My Favorite Bookstore: Alkebu-Lan Images Bookstore

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My Three Books

Juneteenth, also known as Jubilee Day or Freedom Day, will be celebrated on Friday, June 19, 2020. Wanting to read a book on this subject, I look in my personal library at home to find my book about this celebrated day. Then, I realize that my book is in my classroom at school. With the pandemic virus being a serious health issue, I cannot go to the school where I teach to get the book out of my classroom. Nevertheless, this minor setback does not stop me from wanting to read about Juneteenth.

Determined to get a book, I decided to visit Alkebu-Lan Images Bookstore, my favorite bookstore. At this black-owned business, a person can find everything that he/she desires: books, artwork, clothing, jewelry etc. Therefore, I know that I will find a book about what I want to read. I ask the owner if he has any material on Juneteenth, and he shows me several books. It was my intent only to purchase one book, but I ended up buying three books: Let’s Celebrate Emancipation Day & Juneteenth by Barbara deRubertis, Come Juneteenth by Ann Rinaldi, and The Negro Motorist Green-Book by Victor H. Green. Inspired by the movie, Green Book, this is the reason why I buy the last book, The Negro Motorist Green-Book. After I finish reading deRubertis and Rinaldi’s books, I am definitely going to read Green’s book!

When I go into Alkebu-Lan Images Bookstore, I always spend more money than I intend. But as I think about it, I have never gone into any bookstore and only purchased just one book. Needless to say, it is okay because I am pleased with my purchase, and I know that I am supporting a black-owned business. If you have not been to the only black-owned bookstore in Nashville, Tennessee, then you should stop by for a visit. Whatever you want, Alkebu-Lan has it. But if you don’t find what you need and/or want, please know that it can be ordered for you. Alkebu-Lan Images Bookstore is the place to go!

#alkebulanimagesbookstore #africa #african #africanamerican #africanamericanbookstore #bibliophile #blackbusiness #blackculture #blackhistory #blacklivesmatter #blackpeople #blackpride #blog #blogger #bloggerlife #bookblogger #bookish #books #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstore #bookstoregirl #bookstoreheaven #bookstorelove #bookstoread #Juneteenth #Juneteenth2020 #juneteenth #juneteenthmusic #newblogpost #ontheblogtoday #read #reader #alwaysforeverreading #foreverreading

Forever Reading

Strawberry-Lit Magazine

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Do you have your copy? I received my digital copy of Strawberry-Lit Magazine, and I was super excited to read it. After reading the June/July/August 2020 edition, I was not disappointed. 

Here are five reasons why you should subscribe to or purchase Strawberry-Lit Magazine:

  1. It promotes African American authors.
  2. With many listed book titles, you can find your next novel to read.
  3. If you are a new author or an aspiring author and have questions about promoting your book, read the section, Marketing Tips 101 to help you achieve this goal.
  4. If you have questions about publishing your book, then read the section, Publishing Tips 101.
  5. You can read this magazine in paper format, or you can read it on a digital device.

If you don’t have your copy or have subscribed to it, then do so without hesitation!

#strawberrylitmagazine #laqueishamalone #africanamericanauthors #novels #poetrycommunity #literature #alwaysforeverreading #foreverreading

Forever Reading

Carl Weber: The Family Business 3

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This third installment presents readers with more drama for the Duncans. Vegas Duncan is finally home from prison, and he gets right back to Duncan “business” without a missed step. Junior Duncan wants to propose to Sonya, his true love. However, his love for Sonya causes a war with a powerful enemy, her husband, Brother X. Also, L. C. Duncan is shot by an unknown enemy, and Chippy, his wife, must remain strong and keep the family together during these crises. However, don’t think that the other family members are without issues of their own; they have them. To find out how the Duncans will overcome this new set of challenges, read this novel.

#carlweber #africanamerican #author #authorlove #bet #afamilybusinessnovel #thefamilybusiness #blog #blogger #bookblogger #bloggerlife #bookcover #bookreview #favoriteauthor #mystery #newblogpost #ontheblogtoday #newblogpost #read #urbanfiction #alwaysforeverreading #foreverreading

Forever Reading’s Rating = 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Laurie Halse Anderson

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See Something Say Something

Although high school can be a fun place, it can also be a place associated with dreadfulness. This is the case for Melinda Sordino. While trying to navigate her way in high school, Melinda finds it to be full of cliques or clans, as she calls them. However, she falls into the clan of the Outcasts, and sadly, she is the sole member.

Melinda is an outcast due to one catastrophic event that happens at a party. As a result of trying to do the right thing, she is ostracized; she has lost her friends. This novel explores the dynamics of man vs. man, man vs. society, and man vs. self.

