Yinka Where Is Your Huzband Book Review
I took the book with me on holiday, I was in full relaxation mode, I had on my good-good sandals. And the book wasn’t bland, and I’m happy that the industry is making way for more rom-com fictions but that fully purposed book feeling just never came.
Lizzie Damilola Blackburn
Released: 2022
Genre: Romance Fiction
Watch the Breakdown
Yinka has a whole lot going on. We’re introduced to yinka at her little sister’s baby show. Firstly, she’s prematurely told family and friends that she’s about to get promoted in her banking-ish role. Even though she actually gets made redundant the following week. Her little sister is married, and expecting her first child, whilst she’s huz-band-less! Her mum and aunties have made it their business to include her name in their public prayers, because in their eyes she should have been married yesterday. Afterall… “Yinka where is your huzband?” I don’t remember Yinka ever saying that she didn’t want to find one, but you can’t buy-a-huzband these days.
Pressure can either make diamonds or make you start moving sideways. So desperate to not attend another wedding alone she sets up a plan using a business model to secure a date. Along the way she meets men, some newcomers and some known to her who provide their own types of stresses along the way. Yinka brings us into the world of a thirty-one year old South Londoner, all whilst remaining unemployed for what feels like forever.
The story includes family relationships, friendships, friendzone ships, and a couple of hard knocks along the way!
Heads swoosh in my direction and despite my attemps to avoid eye contact with my aunties, I can tell they’re grinning at me encouragingly. ‘Lord I pray that this year will be the year… that Yinka finds her husband!’ I inhale to stay calm. My time will come. I know it will.
*Taken straight from the book blurb*
“Jo, every Black woman in Peckham is my aunty”
Is that how you’re feeling yeah
Ahhh, you know what yeah, I really wanted to enjoy this book. Let me just set the scene. I took the book with me on holiday, I was in full relaxation mode, I had on my good-good sandals. And the book wasn’t bland, and I’m happy that the industry is making way for more rom-com fictions but that fully purposed book feeling just never came. The book cover was popping but the story was mediocre, even thought I felt it had the potential to really bang! The mix up, yeah there was the right amount of that. And I love reading about mix up, I can’t lie!
Some good subjects were touched upon, colourism, therapy, marriage pressure, etc but they felt very much on the surface. I felt that too many important issues were trying to be stuffed into the pot that it became a struggle for anything to stand out long term. I simply wanted more depth. I liken it to english exams where you get 2 points for listing things, and then an extra 5 points for the analysis. The analysis just never came.
I will say though, it’s a not a bad read and the beautiful cover alone is a reason to have it on your book shelf.
“I know that the same night Jon broke up with you, he told you he had developed feelings for me. But then you told him you were pregnant, so he had to marry you. And what did I do after finding out this information? I didn’t laugh in your face as you’re laughing at me now”
Favourite Character
All of the characters had energy and were really relatable. Cousin Ola annoyed me, but that annoyance was because I really believed in the character and that she was spreading bad energy.
Asides from the main character Yinka, I would say best friend Nana was my favourite character. I enjoyed her being in her own world and walking to her own beat. She was definitely 3D and I would like to see more characters like Nana having being main characters! Nana is an aspiring fashion designer , asexual and that that friend who stages interventions when enough is enough.
It Hit me When
Yinka blew up the whole spot and aired out her cousin Ola. Sometimes people want to poke the bear, and then they get upset when the bear bites. Word to Kelechi Okafor, “sometimes when people go low, go lower.” Limbo time! It gave me a Nollywood energy and that whole part had my full attention! Actually on full reflection the whole book gave me Nollywood vibes and my feedback above in That’s How You’re Feeling Yeah reflects that. I don’t watch Nollywood for the best quality sound or videography, but I know that I’ll get my dose of excitement and mix up!
Side note, I giggled when Yinka’s mum kept remixing her job role. She worked in a bank but wasn’t a banker! Mum’s really will hear what they want and run with the story. My mum kept telling her friend’s that I had completed a business degree… * I 100% did not * so then I kept having to have conversations with these peoples children about the subject and having to deflate them when I told them I had zero knowledge for them!
Length
394 pages including the acknowledgement. It was a good length because the story held a good pace and definitely didn’t feel dragged.
Seasoning Level
CO2 | Salt | Pepper | Mixed Herbs | All Purpose Seasoning
The Deep Book Review
I visually jumbled together The Little Mermaid, the mer people in Pirates of the Caribbean and Avatar, melanated them up and then I could see the Warinju.
