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Fiction

The Middle Daughter” by Chika Unigwe – A Rollercoaster of Emotions That Will Leave You Breathless!

by Obiageriaku
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Fantasy Fiction Mythology Young Adult

Don’t Answer When They Call your Name by Ukamaka Olisakwe- A Book Review

by Obiageriaku
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Drama Fiction magic realism Suspense

When We Were Fireflies by Abubakar Adam Ibrahim 

by Obiageriaku
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Historical Non-Fiction

SPARE by PRINCE HARRY

by Obiageriaku
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Fiction

A Spell of Good Things by Ayobami Adebayo

by Obiageriaku
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Drama Fiction Romance sapphic

Navigating Love and Loss: These Letters End in Tears

by Obiageriaku
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Fiction Short Stories

Exploring “When Trying to Return Home”: A Journey of Belonging

by Obiageriaku
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Crime Drama Fiction Mystery Suspense Thriller Young Adult

Promise Boys by Nick Brooks: Unraveling a Clever Murder Mystery

by Obiageriaku
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Drama Fiction Historical

Dust Child by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai: Unveiling the Hidden Tapestry of History

by Obiageriaku
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Drama Fiction

Daughter in Exile by Bisi Adjapon: A Compelling Journey of Resilience and Sacrifice

by Obiageriaku
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Fiction

The Middle Daughter” by Chika Unigwe – A Rollercoaster of Emotions That Will Leave You Breathless!

by Obiageriaku
No Comments
Fantasy Fiction Mythology Young Adult

Don’t Answer When They Call your Name by Ukamaka Olisakwe- A Book Review

by Obiageriaku
No Comments
Drama Fiction magic realism Suspense

When We Were Fireflies by Abubakar Adam Ibrahim 

by Obiageriaku
No Comments
Historical Non-Fiction

SPARE by PRINCE HARRY

by Obiageriaku
No Comments
Fiction

A Spell of Good Things by Ayobami Adebayo

by Obiageriaku
No Comments
Drama Fiction Romance sapphic

Navigating Love and Loss: These Letters End in Tears

by Obiageriaku
No Comments
Fiction Short Stories

Exploring “When Trying to Return Home”: A Journey of Belonging

by Obiageriaku
No Comments
Crime Drama Fiction Mystery Suspense Thriller Young Adult

Promise Boys by Nick Brooks: Unraveling a Clever Murder Mystery

by Obiageriaku
No Comments
Drama Fiction Historical

Dust Child by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai: Unveiling the Hidden Tapestry of History

by Obiageriaku
No Comments
Drama Fiction

Daughter in Exile by Bisi Adjapon: A Compelling Journey of Resilience and Sacrifice

by Obiageriaku
No Comments

Latest Posts

12 Mar
Drama Fiction Romance sapphic

Navigating Love and Loss: These Letters End in Tears

by Obiageriaku
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Introduction: Hey there, fellow bookworms! Today, I want to chat about a novel that seriously tugged at my heartstrings – “These Letters End in Tears”…

6 Feb
Fiction Short Stories

Exploring “When Trying to Return Home”: A Journey of Belonging

by Obiageriaku
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Introduction: In the whirlwind of change that accompanies moving to a new country, emotions run high, uncertainty looms, and loneliness can become overwhelming. But amidst…

8 Aug
Crime Drama Fiction Mystery Suspense Thriller Young Adult

Promise Boys by Nick Brooks: Unraveling a Clever Murder Mystery

by Obiageriaku
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Explore the engaging murder mystery ‘Promise Boys’ by Nick Brooks, where three young suspects unravel a cleverly crafted whodunit. Discover relatable characters and a compelling setting in this captivating read.

6 Jul
Drama Fiction Historical

Dust Child by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai: Unveiling the Hidden Tapestry of History

by Obiageriaku
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Dive into ‘Dust Child’ by Nguyen Phan Que Mai, a gripping historical fiction unveiling forgotten stories of Amerasians during the Vietnam War. Explore multiple perspectives, rich cultural tapestries, and themes of love and forgiveness in this must-read novel.”

