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Book review📚: Someone birthed them broken by Ama Asantewa Diaka It’s been a while since I read a short story collection that captured my attention, and Someone Birthed Them Broken certainly did that! Across the 13 stories, Diaka shines a microscope on present day Ghana, through the lives of young Ghanaians. We explore their interconnectedness through raw and often times dysfunctional relationships. Whether that’s platonic, romantic, familial, or even with their homeland Ghana. At first glance, these characters seem like ordinary young people simply trying to get through life. But as each story unfolds, we see the complicated realities they’re dealing with. From resentment rooted in parental abandonment, to exploring sexuality, to the slow end of a once close-friendship. I found each story captured the emotional weight people often carry beneath the surface. Although I must admit, there are quite a few characters and I did get them mixed up at times🫣 Overall, Someone Birthed Them Broken highlights the complicated nature of relationships, it’s ability to hurt and shape us, but also bring about love, joy and closeness. #review #ghana #shortstories #blackauthors #africanliterature

Book review📚: Becoming Nigerian by Elnathan John “And the British said: ‘Let there be Nigeria.’ And there was Nigeria. And the British saw that Nigeria was good (for them) and they separated the ruling class from the serfs.” Becoming Nigerian is a guide like no other😂. Through satire, Elnathan John gives both Nigerians and non-Nigerians everything they need to know to understand and navigate Nigerian society. Whether it’s religion, politics, business, journalism, or how to be an expat, John has you covered with this funny and sharp take on how to embrace your inner Nigerian. And whilst this book does poke fun at Nigerian society, it’s also lays criticisms at the abuses of power that exist at every level, from government, to businesses, to institutions, and individuals. It also dives into hustle culture and the pursuit of money at any means, that so often excuses cheating, corruption, and exploitation. This book doesn’t just leave food for thought for Nigerians, but for all of us. It makes you think about what we’re willing to accept, what we choose to ignore, and the damage done when society continues to look the other way. May you enjoy this read, and may God also bless your hustle🙏🏾 #bookreview #becomingnigerian #africanliterature #blackauthor #bookstoread

March and April reading wrap up📚✨ I haven’t read that much in the last couple of months because I was too busy enjoying my holidays😂 I’ve been loving African literature lately and discovered new (to me) authors! #readingwrapup #bookrating #favouritereads #blackbooks #bookstagram

Read Africa Month - May hopefuls✨ Is it just me or does it feel like May is going to be a great month?☺️🤞🏾 As it’s Read Africa Month, I’m focusing on African literature reads that are on my physical tbr: 📚 It comes in waves by Rukky Brume 📚 30Million Ghanaians are fools, 17 are sane by Kingsley Kojo Antwi 📚 Flying through Water by Mamle Wolo What are you planning to read this month?? #readafrica #africanliterature #tbr #whattoread

1st May marks the start of Read Africa Month, organised by readsandart🙌🏾 Read Africa Month is an opportunity for us all to delve into African stories - those set in Africa, about Africa, or written by African authors. African literature is still one of my favourite genres to read, and I’ve barely scratched the surface😅. The variety of rich stories across the continent means there’s always something new to learn about its histories, cultures, and people. Not sure where to start? Here are a few recommendations to check out and add to your TBR! #readafricanmonth #africaliterature #bookrecommendations #readafrican #tbr

📚Book review: Gold Coast Dilemma by Nana Malone Imagine marrying the love of your life… only to catch him cheating on you in a closet on your wedding day??! Then nine months later, you get invited to his new wedding, using the same invitations and everything you had planned for yours🙃 Gold Coast Dilemma follows Ofosua, a young woman from a wealthy Ghanaian family whose life is turned upside down after her fiancé humiliates her on their big day. Alongside dealing with this heartbreak and navigating her mother’s expectations, Ofusua is building a career in publishing. When she meets Cole Drake, the heir to Drake Publishing, the two are drawn together in ways neither of them expected. This may be up there with one of my favourite romance reads. I loved watching Ofosua and Cole grow together while navigating family pressure, career ambitions, and their own expectations of love. What really made this stand out for me was how it explored Ghanaian culture in the diaspora, overbearing parents, mental health, workplace discrimination, and the fight (and struggle) to get black stories to get heard in publishing, that aren’t centred on pain or trauma. So if you want a romance with chemistry, heart, and real substance, this is one to add to your list! #romancereads #bookreview #africanliterature #ghanaianauthors

