Read Around the World: <b>Montserrat</b>
This just didn't work for me. At all. I got lost in all the over-writing, and the over-abundance of characters [I don't think that I EVER figured all of that out] and trying to figure out just what.the.heck.was.going.on. [I have been finished with the book for 2 hours now and now only do I not remember much of the book, I still really have no idea what was going on with the parts I DO remember. Sigh].
Overall, I can see how this would work for someone and be a really good read for them, but unfortunately, that person just wasn't me.

Ayesha Gibson-Gill narrates this book and unfortunately, her narration of this book absolutely did not work for me at all. Her use of crazy-sounding voices for some of the characters got old very quickly and just added to my general dislike of the book overall. As I like a fairly straightforward narration, her over-the-topness just grated on my last nerve.
I will say that I know a lot of people who absolutely adore this kind of narration and will love this narrator [and to be fair, I would absolutely give this narrator another chance should her name come up for a book I want to read as I DID like some of the narration of this book], so I would 100% recommend this audiobook even though it didn't work for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Andie Davis, Ayesha Gibson-Gill - Narrator, Little A, and Brilliance Audio for providing both the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.

Well, to me this was the typical case of a book with appealing synopsis but disappointing execution.
The whole plot was interesting to me, but the writing style didn't clique with me. Actually, it pulled me out of the story multiple times. Way too descreptive sometimes. It actually made a short book felt much longer.

I don’t often DNF my NetGalley reads, but this is not keeping my attention, and I have other reads to get to. Every time I would pick this book up, I found myself putting it back down because I was extremely disinterested. This just didn’t land for me. While there’s so much flowery and descriptive language you can clearly tell that the author has the capability of giving you something extremely well-written. Yet too often it also feels like there’s so much going on in the surroundings, while also moving extremely slow.

I think this book has a strong premise coming from a satirical play on saviorism, and I have no doubt that this book will be great for other readers, which is why I would give it two-three stars. Again, the talent of the author is present. For me, it’s just not moving at the pace I would like, and I don’t feel connected to any of the characters to continue reading it.

One of the best things about this book is the careful attention put into capturing Bajan culture, which I think the author does effortlessly and in a way that I can definitely appreciate. But overall, having great locations and a celebration of culture in a book that isn’t necessarily about those things directly isn’t enough to hold me. I felt like I didn’t really know the characters fully, and I usually read about 50% to 70% of a book before deciding to DNF it. If I still don’t really grasp what we’re supposed to be doing here, I gotta let it go.

I think the book showed great promise tackling important themes and even had comical moments that are noteworthy. But this book was too short to feel this long, and the pacing ultimately made sure it I didn’t finish it.

Andie Davis’s “Let Me Liberate You” takes readers on a captivating journey to Barbados, where Sabre Cumberbatch, a talented photographer, seeks to reconnect with her roots. Skillfully weaving together themes of race, class, and personal discovery, this novel features a thought-provoking narrative that resonates long after the final page.

With a radio interview serving as a catalyst for the ensuing story, Sabre is propelled into a whirlwind of controversy that challenges her perceptions and forces her to take a stand. The plot draws readers into Sabre’s world from the very beginning, with her decision to leave New York and return to Barbados setting the stage for a series of unexpected events. As Sabre grapples with her identity and confronts the complexities of fame, the pacing keeps readers engaged with every new revelation.

Sabre - a richly-developed, multifaceted protagonist - is conflicted, passionate, and unafraid to question societal norms. Her interactions with Aunt Aggie, a formidable local figure, provide a fascinating exploration of power dynamics and family secrets. Aggie’s flaws and vulnerabilities make her a compelling character, and her housekeeper’s revelation adds depth to the narrative. The infusion of Bajan culture and customs enriches the story, immersing readers in the vibrant island setting.

