Book Reviews – The Readers Hut

In 2021, I was gifted money to get this book by a book club member, thank you Prince! I’m extremely happy I got this book, definitely one to re-read.

To think I started reading it last year, finished the first story and abandoned it🤦, mostly due to varying reviews on it.

This year my #Buyonebookamonthchallenge2022 on twitter has kicked off but I wouldn’t be buying the books till later, need to finish up the ones I have, gradually becoming more of a book buyer than a reader😂😂

If you follow my blog, you will know I don’t do the whole in-depth review, sorry I’m not so great with words.😏 I rave about books I loved as well as the ones I didn’t. Give me a good story; sweet, angry, happy, anything intelligent to keep me hooked from start to finish, that’s all I need.

Bolu did the thing in this beautiful book and as a certified lover girl, despite contrary opinions which I do not care about😏, this was a perfect collection of love stories. Sweet, mushy, feel good, warm love stories retold from mythical tales around the world.

Bolu retold mythical stories from patriarchal times into stories of brave, strong, fierce, daring, audacious, intelligent women who also loved deeply or somehow found their way to love. Women who discovered they could be more and became more.

There were happy ever afters, tragic stories but in all love stood tall and supreme, a collection of 13 stories with 3 being original shorts from Bolu. I loved her originals.

My favourite stories were Scheherazade, Attem, Psyche, Siya, Naleli, Thisbe, Tiara and Alagomeji.

Tales of beautiful women in flawed societies, who found strength in being who they were, being self-aware, finding love in the strangest settings, defining women as strong and vulnerable, strong and love deeply, warriors and beautiful as well. Diverse women fully represented, widows, lesbians, thick and so on.

Love so strong, descriptive, although a bit rushed, word flow intact, few cliffhangers, touching every stage of life and love barely from the sexual perspective but the point of total affection for a person.

A mix of historical and contemporary settings where Bolus’ infatuation with the millennial and Gen. Z demographic cohort shined through. Infusing a word like ‘raggedy’ and in Naleli’s story, her bestie Letsha screaming “That’s my best friend! Baddest bitch in Maloti Valley. Tidies sitting pretty in that pink bikini, Ayy!” totally took me out. 😂😂 Bolu is an exciting personality and it shows in these stories.

The cover design too was a hit!

Sadly, parts dragged in the stories and some were a bit rushed. There was a bit of the same storyline in the stories, less substance in the plot, but I didn’t have a problem with it, definitely would recommend this book!

The last story, Alagomeji, centred on Bolus’ parents love story, was the sweetest Nigerian love story I have read in a while.

Bolu is an amazing storyteller, the flow of grammar and infusion of humour made every story an experience.

Pictures of my favourite passages:

Till our next post!

Check out my bookstore as always and if you need a book not available on the site send a message on Twitter, Instagram or WhatsApp. I’m also running a valentine book package sale and Book sales at discounted prices, purchase yours today and spread the love! 😍

God, this book! I am angry, from the start to the end made me laugh but I was so pissed.

Why this? The annoyance increased as I read. Everything that happened in this book especially to Afi, she alone received the blame and the major cause of issues was never made to take the fall for his actions.

This story set in Ghana tells the story of Afi, a young woman who at a tender age loses her dad and her middle-class status in society to live like a pauper. Her dad while alive, taking care of the extended family as the only educated member, didn’t make preparations for his death. Ali and her mum have to survive and her mum sacrifices a lot to achieve this.

The ever benevolent aunt, Mrs Ganyo, a wealthy and affluent woman from Afi’s hometown, provides support and in the long run, Afi has to make sacrifices as thanks offering to the Ganyos.

Marry Eli Ganyo, Aunty’s son who is being charmed by a Liberian woman who is ‘ugly and hates his family’. Afi is to save this man, a grown-ass man , so she marries him in absentia.

Afi is well-taken care of but hasn’t met her husband, eventually, she does and has to do everything with her feminine wiles to keep this man from the other woman.

This was such an interesting, captivating read, with a total of less than 300 pages, lovely!

I have gone physical with almost every character in this book in real life, that’s how annoying they were.

Why should Afi have to suffer to keep a man who desires another? Why does she receive the blame for all the flaws in her marital home just because she is a woman? Why does she have to fight for a man especially because he is rich, doesn’t she deserve to be fought for?

This was a frustrating read, from greedy uncles to extended family problems, African aunties issues, the rich people’s mentality, to the selfishness, mummy’s boy’s issues, this book had it all.

Read this book, you would love it, this is African Drama at its finest. The writing style was so easy, and I loved the cover and total book design. I think the best books are the ones that bring out all the emotions in you.

Poverty was such a strong theme in this book, but in the end, Afi won despite how hard it was. A lesson I learnt, all the money in the world is not worth the pain. Afi was a strong character and I loved her growth as the story continued.

I also read Daughters who walk this path by Yejide Kilanko. This was another heart wrenching beautiful read.

I just concluded A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, the book club’s current read , my July reading is turning out amazing!

What are you reading this month?

My birthday month is coming soon and I’m excited!! 朗朗

Some of my favourite bookmarks! Till next time! If you read this book, please tag me with your thoughts on Twitter @thereadershut

Bye!!

Tag: Book Reviews

Why You Should read Love in Colour by Bolu Babalola.

His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie