Blackreadingjoy
@robinlashanna.bsky.social
Writer. Reader. Activist. Public health. Retired chef. Hufflepuff
Current Reads:
Beyond the Mark
Current Reads:
Beyond the Mark
5✨ Most of us are quite familiar with Rev Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s “I have a Dream” speech but how many of us know “Letter from Birmingham Jail”? I reread this book yearly and glean more and more each time I read. I hope you pick it up this year as well.
#booksky #blackbooksky
#booksky #blackbooksky
January 18, 2026 at 2:46 AM
5✨ Most of us are quite familiar with Rev Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s “I have a Dream” speech but how many of us know “Letter from Birmingham Jail”? I reread this book yearly and glean more and more each time I read. I hope you pick it up this year as well.
#booksky #blackbooksky
#booksky #blackbooksky
4.25✨ This YA book is giving Back to the Future meets 90’s hip hop vibes! Raheem is using a phone from his friend but is it just a phone? Next thing, he has been teleported to the 1990’s where hip-hop is king and he has to get back home while not changing the future!
#blackbooksky #booksky
#blackbooksky #booksky
January 17, 2026 at 8:41 PM
4.25✨ This YA book is giving Back to the Future meets 90’s hip hop vibes! Raheem is using a phone from his friend but is it just a phone? Next thing, he has been teleported to the 1990’s where hip-hop is king and he has to get back home while not changing the future!
#blackbooksky #booksky
#blackbooksky #booksky
5✨ 🎧A short but powerful book told through letters between two friends, one Jewish man in the U.S. & his German friend living in Germany during Hitler’s rise. Eerily relevant to today’s political climate. Don’t skip the foreword or afterword.
Twists: 🌪️
#booksky
Twists: 🌪️
#booksky
January 17, 2026 at 8:25 PM
5✨ 🎧A short but powerful book told through letters between two friends, one Jewish man in the U.S. & his German friend living in Germany during Hitler’s rise. Eerily relevant to today’s political climate. Don’t skip the foreword or afterword.
Twists: 🌪️
#booksky
Twists: 🌪️
#booksky
4✨ Prudence’s perfect life shatters when a ghost from her past arrives.The story moves between her present day and post-apartheid South Africa (1996), where she worked on apartheid-era cases. A slow-burn thriller & historical fiction with a shocking ending.
Version: 🎧
Twists: 🌪️🌪️/5
#💙📚 #blackbooksky
Version: 🎧
Twists: 🌪️🌪️/5
#💙📚 #blackbooksky
January 17, 2026 at 8:13 PM
4✨ Prudence’s perfect life shatters when a ghost from her past arrives.The story moves between her present day and post-apartheid South Africa (1996), where she worked on apartheid-era cases. A slow-burn thriller & historical fiction with a shocking ending.
Version: 🎧
Twists: 🌪️🌪️/5
#💙📚 #blackbooksky
Version: 🎧
Twists: 🌪️🌪️/5
#💙📚 #blackbooksky
4.5✨ The Princess Bride is an amazing movie and is one of the few movies that does the book justice.
Listening to Rob Reiner narrate was heart wrenching but also lovely. You can tell he was not a professional narrator, just someone who loved the book and that was enough for me! Enjoy!
#booksky
Listening to Rob Reiner narrate was heart wrenching but also lovely. You can tell he was not a professional narrator, just someone who loved the book and that was enough for me! Enjoy!
#booksky
January 9, 2026 at 4:03 AM
4.5✨ The Princess Bride is an amazing movie and is one of the few movies that does the book justice.
Listening to Rob Reiner narrate was heart wrenching but also lovely. You can tell he was not a professional narrator, just someone who loved the book and that was enough for me! Enjoy!
#booksky
Listening to Rob Reiner narrate was heart wrenching but also lovely. You can tell he was not a professional narrator, just someone who loved the book and that was enough for me! Enjoy!