17 Jun
Drama Fiction

Daughter in Exile by Bisi Adjapon: A Compelling Journey of Resilience and Sacrifice

by Obiageriaku
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Dive into the captivating world of ‘Daughter in Exile’ by Bisi Adjapon in our in-depth book review. Explore the emotional journey of Lola, an undocumented immigrant, and discover how Adjapon’s compelling prose brings her story to life. Don’t miss this hidden gem of 2023 that deserves recognition for its powerful narrative and the resilience it portrays.

17 May
Fiction

The Middle Daughter” by Chika Unigwe – A Rollercoaster of Emotions That Will Leave You Breathless!

by Obiageriaku
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Prepare for an emotional journey like no other in “The Middle Daughter” by Chika Unigwe. This book is a masterclass in trauma, grabbing your heart from the start and never letting go.

1

15 May
Fantasy Fiction Mythology Young Adult

Don’t Answer When They Call your Name by Ukamaka Olisakwe- A Book Review

by Obiageriaku
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Don’t Answer When They Call your Name by Ukamaka Olisakwe INTRO It’s a hot Thursday night, my T-shirt is so drenched in sweat that it…

4 May
Drama Fiction magic realism Suspense

When We Were Fireflies by Abubakar Adam Ibrahim 

by Obiageriaku
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When We Were Fireflies by Abubakar Adam Ibrahim  Get ready to embark on a mind-bending and captivating literary adventure with Abubakar Adam Ibrahim’s “When We…

17 Mar
Historical Non-Fiction

SPARE by PRINCE HARRY

by Obiageriaku
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Prepare yourself for an extraordinary and deeply introspective journey as you delve into the pages of “Spare” by Prince Harry. In this landmark publication, Prince…

3 Mar
Fiction

A Spell of Good Things by Ayobami Adebayo

by Obiageriaku
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SUMMARY Prepare to be captivated by Ayobami Adebayo’s spellbinding world in ‘A Spell of Good Things. As one of my favorite authors, Adebayo has once…

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ABOUT ME

Welcome to my Blog. I’m Oby and as you can already tell, I love love, love Books and reading. Reading is by far my sweetest escape. it opens my mind and takes me to alternate worlds with diverse cultures and characters with a plethora of personalities.

It’s like traveling with no visa, airport hassle and of course the occasional annoying seatmate. Just you, book in hand and endless possibilities.

I  set up this blog to give insight and candid reviews on trending books spanning diverse genres of literature( don’t worry I sprinkled a little bit of humor and a dash of my bubbly personality).

So don’t be shy, hop on this adventure with me as we travel the world one book at a time.

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    2024 Reading Challenge

    2024 Reading Challenge
    Obiageriaku has read 11 books toward their goal of 52 books.
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    GOOD READS

    Obiageriaku's books

    In Dependence
    Ties That Tether
    The Girl with the Louding Voice
    His Only Wife
    The Dragons, the Giant, the Women: A Memoir
    Zikora
    The Death of Vivek Oji
    The Guest List
    Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning
    Dear Child
    Champion of the Iroko
    Love in Colour: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold
    The Last Time I Saw You
    Butter Honey Pig Bread
    Once Upon a River
    The Mechanics of Yenagoa
    A Broken People's Playlist
    The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
    Mindset: The New Psychology of Success
    Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance


    Obiageriaku Onugha's favorite books »

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    Obiageriaku's books

    In Dependence
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    In Dependence
    by Sarah Ladipo Manyika
    Ties That Tether
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    Ties That Tether
    by Jane Igharo
    The Girl with the Louding Voice
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    The Girl with the Louding Voice
    by Abi Daré
    His Only Wife
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    His Only Wife
    by Peace Adzo Medie
    The Dragons, the Giant, the Women: A Memoir
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    The Dragons, the Giant, the Women: A Memoir
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    Obiageriaku | Book Reviewer

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    📖 Certified Book Lover + Full-time Daydreamer
    🇳🇬🇨🇦 | Powered by tea & stories
    ✨ Traveling the world, one page at a time!

    "Summer has a flavor like no other. Always fresh a "Summer has a flavor like no other. Always fresh and simmered in sunshine."- Oprah Winfery 🌞🌞
    📖 Matriarch by Tina Knowles
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

In this season of my life, I find myself deeply drawn to stories of women coming into themselves—especially later in life, in defiance of what society tells us is “too late” to bloom. Matriarch is one of those stories.

