Tag: Book Review

  • The Currents Series by Dora Okeyo

    The Currents Series by Dora Okeyo

    Fire

    Fire by Dora Okeyo book cover

    Book One

    A boy is born in the land of Leo. As the sound of the cattle horn is heard, everyone in the Kingdom celebrates the birth of not only a boy, but the Crown Prince. His name is Ustawi.

    The hands that hold him foretell a prosperous future, but just like every dream has it’s valleys, so has Ustawi’s birth. One man has seen the evil that’s to befall the kingdom under the boy’s reign, his name is Ukweli. He is the Seer.

    Fire begins the story of the Prince’s life and as you read through a story rich in culture and customs you can only ask yourself, can the Seer fight the gods? Can he avert the impending doom that’s to come?

    Available on Amazon


    Water

    Water by Dora Okeyo

    Book Two

    Water is a riveting tale about the kingdom of Leo. It is led by a stubborn King who is jealous of his brother- The Seer.

    When their mother dies, the King sets on a path filled with anger and it seems that no one can stop him from spiraling down this trail of vengeance.

    Water weaves a tale filled with African tradition and sayings, and as you read each word, you cannot help but wonder what will become of the kingdom of Leo? Will King Uwezo listen to his brother and do what’s right?

    Available on Amazon


    Wind

    Wind by Dora Okeyo Book Cover

    Book Three

    King Uwezo knocks on his son’s door at night and tells him he will be crowned King by dusk.
    Ustawi does not want to be King, not when his Father is still alive. He wants to travel and see the other lands.

    But, the King’s word is final. Wind, marks the beginning of Ustawi’s initiation into leadership. Relationships will be broken, alliances will be formed and suddenly the rush to occupy the throne of Leo will begin!

    Wind never blows for a long time, but in this third book of the Currents Series, the people of Leo find themselves unable to predict or control the events that take place. It’s a serving of humor, pain, betrayal, anger with a pinch of love.

    Available on Amazon


    Earth

    Earth by Dora Okeyo Book Cover

    Book Four

    Leo’s most powerful King dies. His only son, Prince Ustawi, resides in the most dangerous forest for he was banished for turning down his inheritance.

    The people of Leo need a leader, with enemies ready to attack the most prosperous kingdom, will the Seer’s premonition of doom come true?

    Will Ustawi return home? Will he accept his throne and will the woman he loves, Amara, accept to be his Queen?

    Earth is the final book in The Currents Series. It is preceded by three books: Fire, Water and Wind. In this final book, we are treated to the race to the most powerful throne and everything is not as it seems, will Ustawi find his bearing or will he fail as the gods decreed?

    Available on Amazon


    The Currents Series by Dora Okeyo: In Leo—“the land of today”—a prince named Ustawi grows from prophesied doom to chosen leadership, testing whether legacy is fate or something a leader earns, as family rivalries, ritual, and war churn symbolized by the elemental titles: Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth.

    The series grows as follows:

    • Fire — Birth and an omen: a celebrated heir arrives under a shadowed prophecy. The question isn’t “Will he be king?” but “At what cost and to whom?”
    • Water — A family fracture grows: King Uwezo’s jealousy of his brother, the Seer, Ukweli, pulls the kingdom into grief-driven rule; tradition confronts pride. Will King Uwezo listen to his brother Ukweli?
    • Wind — Initiation under pressure: Ustawi is forced toward the crown before he’s ready; alliances reshuffle too fast, revealing how unstable power is when seized, not earned.
    • Earth — Exile to return: with the king dead and enemies circling, the banished heir must decide if he’ll claim the throne, rewrite the prophecy, and choose love without losing the realm.

    It is a coming-of-age kingship saga rooted in African custom, where elemental forces mirror moral dilemmas. The core of the series is rooted in the tension between prophecy vs. self-determination, bloodline vs. merit, and legacy vs. love asking if a leader can honor tradition while bending a doom that everyone else has already accepted.


  • 3 Manga With That Shōjo Toxic Love We Love To Read

    3 Manga With That Shōjo Toxic Love We Love To Read

    Some days you want wholesome fluff; other days you crave a hero who’d burn the world for his girl—then ask if she’s eaten yet. If you’ve been missing the delicious drama of Unhinged heroes, buckle in. I’ve unearthed three titles that deliver that “this-is-so-wrong-but-I-can’t-stop” adrenaline hit: Firefly Wedding (Vol. 1–3), Yakuza Fiancé, and Yakuza Lover. Grab your emotional popcorn.

