Don’t Flush! By Dakarai Larriett Review

On October 1, 2025 By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Author Dakarai Larriet showcases the struggle and activism his false arrest brought to life in the book “Don’t Flush.”

Advertisements

The Synopsis

What would you do if you were arrested for a crime you didn’t commit—despite passing every test and proving your innocence?

In Don’t Flush!, activist and Senate candidate Dakarai Larriett recounts the harrowing night in April 2024 when he was wrongfully arrested in Michigan for suspected DUI. Despite testing negative and showing no signs of impairment, he was jailed, humiliated, and thrust into the unforgiving machinery of systemic injustice.

This gripping memoir not only exposes the cracks in our legal and policing systems but also shows the power of one voice refusing to stay silent. Larriett’s $10 million lawsuit against the Michigan State Police, his media campaign fueled by FOIA-released footage, and his push for legislative reform—including a Motorist Bill of Rights and the end of qualified immunity—paint a picture of a man turning trauma into action.

Don’t Flush! is more than a personal story—it’s a rallying cry. Whether you’re an ally, advocate, or just waking up to these injustices, this book demands you do more. Read it. Share it. Join the movement for true accountability.

The Review

This was such a compelling and thought-provoking read. The author expertly weaves a balance of personal storytelling and inspirational and motivational discussion, engaging readers to deliver a powerful look at social justice and the overhaul that the criminal justice system needs in the United States, as well as the many fears and hardships those who struggle with discrimination must face every day.

The author’s writing was the most powerful aspect of this book. The tension, and almost atmospheric way the author delved into those tense moments of his false arrest, from the hyper awareness of his surroundings as he drove before he spotted the police, to the calm manner he forced himself to stay in when engaging the police, and how these moments connected to the similar struggles of discrimination his grandparents and so many others had made these events feel more elevated and essential, and yet the harsh realities that this book brings to light also serves a hopeful tone, as the author showcases how finding the light in that darkness proved that a path of change does exist, if people are willing to fight for it.

The Verdict

Engaging, thoughtfully written, and memorable, author Dakarai Larriett’s “Don’t Flush” is a must-read nonfiction memoir that also serves as a valuable resource for social and criminal justice reform. The expertise with which the author crafts this book, slipping from the defining moments of his childhood and his struggles both as a Black man and a Gay man, to the horrors so many face when confronted by false arrests such as this, and the inspiring direction the author takes when making a bid for the US Senate will have readers enthralled with the author’s story and eager to fight for the changes this country sorely needs. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

Dakarai Larriett, a proud Alabama native and son of a U.S. Army veteran and public school teacher, is a successful entrepreneur and dedicated community volunteer whose run for the U.S. Senate is motivated by a false arrest in 2024 for which he has yet to receive justice. His upbringing, shaped by his father’s military service, saw him move across various states and even to Germany. After excelling as an honors student and earning a full scholarship to the University of Alabama, Dakarai’s passion for public service grew during his junior year as an exchange student at Howard University. He built a successful career as a corporate leader while managing a pet-care business he started in his garage, ultimately returning to Birmingham in 2021 where he became known for his servant leadership. Engaged in various volunteer activities, he also leads a board representing local families and businesses, expressing his love for Alabama’s culture and community. In his free time, Dakarai enjoys the shooting range and attends First United Methodist Church regularly.

Website: dakarailarriett.com

Contribution Link: Click here to donate

https://amzn.to/475jw6Q

Enter your email below to receive updates.

How to Burn a Rainbow by Karl Dunn Review

On August 2, 2024 By authoranthonyavinablogIn reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Author Karl Dunn shares with readers the ways in which his divorce spurred on a journey of self-discovery in the book “How to Burn a Rainbow”.

Advertisements

The Synopsis

What readers are calling the gay Eat, Pray, Love…

Sometimes, to find yourself, you must first burn everything down.

Karl had it all; a husband, a home in the Los Angeles Hills, success. When his marriage ended suddenly, his perfect life and sense of self were shattered.

