I think this may be a cautionary tale to say the least.)

✨The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison (I don’t think this list would be complete without this book or any Toni Morrison book period).

✨Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams (This is a relatively new middle-grade release but I have heard nothing but good things about it and the synopsis for this alone sounds exactly like the book you are looking for!)

VICTORIA’S SUGGESTIONS:

(Victoria thought these would make great reads)

✨ The Color Purple by Alice Walker (A classic! The main character struggles and suffers a lot but still finds her way to a happy ending.)

✨Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (This was a popular suggestion!)

✨Krik? Krak! by Edwidge Danticat (A collection of short stories.)

OTHER SUGGESTIONS:

(I posed this question to our Instagram followers and these are the responses to your question that I received; I hope you don’t mind that I shared your question with them)

 ✨Well-Read Black Girl: Finding Our Stories, Discovering Ourselves edited by Glory Edim (This is actually another suggestion of mine. I’m currently reading this and I highly recommend it! It tells of the experiences of several already acclaimed and some up-and-coming black women writer’s experiences as they first encountered themselves in literature. This book will also give you even more suggestions for books by black authors to read!)

✨The Black Woman: An Anthology edited by Toni Cade Bambara (Another suggestion by me. I first heard about this book when Victoria posted a photo of her hauling it a while back. I think this will lead to some revelations about life, society, and living as a darker skinned black woman as well.)

✨Naked: Black Women Bare All About Their Skin, Hair, Hips, Lips, and Other Parts edited by Ayana Byrd (This is a collection of essays with contributions by some famous African-American woman exploring their relation to their bodies.)

✨ 32 Candles by Ernessa T. Carter (This is high up on my tbr list! I heard this is a cute “chick-lit” type tale and that it reminds people of 13 Going on 30! The person who suggested this said this is such a great book that is perfect for addressing the issues posed in your question.)

✨ The Blacker The Berry by Wallace Thurman (I think this is the only book on this list by a black man but the person who suggested this said this stays true to emotions of internalized self-doubt, self-hatred, and that it delves deep by exploring the prejudice behind skin color in the Black community as a whole.)

✨I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou (Again this list would not be complete without the late and great Angelou. She has written a ton of amazing memoirs.)

✨Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes (Not a huge fan of her tv shows lol but maybe her book is good.)

✨God Help the Child by Toni Morrison (Another book written by the queen of black literature.)

✨What I Know For Sure by Oprah Winfrey (Not gonna lie, didn’t know that she wrote a book lol (a few books in fact)…adding this to my tbr now!)

✨In the Meantime: Finding Yourself and the Love You Want by Iyanla Vanzant (If this book is a intense, deep, and emotional as her tv show is then this book has to be good lol!)

I would also recommend Becoming by Michelle Obama (who wouldn’t recommend the memoir published by our forever first black first lady?) and Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adayemi and Binti by Nnedi Okorafor (both are the first book in a sci-fi/fantasy series that features a bad-ass dark skinned black girl who comes into her own in bravery and prevailing despite her differences from others; they also are the unexpected faces/leaders of a rebellion).

Again my sincerest apologies for the delay in my responding to your question but I hope this helped 💖!

- Veronika