In the words of @jotheblackbookworm , “all the best things happen in March” and my birtbday is definitely one of them! It might have been on the 6th but it’s only right that I celebrate all month🤣 Chapter 28 might be the best one yet🤭

Book review: My Parents’ Marriage by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond 4/5⭐️ This book gave Team Legal Wives vs Team Odo Broni… but 40 years earlier. If you know that case, then you already know the kind of chaos this book delivers. In My Parents’ Marriage, Kokui is the daughter of a wealthy Ghanaian man. Her upbringing is challenged by her father’s infidelity - multiple wives, multiple children, resulting in multiple broken homes. Determined to have a different life, she choses Boris, an ambitious, diciplined man who’s seemingly nothing like her father. To Kokui, Boris represents more than just love, he represents freedom. As the story unfolds, Kokui is forced to confront the fact that marriages, and the people we choose, are far more complex than she ever imagined. At first, I was frustrated with Kokui, watching her go from being dependent on her father to being dependent on Boris. But then again, this is 1973 Ghana. Even as an affluent woman, how much real independence would she have had? The irony here is that Kokui was so determined not to marry someone like her father, that she chooses someone from a lower class, believing that alone would make the difference. Except it doesn’t… her father’s behaviour was never about wealth. It was about character. And Boris actually isn’t as different as she first believed. Overall, this is a compelling and layered exploration of class, love and family dynamics in 1970s Ghana. How they shape not just relationships, but also how people view Ghana itself: as a place to build a life, or a place they feel they must leave behind to succeed. #bookreview #ghanamonth #ghanaianauthors #historicalfiction

Book review📚: Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa 5/5⭐️ “To survive by loving each other means to love our ancestors too. To know their pain, struggles, and joys. It means loving our collective memory — who we are, and where we come from.” In Against the Loveless World, we meet Nahr, a young Palestinian refugee sentenced to 16 years in an Israeli prison for terrorism. But the truth is far more complicated than the charge presents. As she narrates her life, we come to know who Nahr really is: a sister, a daughter, a friend, a wife, and ultimately, a revolutionary. This incredible novel takes us through Kuwait, Jordan, and Palestine, giving us glimpses into the horrors of life under occupation. Into the realities of displacement and having to do whatever it takes to survive. Set against war and political turmoil, Nahr’s story is heartbreaking, but it is also one of resilience. Of love, hope, purpose, and belonging, rooted deeply in Palestine’s rich culture and collective memory. If you haven’t read this yet, then this is definitely one to bring to the top of your tbr. #review #booksta #historicalfiction #palestinianbooks #susanabulhawa

Happy Ghana’s Independence Day!🇬🇭 They say there’s more to Ghana than Accra and the same could be said about books! Here are a couple of recommendations of books that are set across the different regions. Have you read any of these and what did you think?! #ghanaindependence #africanliterature #bookrecommendations #ghanamonth

🇬🇭Happy Ghana Month!🇬🇭 With Ghana Independence Day around the corner, Ghana Month is dedicated to celebrating our culture, history, and all things Ghanaian! To celebrate this month, I’m prioritising reading stories by authors of Ghanaian heritage. These are set in Ghana and/or the diaspora. I’m particularly excited to read these and add them to my collection! What are you looking forward to reading this month? #ghanamonth #ghanaianauthors #march #tbr #africanliterature

Jan and Feb reading recap📚✨ The first two months of the year already done, can you believe it?😅 It’s been a good reading year so far, with my favourites being Strangerland and Against the Loveless World! What have been your favourite reads so far? #monthlyrecap #readingwrapup #bookish #reviews booksta