This story is the perfect read about how grief can affect people in different ways. It is awesome to find love stories that can come out of a heavy place!

I had a bit of a hard time getting into this book, but once I found my groove, I couldn't put the book down!

Highly recommend!

You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty was a great story about grief and doing what's right for you, even if it's not the easy path or what is expected. I appreciated how raw and messy Emezi made her characters and their stories. However, I think the main takeaway for me is that as I'm sitting down to write a review a few weeks after finishing, I don't remember a lot of the details and don't have much else to say. I liked it, but it was just okay for me.

3.5/5 stars

Thanks to the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

“She was hers, she was alive, there was so much to do.”

YOU MADE A FOOL OF DEATH WITH YOUR BEAUTY is a lush, gorgeous romance novel about two people awakening to love after being buried under the weight of their grief. The main character is Feyi, a Nigerian American artist who moves to Brooklyn with her best friend in the wake of her husband’s death. After dipping her toe back into dating, she gets invited to an island getaway with a friend/possible boyfriend to show her art and of course, maybe find her happily ever after. I absolutely loved Feyi’s character: a woman who leans into softness when she could be hard, a survivor rediscovering her own desire, and a rage-filled widow when she needs to be. It’s a sensual book, both in terms of sex and also food, nature, and art, a story bursting with sensory experience, grounding and healing. Feyi and her love interest are both bisexual, and there’s other queer characters as well; also, there’s nary a white person in sight. There’s a forbidden element to the pairing (spoiler: this is a DILF book) but I liked how the biggest risk for both of them was choosing to love again after experiencing immense loss. I’ve now read three of Emezi’s books across three different genres, and I’m so impressed with their range and the beauty and clarity they bring to each story. Thanks to Atria Books for the review copy! I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Bahni Turpin (the same person who performed Skye Falling!) and she does an amazing job.

Content warnings: death (past), some homophobia

I had some trouble getting into this story initially, but I ended up really loving it. Once they were on the island it seemed to gain momentum and I was in.

So many lush food and landscape descriptions! And I just really loved the love story. It was full of beautiful discussions of grief and losing your beloved and healing, and how all of that mixes with new beginnings. It felt fresh and new and complicated and so wonderful.

I think the side characters could’ve used some additional development.
I couldn’t tell if it was supposed to feel like a love triangle?? bc not everybody felt equally developed.
& Joy felt like a best friend caricature (barely wanted to talk about herself, primarily there to hype up Feyi with faint whispers of her own story)

but overall I just feel really mushy about this book!!!!

eARC from Atria Books & Netgalley!

Unfortunately this was a miss for me. The characters were shallow and unlikeable. The dialogue was cheesy most of the time and poorly written. The only hits were the title and beautiful graphics on the cover.

Wow, this book is hot hot hot! I loved this one from Akwaeke Emezi. Their first romance, but truly so much more than just a good romance. The portrayal of grief from the main characters, the built up love story, the steam!! It's so good. There was so much to love from this queer love story. The fact that main characters Feyi and Alim are both navigating bisexuality and loss, and Alim's dedication to being a good father while also thinking he's capable of love and also showing that to Feyi, was just a blessing to read. Akwaeke knocked it out of the park with this one, I'm definitely adding this book to the list of notables faves from this year.

First of all, the cover and title drew me in immediately. I was expecting a tropical romance but this was so much more than that. I liked that Feyi was trying to live her life and embody a “F*ck it” attitude in order to move forward. I liked the openness of Feyi with her sexuality and those of her friends. I liked that she used her grief to create passionate and meaningful art. I liked the forbidden love storyline and could feel the tension between the parties involved and conflict within Feyi. But after the halfway mark I was kind of bored. The topics and conversations were repetitive and I didn’t feel the “love” that was apparently so strong between Feyi and her off-limits lover. There were some super cringey situations and dialogue (I did not like the pet name “my sweetness.” It just didn’t feel right). The ending felt rushed and nothing was really resolved. Overall I liked this one and am glad to have read it. I would recommend it if you like forbidden love tropes and tropical island settings.

I picked up this book with no idea what the plot was about - just based on the gorgeous cover and raves I’ve heard about the author. And I think that might be the best way to come into it - no expectations at all about plot or genre.

