Foyinsi's bookshelf: all en-US Mon, 24 Feb 2025 13:18:01 -0800 60 Foyinsi's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[Nearly All the Men in Lagos Are Mad: Stories]]> 156007931 The anti-rom-com debut collection that took Nigeria by storm, featuring twelve �bewitching and revelatory� (The New York Times) and �ridiculously entertaining� (Booklist starred review) stories about the perils and pitfalls of dating men in Lagos, from a rising star of Nollywood

“Sharply observational, funny and profound, this book is dynamic sociological satire that is as universal as it is specific.� —Bolu Babalola, author of Reese's Book Club pick and national bestseller Honey and Spice

*INCLUDES A NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN SNEAK PEEK OF DAMILARE KUKU'S FORTHCOMING NOVEL*

One night, you will calmly put a knife to your husband's private part and promise to cut it off. It will scare him so much that the next day, he will call his family members for a meeting in the house. He will not call your family members, but you will not care. You won’t need them.

In this remarkable short story collection, Damilare Kuku takes us deep into the heart of modern Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city, and the lives of a collection of audacious women who cope with romantic difficulties by brilliantly turning the tables on the men who wrong them.

One hardworking married woman calmly threatens sharp-edged revenge on her lazy, hypocritical husband. Another skillfully protects her own business interests by shielding her pastor-husband from allegations of cheating that may or may not be true. A group of wealthy wives deceived by their husbands join forces in a WhatsApp support group called the Virtuous Wives Guild. And a discerning dater fed up with Nigerian men makes a vow to date only oyibos before discovering that white men can act just as badly.

A bestseller in Damilare Kuku’s native Nigeria, Nearly All the Men in Lagos Are Mad is a raunchy, satisfying, and outrageous read steeped in the chaos and allure of sub-Saharan Africa’s largest city. It’s also a love letter to Nigerian the women in these stories may be confronted at every turn with liars, scammers, and cheaters in their quests for love, but they always figure out how to come out victorious.]]> 282 Damilare Kuku 0063316382 Foyinsi 0 4.22 2024 Nearly All the Men in Lagos Are Mad: Stories
author: Damilare Kuku
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at: 2025/02/24
date added: 2025/02/24
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Love Craves Cardamom (Love in Translation #2)]]> 219334746 This second, swoony romance in the Love in Translation series follows art enthusiast and recently single Archi Dhawan to India, where she discovers that the first boy to give her butterflies again is secretly a prince.

Archana Dhawan’s fall semester of senior year is a boy-free zone. Hot off a break-up, she’s determined to find herself in her parents� homeland of Rajasthan, India. More importantly, she must complete her capstone project by interning at one of the most prestigious art galleries in the country. There’s no room for distractions if she wants to make her mark on the art world as a museum curator.

Alas, the universe is clearly trying to tempt her. On day one, she meets the most attractive boy she’s seen ever on the train to her new school. Then she runs into him again at work. As it turns out, not only is the museum connected to a palace, but the cute boy, Shiv, is a royal gardener!

He offers to show her the real city of Jaipur, from fresh food that he cooks to local spots tourists never visit. Their chemistry is undeniable, and just as she begins to open up to the idea of romance, she gets shocking news: Shiv is actually a prince. Thrust into the spotlight, is Archi prepared to be the one on display?
Read less]]> 320 Aashna Avachat 0593571584 Foyinsi 0 to-read 4.86 2025 Love Craves Cardamom (Love in Translation #2)
author: Aashna Avachat
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.86
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/12/20
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Under the Neon Lights 218460259 In this sparkling and heartfelt debut YA novel in verse, a young Black girl discovers first love, self-worth, and the power of a good skate. Perfect for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo and Joya Goffney.

Sixteen-year-old Jaelyn Coleman lives for Saturdays at WestSide Roll, the iconic neighborhood roller rink. On these magical nights, Jae can lose herself in the music of DJ Sunny, the smell of nachos from the concession, and the crowd of some of her favorite people—old heads, dance crews, and other regulars like herself. Here, Jae and other Black teens can fully be themselves.

One Saturday, as Jae skates away her worries, she crashes into the cutest boy she’s ever seen. Trey’s dimples, rich brown skin, and warm smile make it impossible for her to be mad at him though. Best of all, he can’t stop finding excuses to be around her. A nice change for once, in contrast with her best friend’s cold distance of late or her estranged father creeping back into her life.

Just as Jae thinks her summer might change for the better, devastating news hits: Westside Roll is shutting down. The gentrification rapidly taking over her predominantly Black Indianapolis neighborhood, filling it with luxury apartments and fancy boutiques, has come for her safe-haven. And this is just one trouble Jae can’t skate away from.

Debut author Arriel Vinson’s lyrical and contemplative story of young Black love and coming of age in Indianapolis ushers in an exciting new voice in YA literature.]]> 384 Arriel Vinson 059385859X Foyinsi 0 to-read 4.23 Under the Neon Lights
author: Arriel Vinson
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.23
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/11/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel: The Ultimate Guide to Writing a YA Bestseller]]> 61356176 An indispensable guide in the bestselling Save the Cat! story structure series that reveals the 15 essential plot points needed to make any young adult novel a success, from an accomplished novelist and the author of Save the Cat! Writes a Novel.

In Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel, prolific author and story coach Jessica Brody presents a comprehensive story structure guide for anyone who wants to write a young adult novel by applying the famed Save the Cat! screenwriting methodology to the world of YA fiction. In this book, you will learn:

� The fifteen "beats" (or plot points) that are necessary for crafting a successful story with a compelling character arc —including the Opening Image, Catalyst, Fun and Games, Bad Guys Close In, Dark Night of the Soul, and Finale
� The ten universal story genres that will help you drill into what makes your type of story work, including those most commonly found in young adult novels like Rites of Passage, Superhero, Buddy Love, Institutionalized, and Golden Fleece
� Quirky, original insights and writing tips like “Save the Cat,� the “Shard of Glass,� and the “Dark Night Epiphany,� that help you craft a story that will thrill and captivate teen readers

Filled with practical advice, easy-to-follow templates, and "beat sheets" analyzing the structure of popular young adult novels such as Leigh Bardugo's Six of Crows, John Green's The Fault in Our Stars, and Lois Lowry's The Giver, this book is the ultimate reference for anyone who's ever dreamed of writing their own young adult bestseller.]]> 430 Jessica Brody 1984859242 Foyinsi 0 4.70 2023 Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel: The Ultimate Guide to Writing a YA Bestseller
author: Jessica Brody
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.70
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at: 2024/11/20
date added: 2024/11/20
shelves:
review:

]]> An Arcane Inheritance 178251418 400 Kamilah Cole Foyinsi 0 to-read 4.73 An Arcane Inheritance
author: Kamilah Cole
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.73
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/08/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Way You Make Me Feel 35704397 An NPR Best Book of 2018A Boston Globe Best Children's Book of 2018A We Need Diverse Books 2018 Must-ReadA TAYSHAS 2019 Reading List BookA California Book Award FinalistFrom the author of I Believe in a Thing Called Love, a laugh-out-loud story of love, new friendships, and one unique food truck.

Clara Shin lives for pranks and disruption. When she takes one joke too far, her dad sentences her to a summer working on his food truck, the KoBra, alongside her uptight classmate Rose Carver. Not the carefree summer Clara had imagined. But maybe Rose isn't so bad. Maybe the boy named Hamlet (yes, Hamlet) crushing on her is pretty cute. Maybe Clara actually feels invested in her dad’s business. What if taking this summer seriously means that Clara has to leave her old self behind? With Maurene Goo's signature warmth and humor, The Way You Make Me Feel is a relatable story of falling in love and finding yourself in the places you’d never thought to look.]]> 336 Maurene Goo 0374304092 Foyinsi 5
Merged review:

I really enjoyed the characters, the plot, the voice, and the fact that there's as much emphasis on a growing friendship as there was on the relationship. So looking forward to reading more Maurene Goo (I Believe in a Thing Called Love next on my list)]]> 3.78 2018 The Way You Make Me Feel
author: Maurene Goo
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2018/12/17
date added: 2024/07/31
shelves:
review:
I really enjoyed the characters, the plot, the voice, and the fact that there's as much emphasis on a growing friendship as there was on the relationship. So looking forward to reading more Maurene Goo (I Believe in a Thing Called Love next on my list)

Merged review:

I really enjoyed the characters, the plot, the voice, and the fact that there's as much emphasis on a growing friendship as there was on the relationship. So looking forward to reading more Maurene Goo (I Believe in a Thing Called Love next on my list)
]]> The Changing Man 63361411 A teenage girl is pulled into investigating the truth behind her new boarding school’s decades-old legend in The Changing Man, this debut Young Adult speculative thriller by Tomi Oyemakinde

Face front. Watch your back. BE BRAVE.

If it was left to her, Ife Adebola wouldn’t be starting at Nithercott School. Because despite her being in the Urban Achievers scholarship program, her parents can barely afford the tuition. No matter who is trying to be friends with her, like her classmate Bijal, or how much the prestigious boarding school tries to pull her in, Ife is determined not to get caught up in any of it.

But when another student, Malika, begins acting strange, Ife can’t help but wonder if there’s more going on at Nithercott than she realizes. Could there be any truth to the school’s decades-old legend of the Changing Man? Is there any connection to the missing older brother of her classmate, Ben?

As more questions arise, Ife has no choice but to team up with Ben and Bijal to investigate. But can the trio act quickly enough to uncover who is behind everything, before one—or all—of them is the Changing Man’s next victim?]]> 384 Tomi Oyemakinde 1250868130 Foyinsi 0 3.06 2023 The Changing Man
author: Tomi Oyemakinde
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.06
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/07/25
shelves:
review:

]]> Heartbreak U 44414727 241 Johnni Sherri Foyinsi 0 4.77 Heartbreak U
author: Johnni Sherri
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.77
book published:
rating: 0
read at: 2019/12/13
date added: 2024/01/23
shelves:
review:

]]> The Beanstalk Murder 63005191 The Beanstalk Murder - a middle grade fantasy novel by P. G. Bell - involves a young witch-in-training, her archenemy, the kingdom of giants, and a huge murder mystery!

Anwen Sledge, an eleven-year-old Meadow Witch apprentice, lives with her grandma in a rural village that hasn't seen giants since the Great Beanstalk War. So when a giant falls right onto them, it's quite a surprise. And it's an even bigger surprise when they discover that the giant was dead BEFORE he hit the ground. Anwen, her grandmother, and Anwen's rival, Cerys, will have to plant a magic beanstalk and send a message to the giants in the Sky Kingdom.

But Anwen and Cerys get stuck to the beanstalk and find themselves shot up to the Sky Kingdom and surrounded by giants! There, they learn that the dead giant was a king. Since the giants have no magic beanstalks of their own, it’ll be a few days before they can send the girls home. Meadow Witch (in training) Anwen has a duty to the dead so she’s determined to help solve the case, despite Cerys’s doubts in her.

With the help of a pageboy, a few new animal friends, and her reluctant rival, can Anwen figure out who killed the king before it’s time to go home? Or before the killer strikes again?]]> 320 P.G. Bell 1250864844 Foyinsi 0 4.13 The Beanstalk Murder
author: P.G. Bell
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.13
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/11/20
shelves:
review:

]]> With Love, Miss Americanah 60500540 Sisi Americanah—the Young Adult contemporary romance debut from Jane Igharo—sees a teenager move from Nigeria to America and navigate her senior year with the help of classic teen movies and a new crush, while working through grief and the rigid expectations of her mother.

17-year-old Enore Adesuwa doesn’t dive into things, she wades in very carefully. So when she and her mother and sister move from Nigeria to America shortly after her father’s death, she wants to be as prepared as possible for attending an American high school. Her cousin, Adrian, doesn’t have time to explain the ins and outs to her but, luckily, he recommends the perfect research teen movies.

Still dealing with grief but armed with a list of rules of survival (including no drawing attention to herself) gathered from these beloved movies, Enore is ready as she’ll ever be for senior year. But when she meets Davi Santiago, it may be much harder than she thought to keep to her rules. Because not only is he super thoughtful (and okay, very good looking), he encourages Enore to share her incredible singing voice. She prefers the background but it just might be time for her to take center stage, even in spite of her mother’s own strict rules and desires for her.

With help from Davi, some new friends who don’t quite fit the roles she expects them to play, and her younger sister, can Enore get through senior year with a new passion, new boldness, and new love?]]> 320 Jane Igharo 1250873371 Foyinsi 0 3.87 2024 With Love, Miss Americanah
author: Jane Igharo
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/11/20
shelves:
review:

]]> Something More 60901487
Fifteen-year-old Jessie, a quirky loner obsessed with the nineties, is diagnosed as autistic just weeks before starting high school. Determined to make a fresh start and keep her diagnosis a secret, Jessie creates a list of goals that range from acquiring two distinct eyebrows to getting a magical first kiss and landing a spot in the school play. Within the halls of Holy Trinity High, she finds a world where things are no longer black and white and quickly learns that living in color is much more fun. But Jessie gets more than she bargained for when two very different boys steal her heart, forcing her to go off-script.]]> 336 Jackie Khalilieh 1774882132 Foyinsi 0 4.04 2023 Something More
author: Jackie Khalilieh
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/09/27
shelves:
review:

]]> Where Sleeping Girls Lie 43232967
It’s like I keep stumbling into a dark room, searching for the switch to make things bright again...

Sade Hussein is starting her third year of high school, this time at the prestigious Alfred Nobel Academy boarding school, after being home-schooled all her life. Misfortune has clung to her seemingly since birth, but even she doesn’t expect her new roommate, Elizabeth, to disappear after Sade’s first night. Or for people to think Sade had something to do with it.

With rumors swirling around her, Sade catches the attention of the girls collectively known as the ‘Unholy Trinity� and they bring her into their fold. Between learning more about them—especially Persephone, who Sade is inexplicably drawn to—and playing catchup in class, Sade already has so much on her plate. But when it seems people don't care enough about what happened to Elizabeth, it's up to she and Elizabeth's best friend, Baz, to investigate.

And then a student is found dead.

The more Sade and Baz dig into Elizabeth's disappearance, the more she realizes there’s more to Alfred Nobel Academy and its students than she thought. Secrets lurk around every corner and beneath every surface…secrets that rival even her own.]]> 416 Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé Foyinsi 0 3.99 2024 Where Sleeping Girls Lie
author: Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/08/04
shelves:
review:

]]> Dear Wendy 111672538
Sophie Chi is in her first year at Wellesley College (despite her parents� wishes that she attend a “real� university, rather than a liberal arts school) and has long accepted her aromantic and asexual identities. Despite knowing she’ll never fall in love, she enjoys running an Instagram account that offers relationship advice to students at Wellesley. No one except her roommate knows that she’s behind the incredibly popular "Dear Wendy" account.

When Joanna “Jo� Ephron―also a first-year student at Wellesley―created their “Sincerely Wanda� account, it wasn't at all meant to be serious or take off like it does―not like Dear Wendy’s. But now they might have a rivalry of sorts with Dear Wendy? Oops . As if Jo’s not busy enough having existential crises over gender, the fact that she’ll never truly be loved or be enough, or her few friends finding The One and forgetting her!

While tensions are rising online, Sophie and Jo are getting closer in real life, bonding over their shared aroace identities. As their friendship develops and they work together to start a campus organization for other a-spec students, can their growing bond survive if they learn just who’s behind the Wendy and Wanda accounts?

With its exploration of a-spec identities, college life, and more, this platonic comedy, perfect for fans of Netflix’s The Half of It and Alice Oseman’s Loveless , is ultimately a love story about two people who are not―and will not―be in love!]]> 368 Ann Zhao 1250885000 Foyinsi 0 3.99 2024 Dear Wendy
author: Ann Zhao
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/08/04
shelves:
review:

]]> Freewater 60379762 Award-winning author Amina Luqman-Dawson pens a lyrical, accessible historical middle-grade novel about two enslaved children’s escape from a plantation and the many ways they find freedom.

