Brandy Colbert's "The Blackwoods" is a deliciously captivating tale that feels like the lovechild of a Hollywood blockbuster and a juicy family drama, with a sprinkle of historical fiction magic. Set against the glitz and glamour of Tinseltown, this novel takes readers on a rollercoaster ride through four generations of the illustrious Blackwood family, leaving them craving for more.

The story kicks off with the demise of the legendary matriarch, Blossom Blackwood, whose journey from silver screen stardom to family legacy forms the heart and soul of the narrative. Colbert masterfully navigates between past and present, introducing us to Blossom's great-great-granddaughters, Ardith and Hollis, as they grapple with the weight of their family's fame and secrets.

What truly sets this book apart is Colbert's ability to weave together the threads of ambition, struggle, and love, painting a vivid portrait of resilience against the backdrop of old Hollywood and its modern-day counterpart. Blossom's relentless pursuit of her dreams, despite facing racism and personal hardships, is both inspiring and heartrending, while Ardith and Hollis offer a fresh perspective on the challenges of fame in the digital age.

But beyond the glitz and glamour, "The Blackwoods" delves into the complexities of family dynamics, highlighting the unbreakable bonds that tie generations together. From Blossom's unwavering determination to Ardith's struggle to carve her own path, each character is imbued with depth and nuance, making them feel like old friends by the final page.

While the plot may start off at a leisurely pace, it quickly escalates into a whirlwind of twists and turns that will leave readers on the edge of their seats. And just when you think you've uncovered all the secrets lurking within the Blackwood dynasty, Colbert throws in a curveball that will leave you reeling.

In short, "The Blackwoods" is a literary gem that sparkles with wit, charm, and poignancy. Whether you're a fan of Hollywood glitz or heartfelt family sagas, this book is sure to captivate your imagination from start to finish. So grab a tub of popcorn, settle into your favorite reading nook, and prepare to be swept away by the magic of the Blackwoods. Who knows? Maybe we'll see them on the silver screen someday soon.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the advance copy to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I'm a huge fan of old Hollywood, so I was really excited to pick up this book and read a new take on it from a perspective (a person of color trying to break into the industry then) that's not often seen or heard from. The flashback sequences to Blossom's youth were engaging and illuminating, and the present day storylines were just as entertaining. It was interesting seeing the current iterations of the Blackwood family and the different ways they engaged with their family's fame. There were times it definitely read a little teen soap-y, but there's a reason teen soaps are popular, and I can see how that would be well-received with this book's target audience.

The Blackwoods is told in 3 povs
The past, from Blossoms pov, who is the family matriarch. And the present from her great grand daughters Ardith and Hollis. While I fully loved ready the story from Blossoks pov, the pov from Hollis and Ardith fell a little flat from. I would enjoyed The Blackwoods more if it was just Blossoms povs.

3.25 stars

This is an outstanding book! I really enjoyed how the author told the story in alternating timelines. I was able to feel more connected to the characters reading the book this way. I have often wondered how children who grew up not knowing one parent or one side of the family would feel at discovering that long-lost family later in their life, The book also does an excellent job at discussing some trials that families deal with growing up in the spotlight of Hollywood

I love how this followed the lives of three different women in the Blackwood family. They each have unique, separate identities, but they also intertwine to create one cohesive story.

This was a beautiful tale of three different women within the Blackwood family. We followed the matriarch, Blossom, and her love affair and rise to fame...and her two great-granddaughters, Hollis and Ardith. Hollis and Ardith are very different characters, one wanting to hide from the fame of her family name and the other basking in it and continuing on the legacy through her own acting talents. I really enjoyed reading their individual stories, but also how they intertwined. I liked the twist of who is related to them through Blossom's first love (whom she kept hidden from the family her entire life), which is slowly revealed to us throughout the novel.

If you are a fan of drama filled, Hollywood themed, family centered novels, with a little love thrown in...then I recommend picking this one up.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Unfortunately, this novel didn't really do it for me, but I think that's more of a me thing than any fault of the novel. The characters are engaging and interesting, and the structure of the novel is well put together (I actually loved the parallels in storytelling of past and present). But for whatever reason, I didn't feel as interested or engaged as I kept reading. But! Being a white woman in her 30s reading this is going to hit differently than a teenager or a 20-something young person reading this narrative. I loved how individual the voices seemed between the characters, and the ways in which the choices of the past inform the decisions of the present. A solid and engaging novel, just not for me.

The Blackwoods are a family entrenched in (fictitious) Hollywood history. The back and forth, past and present, tale opens with the current day funeral of the grand-matriarch and most famous Blackwood, Blossom. As the book continues, the reader learns of the family history, how hard it was to break into the Hollywood scene, the family troubles both past and present, and the huge sacrifices that were made to make the family what it is today. The author does a fantastic job of weaving the past and present together, as well as switching the character voices from chapter to chapter seamlessly.

Intriguing multigenerational tale of Black Hollywood. Contains the glamour of that world, along with a more contemporary one. I loved reading the Author's note - showed so much richness to her research and the bygone world she recreates. An ode to Black trailblazers and actors/actresses.

After a famous family matriarch dies, two of her great-granddaughters must deal with the fame of her name.

Initially, I was drawn in to this one, but then I feel like after the funeral, the pace of events slows down a lot. It was much more character driven for a while, which isn’t my preference.

Colbert did it again! This author captivated her audience with an intriguing storyline by bouncing between 3 generations of women & detailing their rise to fame. Though this title is historical fiction, the narrative presented rings true for the Black community. For so long, quality opportunities haven't always existed for us. I love how Colbert takes the liberty to tie up all the ends in her tale & make the characters connect right down to the 2 cousins attending the same private academy. This was a tale that needed to be told & I am completely enamored by how Colbert selects to empower the female characters in this title. Can't wait to read whatever she writes next because there's no doubt that it's going to be captivating!