But if you’re someone who likes to know a little more - this is about Feyi - who has decided it’s time to get back into dating, five years since the death of her husband. What starts as a simple hookup in a bathroom at a party ends up kicking off a summer Feyi wouldn’t have imagined.

I don’t want to say much more about what happens in Feyi’s dating life - let it unfold for you on the page. But I will say her best friend Joy is an absolute SCENE STEALER who I wanted more from - hoping maybe she will get her own book one day? One can hope!

For me - the pacing felt a little off. There were some parts that felt repetitive and then suddenly I realized I was at 98% and I wasn’t ready to be finished. I would have rather seen the timeline handled a little differently to cut some of the slower bit and let the ending go further into the future.

That said - I devoured this in a day and am really glad I read it. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

This book won't be to everyone's taste AND I really enjoyed reading it. It's billed as a romance but it's really more than that, It's a peak into a world different than mine and I especially loved the dialogue with Feyi and Joy--the page crackles when they are speaking to one another.

Life is messy and and the story highlights dealing with grief and whether it is possible to move forward with life while still experiencing the grief. The background of creative types also adds to the story (one character is an artist and another a chef).

I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. This book is available now.

Thank you to NetGalley, Edelweiss and Atria for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: sex with a stranger without a condom, death of a loved one (past), car accident (past, recounted on page), grief, homophobia, slut shaming

This book had such a distinctive voice and had so many important messages. I really enjoyed the queerness of it, how varied, and representative of it, there's no one way for someone to be queer. Really this book spoke to me about the many ways love can be in your life, the limits of it and the infiniteness of it. Found family, family, friendships, romance, even just sex and fulfillment and getting something from someone. And the limits and expectations people can put on you.

This was a book about grief and really Feyi's story as she truly begins to live her life again after a traumatic event. How grief links people, how messy life can be, unintentionally. Especially when you accidentally fall for the guy who has a crush on you's father. Whoops.

Steam: 3

I am a forever fan of Akaeke Emezi so I was thrilled to find out they were writing a contemporary romance novel! This one took some turns I was surprised by....which some may consider taboo, but I was absolutely rooting for Feyi and her chosen partner by the end. It calls for a need of clarity and communication within relationships and that moment of surprise when you find someone who understands your trauma without having to speak a word. The novel also speaks to how messy it can be when you are healing from a great loss but does not seek to shame Feyi for this, even though characters within her world may try. I loved this and cannot wait to see what Emezi writes next!

Feyi is a new widow still grieving for her surviving the accident unscathed that killed her husband. Going through grief can be messy as it never really has a timeline or saturation point. She goes through her life trying to reduce her pain by involving in some social situations. I liked the author's writing style especially Feyi's thoughts about what she should/shouldn't do and how she finds some solace finally. It makes us question a lot on the correctness of the things she does but does she have to conform to society's expectations? It is a very unconventional, intense and sensual read!

I tried to love this book, but it ultimately ended up as a DNF. I had both the e-book version and the audio version, and, although well written, it's just not the subject matter for me. Thank you for the opportunity to review.

Feyi is a widow trying to learn how to start her life again even while grief continues to linger five years on. With her friend Joy supporting her, Feyi enters the dating world anew and she hits it off with a wonderful man who invites her to his island home coupled with an opportunity to take her art career to a new level. But once there, as she thrives in her art, she begins to fall for someone that she absolutely should not, cannot.

The writing in this book is mesmerizing and the setting with the language really makes it feel like an escape. As usual Emezi brings the taboo to the forefront to challenge us. This is a book about a women who is grieving, is putting herself into living again, and learning choosing herself and her happiness.

Feyi's story is heartbreaking and the art that she creates makes your heart hurt and visualize grief and pain as a neverending part of your life even if it changes. I really love how Emezi puts the reader in a story to cringe but root for the taboo anyway. And overall this is an intense and beautiful and painful and cringey and sensual book. Definitely recommend!

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Books for the advanced e-book!

