You Made a Fool of Death with your Beauty - Akwaeke Emezi

This was absolutely beautiful!! This was my second book by this author, and I was so excited to get my hands on their first romance novel. This is a story about grief, and finding love again. This is a taboo/forbidden romance so if you’re not into that then don’t pick it up.

However I loved it. The dialogue between the characters was so beautiful. I loved following Feyi, who’s so far from perfect but I still loved her and rooted for her the whole time. This book is messy, but so is life. The chemistry between the characters was 🔥 and their first kiss gave me butterflies. I’m so happy to have read this one, and I am obsessed with this cover! 😍

This book had me shaking my head at times and then rooting for the characters at different times.

It was a ride of conflicted feelings for me as a reader.

Feyi is still figuring out her life after a tragedy took place five years prior. She had her life set up until that point. To go from knowing your next moves to having everything change in an instant is bound to make anyone go a little off the deep end.

She ends up in New York, living with her best friend and exploring her artistic passion. As far as her bodily passions, she’s exploring those as well. Feyi doesn’t do relationships any longer and just wants quick fixes.

One of her quick fixes lands her in the arms of a guy named Nasir. They hit it off emotionally but nothing else is there. Nasir offers her a chance of a lifetime to have her art displayed somewhere she never imagined it would be. She takes him up on the offer and along the way she meets his father. Nasir’s father is none other than wealthy celebrity chef, Alim Blake.

She basically becomes wrapped up in his presence that she forgets about Nasir. Honestly, I really liked Nasir but then at some point he became villainous and I didn’t appreciate that. Feyi and Alim bond on levels that I think were beneficial to them both especially when it came to their sexual histories. There was no judgment between the two.

I enjoyed the book and the mess that was Feyi but I wish Nasir had a more favourable outcome with Feyi.

Thank you Simon & Schuster Canada for the eARC!

So sorry for my late review!! Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for this book! It was a great romance to read. I would read any novel this author writes. It was so well written and deeply touching. The book cover was just so beautiful I believe this author has so much fame that they hardly need this praise.

Thanks again

I was really undecided what to rate this book. I finally settled on 3.5 after a couple months where I find myself thinking about it.

I devoured this book. The writing worked for me completely I really like Feyi and really enjoyed her voice. I loved the representation.

Where it went bad for me was the instalove my head spun so fast. I couldn’t go higher because even know I’m like how did they fall so fast! I don’t mind instalove trope but I tend to only really like it in dual pov and I can see if happening. This felt like a blink.

However I still left enjoying the book. I still found myself invested and really liking

in an attempt to get caught up on reviews i owe to publishers, i’m gonna come at you with some lightning fast synopses & reviews over the next week or so, so stay tuned for those.

first up is my third novel by akwaeke emezi, ‘you made a fool of death with your beauty’. a romcom that features a lot of more complex emotions that one expects from emezi’s masterfully crafted prose, the story follows feyi on her journey through the grief of losing her partner: she creates striking art, meets new lovers, and takes a journey to a tropical island with her new love interest. however, her eyes are soon caught by another, and it forces her to ask & answer some real questions, ones she can’t distract herself from dealing with.

this is a romance, but it’s also a book about healing & trauma & finding yourself through it all. while i wasn’t enamoured by the romance, i did enjoy the other parts of this book and the way we were able to experience the events thru feyi’s eyes. i would read more books of this genre by emezi in the future!

No wonder this book is on every summer must-read list I've come across: it's the epitome of a perfect holiday novel!

The protagonist, a young woman, is just coming out of years' long grief after losing her husband and soul mate. Reminiscent of Sex and the City, she and her best friend head out on the town to drink, dance, and hook up. Everything is bright and brash, the sex so steamy that at first it felt almost too juvenile for this past-middle-aged reader.

But I couldn't resist any of it, let alone the Caribbean island, celebrity chef and luxurious home and landscapes as the story progressed. Sticking with the story soon paid off as a deeper side of the protagonist was revealed and her conflicted emotions made her more three-dimensional. My empathy grew as more and more personal transformation occurred, much more than I ever expected in a novel of this type. And that's exactly what makes this novel so good.

Akwaeke Emezi is a magnificent writer and their breadth and skill become even more apparent with every book. Fans will find certain trademark themes like bisexuality and mental illness/distress, all presented with utter candor and a complete absence of judgment.

This book was less stylistically complex than Emezi's other work, but just as intimate and compelling, and by far the most entertaining yet.

DNF @32%
2022; Atria Books, Simon& Schuster Canada

You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty is a great title on a gorgeous cover. Emezi's writing is both realistic and beautiful, but this novel, or rather the story, did not work for me. I was pretty hooked the first 15-20% of the book, and was down to go on this journey with Feyi (Fay-he). What turned me off a bit was that Feyi seems to have love at first sight with every gorgeous man she meets. And going from friend to father, seemed a bit too much for me. Emery's writing and characters did remind me of Terry McMillan's novels. That gave me a great moment of nostalgia.

