Sandie
@sandiegrams
🚫 DMs! No more warnings. I’m going to just start blocking anyone who sends me an unsolicited message. Retired Educational Mentor, now full time homeschooling grandma. I love books, arts, people, and kindness.
Monthly Wrap Up I’m also still reading Dungeon Crawler Carl everyday, usually for relaxing before going to sleep!
Celebrating books by Black Authors! #booksky #blackbooksky #historical #multiracialfamilies My Black to Front group never steers me wrong! This story was so compelling, bittersweet, and heartbreaking all at the same time. I ached for every single character. Lyrical, poetic, beautiful, & powerful.
Celebrating books by Black authors! #booksky #blackbooksky #history #funny I don’t know what to say about this one. If you’re a Civil War history buff, this book is super funny and charming. It is not really my cup of tea, but I am happy I read it. I think it would make a fantastic movie!
June’s Books Again what isn’t included is another reread of DCC! Out of this set, my top three are Happy Land, Honey, and The Mad Wife.
Books Celebrating Black Authors! #booksky #blackbooksky #familytrauma #stolenwealth The research that went into this historical fiction makes it more historical than fictional. Some of the names have been changed, but millions of Black families have been and still are being robbed ‘legally’. 5/5🌟
Books Celebrating Black Woman Authors! #booksky #blackbooksky #motherdaughterstory #historicalfiction This book broke my heart open many times. The relationships between the mothers and the daughters are deeply complicated. The way society treated women in 1950, is too much like current headlines!
Books Celebrating Black Women Authors! #booksky #blackbooksky #lgbtq+representation I enjoyed this book very much! Two motherless girls growing up in the middle of the civil rights movement. The friendship, found families, and how two friends end up living two very different lives is engaging.
Celebrating Black Female Authors! #booksky #blackbooksky #intersectionality I don’t even know what to say about this book. I was mesmerized from page one. I love the writing style. The main character’s choices all seem reasonable in the moment. Where is the line between sanity and insanity.
Celebrating Female Authors! #booksky #womanshealth #mentalhealth This book represents the experiences of women between the 1930s-1970s. It opens deep wounds, mental and physical, that come from women not being treated properly by society or the medical system.
Books Celebrating Female Authors! #booksky #lgbtrepresentation #sapphicromance #comingofage I wasn’t sure I was going to like this one. It took me about 1/3 of the book to become invested in the characters. It turned into a great story of a woman awakening into her pleasure and power.
I read all 7 Dungeon Crawler Carl books again in April. They comfort and regulate me in ways I cannot explain. They give me hope, they help me feel powerful instead of powerless against the systems that are crushing us. I strongly recommend Cleopatra, Assata, and Atmosphere they are all great.
Celebrating Female Authors! #booksky #lgbtqrepresentation #nasaprograms #latebloomer I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Central theme is figuring out who you are. Set in the early ‘80s it is a snapshot of how US policies were changing for the better. It is sad to see how far we have fallen. 3.5/5🌟
Celebrating Black Female Authors! #booksky #blackbooksky #cleopatra I enjoyed this retelling of a story we all think we know, yet every generation needs to explore. Told in 1st person we experience Cleopatra’s emotions & insecurities intimately. It is written in prose that feels like poetry. 4/5🌟
Celebrating Female Authors! #booksky #retellingoldtales #jewishmythology #lgbtqrepresentation I wanted to like this one more than I did. It was an ok story, not sure if it is official YA, but definitely reads like YA. The concept of rewriting a golem myth is interesting, the writing isn’t. 3/5🌟
Celebrating Black Female Authors! #booksky #blackbooksky #familysecrets This novel told all in verse explores grief, relationships, family secrets, and growing up. How can a man be such a great dad, but such a terrible partner? How can we experience a person who isn’t there anymore? 4/5 🌟
Celebrating Female Authors! #booksky #dystopian The author’s style combines a childlike sense of wonder with a woman’s philosophical insights on freedom, resilience and what it means to be human. I found it to be an interesting little story. What would it be like to be the only soul alive. 3.5/5🌟
Celebrating Women Authors, #booksky #dystopianfuture This book rides the line between tween and young teen. Joann enters cryosleep to repopulate Earth in 200 years, but wakes up alone. The book explores themes of resilience and optimism. I would like to read this with a class of 13-14 year olds.
Celebrating Black Female Authors! #booksky #blackbooksky #firstloves This is a beautiful story about first love, identity, memories, and how we journey through life (and space). We often feel that longing to know where we came from. The entire story is a series of poems, not a spare word. 5/5🌟
Celebrating Black Authors! #resistance #booksky #blackbooksky This book is inspiring and powerful! I don’t think I can say enough good things about it. This collection of interviews, essays, and speeches are important to today’s struggle. Ms Davis ties together many threads of oppression. 5/5 🌟
Books Celebrating Black Female Authors! #booksky #blackbooksky Heart wrenching story about grief, guilt, and the hope to go on when nothing seems worth it. It is beautiful and gripping. It started slowly, but then really drew me in. The ending was very special. 4/5 🌟
Books…. I have been addicted to Dungeon Crawler Carl. I caved to peer pressure on Dec 21st and started the audiobooks. I finished all 7 by January 7th. I have tried to read many other books over the last two weeks, but nothing is holding my attention. I gave in and started the books over.
Books Celebrating Black Female Authors! #booksky #blackbooksky #education Wow!!! Wow!!! Everyone, especially those in education, should read this right away! If you are a student, if you are a parent, if you are a teacher of any kind, stop what you are doing and read this book! 5/5 🌟
Books Celebrating Female Authors! #booksky #itcanhappenhere A touching tale about life long female friendships, it is also is a cautionary tale for women in the US. It makes me so angry to know that generations of women have been terrorized by their government and as Americans we were involved.
Books Celebrating Female Authors! #booksky It took me awhile to get into this novel, however by 1/2 way, I couldn’t put it down. The story is told only through letters. I really like having the main character be mid 70’s and dealing with real issues concerning family, health, and past choices.
Books Celebrating Black Authors! #booksky #blackbooksky #realhistory Based on the life of a woman and the horrors she endured and witnessed as the ‘yellow wife’ of a slave auctioneer. Not a book for the squeamish, however I think all white people NEED to bare witness to these horrific atrocities.
Books Celebrating Black Authors! #booksky #blackbooksky The experience Medusa had when SHE was put on trial for what was done TO HER, when words were easily twisted to make her doubt herself, one violent act ‘ruined’ her making her an outcast monster forever still happens to girls everywhere. 5/5🌟