Davis’s prose is both evocative and accessible. She effortlessly shifts between Sabre’s internal reflections and the external world, allowing us to experience Barbados through her eyes. While the satire occasionally juggles multiple concerns, it remains an enjoyable read. Sabre’s struggle with fame, her family history, and her cultural dissonance resonates with authenticity, making her journey relatable and compelling.

“Let Me Liberate You” is a bold exploration of identity, privilege, and activism. While the narrative occasionally loses focus, the wit and emotional depth make it an ultimately rewarding experience, inviting readers to question assumptions and embrace the complexities of our shared humanity.

At times the narrative drags and this happens very early on which made it hard for me to care what was happening and a little bit confusion to be honest.

Oooh, what a great premise! I really liked how Davis brings up colorism, performative activism, and more through this book. I only struggled a bit with the amount of perspectives shared in this short read - I think there are about 10 of them?? So it was a lot to jump around and find your footing, but the mosaic effect of all these POVs is meant to show different angles of the same issues. Very ambitious.

really interesting. a compelling plot and it’s always good to see novels by women of color. go read it!! well worth your time

“Let Me Liberate You” is a satire telling the story of Sabre Cumberbatch, a star photographer from New York, who is trying to lead a worker’s revolution in Barbados, the country she grew up in but hasn’t even visited since moving away as a child. Sabre finds herself thrust into the forefront of a revolution almost accidentally –Her journey began with the simple desire to deflect attention away from herself and her art, leading her to speak out about the unjust treatment of workers on live radio– but she finds a sense of purpose in it and hopes to become a *famous* activist. Her tenuous grasp on reality, coupled with a habit of viewing herself as the epicenter of unfolding events, makes her a flawed yet compelling figure. To me, it hardly seemed unwarranted when a character within the narrative labeled her a narcissist. Despite this, from the moment of her introduction I found myself rooting for her. The resolution of Sabre’s storyline was one of the most satisfying ones to me (Another one I liked was Isilda’s son’s).

Upon reading the blurb, I initially assumed the humorous criticism would be a bit more … ‘on the nose’? As is, I’m not entirely confident I even ‘got’ all of it, if I’m being completely honest. I did feel like the book loses some momentum in its middle section due to the multitude of conflicting perspectives and agendas, though the multitude of point of views is generally something I appreciated about this book. It’s composed of short chapters presenting one of approximately ten point of views in alternating sequence. This way, you read diverse perspectives on recent occurrences, stemming from individuals of different backgrounds, socioeconomic statuses, ages, political and ideological leanings. Rather than moralizing, the book presents a mosaic of viewpoints, occasionally laced with humor, enabling readers to take a step back from the characters’ perspectives and to form their own conclusions. I find it worth noting that despite the big amount of point of views, the narration for different characters often had their own stylistic quirks. Sabre, the artist, for instance, has these strange, funny dreams of her father speaking to her in the form of inanimate objects.

I’m not sure how I would rate this in stars because I explored a new genre here and don’t really know what other books to compare it with. It really was a nice breath of fresh air and I enjoyed reading it, but since the characters were all at least a bit silly, I couldn’t really connect deeply with them, which is typically one of my favorite things about reading. Maybe 4/5 stars?

Let Me Liberate You releases publicly on July 9th. Thank you NetGalley for providing the ARC :)

Can Sabre go home again? Without causing trouble? A photographer she's come back from New York to Barbados, where she's staying with her Aunt Aggie. a wealthy woman who doesn't treat her staff-or pretty much anyone she considers less than her-well. So Sabre sets off to bring attention to classicism, colorism, and colonialism. This is short and could have been longer but I liked that it's told from different POVs. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

I must admit that I almost DNF'ed this book right when I started reading. I'm glad that I kept on because this was an amazing read, and I can certainly say that this novel is unlike any other I've read. It is set in Barbados and it is an exploration of class and the living conditions of the working class. There is also commentary in terms of colorism, which I think is an issue that is not talked about as much or that is overshadowed by conversations on racism and put in the same category. I think this was a brilliant piece of contemporary fiction and I'm sure I'll keep hearing about it in the future.

