Tag: new book

A Book Cover Reveal

Published on by Christine GabriélleLeave a comment

New post on a Friday? Something must be happening!

Yup! My book cover has been finalized! YAY!! I’ve been impressed by the most complicated part of myself to reveal it slowly on Instagram over the next few weeks.

Now, you could check out our Instagram page every Friday and Tuesday for the next six weeks to see each piece revealed in what hopefully turns out to be a beautiful 12-post spread on our feed, or you could just visit our IG in 6 weeks to see the full image… whatever feels good in your spirit… but I hope you choose the first option.

We’ll still have a new post here every Tuesday, so don’t worry, but this seems like the loveliest way to do a cover reveal. The book itself will be released in November, so stay tuned for more info on that.

To release party or not to release party? That is the question. I’m thinking something a little personal, a little virtual, but definitely putting the book cover on a Publix sheet cake and taking more pictures of it than appropriate!

If you have any ideas on how you’d like to celebrate this book release with me, I’m open to suggestions!

The first little corner is on IG now… go check it out… or wait 6 weeks. Totally up to you (whispers: go check it out!).

Happy Reading!

♥

Candice Carty-Williams: QUEENIE

Published on by Christine Gabriélle2 Comments

Queenie Queenie Queenie….

The was the first book that the entire book club group enjoyed, even those who hadn’t read it all the way through. It was highly entertaining….and so, so cringy.

The series of gross men and bad decisions that Queenie went through…I literally yelled at the book several times. The women in this book seemed to have such little self-worth and settled for the worst possible treatment. However, examining Queenie’s experiences prompted some really great questions which facilitated a great conversation with the group.

Here are some of those questions:

  • How important is it to share our “stuff” in our relationships, and how much should we share? (“stuff” being past trauma, or in general, things that we tend to keep hidden)
  • How do we make sure the person we’re dating, if of another race, is culturally sensitive/aware?
  • Is “want” as simple as do or do not?
  • How important is intimacy between female family members?
  • Why do Black people across the globe oppose mental health as a legitimate thing, particularly the older generations?
  • Are there really no happy endings for Black women?
  • Why do older generations (especially Caribbean people) think that because they suffered we need to suffer as well? Why do they think because they held onto their pain that we can’t let go of ours?

 

I read the book slowly over three days, more than half of it being read on the second day. I liked the way it was written, but I still had a lot of questions. I didn’t think Queenie’s trauma and sleep paralysis were ever fully addressed, and I couldn’t seem to understand why she wanted Tom so badly—he wasn’t that great.

This book sparked a lot of thought about how we relate to people we’re dating, how we cope with our own stressors and trauma, who we seek help and advice from when we’re going through something.

It has been the best book club read so far. You should probably pick it up.

Happy reading!

-Christine

 

New Book Alert!

Published on by Christine GabriélleLeave a comment

Happy Monday yall!

Last Monday I told you guys about Children of Blood and Bone and how I wanted more when it ended. Well guess what also happened last week…

Tomi Adeyemi released the cover for the second book in the series:

VirtueVengeance

Isn’t it magnificent!

Now, we’ll have to wait some time before we can read this beautiful creation as the release date isn’t until December. Hopefully I’ll be so occupied reading and writing other things that the wait won’t be as painful, but I am so excited about this.

I recently started following Tomi Adeyemi on IG, and she’s a gem. Her hashtag for this new book is #vengeanceontheseheauxes and makes me all the more excited about what’s to come for Zélie and the crew. My spirit is happy you guys!!

As for my ever growing reading list:

This week I’ve added The Collected Stories of Eudora Welty and Jamaica Kincaid’s See Now Then. Don’t ask me what See Now Then is about yet. It’s a novel and it’s by Jamaica Kincaid, that’s all I needed to know to add it to my list.

I don’t judge books by their covers, but sometimes I add them to my list based on a good title or an author I’ve enjoyed before. I’ll tell you about it whenever I get far enough down my list to actually read it.

Are you excited about Children of Virtue and Vengeance? Tell me why.

Have you read See Now Then? Let me know how you liked it.

Happy Reading!

Christine