Vinyl Moon by Mahogany L. Browne | Audiobook Review

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A teen girl hiding the scars of a past relationship finds home and healing in the words of strong Black writers. A beautiful sophomore novel from a critically acclaimed author and poet that explores how words have the power to shape and uplift our world even in the midst of pain.

A true embodiment of the term Black Girl Magic." -Booklist

When Darius told Angel he loved her, she believed him. But five weeks after the incident, Angel finds herself in Brooklyn, far from her family, from him, and from the California life she has known.

Angel feels out of sync with her new neighborhood. At school, she can't shake the feeling everyone knows what happened--and that it was her fault. The only place that makes sense is Ms. G's class. There, Angel's classmates share their own stories of pain, joy, and fortitude. And as Angel becomes immersed in her revolutionary literature course, the words from Black writers like Toni Morrison, James Baldwin, and Zora NEale Hurston speak to her and begin to heal the wounds of her past.

This stunning novel weaves together prose, poems, and vignettes to tell the story of Angel, a young woman whose past was shaped by domestic violence but whose love of language and music and the gift of community grant her the chance to find herself again.

Why Did I Listen To Vinyl Moon by Mahogany L. Browne?

Vinyl Moon by Mahogany L. Browne was a featured book during the Edelweiss Onlinefest YA Editor’s Panel. So, I absolutely knew I had to read it. Toss in the fact that music is a major theme, add in that this book is in verse. The combination was irresistible to me. Now, the topper? The audiobook of Vinyl Moon features one of my favorite narrators. So, this book was an absolute priority for me to pick up and listen to.

What’s The Story Here?

Mahogany L. Browne’s Vinyl Moon follows Angel who moves from her family in California to Brooklyn. In Brooklyn, she finds she is deeply missing her siblings. Prior to coming there, she had an incident with a young man named Darius which left her with a broken arm. Angel is struggling a bit, but she is this class with Mrs. G who kind of runs the class like group therapy. She is also making new friends and finding healing in books by Black authors. Angel also comes to know the music of her Brooklyn neighborhood and starts to move past the domestic violence she had previously experienced.

How Did I Like Vinyl Moon?

I thought that Vinyl Moon was a must read. Honestly, it makes me sad that maybe this book might end up being a little under the radar. It is such a moving book with a compelling main character who has been through it. I love books about characters who find healing — particularly in stories. Angel is someone I rooted for and someone I wanted to find her happy ending. Also, let me just say I loved how much I felt a sense of place while listening to this book — that feeling is so important to me while reading. Browne’s writing truly transported me to Brooklyn.

How’s The Narration?

The audiobook of Vinyl Moon is narrated by Bahni Turpin. Personally, I will listen to nearly any book Turpin narrates. I LOVE her narration style. Not everyone feels the same and that is okay. I also loved that this audiobook was under five hours long. It is a quick listen, an easy to follow story, and very well narrated. I am so, so happy to recommend this book via audio.

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April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

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