Mama Tina—because yes, that’s who she is, offers us a tender, bold, and reflective memoir about self-love, self-worth, and self-advocacy. She invites us into the life of a woman who was once a daughter and sister, then became a wife and mother, and finally arrived at a stage where she could simply… be herself.

What struck me most was the way Knowles balances softness and strength. Her storytelling is raw, sometimes angry, but always rooted in deep love. She reflects honestly on her marriage to Mathew Knowles, and I hope writing about that journey was healing not only for her—but also for Beyoncé and Solange.

For a family so famously private, it was powerful to witness her reclaim her voice and tell her story her way. Not everything was spelled out (nor should it be), but what she shared felt intentional, tender, and clarifying. It’s a beautiful thing to see a Black woman—especially one who has poured so much into her family—center herself in her own narrative.

As a Black woman, I’m constantly seeking stories like this—stories of legacy, of reflection, of the ways we mother and are mothered. I was moved by how she chose to break the cycle of fear-based parenting she experienced, and instead raise daughters with love, encouragement, and unapologetic support. It’s clear that this decision has echoed through her bloodline in the most beautiful way.

Her writing about Uncle Johnny, her grandchildren, and her faith brought tears to my eyes. These parts felt like sacred offerings.

This memoir isn’t gossipy or tea-filled, though she certainly could have gone there. Instead, it’s dignified and generous. For someone who has lived a long, high-profile life, Mama Tina remains deeply grounded—and her heart shines through on every page.

🗣️ Pro tip: Read it with your eyes and ears. The audiobook adds such warmth, and the physical book has the most stunning photos.

#tinaknowles #matriarch #autobiography
    Book Review: The God of the Woods by Liz Moore Book Review: The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

It had been a while since I picked up a murder mystery thriller, but The God of the Woods came highly recommended. It was topping every Tom, Tim, and Harry’s book list of 2024, and with so many glowing reviews, I figured—what the heck—let’s do it. I’m so glad I did.

Liz Moore’s latest novel is a masterclass in slow-burn suspense, set in the haunting beauty of the Adirondack region of upstate New York. It’s the summer of 1975 when 13-year-old Barbara Van Laar is discovered missing from her bunk at Camp Emerson. Her disappearance sparks a tense and emotionally layered investigation that echoes an earlier tragedy: the unsolved vanishing of her older brother from the same woods years before.

Moore weaves so much into this 500-page novel—class tensions, family secrets, power dynamics, and long-held grief—but it never feels overstuffed or confusing. She shifts effortlessly across timelines, revealing the characters’ lives piece by piece, each layer adding more urgency and intrigue to the search for Barbara.

At the center of it all is the Van Laar family, who own both the camp and a sprawling estate called Self-Reliance. Barbara’s world is a closed, privileged one—until it cracks open. We meet her sharp-witted bunkmate Tracy; her aloof and complicated mother Alice; the camp’s weary director, T.J.; and Judy, a determined young detective who is trying to make her mark. Each character is so well-drawn, they feel real—flawed, vulnerable, and deeply human. There are also a few unforgettable side characters (some you’ll love to hate), a thread of eerie campfire legends, and even the unsettling presence of a serial killer lurking in the shadows.

What surprised me most was how emotionally invested I became. I read a lot, but I seldom crave a story so badly that I stop everything else just to finish a book. That’s exactly what happened here. I couldn’t stop reading it—or thinking about it—and now I can’t stop talking about it either.

From the vivid setting to the twisty plot, the emotional depth to the final reveal, The God of the Woods is a rare kind of thriller: smart, literary, and utterly gripping. #bookrecommendations
    Lucky Girl by Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu.... wow… ju Lucky Girl by Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu.... wow… just wow. Yet another book that hits so close to home.

The story follows Soila, a bold, opinionated girl raised in Nairobi who moves to New York after a traumatic experience. What she finds isn’t the dream she imagined, but a world full of sharp contrasts—between wealth and poverty, race and privilege, freedom and expectation. It’s a coming-of-age story wrapped in cultural tension, identity, and the messy, beautiful process of trying to figure out who you are.

What made this so personal for me is that I saw so much of my own journey in Soila’s. Leaving home and starting fresh in Canada, I’ve felt that same mix of homesickness, freedom, and culture shock. Navigating a new place while still carrying where you’re from—it’s complicated. This book put words to feelings I hadn’t fully named yet.