After an entire young life of enslavement, twelve-year-old Homer escapes Southerland Plantation with his little sister Ada, leaving his beloved mother behind. Much as he adores her and fears for her life, Homer knows there’s no turning back, not with the overseer on their trail. Through tangled vines, secret doorways, and over a sky bridge, the two find a secret community called Freewater, deep in the recesses of the swamp.

In this new, free society made up of escaped slaves and some born-free children, Homer cautiously embraces a set of spirited friends, almost forgetting where he came from. But when he learns of a threat that could destroy Freewater, he hatches a plan to return to Southerland plantation, overcome his own cautious nature, and free his mother from enslavement. Loosely based on a little-mined but important piece of history, this is an inspiring and deeply empowering story of survival, love, and courage.]]> 417 Amina Luqman-Dawson Foyinsi 0 currently-reading 4.30 2022 Freewater
author: Amina Luqman-Dawson
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/01/31
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Danger at Dead Man's Pass (Adventures on Trains, #4)]]> 56978091 Embark on a thrilling fourth adventure in the bestselling, prize-winning Adventures on Trains series - Danger in Dead Man's Pass, from M. G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman, as Harrison Beck investigates an ancient family curse high in the German mountains. Illustrated in black-and-white throughout by Elisa Paganelli.

A mysterious letter from an old friend asks Hal and Uncle Nat to help investigate a spooky supernatural mystery. Legend has it the Kratzensteins, a family of rich and powerful railway tycoons, are cursed, but there is no such thing as a curse, is there . . .?

Hal and Nat take the night train to Berlin and go undercover. From a creaking old house at the foot of the Harz mountains, they take the Kratzenstein family's funeral train to the peak of the Brocken Mountain. Can Hal uncover the secrets of the Brocken railway and the family curse before disaster strikes?]]> 272 M.G. Leonard 1250222966 Foyinsi 0 edited 4.27 2022 Danger at Dead Man's Pass (Adventures on Trains, #4)
author: M.G. Leonard
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/01/08
shelves: edited
review:

]]> Book Lovers 58708383 One summer. Two rivals. A plot twist they didn't see coming....

Nora Stephens� life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby.

Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters� trip away—with visions of a small-town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute.

If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.]]> 398 Emily Henry Foyinsi 0 4.27 2022 Book Lovers
author: Emily Henry
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at: 2022/11/12
date added: 2022/11/12
shelves:
review:

]]> Moving Targets: A Novel 49998181 There is smoke. There is ash. But there is no body.

When Toyosi first sees thirteen-year-old Adanna, she doesn't want to take her in. But she is a gift from the church, a housegirl to alleviate her stress.

A week later, it's time for family devotion. Toyosi uses another song of worship to distract from the tension within her marriage to 'love pastor', Eric Okunlade. That's when she smells it: a gas leak. When she sends Adanna into the kitchen to assess the situation, she has no way of anticipating the explosion that follows.

Adanna is dead and Toyosi is responsible for it.

She rushes into the kitchen expecting to see the corpse. Instead, there is nobody.

WHAT HAPPENED TO ADANNA?

In searching for this answer, Toyosi must confront the truth about the stranger she let into her home. Because otherwise, someone she loves will die within the week.

Moving Targets is a captivating thriller full of hatred, murder and revenge. In this chilling debut riddled with twists and turns, lies will be uncovered. Secrets will be exposed. And the ending will leave you reeling.]]> 214 Victor Daniel-Kalio Foyinsi 4 currently-reading
"You were simply play things..."

Set in contemporary Nigeria, this is the story of a family and how their lives came to be turned upside down in one week.

Wife and mother Toyosi is hesitant to accept the thirteen-year-old house girl that is brought to her door from a woman in the church, despite needing the help. Finally, she agrees to try Adanna (the house girl) for a period of time, to see if she fits into Toyosi's life well. One evening, Toyosi, her husband (pastor Eric), and their daughter are praying together when she smells gas coming from the kitchen. Confused, she sends Adanna to figure out the issue. And then there is an explosion.

Once things settle down and Toyosi enters, she is horrified to see that there is no trace of Adanna or her body. But she couldn't have survived such an accident?

As if Toyosi's life wasn't already stressful--despite how they present to the world, she and Eric are having serious problems in their marriage--she is now taken with trying to solve the mystery of what exactly happened to Adanna while keeping her death a secret. Could Eric have had something to do with it? Was the explosion truly an accident? And who is the creepy-looking driver that follows her on the road one day?

This book is a very fast-paced read. From the moment of the explosion, things take off and so much happens (I seriously can't believe how short the time period that everything took place was...imagine!) so that it's one thing after another. The writing puts you directly in the setting, even including some characters speaking Nigerian pidgin, and as a Nigerian myself, I really appreciated it (I do think it's accessible enough that non-Nigerians will be able to understand it as well). Also, Toyosi and Eric felt very real and so did their issues/the tension in their relationship.

As for the ending, it was really interesting to see how all these threads and little details were connected in the end and finally understand what was going on. I also liked that things were resolved without feeling like everything was wrapped up in a neat bow. There was hope but still some healing to be done.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. I didn't give the full five stars because a look at the final version showed me that it could've benefited from more thorough copyediting and proofreading. ]]> 4.00 Moving Targets: A Novel
author: Victor Daniel-Kalio
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2020/04/12
date added: 2022/09/08
shelves: currently-reading
review:
(I read an advanced version of this and my review is 100% honest).

"You were simply play things..."

Set in contemporary Nigeria, this is the story of a family and how their lives came to be turned upside down in one week.

Wife and mother Toyosi is hesitant to accept the thirteen-year-old house girl that is brought to her door from a woman in the church, despite needing the help. Finally, she agrees to try Adanna (the house girl) for a period of time, to see if she fits into Toyosi's life well. One evening, Toyosi, her husband (pastor Eric), and their daughter are praying together when she smells gas coming from the kitchen. Confused, she sends Adanna to figure out the issue. And then there is an explosion.

Once things settle down and Toyosi enters, she is horrified to see that there is no trace of Adanna or her body. But she couldn't have survived such an accident?

As if Toyosi's life wasn't already stressful--despite how they present to the world, she and Eric are having serious problems in their marriage--she is now taken with trying to solve the mystery of what exactly happened to Adanna while keeping her death a secret. Could Eric have had something to do with it? Was the explosion truly an accident? And who is the creepy-looking driver that follows her on the road one day?

This book is a very fast-paced read. From the moment of the explosion, things take off and so much happens (I seriously can't believe how short the time period that everything took place was...imagine!) so that it's one thing after another. The writing puts you directly in the setting, even including some characters speaking Nigerian pidgin, and as a Nigerian myself, I really appreciated it (I do think it's accessible enough that non-Nigerians will be able to understand it as well). Also, Toyosi and Eric felt very real and so did their issues/the tension in their relationship.

As for the ending, it was really interesting to see how all these threads and little details were connected in the end and finally understand what was going on. I also liked that things were resolved without feeling like everything was wrapped up in a neat bow. There was hope but still some healing to be done.

Overall, I enjoyed the story. I didn't give the full five stars because a look at the final version showed me that it could've benefited from more thorough copyediting and proofreading.
]]> <![CDATA[Study Break: 11 College Tales from Orientation to Graduation]]> 60316903 This collection of interconnected contemporary YA short stories, written by Gen Z authors, explores different parts of "the college experience," from questioning your major to questioning your identity.

College...the best time, the worst time, and something in between.

What do you do when orientation isn't going according to your (sister's) detailed plans? Where do you go when you're searching for community in faith? How do you figure out what it means that you're suddenly attracted to your RA? What happens when your partner for your last film project is also your crush and graduation is quickly approaching?

Told over the course of one academic year, this collection of stories set on the same fictional campus features students from different cultures, genders, and interests learning more about who they are and who they want to be. From new careers to community to (almost) missed connections � and more � these interconnected tales explore the ways university life can be stressful and confusing and exciting and fulfilling.

Gen Z contributors include Jake Maia Arlow, Arushi Avachat, Boon Carmen, Ananya Devarajan, Camryn Garrett, Christina Li, Racquel Marie, Oyin, Laila Sabreen, Michael Waters, and Joelle Wellington.]]> 288 Arushi Avachat 1250848059 Foyinsi 0 3.90 2023 Study Break: 11 College Tales from Orientation to Graduation
author: Arushi Avachat
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/09/01
shelves:
review:

]]> Twice as Perfect 58484168 A Young Adult novel by Louisa Onomé, Twice As Perfect follows a Nigerian Canadian girl dealing with an estranged older brother, helping her cousin plan a huge Nigerian wedding, and pressure from her parents about her future.

The only things worth doing are those that will lead to success.

For seventeen-year-old Adanna Nkwachi, life is all about duty: to school and the debate team, to her Nigerian parents, and even to her cousin Genny as Ada helps prepare Genny’s wedding to Afrobeats superstar Skeleboy (“Skeleboy me, Skeleboy this money, everything na Skeleboy…that Skeleboy!�). Because ever since her older brother, Sam, had a fight with their parents a few years ago and disappeared, somebody has to fill the void he left behind. Ada may never know what caused Sam to leave home, but the one thing she’s certain of is that it’s on her to make sure her parents� sacrifices aren’t in vain.

One day, chance brings the siblings back together. Although she fears how their parents will react if they find out she and Sam are back in touch, Ada’s determined to get answers about the night Sam left—Sam, who was supposed to be an engineer but is now, what, a poet? The more she learns about Sam’s poetry, the more Ada begins to wonder if maybe her own happiness is just as important as doing what’s expected of her. Amid parental pressure, anxiety over the debate competition, a complicated love life, and the Nigerian wedding-to-end-all-weddings, can Ada learn, just this once, to put herself first?]]> 416 Louisa Onomé 1250823501 Foyinsi 0 3.82 2022 Twice as Perfect
author: Louisa Onomé
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/08/16
shelves:
review:

]]> And Other Mistakes 60405251
Aaliyah's home life has never been great, but she thought she'd survive her last years of high school with at least her friendships and cross-country stardom intact. That is, until junior year she got outed by a church elder and everything came undone � including Aaliyah.

Now, senior year is about to start and she is determined to come back faster and wiser. No more letting other people define her. No more losing herself to their expectations.

Except... well, with new friends, old flames, nosy school counselors, and teammates who don't trust her yet, the route already feels rough. And what's with the new girl, Tessa, who gives Aaliyah butterflies every time she looks at her? Regardless, everything is fine. She'll be fine. Because this is the year to prove to everyone―and most of all, herself―that she's more than her mistakes. After all, even Aaliyah can't outrun everything.]]> 320 Erika Turner 1250834848 Foyinsi 0 3.75 2023 And Other Mistakes
author: Erika Turner
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/08/16
shelves:
review:

]]> Silk Fire 59365810
In the world-sized city of Jadzia, magic and ancient science merge into something dark and wondrous.

Koré’s life is consumed by power, politics, sex and vengeance, and as courtesan to the wealthy and powerful, he is privy to all manner of secrets. He knows meddling in politics is dangerous─still, he is willing to risk everything to stop his father from seizing the Imperial Throne of the War District. But Koré soon finds the corruption runs far deeper than just one man.

During a tryst in an ancient tomb─in the pursuit of political influence─Koré encounters a dying god, who imbues him with the powers of one of the city’s sacred dragons. Suddenly Koré finds himself a hunted man, threatened with becoming a pawn by whoever finds him first.

If the wrong person discovers his secret and lays claim to his powers they would plunge their world into war, unleash untold horrors and destroy the city─and the two people he has come to love.]]> 475 Zabé Ellor 1781089760 Foyinsi 0 to-read 2.06 2022 Silk Fire
author: Zabé Ellor
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 2.06
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/05/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Inheritance Games (The Inheritance Games, #1)]]> 52501482
Avery Grambs has a plan for a better survive high school, win a scholarship, and get out. But her fortunes change in an instant when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves Avery virtually his entire fortune. The catch? Avery has no idea why � or even who Tobias Hawthorne is.

To receive her inheritance, Avery must move into sprawling, secret passage-filled Hawthorne House, where every room bears the old man's touch � and his love of puzzles, riddles, and codes. Unfortunately for Avery, Hawthorne House is also occupied by the family that Tobias Hawthorne just dispossessed. This includes the four Hawthorne dangerous, magnetic, brilliant boys who grew up with every expectation that one day, they would inherit billions. Heir apparent Grayson Hawthorne is convinced that Avery must be a conwoman, and he's determined to take her down. His brother, Jameson, views her as their grandfather's last a twisted riddle, a puzzle to be solved. Caught in a world of wealth and privilege, with danger around every turn, Avery will have to play the game herself just to survive.]]> 384 Jennifer Lynn Barnes 1368053246 Foyinsi 0 currently-reading 4.20 2020 The Inheritance Games (The Inheritance Games, #1)
author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/01/21
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> I Kissed Shara Wheeler 58756420 From the New York Times bestselling author of One Last Stop and Red, White & Royal Blue comes a debut YA romantic comedy about chasing down what you want, only to find what you need...

Chloe Green is so close to winning. After her moms moved her from SoCal to Alabama for high school, she’s spent the past four years dodging gossipy classmates and a puritanical administration at Willowgrove Christian Academy. The thing that’s kept her going: winning valedictorian. Her only rival: prom queen Shara Wheeler, the principal’s perfect progeny.

But a month before graduation, Shara kisses Chloe and vanishes.

On a furious hunt for answers, Chloe discovers she’s not the only one Shara kissed. There’s also Smith, Shara’s longtime quarterback sweetheart, and Rory, Shara’s bad boy neighbor with a crush. The three have nothing in common except Shara and the annoyingly cryptic notes she left behind, but together they must untangle Shara’s trail of clues and find her. It’ll be worth it, if Chloe can drag Shara back before graduation to beat her fair-and-square.

Thrown into an unlikely alliance, chasing a ghost through parties, break-ins, puzzles, and secrets revealed on monogrammed stationery, Chloe starts to suspect there might be more to this small town than she thought. And maybe—probably not, but maybe—more to Shara, too.

Fierce, funny, and frank, Casey McQuiston's I Kissed Shara Wheeler is about breaking the rules, getting messy, and finding love in unexpected places.]]> 356 Casey McQuiston 1250244455 Foyinsi 0 to-read 3.87 2022 I Kissed Shara Wheeler
author: Casey McQuiston
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/01/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Rumor Game 34878994
At Foxham Prep, a posh private school for the children of DC’s elite, a single rumor has the power to ruin a life.

Nobody knows that better than Bryn. She used to have it all—the perfect boyfriend, a bright future in politics, and even popularity, thanks to her best friend, cheer captain Cora. Then one mistake sparked a scandal that burned it all to the ground.

Now it’s the start of a new school year and the spotlight has shifted: It’s geeky Georgie, newly hot after a summer makeover, whose name is on everyone’s lips. When a rumor ignites, Georgie rockets up the school’s social hierarchy, pitting her and Cora against each other. It grants her Foxham stardom . . . but it also makes her a target.

As the rumors grow and morph, blazing like wildfire through the school’s social media, all three girls� lives begin to unravel. But one person close to the drama has the power to stop the gossip in its tracks. The question is—do they even want to?

From Dhonielle Clayton and Sona Charaipotra, authors of the Tiny Pretty Things duology (now a Netflix series), comes the edge-of-your-seat social thriller everyone will be talking about.]]> 480 Dhonielle Clayton 1368014143 Foyinsi 0 to-read 3.52 2022 The Rumor Game
author: Dhonielle Clayton
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.52
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/01/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Raybearer (Raybearer, #1) 45429289 But what if you’ve sworn to protect the one you were born to destroy?

