I love short stories but have issues with anthologies. This one was not any different. I would say the writing overall was memorable and I am curious what she will write next.

Some stories in the beginning were robust and thoughtful, but many lost momentum through the anthology.

Absolutely loved this book so much! This author is fab and I loved learning more about the characters and the rich culture and how they each play into the relationship dynamics. I ugly cried at so many parts because the story is beautiful!

Fantastic short story collection filled with meet cutes and reunions. I appreciated the diversity of the stories, not only the characters, but also genres. Every story quickly became my favorite, The author was able to go deep into the stories, even though they were short stories. I felt like I knew the characters and what they wanted. These were more than merely love stories. They had depth, nuance and will be worth re-reading.

This debut collection by Nigerian-British author Babalola has thirteen short folktales and myths with romantic elements of people largely from African legends focusing on Black empowerment. There are also story retellings from Greece and China. I adored this book and Babalola's writing and imaginative storytelling. In "Nefertiti," the Egyptian queen is a vigilante protecting women from patriarchal violence and oppression. In "Orin," both the protagonists are on terrible dates when they meet, and their easy conversation is a balm to their bruised spirits. "Ọṣun" is a Yoruba new adult love triangle tale, "Naleli" is a Lesothoian YA friends-to-lovers tale, and "Siya" is a warrior fantasy. Here is an example of Babalola's writing, which is why I adore this collection.

"In those swim meets, she focused on the sound of the water smacking against her skin like a hand against the taut hide of a talking drum. Her swimming became a dance to a rhythm she was creating with the water. With each hip switch a hand sliced through the water till she was no longer just a body among bodies within a false aquatic body, tiled and sterile. No, she was the body, the only body, vibrant and heavy breathing. By the time the music stopped, she was over the finish line, alone. All they saw was an excellent athlete; only she knew that she was a dancer."

I highly recommend this collection.

Review will be published on my blog at the end of May. http:.//keirasoleore.blogspot.com.

Do you want to read about the theme of “Love” outside of your comfort zone of your very own love, check out this book. The short story collection depicts love in relationships ranging from teenage/young adult, to professionals in relationships to arranged marriages and so much more. These relationships types are not uncommon but is worth a read. My favourite story thus far is Nefertiti, Siya, Psyche, Naleli, Osun and Scheherazade.

An interesting and moving collection of stories adapted from lore. Some stories worked very well and others were not as strong. Lacked a feeling of cohesiveness.

It took me a little bit to get into this book, but once I got past a couple of the stories, I really started to enjoy several of them. My favorites were Thisle, Shitu, Psy, Tiara and a couple of others. Some of the other stories were a little difficult for me personally to understand. But there were several that I really enjoyed.

I received a copy of the book via netGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

I received an e-arc of this book and later listened to it in audiobook format. The writing was good and most of the stories were engaging, but I wouldn't call this a standout collection. I appreciated the author notes at the end of the book, but I think it would have been more helpful to have these notes, including information on the source material, interspersed throughout the text (before or after each individual story). On the level of the big picture, I like the idea of retelling stories from around the world, and I appreciate that the author found "love in color" to be a productive theme for these stories, but I am left feeling that her collection needed even more cohesion. The clarity I was looking for could have come from any of the following (just as examples): placing stricter geographic/temporal/cultural constraints on the source material; translating the source material into a more uniform/specific style or genre; interrogating "love" as a concept with a bit more nuance, depth, and consistency across the various stories. Probably won't be picking up a print copy of this collection, but I will keep an eye out for what the author publishes next.

“this isn’t a naive denial of the darkness that we know exists in the world; rather it is a refusal to allow the devastation, the horror, or the heartache to consume us. it is affirming the knowledge that there is light. love is that light.”

tw: death, abuse, bullying, violence, war

“love in color: mythical tales from around the world, retold” by bolu bablola is such a beautifully written debut collection of retold love stories from myths and folktales, originating from all around the world. babalola writes captivating stories that wander across various continents and genres.

“love in color” is a collection of 13 short stories about love, from retellings to three original works by bablola. there is purpose in each story and power in her words. some of my favorites are “nefertiti” (a queer love story that’s about to live in my head rent free !!), “psyche”, “thisbe” and “orin”. i wanted more of those sm! each of the 13 stories are female-led tales filled with beautifully compelling imagery and individually unique voices. i admire how babalola reimagines these traditional folktales that originally were heavily infused with patriarchal context and misogyny into ones of honest self-love and empowerment with women that love and are loved. the old myths are shaped into newer and modern versions that mix reality and fantasy, yet still pay homage to the originals, and bablola is unafraid to reshape some history.

i loved how there are different forms of love encompassed in these stories from the new adult to young adult genre, and from fantasy to contemporary settings. we become invested in a range of romance: love triangles, friends to lovers, fleeting romance, enemies to lovers, unexpected romance, second chance romance. within each love story are themes of safeness, commitment, lust, tenderness, sacrifice, risk, and yearning. there is even parallels of love being nourished through music and words, and subtle comparisons of a couple that is torn apart and another that is brought together, due to time and distance. however there are also warnings woven throughout this collection, of partners with toxic, envious and child-like mentalities that are born out of patriarchal societies and seek to degrade, objectify and lessen the women in their life, rather than support and care for them.

we are introduced in each story to heroines that are warriors and protectors, some dangerous and bold and others soft and sweet. women who fight against injustice, women who love their bodies and themselves, women who have deep insecurities, women who know their worth, women who are judged unfairly, women who are poised and women who are intelligent. all of these more modern tales become stories of strength and self-agency, where the common theme is the necessity and nuances of feeling seen.

we understand in “love in color: mythical tales from around the world, retold” by bolu bablola, how gentle, messy, joyful, heartbreaking, bold and terrifying love can truly be and the power and importance in trusting someone wholeheartedly and sharing your own heart. especially, being willing to expose yourself, no matter the risk.


thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow/HarperCollins Publishing for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

What beautiful collection of short stories/retellings. I enjoyed this one thoroughly. The final story being about the authors parents was beautiful. I loved the story of the singer who met the owner of a motel and in one night found out what was important to her with her career and the lovers who reconnected while one was driving the uber that was supposed to bring the other to a date. this is a great pick me up and definitely one I will reread

A high-born Nigerian goddess, who has been beaten down and unappreciated by her gregarious lover, longs to be truly seen.

