#chasingadventuresbookclub

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Feminists love #romance novels too! * * * Work has kicked my tail for the last 3 months, so I’ve read plenty of guilty pleasures, and this rom-com by @tessabaileyisanauthor didn’t disappoint. Without spoilers I would say that there is growth in the main character, there are girl friendships that inspire and there is also LOTS OF STEAM! I needed something easy to get through and light enough to bring a smile. What’s even greater is that she has a second book that was recently released that I’ve already started reading. Review coming soon! * * * SN: I really love this Cozy Smoothie bowl from @zvaultbelair ! * * * Synopsis: * Georgette Castle’s family runs the best home renovation business in town, but she picked balloons instead of blueprints and they haven’t taken her seriously since. Frankly, she’s over it. Georgie loves planning children’s birthday parties and making people laugh, just not at her own expense. She’s determined to fix herself up into a Woman of the World... whatever that means. * * * 📸 @gabbyzsana !!! Give her a follow at @richcreatives_ !!! #bookstagram #womenshistorymonth #chasingadventuresbookclub (at Z Vault Bel Air) https://www.instagram.com/p/B9RS3tggJ7a/?igshid=1a9fq6rj3y6b2

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Day drinking and reading books * * * #bookstagram #currentlyreading #chasingadventuresbookclub #chacuterieboard #romancebooks https://www.instagram.com/p/B-ADkpogJQ_/?igshid=gzmnlmhlluz2

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Today, I’m practicing a bit of #socialdistancing while supporting #localbusiness . #HarCo loves delivery from @bestmargheritapizza and so do I. A large pepperoni and sausage for #PiDay is a major win! Couple that with a library book buddy read of Intercepted by @alexambooks and I’m feeling good. Shout out to the crew for making this Saturday awesome (@jonellemybelle , @dja_goo , @kewlbeans82 ❤️). * * * Go get your library books from @belairhcplmd ! They close Sunday until the of the month! * #bookstagram #chasingadventuresbookclub #saturday #pizza #quiettime #diversifybookstagram #coronavirusshutin (at Home Sweet Home) https://www.instagram.com/p/B9us7gdgUTl/?igshid=jnqe1ws0anvs

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Happy Pub Day! Congratulations to @ebonyelizabeththomas on her newest release - The Dark Fantastic ; Race and the imagination from Harry Potter to the Hunger Games. * * * Thanks so much for the ARC @nyupress * * * Google Book Synopsis: “The Dark Fantastic is an engaging and provocative exploration of race in popular youth and young adult speculative fiction. Grounded in her experiences as YA novelist, fanfiction writer, and scholar of education, Thomas considers four black girl protagonists from some of the most popular stories of the early 21st century: Bonnie Bennett from the CW’s The Vampire Diaries, Rue from Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games, Gwen from the BBC’s Merlin, and Angelina Johnson from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter. Analyzing their narratives and audience reactions to them reveals how these characters mirror the violence against black and brown people in our own world.” * * * Review: I joined #bookstagram , because I was interested in #diversespines in #fantasy and #sciencefiction. I have read too many vampire stories, fairy tales and paranormal novels searching for black protagonists or at least hoping to relate to the other characters in a deep way. My favorite piece in this work is her study on Hermione. Not too long ago, the ever popular #blackhogwarts had me cackling and finding members of the #blerd squad. Reading her thoughts on the origin stories of people of color was fascinating! She asks the question - “how could anyone subject a magical person in Rowling’s legendarium to chattel slavery?” My mind is blown, because that is an excellent question for world building! * * * Ebony addresses head on her own scandals as it relates to the fickle fandom communities - which is much appreciated. I wonder if her treatment would have been any different if she were not black. We shall never know, I suppose. * * * Her most poignant question- “What happens to the fantastic when the implied reader is White, but the actual reader is not?” * I want to know what y’all think about that! * * Bottom line - BUY THIS BOOK, READ THIS BOOK. Let’s discuss, argue and influence this community! * * * #chasingadventuresbookclub https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxube-_g8Ja/?igshid=x9ptpthvper0