Tarisai has always longed for the warmth of a family. She was raised in isolation by a mysterious, often absent mother known only as The Lady. The Lady sends her to the capital of the global empire of Aritsar to compete with other children to be chosen as one of the Crown Prince’s Council of 11. If she’s picked, she’ll be joined with the other Council members through the Ray, a bond deeper than blood. That closeness is irresistible to Tarisai, who has always wanted to belong somewhere. But The Lady has other ideas, including a magical wish that Tarisai is compelled to obey: Kill the Crown Prince once she gains his trust. Tarisai won’t stand by and become someone’s pawn—but is she strong enough to choose a different path for herself? With extraordinary world-building and breathtaking prose, Raybearer is the story of loyalty, fate, and the lengths we’re willing to go for the ones we love.]]> 343 Jordan Ifueko Foyinsi 0 4.48 2020 Raybearer (Raybearer, #1)
author: Jordan Ifueko
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/12/30
shelves:
review:

]]> Meet Cute Diary 53180089 Felix Ever After meets Becky Albertalli in this swoon-worthy, heartfelt rom-com about how a transgender teen’s first love challenges his ideas about perfect relationships.

Noah Ramirez thinks he’s an expert on romance. He has to be for his popular blog, the Meet Cute Diary, a collection of trans happily ever afters. There’s just one problem—all the stories are fake. What started as the fantasies of a trans boy afraid to step out of the closet has grown into a beacon of hope for trans readers across the globe.

When a troll exposes the blog as fiction, Noah’s world unravels. The only way to save the Diary is to convince everyone that the stories are true, but he doesn’t have any proof. Then Drew walks into Noah’s life, and the pieces fall into place: Drew is willing to fake-date Noah to save the Diary. But when Noah’s feelings grow beyond their staged romance, he realizes that dating in real life isn’t quite the same as finding love on the page.

In this charming novel by Emery Lee, Noah will have to choose between following his own rules for love or discovering that the most romantic endings are the ones that go off script.]]> 391 Emery Lee 0063038838 Foyinsi 0 3.23 2021 Meet Cute Diary
author: Emery Lee
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.23
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/12/30
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Perfectly Dateless (Universally Misunderstood #1)]]> 17565040
Daisy Crispin has 196 days to find the right date for the prom. There's only one problem--her parents won't let her date or even talk to a guy on the phone. Oh, and she's totally invisible at school, wears lame homemade clothes, and possesses no social skills. Okay, so maybe there's more than one problem.

Can she talk her parents into letting her go to the prom? Or will they succeed at their obvious attempts to completely ruin her life?

Perfectly Dateless is hilarious, shocking, and totally real. You'll fall in love with Daisy's sharp wit and resourcefulness as she navigates the world of boys, fashion, family, and friendship.]]> 273 Kristin Billerbeck 1441211756 Foyinsi 0 Perfectly...torn (sorry I couldn’t resist)

Hmm, I still need to fully process how I feel about this book. On the one hand, it has all the classic elements of romance that I love. On the other hand, it was a bit hard to follow at some points. But idk how much of it is bc I wasn’t paying enough attention. I feel like I was though...]]> 3.53 2010 Perfectly Dateless (Universally Misunderstood #1)
author: Kristin Billerbeck
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at: 2018/09/24
date added: 2021/12/30
shelves:
review:
Perfectly...torn (sorry I couldn’t resist)

Hmm, I still need to fully process how I feel about this book. On the one hand, it has all the classic elements of romance that I love. On the other hand, it was a bit hard to follow at some points. But idk how much of it is bc I wasn’t paying enough attention. I feel like I was though...
]]> <![CDATA[In These Streets (The Branch Avenue Boys)]]> 39277940 They beat the odds and turned their lives around. But now three best friends will go head-to-head with ambition, deception--and each other . . .

Derrick. Ricky. Jamal. One's responsible; one's still a player; one's upwardly-mobile. Sentenced to the Branch Avenue Boys' Youth Institute at twelve, they grabbed the chance for better futures. They stayed tight even when their lives diverged--but the times . . . they are a-changing.

New deputy mayor Jamal is anti-corruption, which means severing ties with Ricky, now a "criminally-adjacent" businessman. But political power plays and unrequited love will lead Jamal to a lethal choice . . .

Ricky doesn't mind running a front for DC's biggest drug dealer, but when he pursues a sexy customer at his strip club and discovers she's a cop, any wrong move could end Ricky's good times permanently . . .

Now the Institute's new leader, Derrick is torn between his job and his fianc�e, Melissa. But when a cute new instructor who supports him and his mission arrives, he wonders if he should leave Melissa behind, not the Institute. However, this dilemma is nothing compared to a problem brewing right under his nose, and the fallout will strike at the heart of the three friends' bond--and put more than their survival on the line . . .

Praise for Lust & Loyalty

"Ellis has created another phenomenal novel." --RT Book Reviews

"The secrets, scandals, and surprises will keep fans turning at a furious pace." --Booklist]]> 320 Shelly Ellis 149671895X Foyinsi 0
The story is told through the third person point-of-view and switches focus between Jamal, Derrick, and Ricky each chapter. WARNING: There are some explicit passages in the book (both in language and in descriptions of characters sleeping together) so if that isn't your thing, be wary. On top of that, there are some thoughts expressed by one or two characters--including a main one--that could be considered problematic at best and there is some homophobia portrayed. Of course, I do not speak for the entire LGBTQIA+ community, and that topic isn't the main focus of the book, but it was uncomfortable and worrying to read, especially casual use of a word that could be taken as a slur...

The writing style is very stuccato at some parts because there wasn't much variation in the structure of sentences that came one after another. It is particularly noticeable around the middle of the novel. It could get distracting at times and make it hard for the reader to want to continue. Thankfully, there is improvement towards the end.

Score: 2.8/5

2.) Characters (there are, of course, others but these are the main ones):

-Derrick: He is Director of an institute for "wayward" boys, the same one that helped him make something of his life. It is very very easy to understand why he's so stressed throughout the book. He isn't superlovable but he is likable enough.
-Jamal: Deputy mayor of the city, Jamal has done everything he can and sacrificed a lot just to earn the respect of those around him. While it isn't too difficult to sympathize with the predicament he finds himself in, he is not a particularly lovable character. He's simply another layer.
-Ricky: He associates with one of the area's biggest street criminals and manages a restuarant called Reynaud's (named after his grandmother) and a strip club named Club Majesty (which serves as a front for a whole lot of illegal activity). Ricky has the most arc of all three main characters and it's great to see his transformation at the hands of a certain other character. In terms of likability, he ranks there with Derrick.
-"Dolla Dolla": Basically the novel's main villian and the neighborhood's top gangsta/criminal. He has done/still does some very horrible things and yet it's hard to fully hate him, due to his personality.
-Melissa: Derrick's fiance, she is a likable and believable character, so much so that it would have been intriguing to get into her mindset a bit the way the author does for the cover characters. Unfortunately, she isn't fully fleshed out (like a few others).
-Bridgette: She is Jamal's girlfriend and straight up annoying most of the time.
-Simone: A low-level cop who enlists one of the men's help, Simone is lovely in her stubbornness, desire to save her sister by any means necessary, and strong moral compass.
-Morgan: A new hire of Derrick's at the Institute he works at, she is perhaps the most fleshed out of the women and somehow feels like the one the reader gets to see the most of.
-Most of the characters feel like actual people that the reader can relate to directly or know somebody whom it reminds them of.

Score: 3.5/5

3.) Plot/Storyline:

It is pretty interesting to see what each of the three main characters are going through and how they're trying to cope. The conflicts felt quite real and natural. It would've been nice though to see the three interact more (even if they weren't always as close as they used to be) so that their stories feel more connected and intertwined rather than simply loosely related.

Score: 4/5

4.) Setting/World-building:

In one way, setting (D.C.) plays a pretty big role in the story as Jamal, Derrick, and Ricky have lived there their whole lives. There's just enough description of physical location(s) to ground the reader but it isn't super in-depth.

Score: 3/5

5.) Ending:

To avoid spoilers, this section will be as brief as possible. It is closer to the end that the storyreallypicks up. Especially on the last page where it is so far past cliff-hanger that it might as well have stopped mid-sentence. Whether this is a good or bad thing, well...

Score: 3/5



*Overall Score: 16.3/25. Does this book offer the most groundbreaking of stories with a majority black cast of characters? No. Might the reader at times feel like they're simply reaidng a sterotype/carricuture of black people? Possibly. However, there are people who behave like the characters and lead similar lives, which is something to keep in mind.*]]> 4.20 In These Streets (The Branch Avenue Boys)
author: Shelly Ellis
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.20
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/12/30
shelves:
review:
1.) Perspective/Narrative Voice:

The story is told through the third person point-of-view and switches focus between Jamal, Derrick, and Ricky each chapter. WARNING: There are some explicit passages in the book (both in language and in descriptions of characters sleeping together) so if that isn't your thing, be wary. On top of that, there are some thoughts expressed by one or two characters--including a main one--that could be considered problematic at best and there is some homophobia portrayed. Of course, I do not speak for the entire LGBTQIA+ community, and that topic isn't the main focus of the book, but it was uncomfortable and worrying to read, especially casual use of a word that could be taken as a slur...

The writing style is very stuccato at some parts because there wasn't much variation in the structure of sentences that came one after another. It is particularly noticeable around the middle of the novel. It could get distracting at times and make it hard for the reader to want to continue. Thankfully, there is improvement towards the end.

Score: 2.8/5

2.) Characters (there are, of course, others but these are the main ones):

-Derrick: He is Director of an institute for "wayward" boys, the same one that helped him make something of his life. It is very very easy to understand why he's so stressed throughout the book. He isn't superlovable but he is likable enough.
-Jamal: Deputy mayor of the city, Jamal has done everything he can and sacrificed a lot just to earn the respect of those around him. While it isn't too difficult to sympathize with the predicament he finds himself in, he is not a particularly lovable character. He's simply another layer.
-Ricky: He associates with one of the area's biggest street criminals and manages a restuarant called Reynaud's (named after his grandmother) and a strip club named Club Majesty (which serves as a front for a whole lot of illegal activity). Ricky has the most arc of all three main characters and it's great to see his transformation at the hands of a certain other character. In terms of likability, he ranks there with Derrick.
-"Dolla Dolla": Basically the novel's main villian and the neighborhood's top gangsta/criminal. He has done/still does some very horrible things and yet it's hard to fully hate him, due to his personality.
-Melissa: Derrick's fiance, she is a likable and believable character, so much so that it would have been intriguing to get into her mindset a bit the way the author does for the cover characters. Unfortunately, she isn't fully fleshed out (like a few others).
-Bridgette: She is Jamal's girlfriend and straight up annoying most of the time.
-Simone: A low-level cop who enlists one of the men's help, Simone is lovely in her stubbornness, desire to save her sister by any means necessary, and strong moral compass.
-Morgan: A new hire of Derrick's at the Institute he works at, she is perhaps the most fleshed out of the women and somehow feels like the one the reader gets to see the most of.
-Most of the characters feel like actual people that the reader can relate to directly or know somebody whom it reminds them of.

Score: 3.5/5

3.) Plot/Storyline:

It is pretty interesting to see what each of the three main characters are going through and how they're trying to cope. The conflicts felt quite real and natural. It would've been nice though to see the three interact more (even if they weren't always as close as they used to be) so that their stories feel more connected and intertwined rather than simply loosely related.

Score: 4/5

4.) Setting/World-building:

In one way, setting (D.C.) plays a pretty big role in the story as Jamal, Derrick, and Ricky have lived there their whole lives. There's just enough description of physical location(s) to ground the reader but it isn't super in-depth.

Score: 3/5

5.) Ending:

To avoid spoilers, this section will be as brief as possible. It is closer to the end that the storyreallypicks up. Especially on the last page where it is so far past cliff-hanger that it might as well have stopped mid-sentence. Whether this is a good or bad thing, well...

Score: 3/5



*Overall Score: 16.3/25. Does this book offer the most groundbreaking of stories with a majority black cast of characters? No. Might the reader at times feel like they're simply reaidng a sterotype/carricuture of black people? Possibly. However, there are people who behave like the characters and lead similar lives, which is something to keep in mind.*
]]> Starry Eyes 35297469
But when a group camping trip goes south, Zorie and Lennon find themselves stranded in the wilderness. Alone. Together.

What could go wrong?

With no one but each other for company, Zorie and Lennon have no choice but to hash out their issues via witty jabs and insults as they try to make their way to safety. But fighting each other while also fighting off the forces of nature makes getting out of the woods in one piece less and less likely.

And as the two travel deeper into Northern California’s rugged backcountry, secrets and hidden feelings surface. But can Zorie and Lennon’s rekindled connection survive out in the real world? Or was it just a result of the fresh forest air and the magic of the twinkling stars?]]> 421 Jenn Bennett 148147880X Foyinsi 5 3.95 2018 Starry Eyes
author: Jenn Bennett
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2021/12/30
shelves:
review:

]]> Renegades (Renegades, #1) 34389079 NOW A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!From #1 New York Times-bestselling author Marissa Meyer, comes a high-stakes world of adventure, passion, danger, and betrayal.Secret Identities.Extraordinary Powers.She wants vengeance. He wants justice.The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies—humans with extraordinary abilities—who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone...except the villains they once overthrew.Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice—and in Nova. But Nova's allegiance is to the villains who have the power to end them both.]]> 563 Marissa Meyer Foyinsi 0 4.15 2017 Renegades (Renegades, #1)
author: Marissa Meyer
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at: 2019/01/04
date added: 2021/12/30
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A Phoenix First Must Burn: Sixteen Stories of Black Girl Magic, Resistance, and Hope]]> 49619831
Evoking Beyoncé’s Lemonade for a teen audience, these authors who are truly Octavia Butler’s heirs, have woven worlds to create a stunning narrative that centers Black women and gender nonconforming individuals. A Phoenix First Must Burn will take you on a journey from folktales retold to futuristic societies and everything in between. Filled with stories of love and betrayal, strength and resistance, this collection contains an array of complex and true-to-life characters in which you cannot help but see yourself reflected. Witches and scientists, sisters and lovers, priestesses and rebels: the heroines of A Phoenix First Must Burn shine brightly. You will never forget them.

Authors include Elizabeth Acevedo, Amerie, Dhonielle Clayton, Jalissa Corrie, Somaiya Daud, Charlotte Davis, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Justina Ireland, Danny Lore, L.L. McKinney, Danielle Paige, Rebecca Roanhorse, Karen Strong, Ashley Woodfolk, and Ibi Zoboi.]]> 354 Patrice Caldwell 1984835653 Foyinsi 0 to-read 4.01 2020 A Phoenix First Must Burn: Sixteen Stories of Black Girl Magic, Resistance, and Hope
author: Patrice Caldwell
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/05/06
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed: 15 Voices from the Latinx Diaspora]]> 56269050 Edited by The Bronx Is Reading founder Saraciea Fennell and featuring an all-star cast of Latinx contributors, an anthology unlike any other in the young adult market now.

In Wild Tongues Can’t Be Tamed, bestselling and award-winning authors as well as up-and-coming voices interrogate the different myths and stereotypes about the Latinx diaspora. These 15 original pieces delve into everything from ghost stories and superheroes, to memories in the kitchen and travels around the world, to addiction and grief, to identity and anti-Blackness, to finding love and speaking your truth.

Wild Tongues Can’t Be Tamed features bestselling and award-winning authors as well as new, up-and-coming voices, including:
Elizabeth Acevedo
Cristina Arreola
Ingrid Rojas Contreras
Naima Coster
Natasha Diaz
Kahlil Haywood
Zakiya Jamal
Janel Martinez
Jasminne Mendez
Meg Medina
Mark Oshiro
Julian Randall
Lilliam Rivera
Ibi Zoboi

Full of both sorrow and joy, Wild Tongues Can’t Be Tamed is an essential celebration of this rich and diverse community.]]> 272 Saraciea J. Fennell 1250763428 Foyinsi 0 to-read 4.26 2021 Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed: 15 Voices from the Latinx Diaspora
author: Saraciea J. Fennell
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2021/02/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Other Black Girl 55711688 Get Out meets The Stepford Wives in this electric debut about the tension that unfurls when two young Black women meet against the starkly white backdrop of New York City book publishing.