GENRE: FANTASY | WRITTEN BY: RIVERS SOLOMON | RELEASED: 2019
Watch the Breakdown
Way down in the deep blue sea is where the Wajinru exist harmoniously. The Wajinru are the descendants of African slaves, who were thrown overboard by slave owners whilst pregnant. Whilst, the women died, their babies adapted and were born with fins.
Because of the Warinju’s traumatic past everything stretching back to the creation of their people, war, trauma and inbetween is forgotten by everyone expect for one. The book is focused on Yetu, a Warinju historian who has the sole role of holding all the ancestors memories.
On a yearly basis on rememberance day she is able to offload the memories throughout the community providing others with knowledge from the past. The issue is this knowledge is slowly killing Yetu, because as the years have progressed she has increasingly struggled to distinguish between her present and her ancestors memories. During this annual rememberance, Yetu flees her community for land, as the Warinju are synced up having received the memories she holds. With no memories or burden Yetu aims to discover the land for herself and comes into contact with the two legged people, one in particular she builds a bond with.
Whilst she’s discovering life above the sea, can her fellow Warinju cope with all the memories they’ve been exposed to?
Is that how you’re feeling yeah
You know what, I really did enjoy the book. I really liked how a random conversation that I could have on any given day became a bigger thought and equalled a whole book. I’ve been saying Yooo, how much do we really know about what lies in the sea. Barely anything! I mean I’m not saying there really are Warinju people, but I like how the story came about.
The plot itself is not complicated, and it’s super effective. I visually jumbled together The Little Mermaid, the mer people in Pirates of the Caribbean and Avatar, melanated them up and then I could see the Warinju.
The thoughts and reflection this narrative drew up was really significant. This fantasy book, really highlighted for me the importance of being connected with your ancestry. And the strengths of memory and history, regardless of them being flattering or not. Also trauma. I talk about trauma quite often and I really connected with how this book explored trauma, and ways that people deal with theirs. Very strong and impactful. Not everyone wants to read a self help or mental health book and this book was able to go into the topic beautifully.
I also picked up on the elements of even though Yetu being described as a “she” there being fluid elements. For example the discussion of the Warinju people having both sexual organs.
My only annoyance was the confusion when a few chapters weren’t led by Yetu. They seemed out of the place and weren’t immediately clear, with several character names being brought in without a clear storyline. I came to understand them as random ancestral memories or events but I don’t think they complimented the flow of the story.
“All of these things had made Yetu. It wasn’t at all pretty, but it was hers. It it was a choice between the History and emptiness, maybe Yetu wanted the History. She’d always complained that the rememberings erased her, that Yetu didn’t exist because the ancestors took up too much space inside her.”
Favourite Character
Yetu was my favourite character. And she was also the main character. I didn’t have a strong connection to Yetu, but I appreciated her vulnerability.
It Hit me When
When I transferred a fictional fantasy book into real life. It kind of smacked me in the face as I thought about the dilemma. There’s a common phrase ‘ignorance is bliss’ right, and for near enough a whole year, these people live without any rememberance but most importantly any burden of the past.
I questioned what I would prefer. To be happy, but effectively empty, or to feel pain, suffering, and joy and grow resilient because of those memories.
Length
163 Pages long. The book isn’t big at all! The ending was super cute and although I didn’t feel the book/novella was long enough I appreciated the continuous flow throughout the story.
Seasoning Level
CO2 | Salt | Pepper | Mixed Herbs | All Purpose Seasoning
YOUTUBE
I have a whole book discussion about The Deep on my Youtube. Click HERE to watch it
Imperfect Arrangements Book Review
I came for the marriages and stayed for the sister-bond friendship. This book gave me the giggles, the hyped-up “don’t make me take my hoops off” vibes, the side-eye “sis you need to chill out” views, and so much more.
Frances MensahWilliams
Released: 2020
Genre: Romance Fiction
*Gifted
Watch the Breakdown
In the sun-soaked capital of Ghana, three best friends struggle with the arrangements that define their relationships.
Ambitious Theresa has gambled everything to move with her husband Tyler from London to cosmpolitan Accra. But when shocking developments threaten their plans, they also expose the hidden cracks in her fairytale marriage.
Fesity Maku is desperate for professional recognition- and her dream wedding. But how long can she wait for her laid-back partner Nortey to stop dreaming up pointless projects and stand up to his family?
Churchgoing Lyla married Kwesi in haste. But while she battles her attraction to the mysterious Reuben, her husband has bitten off more than he can chew with his latest mistress.
Facing lies, betrayal, and shattered illusions, each couple must confront the truth of who they have become and the arrangements they have enabled. Against the backdrop of a shifting culture, each woman must decide what- and who- she is willing to sacrafice for the perfect marriage.
