I Talk Sh*t and Read

My TBR pile is out of control in the best of ways. I’ve had more time to read this year, but less time to review and share the gems hiding among the stacks littering my living room. Thus is born a new segment: Ro’s Reading List . Where I’ll highlight some of the books I’ve read recently that you’re going to want to add to your TBR list.  Top Three Recommendations:  Th...

A Conversation with Matt Wallace I had the opportunity to sit down with author Matt Wallace and discuss his epic fantasy trilogy. This epic opens with a seeming utopian society that relies on an expendable fighting force known as the Savages. Now there are plenty of books about empire building and fantasy worlds about a lurking evil beneath the surface of a seemingly peaceful society. But the Sava...

Conversation with Kat Howard  A Sleight of Shadows  released April 25, 2023 and immediately made Ro’s top five list of April books. Listen in as Ro and Kat discuss her inspiration, writing process and her unflinching willingness to be ruthless when the story calls for it. Because, If you ask Ro, the best urban fantasy stories are the ones where things are dark and complicated. Enter The Unse...

There are some stories that sneak up on you. Luring you in with subtle descriptions and a glimpse at a  character’s inner-most thoughts. You think you’re about to embark on a journey, and you are, but it’s definitely not the one you think following a young woman home – to the land she was stolen from – is likely to take you on.  Instead of a slowly unfolding story abo...

I Talk Sh!t & Presents : B!tch it’s a Book Club . This new segment will be a free wheeling discussion of books from various genres of speculative fiction. The set list’s built around novellas and designed to introduce authors and/or stories some may not know yet. First up is horror novella, The Murders of Molly Southbourne by Tade Thompson.  The Murders of Molly Southbourne  Synops...

Tuesdays Means New Books  There really isn’t a better time to snuggle up somewhere with a book than in the Fall. I read regularly (which is a hobby once again gaining popularity) but during the days of distancing, it’s officially my go-to activity when I want to be outside in the sun but avoid people.  If you’re trying to find things to do in what spare time you’ve got or a...

I’m always a fan of books that open with a unique sense of urgency . And fairy tales. I’m a sucker for a good retelling. One of my favorites this year beautifully blends the two. Author Kalynn Bayron’s debut young adult novel, Cinderella is Dead . In  Cinderella is Dead , Bayron, re-imagines the world of this classic with a striking sapphic story about a determined young woman wi...

Words on Bathroom Walls is the latest contemporary romance adapted to film. The novel by the same name by Julia Walton release in 2018. It was wildly popular and viewed as an emotional look into living with an mental illness by some and an unnecessarily biting commentary on the Catholic Church by others. But overall, Words was well received and stuck a chord with many readers. It’s not compl...

Documentary filmmaker Dawn Porter joins MTR critics Ro and Joi for a video interview about her latest project John Lewis: Good Trouble that premiering July 3, 2020. Who is Dawn Porter? Dawn Porter has a documentary style uniquely suited to walking Representative Lewis to walk through his own legacy. This isn’t the first time she’s turned her focus on the work for equal rights. She&#821...

Ro and Joi are back to further share their delight and investment in Little Fires Everywhere  with a special interview with writer Shannon M. Houston.  Shannon took lead on writing episode six, The Uncanny, my personal favorite. She agreed to sit down and talk all things LFE. If you don’t know the name Shannon Houston, trust me, she’s definitely one to watch. Listen in and see why we&#...

We’re back for part two of our Little Fires Everywhere  chat. This time around, Shanna decided to jump in the mix. We’re picking back up with the discussion expanding beyond dragging Pearl – although there’s still a bit of that – and into the themes and moments that kept us engaged, made us pause so to think, and the mess that still has us puzzled.  We give reasons to...

Sometimes, there’s a book that catches your attention because it takes a popular trope (reincarnation) and builds a story around that feels like a fresh approach especially when it’s main characters are under 21. Cries from the Lost Island certain fit the bill. I had the opportunity to sit down and ask Kathleen O’Neal Gear some questions about her latest stand alone novel (and so...

Little Fires Everywhere is the Messy Drama/Mystery You Didn’t Know You Needed… Welcome back to another I Talk Sh*t & Read  Book-to-Screen chat. This time, Ro and Joi are kicking off  a new one and the topic’s Hulu Original series, Little Fires Everywhere . Hulu’s Series is an Adaptation that Elevates the Source Material   Adapted from the novel by ac...

New Book Tuesday: March 10th Edition  My March watch list exploded. This isn’t really a surprise, it’s me we’re talking about here. So to keep up with my reading goals and help you add to your TBR pile, Ro Recommends is now a permanent segment on I Talk Sh*t & Read. Welcome to New Book Tuesday: March 10th Edition. Twice a month, I’ll share my “must reads&#822...

We’re back to discuss HBO’s The Outsider .  Things are getting so good, Brandon jumped on board to discuss.  Terry’s been arrested and revealed his alibi. It’s got rock-solid proof he was nowhere near town when the murder occurred. But the DNA evidence linking him to the crime is still seemingly unbreakable as well. Detective Anderson’ starting to feel like...

The Outsider : So That’s How Y’all Gonna Do Him January 12th marked the premier of HBO’s adaptation of Stephen King novel The Outsider .  The show’s executive produced and written by HBO veteran Richard Price . The Outsider is a supernatural procedural as only King would decide to do it. There’s murder, mayhem, small town upheaval, and a boogeyman. Stephen King n...

The Sun is Also A Star Adaptation Is Missing It’s Center On Screen  Shortly after The Sun is Also A Star hit theaters, Ro sits down with critic Joi Childs to talk about the film’s adaptation and on why the story context should’ve mattered more in this charming day-in-the-life love story, and how it feels like the screenwriters (and possibly the actors) fell short of the mark...

In the second episode of I Talk Shit & Read , I spent some time with  L.L. McKinney (aka Elle) about her debut novel A Blade So Black.  Guest: L. L. McKinney Because the Twitterverse has no chill, we started off discussing an online controversy surrounding a YA novel, Blood Heir, the author eventually decided to pull in order to address racially problematic elements in the writing. (I wanted t...

In the first episode of I Talk Shit & Read, I had the pleasure of speaking with Tasha Suri about her debut novel Empire of Sand . What started out as a convo about the inspiration behind her story turned into a chat about everything from the Mughal Empire (think Taj Mahal), recognizing her own history in her writing, owning her voice, colonialism, a short geography lesson, my thought...