Twenty-six-year-old editorial assistant Nella Rogers is tired of being the only Black employee at Wagner Books. Fed up with the isolation and microaggressions, she’s thrilled when Harlem-born and bred Hazel starts working in the cubicle beside hers. They’ve only just started comparing natural hair care regimens, though, when a string of uncomfortable events elevates Hazel to Office Darling, and Nella is left in the dust.

Then the notes begin to appear on Nella’s desk: LEAVE WAGNER. NOW.

It’s hard to believe Hazel is behind these hostile messages. But as Nella starts to spiral and obsess over the sinister forces at play, she soon realizes that there’s a lot more at stake than just her career.

A whip-smart and dynamic thriller and sly social commentary that is perfect for anyone who has ever felt manipulated, threatened, or overlooked in the workplace, The Other Black Girl will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very last twist.]]> 357 Zakiya Dalila Harris 1982160136 Foyinsi 5 3.34 2021 The Other Black Girl
author: Zakiya Dalila Harris
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.34
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2021/01/14
shelves:
review:

]]> Recommended for You 50891959 To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before meets You’ve Got Mail in this charming and hilarious rom-com following two teen booksellers whose rivalry is taken to the next level as they compete for the top bookseller bonus.

Shoshanna Greenberg loves working at Once Upon, her favorite local bookstore. And with her moms fighting at home and her beloved car teetering on the brink of death, the store has become a welcome escape.

When her boss announces a holiday bonus to the person who sells the most books, Shoshanna sees an opportunity to at least fix her car, if none of her other problems. The only person standing in her way? New hire Jake Kaplan.

Jake is an affront to everything Shoshanna stands for. He doesn’t even read! But somehow his sales start to rival hers. Jake may be cute (really cute), and he may be an eligible Jewish single (hard to find south of Atlanta), but he’s also the enemy, and Shoshanna is ready to take him down.

But as the competition intensifies, Jake and Shoshanna grow closer and realize they might be more on the same page than either expects…]]> 272 Laura Silverman 1534474196 Foyinsi 0 to-read 3.46 2020 Recommended for You
author: Laura Silverman
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.46
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/12/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Beasts of Prey (Beasts of Prey #1)]]> 55038226
As the second son of a decorated hero, Ekon is all but destined to become a Son of the Six—an elite warrior—and uphold a family legacy. But on the night of his final rite of passage, a fire upends his plans. In its midst, Ekon not only encounters the Shetani—a vicious monster that has plagued the city and his nightmares for nearly a century—but a curious girl who seems to have the power to ward off the beast. Koffi's power ultimately saves Ekon's life, but his choice to let her flee dooms his hopes of becoming a warrior.

Desperate to redeem himself, Ekon vows to hunt the Shetani down and end its reign of terror, but he can't do it alone. Meanwhile, Koffi believes finding the Shetani and selling it for a profit could be the key to solving her own problems. Koffi and Ekon—each keeping their true motives secret from the other—form a tentative alliance and enter into the unknowns of the Greater Jungle, a world steeped in wild magic and untold dangers. The hunt begins. But it quickly becomes unclear whether they are the hunters or the hunted.]]> 496 Ayana Gray 0593405692 Foyinsi 0 to-read 4.18 2021 Beasts of Prey (Beasts of Prey #1)
author: Ayana Gray
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/11/18
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Soulmate Equation 55692620
But then Jess hears about GeneticAlly, a buzzy new DNA-based matchmaking company that’s predicted to change dating forever. Finding a soulmate through DNA? The reliability of numbers: This Jess understands.

At least she thought she did, until her test shows an unheard-of 98 percent compatibility with another subject in the database: GeneticAlly’s founder, Dr. River Peña. This is one number she can’t wrap her head around, because she already knows Dr. Peña. The stuck-up, stubborn man is without a doubt not her soulmate. But GeneticAlly has a proposition: Get to know him and we’ll pay you. Jess—who is barely making ends meet—is in no position to turn it down, despite her skepticism about the project and her dislike for River. As the pair are dragged from one event to the next as the “Diamond� pairing that could launch GeneticAlly’s valuation sky-high, Jess begins to realize that there might be more to the scientist—and the science behind a soulmate—than she thought.

The Soulmate Equation proves that the delicate balance between fate and choice can never be calculated.]]> 360 Christina Lauren 1982123966 Foyinsi 0 to-read 4.00 2021 The Soulmate Equation
author: Christina Lauren
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/11/17
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Divide Series: War 49675343 Ancient Curse.

Two Kingdoms.

Imminent War.

When her dreams are plagued with visions of horrific battles, Sarai must return to her kingdom, Zunoro, after a ten-year absence. Crossing the border Sarai meets the stern and proud Ayize, whom she convinces to join her army. It is a decision she might come to regret, for Sarai soon discovers she is under the influence of an ancient Inmakwe curse. Self-preservation and the fate of her people collide.

Sarai assumes the mantle of leadership as the war with neighboring kingdom Dunoro erupts. All too quickly, her world quickly descends into chaos, bloodshed, betrayal. Perhaps worse are the deepening feelings for one of her soldiers who might not live long enough for her to love.

It’ll take every ounce of strength to keep her head to walk the delicate lines of politics, family ties; chilling curses that raise blades on the frontline. Death and victory await. For whom remains to be seen.

]]> 322 Magdalene Asante 1733921311 Foyinsi 0 currently-reading 3.65 The Divide Series: War
author: Magdalene Asante
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.65
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/09/16
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Ace of Spades 42603984
Welcome to Niveus Private Academy, where money paves the hallways, and the students are never less than perfect. Until now. Because anonymous texter, Aces, is bringing two students' dark secrets to light.

Talented musician Devon buries himself in rehearsals, but he can't escape the spotlight when his private photos go public. Head girl Chiamaka isn't afraid to get what she wants, but soon everyone will know the price she has paid for power.

Someone is out to get them both. Someone who holds all the aces. And they're planning much more than a high-school game...]]> 470 Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé 1474967531 Foyinsi 5 4.15 2021 Ace of Spades
author: Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2021
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2020/09/03
shelves:
review:

]]> Honey Girl 53922305 not the kind of person who goes to Vegas and gets drunkenly married to a woman whose name she doesn’t know…until she does exactly that.

This one moment of departure from her stern ex-military father’s plans for her life has Grace wondering why she doesn’t feel more fulfilled from completing her degree. Staggering under the weight of her father’s expectations, a struggling job market and feelings of burnout, Grace flees her home in Portland for a summer in New York with the wife she barely knows.

When reality comes crashing in, Grace must face what she’s been running from all along—the fears that make us human, the family scars that need to heal and the longing for connection, especially when navigating the messiness of adulthood.]]> 293 Morgan Rogers 0778311023 Foyinsi 0 to-read 3.73 2021 Honey Girl
author: Morgan Rogers
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/09/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Love Times Inifinity 55025188 Lane Clarke Foyinsi 5 4.00 2022 Love Times Inifinity
author: Lane Clarke
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2020/08/28
shelves:
review:

]]> Dating Makes Perfect 49247041
Until now.

In a move that other Asian American girls know all too well, six months after the older Tech twins got to college, their parents asked, “Why aren’t you engaged yet?� The sisters retaliated by vowing that they won’t marry for ten (maybe even twenty!) years, not until they’ve had lots of the dating practice that they didn’t get in high school.

In a shocking war on the status quo, her parents now insist that their youngest daughter, Orrawin (aka “Winnie�), must practice fake dating in high school. Under their watchful eyes, of course—and organized based on their favorite rom-coms. ’Cause that won’t end in disaster.

The first candidate? The son of their longtime friends, Mat Songsomboon—arrogant, infuriating, and way too good-looking. Winnie’s known him since they were toddlers throwing sticky rice balls at each other. And her parents love him.

If only he weren’t her sworn enemy.]]> 400 Pintip Dunn 1682814971 Foyinsi 5
1.) Perspective/Narrative Voice

The story is told from Winnie's point-of-view. Her voice is relatable, humorous at times, and easy to believe as that of a teenage girl's. All this, along with its conversational tone, help the story flow consistently and make the pages go right by.

Score: 5/5

2.) Characters (this is not a comprehensive list)

-Winnie: The book's protagonist, she is relatable, funny, and super likable. Generally, her character feels well fleshed out and three-dimensional. She's similar to a lot of YA contemporary main characters who are girls, in that she has one of those "every other girl around me is prettier/I'm so plain and regular/I know nothing about makeup/etc." mindsets. While it isn't at all heavy-handed and is a very realistic mindset for a teenage girl to have, I kind of wish she were a bit more confident in herself. It would've been a breath of fresh air in this genre. Again though, I know it's a realistic mindset and it's mainly my personal desire for more confident heroines coming through.

-Ari and Bunny: They are Winnie's older (twin) sisters and I absolutely adore the bond between all three of them! It's great to see that while Winnie is jealous of them at times, she's still very much their biggest fan and they are equally hers.

-Winnie's Parents: Both are overprotective but their love for their daughters really comes through and they have their own distinct personalities. Winnie's dad is so funny at times in his cluelessness that sometimes leads to awkward situations. There's one particular scene with him that had me actually laughing aloud (I think it'll be clear which, once you read it).

-Kavya: Winnie's best friend, she has such a fun and supportive personality and I love that for Winnie. She reminds me of a lot of best friends you come across in contemporary YA but I don't consider it a bad thing because it's the kind I love.

-Mat: He reminds me of the kinds of YA contemporary romance love interests we're seeing a lot of, in that he's popular + confident without being an actual jerk/mean and he's quite sweet at times (think: Peter Kavinsky). The romantic tension between he and Winnie is so palpable and offers some slowburn (which I looooovvveeeee). More love interests like him please!

-Taran: This character feels a bit shaky at times. In some moments, he seems like a genuine and decent person who make mistakes once in a while, but in other moments, he'll do something that feels like the reader is supposed to view him in a much more negative light.

Score: 4.8/5 (.2 of a point off partly due to Winnie's and Taran's characterizations)

3.) Plot/Storyline

As far as plot goes, the whole friends-to-ex-friends-to-maybe-more concept/trope isn't new, but it is beloved for a reason and is handled well here. The tension/conflict between the characters is realistic enough, though it does fall a little into the "this could probably be fixed/avoided with some communication but we move...." (not to the point of being annoying to me though).

Score: 4.5/5 (.5 of a point off because it wasn't the most original but had some unique elements going for it).

4.) Setting/Worldbuilding

While we may not read contemporary romance for in-depth worldbuilding, every novel requires some level of world-building. There are a lot of really clear and strong descriptions but to me, the neighborhood/town that the story takes place in doesn't feel expansive to feel like a real and concrete place/area.

Score: 4.5/5 (.5 of a point off because I would've liked a better sense of the physical setting, not just a some rooms/areas here and there)

5.) Ending

The ending is pretty much to be expected but it's really sweet to read and left me so happy!

Score: 5/5

**Miscellaneous:
(read the rest of the review at )]]> 3.88 2020 Dating Makes Perfect
author: Pintip Dunn
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2020/08/13
shelves:
review:
*Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for providing me with an advanced copy of the e-book which I voluntarily read and am reviewing. This review is based on thoughts and opinions that are strictly my own. Any spoilers are not done on purpose.

1.) Perspective/Narrative Voice

The story is told from Winnie's point-of-view. Her voice is relatable, humorous at times, and easy to believe as that of a teenage girl's. All this, along with its conversational tone, help the story flow consistently and make the pages go right by.

Score: 5/5

2.) Characters (this is not a comprehensive list)

-Winnie: The book's protagonist, she is relatable, funny, and super likable. Generally, her character feels well fleshed out and three-dimensional. She's similar to a lot of YA contemporary main characters who are girls, in that she has one of those "every other girl around me is prettier/I'm so plain and regular/I know nothing about makeup/etc." mindsets. While it isn't at all heavy-handed and is a very realistic mindset for a teenage girl to have, I kind of wish she were a bit more confident in herself. It would've been a breath of fresh air in this genre. Again though, I know it's a realistic mindset and it's mainly my personal desire for more confident heroines coming through.

-Ari and Bunny: They are Winnie's older (twin) sisters and I absolutely adore the bond between all three of them! It's great to see that while Winnie is jealous of them at times, she's still very much their biggest fan and they are equally hers.

-Winnie's Parents: Both are overprotective but their love for their daughters really comes through and they have their own distinct personalities. Winnie's dad is so funny at times in his cluelessness that sometimes leads to awkward situations. There's one particular scene with him that had me actually laughing aloud (I think it'll be clear which, once you read it).

-Kavya: Winnie's best friend, she has such a fun and supportive personality and I love that for Winnie. She reminds me of a lot of best friends you come across in contemporary YA but I don't consider it a bad thing because it's the kind I love.

-Mat: He reminds me of the kinds of YA contemporary romance love interests we're seeing a lot of, in that he's popular + confident without being an actual jerk/mean and he's quite sweet at times (think: Peter Kavinsky). The romantic tension between he and Winnie is so palpable and offers some slowburn (which I looooovvveeeee). More love interests like him please!

-Taran: This character feels a bit shaky at times. In some moments, he seems like a genuine and decent person who make mistakes once in a while, but in other moments, he'll do something that feels like the reader is supposed to view him in a much more negative light.

Score: 4.8/5 (.2 of a point off partly due to Winnie's and Taran's characterizations)

3.) Plot/Storyline

As far as plot goes, the whole friends-to-ex-friends-to-maybe-more concept/trope isn't new, but it is beloved for a reason and is handled well here. The tension/conflict between the characters is realistic enough, though it does fall a little into the "this could probably be fixed/avoided with some communication but we move...." (not to the point of being annoying to me though).

Score: 4.5/5 (.5 of a point off because it wasn't the most original but had some unique elements going for it).

4.) Setting/Worldbuilding

While we may not read contemporary romance for in-depth worldbuilding, every novel requires some level of world-building. There are a lot of really clear and strong descriptions but to me, the neighborhood/town that the story takes place in doesn't feel expansive to feel like a real and concrete place/area.

Score: 4.5/5 (.5 of a point off because I would've liked a better sense of the physical setting, not just a some rooms/areas here and there)

5.) Ending

The ending is pretty much to be expected but it's really sweet to read and left me so happy!

Score: 5/5

**Miscellaneous:
(read the rest of the review at )
]]> The Art of Falling in Love 45885112
When she meets Foster, a teenage boy with a talent for turning recyclables into abstract sculptures, the two join forces to win the contest and salvage the Summer of Art. They spend the humid summer days shoveling sand, devouring ice cream, and exploring Florida's art scene. Just like Opa, Foster understands Claire and her overwhelming need to create, but he has a secret that threatens to ruin everything: he's homeless and hiding from an abusive brother who would have him believe family trumps all.

When Claire's parents find out about Foster's homelessness, they offer him a home along with their hearts. But even picture-perfect families like Claire's can harbor an ugly side, especially in the aftermath of Opa's death. When someone close to Claire spills Foster's secret, they're both forced to choose between love and familial obligation. If Claire can't break through long-held beliefs and prove family is more than shared DNA, she could permanently lose Foster and a chance at the sand contest to honor Opa.]]> 267 Haleigh Wenger Foyinsi 4 3.31 2019 The Art of Falling in Love
author: Haleigh Wenger
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.31
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2020/03/19
date added: 2020/03/19
shelves:
review:

]]> Raybearer (Raybearer, #1) 50158128 343 Jordan Ifueko 1419739824 Foyinsi 0 to-read 4.32 2020 Raybearer (Raybearer, #1)
author: Jordan Ifueko
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/03/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Heartbreak U: The Finale 48894430 254 Johnni Sherri Foyinsi 2 I-

Some of y'all bout to hate me....but it must be said....

I loveeeee stories centered around black characters. I loveee romance. So stories centered on black characters and their romantic lives? Sign me up!

This will be a combined review of books 1 and 2 because I wanted to finish this one so no one can say "WELL, if you had read book 2..."

I did. Front cover to back cover. Both books.

****MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS (but they'll be SUPER vague)***

-What I liked:

Black Characters....Focus on romance....HBCU setting....the writing. I think that about covers it....

-What I didn't like:

Ummm....where does one even begin?

The homophobic comments that start all the way in book 1 (why is one of the main characters so pressed/insistent that a different character is gay and why is it based on the like worst criteria ever that made NO sense?) and were never really addressed in a way that made it clear that it was problematic??

The fact that two characters get together based on "my friends and I bet $500 to see if I could get you in bed" and were just? supposed to be? okay with that? and cheer the couple? on??

The fact that a character *kind of* traps another into getting pregnant (I know the girl was fully aware of the lack of condom but there's something really sinister about the guy purposefully trying to impregnate her simply because that would make her attached to him FOREVER--his words)? And that he then has the nerve to get mad at her for lying to him AS IF HE DIDN'T LIE TO HER?

The fact that there's constant thot-shaming of a character/calling her run-through....by characters who MORE than willingly participated in those acts with her??

The fact that there are sprinkles of misogyny throughout, from different characters??

The fact that a character says some stuff that is problematic at best and racist at worse, but she's best friends with one of the protagonists so it's never really addressed beyond laughing in response to them, instead of seriously checking her??

The fact that there were four main couples in this romance book and I couldn't comfortably root for A SINGLE ONE OF THEM because all the relationships seemed so worryingly toxic??

I'm sure there's other grievances I missed.

Also, before anyone says anything along the lines of "but it's REALISTIC!!!! :)", "but people do and say stuff like that IN REAL LIFE!!! :)"......I have not at any point said that any of that was UN-realistic. It's MORE than realistic and I would never argue that it isn't.

But there's a difference between characters saying problematic things because people (unfortunately) do that in real life but the book grappling with/addressing them...and those things being said in a way that starts to make them seem like the author's own views because it doesn't seem like they took the steps to make it clear that they think it's an issue.

I'm NOT *at all* saying that the things I pointed out shouldn't be brought up in stories. Like I said, it (again, unfortunately) reflects reality. All I'm saying, is that there's a way to do that without causing more harm....

I really wanted to like this--because again, blackness + romance--but there was just too much for me to overlook. Which is a shame because I thought the writing itself was good. That's actually what made me add a star.

Sigh.]]> 4.80 Heartbreak U: The Finale
author: Johnni Sherri
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.80
book published:
rating: 2
read at: 2019/12/22
date added: 2020/01/28
shelves:
review:
I-

Some of y'all bout to hate me....but it must be said....

I loveeeee stories centered around black characters. I loveee romance. So stories centered on black characters and their romantic lives? Sign me up!

This will be a combined review of books 1 and 2 because I wanted to finish this one so no one can say "WELL, if you had read book 2..."

I did. Front cover to back cover. Both books.

****MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS (but they'll be SUPER vague)***

-What I liked:

Black Characters....Focus on romance....HBCU setting....the writing. I think that about covers it....

-What I didn't like:

Ummm....where does one even begin?

The homophobic comments that start all the way in book 1 (why is one of the main characters so pressed/insistent that a different character is gay and why is it based on the like worst criteria ever that made NO sense?) and were never really addressed in a way that made it clear that it was problematic??

The fact that two characters get together based on "my friends and I bet $500 to see if I could get you in bed" and were just? supposed to be? okay with that? and cheer the couple? on??

The fact that a character *kind of* traps another into getting pregnant (I know the girl was fully aware of the lack of condom but there's something really sinister about the guy purposefully trying to impregnate her simply because that would make her attached to him FOREVER--his words)? And that he then has the nerve to get mad at her for lying to him AS IF HE DIDN'T LIE TO HER?

The fact that there's constant thot-shaming of a character/calling her run-through....by characters who MORE than willingly participated in those acts with her??

The fact that there are sprinkles of misogyny throughout, from different characters??

The fact that a character says some stuff that is problematic at best and racist at worse, but she's best friends with one of the protagonists so it's never really addressed beyond laughing in response to them, instead of seriously checking her??

The fact that there were four main couples in this romance book and I couldn't comfortably root for A SINGLE ONE OF THEM because all the relationships seemed so worryingly toxic??

I'm sure there's other grievances I missed.

Also, before anyone says anything along the lines of "but it's REALISTIC!!!! :)", "but people do and say stuff like that IN REAL LIFE!!! :)"......I have not at any point said that any of that was UN-realistic. It's MORE than realistic and I would never argue that it isn't.

But there's a difference between characters saying problematic things because people (unfortunately) do that in real life but the book grappling with/addressing them...and those things being said in a way that starts to make them seem like the author's own views because it doesn't seem like they took the steps to make it clear that they think it's an issue.

I'm NOT *at all* saying that the things I pointed out shouldn't be brought up in stories. Like I said, it (again, unfortunately) reflects reality. All I'm saying, is that there's a way to do that without causing more harm....

I really wanted to like this--because again, blackness + romance--but there was just too much for me to overlook. Which is a shame because I thought the writing itself was good. That's actually what made me add a star.

Sigh.
]]> <![CDATA[When Dimple Met Rishi (Dimple and Rishi, #1)]]> 28458598 right now, they wouldn’t have paid for her to attend a summer program for aspiring web developers…right?

Rishi Patel is a hopeless romantic. So when his parents tell him that his future wife will be attending the same summer program—wherein he’ll have to woo her—he’s totally on board. Because as silly as it sounds to most people in his life, Rishi wants to be arranged, believes in the power of tradition, stability, and being a part of something much bigger than himself.

The Shahs and Patels didn’t mean to start turning the wheels on this “suggested arrangement� so early in their children’s lives, but when they noticed them both gravitating toward the same summer program, they figured, Why not?

Dimple and Rishi may think they have each other figured out. But when opposites clash, love works hard to prove itself in the most unexpected ways.]]> 380 Sandhya Menon 1481478680 Foyinsi 4
Also, Dimple has "wild" and "crazy" curly hair....in case that was somehow not made clear the million and one times it was mentioned :).]]> 3.68 2017 When Dimple Met Rishi (Dimple and Rishi, #1)
author: Sandhya Menon
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2020/01/27
shelves:
review:
I really enjoyed this story! Rishi is sooo precious to me and must be protected!

Also, Dimple has "wild" and "crazy" curly hair....in case that was somehow not made clear the million and one times it was mentioned :).
]]> <![CDATA[The Revenge of Magic (The Revenge of Magic, #1)]]> 40538662 When long-dead magical creatures are discovered all around the world, each buried with a book of magic, only children can unlock the dangerous power of the books in this start to a thrilling new series from the author of the New York Times bestselling Story Thieves!

Thirteen years ago, books of magic were discovered in various sites around the world alongside the bones of dragons. Only those born after “Discovery Day� have the power to use the magic.

Now, on a vacation to Washington, DC, Fort Fitzgerald’s father is lost when a giant creature bursts through the earth, attacking the city. Fort is devastated, until an opportunity for justice arrives six months later, when a man named Dr. Opps invites Fort to a government run school, the Oppenheimer School, to learn magic from those same books.

But life’s no easier at the school, where secrets abound. What does Jia, Fort’s tutor, know about the attacks? Why does Rachel, master of destructive magic, think Fort is out to destroy the school? And why is Fort seeing memories of an expelled girl every time he goes to sleep? If Fort doesn’t find out what’s hiding within the Oppenheimer School, more attacks will come, and this time, nothing will stop them!]]> 416 James Riley 1481485776 Foyinsi 5
Soooo....this book was recommended to me and I’m sooo glad that it was. The characters are easily distinguishable and with their personalities, quite lovable.

The other thing I loved is the magic system. These super ancient books are discovered and each teaches a different type of magic (healing, destruction, clairvoyance, etc.). The catch is, only children born after “Discovery Day� can even read the book, let alone use the magic. I also liked how it was connected to learning this little spells that were tied back to language.

What else? Ah yes, Fort’s dad? We don’t spend a lot of time with him but he was so great that I wish we had.

Oh and the ending? The ENDING? I-

]]> 4.09 2019 The Revenge of Magic (The Revenge of Magic, #1)
author: James Riley
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at: 2018/11/03
date added: 2020/01/23
shelves:
review:
The Revenge of Magic is a book about a twelve-year-old boy named Forsythe (Fort) who is offered the chance to learn magic at a government school after a monster comes out of the ground in Washington DC, causes destruction, and oh yeah, snatches up his father before disappearing back to wear it came from (I know...WHOA).

Soooo....this book was recommended to me and I’m sooo glad that it was. The characters are easily distinguishable and with their personalities, quite lovable.

The other thing I loved is the magic system. These super ancient books are discovered and each teaches a different type of magic (healing, destruction, clairvoyance, etc.). The catch is, only children born after “Discovery Day� can even read the book, let alone use the magic. I also liked how it was connected to learning this little spells that were tied back to language.

What else? Ah yes, Fort’s dad? We don’t spend a lot of time with him but he was so great that I wish we had.

Oh and the ending? The ENDING? I-


]]> <![CDATA[A Song of Wraiths and Ruin (A Song of Wraiths and Ruin, #1)]]> 49629448
But Karina has deadly aspirations of her own. Her mother, the Sultana, has been assassinated; her court threatens mutiny; and Solstasia looms like a knife over her neck. Grief-stricken, Karina decides to resurrect her mother through ancient magic . . . requiring the beating heart of a king. And she knows just how to obtain one: by offering her hand in marriage to the victor of the Solstasia competition.

When Malik rigs his way into the contest, they are set on a course to destroy each other. But as attraction flares between them and ancient evils stir, will they be able to see their tasks to the death?

The first in an fantasy duology inspired by West African folklore in which a grieving crown princess and a desperate refugee find themselves on a collision course to murder each other despite their growing attraction.]]> 466 Roseanne A. Brown 0062891499 Foyinsi 0 to-read 3.94 2020 A Song of Wraiths and Ruin (A Song of Wraiths and Ruin, #1)
author: Roseanne A. Brown
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/01/20
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Children of Virtue and Vengeance (Legacy of Orïsha, #2)]]> 39122774
Now, Zélie struggles to unite the maji in an Orïsha where the enemy is just as powerful as they are. But when the monarchy and military unite to keep control of Orïsha, Zélie must fight to secure Amari's right to the throne and protect the new maji from the monarchy's wrath.

With civil war looming on the horizon, Zélie finds herself at a breaking point: she must discover a way to bring the kingdom together or watch as Orïsha tears itself apart.]]> 404 Tomi Adeyemi 1250170990 Foyinsi 5 3.86 2019 Children of Virtue and Vengeance (Legacy of Orïsha, #2)
author: Tomi Adeyemi
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2020/01/14
shelves:
review:

]]> Deadly Sexy 8235728
But Reese isn't just a truck driver--he's a partner in his family's multi-million-dollar company, a lawyer, and a former cop. He's been asked to quietly investigate a murder in the world of L.A. football, a job he's thrilled to discover brings him closer to the beautiful woman he found stranded on the highway. And when he detects a bitter enemy threatening JT's life, he's willing to protect her--and pleasure her--all night long.]]> 384 Beverly Jenkins Foyinsi 0 currently-reading 4.60 2007 Deadly Sexy
author: Beverly Jenkins
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.60
book published: 2007
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2020/01/01
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Something Special 38200075 I can’t stand him.
Jamal Holmes.
My best friend’s cousin.
So what he may be able to help me finally make the move to get my business off the ground. He’s a pompous jerk and judgmental to boot. At least, those are the very excuses I tell myself to avoid his help at all costs. Now, if I could just get my silly body to stop reacting every time he’s near. If I could manage to control my erotic thoughts whenever he opens his mouth or tosses one of those goofy grins my way, everything would be just fine. Only if he didn’t look so damn good in everything he puts on�

Jamal
I can’t stand her.
Gabriella, Gabby for short.
She’s brash, snarky and seems to have it out for me. A damn she-devil.
I don’t give a damn how great her legs look in the tight jeans and leggings she wears. Or, how appealing her mid-section appears in the halter tops she frequently dons. Nor do I care that her smooth, brown skin always looks good enough to taste. She’s a pain in the ass. At least, I thought she was until I started getting to know her. The real Gabby, and not the defensive, sarcastic, she-devil she initially hid behind to put up a wall between us. Slowly, I start to realize I get under her skin just as much as she gets under mine. And once we finally begin to break those walls down, we are both surprised by what’s underneath. Neither of our attitudes, or our pasts that come back into our lives can come between what’s inevitably � Something Special.
]]> 269 Tiffany Patterson Foyinsi 5 What I was looking for!

Two things I REALLY enjoy: Black love and contemporary romance stories. Thus, black romance stories should be the best of both worlds, for me.


Unfortunately though, I haven’t had the best luck with that specific sub-genre because I’ve found that pretty much all the ones I’ve come across thus far play up the “hood� part of it SUPER heavy. Of course, I’m not AT ALL saying that hood love stories shouldn’t be told or that there’s anything inherently wrong with them. I’ve just tired of black stories in general being connected to the hood in some way. We deserve ALL types of stories.

All that said, this was such a refreshing read! The main character does come from a low income background and never turns her back on that but it’s not something that the reader is beat over the head with.

This story dealt with some pretty heavy topics but it still had enough lightheartedness to remind me of Christina Lauren books (almost all of which I ADORE).

I really loved Jamal and Gabby and shipped their relationship! Also enjoyed the side characters.

Really looking forward to reading more from this author is the rest are like this!]]> 4.49 2018 Something Special
author: Tiffany Patterson
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2019/12/28
date added: 2019/12/28
shelves:
review:
What I was looking for!

Two things I REALLY enjoy: Black love and contemporary romance stories. Thus, black romance stories should be the best of both worlds, for me.


Unfortunately though, I haven’t had the best luck with that specific sub-genre because I’ve found that pretty much all the ones I’ve come across thus far play up the “hood� part of it SUPER heavy. Of course, I’m not AT ALL saying that hood love stories shouldn’t be told or that there’s anything inherently wrong with them. I’ve just tired of black stories in general being connected to the hood in some way. We deserve ALL types of stories.

All that said, this was such a refreshing read! The main character does come from a low income background and never turns her back on that but it’s not something that the reader is beat over the head with.

This story dealt with some pretty heavy topics but it still had enough lightheartedness to remind me of Christina Lauren books (almost all of which I ADORE).

I really loved Jamal and Gabby and shipped their relationship! Also enjoyed the side characters.

Really looking forward to reading more from this author is the rest are like this!
]]> <![CDATA[The Toll (Arc of a Scythe, #3)]]> 43822024
In this pulse-pounding conclusion to New York Times bestselling author Neal Shusterman’s Arc of a Scythe trilogy, constitutions are tested and old friends are brought back from the dead.]]> 625 Neal Shusterman 1481497065 Foyinsi 0 to-read 4.16 2019 The Toll (Arc of a Scythe, #3)
author: Neal Shusterman
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/12/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Black Is a Rainbow Color 44280848
Red is a rainbow color.
Green sits next to blue.
Yellow, orange, violet, indigo,
They are rainbow colors, too, but

My color is black . . .
And there’s no BLACK in rainbows.

From the wheels of a bicycle to the robe on Thurgood Marshall's back, Black surrounds our lives. It is a color to simply describe some of our favorite things, but it also evokes a deeper sentiment about the incredible people who helped change the world and a community that continues to grow and thrive.

Stunningly illustrated by Caldecott Honoree and Coretta Scott King Award winner Ekua Holmes, Black Is a Rainbow Color is a sweeping celebration told through debut author Angela Joy’s rhythmically captivating and unforgettable words.]]> 40 Angela Joy 1626726310 Foyinsi 0 to-read 4.53 2020 Black Is a Rainbow Color
author: Angela Joy
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.53
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/11/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Match Me If You Can 34993791
Vince asks her out, but Mia doesn't count on Logan, the persistent school newspaper photographer who seems to like her out of the blue. Now she has to choose between Vince - the guy she knows is right for her - and Logan, who insists that she give him a chance. And she needs to make sure Robyn doesn't find out that Mia's been matchmaking behind her back.