*Taken straight from the book blurb*
“The ring was perfect (but not the suffering)”
Is that how you’re feeling yeah
I came for the marriages and stayed for the sister-bond friendship. This book gave me the giggles, the hyped-up “don’t make me take my hoops off” vibes, the side-eye “sis you need to chill out” views, and so much more.
This book was on my shelf for months, and all now I’m asking myself why I let it sit there for that long, because from picking up the book to finishing it was a continuously smooth read. I wasn’t trying to put the book down to entertain anybody. I love a good passa-passa/ mix up and I got my perfect blend of cussins, drama and glow ups. (I don’t want it for my life, but I love it in a book, I really do)
When I first started reading the book it reminded me of The Returnees, which I’d read just before this one. They were similar in the sense that the children of the African diaspora had gone back to their motherlands in West Africa to pursue ventures. However, I quickly came to know that they were different. The characters in The Returnees were young adults in their twenties, whereas in this novel I felt 100% luxury aunty vibes!
I appreciated the richness and details about life in Accra, Ghana. Especially, when you’ve never been to the country of the location in any book, you want to feel like you’re there. I was in Accra for sure, complaining at times about the lack of air conditioning. I’m all the way here for the emerging books that show people leaving the places that many family members came to for a “better life” way back when. And I’ll say it with my chest, I like locations in Africa being put into novels as luxurious. The narrative is important!
When I realised that 6 characters were having their own chapters I thought it would be too much, but it didn’t make the story dry. And even though the book is about marriage, friendship is also a dominant theme throughout, so you hear more from the women.
The book really explored modern views of love and relationship status, particularly with the couple Theresa and Tyler, who moved from London and were adapting to Ghana. So, watching scenarios play out from different viewpoints was really juicy. Some of the clashes really made me pause and think about what went on. Marriage really seems stressful. Seriously, should there be 3 people in a marriage… you, me and your mum?
Full disclosure: I was rolling my eyes at the regular bar meetups that the men had, muttering “chale go home!”
“‘You know who I am, don’t you? You know I’m Kwesi’s girlfriend?’
Lyla looked down at the hand gripping her and absently noted the long red fingernails. How obvious, she thought dismissively, I’d have hoped my husband would have gone for a bit more class. She shook off the hand and raised a cool eyebrow.”
Favourite Character
The characters in the story were all very realistic and complex beings, a little too realistic, to the point that I started thinking of people I knew. Without a doubt though, Lyla was my favourite character. All the characters had their moments don’t get it twisted, but I was rooting for Lyla’s happiness and a happy ending for her. Even though this character was more in the background, I have to say I really liked Reuben. I can’t see anyone reading the book and not warming to Reuben.
Well, I can actually. The people that are cheaters and think they deserve hundreds of chances, but that’s not my business… unless you’re writing a book about it haha. Their whole situation reminded me of social media, and the burning question everyone has had for singer/songwriter Ciara ever since she married NFL player Russell Wilson. Everyone has been asking what the exact prayer was that Ciara recited when she asked for a man like Russel. Wow, now that I think about it Lyla’s husband really was the twin of rapper Future.
I’ll spill the tea if you’re not familiar… Ciara was engaged to Future, and they have a child together. I actually think his name is Future, as in named after his dad’s rap name. Yeah anyway… they split up after she accused him of cheating on her. She then released music with some shots fired at future, *inserts Ciara- I Bet.* Then she met Mr Russell Wilson and they are now married with 3 children. His reputation is squeaky clean, he’s handsome, and he’s always uplifting Ciara on the socials. Meanwhile Future is living way too much in the present with 6 children, by 6 women and ongoing child support cases.
It Hit me When
Hayyyy, it hit me when I realised that the side chick had overstepped her place to the point of no return. Sorry, but imagine your man… nope HUSBAND, having the nerve to cheat on you, and get his side chick pregnant. I’m not finished…. And then she turns up to your house to rub it in when you can’t get pregnant. HELLLL to the nooooo!
I also took away the reminder that marriage is not the finale. Marriage is the start of a life-long commitment. But I mean that sounds boring, so let’s focus on the side chick cheekiness.
Length
450 pages. Typing it now that sounds like a really long book, and when I initially picked it up I thought it was really thick, but is genuinely not boring. I finished the book over a weekend.
Seasoning Level
CO2 | Salt | Pepper | Mixed Herbs | All Purpose Seasoning
Why I Don't Review White Authors
This might be the most important sentence yet but… I don’t review white authors because whiteness is not my norm. At first, I consciously sought out Black authors…
I didn’t even think this would need to become a post but I’m asked this question quite regularly and I’ve got time today. I’ll get real Frizzy, with some Toni Morrison, on you and break down some things.
