Reviewer: @mapitsi_makola(Instagram)
Dream count is a well written yet complicated story with a beautiful prose, it is based on four women intertwined by the complexities of womanhood.
Chia’
A well spoken oneiric travel writer who yearns for a true romantic connection, like many other women, she was dealt a difficult hand in the relationship world. In the stomach of the pandemic, Chia’ finds herself reflecting on her past relationships and men she’s been with (what an unlikable bunch). Basically, she was reflecting on her ‘Body Count’ and her delusional self renames is it “Dream Count”.
Zikora
Chia’s friend who is a successful lawyer yet feels there is something missing from her life. We experience Zikora’s highs and lows, we see her thrive in everything she does until the missing piece she thought would complete her life slips through her fingers. This leaves her heartbroken and feeling betrayed.
Kadiatou
Chia’s housekeeper-an immigrant proudly raising her daughter in America and striving for better. Kadi’ is faced with an extreme adversity that turns her world on its axis.
Omelogor
Chia’s successful cousin who is a corrupt banker and believes she’s woke. What a slug!!
THOUGHTS
This was my most anticipated book of the year, unfortunately, it did not quench my thirst.
It is always a good time reading stories on womanhood, it enables one to put things into better perspective. Though intimidated, I thoroughly enjoyed the unvarnished truth of labour shared in Zikora’s story.
I found Kadi’s story melancholic yet gripping, she is the only character that made me feel and I wished the entire story could’ve been about her.
Chia’s story is beautifully written, I found her to be well-spoken, her words dripped with the honey of privilege. One thing I do not appreciate about her was why she put us through Darnell.
Lastly, though this book is based on womanhood, it revolves too much around horrendous men.
Reviewer: @lifewithtishaj(Instagram)
In The Shadows of Love is a sequel to Awais Khan’s In The Company of Strangers, a book that I flew through, but this still can be read as a stand-alone. My personal recommendation is that reading ITCOS first, adds a depth to the characters that I truly appreciated whilst reading In The Shadows of Love and it makes you appreciate the intricacies of the story and the plot development, that much more.
We are again, transported to a beautiful Lahore where Mona and Bilal have regained a semblance of a normal life in their high society world with Bilal accepting Arslan as his own son and Mona forgiving Bilal for his infidelities. Mona is terrified when she receives a message threatening to share the secret of Arslan’s parentage and risks falling prey to the kidnapping that has become rife in Lahore, in an attempt to protect Bilal and her family. What ensues is a well-developed web of intrigue that delves into the relationships and their value, the beauty of trust, the fragility of human emotions and the infinite depths of love.
I frequently read thrillers so there is very little that would surprise me so the fact that this still had me surprised, was definitely an added bonus. I further loved the growth of a certain character, and promptly messaged the author thanking them for doing such an amazing job.
Awais Khan is firmly on my auto-buy list and I truly believe that this should be added to your TBR, even if just for the vivid imagery, beautiful relationships and complex emotions tackled.
Thank you @jonathanballpublishers and @awaiskhanauthor for the opportunity to continue this journey with Mona and Bilal.
Reviewer: @galaxy_o_honey (Instagram)
The West Wind by Alexandria Warwick was my Blind Date With A Book pick. While I was wary going into this book, as I was not familiar with the author, it turned out to be a fantastic choice. Thank you, JBP Team! ♡
The novel is a fantasy romance set in two worlds: Thornbrook and the realm of Under. It is inspired by the Greek myth of Hero and Leander and the Scottish ballad Tam Lin. It follows Brielle, a young woman raised in an abbey, who suddenly finds herself on a dangerous journey with Zephyrus, the god of the West Wind and Bringer of Spring.
The book opens with: “A man lies prone on the ground at my feet, and if I am not mistaken, he is dead.” Right away, I knew it was going to be gripping—Warwick leaves no room for a slow start.
At first, Brielle’s naivety frustrated me, as she seemed too sheltered from the outside world. However, as the story unfolded, I realized her strength and determination. Her relationship with Zephyrus was layered with tension, betrayal, and longing, making me eager to see where it would go. I think character development was one of the strongest aspects of this book—not just for Brielle, but for other characters as well, such as Zephyrus and Harper. While I loved most characters I couldn’t stand the Orchid King and Mother Mabel. While I understand that Mother Mabel was trying to protect them from the Under’s lures, something about her still didn’t sit right with me, even at the end. She didn’t change much.
Warwick’s writing is immersive, and the eerie atmosphere of the Under and its cunning creatures kept me on edge. The moments of intense action and heartache made it hard to put the book down—and it’s been a while since I was this hooked on a fantasy book!
The ending was a true tearjerker that tied everything together perfectly.
It’s a story of resilience, trust, and finding one’s strength. I highly recommend it to fantasy lovers!