Mia has two weeks before homecoming. Can she fix the mess she made or will she have to kiss her perfect match goodbye forever?]]> 288 Tiana Smith 1250168716 Foyinsi 5 3.50 2019 Match Me If You Can
author: Tiana Smith
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.50
book published: 2019
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2019/10/24
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[A River of Royal Blood (A River of Royal Blood, #1)]]> 37538577 In a North African-inspired fantasy world, two sisters must fight to the death to win the crown.

Sixteen-year-old Eva is a princess, born with the magick of marrow and blood--a dark and terrible magick that hasn't been seen for generations in the vibrant but fractured country of Myre. Its last known practitioner was Queen Raina, who toppled the native khimaer royalty and massacred thousands, including her own sister, eight generations ago, thus beginning the Rival Heir tradition. Living in Raina's long and dark shadow, Eva must now face her older sister, Isa, in a battle to the death if she hopes to ascend to the Ivory Throne--because in the Queendom of Myre only the strongest, most ruthless rulers survive.

When Eva is attacked by an assassin just weeks before the battle with her sister, she discovers there is more to the attempt on her life than meets the eye--and it isn't just her sister who wants to see her dead. As tensions escalate, Eva is forced to turn to a fey instructor of mythic proportions and a mysterious and handsome khimaer prince for help in growing her magick into something to fear. Because despite the love she still has for her sister, Eva will have to choose: Isa's death or her own.]]> 355 Amanda Joy 0525518584 Foyinsi 0 to-read 3.81 2019 A River of Royal Blood (A River of Royal Blood, #1)
author: Amanda Joy
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/09/11
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Slay 43723509 'We are different ages, genders and traditions ... but tonight we all SLAY'

Black Panther meets Ready Player One. A fierce teen game developer battles a real-life troll intent on ruining the Black Panther-inspired video game she created and the safe community it represents for black gamers.

By day, seventeen-year-old Kiera Johnson is a college student, and one of the only black kids at Jefferson Academy. By night, she joins hundreds of thousands of black gamers who duel worldwide in the secret online role-playing card game, SLAY.

No one knows Kiera is the game developer - not even her boyfriend, Malcolm. But when a teen in Kansas City is murdered over a dispute in the SLAY world, the media labels it an exclusionist, racist hub for thugs.

With threats coming from both inside and outside the game, Kiera must fight to save the safe space she's created. But can she protect SLAY without losing herself?

]]> 336 Brittney Morris 1534445420 Foyinsi 0 to-read 4.19 2019 Slay
author: Brittney Morris
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/09/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Animal Farm 8349198 154 George Orwell Foyinsi 0 currently-reading 4.25 1945 Animal Farm
author: George Orwell
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.25
book published: 1945
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/05/01
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Amberlough (The Amberlough Dossier, #1)]]> 39931835 Librarian note: an older cover for this edition can be found here.

A double-agent sacrifices all his ideals in order to save his smuggler lover before a government coup takes over their decadent city in Lara Elena Donnelly’s glam spy thriller debut, now a Nebula finalist for Best Novel!

ԳٰǻܳԲ�

The Smuggler: By day, Aristide Makricosta is the emcee for Amberlough City’s top nightclub. By night, he moves drugs and refugees under the noses of crooked cops.

The Spy: Covert agent Cyril DePaul thinks he’s good at keeping secrets, but after a disastrous mission abroad, he makes a dangerous choice to protect himself…and hopefully Aristide too.

The Dancer: Streetwise Cordelia Lehane, burlesque performer at the Bumble Bee Cabaret and Aristide’s runner, could be the key to Cyril’s plans—if she can be trusted.

As the twinkling marquees lights yield to the rising flames of a fascist revolution, these three will struggle to survive using whatever means � and people � necessary. Including each other.]]> 398 Lara Elena Donnelly Foyinsi 0 currently-reading 3.70 2017 Amberlough (The Amberlough Dossier, #1)
author: Lara Elena Donnelly
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/05/01
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> If It Makes You Happy 40851643
Winnie dreams of someday inheriting the diner—but it'll go away if they can't make money, and fast. Winnie has a solution—win a televised cooking competition and make bank. But Granny doesn't want her to enter—so Winnie has to find a way around her formidable grandmother. Can she come out on top?]]> 340 Claire Kann 1250192676 Foyinsi 0 to-read 3.69 2019 If It Makes You Happy
author: Claire Kann
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/04/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Phantom Tollbooth 10374117 A PARADE BEST KIDS BOOK OF ALL TIME

“Comes up bright and new every time I read it . . . it will continue to charm and delight for a very long time yet.� --Phillip Pullman, New York Times bestselling author of His Dark Materials

With almost 5 million copies sold in the 60 years since it was published, generations of readers have journeyed with Milo to the Lands Beyond in this beloved classic.

Enriched by Jules Feiffer’s splendid illustrations, the wit, wisdom, and wordplay of Norton Juster’s offbeat fantasy are as beguiling as ever. For Milo, everything’s a bore. When a tollbooth mysteriously appears in his room, he drives through only because he’s got nothing better to do. But on the other side, things seem different. Milo visits the Island of Conclusions (you get there by jumping), learns about time from a ticking watchdog named Tock, and even embarks on a quest to rescue Rhyme and Reason.

Somewhere along the way, Milo realizes something astonishing. Life is far from dull. In fact, it’s exciting beyond his wildest dreams!]]> 133 Norton Juster 0375985298 Foyinsi 5 4.40 1961 The Phantom Tollbooth
author: Norton Juster
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.40
book published: 1961
rating: 5
read at: 2018/12/20
date added: 2019/04/05
shelves:
review:
The play on words??? Ugh, his MIND.
]]> Moll Flanders 40182877
Defoe wrote this after his work as a journalist and pamphleteer. By 1722, Defoe had become recognized as a novelist, with the success of Robinson Crusoe in 1719. His political work was tapering off at this point, due to the fall of both Whig and Tory party leaders with whom he had been associated; Robert Walpole was beginning his rise, and Defoe was never fully at home with the Walpole group. Defoe's Whig views are nevertheless evident in the story of Moll, and the novel's full title gives some insight into this and the outline of the plot:

"The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders, Etc. Who Was Born In Newgate, and During a Life of Continu'd Variety For Threescore Years, Besides Her Childhood, Was Twelve Year a Whore, Five Times a Wife [Whereof Once To Her Own Brother], Twelve Year a Thief, Eight Year a Transported Felon In Virginia, At Last Grew Rich, Liv'd Honest, and Died a Penitent. Written from her own Memorandums."]]> 607 Daniel Defoe Foyinsi 0 currently-reading 0.0 1722 Moll Flanders
author: Daniel Defoe
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 0.0
book published: 1722
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2019/02/15
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> In Some Other Life 31144992 464 Jessica Brody 0374380767 Foyinsi 5
Firstly: Narrative voice. I really enjoyed the writing and the way the story was told. It was so easy to read and follow without being overly so or overly simple. I literally read the first 128pages in like less than 2hours and was so confused on when I’d gotten that far already. It also really helped to characterize Kennedy (who is great).

As for the other characters, I really liked them too. Frankie is my EVERYTHING. Her dad was so great and it was touching to see their relationship and how it affected her. I also liked how the romance developed slowly (if you like the “enemies-to-lovers trope, you’re in for a treat) and just felt really seeet and believable overall. Did I mention I love Frankie?

I also enjoyed the plot and thought it was handled in a cool way. Plus, the ending was really moving.

I was very happy to learn that Jessica Brody is quite an established author which means she has a number of other published works. Which means I’m off to the next one (possibly “A Week of Mondays�?)]]> 3.87 2017 In Some Other Life
author: Jessica Brody
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2017
rating: 5
read at: 2019/01/27
date added: 2019/01/28
shelves:
review:
Where does one even begin??

Firstly: Narrative voice. I really enjoyed the writing and the way the story was told. It was so easy to read and follow without being overly so or overly simple. I literally read the first 128pages in like less than 2hours and was so confused on when I’d gotten that far already. It also really helped to characterize Kennedy (who is great).

As for the other characters, I really liked them too. Frankie is my EVERYTHING. Her dad was so great and it was touching to see their relationship and how it affected her. I also liked how the romance developed slowly (if you like the “enemies-to-lovers trope, you’re in for a treat) and just felt really seeet and believable overall. Did I mention I love Frankie?

I also enjoyed the plot and thought it was handled in a cool way. Plus, the ending was really moving.

I was very happy to learn that Jessica Brody is quite an established author which means she has a number of other published works. Which means I’m off to the next one (possibly “A Week of Mondays�?)
]]> Seven Ways We Lie 29451238 Seven Ways We Lie, a chance encounter tangles the lives of seven high school students, each resisting the allure of one of the seven deadly sins, and each telling their story from their seven distinct points of view.

The juniors at Paloma High School all have their secrets, whether it’s the thespian who hides her trust issues onstage, the closeted pansexual who only cares about his drug-dealing profits, or the neurotic genius who’s planted the seed of a school scandal.

But it’s Juniper Kipling who has the furthest to fall. No one would argue that Juniper—obedient daughter, salutatorian, natural beauty, and loyal friend—is anything but perfect. Everyone knows she’s a saint, not a sinner; but when love is involved, who is Juniper to resist temptation? When she begins to crave more and more of the one person she can’t have, her charmed life starts to unravel. Then rumors of a student-teacher affair hit the fan. After Juniper accidentally exposes her secret at a party, her fate falls into the hands of the other six sinners, bringing them into one another’s orbits.

All seven are guilty of something. Together, they could save one another from their temptations—or be ruined by them.

Riley Redgate’s twisty YA debut effortlessly weaves humor, heartbreak, and redemption into a drama that fans of Jenny Han and Stephanie Perkins will adore.]]> 352 Riley Redgate 1613128959 Foyinsi 5 3.76 2016 Seven Ways We Lie
author: Riley Redgate
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at: 2018/12/12
date added: 2018/12/12
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Hate U Give (The Hate U Give, #1)]]> 35527721
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.

But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.]]> 444 Angie Thomas Foyinsi 4 4.51 2017 The Hate U Give (The Hate U Give, #1)
author: Angie Thomas
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.51
book published: 2017
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2018/12/03
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Women In Love (Signet Classics)]]> 21280576 Women in Love is a prophetic masterpiece steeped in eroticism, filled with perceptions about sexual power and obsession that have proven to be timeless and true.


]]> 337 D.H. Lawrence 1101078286 Foyinsi 0 currently-reading 3.25 1920 Women In Love (Signet Classics)
author: D.H. Lawrence
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.25
book published: 1920
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/11/24
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Tess of the D'Urbervilles 28128062
At once hopeful and tragic, Tess of the D’Urbervilles remains a scathing indictment of the injustices of English social and class structure. First published serially in the British newspaper The Graphic, the novel went on to become one of Thomas Hardy’s most successful, ranking number 26 on the BBC’s survey, “The Big Read.� It has been adapted countless times for stage and film.

HarperPerennial Classics brings great works of literature to life in digital format, upholding the highest standards in ebook production and celebrating reading in all its forms. Look for more titles in the HarperPerennial Classics collection to build your digital library.]]> 336 Thomas Hardy Foyinsi 0 currently-reading 4.45 1891 Tess of the D'Urbervilles
author: Thomas Hardy
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.45
book published: 1891
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/10/22
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Akata Witch (The Nsibidi Scripts #1)]]> 12001925 Affectionately dubbed "the Nigerian Harry Potter," Akata Witchweaves together a heart-pounding tale of magic, mystery, and finding one's place in the world.Twelve-year-old Sunny lives in Nigeria, but she was born American. Her features are African, but she's albino. She's a terrific athlete, but can't go out into the sun to play soccer. There seems to be no place where she fits in. And then she discovers something amazing—she is a "free agent" with latent magical power. Soon she's part of a quartet of magic students, studying the visible and invisible, learning to change reality. But will it be enough to help them when they are asked to catch a career criminal who knows magic too?

Ursula K. Le Guin and John Green are Nnedi Okorafor fans. As soon as you start reading Akata Witch, you will be, too!]]> 369 Nnedi Okorafor Foyinsi 0 currently-reading 4.23 2011 Akata Witch (The Nsibidi Scripts #1)
author: Nnedi Okorafor
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/10/22
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library (Mr. Lemoncello's Library, #1)]]> 17410571 This edition has a new cover

Kyle Keeley is the class clown, popular with most kids, (if not the teachers), and an ardent fan of all games: board games, word games, and particularly video games. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, the most notorious and creative gamemaker in the world, just so happens to be the genius behind the building of the new town library.

Lucky Kyle wins a coveted spot to be one of the first 12 kids in the library for an overnight of fun, food, and lots and lots of games. But when morning comes, the doors remain locked. Kyle and the other winners must solve every clue and every secret puzzle to find the hidden escape route. And the stakes are very high.

In this cross between Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and A Night in the Museum, Agatha Award winner Chris Grabenstein uses rib-tickling humor to create the perfect tale for his quirky characters. Old fans and new readers will become enthralled with the crafty twists and turns of this ultimate library experience.]]> 293 Chris Grabenstein Foyinsi 0 currently-reading 4.35 2013 Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library (Mr. Lemoncello's Library, #1)
author: Chris Grabenstein
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/10/10
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Leah on the Offbeat (Creekwood, #2)]]> 36256402 In this sequel to the acclaimed Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda—soon to be a major motion picture, Love, Simon—we follow Simon’s BFF Leah as she grapples with changing friendships, first love, and senior year angst.

When it comes to drumming, Leah Burke is usually on beat—but real life isn’t always so rhythmic.

She’s an anomaly in her friend the only child of a young, single mom, and her life is decidedly less privileged. She loves to draw but is too self-conscious to show it. And even though her mom knows she’s bisexual, she hasn’t mustered the courage to tell her friends—not even her openly gay BFF, Simon.

So Leah really doesn’t know what to do when her rock-solid friend group starts to fracture in unexpected ways. With prom and college on the horizon, tensions are running high.

It’s hard for Leah to strike the right note while the people she loves are fighting—especially when she realizes she might love one of them more than she ever intended.]]> 364 Becky Albertalli 0062643827 Foyinsi 4 3.86 2018 Leah on the Offbeat (Creekwood, #2)
author: Becky Albertalli
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2018/10/06
date added: 2018/10/06
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (Creekwood, #1)]]> 22754644
Now change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he's pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he's never met.

Incredibly funny and poignant, this twenty-first-century coming-of-age, coming out story—wrapped in a geek romance—is a knockout of a debut novel by Becky Albertalli.]]> 325 Becky Albertalli 0062348698 Foyinsi 4 4.33 2015 Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (Creekwood, #1)
author: Becky Albertalli
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2018/10/04
date added: 2018/10/04
shelves:
review:

]]> Les Liaisons Dangereuses 17909914
This new translation gives Laclos a modern voice, and readers will be able a judge whether the novel is as `diabolical' and `infamous' as its critics have claimed, or whether it has much to tell us about the kind of world we ourselves live in.

David Coward's introduction explodes myths about Laclos's own life and puts the book in its literary and cultural context.]]> 452 Pierre Choderlos de Laclos 0191606022 Foyinsi 0 currently-reading 4.03 1782 Les Liaisons Dangereuses
author: Pierre Choderlos de Laclos
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.03
book published: 1782
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/09/25
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> Selected Stories 8173520 497 Anton Chekhov Foyinsi 0 currently-reading 4.31 1903 Selected Stories
author: Anton Chekhov
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.31
book published: 1903
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/09/11
shelves: currently-reading
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky (Tristan Strong, #1)]]> 39884337 482 Kwame Mbalia 1368039936 Foyinsi 0 to-read 4.16 2019 Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky (Tristan Strong, #1)
author: Kwame Mbalia
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/08/10
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Scythe (Arc of a Scythe, #1) 28954189 Thou shalt kill.

A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery. Humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.

Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art� of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.