Okay, this was a very interesting book. I did like the way this book talked about how sometimes the diaspora wants to help and it can be a miss, but at the same time it talks about how people treat the diaspora too. Like I really thought it was an interesting book. I liked how it touched on the politics. I liked this so much. The pacing was great.

I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Sabre, a successful New York photographer, returns to Barbados to reconnect with her roots. Initially embraced by her wealthy aunt in high society, she feels a restlessness and decides to champion the rights of household staff. Her crusade for worker's rights takes unexpected turns, turning her into a polarizing figure. The story, told from various perspectives, unfolds gradually but remains compelling despite its pace.

Thank you NetGalley for he arc! I was intrigued by the premise of this story about this character going back home and the stories of various family dynamics. I think the writing was fine but the story more so slow for me that it made it hard for me to connect with the story and the overall plot. I found myself bored. With that being said I think I would still give this author another chance. This particular story just didn't engage me.

Lovely prose, but the actual story felt lacking. This one just didn't land for me. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity!

Lush setting and gorgeous descriptions but I wish it had been fleshed out a little more. Some of the characters are very 2-dimensional and I didn’t find much of a connection with any of them. I wanted more.

Sabre is a famous photographer but decides to leave New York for her roots in the Barbados. She isn't quite sure what to do with her life and is trying to reset. She stays with her Aunt Aggie, and finds her cause after she sees her aunt yell at her maid. This sets of chaos across the island.

I liked the setting here and the characters for the most part. What I didn't like about the book is that I felt Davis was overly verbose in a lot of places that did not need it. I also did not like that we shifted between multiple characters' pov within one chapter. I think if we had just stuck to maybe two POVs it would have been easier to enjoy.

The premise is fun, the setting is lush, and there are a lot of hilarious moments. While the writing is strong, I felt the pacing was off. In any case, would recommend to anyone looking for a satirical look at class, privilege, and activism.

Thank you to Little A and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I had a hard time getting into this book and wanted to like it more than I did. This book was very slow and told from several different POVs. Some of the POVs were better than others. The best part was learning about the Bajan culture.

Photographer Sabre Cumberbatch needs a change of air, away from the New York crowd who wants to somehow hail her as the new Basquiat. She decides to go back home, to Barbados, where she sets on finding her true purpose.

When Sabre witnesses her aunt's ruthlessness towards some workers, she decides her newfound purpose is to liberate the oppressed Bajan workers. This sets drama in Sabre's family but also all across the island as Sabre's actions grow a larger impact... For the best and the worst.

Let me liberate you leads the reader to think about the consequences of performative activism. "The road to hell is paved with good intentions" and in Sabre's case, this couldn't be more true.

This book reminded me that ego doesn't have a place in activism and how important it is to listen to the people who are most affected by what is being tackled before taking action. It also reminded me of how important it is to respect the initiatives already established and to always educate myself before speaking on something.

Other than those important reminders this book also offers a very funny story with really engaging characters. I really grew attached to them, especially Isilda, because they feel extremely human. These are characters that aren't completely good and they make lots of mistakes but it was endearing to see them grow, learn and try to fix their mistakes throughout the story.

The environment in this book was also really lovely. The story unfolds in Barbados, full of color and life. The author did an amazing job at describing the island and it was such a pleasure to visualize. I also loved reading about Isilda's baking, that part made me crave homemade baked goods so much!

This book is well written, though I feel like there was simultaneously a lot and not enough happening at once. We also get a glimpse into a lot of characters' lives and I wish there had been a little more balance in the attention given to them. I really wish we could've spent more time with Ian, Delphine and Lamar, for example.

But overall, this was an enjoyable read and I'd recommend this book to anyone looking for something funny but also reflective.

Absolutely loved this book. I would recommend it to all my favourite people. Amazing storyline, humour, and heart. Read this asap.