Soila’s experience as a Kenyan woman learning about Blackness in America also cracked open conversations about race and diaspora that felt deeply familiar, even though our journeys aren’t identical. The tug between honoring your roots and forging your own path? Yep. That, too.

It’s one of those rare books that made me feel seen—and made me think. I’m really picky with literary fiction, but I do not regret picking up this book.

Highly recommend if you're into books about identity, growth, and finding your voice in unfamiliar places.

#bookrecommendations
#readafrican 
#BookLovers
    Just finished Theft by Abdulrazak Gurnah — his Just finished Theft by Abdulrazak Gurnah — his first novel since winning the Nobel Prize in 2021 — and wow, it’s quiet but so layered.

Set in Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam around the turn of the century, it follows three young people—Fauzia, Karim, and Badar—as they grow up in the long shadow of revolution and colonialism. Their lives drift together and apart again, not with big dramatic twists, but with the kind of slow, weighty unfolding that real life often has.

There is an actual theft in the story, but what really struck me is how the book quietly explores the many ways people are robbed—of choices, of futures, of each other. It’s not flashy, and Gurnah doesn’t spell things out, but by the end, you really feel it. The accumulation of small losses, and sometimes small hopes, too.

This isn’t a loud book—but it stays with you. Highly recommend if you’re in the mood for something thoughtful and quietly devastating.

#readafrican #bookrecommendations #bookreview
    📚 Book Review: How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sin 📚 Book Review: How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair ⁣
⁣
This memoir completely floored me, and as certified fiction girlie, that's not something that is easy to do. It is by far the best memoir I've read in a really long time.
⁣
Safiya Sinclair writes about growing up in Jamaica as a Rastafarian, raised under the strict, fearful watch of her father—a man both devoted to his faith and deeply abusive. His obsession with keeping “Babylon” (the outside, corrupt world) away from his daughters led to a life of rigid rules, control, and violence. ⁣
⁣
But somehow, even in that chaos, Safiya finds poetry. She finds books. Eventually, she finds her way out.⁣
⁣
I picked this up because I wanted to learn more about Rastafarianism, and it delivered on that—but it also gave me so much more. A look at how a young girl uses language to survive. How a daughter both loves and fears her father. How defiance can look like quietly reading in your room, slowly building a self no one else sees yet.⁣
⁣
This isn’t an easy read—some chapters were genuinely hard to get through— If you’ve ever wrestled with family, faith, or finding your voice, I think this book would definitely resonate with you. ⁣
⁣
Highly recommend.

#memoir #bookrecommendations #Bookstagram
    Book Review: The Vegetarian by Han Kang Okay, so Book Review: The Vegetarian by Han Kang

Okay, so this book was weird. Like capital-W Weird. But also, I couldn’t put it down.

I picked up The Vegetarian because everyone said it was disturbing and brilliant, and they were absolutely right on both counts. It starts off with Yeong-hye deciding—after a violent, bloody dream—that she no longer wants to eat meat. Innocent enough, until it spirals into a full-on breakdown of self, society, and everything in between. 

What I thought would be a quiet little book about food turned out to be a layered, exploration of autonomy, repression, and the price of nonconformity. Yeong-hye’s transformation—from submissive wife to silent, sun-bathing tree (yes, you read that right)—was both beautiful and deeply unsettling.

The story is told in three parts, each from someone else's perspective (her husband, her brother-in-law, and her sister), which makes her feel even more isolated—as if her voice never quite belonged to her. It’s sad. It’s haunting. It’s poetic. And at some point I realized the book wasn’t about vegetarianism at all, but about escape. And maybe madness. And maybe freedom.

If you’re in the mood for something deeply uncomfortable, and completely original, this might be the book for you. But be warned: it’s not a light read.

4/5 stars 
(Also, can we give it up for Deborah Smith, the translator? Because wow.)

#TheVegetarian #HanKang #BookReview #LiteraryFiction #DarkReads #TranslatedFiction #koreanliterature
    Book Review: Men Without Women by Haruki Murakami Book Review: Men Without Women by Haruki Murakami

There’s something eerie about finishing a book that makes you feel like you’ve been quietly observed the entire time you were reading it. That’s how Men Without Women felt to me—like someone had quietly peeled back the layers of male solitude and let me sit with it. No commentary, no judgment. Just raw, aching loneliness.

