Spice: A Novel (Fate)

Product Information

There's something about the way the characters were crafted that they felt three dimensional, and that extended to the tertiary level side characters. It's hard enough getting friends in books to come across as real people so Babalola was really out here running laps around the girlies. Looking for more bookish content to devour? We’ve got you covered! Whether you’re trying to get out of a reading slump or looking to up your reading game, don’t forget about Bloo, your own personal reading assistant, who will help you out. So, keep exploring, and happy reading! Also every single character was phenomenally written and the connection of sisterhood and overall friendship was such a key point and an amazing part of the story. This is easily one of the best books I’ve ever read…and I’m not being dramatic!! lol I will be thinking about this book for a long time!

Well, there you have it! Five spicy books that will add some serious heat to your book collection. These reads are sure to keep you on the edge of your seat and your heart racing. Go ahead and treat yourself to a little indulgence— you deserve it! Don’t forget to let us know which spicy book was your favorite in the comments 💭 I initially struggled to connect with Kiki's character as she is haughty, effortlessly cool and obliviously beautiful. However, as she gradually opens up and faces her past, a delightfully witty and nerdy personality is revealed. This character development adds depth and complexity to Kiki's character as well as relatability.I love the warm, vibrant colour scheme, as it not only complements the beautiful illustration of Kiki but also makes the design eye-catching. On the other hand, Troy Brennan is painted as this layered and dangerous hero, oozing with sexy appeal. The interaction between Troy and Sparrow is seriously entertaining, and their relationship develops naturally—there’s no insta-lust or insta-love, which we enjoy. It took me a lot longer to listen to this than I thought, and that's not necessarily because I wasn't enjoying it. I definitely was... which is why I'm okay over looking some issues I had here. This is an actual excerpt from the book. We are reminded everytime that Kiki and her friend are Nigerians in the abroad.

And I’m not. I’m SO not a college student. I’m 20+ years away from those days, which is why I had some trouble connecting to Bolu Babalola’s debut. The book unfolds with the ease of a Netflix algorithm-generated miniseries. The usual romcom impediments arrive in the form of gossip, scheming, deception, bad timing and misunderstandings. But Bolu Babalola also teases out the traces of vulnerability and wariness beneath Kiki’s bravado, the mistrust and fear that underscore the female characters’ interactions with the young men in their lives. As Kiki confesses to Malakai: “You’re the only guy who’s ever held my hand without the intention of getting something from me. You just hold my hand to hold it. To hold me. Like you like doing it or something.” If you’re into feisty heroines and charming anti-heroes with alpha-male vibes, we’re sure you’ll enjoy this one 😉 Now see, many people think ‘player’ as a gender-exclusive term. It’s a guy smooth with his tongue … in a couple of different ways. Don’t act shy, you know what I mean. This is a safe space, girls. Let your savagery unleash. We are red-blooded women and we have needs, okay? […] But allow me to ask a question, my sisters. If he is a player, are we games? Or are we consoles to be used to help a guy navigate his way to being a man? Our buttons being pressed, being turned this way and that for his progression? […] Aren’t you tired of mandem using your heart for sport?” Kiki's instant attraction to the mysterious and attractive Malakai develops into something substantial as they get to know and support each other. It soon became hard not to root for them, especially as their actions clearly showed their feelings for each other. On top of this, their natural, playful banter constantly made me laugh and made their connection adorable.

The plot centers around Troy Brennan, a feared and downright cruel guy in Boston with a seriously dark past, and Sparrow Raynes, a woman who’s essentially forced into marrying him. At first glance, Sparrow seems like your average woman, but as the story unfolds, you get to see this whole other side to her—tough and super smart. And y’all the steamy moments between them had me giggling like crazy oh my gosh it was everything!😜 Romance was a waste of time, a form of manipulation utilised by boys who didn't wash their bed sheets regularly. It existed sure, but I wasn't surrounded by anyone I believed engaged in it properly, with respect for the object of their affection, rather than a thirst to claim; a triumph of acquisition, rather than a triumph of winning affection.”

I- I don’t even think I have all the right words to describe how much I LOVED THIS BOOK. The way Bolu Babalola writes is absolutely fantastic! The Nigerian culture representation truly made my heart so warm. I felt like I was reading about a part of myself that I wanted to connect with more. It's university-set so I suppose it could be YA/NA but it doesn't at all read that way. These feel like characters who ar young adults rather than YA characters, if that makes sense: the issues of trust and cliques and politics and bad men could all be played out by people in an office thirty years on. Which isn't to say these aren't convincing students: they really are, in their drama and earnestness. They're *people*. Despite the slow start, I was soon invested in the delightful romance and college drama that emerged. Also, the radio show was a fun and clever element that reminded me of the show Dear White People. While I was irritated by the unnecessary romantic drama towards the end, this allowed for a satisfying ending with heart-warming confessions, so I found myself loving the story and characters more. Now, there was a lightbulb moment for me and that's when the characters started talking about a famous scene from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. From there on out I was much more invested in the characters. Such a minor thing but it's what saved the book for me. And that's what is neat about reading, each reader can pull something different from a book.Kiki and Malakai, though, steal the show. Malakai is a wonderful hero: sexy, funny, a touch arrogant, not perfect yet willing to answer for his mistakes, but also deeply and nerdishly earnest in a lot of ways, which provides such a welcome contrast to Kiki’s brittle cynicism. Kiki herself is my favourite kind of romance heroine: damaged, flawed, strong, complicated. She’s also kind of a slowburn heroine because we meet her sleeping with a man she doesn’t like precisely because she doesn’t like him and it takes about half the book to really know who she is and understand the forces and experiences that have shaped her. It is, however, an incredibly satisfying journey, especially because it parallels Kiki’s own journey not just to a romantic relationship with Malakai but to a better relationship with herself and the world in general.

This is the book I plan on making my future mans read because if he doesn’t treat me like how Malakai treats Kiki…I don’t want it!

BONUS ENTRY

Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author. This was such a fun read!!!! I love Kiki so much!! Yes, she is annoying sometimes but honestly, she is still someone I would want to hang out with. She has a grim perspective of men and the dating world in general, and she makes many good points. After a while though, you do notice that she has taken a lot of these facts to an extreme and as we understand her more, we understand what the initiations of this are. I loved being on the journey with her as she grew and found a healthy balance between her values and opening up more. I also really liked her friends. The best part of this book was hands down the characters. Bolu Babalola crafts characters that feel like real people, characters that you can't help but root for and empathize with. This goes for Kiki and Malakai, but also the side characters too. Kiki the main character is smart and ambitious, she sets goals for certain things and accomplishes them. It’s kind of hard to talk about this, without sounding crass, but I think it’s easy, in fiction as in life, to treat only the most extreme outcomes of particular situations as significant (cancer leads to death, sexual assault/harassment leads to rape) which in turn leaves people who undergo deeply hurtful experiences feeling as if those experiences don’t “count” or weren’t real. Basically, I just found the way Honey & Spice approached its heroine (and indeed its hero’s) pain really refreshing. It makes real space for the nuances of damage without feeling a need to exploit tragedy or reach for extremism. With Kiki, especially, we have a heroine who has been undeniably affected by what she’s been through, but at the same time she is never less than a whole and complex person, who is growing every day. Something that is supported by her developing relationship with Malakai -- which grows into a genuinely lovely romantic arc, full of sharp words, with a soft centre (and y'see, the title of the book is Honey & Spice).