    It’s been a beat since Hana Yori Dango, so it’s always fun to uncover interesting manga with that toxic love energy that we all love to hate, but actually love to read about, and I feel like I’ve unearthed three titles that fit right in to this trope. Either way, when the hero says, ‘I think people who hurt my wife should be erased from the world.’ We’re there for it. It’s the love for that totally unhinged hero who is totally crazy to read on the page, but we all refuse to meet in real life. So, let’s jump in!


    Firefly Wedding (Hotaru no Yomeiri) by Oreco Tachibana

    Firefly Wedding Volume 1

    On the surface, Satoko has it all—she’s beautiful, the daughter of a nobleman, and at a prime age for marriage. Unfortunately, she is also quite ill and only has a short time left to live. Before she can secure a marriage that will redeem her worth in her family’s eyes, she finds herself the target of the mysterious assassin Shinpei, and her plans are put in jeopardy. In order to save herself, she makes a desperate proposal—of marriage! When it comes to love, however, Shinpei takes “until death do we part” seriously.

    Why it clicks: Satoko has a weak heart, but she has a strong will and does all she can to survive in the face of unprecedented danger.
    Read if you like: damsels-in-distress, instant “I love you” demands.
    Age : Firefly Wedding is marked ‘Teen Plus’ 17+


    Yakuza Fiance (Raise wa Tanin ga Ii) by Asuka Konishi

    Yakuza Fiance Volume 3

    In this critically acclaimed romantic crime drama, a yakuza granddaughter is sent from Osaka to marry the grandson of a rival family in Tokyo.

    Yoshino grew up the sheltered yakuza princess of the largest crime family in Osaka, the Somei. Due to her resting bitch face and dangerous family, no man has ever approached her. When her grandfather signs a truce with the Tokyo-based Miyama crime family, he offers her up as a truce bride to the Miyama leader’s grandson! Kirishima Miyama is popular, charming, and seems totally normal.

    But behind his smile is a violent sadomasochist who thirsts for her dominance even more when she impresses him with her moxie! Even though she knows how bad yakuza can be, she’s stunned by Miyama’s viciousness. She can’t turn him down with the East-West peace treaty on the line…so instead she steels herself to play ball!

    What it is: A political engagement between rival crime families, think Romeo and Juliet with more knives and fewer apologies.
    Why it clicks: Both leads are terrifyingly competent in their own dark ways, so the relationship feels like two predators pacing the same cage.
    Read if you like: power couples who treat threats as foreplay, strategic marriage pacts, heroines who can shoot straight.
    Age: Yakuza Fiance is rated Teen Plus 17+


    Yakuza Lover by Nozomi Mino

    Yakuza Lover volume books

    When feisty college student Yuri is attacked at a party, she’s saved by Toshiomi Oya, the underboss of a yakuza syndicate. Despite her obvious attraction to him, she convinces herself that she’s not in the market for a bad boy type. But when they meet again, she finds herself irresistibly drawn to him—kicking off a steamy and dangerous love affair that threatens to consume her, body and soul.

    What it is: A college girl meets a Yakuza boss during a brawl and tumbles into an all-consuming romance of silk kimonos, scarlet tattoos, and constant danger.
    Why it clicks: This is pure, high-octane fantasy: the heroine’s sweetness collides with the hero’s lethal devotion.
    Read if you like: possessive declarations, R-rated chemistry, “ride or die” loyalties that could actually get you killed.
    Age Rating: Yakuza Lover is rated Teen Plus 17+


    Toxic-But-Tempting: Why We Keep Turning Pages

    This trope is fascinating in that there is a thrill to reading danger on paper, as there is the perceived buffer that fiction creates a safe distance. However, any friend experiencing these things in real life, and we would be the first to seek help for them. So, red flags are not beautiful, cannot be sugar-coated, but we can say that we read them so that we can identify them in real life (Yes, we’re going with this to the end of that last chapter, don’t judge).

    There is the fantasy of absolute devotion. We can’t lie. There’s a serious guilty thrill in a hero who will raze down obstacles for love. We totally can’t resist an unhinged hero.

    At the end of the story, there is always growth potential. A well-written one will nudge the couples toward mutual respect, eventually.


    Your Turn

    Which “love-to-hate” manga has swallowed your weekend lately?


    Theria Guild Guardian: Code and Courage


  • Jenny Han’s Summer Trilogy

    Jenny Han’s Summer Trilogy

    Salt, Sunscreen, and Second Chances: Jenny Han’s Summer Trilogy

    I read this trilogy for its coming-of-age heartbeat and stayed for the way it lets you sit inside Belly’s messy, sun-drenched firsts: first love, first heartbreak, first real loss, and the first steps toward independence. Belly isn’t always lovable; sometimes I wanted to shout at her choices and her naïve ideas about love (and even her mom’s decisions). But there’s an honesty to how she stumbles and learns. The result is a story that’s painful, and sometimes painfully beautiful, in the way growing up really is.