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It’s #nationalbookloversday ! It’s too hard to ask me for my favorite book, but I’ll share a few of the ones I re-read! * 1. Sassafras, Cypress and Indigo by #NtozakeShange “Where there is a woman there is magic. If there is a moon falling from her mouth, she is a woman who knows her magic, who can share or not share her powers. A woman with a moon falling from her mouth, roses between her legs and tiaras of Spanish moss, this woman is a consort of the spirits.” * 2. A Discovery of Witches by @debharkness (#allsoulstrilogy) is a series I read every fall. And it was just announced that Season 2 of @adiscoveryofwitchestv will be out in Jan 2021! * 3. I love by #ACOTAR AND #TOG by @therealsjmaas ... by Empire of Storms in the Throne of Glass series holds a special place for me! * 4. New favorite is Justina Ireland’s alternate history #zombie #dystopian series #DreadNatiom 5. @professor_crunk Eloquent Rage is a book I re-read and quote tooooo often. Check out her TED talks. This book helped me embrace my Black Feminism * 5. How to be Antiracist by @ibramxk ... Stamped garnered a lot of attention, but this book is pure gold. Part memoir, part guide - it’s an easy reference for becoming #antiracist * Currently Reading: Girl, Woman, Other by @bernardineevaristowriter for #chasingadventuresbookclub ! * * Tell me a few of your favorite books below! * * * ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ https://www.instagram.com/p/CDrSfCRASvs/?igshid=11lsp0r39c7jg

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Tonight’s plans... * * * August pick for #chasingadventuresbookclub us Girl, Woman, Other by @bernardineevaristowriter ! * * * @goodreads synopsis: 8 Teeming with life and crackling with energy — a love song to modern Britain and black womanhood * Girl, Woman, Other follows the lives and struggles of twelve very different characters. Mostly women, black and British, they tell the stories of their families, friends and lovers, across the country and through the years. * Joyfully polyphonic and vibrantly contemporary, this is a gloriously new kind of history, a novel of our times: celebratory, ever-dynamic and utterly irresistible * * * #bookstagram #bookish #currentlyreading https://www.instagram.com/p/CDkbydaA_D0/?igshid=umq3u9bb2k99

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#BlackResilienceBookstaTour hosted by @prettylittlebookshelf * Day 16: Sci-Fi Fantasy Zombies, a snarky protagonist and female friendships that slay then go on a western adventure in an alternate Civil War historical fiction...What else could you want?! * The series features the dynamic frenemy duo Jane and Katherine and I love them both. Jane is all ambition and rebel -Katherine will kill a zombie while wearing a corset. I’m a mixture of both of them - a little rebel , a little classy - ALL SAVAGE 😈 * Dread Nation Synopsis: * Trained at Miss Preston’s School of Combat for Negro Girls in both weaponry and etiquette, Jane McKeene is poised for a successful career protecting the wealthy from the encroaching plague of walking dead. But when families begin to go missing, Jane uncovers a conspiracy that pits her against some powerful enemies. Sent far from home, Jane will need all her resourcefulness, wit and strength of character to survive. * A powerful, compelling tale of a young girl’s journey through a hostile world, Jane McKeene is an unforgettable protagonist, and Dread Nation is an unforgettable book. * * Stop by these #bookstagrammers on the tour! @poe.tics @literaryintersections @adoseofdai @Ablackmanreading @prettylittlebookshelf @thelagosreview @hillysreads @booksandbsides @fictionspines @kaylaturnsthepage @bookinitwithahtiya @whenwendyreads * * #BlackResilienceBookstaTour #AntiRacist #Blackliterature #Blacklit #Blackbooksmatter #Blackstorieshavepower #Diversereads #Diversespines #Diversebooks #Diversifybookstagram #Blackbookstagram #Representationmatters #Ownvoices #AmplifyBlackvoices #chasingadventuresbookclub #AmplifyMelanatedVoices https://www.instagram.com/p/CCtnmhQgcK4/?igshid=1wumo0bhbjtcs

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#FLASHGIVEAWAY * Thanks for all of the new follows! I reached a milestone of 3K! Why does this matter? Well, as a social media platform this number helps signal to larger publication houses that #ownvoices reviews do matter and that we do create content that impacts reader choices. My goal with this platform is to partner with inclusive brands, publishing companies and self-care enthusiasts to provide services and products to women. I want to create a safe space for women to Chase Adventures in books and Find Peace within themselves. I’m all about good energy, positive impact and fighting against injustices. So, thank you for giving me an opportunity to share my passions and chase adventures. * To enter the giveaway: 1. Subscribe to my newsletter (link in bio) 2. Follow me 3. Tag a friend and let me know what’s your favorite wine! 4. Sharing in stories gets you an extra entry 5. Winner will be announced tomorrow at 7:30PM EST! * Prize: $25 gift Card to @harrietts_bookshop * * #bookstagram #bookish #chasingadventures #chasingadventuresbookclub https://www.instagram.com/p/CCmNSsoAn5u/?igshid=1w1zrlz4aiaba