In the UK publishing industry, 11% of people identify with being BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic). The UK population is 14%
The main publishers are based in London, a city with a BAME population of 40%. Do the maths with the point above and it doesn’t make sense.
In 2019, when Bernardine Evaristo and Margaret Atwood jointly won the Man Booker Prize, on at least one occasion, in ‘reputable’ media outlets covering the story Margaret was referred to by name and Bernardine called ‘the other author’.
People waited until 2020, when they saw George Floyd, a Black man, getting killed in a video by a white officer to start grabbing books about racism by authors of colour, but predominantly Black authors. I’m not aiming to be a ‘pessimistic Patricia’ but excuse me for thinking it’s absolutely wild to not have noticed these authors until then!
I don’t even like the term POC (People Of Colour), but authors of colour have been writing for years. Some about racism and their personal experiences, but many also just writing litty books across a variety of genres that have zero focus on their race. Those are the books that don’t get the biggest promo and push. It often appears that if people of colour aren’t writing about racial injustices their literary voices aren’t important. I’ve heard people talk about authors of colour as “the Asian/Arab/Black version of inserts *white authors name*. Put some respect on their names. Reel off 5 authors from the top of your mind… It’s not for my benefit, I just want you to think about the authors you have been exposed to.
“This might be the most important sentence yet but… I don’t review white authors because whiteness is not my norm.”
In 1998 Toni Morrison made the sweetest point when asked in an interview when she was going to ‘substantially’ write about white characters. I’ve never come across an interview where a white author has had to defend their character and setting choices. It seemed that the interviewer, a white woman, was so surprised that a Black woman had found success in her lane. It’s not about playing devil’s advocate, it’s just so cheeky and comes from a high mountain of privilege. Check yo’ self, before yo’ wreck yourself!
If there ever was that question to direct at someone I’d like American author, Kathryn Stockett, to answer it. She’s the author of the popular novel The Help. The book is based in 1960s Mississippi and focuses on African Americans working in white households. Full disclosure I actually enjoyed the book, but I definitely felt funny when I found out after reading the book that she was a white author. I then found out she was sued by her brother’s nanny because the nanny felt that her likeliness was used in the book with things matching her in many details. The nanny was left feeling humiliated by the book. The main character’s name was near enough the same as the nanny’s.
Bringing things back to 2020, during England’s first lockdown I interviewed newly published author, Afshan D’Souza-Lodhi. She’s an award-winning poet and playwright of South Asian heritage. We discussed her debut poetry collection and she explained the micro-aggressions and flat out aggressions she faced when trying to get her collection published. A lot of it stemmed down to the issue that because of the lack of diversity across publishing she had to fight and defend cultural elements in her collection. Things like her decision to leave uppercase letters out of her title cover whilst paying homage to her Urdu language was a battle. She was then asked to produce a bibliography so people could understand the meaning of certain words. It jumps straight to the assumption that South Asian people couldn’t have been her given target market. Playing into the stereotype that people of colour are not readers and do not provide readerships.
I, like the majority of people in places like England, have read predominantly white authors for 20 plus years. This isn’t just leisure, it also includes pretty much all my academic education. No one asked me during those years why I read so many white authors. It was only when I stumbled across a few books by Dorothy Koomson, seeing Black girls on the cover and reading about characters with undisputed brown skin that I woke up, no pun intended, to a world of colour.
Curiosity got the better of me, so last year I did review a white author, Robin Diangelo. I couldn’t resist the title White Fragility. I also thought it could potentially be relevant for my readers, spilling some tea on conversations/thoughts that were otherwise not accessible.
This might be the most important sentence yet but… I don’t review white authors because whiteness is not my norm. At first, I consciously sought out Black authors, now it’s second nature. And I do my research when grabbing books from other authors of colour. In the western world that institutionally doesn’t support the thriving and excellence of Black people, I will pay my coins and cheerlead major time. The statistics show you, that right about now these diversity schemes and initiatives have made minimal changes so I do my effort to champion authors of colour. And I make no apology for it!
An American Marriage
On a surface level, An American Marriage’s plot is nothing out of the ordinary, saying that I could just be desensitized to the narrative of families being torn about when black men, in particular, get sent to prison on elongated sentences, pleading their innocence. But when you dig down, it is really deep.
By Tayari Jones
Publisher: Oneworld Publications
Released: 2018
Genre: Domestic Fiction
If you want to watch a video review of this book instead click here. I tried a thing… Let me know if you want more of these.