    Snapshot
    Titles: The Summer I Turned Pretty, It’s Not Summer Without You, We’ll Always Have Summer

    Author: Jenny Han
    Genre: YA contemporary romance • coming-of-age
    Vibes: beach house summers • love triangle • family and grief • firsts that change you
    Heat Level: low (YA-appropriate, closed-door)

    Why it worked for me

    The courage to be imperfect.
    Belly makes choices that can frustrate you as you read. She’s impulsive, naïve, sometimes blinded by what she wants love to be, but that’s exactly why the arc works. The trilogy doesn’t tidy her edges; it lets her be wrong, learn, and try again. Watching her move from wanting to be seen to learning how to see herself, her family, and the boys who matter makes the story worth it.

    Firsts, rendered with honesty.
    The series nails the visceral feel of firsts: the dizzy high of being truly noticed, that painful moment of a first heartbreak, the ache of losing a second-mother figure, the strangeness of preparing for college when home still needs you. None of it is melodrama; it’s every day life. Even when the situationships hurt, it feels earned.

    Family as an anchor.
    Mothers, sons, divorce, illness, tradition, each of these family dynamics tug at every decision. The beach house isn’t just a setting; it’s a memory bank where love and grief live. That family bond anchored so deep at Cousins Beach gives the romance stakes and situates Belly’s choices within a wider web of loyalties.

    Summer as a structure.
    By returning to Cousins Beach year after year, the books show how time changes everything. How the same porch light can look different once you’ve been broken and rebuilt. The seasonal rhythm becomes a mirror for Belly’s growth. Each year, Belly’s experiences in life give Cousins Beach a new meaning.

    Favorite Quote

    “Sometimes it’s like people are a million times more beautiful to you in your mind. It’s like you see them through a special lens—but maybe if it’s how you see them, that’s how they really are.”
    ― Jenny Han, The Summer I Turned Pretty

    Read if you enjoy

    • Coming-of-age romance that feels lived-in, not polished
    • Love triangle dynamics with emotional consequences
    • Family-centered stories where mothers matter
    • Beach-town nostalgia threaded with grief and hope

    Content notes

    Grief/illness (loss of a parental figure), underage drinking, heated arguments, breakup/make-up cycles, love-triangle jealousy.

    Your turn

    Which coming-of-age heroine frustrated you at times, but still had you rooting for her by the end? And what’s your favorite beach-set YA romance?


    The Summer I Turned Pretty is a series on Prime Video.


    Theria Guild Guardian: Code and Courage


  • Save My Heart is now Available at Nuria

    Save My Heart is now Available at Nuria

    Save My Heart

    by Elly Kamari

    Leila Karani fell in love, thinking it was forever. She got pregnant and went to see her boyfriend, Nathan Njeru, thinking he would support her and their baby, but she was wrong. Nathan declared he did not love her anymore and instead urged her to abort their baby.

    Eight years later, Leila is a single mother running a fabric and tailoring shop in Nairobi, and her daughter’s happiness is her only concern. When a Fashion Design opportunity comes her way, she unexpectedly encounters Nathan. Now, Leila must make a decision that will profoundly impact her daughter’s future, especially when she learns the truth about Nathan’s past actions.

    Can Leila navigate the tumultuous waters of forgiveness and allow her heart to love a man she’s despised for so long yet still feels connected to?

    This is a standalone and the first book will be printed in January 2025.

    This Printed Book is now available at Nuria Bookstore. Buy it online and get it delivered, or visit the Nuria Bookstore here: The Bazaar Building, 1st Floor.


    On a side note, I am low-key excited to finally be posting about a printed book available for purchase in my city, Nairobi! It was quite an amazing moment, and I’ve been smiling and feeling super excited when I think about it. Here’s to more and more books printed and available in Nairobi!

  • The Way She Leads – New Book Alert!

    The Way She Leads – New Book Alert!

    The Way She Leads ebook

    The Way She Leads

    An Anthology of Insights and Lessons from the lives and experiences of women who lead.

    The Way She Leads is an inspiring anthology that highlights the profound value of women’s leadership. Through a carefully curated collection of real-life stories and personal reflections, this book captures the unique experiences and journeys of women who have embraced their leadership potential. It is a testament to the value and impact that women bring to the table, whether in personal, professional, or corporate spaces. Each narrative offers invaluable insights on how women can harness their strengths, enhance their leadership skills, and unlock new levels of productivity and influence.