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I've been reading a lot of dual timelines books lately, and this one was more slice-of-lifey than plotey, but I really did enjoy it! I think it's also an important book for people to read and learn about Black Hollywood, and Brandy Colbert did such an awesome job. The characters really fly off the page, and I was absolutely hooked and excited to see what would happen next.

(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

Satisfied the hole of Evelyn Hugo, but left a lot to be desired. I think fleshing out fewer perspectives would have made the characters feel more whole. Interesting plot, but I wonder why the author chose to share from the perspective of two grandchildren? I think a lot was going on in this book that prevented it from being great.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of The Blackwoods. Unfortunately, I was underwhelmed. I didn't really enjoy the story line and the whole "Hollywood:" story. It was hard to get through the book and I didn't finish it because I just didn't really enjoy it.

This is an epic story that follows Bebe, a Hollywood celebrity matriarch through her life as a young working actress and single mom, then flashing forward to her empire of success and wealth after her death. i felt like the book read like a fast-paced film or television show and would be a great choice for anyone who likes the newly revamped television series Bel-Air. There were family secrets, rivalries, and romantic trysts. I really loved the way the story centered on a successful family of color and how they leaned to make peace with a side of their family they have just learned about.

This was a heartfelt story and a great discussion on the highs and lows of fame. Some parts felt difficult to reconcile, such as the way Bebe reacted to the various men in her life. I thought she was so empowered, but then she let the movie producer keep her as a mistress. That rang hollow to me, but overall it was a great read.

This is an outstanding book! I really enjoyed how the author told the story in alternating timelines. I was able to feel more connected to the characters reading the book this way. I have often wondered how children who grew up not knowing one parent or one side of the family would feel at discovering that long-lost family later in their life, The book also does an excellent job at discussing some trials that families deal with growing up in the spotlight of Hollywood. It has to be hard having every aspect of your life examined like under a magnifying glass. I love family drama books such as this one because, on some level, we can all relate to something that a character is going through. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I will definitely be recommending this book to my reading circle and any book clubs that need an excellent book to read,

Y’all know this is a Brandy Colbert stan account, so no matter what it is she’s written, I’m going to give it a try. And this one was no different. I HATE reality tv, but I knew I was going to have to at least try it. So naturally, I pre-ordered it at the same time I bought it for my library system lol

The most confusing part about this was the different timelines. I just didn’t understand why Colbert decided to do it this way instead of like them reading some of her letters or journal and letting that take us back in time. Instead in the story we get just chapters with her POV back in history. Now it does tell her life story, but it didn’t like correlate with what was happening in the story, so it was just like it was just some weird flashbacks.

The characters of this were all good tho. Since we get a POV from the cousins and the grandma, they are all fully fleshed out and they were all important parts of the story. Usually I feel like it’s super hard to do this when there’s so many POV’s, but it actually wasn’t. They were all actually done really well.

The only thing I didn’t like was the ending. Likeeeeeee where was the conflict? I kept waiting for something big to happen, but nothing ever did. It seemed like a real reality show and we break for a commercial, and then find out that that was all for the week. Idk how to explain it. I just wanted more conflict. I get it, she went through a lot of shit, but it felt so easy. Idk I’m not usually one for flowery language, but I was expecting this to give me a gut punch. And normally, seeing someone choose her career, or any of the other things that happened would give me that. But this just didn’t.

But even if I didn’t like the ending, I did still like it as I was reading it. It really feels like you’re watching a reality show. I was so engrossed in this book. I couldn’t listen fast enough. I wanted to know why all of these things were so important and why BB had all these secrets. And even though all of those things weren’t answered, it was still so much fun to read it as I went along.

The narration was pretty cool too. I’ve listened to all of Alaska Jackson’s backlist and I loved those too. I don’t know of any problems and the inflections and emotions were all on point. Definitely someone I’d listen to read a grocery list. I’m excited to see what other books they will narrate. ESPECIALLY since they’re an Own Voices narrator.

This wasn’t everything I expected, but it was almost everything I wanted. Drama filled and full of family and high emotions. The family drama and all that they go through is definitely worth the read. I just hope you don’t change your mind when you finally get to the end.

This was a layered, multigenerational YA family story about the Blackwoods, a wealthy African American family of actresses. Alternating POVs and timelines from their recently deceased matriarch Blossom (aka 'Bebe"), and her two granddaughters, Hollis and Ardith, who have followed in her groundbreaking footsteps.

I really enjoyed the historical aspects of Blossom's life as a young Black woman trying to break into early Hollywood and the contrasting challenges she had versus what her grandaughters faced coming from a much more privileged background in modern America with the price of fame and love living in the spotlight.

This was good on audio and perfect for fans of books like The Black kids by Christina Hammonds Reed or Reel by Kennedy Ryan. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review! Also it can't go without saying that the cover for this book is just sooo striking and fierce!

Thank you to Brandy Colbert and the publishers for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Wow! Wow! Wow! I really don’t know what to say except, I wish there were a part two. I, too, grew up admiring Black Hollywood and hearing stories of how there was no representation because there were no opportunities. This book brought back some of the nostalgia for me.

I loved how the story was told from both past and present. I enjoyed reading about Blossom from Blossom’s perspective instead of just what others thought of her. I would’ve enjoyed knowing more about Prentiss and Taffy, however.

One of my favorite books of 2023!