#booksky
4.25✨ Nadia, Luke & Aubrey are living life impacted by a secret that won’t stay buried. After losing her mom Nadia searches for love in a fast, doomed romance with Luke and then a friendship with Aubrey.
Deeply human characters, messy choices & so much miscommunication.
🎧 Audiobook
Spice :🌶️/5
Deeply human characters, messy choices & so much miscommunication.
🎧 Audiobook
Spice :🌶️/5
January 5, 2026 at 2:27 AM
4.25✨ Nadia, Luke & Aubrey are living life impacted by a secret that won’t stay buried. After losing her mom Nadia searches for love in a fast, doomed romance with Luke and then a friendship with Aubrey.
Deeply human characters, messy choices & so much miscommunication.
🎧 Audiobook
Spice :🌶️/5
Deeply human characters, messy choices & so much miscommunication.
🎧 Audiobook
Spice :🌶️/5
Check out my 2025 bookish year in review from @thestorygraph!!! Be sure to follow me there (Robin1b)!
I read books to inspire, educate, and relax me and I hope you do too! Read to grow for yourself and not for others!
#booksky #blackbooksky
I read books to inspire, educate, and relax me and I hope you do too! Read to grow for yourself and not for others!
#booksky #blackbooksky
January 1, 2026 at 8:12 PM
Check out my 2025 bookish year in review from @thestorygraph!!! Be sure to follow me there (Robin1b)!
I read books to inspire, educate, and relax me and I hope you do too! Read to grow for yourself and not for others!
#booksky #blackbooksky
I read books to inspire, educate, and relax me and I hope you do too! Read to grow for yourself and not for others!
#booksky #blackbooksky
4.75✨ 🎧 Erivo’s autobiography is heartfelt & inspiring. More than a performer, she’s a runner, daughter, & friend. From her childhood to Jesus Christ Superstar, she invites us to live boldly & be “simply more.”
“If it is boring the life out of you, it is not your life.”
#booksky #Blackbooksky
“If it is boring the life out of you, it is not your life.”
#booksky #Blackbooksky
January 1, 2026 at 4:25 AM
4.75✨ 🎧 Erivo’s autobiography is heartfelt & inspiring. More than a performer, she’s a runner, daughter, & friend. From her childhood to Jesus Christ Superstar, she invites us to live boldly & be “simply more.”
“If it is boring the life out of you, it is not your life.”
#booksky #Blackbooksky
“If it is boring the life out of you, it is not your life.”
#booksky #Blackbooksky
4.5✨🎧
Grace and Henry both lost their spouses a year ago. It’s time for the first holiday season without them. A beautiful friendship focused on shared grief blossoms. Full of holiday cheer, a heart wrenching & warming storyline & well developed characters that you will fall in love with!
#booksky
Grace and Henry both lost their spouses a year ago. It’s time for the first holiday season without them. A beautiful friendship focused on shared grief blossoms. Full of holiday cheer, a heart wrenching & warming storyline & well developed characters that you will fall in love with!
#booksky
December 31, 2025 at 12:02 AM
4.5✨🎧
Grace and Henry both lost their spouses a year ago. It’s time for the first holiday season without them. A beautiful friendship focused on shared grief blossoms. Full of holiday cheer, a heart wrenching & warming storyline & well developed characters that you will fall in love with!
#booksky
Grace and Henry both lost their spouses a year ago. It’s time for the first holiday season without them. A beautiful friendship focused on shared grief blossoms. Full of holiday cheer, a heart wrenching & warming storyline & well developed characters that you will fall in love with!
#booksky
4✨ Speculative fiction that made me 🤔. A “post-racial” America where white people disappear, centered on a bi-racial daughter & her Black father meeting for the first time after his wrongful incarceration. Raises big questions about power, trauma, healing & community.