I really like how Halse allows Melinda to narrate her story. There are a few times when people talk to her, and she responds. But there are other times when people talk to her, and she does not say a word; the only thing that can be heard is silence. It is the lack of words that lets readers know that whatever has happened to Melinda is extremely traumatizing.

I also like how this novel focuses on Melinda’s classmates who are viewed as powerless due to censorship by Mr. Neck, a teacher at Meadow Merryweather High School; however, one student, David Petrakis, fights back. David becomes one of Melinda’s true friends who encourages her to speak up like the Women Suffragettes.

Lastly, this book reminds me of Fomba, a character in The Book Negroes. This character suffers a tragedy so great in his life that he loses his ability to speak. Although their experiences are different, their suffering is the same – the inability to be heard. Will Melinda ever her find her voice? Read Speak but do not be surprised if you are at times, speechless.

#lauriehalseanderson #author #bibliophile #blog #blogger #bloggerlife #books #bookblogger #bookreview #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #newblogpost #read #reader #highschool #juvenilefiction #rape #read #reader #reading #readinglist #realisticfiction #teenfiction #youngadultfiction #youngadultliterature #volunteerstatebookaward #yalit #alwaysforeverreading #foreverreading


Forever Reading’s Rating = 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

The Walking Dead, Volume 3: Safety Behind Bars

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The Walking Dead, Volume 3: Safety Behind Bars opens with the group, led by Rick Grimes, searching for a place that they can call home. On their journey, they discover a prison, which looks to be a promising salvation for these weary travelers. But before this new residence can be called a permanent home, it must be cleared of certain inhabitants, zombies. In addition to the zombies, they meet Dexter, Axel, Andrew, and Thomas, prisoners who have been locked in the cafeteria.

Even though some of the prisoners have been incarcerated for various crimes, Rick’s group and Dexter’s group are coexisting because they have the basic necessities in life: food and shelter. Hence, life for them is great right now. Besides, when travelers are beyond exhausted and inmates are experiencing a new freedom and do not know how to survive in an apocalypse, it would make sense for them to live together in a peaceful manner.  

Expectedly, the parents continue to experience challenges with raising their children, which requires more energy due to this apocalypse. Also, as with the previous volumes, death is inevitable in this new world. The loss of life will cause some of the residents to experience a hurt that will be everlasting. For the readers, they will ponder if there really is safety behind bars. 

Who dies? Who is the murderer? Have the deaths fractured the relationships in Rick’s group? Have the deaths caused an end to the tranquility between both groups? How will the residents move forward together? What does Rick discover at Shane’s grave? Read this Volume 3 to find out the answers to these questions. Note: AMC’s prison storyline is much different than the graphic novel. Therefore, if you have not read the book, do so because you will be surprised.

#comicbook #graphicnovels #thewalkingdead #thewalkingdeadamc #Thewalkingdeadcomic #thewalkingdeadcomics #thewalkingdeadfamily #thewalkingdeadfan #alwaysforeverreading #foreverreading

Forever Reading’s Rating =  🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Don’t You Dare Read This Mrs. Dunphrey

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Read Something Say Something

Siblings, Tish and Matt Bonner, have a tough life at home. Their parents have an extremely rocky marriage. Their mom is so obsessed with pleasing their dad that she neglects not only herself but also Tish and Matt. What is worse is that their father cannot keep a job, and he stays away from home for periods at a time. When Mr. Bonner is at home, he is abusive: physically, verbally, and mentally.

Even though their mom is the head of the household, when their father is not at home, it is actually Tish who makes sure that she and Matt have what they need. Tish is the only person providing a stable life for Matt. He recognizes this, and he looks to his sister for security. But who is there to help Tish?

Fortunately, Mrs. Dunphrey provides Tish with an outlet — writing — but this is not the typical journal assignment. Students can write about anything in their journals, but if they don’t want Mrs. Dunphrey to read a particular entry, then they simply write at the top of the page, “Do not read.” What happens when her mom reaches her lowest point? What happens when Tish has to become an adult at 16? Will she write about her family struggles in her journal? Will she allow Mrs. Dunphrey to read her journal entries? Will she write, “Do not read” at the top of her journal entries?

This is my second time reading this novel, and it still has a profound affect on me. As an educator, I have had the opportunity to help many Tishes and Matts. It is heartbreaking to see students endure adult situations in which their teenage minds are not mature enough to handle the stress that accompanies them. But like Mrs. Dunphrey, we help our students within our legal rights. Although this novel is fiction, it is true in many ways. It is a must read! It is a good read!

#margaretpetersonhaddix #bibliophile #blog #blogger #bloggerlife #books #bookblogger #bookreview #bookshelf #childabuse #diaries #newblogpost #ontheblogtoday #read #reader #reading #yalit #alwaysforeverreading #foreverreading

Forever Reading’s Rating =🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

The Family Business 2 Carl Weber

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The drama continues!

