July 2020 – The Readers Hut

Book Review: A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole

Posted on July 30, 2020 by The Readers Hut

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBC-xqSpda0/?igshid=vc2vr63z3r6k

““I wish, Rune,” Poppy said, causing me to glance up, “I wish that people realized how this felt every day. Why does it take a life ending to learn how to cherish each day? Why must we wait until we run out of time to start to accomplish all that we dreamed, when once we had all the time in the world? Why don’t we look at the person we love the most like it’s the last time we will ever see them? Because if we did, life would be so vibrant. Life would be so truly and completely lived.””

You guys my heart is broken into tiny cherry blossoms. This book review was written at exactly 3am 😭😭 because I couldn’t let my thoughts disappear.

I loved this book!!

That’s it, that’s the review!

I have read Tillie Cole’s books and I have always put her into a box of hot suspense romance authors, I never knew she could write something so heartbreaking, gut wrenching, emotionally draining and thought provoking.

This beautiful book tells the story of Rune and Poppy, neighbours at five, Bestfriends and lovers till forever with a love so strong and everlasting. Is this love meant to be forever though?

This book was filled with a lot of clichés, albeit a sad and perfect read, I cried alot people, I couldn’t help myself, those snot pouring down your nose, ugly tears, yep I did that.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWMksWMldD4/?igshid=1uyv1nau6boqy

I saw this picture on Instagram and it fully describes A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole, you totally have to survive reading this book.

In summary, you just have to read this book, if you dont cry or feel sad your heart is made from stronger stuff then😒.

There were some weird thoughts though on happenings after death, but I wouldn’t go into that.

I connected so much with the story because it was based on a major health condition which I could relate to, Cancer.

I also loved how “Cherry blossoms” a tree I see in a lot of pictures, had a strong symbolism in this book. Cherry blossoms are a symbolic flower of the spring, a time of renewal, and the fleeting nature of life. Their life is very short. After their beauty peaks around two weeks, the blossoms start to fall.

Such a beautiful tree.

Finally this book was beautiful, if you are looking to have a good cry, this is it. Live life well, it’s fleeting.

Here are some beautiful quotes, till next time folks!!

“Poppy’s hands slowly lowered and her smile softened as she stared at me. I lowered the camera as I returned that stare, the cherry blossoms full and vibrant around where she sat—her symbolic halo. Then it hit me. Poppy, Poppymin, she was the cherry blossom.
She was my cherry blossom.
An unrivaled beauty, limited in its life. A beauty so extreme in its grace that it can’t last. It stays to enrich our lives, then drifts away in the wind. Never forgotten. Because it reminds us we must live. That life is fragile, yet in that fragility, there is strength. There is love. There is purpose. It reminds us that life is short, that our breaths are numbered and our destiny is fixed, regardless of how hard we fight.
It reminds us not to waste a single second. Live hard, love harder. Chase dreams, seek adventures … capture moments.
Live beautifully.”

This statement is just sad but true, live life!

“As you read this, I can picture you shaking your head. But, Rune, life is short. However, I have learned that love is limitless and the heart is big.
So open your heart, Rune. Keep it open and allow yourself to love and to be loved.”

Did I tell you, I love Rihanna!! 😍😍

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A Crack in Everything by L. H. Cosway

Posted on July 27, 2020 by The Readers Hut

https://www.instagram.com/p/BelM1KeAF7M/?igshid=negg5oxi14oy

Book 71 of 2020!!🤩🤩

I have a goal of reading 150 books this year and I really hope I can do it. I have had an exiting reading year so far, initially I wanted to read the perfect books😏 but now I’m going with what catches my fancy.

I recently discovered L. H. Cosway this year and I certainly loved this book.

A crack in everything is the first installment of a two-part series. A young adult read with a slow burn romance evolving between the characters. I loved it!

Dylan, intelligent, self-destructive, moody/gloomy personality with a flair for science and Evelyn with her cheerful and go lucky personality, a really beautiful couple to read about.

I also loved the gay perspective, Shane and Sam, weird but nice to read.

Dylan hates their hometown, while Evelyn is comfortable with her situation till horror strikes, a real sad end to an amazing love story.