🎧
#Blackbooksky
#booksky
🎧
#Blackbooksky
#booksky
December 30, 2025 at 2:02 PM
4✨ Speculative fiction that made me 🤔. A “post-racial” America where white people disappear, centered on a bi-racial daughter & her Black father meeting for the first time after his wrongful incarceration. Raises big questions about power, trauma, healing & community.
🎧
#Blackbooksky
#booksky
🎧
#Blackbooksky
#booksky
3.75✨ Super cute Christmas novella set in the town of Candy Cane Hollow, near London. When Holly Wood arrives a young woman is found dead and Mrs. Clause is the prime suspect! Full of Christmas cheer, a mystery, a few twists & a budding romance!
Version: 🎧
Twists: 🌪️
#booksky
Version: 🎧
Twists: 🌪️
#booksky
December 22, 2025 at 3:17 AM
3.75✨ Super cute Christmas novella set in the town of Candy Cane Hollow, near London. When Holly Wood arrives a young woman is found dead and Mrs. Clause is the prime suspect! Full of Christmas cheer, a mystery, a few twists & a budding romance!
Version: 🎧
Twists: 🌪️
#booksky
Version: 🎧
Twists: 🌪️
#booksky
4.25✨ Two business executives used to be childhood friends. Their parents owned a business together but after that went south so did their friendship. Now, they are competing for the same job and end up in the same town in the same hotel room!
Thanks to NetGalley (ALC)
Version: 🎧
Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5
Thanks to NetGalley (ALC)
Version: 🎧
Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5
December 22, 2025 at 3:04 AM
4.25✨ Two business executives used to be childhood friends. Their parents owned a business together but after that went south so did their friendship. Now, they are competing for the same job and end up in the same town in the same hotel room!
Thanks to NetGalley (ALC)
Version: 🎧
Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5
Thanks to NetGalley (ALC)
Version: 🎧
Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5
3.75✨ An author who is struggling with inspiration, a firefighter who struggles with his past and a small town called Santa Clause! Good story but lost me a bit in the middle due to focus on the spicy scenes and less on the actual story.
🎧
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Holiday: 🎄🎄🎄/5
#booksky #Blackbooksky
🎧
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Holiday: 🎄🎄🎄/5
#booksky #Blackbooksky
December 15, 2025 at 3:26 AM
3.75✨ An author who is struggling with inspiration, a firefighter who struggles with his past and a small town called Santa Clause! Good story but lost me a bit in the middle due to focus on the spicy scenes and less on the actual story.
🎧
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Holiday: 🎄🎄🎄/5
#booksky #Blackbooksky
🎧
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Holiday: 🎄🎄🎄/5
#booksky #Blackbooksky
3.5✨ Bee and Clover swap apartments as both are looking to get away from home for the holidays and find a fresh start across the country.
This book fell flat and didn’t bring me the Christmas vibes I was looking for.
💪🏾 LGBTQIA+ rep!
Version: 🎧
Spice: 🔥
Holiday cheer: 🎄
#booksky #Blackbooksky
This book fell flat and didn’t bring me the Christmas vibes I was looking for.
💪🏾 LGBTQIA+ rep!
Version: 🎧
Spice: 🔥
Holiday cheer: 🎄
#booksky #Blackbooksky
December 11, 2025 at 4:00 AM
3.5✨ Bee and Clover swap apartments as both are looking to get away from home for the holidays and find a fresh start across the country.
This book fell flat and didn’t bring me the Christmas vibes I was looking for.
💪🏾 LGBTQIA+ rep!
Version: 🎧
Spice: 🔥
Holiday cheer: 🎄
#booksky #Blackbooksky
This book fell flat and didn’t bring me the Christmas vibes I was looking for.
💪🏾 LGBTQIA+ rep!
Version: 🎧
Spice: 🔥
Holiday cheer: 🎄
#booksky #Blackbooksky
4✨ Christmasy Noel rents out her apartment for the holidays. In walks Kanton, a business man (Scrooge) with a plan. Much to his surprise Noel is home when he arrives and they must coexist for the week.