The Duncan’s are not seeing eye-to-eye due Orlando’s newly created drug, H.E.A.T., and Chippy expresses her feelings about this money-making drug, which catches Orlando off guard. However, a close encounter with death causes the Duncan family to value life even more and not be at odds with one another. Chippy also demonstrates just how far she will go to protect her family; she is a fierce mother and grandmother whose love is truly everlasting. Moreover, Carl Weber introduces two characters, Sasha and Trent, to add to the family drama. I recommend reading this novel because like the first installment of The Family Business, it is also a page-turner.

#carlweber #africanamerican #author #authorlove #bet #afamilybusinessnovel #thefamilybusiness #blog #blogger #bookblogger #bloggerlife #bookcover #bookreview #favoriteauthor #mystery #newblogpost #ontheblogtoday #newblogpost #read #urbanfiction #alwaysforeverreading #foreverreading

Forever Reading’s Rating = 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Eric Jerome Dickey

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The Tangled Web of Gideon

Although I am no stranger to Eric Jerome Dickey’s novels, I have not read the Gideon Series. I have read many reviews about this series, but I just have not read these particular books, so I decided that there is no better time like the present than to start reading about Gideon, the infamous hit man.

Sleeping with Strangers opens with major drama. Chapter 1 immediately interests me because Gideon, a hired killer is contracted to eliminate a minister. I’m thinking, “Surely, he will not kill the reverend.” Then, I say, “Wait a minute, won’t he go to hell if he kills a man of God?” Well, the clergyman does not make it; Gideon takes his life, receives his payment, and heads out of town. I am floored to learn that the minister’s wife wanted him dead. She discovers that he has cheated on her, and she exacts her revenge. Like the old saying goes, “Hell hath the no fury like a woman scorned.” In the King James Bible, Galatians 6:7 says it best, “…for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Hence, it is apparent that this man of the cloth must have overlooked and/or disregarded this particular scripture.

On a flight to England, Gideon meets Mrs. Jones, a consistent crier; Lola, a chatterbox; and indirectly, the mysterious man with whom he has business; he just does not know it yet. He is also searching for Thelma, his mother, and Arizona, a woman from his past and a character from Thieves’ Paradise. These characters take Gideon on a roller coaster ride, which abruptly stops and leaves readers rushing to purchase or check out the sequel, Waking with Enemies.

Because the suspense is at an all time high, I strongly recommend reading Sleeping with Strangers. If you have not read an EJD novel, then this is a great introduction. You will not be disappointed.

#ejd #ericjeromedickey #africanamerican #africanamericanmen #author #bibiophile #book #bookblogger #booklove #bookreview #favoriteauthor #literature #newblogpost #ontheblog #plot #read #reader #reading #readinglist #romance #suspense #alwaysforeverreading #foreverreading

Forever Reading’s Rating = 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟


A Michael Hague Book

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Kate Culhane: A Ghost Story (An Irish Tale)

Captured by the title and the cover, this book seemed interesting to me. But after I read the description, I checked it out at the library. Upon receiving this book, I immediately read it.

Based on an Irish tale, a Kate Culhane: Ghost Story will make its readers cringe, think aloud, and think twice about being in a cemetery or eating oatmeal. When reading this Irish folklore, I instantly liked Kate Culhane because she is strong, mentally and physically. She proves this when she accidentally stumbles upon a ghost’s grave.

Before even revealing itself, this ghost quickly starts making demands. He orders Kate to do things such as open his grave, carry him to a house on her back, and get him items while in the house. As I read this, I said aloud, “He sure is a bossy ghost, and she needs to tell it to do these things himself.” Remember, he is dead. However, I was really through with this demanding phantom when he orders Kate to eat the special oatmeal. I said, “He has lost his mind; I hope she passes on this meal!” Now, why he chooses to do what he does with the oatmeal is beyond disgusting.

When it is time for Kate to carry this obnoxious spirit back to his grave, he inadvertently reveals two things that he should have kept to himself. Then he tries to make Kate keep these secrets by taking her to his grave with him. Will Kate lose this battle with the pushy ghost? Will she ever find happiness? What does the ghost do to the oatmeal? Read this story to find out.

When it is time for Kate to carry this obnoxious spirit back to his grave, he inadvertently reveals two things that he should have kept to himself. Then he tries to make Kate keep these secrets by taking her to his grave with him. Will Kate lose this battle with the pushy ghost? Will she ever find happiness? What does the ghost do to the oatmeal? Read this story to find out.

#michaelhague #author #bibliophile #book #bookblogger #bookreview #elementarynonfiction #folklore #irish #library #literature #read #reader #reading #stories #teennonfiction #zombies #alwasyforeverreading #foreverreading

Forever Reading’s Rating = 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