    Discover this new book on Amazon eBook | Paperback

    You can also get a copy at the upcoming Book Launch on November 1st, 2024.


    Join the celebration at The Way She Leads Book Launch party on November 1st, 2024, at 2 p.m. EAT at the Trademark Hotel (Village Market) Nairobi.

    The Launch brings together astute Women Leaders from various backgrounds to share Transformational Insights and Lessons from their Lives, Careers, and Business experiences. This meeting will provide an opportunity to Network, Connect, and Learn more about women’s Value and contribution in the different spheres of their work and lives. Meet, Connect, and experience the Phenomenal Women behind the Stories in the Book

    Follow this link to the Registration Form. The Registration Fee covers a copy of the book and refreshments.


  • Fugitive Heart by Mathitu Wairimu – Pre-Order Alert

    Fugitive Heart by Mathitu Wairimu – Pre-Order Alert

    Fugitive Heart

    by Mathitu Wairimu

    Makena has been living in the shadows, evading her abusive past with her young son in tow, running every time it threatens to catch up. Then she crosses paths with David, a kind-hearted stranger who thaws the icy grip of fear around her heart. She faces a dilemma she never expected—to keep running or to confront her past head-on.

    As their connection deepens, Makena finds herself torn between the safety of anonymity and the hope of a future filled with love and stability. But her ex’s relentless pursuit threatens to shatter the fragile peace she’s found, forcing her to confront the ultimate question. Is running away truly the answer, or is it time to stand her ground and fight for the happiness she deserves?

    This is the story of one woman’s journey to break free from her past and embrace a brighter future. It is a powerful story of love, courage, and second chances.

    About Mathitu Wairimu:

    new book alert banner

    Mathitu Wairimu is a Kenyan writer born and raised in a small village near Nairobi. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Education (English and Literature). She spends her time writing and working as a freelance web designer. She fell in love with reading and writing at a young age. Her introduction to romance novels was Mills and Boon when she was in high school. She longed for love stories featuring characters and places she related to, which inspired her to write such stories. This is her debut novel.

    Social media

    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mathitu.wairimu/
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mathituwrites?Twitter: https://x.com/mathitu_wairimu?

    Add Fugitive Heart to your Goodreads TBR list: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/214982370-fugitive-heart


    I’m so excited to share this upcoming book written by Mathitu Wairimu. Fugitive Heart is a romance novel published under Love Africa Press. It is now under Pre-Order here. This book is set to be released on August 27, 2024. If you love romance stories of women breaking free from a difficult past and finding happiness, you’ll love Fugitive Heart.

    Let’s show it some love at the end of August 2024!


  • Yargo

    Yargo

    Yargo

    by Jacqueline Susann

    A beautiful earth woman is kidnapped by Yargo, the incredibly attractive ruler of a distant world, and begins a romantic adventure to exotic planets.

    A tale ensues:

    I read this book when I was in grade school so many years ago. It was on the home library shelf and the story is not very difficult to read, so I loved it then and still reread it when I remember it. This year the reread was triggered by a total eclipse event. The visual of the moon covering the sun lets you know there are planet-sized mysteries beyond our skies. Anyway, I caught a glimpse of the event and happened to clean out the bookshelves, and voila! Yargo came to mind.

    Yargo is quite fascinating as Jacqueline Susann wrote it in the 1950s as a romance novel with a sci-fi twist. The main character Janet Cooper goes camping in the sand dunes of Avalon, searching for the meaning of life as she knows it. She’s out in the evening, staring at the stars, and reminiscing about teenage dreams. When lo and behold one of those stars suddenly hangs lower than normal. Janet Cooper is promptly kidnapped off the planet by aliens.

    The first time I read it I went out to check whether the stars could do this (I was thirteen, excuse my excited imagination). You can also imagine my disappointment when none of this happened. The stars did not hang low for me, at all. Damn you, Janet Cooper. The idea felt possible at the time.

    Still, I loved the adventure of this story.

    It turns out the aliens made a mistake by capturing a human from planet Earth. We’re imperfect, but the aliens are lightyears ahead of our planet and consider themselves evolved to perfection. Now, the aliens who botched the job had to figure out where to take Janet Cooper. The planet that finally agrees to take her in is called Yargo. Yargo is considered a utopian world full of perfect beings. Incidentally, Janet who had been wondering where to find the ideal man, (as earlier mentioned ‘reminiscing her teenage dreams in the dunes‘), meets him on this planet.

    Reading it now, I don’t think it is truly a romance story but a metamorphosis story for Janet. I loved how imaginative Yargo is and it is a great sci-fi read, especially for someone not looking to dig too deep into a sci-fi world. Instead, it takes on a philosophical outlook on utopias and the beauty of imperfections.