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Poetry and #avocadotoast on a Friday❤️ * Thank you to my beautiful friend @_pagesgaloree for this gift. June Jordan’s poetry is incredibly relevant in today’s climate. I plan to discuss her a bit in my July Journal for her birthday. If you love poetry - read her work, consume the words and connect to the passionate activism within the pages. June said, “[t]he first function of poetry is to tell the truth, to learn how to do that, to find out what you really feel and what you really think.” Her poetry is not soft, it’s alive and electrifying. It is truth. * * * “I am a woman searching for her savagery even if it’s doomed.” -June Jordan * * * #bookstagram #amplifymelanatedvoices #amplifyblackvoices #chasingadventuresbookclub #cocochasingadventures #thecozyadventurejournal #poetry #junejordan https://www.instagram.com/p/CBVxi_lgCzb/?igshid=wtmfhgsushsk

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Happy Monday! Yesterday, I celebrated my 36th birthday and it was everything I could hope for in these times. I spent the morning slowly savoring a cup of coffee with my husband. Kid Mac gave me the sweetest kisses with the sun shining brightly through the window shades full of promise. I was able to participate in another demonstration and it was inspiring to see the fire in the eyes of our youth. In the evening, I was surrounded by family and friends (virtually) toasting to a new future. It doesn’t miss me that while I celebrate my birthday, #breonnataylor would’ve been 27 herself. So, in many ways I was celebrating her too. She helped remind me of my purpose in life. If you ask me what I want to do while on Earth, I will tell you it is to inspire and empower our people. My goal is to create safe spaces to explore culture and give courage to chase adventures. I’m queen of cozy vibes - so I will share my journey of fully living life, and making every moment special. This page is dedicated to joy, this page is dedicated to the resistance against all things that threaten that joy. This page is dedicated to us. * * * #bookstagram #bookish #goodenergy #vibes #thecozyadventurejournal #chasingadventuresbookclub #blackjoy #blackgirljoy #joy https://www.instagram.com/p/CBLhkG6ALPR/?igshid=1266ce8v3v5i6

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#amplifymelanatedvoices #chasingadventuresbookclub #thecozyadventurejournal #antiracist #antiracistreadinglist https://www.instagram.com/p/CA8MUl5ATeA/?igshid=1nlfax0dqu9xh

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The Cozy Adventure Journal * My goal is to provide a monthly gazette of anticipated diverse reads, book reviews, cozy recipes and new ways to experience adventures. Your feedback is welcome and please feel free to share and discuss this newsletter on social media using the hashtags: * #ChasingAdventuresBookClub or #TheCozyAdventureJournal  * Every month, I will pick a winner from these hashtags to give a special prize! This month the prize will be the book Conjure Women by Afia Atakora! * Link in Bio! * * * #bookstagram #bookish #currentlyreading #newsletter #tea #diversereads #diversebooks #selfcare #geminiseason https://www.instagram.com/p/CA5aO3VAigB/?igshid=1mruga8ozo365

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#bookreview * * * I don’t know that @acevedowrites needs my particular praise, but I’ll give it anyway. At this point, whatever she writes, I’m buying in hardback and in audiobook form. I won’t even spend time in this review giving you the book synopsis, I’ll just get right to the meat of the meal that is this book. Key review points below: 1. Get the audiobook, Ms. Acevedo and @sheismela narrate this novel in prose and the performance adds a layer of emotion that is truly magic. At some point in the story, the two performers read the words at once and it is pure harmony. I cried at the creative beauty that Acevedo possesses. The ancestors truly have blessed her... which leads to the next point 2. This story was a complicated tale to tell. How does one examine the stories of our family’s secrets when dealing in grief at the same time? Then, how does the author weave that tale such that even the darkest of secrets still garners sympathy from the reader. How does a writer stay true to the cultures we were born of but still articulate the American Immigrant experience? Acevedo masters this art and eases through the complicated nature of colorism to boot. 3. Her characters are deep and complex with well thought out narratives. There are no throwaway personalities in the book, no name you don’t cling too. 4. The actual story is amazing, with mysteries, triumph and redemption. Any story that has all three elements is definitely a winner in my book. 5. I cried the ugly tears at several parts, I won’t tell you where - hit me up in my dm if you wanna chat. * Lastly, @acevedowrites got BARZ. PERIODT * ... Papi’s reminder in my ear: * you are dark & always been beautiful: * like the night, like a star after it bursts, like obsidian & onyx & jet precious. * But I know I am beautiful like all & none of those things: * far in the sky & deep in the earth I am beautiful like a dark-skinned girl that is right here * I always preferred playing black on the chessboard. * Always advancing, conquering my offending * other side. * #bookstagram #bookish #chasingadventuresbookclub #thecozyadventures #clapwhenyouland #elizabethacevedo #avocadotoast #poetry #currentlyreading https://www.instagram.com/p/CAiovBxgY1Z/?igshid=1gnri41xgeed6

