After hearing all the hype about this I decided to pick it up and was wowed! You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi is a captivating and sensual exploration of love, loss, and healing. The novel follows Feyi Adekola, a Nigerian-American visual artist, as she navigates the complexities of grief and the unexpected joys of a new romance. I found this such a refreshing and empowering read. Highly recommend.

🫚 BOOK REVIEW 🫚

Synopsis: It's the opportunity of a lifetime: Feyi is about to be given the chance to escape the City's blistering heat for a dream island holiday: poolside cocktails, beach sunsets, and elaborate meals. And as the sun goes down on her old life our heroine also might just be ready to open her heart to someone new.
The only problem is, she's falling for the one man she absolutely can't have.

Review:
- wow! Another character-based book I’m obsessed with! The incredible writing was so descriptive I could almost taste and smell the dishes and surroundings. I absolutely loved the LGBTQ+ and BIPOC representation. I received this as an ARC on NetGalley I don’t know how long ago, and right now I’m feeling incredibly guilty this book has spent so much time unread. I definitely need a physical copy to add to my bookshelves! Definitely do not hesitate, and pick this up ASAP!

5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My sincerest thanks to the publisher for a copy in exchange for my review.

Was not crazy about this I dont get what people saw in it, not for everyone! But interesting title, the acual book was a let down I felt personally.

I devoured this novel like a half-starved woman. The narrative, the characters, the depth of emotions evoked... everything was just wonderful. It was one of those stories with what I call "first-page magic"—I opened it, read a line, and then didn't come up for air for a few hours because I was so engaged.

Review: You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi
Rating: 4 Stars
Feyi Adekola wants to learn how to be alive again. She lost the love of her life in an accident and she’s almost a new person now. She has an art studio, shares an apartment with her best friend, who insists she should get back on the dating scene again. Feyi isn’t ready for anything serious, but a steamy encounter at a rooftop party cascades into a whirlwind summer she could have never imagined: a luxury trip to a tropical island, decadent meals in the glamorous home of a celebrity chef, and a major curator who wants to launch her art career.
I LOVED this book. It was messy at times, but I really couldn’t put it down. I read it on kindle and willn be buying a physical copy when I get the chance. Feyi is a star, and her vulnerability alongside the chaos is really endearing to read and her characterization is excellent because she feels incredibly real.
I’m not an avid romance lover, but if the genre had more books with this depth and emotion sign me up.
Emezi’s writing never disappoints. It was vivid and at times passionate, and also tense at points. I was rooting for Feyi to make questionable choices (but they were definitely the right ones). When emotions of longing, wanting, spice, and whirlwind vibes are happening in the book you get swept up in it too.
I can’t say too much without spoiling the plot of the book, but I would love to see an on screen adaptation of this one.

I’ve tried to read this book several times, but each time I only manage a few pages before giving up again.

Sorry, just not for me.

A gorgeous story of loss, grief and finding love, i couldn't put it down. The writing is poetic and keeps you reading.

This is such a beautifully written book and I really enjoyed reading it!

I have recommended this to so many people. I loved the writing style, the premise of the book and especially the characters!

A contemporary romance that will stay with for such a long time.

Awkaeke Emezi manages to craft each word in a poetic sense, while allowing such a flow through this world.

Thought provoking, engaging, emotional and inspiration.

Feyi married her high-school sweetheart but within a year he has died in front of her eyes in a car crash. Five years later she is at a party with her best friend, hooking up with a man she has just met when their eyes locked across the dance floor. The sex is fast and raw and Feyi is able to let herself go as long as there are no feelings involved and no time to think. It's a step forward for her but she is still haunted by the death of her husband.

Moving on, she then starts dating one of this man's friends, but she holds off on the physical side, needing to work on opening up about her feelings.

When this new friend arranges for her work to be displayed in an art exhibition, Feyi is shocked to discover that his father is a celebrity chef, and even more shocked by the connection she feels towards him. Staying at his house, it is only a matter of time before they are left alone and one thing leads to another.

Covering aspects of race, sexuality and grief, this book includes plenty of steamy sex scenes but felt a little lacking in depth and nuance, with the characters' actions not quite ringing true.

I absolutely adore the way Akwaeke Emezi writes. This book was so raw and that made me love it so much more.

It's an acronym, noise and emoji kind of review.

Ooh lalaa, errrrm. 😐🤨😶🧐😓nuh uh😞😑😒😒😒😒why😒😒😒😶 wth, hmm, nuh uh.

I'm not feeling mean enough for lower, but let's just say it's rounded and I'm feeling generous.

Thanks to the publisher for granting me access to an eArc in exchange for an honest review.

A great unexpected romance. Love this author and this book was such a nice surprise. 4 out of 5 stars.

One of my books of the year in 2022. I want to read everything ever written by Akwaeke Emezi right now please. Such a joyful, moving and emotional reading experience.

This book is excellent - Emezi’s writing is pure magic, each sentence sensual and delicious to consume. I truly think they’re one of the most talented authors currently publishing.

Today I want to talk a little bit about genre, and expectation, and how that shapes our impressions of what we read. There are few things that can influence the way I experience a book, as much as thinking the book is going to be one thing, and then being delivered something totally different. It could be an absolutely exquisite novel, but if it’s not delivering on what it has been marketed as, often I’ll enjoy it significantly less. There is certainly something to be said for going into things with an open mind, however this is the nature of the beast of hype and marketing - you’re trying to sell a premise to get people to pick up a book.

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty is being marketed as a romance, and indeed, it does have romance, and sex, at the core of the story, much like your traditional romance would. However, if someone was expecting say, Colleen Hoover or Christina Lauren, and then they got Emezi? I don’t think they’d know what to do with themselves. I would suggest that this book is literary fiction, with a romance at the centre. Emezi is a literary shape shifter, I truly believe they can write any genre as they’re proving time and time again, however it’s important to keep in mind that at the core, their writing is literary. The genre ‘romance’ has specific connotations.

I could keep going with this discussion - don’t even start me on ‘women’s fiction’ or ‘chick-lit’ but it was nice to have a little ramble today - I hope you don’t mind that in stead of a proper review.

The romance of the year. Akwaeke Emezi is a breath of fresh air in this amazing and heartfelt romance.

When I say this was a romance book that ruined me!! Omg first of all Emezi knew what they were doing writing this book because one thing about me I love a messy Romance and especially getting to see a black woman being loved sent me over the edge. Me and Feyi are 4 lifers

I really enjoyed this book - I loved the story, despite usually not being a huge fan of any romance-themed plots.

I've heard nothing but good things about Emezi's work, so I was really excited to get into this one. Unfortunately, I felt disconnected from the book and the characters. I liked the book but felt like it was lacking some substance and nuance.

This one is a hot pick and is topping the best seller lists - for good reason! Brilliant novel.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.