Watch the Breakdown
Roy and Celestial are just out of the honeymoon period. They’ve been married for about 18 months and live together in Atlanta. Roy is new money and on the come up as an executive, whereas Celestial, an artist, is already accustomed to the lifestyle. One weekend the two drive down to Roy’s hometown of Eloe, Louisiana to visit Roy’s parents. The visit always causes tension between the two as Celestial is sure that Roy’s mum doesn’t like her. Mums, is anyone good enough for their boys? Insisting on keeping the peace Roy books a hotel for him and his wife to stay in. As you can imagine Roy’s mum isn’t impressed, but he wants to get the perfect balance.
During a heated argument between Roy and Celestial in their hotel room, Roy shouts a safeword - their first date, and they take a 15 minute break. Roy heads out to fill their ice bucket and bumps into a woman who needs assistance. He helps her out to her room and returns to his wife. That simple gesture costs him his freedom as in the middle of the night the police boot down him and his wife’s hotel room and he is arrested for rape. Except he couldn’t have done it as he was with Celestial during the alleged timeframe.
Denied bail, it’s just the beginning of what turns into a conviction and a 12 year sentence issued to Roy after the law determines that he is guilty.
Suddenly their roles change and heartbreak takes different forms. Celestial has to battle through trying to further her career without the man who has been her rock and has believed in her the most, as well as supporting her husband through his grief. Their marriage becomes prison visits, letter writing and voucher top ups. The one person she has to support her through this time is her best friend Andre who she leans on, they are childhood friends. 2 years into Roy’s sentence Celestial decides this is no longer a marriage. She can be a friend, but she’s had longer away from her husband than with her husband at this point.
5 years into Roy’s sentence, his lawyer gets the conviction overturned and Roy is released from prison. He wants his old life back. And at the very least his wife, who hasn’t divorced him. How true are the vows “for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; until death do us part” in a situation like this?
“It isn’t it is a fiction book but, that is what hit me. You only have to look at the stories of the Exonerated 5/ Central Park 5, who were wrongly convicted of attempted murder, rape, assault and robbery and served 6+ years each before getting their sentences overturned to know it’s not fictional to everyone.”
Is that how you’re feeling yeah
This is one of those books that you’ll easily ignore on the bookshelf. Between the title and the cover it doesn’t stand out and it didn’t gas me up at all. They both came across too simple. But… if you overlook this book you will be missing out majorly. I have my Instagram book community to thank for putting me on to this title. It kept coming up on my timeline so I decided 2 years later to pick it up. I devoured this book within a day. Once you pick up this book, putting it down is a struggle. You want to keep reading, you feel like you must keep going. And just when you think you’re on track with the story, something happens that stresses you out all over again.
On a surface level, An American Marriage’s plot is nothing out of the ordinary, saying that I could just be desensitized to the narrative of families being torn about when black men, in particular, get sent to prison on elongated sentences, pleading their innocence. But when you dig down, it is really deep. The way that the author Tayari carries the story is something really special though. She covered issues with race and the legal system in such an inclusive way. African American’s make up 33% of the prison population, meanwhile only 12% of the United States population. That don’t make sense! Whilst people will have different views on the why to those statistics, I’m going to swerve because I could write a whole post about that sentence alone…
An American Marriage is the sort of the book that I think everyone who reads will be able to relate to on some level. More then, anyone, it makes you really think about what marriage means to you.
At some parts, I was shouting and cussin at the book because I was so enraged and moved and I don’t see myself being the exception in this case. Very much the rule. Exploring the ripple effect of a conviction on the lives of those closest to the person convicted created really intimate moments and unforgettable insight.
I appreciated the book covering the ongoing story, chapter to chapter first hand from the perspectives of three characters: Roy who gets convicted of a crime. Celestial, Roy’s wife. And Andre, Celestial’s childhood friend and Roy’s University homeboy. If it had just been from one perspective it wouldn’t have made the impact it did on me. One perspective would have just created sympathy. The three took it to a different level, and really drove home that despite the love and good intentions time really does not wait for anyone.
Empowering is definitely not a word I would use to describe the book. Reflective would be the best word, afterall A man has had years of his life taken from him, and is dealt with blows on blow when he comes out on the other side. He’s come out of prison a broken man.
“Ours was a love story, the kind that’s not supposed to happen to black girls anymore. This was vintage romance made scarce after Dr. King, along with Negro-owned dress shops, drugstores, and cafeterias.”