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#PizzaNight in the backyard! Dear husband just got us a new #firepit table for warmer nights, so I made some drinks and pizza to do a test run. I set it up #pizzeria style with a pizza stone , red peppers, oregano and @kraftheinzus Parmesan Cheese ! * Tonight, I’m finishing ‘Til the Well Runs Dry and taking notes for Friday’s @caprichosbooks Zoom #bookclub meeting. I have so many thoughts on every character. This book is juicy and filled with all the makings of great gossipy discussion. Shoot me a DM if you want to join in! I’m sending out details a Friday morning 😘 * * * #bookstagram #HarCo #chasingadventuresbookclub https://www.instagram.com/p/CAJT2Pbg22y/?igshid=1vzjj5er1x7nm

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#Quarantine has brought out the best cook in all of us, and Sundays are special. I am a super fan of the Joanna Gaines collection at @Target. I'm an even bigger fan of her cookbook. Recently she released her newest one, Magnolita Table, and I am in love! For dinner tonight, I cooked the Sunday Pot Roast. I'll post my full review in my stories! * While I cook, I love to listen to audiobooks, and right now I’m finishing up the massive Crescent City by @therealsjmaas . Has anyone finished this yet? Thoughts? * Synopsis: * Bryce Quinlan had the perfect life-working hard all day and partying all night-until a demon murdered her closest friends, leaving her bereft, wounded, and alone. When the accused is behind bars but the crimes start up again, Bryce finds herself at the heart of the investigation. She'll do whatever it takes to avenge their deaths. * Hunt Athalar is a notorious Fallen angel, now enslaved to the Archangels he once attempted to overthrow. His brutal skills and incredible strength have been set to one purpose-to assassinate his boss's enemies, no questions asked. But with a demon wreaking havoc in the city, he's offered an irresistible deal: help Bryce find the murderer, and his freedom will be within reach. * As Bryce and Hunt dig deep into Crescent City's underbelly, they discover a dark power that threatens everything and everyone they hold dear, and they find, in each other, a blazing passion-one that could set them both free, if they'd only let it * * * #Bookstagram #chasingadventuresbookclub #sundayfunday #bookish #sarahjmaas #currentlyreading #reading #audiobooks #fae https://www.instagram.com/p/B_vnK8VAe7T/?igshid=1vveqbtcwfg0g

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Happy Birthday #MayaAngelou ! * QOTD: How are you talking to your little ones about #covid19 and the #quarantine ? * * * For us, we have explained to him the there are several sick people, and we have to protect ourselves and others from germs. But, I also don’t want to increase his anxiety in this evolving and dynamic environment. So, we are trying to keep some routines the same— we still have #tacotuesday and #familynight on Fridays. Last night we played in LEGO’s and danced one of those challenges. This #childrensbook is a poem of #affirmations that says no matter what happens, life doesn’t have to frighten you. The pages are illustrated by Jean-Michel Basquiat for an extra lesson in art and culture for the kiddos. Ultimately, we are all scared - but I don’t have to live in that fear. That’s the major lesson I’m hoping to impart of my son. Prayers and Blessings to everyone 🙏🏾 * * * I've got a magic charm That I keep up my sleeve I can walk the ocean floor And never have to breathe. * Life doesn't frighten me at all Not at all Not at all. * Life doesn't frighten me at all. * * * #bookstagram #chasingadventuresbookclub #blackboysread #blackfamily #blacksons #jeanbasquiat #currentlyreading #stayhome (at Home Sweet Home) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-kJmUEgaB9/?igshid=8gu8t5b9w3rg