It continues in How the Light Gets In, and we meet Dylan and Evelyn as mature adults, this is a very brief review but I certainly loved this story.

Question of the day: Is it alright to settle in life even though you aren’t extremely rich? Like all these hustle in life is it worth the stress?

“It matters to me. I want more for you.” I shook my head, exasperated. “Why?” “Because . . .” He paused, turmoil in his expression. A long silence elapsed, and a kaleidoscope of thoughts passed over his face, like cars going different directions on a motorway. “Because I can only see my dreams clearly when I look through you first.” My insides blared on loudspeaker, while my voice was barely a whisper. “I don’t understand.” Dylan gave a sad laugh. “I just feel like any achievements are pointless unless I have you by my side.”
🤭😍😍

I’m such a hopeless romantic😂😂, bye!! See you next time!!

I would love to hear answers from the question I asked above!

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bena09EA2Bp/?igshid=11wuvin288sj4

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Book Review of Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Posted on July 19, 2020 by The Readers Hut

Americanah: A Nigerian who has returned from overseas to Nigeria.
In an interview, Adichie defines Americanah as a Nigerian word that can describe any of those who have been to the US and return American affectations; pretend not to understand their mother tongues any longer; refuse to eat Nigerian food or make constant reference to their life in America.
-Wikipedia

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCR1EaYg9V9/?igshid=2ukbqu5dmlcg

I know there are lots of reviews on Americanah but I don’t mind adding my two cents on this book.

I love Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, I believe she can never do wrong in her stories regardless of how she ends her books.

Chimamanda didn’t disappoint me in Americanah and I loved that, she has a way of provoking you to think, quarrel, question a lot of things and that’s what I love about her works.

A lot of people especially Nigerians don’t accept some of her thoughts but that’s fine, do you!

When I wrote my review I didn’t know where to start, my heart was heavy after reading this book. A reminder, I had been reading this book since last year and have never gotten to finish it due to procrastination. This was the bookclubs’ read for June and we had a beautiful discussion.

Americanah is a book that is so real, it’s not your conventional love story with a perfect Happy-Ever-After. It was infused with strong themes, I love how Chimamanda was educating us about ‘the abroad’ infused in a love story. Ifemelu and Obinze are childhood sweethearts with the dream of greener pastures and we are taken through their journey through adulthood.

After reading this book, I asked myself the new Nigerian dream is going abroad, but is it really worth it?

This book was really thought provoking, it was a bit long though, I lost interest at some point but I still saw it through.

There were so many strong themes here RACISM and its effects especially on African youths, culture, tradition, gender, marital life and its expectations, family, and finally, Americanahs and overseas life.

My favourite character was Ifemelu despite her toxic traits I loved her and was rooting for her😂 I’m not in support of divorce but Chimamanda made me root for Obinze leaving his wife, that’s how well Chimamanda writes .

In Summary, you should read Americanah and if you have what did you love about it? Who was your favourite character?

Who also saw Chimamanda in Ifemelu?

I can’t leave without sharing some quotes as usual:

“You sound American” into a garland that she hung around her own neck. Why was it a compliment, an accomplishment, to sound American”

Interesting question! It baffles me too.

“He knew about Nigerians, he told her, he was an assistant professor at Yale, and although his interest was mostly in southern Africa, how could he not know about Nigerians when they were everywhere? “What is it, one in every five Africans is Nigerian”

😂😂 Nigerians are just everywhere!

“She recognized in Kelsey the nationalism of liberal Americans who copiously criticized America but did not like you to do so; they expected you to be silent and grateful, and always reminded you of how much better than wherever you had come from America was.”

“Dear Non-American Black, when you make the choice to come to America, you become black. Stop arguing. Stop saying I’m Jamaican or I’m Ghanaian. America doesn’t care. So what if you weren’t “black” in your country? You’re in America now”

“So if you’re going to write about race, you have to make sure it’s so lyrical and subtle that the reader who doesn’t read between the lines won’t even know it’s about race. “

And this was exactly what Chimamanda did in Americanah!

That’s all folks, till next time!