I am in the minority of not loving this novel, so please check out some of the great 4-5 stars reviews to see if maybe you would be more into it. I did see some reviews that thought it was a "trashy romance" (which I don't see as a negative thing) but I don't think I would call it that. There is a lot going on in this book, serious issues, and I think this is a realistic look at the emotions. Maybe not the rich bf/friend who flies you to be in a Art show while meeting his celebrity chef father, but like reality show real ;)

***I received a complimentary copy of this ebook from the publisher through Edelweiss and Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

I had heard good things about this one, but I just couldn't get into it. DNF. Thank you to NetGalley, Atria, and Simon & Schuster Canada for an e-ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Messy, sexy, layered - I recommend this romance to readers who loved Seven Days in June. Both have a literary quality that makes them different from many other reads in the genre. Emezi’s first romance offers us complicated characters, a strong sense of place, and confident prose. Also, side note, I want to live in the glass jungle house where most of the novel takes place.

An immersive exploration of loss and love.

Lines I underlined:

“I think we’re just figuring out how to survive a world on fire… that it’s okay to be alive.”

“There are so many different types of love, so many ways someone can stay committed to you, stay in your life even if y’all aren’t together, you know? And none of these ways are more important than the other.”

“If she was a monster, then so was the city, glorious and bright and everlasting, eating up time and hearts and lives as if they were nothing.”

I absolutely loved this book - queer characters, an interesting plot, and a unique spin on the romance genre. Emezi takes things a lot further than other novels in this realm and the result is a refreshing and engaging read that I couldn't put down.

At first, I wasn't sure if this book would be for me, but I stayed with it. As a 54-year-old white woman, I'm clearly not the target audience! I also don't typically read romance - but this book is much more than that. The themes of grief, loss, pain, and second chances can apply to all of us. Feyi is a young, black, American woman artist, widowed for five years due to a tragic accident, who finally decides to try dating again - and learns a great deal about herself in the process. I enjoyed the different characters in the book, as well as the beautifully descriptive writing. Be prepared, however - nothing in this book is sugar-coated!!

Read if you like: love after loss
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An unconventional love story, Feyi is searching to feel alive again after the death of her husband five years ago. She embarks on a summer adventure where she meets new people and tries to figure out what kind of relationship she wants to have.
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I loved Feyi. She is an artist that uses her art to cope with her husband's death. She was also willing to explore relationships without committing to anything serious in order to figure out what she wants. There were some things that happened in the story that I wasn't expecting which made this book really interesting!
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CW: car accident, death of a spouse, sexual content, homophobia, death of a parent.

This book is a favourite of the year for me. Funny, witty and SO surprising! Feyi is a fantastic character and I found her relationships so vibrant and fun.

“Feyi had stayed lost for a very long time, though. She had no intention of being found”

The novel follows Feyi Adekola as she grieves the loss of her husband and is working on finding her life again. It follows her as she struggles with her grief, guilt of moving on and her romantic entanglements that ensue.

The writing is cleaver and keeps the reader engaged throughout the story. The plot moves quickly and is unique in its story line, throwing little twist and turns that keep you invested and thinking “Feyi what are you getting yourself into” and loving it!

The characters are likeable and relatable especially in the way they express their emotions, thoughts and feelings. They are messy and human.

However; they are missing depth and, as the quote mentions above, it feels like the main character Feyi does remain lost to the reader even though we go through these experiences with her. She always feels at arms length. Like that friend that is just on the outskirts of the friends group.

While the author tries to dig in deep with the characters and their development, we never really reach that point where we get to know them well. Everything just seems surface level, especially when it comes to the three men in Feyi‘s life. Which you can understand to a point because Feyi wishes to keep them at arms length. Because of that she doesn’t even get to know well and in correlation, neither do we. But I wanted to know them more! I wanted their sorry, especially Milan’s.

In all though I do recommend this book. It is unique, fresh, with a fast paced plot and I really enjoyed Akwaeke Emezi’s writing, which is probably why I wanted more.

Thank you to Net Galley and Atria books for the advanced readers copy of this novel.

I have a lot of thoughts going through, u head after finishing this book. Wild! is one word I could use for this book. I had no idea things would escalate to where they did. I just didn't see it coming.

Despite the journey I loved Jou, she was very authentic with herself and her feelings. She is barely on the other side of her grief and she's dealing the best way she knows how.

I wouldn't say she's reckless more of an at the moment on the day at a time phase. She's not trying to be destructive.

I loved Nasir up until things got real shaky. Nasir has so much privilege and he thinks he's grounded. He's spoiled, childish and privileged.

The thing I took from this is everyone handles their grief differently and at their own pace. And sometimes you have to think of your happiness and not what the world says is acceptable because you're the one who has to sit in the high at the end of the day.

This book has so my more going on than just the surface. A wonderful read

Akwaeke Emezi's latest book, You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty, is yet another work of art. Sure, I had only read Freshwater before this (and am reading The Death of Vivek Oji right now), but that one book was enough to get me hooked on their writing.