His legal battles threatened everything he had, and he soon found himself working non-stop, leading to a downward spiral filled with anxious days and sleepless nights of rage and fear.

Ironically, Karl’s divorce ignited a journey of self-discovery—a quest for identity, love, and acceptance that took him from LA to a mid-divorce crash-landing in Berlin.

This raw and unflinching memoir welcomes readers into the heart of Karl’s transformative journey—burning the scripts written for him by both the gay and straight worlds, facing down his deepest fears, and forging his own path to self-love.

How To Burn A Rainbow is a gripping narrative of resilience and courage that dares to ask the hard questions about love, equality, and the price of happiness.

In the end, Karl’s marriage didn’t make him whole, his divorce did.

The Review

In a heartfelt and compelling book, the author truly presented a relatable and honest account of the experiences he went through. The nuances of marriage, in any relationship, can be difficult to navigate, and adding the extra pressure of societal expectations for those in the LGBTQ community who finally found their right to get married and yet still experienced those pitfalls of any relationship was emotional to read and see unfold in the pages of this book. The insight into the painful process of divorce and the detail the author gives to readers is remarkable to gain insight on.

The author’s use of humor and wit in his writing style, as well as incredible detail and pop culture references, helps add a well-roundedness and sense of self to the author’s story. The almost cinematic nature of the author’s writing style and the raw moments that the author shares with readers help showcase the growth and self-discovery the author finds within himself as the book grows and evolves over time.

The Verdict

Memorable, heartfelt, and engaging author Karl Dunn’s “How to Burn a Rainbow” is a must-read memoir meets relationship and divorce book. The turmoil and heartbreak that the author expresses and the teachable lessons that can be found in this book lead to a meaningful book that showcases that sometimes pain and heartbreak can lead to pivotal moments of self-discovery and brighter futures. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements

About the Author

Sign up for Karl’s weekly newsletter “Friends of Karl” on his website – a pop-culture and current affairs mash-up with an LGBTQ+ lens every Tuesday in your inbox.

Karl Dunn was the Global Creative Director on several world-famous brands like MINI Cooper, Levi’s, and ASICS. He spent over two decades as a multi-award winning advertising creative working in Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe, and America. His career culminated as the Director of Innovation for a powerhouse global advertising network.

Then it all burned to the ground when he told his husband he wanted a divorce. Just a few months later, Karl was sleeping on an air mattress in a former squat in Berlin with no job, visas, or money left. Using his divorce as his crisis of identity, Karl chronicled the whole experience in his book How To Burn A Rainbow, where he gave up chasing everyone else’s dream to find his own.

It’s an Eat Pray Love style, riches-to-rags journey from LA to Berlin; an intimate, honest, and revealing story about divorce and self-love that questions and reframes the entire institution of marriage. As Karl writes in his book, “My marriage didn’t make me whole, my divorce did.”

Karl is a keynote speaker on DEI, self-love, and LGBTQ+ focused Family Law. Living between LA and Berlin, he also works as a freelance advertising consultant to brands.

Guest Post: LGBTQIA+ Pride and publishing by Dr. Angela Yarber

On July 2, 2024October 14, 2024 By authoranthonyavinablogIn Blog Tours, Book Events, Guest PostLeave a comment

The queer poet, Sappho, renowned for dubbing the term “lesbian” since she was from the island of Lesbos, is remembered for saying, “Someday, someone will remember us.”

A lot has transpired for queer folx in the two thousand years since Sappho dreamed our possible realities. And with 500 proposed bills against LGBTQ+ rights awaiting rulings across the United States, the world has never needed our wisdom more.

Did you know that LGBTQ+ authors only account for only 16% of published books?

As a queer woman, this isn’t simply a statistic, but my lived reality. And after I had my first seven books published with four different presses, it dawned on me that it didn’t have to be this way. I didn’t have to be the only one my publishers represented, or the one who made it to the final round with a publishing company only for them to respond, “We really believe in this book, but we don’t know how to market to queer audiences.”

