Thank you NetGalley, Edelweiss and Gallery Books for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I was so pumped to apply for and get this book. I have been a fan of Bob the Drag Queen for years now - his season of RuPaul’s Drag Race was the first I ever watched (due to earlier seasons not being available in Canada for ages and ages) and I was hooked! Bob is high, high up my list of drag queens I want to see perform live, and also is on my much shorter list (due to my personal limited funds, no shade on anyone) of drag queens I’d pay to do a meet and greet with.

Despite being a big fan of Bob’s, I’m often quite oblivious to pop culture happenings and am not one of those people who “keeps up” with celebrity news, so somehow I hadn’t known he was writing a book until I saw it listed for ARC review. I almost scrolled right past it and then had to stop - “did I just see that was written by Bob the Drag Queen? A novel?” - go back and check, and IMMEDIATELY apply to get a copy. Bob is not only an extremely talented drag queen, he is also incredibly funny and smart. I was so excited and desperate to read it, I applied on both NetGalley and Edelweiss and accidentally got copies on both! Oops!

So what I’m saying is, to say I went into this book with high expectations is an understatement. I knew whatever Bob had to say in this novel would be worth my time, and…I was right!

Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert is a novel where historical figures have mysteriously come back to life and are now living in the modern world. We never get an explanation about that, but it’s not about that. The book addresses racial injustice, both historically and ongoing, as well as homophobia. It was clever, it was moving, it was powerful, but it was also hilarious. Bob threw everything he had at this book and made it a masterpiece.

The portrayal of Harriet Tubman is exactly how I would imagine her. The book seems well-researched and seamlessly ties the past treatment of Black people into the current state of the world. And for what is ostensibly a fantasy novel (because, let's be real, I don’t actually expect Harriet Tubman to randomly come back to life any time soon), it was thoroughly grounded in reality and truth, which of course made it all the more poignant.

I highly, highly recommend everyone read this book. It’s a quick read and worth every second and then some!

A fresh and original debut that reimagines a world in which Harriet Tubman has come back to help get a broadway version of her life story made with the help of Darnell, an up and coming hip-hop producer. This was great on audio with an original song included at the end and while it might not be for everyone, I thought it was thought-provoking, fresh and more relevant than ever. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Harriet Tubman: Live in Convert gives a voice to those who have been silenced in the past. It is a response to those, in the present, who work for the removal of critical race theory and for the erasure of a portion of the US's history. Through the words of Harriet Tubman and her group of free persons, Bob the Drag Queen gives voice to the experience of enslaved people. Harriet is fierce! The book introduced me to historical figures and their stories of which I did not know.

History is never far from the present.

Having followed Bob the Drag Queen from his first days on RuPaul's Drag Race, his humour and warmth come through in his writing.

Highly recommend.

As a huge fan of Bob the Drag Queen, I knew this book would be entertaining, but I wasn’t prepared for just how powerful it would be. Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert is a bold, unexpected, and incredibly well-executed blend of humor, history, and hard truths. Bob masterfully balances sharp wit with deeply emotional storytelling, creating something that feels both relevant and necessary.

The book takes a unique approach, intertwining Harriet Tubman’s legacy with reflections on today’s social justice issues. It doesn’t just focus on the past but highlights how those struggles are still ongoing and what needs to be done moving forward. The comedic moments don’t take away from the seriousness, instead, they make the heavier themes even more impactful.

Bob the Drag Queen’s voice shines through every page, making it a compelling, thought-provoking read that sticks with you long after you’ve finished.

This book is such a blessing to read. I love Bob the Drag Queen in everything they have been in, but I didn't have super high expectations since it felt like a bit of a wild concept. This book proved me wrong.

There is so much heart and emotion pouring out of this story. It tells the important history of Harriet Tubman in a modern and engaging way. It speaks to the past, but also what is going on in the world now and what needs to be done.

Darnell's character feels crafted with personal care. I assume parts of the story and Darrell's character is a bit auto-biographical.

I love this little book. It was so much power packed in a small package.

This was such a unique story concept. Honestly, I was a little worried about how it would be executed, but when I saw it was written by Bob the Drag Queen I was super excited to read it. I definitely was not disappointed. I originally intended to read just a bit of this to start and ended up reading the whole thing in one go. I really enjoyed the writing style and the pacing throughout the book. The characters were well-written and fleshed out. Plus, the balance between humour and serious emotional stuff was executed really well. I think people who enjoy the podcast The Dollop would enjoy this since it's a similar balance between humour and serious history and social issues.

a wonderful, fresh and amazing story of Harriet Tubman and 4 enslaved persons who traveled with her, her brothers and closest friends coming back to life in modern age to tell her story and "shake up" the hate and confusion surrounding her story and slavery
written in a very young adult (16+) friendly way, this book would be a fun way to educate yourself
Harriet enlists the help of producer, song writer and ex BET talk show host Darnell Williams (i saw bob the entire time) to create a hip hop track and LIVE show
while creating the album the story of Harriet Tubman is told, what it means to be free and what the idea of Harriet Tubman represents,
darnells story intertwines and more personal things are revealed that asks the question: is he truly free

Credit to the author: this is an interesting and unique context/set up - deceased historical figures have “returned” to the present day. This context is not explored beyond the bounds of the story, which does not detract from the plot, but at the same time I would’ve loved to learn more about the ramifications of the "returned" more broadly (perhaps if this had been a full length novel or series we would get more of that).

What we do get though is a fun and interesting storyline that is rich in both historical information and present day sociocultural influences. And while the writing is fine, the strength of this as a whole is how it reimagines history, making critical historical insights accessible for today’s readers while also making “learning” fun and relevant. I don’t think I’m the target demographic here, but I certainly enjoyed learning more about the people (Harriet Tubman and co.) who lived in a certain historical context (mid-late 1800s during the slave trade and Underground Railroad era of the USA), and I enjoyed how the author mashed up that history with rap lyrics and elements of the present day music industry and its challenges.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.