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A Coastline Is an Immeasurable Thing: A Memoir Across Three Continents by Mary-Alice Daniel
Drawn by its stunning title & cover, I requested an arc for A Coastline Is an Immeasurable Thing. For some reason or other I ended up neglecting to read it but at long last decided to give it a try, and I’m really glad that I did get round to it. Written with clarity and…
1990s, 2000s, 3.5 STARS, A Coastline Is an Immeasurable Thing, A Coastline Is an Immeasurable Thing: A Memoir Across Three Continents, Adult, America, belonging, biography, Black & Black heritage authors, black diaspora, CHILDHOOD, Christianity, Contemporary, cultural dissonance, elementary school, england, family, female authors, generational trauma, girlhood, growing up, HIGH SCHOOL, history, identity, Islam, language, Mary-Alice Daniel, MEMOIR, MEMORY, migration/immigration, Nigeria, nigerian american author, Nonfiction, otherness, published in 2022, RACE, read in 2022, Religion, school setting, snapshots, social issues, story within a story -
Dele Weds Destiny by Tomi Obaro
This is one of those cases where the blurb for novel spoils said novel. Rather than giving us a broad-stroke summary of the story, the blurb reveals almost every plotline in the story, so while I was actually reading the novel myself, and I kept expecting something ‘new’ to happen, well, I ended up feeling…
1980s, 3 STARS, 3rd pov, abortion/miscarriage/bodily autonomy, Adult, age gap, America, Black & Black heritage authors, class, Contemporary, Dele Weds Destiny, divorce/separations, drama, eating disorders, female authors, female friendships, friendships, MARRIAGE, mothers & daughters, Nigeria, nigerian american author, published in 2022, read in 2022, self-harming, Tomi Obaro, UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE, wedding drama -
Lightseekers by Femi Kayode
Lightseeker is a propulsive thriller that combines a who/whydunnit with a thought-provoking social commentary. Set in Nigeria, Lightseeker is predominantly narrated by Dr. Philip Taiwo, an investigative psychologist who has recently returned to Nigeria after having spent years in the United States. A husband and a father of two, Philip struggles to readjust to Nigeria’s…
3 STARS, Adult, affairs, Black & Black heritage authors, BOOK REVIEW, Booklr, CRIME, cults, cultural dissonance, DEATH, different styles (1st/2nd/3rd povs), Femi Kayode, graphic content, Lightseeker, male authors, MURDER, My reviews, MYSTERY, Nigeria, Nigerian author, politics, PSYCHIATRISTS & THERAPISTS, published in 2021, read in 2022, reading, SMALL TOWN, small town crime, SOCIAL COMMENTARY, social issues, THRILLER, UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE, violence -
Here Again Now by Okechukwu Nzelu
The first few pages of Here Again Now brought to mind the opening scene from my much beloved A Little Life so, naturally, I cranked up my expectations. As I kept on reading however my initial excitement over the story incrementally decreased to the point that I no longer looked forward to picking it up.…
3 STARS, 3rd pov, actors, addiction, Adult, ANGST, Black & Black heritage authors, BOOK REVIEW, BOOK REVIEWS, Booklr, Contemporary, england, fatherhood, fathers & sons, FRIENDS TO LOVERS, friendships, gay, GRIEF, Here Again Now, introspective, lgbtq+, LGBTQ+ Author, LITERARY FICTION, LONDON, lyrical prose, male authors, male friendships, My reviews, Nigeria, nigerian british author, Okechukwu Nzelu, published in 2022, purply prose, queer, read in 2021, reading, ROMANCE, style over character, tragedy, weak prose, will they won't they -
Noor by Nnedi Okorafor
Earlier this year I read and loved Nnedi Okorafor’s Remote Control, which is a truly wonderful novella. Because of this, I was looking forward to Noor as I’m a fan of Okorafor’s take on Africanfuturism and of the way she seamlessly fuses folkloresque fantasy elements with sci-fi ones. While Noor certainly delivers on the Africanfuturism…
