Elif is so, so good! Sooo good and underrated. In fact, I’m going on an Elif Shafak readathon because what an author!

The whites had a lifestyle, community and culture different from the blacks, and the two groups lived in two separate worlds

If you think Christian books are boring, my darling, think again. You’ve clearly not picked up the Mark of the Lion series from Francine Rivers.

This book is rich in tradition and customs, from ritual suicide to honor killings and you’ll get more than a glimpse into proper African society.

Five outstanding women, five amazing paths that’ll eventually lead to the coming of Jesus Christ…

I also loved that, at every turn, it sought to advocate for intersectional feminism in African-American communities and within the academia.

The author serves the whole book in bite-sized morsels, allowing you to digest each moment without feeling overwhelmed.

The movie added more depth to the book and gave us time to appreciate the characters, and I got to understand the mother’s reasons for leaving her.

If you enjoy knowing your characters intimately, history, a well-written story and Asian culture, I recommend you pick up this book.

She carried the burden of guilt, thinking about all the things she could have done to avoid her brother’s dying, blaming herself for even starting the chain of events that led to his death. ...

It is important that we keep history alive, to not forget. So although slavery is not an easy subject to discuss, I’m glad this book exists. You should read it if you haven’t,