A young businesswoman attempts a great leap in her company, and an even greater one in her love life.

A powerful Ghanaian spokeswoman is forced to decide whether she should uphold her family’s politics or be true to her heart.

In her debut collection, internationally acclaimed writer Bolu Babalola retells the most beautiful love stories from history and mythology with incredible new detail and vivacity. Focusing on the magical folktales of West Africa, Babalola also reimagines Greek myths, ancient legends from the Middle East, and stories from long-erased places.- Goodreads

With an eye towards decolonizing tropes inherent in our favorite tales of love, Babalola has created captivating stories that traverse across perspectives, continents, and genres.- Goodreads

I am not a short story person but I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. Do not get me wrong, there were some stories stronger than others i.e. ones I wanted to continue but I felt satisfied after reading and oddly enough I felt at awe. I can't really explain it but I was at awe.

I expected more mythology within the book at least ones with more detailed but what I got made me very interested in the author's future works.

Short review but they are short stories :)

3 Pickles

Unfortunately, after the first two stories, this one plummeted for me. I really wanted to enjoy reading it and have been trying to go back to reading it for more but I have to let it go now. Sorry.

I’m judging the L.A. Times 2020 and 2021 fiction contest. It’d be generous to call what I’m doing upon my first cursory glance—reading. I also don’t take this task lightly. As a fellow writer and lover of words and books, I took this position—in hopes of being a good literary citizen. My heart aches for all the writers who have a debut at this time. What I can share now is the thing that held my attention and got this book from the perspective pile into the read further pile.

Like the author, I too love love and have taken on folk and fairy tales as part of my dissertation project so there’s much interest here.

Retellings of folk tales, most thrillingly from West Africa. I found this book to be highly readable and intelligent. Looking forward to recommending it widely.

A twist on tales, old and new... Bolu Babalola spins new fairy tales in this collection about romance and love. I was addicted from the first story. I rarely read short story collections (unless its sci-fi), so this is one of the few romance short story anthologies that I really sunk my teeth into. I cant say enough. My fave...Naleli. I do not want to spoil it. Just go and read it

I love a retelling/reimagining of a classic tale and this book did not disappoint . All of the stories at the beginning of the book feature names you know, their story is just changed up a bit! My faves were Nefertiti, which had a TWIST! Thisbe which was a unique play on the story of pyramid and Thisbe and finally Psyche which took the Greek Myth and flipped it. I liked the fact that for many the ending was “happier” and not as dark. I would highly recommend this book to alle go want to see the classics revisited!

As a former classics major, I love how this book was geared toward retelling mythological stories around the world. I enjoyed the fact that the stories told within these pages did not focus on Western hemisphere stores or countries. Like the title states, "mythicial tales from around the world," and this book definitely provided that.

In the beginning, I felt that the stores were told beautifully with amazing imagery and used but in the later stories I felt that it lackluster in comparison. Despite this, I still felt that each story was kick ass. I enjoyed reading each love story because, of course, I truly love love, probably as much as Babalola stated in this book.

My top three favorite stories from this book are:
1. Osun
2. Scheherazade
3. Psyche
Honestly though... I am going to need the author to write a full blown book for each of these stories. After reading each one, I just wanted to know more about each character but I guess that is the point in short stories.

Love in Color should NOT have worked for me. I don't often love short stories and I really don't enjoy romance. YET, something about this book made it impossible not to love. These are BEAUTIFUL stories that felt like a gift to read. There is a mythology element here that also made these just magical to read. I highly recommend this collection!

Love in Color is a short story collection with enough compelling individual stories that I would enjoy reading as standalone novellas carrying the characters relationships further. I particularly enjoyed the stories depicting relationships between adults like the underground club for abused women run by Nefertiti and the take charge woman in the married for the family but still independent story. I look forward to additional tales from this author.

I should start out by saying I think that Love in Color by Bolu Babalola just didn't work for me, but would still be something that I would recommend to other people. When I first heard people talking about this book I was really excited to pick this up because seeing as it is a short story collection all about Black love focusing on myths from around the world. Myth retellings are something I enjoy reading, and it was really cool to be introduced to some myths that I'd never heard of before picking this book up. There are a few of the myths that I want to do my own outside reading on just to see what the original myths are, which is always a great thing.

Bolu Babalola's writing style was very beautiful to read on the page and she did a good job of distinguishing the different settings and set ups of the stories. Unfortunately when I would set this book down I would forget the emotional beats and characters of the stories I'd just read. The stories as a whole were good but there weren't any great stories that I walked away thinking about for an extended period of time, which is something I tend to expect from short story collections. I felt that I would have enjoyed this collection more if there were fewer but longer stories, where I could really connect with the characters and story Bolu Babalola was telling. Most of the stories were around 10 pages in length and I felt that wasn't enough time, for me at least to become really attached to the characters, which were clearly the important parts of the stories. I don't read a lot of short story collections so I don't know if the reason why the stories didn't stick with me had anything to do with who I am as a reader.

Love in Color is a book that I would recommend to anyone who wants to pick it up. I"ll definitely be interested in checking out Bolu Babalola's work in the future, especially if it is a novel just to see what she can do with longer forms of storytelling.