Favourite Character
I didn’t have a definite favourite character. As the story played out there were times that I sided with a character’s views or actions, and then there were instances that I side eyed them and then had to pause the book and question how I would respond being in the situation. I will say though that I respected Roy Senior the most. He wasn’t a core character but his heart and values were in the right place, and boy did he love his wife. Grab the tissues… it made me reflect on how I think love like that doesn’t exist anymore. The man refused to let the funeral people fill his wife’s grave. After the funeral he shovelled it all himself, he felt it was his duty as a husband. You know them people who don’t speak too much, but when they do their presence is strong. That is Roy Senior.
Although, I didn’t have a favourite character I had a character that I proper disliked. Andre- I couldn’t take to him at all, and felt from the beginning he had the potential to be an opportunist. In my notes I’ve written “Andre: Nasty. Sneaky as fuck”
It Hit me When
Whilst I was at my cousin’s house shouting at the book, she asked me if the book was non-fiction. And it isn’t it is a fiction book but, that is what hit me. You only have to look at the stories of the Exonerated 5/ Central Park 5, who were wrongly convicted of attempted murder, rape, assault and robbery and served 6+ years each before getting their sentences overturned to know it’s not fictional to everyone. The film on Netflix, When You See Us on is based on the Central Park 5. I’m currently watching a Netflix series looking at the World’s toughest prisons and the host, Raphael Rowe, was sentenced to life with no parole after getting convicted in the UK of murder and robbery. After 12 years his conviction was overturned. WILDDDDD!
Length
310 pages and wait for it…. It includes 15 book club questions. The questions featured are really thought provoking. For example: “You may have noticed that Tayari Jones does not specify the race of the woman who accuses Roy of rape. How did you picture this woman?”
Seasoning Level
CO2 | Salt | Pepper | Mixed Herbs | All Purpose Seasoning
my burning question
My scotch bonnet burning question would be to Celestial. What does marriage mean to you? I’ve read the book, and I soaked up her perspective and journey but I still struggle to truly knoe what marriage means to her. I mean this is a woman who knew that her husband didn’t commit the crime, so she wasn’t fighting the internal question of could he be guilty?
My First Audiobook Experience
I’m still undecided if I’m going to make audiobooks a regular thing. I have questions… I mean are audiobook experiences genre specific? What genres are audiobook gold? And what audiobooks should I abort the mission on?
I finally did it. I completed my first audiobook. Considering I’m an audio addict and book lover you’d think that I would have jumped on the audiobook trend years ago. But I’m so old school, I’ve always appreciated picking up a book, holding it and turning the pages.
I’m still undecided if I’m going to make audiobooks a regular thing. I have so many questions… I mean are great audiobook experiences genre specific? What genres are audiobook gold? And what audiobooks should I abort the mission on?
My first time had to be special, so I listened to a novel by Toni Morrison. Toni Morrison was an American novelist, book editor and University professor. She was also the first Black woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. Cue in her novel… Beloved. The book was narrated by her, which I thought was extra special because she’s no longer alive. That’s the beauty of audio, it’s timeless. Anyway, go hard or go home, so I needed to start strong with a literary legend. I can feel the magic in listening to an audiobook written by an author. They know the story, they know what parts to emphasize. Where you need to pause and take a breather. And I felt that with Toni’s narration. Plus her voice and tone matched the book really setting the tone.
10 +hours of the audio seemed like a big commitment though and still does. Even though it probably takes the same amount of time to read a book I definitely felt more aware of the time. I like to read at my own pace, and I’m generally a fast reader, so audiobooks take away that freedom from me. Also, I noticed my mind drifting to other thoughts as I was listening to the book. “What is for dinner?” “I know people with the name of the people mentioned in the book.” With a physical book, my mind is so focused on reading and mentally I’m in the book.
With audio, I flip in and out of concentration after 30 minutes, whereas I can read for hours. For example, I’m writing this post now and listening to an RnB playlist. I can hear the music in the background. But only when I pause typing does the music come to the front of my mind and I start singing the lyrics.
I enjoyed Toni Morrison’s Beloved but I don’t recommend it as the best book to start your audiobook experience with. The plot is supposed to set you into a sense of confusion, and it took me a while to settle into what was going on. I’d recommend something lighter like Michelle Obama’s Becoming. Hearing her narrate is surely only a bonus as her memoir book is a fully seasoned read. You can find my full review here of Becoming as a warm up.
Are you an audiobook fan? Should I give audiobooks another try?
5 Non-Fiction Books that school you on race and racism
People have been writing about race and racism for years, so even if you’re new to the discussion these 5 non-fiction titles will school you all the way. I’ve gone with a nice mixture because I know there are ‘different strokes for different folk’.
