Trapped in darkness, witnessed a crime. Would anyone believe him? Mukeni, a gentle soul with a developmental disability, faces a terrifying fate when his head is sealed inside a clay pot, left to suffocate on a lonely Kenyan hillside path. His desperate struggle for air intertwines with visions of his beloved late mother—visions that may be his last. His discovery comes from Wacera, his devoted guardian since childhood. Rushing to deliver milk before dawn, her shortcut leads to a horrifying Mukeni, seemingly lifeless, his head grotesquely imprisoned. Her screams shatter the silence, rallying the village. As Mukeni fights for survival and recounts witnessing a brutal burglary next door, the community scrambles. But justice proves elusive. The thieves targeted Gathii, a man Wacera secretly longs for, yet Mukeni’s testimony is dismissed—the law deems him unfit to speak. While pragmatic villagers focus on recovering stolen goods, Wacera rages against the injustice done to the man she protects like a brother. The Price of Sight is a poignant and suspenseful tale set in rural Kenya. It explores the bonds of family and community, the crushing weight of prejudice against disability, and the quiet resilience of those fighting for dignity and love in the face of cruelty and indifference. Can Mukeni find safety? Will Wacera secure justice for him? And will her own heart find its answer with Gathii?
The Price of Sight is a short story about Mukeni, who lives in a small rural community where he faces prejudice for his learning disability from the larger community, but receives infinite kindness from Wacera, a young woman who treats him like a younger brother.
This short story offers a sharp commentary on the callous indifference and distorted perceptions of those with disabilities in our communities, and how such neglect can leave them voiceless, unrecognized, and without legal empowerment.
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!
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+
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+
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?
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.
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?
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.
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!
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.
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 toNetwork, 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.
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:
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.
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!
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.
Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.
The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.
The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.
Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.
Book Review
Shatter Me is a process or journey, moving from severe isolation to an abundant world. Tahereh Mafi’s writing is quite personal; limited to the main character’s perspective, and in a way puts you in this focus point where you can only discover the story through Juliette. The main character’s thought process seems fractured because of severe isolation. It is raw, painful, full of harrowing moments, and joyful moments. I loved the parts where Juliette would celebrate someone touching her, or any form of human contact. Shatter Me might not be for everyone, but I enjoyed reading it.
The thrilling conclusion to an epic fantasy about a throne cruelly stolen and a girl who must fight to take it back for her people.
Princess Theodosia was a prisoner in her own country for a decade. Renamed the Ash Princess, she endured relentless abuse and ridicule from the Kaiser and his court. But though she wore a crown of ashes, there is fire in Theo’s blood. As the rightful heir to the Astrean crown, it runs in her veins. And if she learned nothing else from her mother, she learned that a Queen never cowers.
Now free, with a misfit army of rebels to back her, Theo must liberate her enslaved people and face a terrifying new enemy: the new Kaiserin. Imbued with a magic no one understands, the Kaiserin is determined to burn down anyone and everything in her way.
The Kaiserin’s strange power is growing stronger, and with Prinz Søren as her hostage, there is more at stake than ever. Theo must learn to embrace her own power if she has any hope of standing against the girl she once called her heart’s sister.
Book Reviews
Ember Queen is the last book in the Ash Princess Trilogy. Theodosia is no longer unsure of who she is to the people of Asteria. She has taken on the mantle of leadership and there is no longer doubt. She is also stronger, which is a very different Theo from the one in the first book. It was nice to see this growth in her, a movement from being unsure, to a powerful, decision-making individual.
The cast of characters supporting Theodosia also took center stage. Some of the losses were hard to take, and I suppose that’s what makes a great tale. The sadness that grows from the death of a great character. In all, I suppose Theodosia’s own grief is enough to mark the passing of these great characters.
I died the Queen of Peace, and peace died with me…But you are the Queen of Flame and Fury, and you will set the world on fire.”
Ember Queen
I enjoyed reading the Ash Princess Trilogy. The story is good, but not epic. It is very character-driven, told primarily from Theodosia’s perspective. I felt that it would have been great to know what the other characters are thinking and what is driving them. Dragonsbane is a character I would have loved to discover more about. The Ash Princess Trilogy is definitely a journey about the Ember Queen’s quest to get back her throne.
The Kaiser murdered Theodosia’s mother, the Fire Queen when Theo was only six. He took Theo’s country and kept her prisoner, crowning her Ash Princess–a pet to toy with and humiliate for ten long years. That era has ended. The Kaiser thought his prisoner weak and defenseless. He didn’t realize that a sharp mind is the deadliest weapon.
Theo no longer wears a crown of ashes. She has taken back her rightful title, and a hostage–Prinz Soren. But her people remain enslaved under the Kaiser’s rule, and now she is thousands of miles away from them and her throne.
To get them back, she will need an army. Only, securing an army means she must trust her aunt, the dreaded pirate Dragonsbane. And according to Dragonsbane, an army can only be produced if Theo takes a husband. Something an Astrean Queen has never done.
Theo knows that freedom comes at a price, but she is determined to find a way to save her country without losing herself.
Thoughts
I enjoyed Lady Smoke more than the first book of this series. Theodosia is free of the Kaiser and is on the run. She is set to take on her title as the Queen of Asteria, but her people are still enslaved. She has no allies, no army, no means to fight for her people’s freedom. She is a queen with only hope, and good friends.
This book is about Theodosia finding out where she stands with her people. She works to gain power, and enough strength to fight for her people’s freedom. She must also convince her people who have been long enslaved to fight for their freedom. That there were will be a time they will be able to feel and hold that freedom. In many ways, Lady Smoke describes that coming-off-age stage perfectly and finding inspiration to fight for a worthy cause.
Stories and Book Talk 