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  • Video Review: Nearly All the Men in Lagos Are Mad by Damilare Kuku

    by Shade Lapite

    12 short stories about relationships make up this lively fiction collection. Cheating husbands, a mummy’s boy, an impotent husband, closeted men, life-long players – the stories analyse the various archetypes women are likely to encounter in the Lagos dating scene. I found the author’s wit and acerbic tone elevated this to pure gold!

    June 4, 2023
    Comments 0
    Reviews
  • Video Review: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

    by Shade Lapite

    For me, this dazzling novel was about the children of colonialism and the search for belonging.

    April 25, 2023
    Comments 0
    Features, Literature, Reviews
  • Video Review: Delicious Monsters by Liselle Sambury

    by Shade Lapite

    Two young women desperate to escape their mothers find their lives intertwined with a strange mansion in Timmins, Ontario that harbours dark secrets. This gripping horror / psychological thriller is told through two compelling narrators and has multiple layers of mystery that keep you guessing until the very end.

    March 27, 2023
    Comments 0
    Features, Mystery
  • Video Review: I Almost Forgot About You by Terry McMillan

    by Shade Lapite

    When Dr. Georgia Young realizes she’s stuck in ‘cruise’ mode with no target destination, she slams on the breaks and calls a time out to re-evaluate her life and the choices that have led her to it. Her daughters, ex-husbands, mother, colleague and best friends worry that she’s lost her mind, but Georgia is over prioritizing the opinions of others above her own. She...

    February 26, 2023
    Comments 2
    Features, Literature, Romance
  • The 2023 Reading List

    by Shade Lapite

    I started a ton of books in 2022 but finished only a handful. Here’s the (very short) list of completed books: The Sweetest Remedy – Jane Igharo XOXO – Axie Oh Shine – Jessica Jung Dread Nation – Justina Ireland The Emma Project – Sonali Dev The Comeback – Lily Chu The Stand-In – Lily Chu Pachinko – Min Jin Lee My absolute favourites...

    January 4, 2023
    Comments 2
    Features
  • Video Review: The Comeback by Lily Chu

    by Shade Lapite

    One of my favourite books this year has been ‘The Comeback’ by Lily Chu. It’s a sweet, romantic comedy about a workaholic, corporate lawyer – Ariadne Hui – whose life is upended when her roommate invites her gorgeous cousin to stay in their small apartment. Unknown to Ari, the quiet, artistic South Korean guy loafing on her couch is one of the biggest k-pop...

    September 15, 2022
    Comments 0
    Features, Romance
  • Getting to Know West Africa – 3 Books I’m Reading

    by Shade Lapite

    I’m on a mission to learn more about life in pre-colonial Africa. I’ve started with West Africa, specifically the Yoruba peoples and it is a fascinating journey so far. Here are three books I’ve been reading and how they come at the subject matter from different angles.

    July 29, 2022
    Comments 2
    Uncategorized
  • 10 Black Books I plan to read in 2022

    by Shade Lapite

    I’ve selected 10 books that I’d like to read or listen to (hello audio books) in 2022. Since I’m obsessed with Black Joy, I’ve tried to choose titles that have more light than dark.

    March 31, 2022
    Comments 2
    Features
  • Video Review: 7 Days in June by Tia Williams

    by Shade Lapite

    A second chance romance about two successful writers – Eva Mercy and Shane Hall – who survived brutal childhoods and an epic romance that ultimately crashed and burned in their teens.

    October 22, 2021
    Comments 0
    Features, Romance
  • 15 Black Boy Tween and Teen Novels

    by Shade Lapite

    It’s been three years since a I wrote a blog post lamenting the paucity of books with Black lead characters for tween boys. In that post I recounted how I’d tried and failed to find five books with a Black boy protagonist that wasn’t about police brutality, drugs, gangs, social injustice or any other trauma. This summer a friend messaged me asking for book...

    August 19, 2021
    Comments 4
    Features

Latest Highlights

June 4, 2023

Video Review: Nearly All the Men in Lagos Are Mad by Damilare Kuku

12 short stories about relationships make up this lively fiction collection. Cheating husbands, a mummy’s boy, an impotent husband,...

by Shade Lapite
Comments 0
April 25, 2023

Video Review: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

For me, this dazzling novel was about the children of colonialism and the search for belonging.

by Shade Lapite
Comments 0
March 27, 2023

Video Review: Delicious Monsters by Liselle Sambury

Two young women desperate to escape their mothers find their lives intertwined with a strange mansion in Timmins, Ontario...

by Shade Lapite
Comments 0
February 26, 2023

Video Review: I Almost Forgot About You by Terry McMillan

When Dr. Georgia Young realizes she’s stuck in ‘cruise’ mode with no target destination, she slams on the breaks...

by Shade Lapite
Comments 2
January 4, 2023

The 2023 Reading List

I started a ton of books in 2022 but finished only a handful. Here’s the (very short) list of...

by Shade Lapite
Comments 2
September 15, 2022

Video Review: The Comeback by Lily Chu

One of my favourite books this year has been ‘The Comeback’ by Lily Chu. It’s a sweet, romantic comedy...

by Shade Lapite
Comments 0
March 31, 2022

10 Black Books I plan to read in 2022

I’ve selected 10 books that I’d like to read or listen to (hello audio books) in 2022. Since I’m...