I was sick and tired of seeing straight, white men thrive with mediocre books because their advances, royalties, and stories had an advantage from the very start, because when they looked around at the presses that represented their books, they saw a bunch of other straight, white cis dudes staring back at them. What about our queer dreams?

The world was missing out on the precise perspectives and stories we need most.

In writing and publishing Queering the American Dream, I was able to create and imagine a different world, a world where women, queer folx, and BIPOC have equitable access to publishing, to fulfilling our dreams.

Queering the American Dreambegins the day the Supreme Court ruled our marriage legal, my queer little family traversing the American landscape for two years in a camper named Freya, following in the footsteps of revolutionary women from history and myth. Amid our wanderings, I grappled with the loss of faith, addiction, death, and what it means to reimagine the so-called dream promised to so many. With unapologetic grief, humor, and radical imagination, I created a new dream, not just for myself, but for all marginalized people living in America.

One of my favorite writers, Gloria Anzaldúa, inspired this dream. This queer Chicana feminist claimed: “The world I create in my writing compensates for what the real world does not give me.”

The “real world” has given us, on the whole, an old-school, white, male, predatory publishing industry that, at best, doesn’t understand the nuances of queer and feminist writing, and at worst, preys upon us for capital gain. So, I created Tehom Center Publishing to compensate for what the real world has not given us. Tehom Center Publishing is a press publishing feminist and queer authors, with a commitment to elevate BIPOC writers.

Publishing Queering the American Dreamwith my own press was not only empowering, but it also galvanized me to coach other marginalized authors in the power of living the authorpreneur dream. Yes, Tehom Center publishes authors at absolutely no cost, but we also offer just and equitable coaching programs empowering authors in creating entire businesses aligned with their books, thereby sustaining a financially abundant life.

Traveling throughout the country with my queer little family taught me that the world not only needs queer authors to be published, but we deserve to live abundant lives. This is our iteration of the American dream.

*****

To join us in queering the American dream and stay connected with book and publishing events, visit www.tehomcenter.org/booktour

Advertisements

Book Summary

Beginning the day the Supreme Court ruled her marriage legal, Angela Yarber’s queer little family traversed the American landscape for two years in a camper named Freya, following in the footsteps of revolutionary women from history and myth. Amid her wanderings, this queer clergywoman grapples with the loss of faith, addiction, death, parenting, and what it means to reimagine the so-called dream promised to so many. With unapologetic grief, humor, and radical imagination, she creates a new dream, not just for herself, but for all marginalized people living in America.

Publisher: Parson’s Porch

ISBN-10: 195558141X

ISBN-13: 978-1955581417

Print Length: 188 pages

Purchase a copy of the book on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Bookshop.org. You can also add it to your list on Goodreads.

Advertisements

About the Author

Rev. Dr. Angela Yarber is an award-winning author of eight books and a highly sought public speaker. She is the Founder of Tehom Center Publishing, an imprint publishing feminist and queer authors, with a commitment to elevate BIPOC writers. With a Ph.D. in Art and Religion and over a decade serving as a Professor of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, five of her books were listed in QSpirit’s Top LGBTQ Religion Books. Her work has been featured in Forbes, HuffPo, Ms. Magazine, Tiny House Nation, and more at https://angelayarber.org

You can find her online at:

www.angelayarber.org

www.tehomcenter.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angela.yarber

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tehomcenter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tehomcenter/?hl=en

Blog Tour Calendar

June 3rd @ The Muffin

Join us at WOW’s blog The Muffin as we celebrate the launch of Dr. Angela Yarber’s memoir Queering the American Dream. You can read an interview with the author and enter to win a copy of the book.

https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com

June 5th @ Speaking of Spirit

Visit Linda’s blog for her review of Queering the American Dream. You can also win a copy of the book!

https://interfaithmoments.blogspot.com

June 7th @ One Writer’s Journey

Visit Sue’s blog for a review of Queering the American Dream.

https://suebe.wordpress.com

June 10th @ Choices

Visit Madeline’s blog for a guest post by Dr. Angela Yarber about how publishing a book can transform your business and life.

https://www.madelinesharples.com

June 12th @ Speaking of Spirit

Join Linda for a guest post by Rev. Dr. Angela Yarber about the importance of publishing marginalized authors.

https://interfaithmoments.blogspot.com

June 14th @ One Writer’s Journey

Visit Sue’s blog again for an interview with author Dr. Angela Yarber about her memoir.

https://suebe.wordpress.com

June 15th @ Boots, Shoes, and Fashion

Visit Linda’s blog for an in-depth interview with Dr. Angela Yarber.

https://bootsshoesandfashion.com

June 18th @ Writer Advice

Visit B. Lynn Goodwin’s site for a helpful guest post from Dr. Angela Yarber on the importance of mental health care in launching a book.

https://writeradvice.com

June 21st @ The Faerie Review

Visit Lily’s blog for a review of Queering the American Dream.

https://www.thefaeriereview.com

June 23rd @ A Wonderful World of Words

Visit Joy’s blog for a spotlight of Queering the American Dream. You can also win a copy of the book!

https://awonderfulworldofwordsa.blogspot.com

June 25th @ Editor 911

Visit Margo’s blog for her review of Queering the American Dream.

https://editor-911.com

June 28th @ Author Anthony Avina’s blog

Visit Anthony’s blog for his review of Queering the American Dream.

https://atomic-temporary-124910902.wpcomstaging.com/

July 2nd @ Author Anthony Avina’s blog

Join Anthony for a guest post by Dr. Angela Yarber about LGBTQIA+ Pride and publishing.

https://atomic-temporary-124910902.wpcomstaging.com/

July 3rd @ Michelle Cornish’ blog

Visit Michelle’s blog for an interview with Dr. Angela Yarber about her memoir.

https://www.michellecornish.com

July 6th @ Coffee & Ink

You can visit Jan’s blog for her review of Queering the American Dream. Plus read a guest post by Dr. Angela Yarber about disenfranchised grief, particularly as it pertains to losing someone to addiction.

https://coffeeandinkbooks.wordpress.com

Queering the American Dream by Angela Yarber Review

On June 28, 2024 By authoranthonyavinablogIn Blog Tours, Book Events, reviewsLeave a comment

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

Author Angela Yarber seeks to redefine what the American Dream means to marginalized people and the LGBTQ+ community as a whole in the book “Queering the American Dream”.

Advertisements

The Synopsis

Shop Finejewelers.com's Gift Finder Today & Be Ready for Every Holiday and Birthday Celebration!

The Review

What a compelling and thoughtful read. The author did a fantastic job of highlighting the personal struggles and obstacles she faced in going on this personal journey to find herself and her family in the process while also acknowledging the privilege she was born into, helping to shine a light on other marginalized groups aside from her own, from people of color to people who identify as different genders and so much more. The author’s balance of personal and professional writing in this book allowed the reader to connect with her experiences much deeper.

The heart of this narrative rested in the author’s path that she found herself on. In our current landscape, the need to “define” things like family, love, and society has become a centralized debate worldwide. The reader can see no clear-cut definition of family through the author’s story. Instead, family and love can look like anyone and anything, with white picket fences being equal to living on the road in an RV or having an apartment overlooking a major metropolitan city, as well as a mother and father being equal to two mothers or two fathers. The personal nature of the author’s other struggles, from loved ones struggling with addiction to feelings of self-doubt and more, really kept the reader engaged.

The Verdict

Memorable, heartfelt, and thoughtful in its delivery, author Angela Yarber’s “Queering the American Dream” is a must-read LGBTQ-driven nonfiction book that readers won’t be able to put down. The book’s relatability for so many LGBTQ readers looking to find their family in this world and the dedication to representing and giving voice to many different cultures and viewpoints allowed for a well-rounded discussion and heartfelt dive into what family truly means. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

Advertisements