An alternate cover edition of ISBN: 9781442472426]]> 435 Neal Shusterman Foyinsi 5
Score: 5/5

2.) Characters:

-Citra Terranova: She is sixteen years old and her family consists of her mother, father, and younger brother. Citra is a very clever girl and regularly displays (com)passion. All this along with her strong moral compass make her a protagonist that readers will be rooting for heavily.
-Rowan Damish: Rowan is also sixteen years old. He is a middle child in a large family and incredibly observant, calculating, and good at hiding his emotions. He is certainly a generally likeable character.
-Honorable Scythe Faraday: He is a scythe (trained assassin) and takes his duty very seriously. As far as tropes go, he is the wise and caring old man one can’t help but wish one knew personally. Faraday is strong in hid moral beliefs and fairly admirable.
-Honorable Scythe Curie: She is also a scythe and essentially acts as Faraday in woman form. Whoever has her on his/her side is very fortunate.
-Honorable Scythe Goddard: He plays his role as the main antagonist of the story pretty well. His character is often described as charming but inspires serious dislike and yet�.not quite full on hatred. His name is a very clever touch on Shusterman’s part�
-High Blade Xenocrates: This character doesn’t inspire much more than simple pity.
Score: 5/5

3.) Plot/Storyline:

As explained before, the basic plot is that Citra and Rowan are given the opportunity to immerse themselves into the scythe world. There are quite...

Read the rest of my review at ]]> 4.32 2016 Scythe (Arc of a Scythe, #1)
author: Neal Shusterman
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2018/08/06
shelves:
review:
The novel is told from the third person point-of-view and switches focus between the two main protagonists. The language is simple yet by no means boring. This is definitely a skill that Shusterman has mastered. Due to the voice and tone of the novel, even the narrator feels like a character in his/her own way. The reader gets a very compelling and distinct sense of each character as if the story were told in first person.

Score: 5/5

2.) Characters:

-Citra Terranova: She is sixteen years old and her family consists of her mother, father, and younger brother. Citra is a very clever girl and regularly displays (com)passion. All this along with her strong moral compass make her a protagonist that readers will be rooting for heavily.
-Rowan Damish: Rowan is also sixteen years old. He is a middle child in a large family and incredibly observant, calculating, and good at hiding his emotions. He is certainly a generally likeable character.
-Honorable Scythe Faraday: He is a scythe (trained assassin) and takes his duty very seriously. As far as tropes go, he is the wise and caring old man one can’t help but wish one knew personally. Faraday is strong in hid moral beliefs and fairly admirable.
-Honorable Scythe Curie: She is also a scythe and essentially acts as Faraday in woman form. Whoever has her on his/her side is very fortunate.
-Honorable Scythe Goddard: He plays his role as the main antagonist of the story pretty well. His character is often described as charming but inspires serious dislike and yet�.not quite full on hatred. His name is a very clever touch on Shusterman’s part�
-High Blade Xenocrates: This character doesn’t inspire much more than simple pity.
Score: 5/5

3.) Plot/Storyline:

As explained before, the basic plot is that Citra and Rowan are given the opportunity to immerse themselves into the scythe world. There are quite...

Read the rest of my review at
]]> The Elite (The Elite, #1) 3017396 From the top, you can see everything� except yourself.

When Casey McCloy steps into the elegant Bramford building, she's overwhelmed. Fresh from the Midwest, she's moved to New York's Upper East Side to live with her grandmother and attend the prestigious Meadowlark Academy. Here all that matters is who you know. The girl to know is Madison Macallister: popular, pretty, platinumblond. She's not just Casey's new classmate and neighbor; she's an icon. So Casey aims to get in with Madison and her gorgeous gal-pals from the start. As the reigning queen of coolness, Madison is capable of destroying reputations with one welltimed whisper. Better to be on her good side.

But after a city-haute makeover from her new frenemy Madison, Casey is wearing the right clothes, saying the right things, and meeting the right people, including Drew, the boy-about-town who Madison thinks belongs to her and her alone.]]> 251 Jennifer Banash 0425221571 Foyinsi 5 to-read 3.36 2008 The Elite (The Elite, #1)
author: Jennifer Banash
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.36
book published: 2008
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2018/07/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Poet X 33294200 Fans of Jacqueline Woodson, Meg Medina, and Jason Reynolds will fall hard for this astonishing New York Times-bestselling novel-in-verse by an award-winning slam poet, about an Afro-Latina heroine who tells her story with blazing words and powerful truth.

Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking.

But Xiomara has plenty she wants to say, and she pours all her frustration and passion onto the pages of a leather notebook, reciting the words to herself like prayers—especially after she catches feelings for a boy in her bio class named Aman, who her family can never know about.

With Mami’s determination to force her daughter to obey the laws of the church, Xiomara understands that her thoughts are best kept to herself. So when she is invited to join her school’s slam poetry club, she doesn’t know how she could ever attend without her mami finding out. But she still can’t stop thinking about performing her poems.

Because in the face of a world that may not want to hear her, Xiomara refuses to be silent.]]> 368 Elizabeth Acevedo Foyinsi 4
The majority of the characters feel like tangible people and the relationship dynamics feel very realistic. Xiomara is a Latina girl in high school with emotions and problems that readers (particularly woman) will be able to connect to, particularly in her struggles with her identity as Latina, a woman, etc. Her journey is both believable and beautiful to watch. Xiomara’s strict and very religious mother, her present-but-absentee father, and her quiet twin brother Xavier join together to form an authentic family in all their struggles to understand where each other is coming from. Characters like her best friend Caridad, Aman, Father Sean, and Ms. Galliano are easy to like but do not seem developed to their full potential as supporting characters. Score: 4/5

The novel’s buildup is....

Read the rest of the review at ]]> 4.37 2018 The Poet X
author: Elizabeth Acevedo
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2018/07/17
shelves:
review:
The novel’s biggest strength, it is fairly unique in that it is formatted as a series of poems written from Xiomara’s point-of-view. This allows for more of a focus on her emotions and inner-battles but there is indeed still plenty of outside conflict to add to it. Once the reader realizes and understands this, it is easy to find the story thread within the poetry and follow it all the way to the end. Score: 5/5

The majority of the characters feel like tangible people and the relationship dynamics feel very realistic. Xiomara is a Latina girl in high school with emotions and problems that readers (particularly woman) will be able to connect to, particularly in her struggles with her identity as Latina, a woman, etc. Her journey is both believable and beautiful to watch. Xiomara’s strict and very religious mother, her present-but-absentee father, and her quiet twin brother Xavier join together to form an authentic family in all their struggles to understand where each other is coming from. Characters like her best friend Caridad, Aman, Father Sean, and Ms. Galliano are easy to like but do not seem developed to their full potential as supporting characters. Score: 4/5

The novel’s buildup is....

Read the rest of the review at
]]> <![CDATA[The Forever Man (W.A.R.P., #3)]]> 22518400
Chevie has assured Riley that Garrick was sucked into a temporal wormhole, never to emerge. The full nature of the wormhole has never been understood, however, and just as a human body will reject an unsuitable transplant, the wormhole eventually spits Garrick out. By the time Garrick makes it back to Victorian London, he has been planning his revenge on Riley for centuries. But even the best-laid plans can go awry, as the three discover when they are tossed once more into the wormhole and spill out in a Puritan village.

Featuring remarkable heroes, an epic villain, and monstrous mutations, The Forever Man is another high-octane adventure from the impressive imagination behind the internationally best-selling Artemis Fowl series.]]> 339 Eoin Colfer 1484726030 Foyinsi 4
The characters are lovable, for the most part. There is clever and witty Riley, brave and loyal Chevie, and a host of other characters that jump off the page come to life in a masterful way with their large and distinguishable personalities. Oh how one will love to hate the novel’s central antagonist. Score: 4/5

Unique and riveting, this plot will grab readers of science fiction and won’t let go until the very last word on the very last page. The story really builds up in a way that will have hearts racing and people almost falling over the edge of their seats. Admittedly, the romance....

Read the rest of the review at ]]> 3.87 2015 The Forever Man (W.A.R.P., #3)
author: Eoin Colfer
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2018/07/17
date added: 2018/07/17
shelves:
review:
The story is told from a third person point-of-view which allows readers a glimpse into the minds of multiple characters. The narrative voice wasn’t particularly remarkable on either end of the spectrum (awful vs. wonderful). There were times when the story was difficult to follow but that was more of an issue of subject matter than word choice. Score: 4/5

The characters are lovable, for the most part. There is clever and witty Riley, brave and loyal Chevie, and a host of other characters that jump off the page come to life in a masterful way with their large and distinguishable personalities. Oh how one will love to hate the novel’s central antagonist. Score: 4/5

Unique and riveting, this plot will grab readers of science fiction and won’t let go until the very last word on the very last page. The story really builds up in a way that will have hearts racing and people almost falling over the edge of their seats. Admittedly, the romance....

Read the rest of the review at
]]> <![CDATA[Head Over Heels (Geek Girl, #5)]]> 26094860
The fifth book in the bestselling, award-winning GEEK GIRL series.

Harriet Manners knows almost every fact there is.

She knows duck-billed platypuses don’t have stomachs.
She knows that fourteen squirrels were once detained as spies.
She knows only one flag in the world features a building.

And for once, Harriet knows exactly how her life should go. She’s got it ALL planned out. So when love is in the air, Harriet is determined to Make Things Happen!
If only everyone else would stick to the script�

Has GEEK GIRL overstepped the mark, and is following the rules going to break hearts all over again?]]> 416 Holly Smale 0007574622 Foyinsi 5
This is the novel’s biggest strength. Characters old and new are extremely likable and realistic. Readers can’t help but cheer protagonist Harriet Manners on and want things to work out for her. After all, she always means well. Wilbur, her dad and stepmom, and friends manage to be themselves in their own unique and endearing way. Score: 5/5

Smale follows her normal pattern of creating a plethora of mini-plots that are eventually more connected than one initially realizes. Each manages to feel both relatable and unique at the same time despite the fact that they can be found in countless other stories. Score: 5/5

Read the rest of the review at ]]> 4.08 2016 Head Over Heels (Geek Girl, #5)
author: Holly Smale
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2016
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2018/07/10
shelves:
review:
The story is told from Harriet’s point-of-view. The narrative voice is absolutely delightful, funny, and entertaining. The facts are fun and the writing is fabulous. Smale does it again! Score: 5/5

This is the novel’s biggest strength. Characters old and new are extremely likable and realistic. Readers can’t help but cheer protagonist Harriet Manners on and want things to work out for her. After all, she always means well. Wilbur, her dad and stepmom, and friends manage to be themselves in their own unique and endearing way. Score: 5/5

Smale follows her normal pattern of creating a plethora of mini-plots that are eventually more connected than one initially realizes. Each manages to feel both relatable and unique at the same time despite the fact that they can be found in countless other stories. Score: 5/5

Read the rest of the review at
]]> The Belles (The Belles, #1) 23197837
But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orléans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land. But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie—that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces an impossible decision.

With the future of Orléans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide—save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles—or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever.]]> 448 Dhonielle Clayton 1484728491 Foyinsi 4
Overall, the characters are average. The novel’s protagonist, Camellia Beauregard, is stubborn and bratty at times but mostly likable as a character and narrator. Of the other Belles in her generation (Padma, Valerie, Amber, and Edel), the only ones that really stick out are Amber and Edel. The other two Belles felt undeveloped and practically unnecessary. The characters responsible for the Belles like Remy, The Beauty Minister, and The Fashion Minister also don’t particularly stand out as characters to hate or love. They are simply there. The only other truly noticeable character is Princess Sophia. Score: 3.5

The basic plot is that beauty itself (not just the products that make one beautiful) is an actual and concrete commodity. If you can’t afford to be treated by Belles, you’re basically at the bottom of the social ladder. Unsurprisingly, there are many ways a society centered on beauty can go wrong. While the idea of a complete focus on beauty as a negative trait is not a new concept, the plot still feels incredibly creative and fresh. Score: 5/5

Read the rest of the review at ]]> 3.82 2018 The Belles (The Belles, #1)
author: Dhonielle Clayton
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.82
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2018/07/10
shelves:
review:
The story is told from Camellia’s point-of-view. As is normal for first person POVs, the reader gets a very good sense of her emotions and reasoning. There are a lot of new vocabulary terms that can make the novel hard to follow or understand at times. Score: 3.5/5

Overall, the characters are average. The novel’s protagonist, Camellia Beauregard, is stubborn and bratty at times but mostly likable as a character and narrator. Of the other Belles in her generation (Padma, Valerie, Amber, and Edel), the only ones that really stick out are Amber and Edel. The other two Belles felt undeveloped and practically unnecessary. The characters responsible for the Belles like Remy, The Beauty Minister, and The Fashion Minister also don’t particularly stand out as characters to hate or love. They are simply there. The only other truly noticeable character is Princess Sophia. Score: 3.5

The basic plot is that beauty itself (not just the products that make one beautiful) is an actual and concrete commodity. If you can’t afford to be treated by Belles, you’re basically at the bottom of the social ladder. Unsurprisingly, there are many ways a society centered on beauty can go wrong. While the idea of a complete focus on beauty as a negative trait is not a new concept, the plot still feels incredibly creative and fresh. Score: 5/5

Read the rest of the review at
]]> <![CDATA[P.S. I Still Love You (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #2)]]> 20698530 Lara Jean didn’t expect to really fall for Peter.

They were just pretending. Until they weren’t. And now Lara Jean has to learn what it's like to be in a real relationship and not just a make-believe one.

But when another boy from her past returns to her life, Lara Jean’s feelings for him suddenly return too. Can a girl be in love with two boys at once?

In this charming and heartfelt sequel to the New York Times bestseller To All the Boys I've Loved Before, Lara Jean is about to find out that falling in love is the easy part.]]> 337 Jenny Han 144242673X Foyinsi 4
Readers get the story from main character, Lara Jean’s, point-of-view. The voice is consistent with the one from the first book and is incredibly believable as that of a teenage girl’s.

Score: 5/5

2.) Characters (there are, of course, others but these are the main ones; novel’s biggest strength):

-Lara Jean Covey: She is the oh-so-relatable main character of this novel. She’s so likable and endearing that you can’t help but root for her and hope that thinsg work out somehow.

-Katherine “Kitty� Covey: Kitty is the youngest sister and still bursting with personality. It would be great to read a book starring this sassy little Song sister from her perspective.

-Peter: He is still the realistic and likable popular boy. He feels more fleshed put in this book.

-Genevieve: She becomes a more interesting and round antagonist.

-Stormy: She is a senior citizen and one of the funniest/most entertaining characters in this novel.

-All the characters feel like real people and just leap off the page.
Score: 5/5

Read the rest of the review at ]]> 4.01 2015 P.S. I Still Love You (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, #2)
author: Jenny Han
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at:
date added: 2018/07/10
shelves:
review:
1.) Perspective/Narrative Voice:

Readers get the story from main character, Lara Jean’s, point-of-view. The voice is consistent with the one from the first book and is incredibly believable as that of a teenage girl’s.

Score: 5/5

2.) Characters (there are, of course, others but these are the main ones; novel’s biggest strength):

-Lara Jean Covey: She is the oh-so-relatable main character of this novel. She’s so likable and endearing that you can’t help but root for her and hope that thinsg work out somehow.

-Katherine “Kitty� Covey: Kitty is the youngest sister and still bursting with personality. It would be great to read a book starring this sassy little Song sister from her perspective.

-Peter: He is still the realistic and likable popular boy. He feels more fleshed put in this book.

-Genevieve: She becomes a more interesting and round antagonist.

-Stormy: She is a senior citizen and one of the funniest/most entertaining characters in this novel.