This isn’t the kind of book you rush through. I found myself pausing often, rereading certain lines that hit a little too hard. Murakami has this way of making the mundane feel heavy. Not dramatic—just... weighted. Like a quiet apartment after someone leaves. Like an unanswered phone call. Like a song playing on repeat because it reminds you of a time you can’t get back.

The title says it all: men without women. But what stuck with me is how  these men still are haunted by the women they lost, left, pushed away, or never even had a chance with. The presence of absence. It’s a beautiful contradiction.

One story that really lingered in my mind was “Scheherazade.” In it, a man named Habara lives in isolation, and a woman regularly visits him—not just for sex, but to tell him the most unusual stories. She’s like a modern-day Scheherazade, using storytelling to connect, seduce, and somehow survive. Her stories are strange and specific—like having been an eel in a past life—but they carry this deep, emotional undercurrent. You get the sense that they’re both clinging to each other, trying to keep the emptiness at bay. It’s weird, a little magical, and incredibly sad. And yet, somehow comforting.

There’s a certain tenderness in how these men are written. Flawed, distant, sometimes emotionally unreachable—but never in a way that vilifies them. Instead, he offers them up to the reader like a collection of quiet confessions. I found that deeply moving.

As a woman reading this, I felt like I’d been granted a glimpse into a world that rarely invites me in. Not because it’s secret, but because it’s silent. And silence, as this book shows, can be deafening. If you’ve ever sat in your own loneliness and wondered what it would be like if someone saw it—truly saw it—this book will speak to you.
    Just finished The Edge of Water by Olufunke Grac Just finished The Edge of Water by Olufunke Grace Bankole @olufunke.grace.bankole , and I’m still sitting in the quiet ache of it.

It’s a gentle, intimate story about a mother and daughter navigating silence, memory, and the weight of unspoken things. So much happens in the in-between—in what isn’t said, in the small moments that carry so much meaning.

The story moves between Nigeria and New Orleans, told through the eyes of Amina and her mother—two women bound by love, distance, fear, and hope. Amina dreams of a bigger life in America, while her mother, rooted in tradition and worry, fears the worst. 

Bankole doesn’t rush. She lets the story unfold slowly, like a tide pulling you in. Reading it, I found myself reflecting deeply on my own relationship with my mum. I’m now around the age she was when she had us—and honestly, some days I can barely remember to feed myself, let alone raise three tiny humans with any sort of grace.

It’s humbling. I’m learning to appreciate her more. To give grace. To forgive quicker. To understand that sometimes love doesn’t look like softness— it's sometimes tough and rough around the edges

Books like this don’t shout. They whisper. They sit with you quietly, and somehow leave you changed.

If you loved The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Daré, this one belongs on your shelf.

#TheEdgeOfWater #OlufunkeGraceBankole #Bookstagram
    Book Review: What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akka Book Review: What Strange Paradise by Omar El Akkad

This book really stuck with me. What Strange Paradise is a beautifully written and deeply moving story about survival, displacement, and the lengths people will go to in search of a better life. It follows Amir, a young boy who washes up on the shore of a foreign island after fleeing his home country. As he struggles to find safety, he meets Vänna, a local teenage girl who becomes his unexpected ally. Their relationship is at the heart of the novel—two kids from completely different worlds trying to navigate a situation far bigger than either of them.

For such a heavy topic, Omar El Akkad tells the story with an incredible sense of care and subtlety. The writing is simple but powerful, never over-explaining or forcing emotions but instead letting the story speak for itself. The way the book moves between timelines—showing Amir’s journey before the shipwreck and his desperate attempt to survive after—adds so much depth, making you feel both the hope and the heartbreak in equal measure.

And then there’s the ending. Without giving anything away, I’ll just say it will shock you. Just when you think you understand where the story is going, El Akkad pulls the rug out from under you. It’s the kind of ending that makes you sit there for a while, processing everything you just read.

This book is so relevant to the world we live in today.  I’d absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for a novel that is both beautifully written and deeply impactful.

