The Reading Diva

Program at the Charleston NPHC Prayer Vigil on Saturday Several of you have asked about ways you would like to help the families of the Emanuel Nine or donate funds in their memories.  Here is a short list (which will probably grow in the next few days) on ways you can help. Picture I took at Mother Emanuel when I visited the church on Tuesday The biggest fund is the Mother Emanuel Hope Fund.  This fund will help family members with funeral and burial expenses.  Any remaining money will go to the AME Church, in which the leadership will determine how to use it.  There are three ways to donate: 1. By check to: Mother Emanuel Hope Fund c/o City of Charleston Post Office Box 304 Charleston, SC 29402 2. Stop by any Wells Fargo Bank nationwide and make a donation. 3. And texting 'prayforcharleston' to 843-606-5995 or going to www.bidr.co/prayforcharleston .  Passcode is FAMILY. Another fund that was started is the...

Hey ya'll. Today's normally the day I post Book News You Can Use, but not today. As many of you had heard, my hometown was struck by an unthinkable tragedy Wednesday night. Nine people were shot and killed at (Mother) Emanuel A.M.E. Church, right in the heart of downtown Charleston. Some of you may have also heard that I knew three of the victims.  The pastor was a state senator who represented the area that my parents live in. Another was the manager of the library that I often go to and would have conversations about library issues and life in general.  And one was a member of my beloved Delta and was in my alumnae chapter. Many of my friends and neighbors lost loved ones during this tragedy.  And our area has gone through so much already this year, with the killing of Walter Scott (who several of my family members knew), a killing of a mother who was driving her car and just left a Mother's Day celebration, another woman who was killed in her car while s...

More books came in the mail last week so it's time for another edition of Mailbox Monday! All of the books today came from Harper Books .  Two will be released in July and everyone knows the third book. Crooked Heart You Don't Have to Live Like This To Kill a Mockingbird (to reread in time for the release of Go Set a Watchman) Do you see any books that you would like to read? Hit me up in the comments section! Thanks to Harper for the ARCs!

Relax in Paradise Vincent Bugliosi . Congratulations to the winners of the Nebula Awards! Congratulations also go out to Juan Felipe Herrera, who was named U.S. Poet Laureate ! I hope the person who stole the new 50 Shades of Crap Gray manuscript did the world a favor and threw it in the recycling bin. The new Robert Galbraith book has a cover and a release date. The Fault in Our Stars was the best-selling e-book of 2014. Authors,  just stay away from Goodreads reviews . Kim Kardashian impersonator Glee star Naya Rivera landed a memoir deal . A new book about Whitney Houston and Bobbi Kristina Brown says that Whitney was extorted over a possible lesbian affair and gives theories on what happened to Bobbi Kristina. A cover has been released for Sara Bareilles' book. I already had mixed feeling about making movies based off the Flyy Girl series (because the first one is the only one worthy of a movie), but I really can't see Sanaa Lathan as Tracey . ...

I received an ARC from Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley .  Opinions are my own. Drama in the Black Family continues in Kimberla Lawson Roby's new book, The Ultimate Betrayal , which is out TODAY!  This book focuses on Alicia, Curtis' oldest daughter, and her best friend Melanie. Alicia is engaged to Phillip, her first husband.  They broke up years ago because of Alicia's addiction to shopping and her affair with Levi, a drug dealer.  Levi's been locked up for a few years and now he's out of prison. And wants Alicia back.  Will she stay faithful to Phillip or will the Black genes kick in and cause her to be unfaithful again? Melanie has a weight problem. Or so she thinks. She's the ideal weight for her height, but constantly thinks that she's fat.  Will her weight problems cause her to loose her marriage and her life?  And what's up with the money that her husband Brad keeps taking out of the bank account? If you are a fan of Kimberla...

More books came in the mail last week, so it's time for another edition of Mailbox Monday! I was suppose to receive both of today's featured books from Harper Books several months ago when ARCs were available.  Since they ran out of the ARCs, I was able to get the finished copies!  They are: Pleasantville  (the sequel to Black Water Rising , which I loved several years ago) Finding Samuel Lowe (which was written by a soror) Do you see any books you would like to read? Hit me up in the comments section!  Thanks to Harper for the books!

Congrats to Jacqueline Woodson for being named Young People's Poet Laureate ! Congrats also go out to Ali Smith for winning the Baileys Women Prize ! Flannery O'Connor was recently honored with her own USPS stamp . Be on the lookout for a signed copy of To Kill A Mockingbird that is missing from Blue Bicycle Bookstore. Maybe the book will show up in the auction where Harper Lee's letters are being sold . Judy Blume gave some advice to the people of the Internet. Why is there another 50 Shades of Crap Gray book coming out? Showrunner Shonda Rhimes will be releasing her memoir in November . Also working on their memoirs are Gabourey Sidibe and U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell . Speaking of possible memoirs, publishing insiders are wondering how much a Bruce Caitlyn Jenner memoir would be worth . Wendell Pierce's book about Katrina and New Orleans' recovery now has a cover . Pharrell's book for children also has a cover (with lots of happy...

Another book came in the mail last week, so it's time for another edition of Mailbox Monday!  Today's book is one I've been waiting for and it was released last week.  I received an ARC of  Balm from Harper Books .  As you may know, this book has been on several summer reads lists. Is this a book you are interested in reading?  Hit me up in the comments section!  Thanks Harper for the ARC!