Spice: A Novel (Fate)

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Kiki the main character is smart and ambitious, she sets goals for certain things and accomplishes them. Having had her heart broken which resulted in the loss of a friendship that hurt the most, Kiki decides that relationship are not for her and she will put her head down In College and keep herself to herself. She runs a radio show called ‘Brown Sugar’ and decides to use it to warn her listeners and protect them from the guys she calls ‘Wasteman’ the ones who have all the lines but are players in disguise.

I love the warm, vibrant colour scheme, as it not only complements the beautiful illustration of Kiki but also makes the design eye-catching. 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. They're soon embroiled in a fake relationship to try and salvage their reputations and save their futures. Kiki has never surrendered her heart before, and a player like Malakai won't be the one to change that, no matter how charming he is or how electric their connection feels. But surprisingly entertaining study sessions and intimate, late-night talks at old-fashioned diners force Kiki to look beyond her own presumptions. Is she ready to open herself up to something deeper?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). 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.

Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author. So when she meets a handsome new student Malakai she is puzzled why he has such an affect on her. She digs deep and ignores it. 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. Initially I could not get into this story, I would put it in the YA category and contemporary romance. There are predictable parts it but lots of funny parts. I enjoyed Bolu Babalola’s writing think this is a wonderful debut novel

It’s my fault. When I borrowed the audiobook of Honey & Spice from my library, I didn’t notice that the protagonist is a college student. 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.

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! 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. Like all good romance novels, there are sparks aplenty and challenging obstacles for Kiki and Malakai to overcome. Self-acceptance and self-forgiveness must be attained before they can move forward, either individually or together. 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! 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.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. To summarize this book, Kiki who is "different" from the rest of the other girls, doesn't do love, doesn't make friends, is super smart and also has a radio show teaching girls in her college on getting rid of men and situationships, falls in love with Malakai who is "oh so handsome and different from every other boy" because he's not the type of lousy player every other guy is. He's a player but not like other players. 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.”

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*. If you’re into feisty heroines and charming anti-heroes with alpha-male vibes, we’re sure you’ll enjoy this one 😉 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. 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?” 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.And y’all the steamy moments between them had me giggling like crazy oh my gosh it was everything!😜