As someone who almost never reads romance, I was a little weary going into this but I was pleasantly surprised! I had a very hard time putting this down and ended up reading the whole book in one day. The story isn't just about the romance between the main character and the love interest, it touches on loss, growth, and moving on after losing the love of your life, and it was all very well done. This was my first book by Akwaeke Emezi and I am really looking forward to reading their backlist!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end and had a very hard time putting it down. The beginning scene definitely caught me off guard but the rest of the book was absolutely beautiful.

This book is more than just a romance. There are so many deeply rooted themes of love, loss, art, fame, and family. The prose was just so beautifully written and created a fast paced novel that had me wanting to know more and more about the story and what was going to happen to Feyi next.

I would definitely recommend this book if you're looking for a fast paced romance read.

PS: if you read and review, the author uses they/them pronouns so please be mindful of that!

{3.5 stars}

I was absolutely floored by Emezi's The Death of Vivek Oji, I don't think I'd ever read a book that left me so shattered. So I was quite looking forward to their new book. Feyi is an artist who lost her husband to an accident and is in a state of stasis. She has avoided relationships and even hook ups. Her best friend convinces her to go out and when we meet her, she's having her first physical encounter and testing the waters of her emotions. The trauma is still fresh and she does everything she can to push people away. She is pursued by a lovely guy who agrees to take it slow and just be friends until she is ready. Unfortunately, when she is ready the person she has her eye on is in his inner circle and some serious drama ensues. The story really focuses on Feyi's journey coping with grief and finding hope in love again.

My main issue with the book is that it was quite graphic with the sex scenes, that's just not my style. I understand that is what makes romances sell these days but there was so many layers to Feyi that filled the page with much more entertaining and probing details. The descriptions of Feyi's art, gorgeous descriptions of the island and mouthwatering cooking scenes. There were times where I was really annoyed with her choices but I think she got there in the end. This was an enjoyable read that I got through in one sitting.

Check this one out if you liked Queenie or any of Farrah Rochon's books. 

Thanks to Netgalley for advanced access to this novel. All opinions above are my own.

“He loved people being messy as fuck—he said it was one of the best things about being human, how we could make such disasters and recover from them enough to make them into stories later.”

Lets start with this cover..it is absolutely stunning. I was immediately drawn to it and new this would be a must read. This is my first book I've read by Emezi and it is clear that their writing is beautiful and daring. 

This book is Scandalous and so sexy. I mean from the first line, you know this is going to be juicy. But it is also so much more than that. It is a beautiful story of grief and finding new connections. 

Feyi is a beautiful and complex character. She is fierce and timid all at once. She is aware and kind to others feelings but also sees the value in going for what you need and want. 

This book was hard to put down. Once I was immersed in Feyi's life, I wanted to see where this story would go. This was such an intense story- full of alot of emotions. This would be a wonderful book to discuss, it has so many thought provoking subjects to tackle. 

This was a definite 5 star for me. Now I'll be reading all of Emezi's backlist.

In "You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty", Feyi is a Black protagonist who is searching for the purpose of living after a devastating loss five years ago.

Feyi doesn't always make the most sensible decisions and occasionally she's a bit annoying, yet she is definitely a messy main character that will make you feel alive. Through her, we are reminded of the need to focus on ourselves sometimes and strip off unselfishness. It is no wrong pursuing your own happiness, even if it involves taking hard steps. The author raises interesting discussions about grief, personal and complex, which doesn't always fade with time. The author also touches on queerness, friendship (we all need a friend like Joy) and shows the transformative power of art in someone's life.

Steamy, dramatic and vulgar at times, this is about a forbidden and not romanticized love. Feyi's healing journey is chaotic yet I ended up empathizing with the whole process considering how realistic it was. In addition, by evoking some delicious food and with confident writing, the story left me wanting to know what happens next. Although I wasn't attached to the characters, I enjoyed the reading experience. There is a great amount of cursed language. Lastly, the constant use of "sweetheart" made me cringe at times.
I recommend this book even if you are not a romance reader like me.

I was expecting a sad, tough read from Emezi but instead they wrote a romance that read like a guilty pleasure. I was drawn to the story of a woman in New York City grieving her dead husband while trying to date 5 years after his death. When the setting moved to a Caribbean island and the lives of the rich and famous, I couldn't put it down.