  • Defiant

    Defiant

    Defiant (Song of Chaos Book Three)

    by Michael R. Miller

    The great powers are stirring, and Holt and Ash are ready to return to the fight.

    A summons from the Life Elder sets them on a perilous mission, leading to steaming jungles and blistering islands where ancient secrets will challenge everything they know of magic and dragons.

    Talia, the Red Queen, is beset on all sides by pirate raiders and marauding mercenaries. Empress Skadi has abandoned her, battling uprisings in her own lands. As the noose tightens on Feorlen, Talia faces a difficult choice: let her people suffer or turn her powers against mortal foes?

    Osric Agravain has found hope with his newly bonded black dragon, but some wounds run deeper than flesh and bone. Along the Fallow Frontier, he seeks the inner peace that has long eluded him.

    And within the sanctum at Falcaer, Paragon Adaskar is struggling to unite the fracturing riders. If he fails, ruinous chaos will break across the world.

    For when Elders and Paragons quarrel, kingdoms will fall.

    Thoughts:

    I’ve been on a binge with this series. Three books down, and the adventure is still amazing. I like the pacing, although the multiple POVs in this book three have been challenging. Defiant contributes to the exciting existence of dragons, leadership, and a quest to protect.

    I’ve enjoyed the journey. There was a deliberate setup for books four and five, which is fine even though it may take me time to return to it. All in all, this is a great series to read with younger readers.

    He was his own worst critic, but he could admit one good thing about himself, the soldier, the general, the monster; when he decided on a thing, it got done. Do the job and do it well.
    ― Michael R. Miller, Defiant

  • Unbound

    Unbound

    Unbound (Song of Chaos Book Two)

    by Michael R. Miller

    Sometimes the world needs a little chaos.

    Unbound Book Cover

    Holt and Ash saved the kingdom of Feorlen against all odds. Now they are outcasts, alone on an impossible quest to unite the Elder Dragons. But they are children playing in a game of Dragon Lords. Trapped between the riders, servants of the Sovereign, and the scourge, even their luck cannot last forever. Their only hope is to advance their bond by any means necessary.

    In Feorlen, Talia faces a world unaccepting of a rider queen. Her councilors will not heed her warnings of Sovereign. Foreign powers threaten war and bloodshed. Pleas sent to rider headquarters fall on deaf ears.

    All the while, Sovereign regathers his strength in an ancient fortress. Enthralled cultists swell his ranks. Disillusioned riders flock to his cause.

    And his unwilling servant Osric Agravain scours the land for dragon eggs. There are new types of magic to be discovered, and Sovereign intends to control them all.

    Only the mysterious half-dragon Rake has a plan to stop Sovereign. To pull it off, he’s going to need a team.

    Thoughts:

    The fantasy journey continues in Song of Chaos Book Two. Holt and Ash continue on a dangerous quest. They still face prejudice over what is considered a weakness. Holt focuses on growing strength in this book. Talia faces a different type of prejudice. She must prove herself in a world that refuses to accept a rider queen.

    The big bad grows stronger too. The most exciting part about this story is that the good stays good, and the bad is very bad. It is a classic good vs. evil story which I appreciate.

  • Ascendant – Songs of Chaos Book One

    Ascendant – Songs of Chaos Book One

    Ascendant – Songs of Chaos Book 1

    by Michael R. Miller

    Holt Cook was never meant to be a dragon rider. He has always served the Order Hall of the Crag dutifully, keeping their kitchen pots clean.

    Until he discovers a dark secret: dragons do not tolerate weakness among their kin, killing the young they deem flawed. Moved by pity, Holt defies the Order, rescues a doomed egg, and vows to protect the blind dragon within.

    But the Scourge is rising. Undead hordes roam the land, spreading the blight and leaving destruction in their wake. The dragon riders are being slaughtered and betrayal lurks in the shadows.

    Holt has one chance to survive. He must cultivate the mysterious power of his dragon’s magical core. A unique energy which may tip the balance in the battles to come, and prove to the world that a servant is worthy after all.

    Thoughts

    What a great adventure story! It reminded me so much of Eragon. Ascendant is a fantasy story about dragons and dragon riders. Holt is not meant to be a dragon rider. He serves the Order Hall of the Crag, working in their kitchen. One day, he rescues a dragon egg meant to be destroyed but Holt cannot bring himself to do the deed. So, Holt breaks the rules and rescues the imperfect egg. It hatches into an imperfect dragon.
    Ascendant is a story about a struggle to fight against the status quo, an adventure filled with dragons and amazing fantastic magic.