The Library of Flowers (Deluxe Edition) by L.C. Chu

 Book Excerpt:

"For centuries, the Hua women have held sway over the courts of emperors and billionaires with their magical perfumes able to stir hearts and ensure fortunes. And in every fifth generation, an eldest daughter is born with the rarest gift of all: the ability to summon true love.

As a long-awaited fifth daughter, Lucy was supposed to be the miracle her exacting mother had been waiting for. But when her magic failed, Lucy fled Vancouver, her legacy, and the expectations that had nearly broken her. Now, years later, she runs a tiny perfume shop tucked away in Toronto's Kensington Market—crafting beautiful, perfectly ordinary scents and keeping her extraordinary past firmly behind her. That is, until a death in the family brings her home...and saddles her with an unwelcome inheritance: the centuries-old Hua family register, brimming with secrets, formulas, and forgotten truths.

As Lucy unravels the stories of the women who came before her—including the mother whose complicated heart she never could understand—she must confront the tangled threads of love, power, and identity...and ask herself whether her magic was ever truly gone, or simply waiting for her to decide for herself what it means to be a daughter of the House of Hua."

Title:  The Library of Flowers

Author:  L.C. Chu

Publisher:  Sourcebooks Landmark

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating: Four

Review:

"The Library of Flowers" by L. C. Chu

My Review:  

'The Library of Flowers' was about the women of the Hua family, past and present, which was a very interesting read about their family, which involved their culture, history, emotion, and even some magic that went back several generations. Now, what was this magic family's trade...Perfumers by trade. Be ready for characters like Lucy and Ana, who will be quite interesting in the story. It was nice seeing a family finding themselves.

If you would like a story about strong women, this one is for you.

Thanks to Netgalley for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Good Joy, Bad Joy, by Mikki Brammer

 Book Excerpt:

"For over eighty years, Joy Bridport has played by the rules: she's been a devoted wife and mother, contributing to the community in her small Hudson Valley town. But her quiet existence is jolted when she learns that her best friend, Hazel, only has months left to live. Hazel has always been the more adventurous one of their duo, and she seems at peace with all that she's squeezed out of her long life. Yet Joy realizes she can't say the same.

Determined to live boldly and make the most of the time that she and Hazel have left together, Joy steps outside of her comfort zone—and into a bit of trouble. But as her foray into rule-breaking escalates into petty crime, Joy must consider what kind of legacy she wants to leave behind and whether there's a way to embrace the liberation that "Bad Joy" offers without losing all she holds dear.

Is it ever too late to become who we're meant to be? With laugh-out-loud hijnks and emotional heft, Good Joy, Bad Joy is a heartwarming and wise celebration of the choices we make, the friendships we cherish, and the lengths we go for love."

Title:  Good Joy, Bad Joy

Author:  Mikki Brammer

Publisher:  St. Martin's Press

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating: Five

Review:

Good Joy, Bad Joy by Mikki Brammer

My Review:

'Good Joy, Bad Joy' was a beautiful, good read. The reader will fall in love with Joy, who was eighty-nine years old, and I don't want to forget to mention Hazel, Joy's best friend. This will be a story that keeps one turning the pages, thanks to the author's ability to bring it to life for the reader.

This story was about a 'lifelong friendship, sisterhood, love, life, and even regrets'. This is one of those stories that will leave one pondering long after the read, even leaving one in tears.   

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Young King The Making of Martin Luther King Jr. by Lerone Martin

 Book Excerpt:

"From a preeminent King scholar, the origin story of the man, minister, and civil rights hero who would lead the nation and change the world.

We know who Martin Luther King, Jr. became, but who was he at the beginning of his life? How did his youth inform his outlook and activism?

Before Martin Luther King, Jr. was a civil rights leader, a Nobel Laureate, and a global hero, he was an emotional boy, a middling high school student devoted to fashion, dancing, and dating. Lerone A. Martin, Faculty Director of the Martin Luther King Institute at Stanford University, traces these roots to develop a fuller understanding of the influential preacher's emotional life, his youthful confusion about his future and career direction, his teenage missteps, and his inspiration to fight for justice."

Title:  Young King...The Making of Martin Luther King Jr.

Author:  Lerone Martin

Publisher:  Amistad

Reviewed By:  Arlena Dean

Rating: Five

Review:

"Young King...The Making of Martin Luther King Jr.

My Review:

This author, Lerone Martin, did a wonderful job telling a powerful story about Martin Luther King Jr. In fact, Martin Luther King Jr. is one person I can truly say was important throughout his life. From his childhood, family discipline, education, to his early encounters with racial things that showed the power of what went on with him in his life.  

This is one of those well-written reads that, once you start reading, you will find it will be hard to put down due to all that is in the remarkable read, as you are pulled into MLK Jr.'s life. Be ready for many interesting details, and you will find out a lot about his personal life.

If you are interested in a good biography that involves American history, you have come to the right place, because this non-fiction read will give you that and so much more.

Thank you to Netgalley and Amistad for the early read.