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty follows Feyi, a 29 year old artist living in Brooklyn, five years out from the death of her husband, as she tries to get out in the dating game again without feeling like she is betraying her husband. Eventually, she meets someone who really understands what she is going through, with whom she has almost immediate chemistry, but if this relationship happens, it could fracture the friendships and life she has been cultivating.

While this book still deals in the darker areas of grief and moving on from the death of a partner, it radiates love and hope and joy and beauty - especially Black beauty. I said it in my monthly wrap-up, but I'll say it again, Akwaeke Emezi is one of the likely few authors I'd happily read anything from and that includes an m/f romance (I mean it's still queer so I'm really not going that far from my typical 😂). With a bi MC, a bi love interest, and actually communicating about things (but still getting some sweet sweet drama), you can't really go wrong.

I really liked the relationships in this book, platonic, sexual turned platonic, romantic, they all had lovely nuance and impacted the course of the story. This is a story that really centres a lot of different types of love and it was really nice to see.

This book is lush and warm. It's full of beauty, good food, good art, and good people. It celebrates Black beauty and Black joy. It's also heart-wrenching and full of difficult conversations and grief.

I don't know, I feel like it's hard to sum up my thoughts about this book, but I read it in one sitting and that should tell you how much I enjoyed it. Highly recommend!

Gut-wrenchingly gorgeous, You Made A Fool of Death With Your Beauty is a book that will stay with you for a long, long time.

This may be one of the hardest reviews I’ve ever had to write. I honestly just don’t have the words to describe how great this book is. I’ve never read anything like it, it is so totally unique.

This is Awkaeke’s first romance book but certainly not their first book. Already they have wracked up awards by the dozens for their fiction, memoir and YA titles. It would not surprise me at all to see them earn several more for this book and they would be well deserved. Awkaeke’s writing is the sort that knows no bounds and defies genres. This is definitely not your typical romance read. I really hope to see another romance from them in the future, we need this kind of love story in the world.

Awkaeke’s writing is raw with emotion, bold and intense. This one is a rollercoaster folks. You better buckle up. There is no shying away from emotions to be found here. As I followed Feyi’s journey, I experienced all the feels. If you are looking for a fluffy read, this is not the right choice for you.

You probably picked up from the description that this book deals heavily with grief. As Feyi navigates her new life, her grief is palpable. Like a punch to the gut you will feel it. I loved Feyi’s character. Actually, I loved all the characters in this book. They are messy and real. They make bad decisions because it was the best they could do at the time. I haven’t read characters this honest in well, maybe ever. They are the kind of characters I will be thinking about for a long time to come.

The chemistry is off the charts in this one. I don’t want to spoil anything for you but suffice it to say Awkaeke writes a heck of a sex scene. No closed doors here. Just full on beautiful, vivid sex.

If you are looking for something that will slap you across the face with its bravery, something different and new, something that will challenge you and make you think, definitely don’t miss this one.

Thank you, Simon and Schuster for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 An original romance that acknowledges that grief, love, and life are both messy and complicated. Feyi is a young Nigerian-American artist who lost her husband in a tragic car accident and five years later she's trying to find a way to live and love again. You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty has much to recommend it - the strong friendship between Feyi and Joy, LGBTQ+ representation, the exploration of the individual nature of grief and learning to live again, and a luxurious island setting. This is the first book that I have read by this author, however, I had read so many positive reviews about their previous books that I perhaps had unrealistic expectations for a novel that was written as a romance and not literary fiction. While much of the writing is indeed beautiful, I felt that at times it could be a bit repetitive and cliché and I didn't find the central romantic relationship particularly compelling. This was an okay read for me but since I appreciated the originality of the story, I opted to round up to 4 stars.

I wouldn't recommend this book for anyone who has an issue with profanity or sex on page.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a digital Advance Review Copy (ARC).

Akwaeke Emezi has RANGE oh my goodness. This is a romance novel with a beautiful setting and somehow in the midst of this romance, they manage to explore grief and loss and harm and mess and what it means to be alive and to feel real. A lot of set up happened very quickly in the beginning, and this felt a bit rushed to me, but once we get to our mountain home, this story had me hooked. I fully intend to read anything they write.

(Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book!!)

A steamy age gap romance with a ton of heart!

This new novel by the author of The death of Vivek Oji is a beautiful story of one young bisexual, Nigerian American widow's journey healing from the grief over her dead husband and the hot summer adventure she has on a tropical island falling for the much older celebrity father of the man she's currently dating.

Feyi is an easy character to root for. Crippled with her grief she hasn't been able to move on since the tragic death of her husband. A random meeting at a rooftop party helps to wake her up and she follows new boyfriend Nasir to his home. Once there she can't help falling for his father and also gets commissioned to do a new art piece, which helps relaunch her career as an artist. Perfect for fans of Jane Igharo or Tia Williams. Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance review copy!