These non-fiction books school you on race and racism all the way. I’ve gone with a nice mixture because I know there are ‘different strokes for different folk’. I’m a sucker for killing random sayings. Point being people have been writing about race and racism for years. The latest BLM movement that re-ignited after the killing of George Floyd has had some thinking that race and racism just appeared in 2020 and that every Black person is ready with open ears to these discussions or to answer questions. We’re not! But here’s a good middle ground. p.S: “No Karen, this isn’t new.”
By Trevor Noah
Book: Born A Crime
Publisher: John Murray
Released : 2017
If comedy and satire is your thing then Trevor Noah’s Born A Crime is your ideal book. In England he is mix-raced, in America he’s Black, and in South Africa he is mixed or coloured. I hate that term but we move! Born in 1984’s South Africa, his being was illegal according to Apartheid law. The whole book covers his experiences throughout his childhood. One incident in particular addresses the fact that he wasn’t able to be out in public with his mum growing up, or his dad for that matter. His mum hired a coloured woman to walk to the park and places with him, and she would walk behind pretending to work for the woman.
The book is filled with humour and had real roll on the floor choking in laughter moments, especially with the detailed stories of his ever growing mischief but race is at the core of the book.
“Where most children are proof of their parents’ love, I was the proof of their criminality”
By Michelle Obama
Publisher: Viking, Penguin Books
Released : 2018
If you’re looking for an autobiography from a famous/ public figure then Becoming by Michelle Obama is they key! Yes you hear about politics and some fluffy moments but Michelle Obama knows that she is a black woman and she's been very clear throughout the book. The memoir documents her experiences coming from Chicago, USA and how microaggressions affected her growning up. She covers imposter syndrome and how she noticed White flight before her eyes as her area went from diverse to grouped radically. As well as the treatment she received by the media during Barack Obama’s presidential campaign. The book is empowering as she highlights not just the struggles and discomfort of navigating white spaces but how to thrive and give back to the community. She is a very hyper aware of who she is and what she brings to the table. Full review available here
By gal-dem
Publisher: Walkers Books
Released: 2018
If you’re looking for young people sharing their truth then this book by gal-dem is for you. 14 very different stories covering a range of topics detailing how they’ve grown up. You discover first hand experiences of sexuality, family life, love, identity and navigating life in the UK as a person of colour. What separates this book from others is that the contributors were not afraid to venture into typically "taboo" subjects. A real testament to breaking barriers and encouraging others to speak their truth even if it makes others uncomfortable.
Full review available here
By Robin Diangelo
Publisher: Allen Lane, Penguin Books
Released: 2019
If you are white and need to have your ego shattered by a white woman then I recommend White Fragility why it's so hard for white people to talk about racism this is by Robin D'Angelo. Equally, if you are not-white and want to learn more about race from a white person’s perspective it’s a good read. I don’t go out of my way to recommend White authors, on issues like racism I think it’s very important to understand it from someone's lived experience, however she has done a PhD and she has been giving training on diversity and inclusion for years. FYI she’s highly qualified and not blind to her own privileges. Full review here
By Reni Eddo-Lodge
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Released: 2017
If you are looking for an exploration through a very aware and educated perspective through a Black British channel then Rennie Eddo-Lodge’s Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race is your book. The book was born after a post she released went viral. She speaks from the heart but also backs up her views with litertaure and incidents that cannot be argued on. On top of that she has provided readers with notes and bibliography to signpost you to research deeper. It’s been called one of the most important books of 2017 and it's not hard to understand why.
4 Poetry books that banged in 2019
Out of the poems I read some took me down memory lane, and a select few that were new to me screamed out fire in the booth leaving their mark. These 4 books that I am co-signing all comfortably bring their own seats to the table and the results are melanated magic.
2019 has really given me the opportunity to read a lot of poetry. Poetry throughout my school-life left me feeling disengaged and made me mentally lock poetry in a box that read ‘Do not open.’ I’m glad I unlocked the box this year. Out of the poems I read some took me down memory lane, and a select few that were new to me screamed out fire in the booth leaving their mark. These 4 books that I am co-signing all comfortably bring their own seats to the table and the results are melanated magic.
By Sophia Thakur
Book: Somebody Give This Heart A Pen
Publisher: Walkers Books
Release Date: October 2019
I’ve been following British-Gambian poet Sophia Thakur, on Instagram for a while now after coming across her spoken performances online and I was impatiently awaiting this collection.