#bookrecommendations
#bookstagram #bookreview
    Obiageriaku.. The one who was born into wealth/th Obiageriaku..
 The one who was born into wealth/the good life.
    📚 Book Review: A Kind of Madness by Uche Okonkw 📚 Book Review: A Kind of Madness by Uche Okonkwo 📚 @tin_house
@uch_okonkwo

This review is long overdue, and I couldn’t let it slide. I read A Kind of Madness during a time when my life felt... messy. I remember picking it up, and before I knew it, I was gone — fully engrossed, forgetting everything else around me. It was a one-sit read. I literally didn’t move until I finished it.

These stories? They shocked me. They made me laugh. And in some moments... I was gagged.

Set in Lagos, this collection dives into relationships, mental health, and  personal struggles. What struck me most was how relatable it all felt — no matter where you are in the world, we’re all just trying to figure life out.

The characters are so well-developed that it didn’t even feel like I was reading short stories — I felt like I knew these people. One minute I was rooting for them, the next I was frustrated with their choices — and that’s a sign of brilliant writing. Uche Okonkwo doesn’t hold back on the realities of Lagos, and her ability to write from both adult and child perspectives is incredible.

I can’t wait to see what she writes next — I’ll be first in line for it!

Have you read this one? Let’s talk about it! ❤️

#AKindOfMadness #UcheOkonkwo  #BookReview #WomenWriters #BookLover #bookstagram
    📚 Book Review: The Parlour Wife by Foluso Agbaj 📚 Book Review: The Parlour Wife by Foluso Agbaje 📚

Reading The Parlour Wife felt like stepping into a time machine. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book set in this era or one that shows the impact of WWII on Nigeria — and honestly, I was blown away.

The story follows Kehinde, a young woman with dreams of becoming a writer, who’s forced into a life she didn’t choose. While her twin brother continues his education, Kehinde is married off to Mr. Ogunjobi, a powerful man who expects her to be nothing more than a “parlour wife” — quiet, pretty, and obedient. But Kehinde refuses to stay silent. Her journey of resilience, self-discovery, and female solidarity kept me hooked.

I especially loved this book because my favourite genre is women acting badly — not bad in the sense of being immoral, but in refusing to fit into the box society has tried so desperately to squeeze them into. Kehinde is exactly that — bold, determined, and unwilling to let others define her.

I loved how Agbaje captured the tension in Lagos during wartime — the food shortages, the resistance of market women, and the push for women to play their part. It made me realize how much of that history is rarely told.

The Parlour Wife isn’t perfect — there were a few moments that felt a little too modern for the time — but Kehinde’s story more than made up for it. Plus, that ending? So satisfying!

If you’re into historical fiction, powerful female leads, or just love a book that sticks with you — this one’s for you.
 

#TheParlourWife #BookReview #WomenActingBadly #HistoricalFiction #WomenInHistory #MustRead

Have you read it? Would love to hear your thoughts!
    From the moment I read the title Only Big Bum Bum From the moment I read the title Only Big Bum Bum Matters Tomorrow by Damilare Kuku, I knew it was going to be hilarious. As captain of the Tweeny Weeny Butt Club, I could deeply relate. Have I wished for a big derrière? Absolutely. But the thought of surgery? Immediate nausea.

This book had me cracking up, but underneath the humor, Kuku delivers a sharp take on beauty standards, societal pressure, and the lengths people go to for validation.

Temi, our main character, doesn’t just wish for curves—she’s convinced her entire future depends on them. When she drops the bombshell on her family, right after her father’s will is read (talk about dramatic timing), it sets off a storm of reactions. Her sister, Ladun, the one with the “perfect” body, sees things differently. Their mother, Hassana, and Aunt Jummai are torn between worry and judgment. And Big Mummy? Well, she’s got opinions.

What I loved about this book is how it unpacks beauty standards and body image in such a real way. Temi’s obsession with getting a bigger bum isn’t just about vanity—it’s years of taunts, social media pressure, and the belief that her worth is tied to her shape. Meanwhile, Ladun, the “ideal” woman, deals with a different struggle: unwanted attention and men who don’t know how to act.

But this book isn’t just about body image. It’s about love—the kind between parents and children, between sisters, and even the kind that survives heartbreak. The love story between Temi and Ladun’s parents had me swooning, and Tito’s bond with his daughter, Ladun, was just beautiful.

Damilare Kuku is too good at capturing the wild, often ridiculous standards placed on women’s bodies. You just know she’s the friend who keeps the whole table entertained at dinner parties, serving the best gist while dropping the kind of wisdom that makes you rethink everything. This book is hilarious, biting, and painfully real. Highly recommend!