Predictable but cute!
Version: 🎧
Spice: 🔥🔥.5/5
Holiday Cheer: 🎄🎄🎄🎄/5
#blackbooksky #booksky
Predictable but cute!
Version: 🎧
Spice: 🔥🔥.5/5
Holiday Cheer: 🎄🎄🎄🎄/5
#blackbooksky #booksky
December 10, 2025 at 12:29 AM
4✨ Christmasy Noel rents out her apartment for the holidays. In walks Kanton, a business man (Scrooge) with a plan. Much to his surprise Noel is home when he arrives and they must coexist for the week.
Predictable but cute!
Version: 🎧
Spice: 🔥🔥.5/5
Holiday Cheer: 🎄🎄🎄🎄/5
#blackbooksky #booksky
Predictable but cute!
Version: 🎧
Spice: 🔥🔥.5/5
Holiday Cheer: 🎄🎄🎄🎄/5
#blackbooksky #booksky
I knew it’d be tough to read, and it was. It’s well structured, essy to read, and doesn’t drop huge bombs, but it does share some surprising political moments. What stands out most is her genuine concern for the country and her willingness to own her mistakes.
Version: 🎧
#booksky #Blackbooksky
Version: 🎧
#booksky #Blackbooksky
December 9, 2025 at 2:33 AM
I knew it’d be tough to read, and it was. It’s well structured, essy to read, and doesn’t drop huge bombs, but it does share some surprising political moments. What stands out most is her genuine concern for the country and her willingness to own her mistakes.
Version: 🎧
#booksky #Blackbooksky
Version: 🎧
#booksky #Blackbooksky
The last month I’ve been moving a bit slower. Taking time to reflect and breath. I read my books a little slower and that’s ok. Here are my November reads brought to you by @thestorygraph.com . An independent company that is doing this book thing on their own. #booksky #Blackbooksky
December 7, 2025 at 4:16 AM
The last month I’ve been moving a bit slower. Taking time to reflect and breath. I read my books a little slower and that’s ok. Here are my November reads brought to you by @thestorygraph.com . An independent company that is doing this book thing on their own. #booksky #Blackbooksky
3.0✨ The book focuses on a wedding in the family. The bride finds out that an assassination is set to happen and she can’t tell anyone except her funny aunties!
Some of the laughs are there but it dragged. Not as good as the first in the series.
Version: 🎧
Twists: 🌪️🌪️
#booksky #bluesky
Some of the laughs are there but it dragged. Not as good as the first in the series.
Version: 🎧
Twists: 🌪️🌪️
#booksky #bluesky
November 29, 2025 at 3:51 AM
4.0✨ It gave full-on “how did we get here?” energy, involving one daughter, four Chinese-Indonesian aunties, a dead body, a wedding, and a second-chance romance - all in one book!
Sometimes you just need a ridiculous, feel-good escape.
Version: 🎧 via Libby
Twists: 🌪️🌪️🌪️/5
#booksky #bluesky
Sometimes you just need a ridiculous, feel-good escape.
Version: 🎧 via Libby
Twists: 🌪️🌪️🌪️/5
#booksky #bluesky
November 23, 2025 at 2:56 AM
3.5✨This bio is thorough, messy, and honest. Pearlman digs deep, sometimes too deep, and the audiobook drags. He covers Afeni, the Panthers, Pac’s brilliance, contradictions, and the harm he caused.
Main critique: the cultural and systemic context is often missed.
Version: 🎧
ALC from NetGalley
Main critique: the cultural and systemic context is often missed.
Version: 🎧
ALC from NetGalley
November 20, 2025 at 1:09 AM
3.5✨This bio is thorough, messy, and honest. Pearlman digs deep, sometimes too deep, and the audiobook drags. He covers Afeni, the Panthers, Pac’s brilliance, contradictions, and the harm he caused.
Main critique: the cultural and systemic context is often missed.