Rating: ☆☆☆☆/5
Reviewer: @just_reading_no_thandolwethu(Instagram)
Rating: 4/5 stars
Pace: Balanced pacing. Given the themes covered in this book, I was glad that the delivery was not rushed and that it read like a one-on-one therapy session which made so much sense because the author is a licenced marriage and family therapist.
Trigger Warning: This book might make you shed a tear or two as it forces you to reflect on your life, past, present, and future and tackle your childhood traumas and even those that you have passed on to your children unconsciously.
About the book: This is a book that doesn’t promise to give you all the answers or solutions but seeks to give you a new chance at being the parent you have always wanted to be and for some being the parent you never had.
It’s a fresh perspective on parenting but also tackles the difficult conversations that we rarely like having. Whether you are a parent or a child (mostly adults as they would better understand the book rather than children younger than 18 years) this book will touch you in one way or another.
Recommendation: I would however recommend this one to people that are already parents as I believe they are the main target audience for this book, but I can see how this book can also be beneficial to people that are planning on starting a family more like how runners prepare for a marathon. You will get all the practice before having children. But more beneficial for those that are already in the race and feel like they just need a change of shoes or some fruit to push them forward.
While many books might just jump at giving you solutions this one focus’s more on the cause and effect and how to fix that which might have been wrong in the past, unlearn certain things and possibly heal or let them go.
Things I loved about the book:
- I loved the honesty with which this book is written and the practical real-life examples to drive each point home.
- The reflective exercises (if you have read some of my non-fiction reviews you will know that I love me a book with reflective exercises. Let’s not just move on, lets drive the point home.)
- Too often we jump for the solutions, but I love books that first tackle the root cause of the issues at hand.
- I loved the “parenting with the ladder of needs” which is a framework for understanding what is happening beneath your child’s behaviour. (Ask yourself questions like is my child feeling safe, when last did they sleep and are they hungry?”
- I loved the “Simple boundary formula” although I wonder how easily these come to you when you’re in the situation”. But I guess that’s where practice comes in.
- Learning the difference between a child’s developmental age and chronological age (page 217). I believe that this was important in showing the gap that is caused by parents responding to situations based on their children’s chronological age rather than their developmental age.
My favourite quotes:
“Being triggered isn’t the problem; it’s what we do with the triggers that can be helpful or unconstructive.” – Like the popular saying goes “It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.”
“Your parents are not to blame for your hardships.” – Something we tend to forget when we are going through hardships because we always just want someone to blame that isn’t ourselves.
“Your child’s behaviour evokes whatever you learned to repress, ignore, dismiss or deny in your youth and your emotional response has to do with your unresolved shame.” – I always hear parents blaming external factors like school and friends when their children do something considered out of line when sometimes they are to blame but are not able to realise that.
Reviewer: @shelves_by_sim (Instagram)
What a haunting, beautiful book! I finished it a few days ago and it’s still on my mind.
The Characters:
Told through both Emaleen’s and Birdie’s perspectives, the dual narrative is essential to fully understanding the story. Emaleen, as a child, brings a mix of clarity and naivety. Birdie, with more years behind her, offers a fixed, adult view shaped by experience—but ironically, she’s sometimes the more naive of the two.
Birdie’s choices can be frustrating. You want her to know better. But the truth is, she doesn’t.
Her thinking is flawed, and I found myself offering her grace because of that.
As for Arthur… I won’t say much to avoid spoilers, but there’s a lot to unpack.
The Plot & Writing:
There’s an unsettling undertone that builds gradually. Ivey seems to want the reader to feel disturbed before fully understanding why. Once I grasped what was going on, my initial trepidation gave way to curiosity.
The focus on the natural world made me reflect on how animals and nature are treated by humans—and how both struggle to adapt to the consequences of human actions. The mistreatment of animals and their habitats, along with the ridiculous belief that humans are more important, is appalling. Animals should be respected and protected, not treated as an afterthought.
Some parts were hard to read, especially the judgment placed on an animal simply for following its instincts. It’s cruel that humans—who should know better—deem an animal ‘bad’ for doing what comes naturally. As if an animal’s actions could ever carry malicious intent. Ascribing moral worth to an animal’s behavior is both dangerous and deeply unfair.
Beyond the themes, the book is rich with vivid imagery—fauna, flora, mountains, rivers, and the raw Alaskan wilderness. Ivey’s prose breathes life into every page. I felt fully immersed in the landscape with the characters.
A moving, thought-provoking, and beautifully written novel.
”It was like they were hidden before, the wildflowers, but now that Arthur had taught her their names, they jumped out of the meadow at her. Bluebell. Geranium. Arctic rose. Star flower. When she picked one and said its name and looked at it closely, it was like a spell. The colors brightened and the smallest details came into focus, like the dark purple veins in the thin petals, or the tiny stems at the center that were dusted in gold.” (pg. 117)