-All the characters feel like real people and just leap off the page.
Score: 5/5

Read the rest of the review at
]]> <![CDATA[Thunderhead (Arc of a Scythe, #2)]]> 33555224
Citra, now a junior scythe under Scythe Curie, sees the corruption and wants to help change it from the inside out, but is thwarted at every turn, and threatened by the “new order� scythes. Realizing she cannot do this alone—or even with the help of Scythe Curie and Faraday, she does the unthinkable, and risks being “deadish� so she can communicate with the Thunderhead—the only being on earth wise enough to solve the dire problems of a perfect world. But will it help solve those problems, or simply watch as perfection goes into decline?]]> 504 Neal Shusterman 1442472456 Foyinsi 5
Click the link to read my full review:

]]> 4.38 2018 Thunderhead (Arc of a Scythe, #2)
author: Neal Shusterman
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2018/04/19
date added: 2018/04/21
shelves:
review:
The characters? The plot? The setting? The ENDING???

Click the link to read my full review:


]]> <![CDATA[Blind the Eyes (Threads of Dreams #1)]]> 39077719 When hope kills and dreams are deadly, your only shot at survival is to shut it all down.

In the Towers of Refuge, regulation dictates every aspect of life.

Haunted 17-year-old Cole would do anything to shake her reputation as a failure. The only way to survive the nightmarish Mara is absolute obedience, and she's down to her last chance.

But when a charismatic stranger shows up claiming to know her and Cole discovers Refuge's absolute control and guarantee of safety are both illusions, she realizes hers isn't the only life at stake and goes on the run.

In the underground club Freedom, nothing's forbidden.

Cole needs allies to help her expose Refuge's lies and escape execution by nightmare. Too bad the only candidates are a hedonistic rebel, a trouble-making ghost, a stylist with a secret and an imaginary friend with a talent for monster-hunting.

With enforcers in pursuit and the dead invading her dreams, Cole must figure out who to trust and stop the dying before the nightmares eat her alive.

Trusted authorities lie, allies have their own agendas and even the monsters wear masks in this post-apocalyptic YA dark fantasy suitable for ages 14 and up.]]> 287 K.A. Wiggins Foyinsi 0 to-read 3.44 2018 Blind the Eyes (Threads of Dreams #1)
author: K.A. Wiggins
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.44
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2018/04/20
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orïsha, #1)]]> 34728667 They killed my mother.
They took our magic.
They tried to bury us.

Now we rise.

Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.

Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers and her growing feelings for an enemy.]]> 544 Tomi Adeyemi 1250170974 Foyinsi 5
Click the link below to find out why!

]]> 4.10 2018 Children of Blood and Bone (Legacy of Orïsha, #1)
author: Tomi Adeyemi
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2018
rating: 5
read at: 2018/03/19
date added: 2018/03/22
shelves:
review:
Is there anything higher than 5 out of 5 stars? I wish there was so I could give this that rating.

Click the link below to find out why!


]]> Let's Talk About Love 31625039
But then Alice meets Takumi and she can’t stop thinking about him or the rom com-grade romance feels she did not ask for (uncertainty, butterflies, and swoons, oh my!).

When her blissful summer takes an unexpected turn, and Takumi becomes her knight with a shiny library employee badge (close enough), Alice has to decide if she’s willing to risk their friendship for a love that might not be reciprocated—or understood.]]> 304 Claire Kann 1250138825 Foyinsi 4
Click the link to read my full review: ]]> 3.69 2018 Let's Talk About Love
author: Claire Kann
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2018
rating: 4
read at: 2018/03/12
date added: 2018/03/22
shelves:
review:
If I could give this book 4.5 stars, I would.

Click the link to read my full review:
]]> <![CDATA[Fifty Shades of Grey (Fifty Shades, #1)]]> 10818853
Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success—his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family—Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.

Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.

This book is intended for mature audiences.]]> 356 E.L. James 1612130291 Foyinsi 0 3.68 2011 Fifty Shades of Grey (Fifty Shades, #1)
author: E.L. James
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2014/11/03
shelves:
review:

]]> Forget You 7129588 Why can't you choose what you forget ... and what you remember?

There’s a lot Zoey would like to forget. Like how her father has knocked up his twenty-four-year old girlfriend. Like Zoey’s fear that the whole town will find out about her mom’s nervous breakdown. Like darkly handsome bad boy Doug taunting her at school. Feeling like her life is about to become a complete mess, Zoey fights back the only way she knows how, using her famous attention to detail to make sure she’s the perfect daughter, the perfect student, and the perfect girlfriend to ultra-popular football player Brandon. But then Zoey is in a car crash, and the next day there’s one thing she can’t remember at all--the entire night before. Did she go parking with Brandon, like she planned? And if so, why does it seem like Brandon is avoiding her? And why is Doug--of all people-- suddenly acting as if something significant happened between the two of them? Zoey dimly remembers Doug pulling her from the wreck, but he keeps referring to what happened that night as if it was more, and it terrifies Zoey to admit how much is a blank to her. Controlled, meticulous Zoey is quickly losing her grip on the all-important details of her life--a life that seems strangely empty of Brandon, and strangely full of Doug.]]> 292 Jennifer Echols 1439178232 Foyinsi 0 to-read 3.79 2010 Forget You
author: Jennifer Echols
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2014/03/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Past Perfect 10637697
Maybe Chelsea should have known better than to think that a historical reenactment village could help her escape her past. But with Ezra all too present, and her new crush seeming all too off limits, all Chelsea knows is that she’s got a lot to figure out about love. Because those who don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it�.]]> 306 Leila Sales 1442406828 Foyinsi 0 to-read 3.69 2011 Past Perfect
author: Leila Sales
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2014/03/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Going Too Far 4570679 HOW FAR WOULD YOU GO?

All Meg has ever wanted is to get away. Away from high school. Away from her backwater town. Away from her parents who seem determined to keep her imprisoned in their dead-end lives. But one crazy evening involving a dare and forbidden railroad tracks, she goes way too far...and almost doesn't make it back.

John made a choice to stay. To enforce the rules. To serve and protect. He has nothing but contempt for what he sees as childish rebellion, and he wants to teach Meg a lesson she won't soon forget. But Meg pushes him to the limit by questioning everything he learned at the police academy. And when he pushes back, demanding to know why she won't be tied down, they will drive each other to the edge -- and over....]]> 245 Jennifer Echols 1416571736 Foyinsi 0 to-read 3.92 2009 Going Too Far
author: Jennifer Echols
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2009
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2014/03/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Thing About the Truth 12987127
Isaac’s been kicked out of more schools than he can count. Since his father’s a state senator, Isaac’s life is under constant scrutiny—but Concordia High’s his last stop before boarding school, so Isaac’s hoping to fly under the radar and try to stay put for a change.

When Kelsey and Isaac meet, it’s anything but love at first sight. She thinks he’s an entitled brat, and he thinks she’s a stuck-up snob. So it surprises them both when they start to fall for each other. Kelsey’s happy for the first time in months, and Isaac’s never felt this way about anyone before. But nothing’s ever completely perfect. Everyone has secrets, and Isaac and Kelsey are no exceptions. These two may have fallen hard, but there’s one thing that can ruin it all: the truth.]]> 285 Lauren Barnholdt 1442434600 Foyinsi 5 3.72 2012 The Thing About the Truth
author: Lauren Barnholdt
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2014/03/31
shelves:
review:

]]> Waiting for You 5168517
In Waiting For You, Marisa learns how to “be in the Now� and realises that the love she’s been waiting for has been right in front of her all along.]]> 320 Susane Colasanti 0670011304 Foyinsi 5 3.84 2009 Waiting for You
author: Susane Colasanti
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2009
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2014/03/31
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Sloppy Firsts (Jessica Darling, #1)]]> 138202
When her best friend, Hope Weaver, moves away from Pineville, New Jersey, hyperobservant sixteen-year-old Jessica Darling is devastated. A fish out of water at school and a stranger at home, Jessica feels more lost than ever now that the only person with whom she could really communicate has gone. How is she supposed to deal with the boy- and shopping-crazy girls at school, her dad's obsession with her track meets, her mother salivating over big sister Bethany's lavish wedding, and her nonexistent love life?

A fresh, funny, utterly compelling fiction debut by first-time novelist Megan McCafferty, Sloppy Firsts is an insightful, true-to-life look at Jessica's predicament as she embarks on another year of teenage torment—from the dark days of Hope's departure through her months as a type-A personality turned insomniac to her completely mixed-up feelings about Marcus Flutie, the intelligent and mysterious "Dreg" who works his way into her heart. Like a John Hughes for the twenty-first century, Megan McCafferty taps into the inherent humor and drama of the teen experience. This poignant, hilarious novel is sure to appeal to readers who are still going through it, as well as those who are grateful that they don't have to go back and grow up all over again.]]> 298 Megan McCafferty 0609807900 Foyinsi 5 3.95 2001 Sloppy Firsts (Jessica Darling, #1)
author: Megan McCafferty
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2001
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2014/03/31
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Boyfriend List: 15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver (Ruby Oliver, #1)]]> 301022
lost her boyfriend (#13 on the list),

lost her best friend (Kim),

lost all her other friends (Nora, Cricket),

did something suspicious with a boy (#10),

did something advanced with a boy (#15),

had an argument with a boy (#14),

drank her first beer (someone handed it to her),

got caught by her mom (ag!),

had a panic attack (scary),

lost a lacrosse game (she’s the goalie),

failed a math test (she’ll make it up),

hurt Meghan’s feelings (even though they aren’t really friends),

became a social outcast (no one to sit with at lunch)

and had graffiti written about her in the girls� bathroom (who knows what was in the boys�!?!).
But don’t worry—Ruby lives to tell the tale. And make more lists.]]> 229 E. Lockhart 0385732074 Foyinsi 5 3.49 2005 The Boyfriend List: 15 Guys, 11 Shrink Appointments, 4 Ceramic Frogs and Me, Ruby Oliver (Ruby Oliver, #1)
author: E. Lockhart
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.49
book published: 2005
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2014/03/31
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Vegan, Virgin, Valentine (V Valentine, #1)]]> 295117 "Warmth and humor suffuse the story of Mara's senior-year transformation from tense, rigid perfectionist to relaxed, centered graduate. . . . Funny and optimistic." Kirkus Reviews

Mara Valentine is in control. She's a straight-A senior, a vegan, and her parents' pride and joy. She's neck-and-neck with her womanizing ex-boyfriend for number-one class ranking and plans to kick his salutatorian butt on her way out the door to Yale. Mara has her remaining months in Brockport all planned out, but the plan does not include having V, her slutty, pot-smoking, sixteen-year-old niece - yes, niece - come to live with her family. Nor does it involve lusting after her boss or dreaming about grilled cheese sandwiches every night. What does a control freak like Mara do when things start spinning wildly out of control? With insight, authenticity, and a healthy dose of humor, Carolyn Mackler creates an evolving Type A heroine that every reader will recognize - and root for.]]> 228 Carolyn Mackler 0763626139 Foyinsi 5 3.62 2004 Vegan, Virgin, Valentine (V Valentine, #1)
author: Carolyn Mackler
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.62
book published: 2004
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2014/03/31
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty (Triple Shot Bettys, #1)]]> 1248692 255 Jody Gehrman 0803732473 Foyinsi 5 3.73 2008 Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty (Triple Shot Bettys, #1)
author: Jody Gehrman
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2008
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2014/03/31
shelves:
review:

]]> The Cupcake Queen 6261051 A confection of a novel, combining big city sophistication with small town charm.

When her mother moves them from the city to a small town to open up a cupcake bakery, Penny's life isn't what she expected. Her father has stayed behind, and Mom isn't talking about what the future holds for their family. And then there's Charity, the girl who plays mean pranks almost daily. There are also bright spots in Hog's Hollow, like Tally, an expert in Rock Paper Scissors, and Marcus, the boy who is always running on the beach. But just when it looks as though Penny is settling in, her parents ask her to make a choice that will turn everything upside down again. A sweet novel about love, creativity, and accepting life's unexpected turns.

]]> 256 Heather Hepler 0525421572 Foyinsi 5 3.83 2009 The Cupcake Queen
author: Heather Hepler
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2009
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2014/03/31
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[My Life in Pink & Green (Pink & Green, #1)]]> 5742272
Twelve-year-old Lucy Desberg is a natural problem solver. After the local homecoming queen shows up at her family's struggling drugstore with a beauty disaster that Lucy helps to fix, Lucy has a long line of makeover customers for every school dance and bat mitzvah. But all the makeup tips in the world won't help save the pharmacy. If only she could find a way to make the pharmacy the center of town again, a place where people want to spend time, like in the old days. Lucy dreams up a solution that could resuscitate the family business and help the environment, too. But will Lucy's family stop fighting long enough to listen to a seventh-grader?

This book is a funny and sweet debut featuring an unforgettable narrator who knows what she wants, whether it's great makeup, a killer business plan, or a better world.
]]> 272 Lisa Greenwald 0810983524 Foyinsi 5 3.94 2009 My Life in Pink & Green (Pink & Green, #1)
author: Lisa Greenwald
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2009
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2014/03/31
shelves:
review:

]]> Privilege (Privilege, #1) 2875036 Most girls would die for a life of privilege...
Some would even kill for it.

Ariana Osgood ruled exclusive Easton Academy -- until she was arrested for murdering Thomas Pearson. She's spent the past two years at the Brenda T. Trumbull Correctional Facility for Women plotting her escape and is determined to get a second chance at the glamorous life she left behind. And Ariana will do anything to get her way....

From the author of the bestselling Private novels comes a new series about the dark world of wealth, secrets, and Privilege.]]> 291 Kate Brian 1416967591 Foyinsi 0 to-read 3.96 2008 Privilege (Privilege, #1)
author: Kate Brian
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2014/03/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Unforgettable (It Girl, #4) 400016
While the two roommates are sharing a boyfriend, the rest of Dumbarton's residents are sharing their feelings at the newly founded Women of Waverly club--aka, WOW! Everyone is totally bonding, revealing their most personal secrets, and hugging out their past rivalries. But despite the sharing-is-caring vibe, there are some things these girls aren't spilling--like who's making special late-night trips to the crater . . . and with whom.

Now it's only a matter of time before all the newfound girl power explodes into a massive girl fight. But this battle goes well beyond the ivy colored brick walls of Dumberton--it's about who will be Waverly's next It Girl.]]> 288 Cecily von Ziegesar 0316113484 Foyinsi 0 to-read 3.78 2007 Unforgettable (It Girl, #4)
author: Cecily von Ziegesar
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2007
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2014/03/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Ashleys (The Ashleys, #1) 501851 But Lauren Page is no longer the mud-eating loser she once was. And though she has completely changed her exterior from bargain-basement cast-offs to off-the-runway couture (props, of course, to her new personal shopper) she is still the same person on the inside. And that person has had enough of the current regime.

Look out, Ashleys. There's a new name in school.

]]> 246 Melissa de la Cruz 1416934065 Foyinsi 0 to-read 3.53 2007 The Ashleys (The Ashleys, #1)
author: Melissa de la Cruz
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.53
book published: 2007
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2014/03/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Petty in Pink (Poseur, #3) 4991818
To prove their mettle, fashion foursome Melissa, Charlotte, Petra, and Janie have to a) dangle their bag on celebrity armage b) sneak into the most anticipated event of the year, and c) make sure the paparazzi poise their Canons. And all without evil stepmother-to-be and couture-competitor, Vivien Ho, noticing.

Yeah, right.

Whip out your cell phone cameras and pointiest party-crashing pumps; YouTube will be a cat-fight-obsessed runway jam after tonight.]]> 240 Rachel Maude Foyinsi 0 to-read 3.71 2009 Petty in Pink (Poseur, #3)
author: Rachel Maude
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2009
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2014/03/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Jealous? (The Ashleys, #2) 1814816
But a new website, , catches on like the flu in February, and for the first time since kindergarten it's open season in the popularity race. Lauren Page sees a way in, Ashley Li and Ashley Alito see a way up, and Ashley Spencer sees a way to prove there's only room for one at the top.]]> 241 Melissa de la Cruz 1416934073 Foyinsi 0 to-read 3.71 2008 Jealous? (The Ashleys, #2)
author: Melissa de la Cruz
name: Foyinsi
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2014/03/31
shelves: to-read
review:

]]>