by Shade Lapite
Comments 2
October 22, 2021

Video Review: 7 Days in June by Tia Williams

A second chance romance about two successful writers – Eva Mercy and Shane Hall – who survived brutal childhoods...

by Shade Lapite
Comments 0
August 31, 2021

17 Black Romance Novels for 2021

The interwebs tell me August was Romance Awareness Month. Although we’ve missed that delightful bus, I offer up this...

by Shade Lapite
Comments 3
August 19, 2021

15 Black Boy Tween and Teen Novels

It’s been three years since a I wrote a blog post lamenting the paucity of books with Black lead...

by Shade Lapite
Comments 4
August 12, 2021

Review: Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

Jane McKeene is born two days before the dead start to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg. She's drafted into...

by Shade Lapite
Comments 0
May 23, 2021

Review: His Only Wife By Peace Adzo Medie

A slice of life novel about a young woman living in impoverished circumstances in the Ghanaian village of Ho,...

by Shade Lapite
Comments 0

Interviews

Temi Oh: Space Girl

Published by Shade Lapite

I remember the day I walked through Foyles bookshop in Tottenham Court Road and literally stopped in my tracks. I’d spotted Do You Dream of Terra Two? on a...

May 14, 2021
Comments 0
Features, Interviews

10 Questions for ‘Symona’s Still Single’ author, Lisa Bent

Published by Shade Lapite

In September 2020 Lisa Bent released her debut novel, Symona’s Still Single, the story of a 37-year old Jamaican British woman looking for Mr. Right while trying not to...

January 28, 2021
Comments 0
Features, Interviews, Writers

Sareeta Domingo is Making Waves

Published by Shade Lapite

On a bright April day last year, I managed to grab a quick lunch with Sareeta Domingo. She’d whittled an hour out of her fiercely busy schedule to chat...

June 21, 2020
Comment 1
Interviews, Romance
Literary agent, Nelle Andrews sits in her office

Nelle Andrew is crafting a new narrative in publishing

Published by Shade Lapite

“I love the deal. I LOVE the deal. I mean to be an agent you have to love the deal. I love sending out a book and getting those...

July 21, 2019
Comments 3
Features, Interviews, Literature

Top Posts & Pages

  • 10 Things You Should Know About Angie Thomas
  • 15 Black Boy Tween and Teen Novels
  • Front
  • 21 British Children’s Authors (of Colour) You Should Know
  • 10 Black Books I plan to read in 2022
  • How Racism in 'Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry' mirrors life in the UK
  • 17 Black Romance Novels for 2021
  • 10 things you never knew about rock star author Malorie Blackman
  • 11 things you (maybe) didn’t know about Nicola Yoon
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5 Must-Read Posts

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  • How Racism in ‘Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry’ mirrors life in the UK

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Quote

There are a lot of beautiful people in the world, and they need to get counted. They need to be the heroes in stories, as well.

Nicola Yoon

Reviews

Video Review: Nearly All the Men in Lagos Are Mad by Damilare Kuku

by Shade Lapite

12 short stories about relationships make up this lively fiction collection. Cheating husbands, a mummy’s boy, an impotent husband, closeted men, life-long players – the stories analyse the various archetypes women are likely to encounter in the Lagos dating scene. I found the author’s wit and acerbic tone elevated this to pure gold!

June 4, 2023
Comments 0
Reviews

Video Review: Pachinko by Min Jin Lee

by Shade Lapite

For me, this dazzling novel was about the children of colonialism and the search for belonging.

April 25, 2023
Comments 0
Features, Literature, Reviews

Review: Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

by Shade Lapite

Jane McKeene is born two days before the dead start to walk the battlefields of Gettysburg. She's drafted into one of many combat schools set up by the government for Black and indigenous children where they are prepared for a life as cannon fodder.

August 12, 2021
Comments 0
Fantasy, Features, Reviews

Review: His Only Wife By Peace Adzo Medie

by Shade Lapite

A slice of life novel about a young woman living in impoverished circumstances in the Ghanaian village of Ho, who gets the opportunity to marry into a wealthy family. Afi, the protagonist, is beautiful and smart but has done poorly in her secondary school exams and can’t Ghana’s public universities. Instead she faces a life playing seamstress to the unexciting women of Ho.

May 23, 2021
Comments 0
Features, Reviews
Holding My Sister the Serial Killer

Video Review: My Sister, the Serial Killer

by Shade Lapite

Korede’s gorgeous younger sister Ayoola has a nasty habit of killing her boyfriends once she grows tired of them. Covering up her sister’s crimes is bad enough, but life gets a lot more terrifying when Ayoola takes a liking to Korede’s love interest.

July 25, 2019
Comments 0
Features, Mystery and thrillers, Reviews

Homegoing calls out African complicity in slavery and offers healing

by Shade Lapite

Last year I visited Elmina Castle, a slave fortress on the coast of Ghana. It’s a beautiful white-washed building, very similar in style to Cape Coast Castle, the slave fortress where Yaa Gyasi sets key pieces of action in Homegoing. The castles are two of about 40 such structures that were built along the Ghanaian coastline by Europeans. They were trading posts that became...

February 28, 2019
Comments 2
Features, Literature, Reviews

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