2.5 STARS, 3rd pov, Adult, afrofuturism, arc, Black & Black heritage authors, BOOK REVIEW, BOOK REVIEWS, Booklr, dystopia, FANTASY, female authors, FOLKLORE, My reviews, netgalley, Nigeria, nigerian american author, NNEDI OKORAFOR, noor, politics, published in 2021, read in 2021, reading, SCI-FI, SPECULATIVE FICTION, subject over characters/story -
The Icarus Girl by Helen Oyeyemi
That Helen Oyeyemi wrote her debut novel aged 18 while studying for her A-Levels is certainly an impressive feat. And, as debuts go, The Icarus Child is by no means a weak one. As this happens to be the third book I’ve read of hers I can see just how much her writing has grown…
2000s, 3 STARS, 3rd pov, Adult, atmospheric, Black & Black heritage authors, bullying, CHILDHOOD, elementary school, england, family, female authors, female friendships, FOLKLORE, friendships, ghosts/spirits, growing up, HORROR, LITERARY FICTION, loneliness, MAGICAL REALISM, Nigeria, nigerian british author, published in 2005, read in 2021, The Icarus Child, toxic relationships -
Manifesto: On Never Giving Up by Bernardine Evaristo
“I am first and foremost a writer, the written word is how I process everything—myself, life, society, history, politics. It’s not just a job or a passion, but it is at the very heart of how I exist in the world, and I am addicted to the adventure of storytelling as my most powerful means…
1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 1st pov, 2000s, 4 STARS, Adult, arc, ART/CREATIVITY, AUTOBIOGRAPHY, Bernardine Evaristo, Black & Black heritage authors, BOOK REVIEW, BOOK REVIEWS, booker-prize winners, Booklr, books about books, books about writers, CHILDHOOD, england, family, female authors, feminism, growing up, identity, LESBIAN, lgbtq+, LGBTQ+ Author, LONDON, Manifesto, Manifesto: On Never Giving Up, MEMOIR, My reviews, Nigeria, nigerian british author, Nonfiction, published in 2021, queer, RACE, read in 2021, reading, social issues, theatre, writing about writing -
Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi
“Hold it gently, this hungry beast that is your heart.” Butter Honey Pig Bread explores the complex relationship two sisters who were once close but have become estranged as adults. Their mother, Kambirinachi, believes that she is an Ogbanje, a malevolent spirit who haunts mothers by ‘coming’ and ‘going’ (usually the child dies in childhood).…
4 STARS, Black & Black heritage authors, Butter Honey Pig Bread, canada, child abuse, Contemporary, cultural dissonance, different styles (1st/2nd/3rd povs), england, f/f, female authors, food & cooking, forgiveness, FRANCE, Francesca Ekwuyasi, friendships, GUILT, lagos, lgbtq+, LITERARY FICTION, MAGICAL REALISM, mothers & daughters, Nigeria, nigerian canadian author, published in 2020, queer, read in 2020, sapphic, sexual assault/abuse/rape, SISTERS, social issues, trauma, travel, twins -
An Ordinary Wonder by Buki Papillon
“With no words, Yeyemi says, I am the strength and fire in you, I am everything that is and was and every will be. You are the stuff my stars are made of. I am you and you are me.” An Ordinary Wonder tells a moving coming of age, one that will definitely appeal to…
1990s, 20th century, 3 STARS, An Ordinary Wonder, Black & Black heritage authors, boarding/private school, Buki Papillon, bullying, CHILDHOOD, coming of age, curses, family, female authors, FOLKLORE, friendships, gender identity, gods, growing up, identity, intersex, lgbtq+, MAGICAL REALISM, mothers & daughters, Nigeria, Nigerian author, published in 2021, read in 2020, twins, YOUNG ADULT -
Zikora: A Short Story by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie once again showcases her beautiful in Zikora. The story begins with the titular character, Zikora, who is about to give birth. The father of her soon to be born child is not there with he left her months prior, after she hinted at the possibility of being pregnant. As Zikora goes into…
luce [is reading] 