#readnigerian #womensfiction
    I’m not quite sure what I was expecting when I p I’m not quite sure what I was expecting when I picked up Days Come and Go by Hemley Boum 🇨🇲, but it definitely wasn’t this gut-wrenching, beautifully complex story. The book follows three Cameroonian women—Anna, an older woman reflecting on her life of love and loss; Abi, her daughter trying to find a balance between tradition and independence; and Tina, a young woman who gets pulled into radical extremism, giving the reader an intense look at the impact of groups like Boko Haram.

What I loved about this book is how Boum captures the depth of friendship. The bond between Tina and her childhood best friends felt so real—those messy, beautiful moments that make up a friendship, and how, despite everything, those connections stay with you. I think that’s one of the strongest parts of the book: how our early relationships shape us, even when life pulls us in all kinds of directions.

The Boko Haram aspect of the story is heavy, but it’s handled in such a human way. Tina’s journey into extremism really made me reflect on how complex the choices are for young women in these situations. It’s a reminder of the devastating effects of violence, manipulation, and loss, and how easily someone can be drawn into something they don’t fully understand. It was heartbreaking but necessary, showing the harsh reality of what many young women face.

Boum’s writing is so effortless, pulling you into the lives of these women, exploring their struggles, their hopes, and how they fight to hold onto themselves amid the chaos. If you’re into books that dive deep into family dynamics, friendship, and the tough decisions women have to make, Days Come and Go is a must-read. 

#womensfiction #readafrican
    Dear @chimamanda_adichie I don’t even know wher Dear @chimamanda_adichie

I don’t even know where to begin because Dream Count 🇳🇬 left me speechless. I felt seen in ways I wasn’t ready for. As a 31-year-old single woman, I always thought by now I’d have the baby, the family, the life I imagined for myself. But here I am, still waiting, still wondering. And this book—it was like looking into a mirror I didn’t know I needed.

The women in this story felt so real, so familiar. I saw myself in their hopes, in their quiet grief, in the way they tried to make peace with the life they had versus the life they once dreamed of. The way you captured longing—the kind we don’t always say out loud—hit me in the chest. It wasn’t just about waiting for a baby, for a partner, for a certain kind of life. It was about all the ways women are expected to measure themselves by time, by milestones, by things we can’t always control.

This book didn’t just tell a story—it held me. It forced me to sit with parts of myself I had been avoiding, to ask hard questions about what I want and why. It was beautiful and painful and healing all at once. 

And for that, I just want to say thank you.

#dreamcount #readnigerian
#chimamandangoziadichie
    Book Review: Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubges Book Review: Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice 🇨🇦

Okay, so this was my first time reading a book written by an Indigenous author and about Indigenous people, and I have to say—I was seriously impressed. The writing was smooth, the characters felt real, and the whole thing was just so good.

We follow Evan Whitesky, a young Anishinaabe man, as his Northern community slowly loses power and communication with the outside world. At first, life doesn’t change too much—they know how to survive off the land—but as winter deepens and desperation sets in, things start getting tense. What really hit me was how grounded it felt. The apocalypse isn’t some wild explosion-filled disaster; it’s slow, creeping, and disturbingly realistic.

Also, I have to shout out Aileen (Evan’s partner), because I loved how strong and steady she was throughout the story. And then there’s Justin Scott… let’s just say, every story needs a character you love to hate.

And now I just found out there’s a Book 2 (Moon of the Turning Leaves), so naturally, I’m scrambling to get my hands on it. If you’re into books that blend survival, culture, and tension in a quiet but powerful way, I highly recommend this one. It left me thinking long after I turned the last page.

#readcanadian
#bookrecommendations #bookreview
    February 2025 - "The more you seek the uncomfortab February 2025 - "The more you seek the uncomfortable, the more you will become comfortable."

📸  @reeljournal_photos_videos
    January 2025 January 2025
    2024 in books: Quietly turning pages, even when MI 2024 in books: Quietly turning pages, even when MIA. 📚✨

What’s the best book you’ve read this year? 📚 Drop your recommendations below—I’m always looking to add to my TBR!"

#Books #bookrecommendations #read #readers
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