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A review by tristatereader
The Blackwoods by Brandy Colbert
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
The Blackwoods was one of those books that I could not put down. Once I was hooked, I was HOOKED and stayed up until 2am finishing. And when I finished, I immediately wanted to start it over.
The Blackwoods tells the story of a multigenerational Black family in Hollywood. The book starts with the death of the matriarch, Blossom Blackwood, and introduces readers to two of her great-great granddaughters, Ardith and Hollis. At 17, Ardith has chosen to continue the Hollywood family legacy and is a well-known actress. Hollis, also 17, has decided to stay out of the limelight. The story flawlessly weaves between time periods, showing readers the sacrifices that Blossom had to make throughout her life in order to make it in old time Hollywood, while also showing us how those sacrifices have affected her family in the present day.
I absolutely love historical fiction and the way this author seamlessly switched from the mid-1900s to present day was perfection. I loved all of the characters in this book (Ardith hunny you’ve never done anything wrong in your entire life) and watching Blossom’s journey unfold was both heartbreaking and inspiring. This is a book that skillfully highlights resilience, the importance of family, and the reminder to never give up on your dreams. While there are quite a few Blackwoods to keep track of in this story, the author provided a family tree in the beginning of the book and this was so helpful to refer back to when I was just getting to know everyone.
If you enjoyed the mini series ‘Hollywood’ on Netflix, this book is definitely for you!
❤️ Thank you so much to Epic Reads for this incredible ARC
The Blackwoods tells the story of a multigenerational Black family in Hollywood. The book starts with the death of the matriarch, Blossom Blackwood, and introduces readers to two of her great-great granddaughters, Ardith and Hollis. At 17, Ardith has chosen to continue the Hollywood family legacy and is a well-known actress. Hollis, also 17, has decided to stay out of the limelight. The story flawlessly weaves between time periods, showing readers the sacrifices that Blossom had to make throughout her life in order to make it in old time Hollywood, while also showing us how those sacrifices have affected her family in the present day.
I absolutely love historical fiction and the way this author seamlessly switched from the mid-1900s to present day was perfection. I loved all of the characters in this book (Ardith hunny you’ve never done anything wrong in your entire life) and watching Blossom’s journey unfold was both heartbreaking and inspiring. This is a book that skillfully highlights resilience, the importance of family, and the reminder to never give up on your dreams. While there are quite a few Blackwoods to keep track of in this story, the author provided a family tree in the beginning of the book and this was so helpful to refer back to when I was just getting to know everyone.
If you enjoyed the mini series ‘Hollywood’ on Netflix, this book is definitely for you!
❤️ Thank you so much to Epic Reads for this incredible ARC