Newsflash, this collection does not disappoint. To describe Sophia Thakur’s collection in one sentence, combining the soulful vibe of singer Jorja Smith and poet r.h Sin’s ability to mind read and you have Sophia Thakur's intimate and soulful collection. Insert Lauryn Hill - Killing Me Softly.
“Time away from belonging to an “us”
allowed my preferences to become personal again
and really I never liked your sharp tongue
nor the nature of your crew
those were the things I once contested
and then just became accustomed to.
”
The collection is broken down into 4 parts which make the process Grow, Wait, Break and Grow Again and provides a real intimate journey through universal topics such as love, loss, faith and self discovery. Most importantly, the collection has the power to make you want to look into yourself and evaluate where you’re currently. Risky Nostalgia was the ultimate stand out poem for me, I connected with it so deeply and it had me looking sideways whilst reading the poem out in public because it made me feel really vulnerable. I remember thinking that I was being watched because the poem seemed way too personal to me.
Bangalanging poems:
Risky Nostalgia, Excerpt from a Letter to My Little Black Girl and When to Write.
“Run your fingers through your Afro, a tree that this whole culture breathes from.”
By Morgan Parker
Book: Magical Negro
Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
Release Date: February 2019
Magical Negro is Morgan Parker’s second book and yo we have to protect Morgan Parker at all costs! This poetry collection is real raw leaving you with WOW spilling out of your mouth. I love how versatile Morgan’s poetry is. It definitely makes you feel like you’re on a rollercoaster. You could be reading a confrontational poem, followed immediately by a jokey poem that plays on stereotypes, and then be thrown deep into a poem about the politics in America. This work of art is dipped in vulnerability and explores everyday blackness, and at the very core both the pain and magic of being a Black woman in the US.
“Lead us not into white neighbourhoods,
Deliver us from microaggressions.
Blessed are those who mourn, we who
are a blood built on a hill of embers
We no mail-order hipster black wife.”
Magical Negro #80: Brooklyn really caught my eye with its twist on a popular Christian prayer ‘The Lord’s Prayer’, it had me laughing out way too loud when I connected the dots. The collection is really powerful and I love how structured the collection is, with it being split into 3 sections. The poem titles and the section titles don’t come to play! - Let Us Now praise Famous Magical Negroes, Field Negro Field Notes and Popular Negro Punchlines.
Bangalanging poems:
Magical Negro #3: The Strong Black Woman, Let’s Get Some Better Angels at This Party, If You Are Over Staying Woke.
“Be honest when you’re up to it. Otherwise
drink water
lie to yourself
turn off the news
skip the funerals”
By Jay Bernard
Book: Surge
Publisher: Chatto & Windus
Release Date: June 2019
In 2016 just after the Brexit vote, Jay was invited to become a writer at the George Padmore Institute, a centre that focuses on black radical history in Britain. They had a key interest in the New Cross Fire and the poetry collection Surge was born. The collection whilst drawing on some emotion provoking incidents finds a way to insert flavour and Jamaican patois.
“Mudda she ah cry an she nah have no shoes on
Man dem ah look but to help dem refuse
Fren dem shock by di scale ah di loss
”
There is a large focus on the 1981 New Cross Fire which took the lives of 13 young people, and draws similarities to the 2017 Grenfell tower fire. Even though over 30 years apart, the narrative surrounding the incidents mirror each other and the collection doesn’t shy away from highlighting how frightening and infuriating it is that incidents have lacked accountability!
Bangalanging poems:
+, Proof and Blank.
“It is said that several thousand people marched in the rain from -
And now what is there, ___? What do we have to show for -”
Robert M.Drake, rh.Sin
Book: Empty Bottles Full of Stories
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Release Date: March 2019
Chances are before you know who the poets are Robert M.Drake and r.h.Sin are you’ve read their poems and have screenshots of their words on your phone. I’ve definitely got more than I can count. Taking advantage of the social media medium both men with their relateable and empowering poetry have become females real life cheerleaders, therapists, healers and are a refreshing reminder that not “all men are trash.”
“I think
you care
too much
but you pretend
as if
nothing bothers you.
I think
you want people
to miss you
but only
the right ones.”
Teaming up the two authors have provided some heart and thought provoking poetry, with Robert M.Drake focusing on the Curse, with some political poems and r.h Sin dishing out the sort of poems that ‘G check’ you and pierce through layers screaming into your heart to get you away from any unhealthy relationships. Effectively helping to reignite the good old 90s RnB with some soulful poetry.
Bangalanging poems:
The first shot, Too late, Relateable through sex.
“You’re not weak. Why? Well because you’re strong enough to love even when that love isn’t returned.”
Sophia Thakur and Morgan Parker’s books were gifted*