Version: 🎧
ALC from NetGalley
Main critique: the cultural and systemic context is often missed.
Version: 🎧
ALC from NetGalley
3.75✨ Well written? Did it pull me in? Major twists? YES!
But, there was one big storyline element that just didn’t work for me. Can’t say more without spoilers, but definitely Google the trigger warnings before diving in.
Version: 🎧
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Twists: 🌪️🌪️🌪️.5/5
#booksky #Blackbooksky
But, there was one big storyline element that just didn’t work for me. Can’t say more without spoilers, but definitely Google the trigger warnings before diving in.
Version: 🎧
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Twists: 🌪️🌪️🌪️.5/5
#booksky #Blackbooksky
November 9, 2025 at 1:54 AM
3.75✨ Well written? Did it pull me in? Major twists? YES!
But, there was one big storyline element that just didn’t work for me. Can’t say more without spoilers, but definitely Google the trigger warnings before diving in.
Version: 🎧
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Twists: 🌪️🌪️🌪️.5/5
#booksky #Blackbooksky
But, there was one big storyline element that just didn’t work for me. Can’t say more without spoilers, but definitely Google the trigger warnings before diving in.
Version: 🎧
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
Twists: 🌪️🌪️🌪️.5/5
#booksky #Blackbooksky
4✨ Dark. Twisty. Intense. Jane is in a loveless marriage, in a house she hates, with a career that has never gotten off the ground. But all this is about to change when she finds out her college friend Thalia is going to be at a writers con.
Read it!
Version: 🎧
Twists: 🌪️🌪️🌪️/5
#booksky #bluesky
Read it!
Version: 🎧
Twists: 🌪️🌪️🌪️/5
#booksky #bluesky
November 1, 2025 at 4:33 AM
3.50✨ Summer’s Echo is a story of friends to lovers, lost love, and a whole lot of slow burn. The story flips between Summer and Echo, both as teens and then as adults, right after Summer’s wedding goes up in smoke.
Moved way too slow. Not my fave.
Version: 🎧
Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5
#booksky #Blackbooksky
Moved way too slow. Not my fave.
Version: 🎧
Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5
#booksky #Blackbooksky
October 29, 2025 at 3:16 AM
3.50✨ Summer’s Echo is a story of friends to lovers, lost love, and a whole lot of slow burn. The story flips between Summer and Echo, both as teens and then as adults, right after Summer’s wedding goes up in smoke.
Moved way too slow. Not my fave.
Version: 🎧
Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5
#booksky #Blackbooksky
Moved way too slow. Not my fave.
Version: 🎧
Spice: 🌶️🌶️/5
#booksky #Blackbooksky
4.5✨ Natasha Bishop has officially become one of my go-to romance authors, and the final book in her “Lost and Found” series did not disappoint!
We’ve got a second-chance romance, a demanding father, and women’s sports all in one book!
Read the series
Version: 🎧
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
#booksky #Blackbooksky
We’ve got a second-chance romance, a demanding father, and women’s sports all in one book!
Read the series
Version: 🎧
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
#booksky #Blackbooksky
October 26, 2025 at 3:07 AM
4.5✨ Natasha Bishop has officially become one of my go-to romance authors, and the final book in her “Lost and Found” series did not disappoint!
We’ve got a second-chance romance, a demanding father, and women’s sports all in one book!
Read the series
Version: 🎧
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
#booksky #Blackbooksky
We’ve got a second-chance romance, a demanding father, and women’s sports all in one book!
Read the series
Version: 🎧
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5
#booksky #Blackbooksky
Sorry I’ve been a bit MIA. I’ve been busy becoming an official half marathoner! Back to your regularly scheduled reading programming #booksky #Blackbooksky
October 25, 2025 at 2:52 AM
Sorry I’ve been a bit MIA. I’ve been busy becoming an official half marathoner! Back to your regularly scheduled reading programming #booksky #Blackbooksky