I struggled to get into this novel. The structure didn't work for me althuogh I liked the idea behind it and understood what the author was doing. Maybe a case of right book but wrong time? I still think it could be a good discussion book and would recommend it to people looking for books set in Africa and Ghana specifically, books about friendship, and books with an interesting structure.

This one is about 2 cousins who essentially grow up like sisters aside from the mistreatment that happens. A bond that, you would think, could not be broken. Well, with the help of family troubles and childhood traumas, the girls, Akorfa and Selasi, find themselves broken apart. Partly because of the growing pangs of teenagers and mostly because of adults.

This one is broken up into Alorfa and Selasi's separate POV, and then their POV together. In the beginning, reading Akorfa's POV, I wished that the POVs were told alternately throughout the book, but after finishing, I appreciate it being told separately. Told this gave you both views, and as you come to Selasi, it puts pieces together that were not there while reading Akorfa's.

I loved Selasi's character and felt so badly for her. She went through so much. Akorfa, I did not like her, but partly blamed her actions from her mother's influence and upbringing. I disliked her mother Lucy so much. And...while we're on disliked characters, Selasi's father was straight trash!!

I really enjoyed this one. The only reason why I didn't not give this one all the stars was because there were a few slow moments throughout, but the overall all story is one you don't want to miss out on! I highly recommend it!

Another wonderful novel by this author,I loved her first book and feel the same about this one.Two cousins close as sisters always together till as they grow into young women life paths tears them apart.Emotional moving a true page turner.#netgalley #algonquinbooks

I read His Only Wife last year and absolutely loved it, so I jumped at the chance to receive an ARC of Peace's new book, Nightbloom.

Nightbloom is set in Ghana and follows two cousins, Akorfa and Selasi. They are inseparable until one cousin faces tragedy pretty early on and that changes her course. She stays in Ghana for school. The other cousin continues to thrive and goes to America for school.

The book is set mostly in Ghana and I enjoyed being immersed into their culture. This book is about friendships and family, but also about feminism and the corrupt political landscape of Ghana. It’s about secrets that families will keep in order to not taint their name. I really enjoyed it and can't wait to see what is next from this author.

This is somewhat of a coming-of-age story of two cousins who grow up very closely together in Ghana but as adults have very different perspectives on their lives. As children, the girls are inseparable but as they get older, the difference in their upbringing begins to start eroding at their closeness. Jealousy starts to set in and the difference in class impacts the relationships in both sets of families.

{3.5 stars}

"Your mouth is like a blade and your head is hard..."
-----------------------
Akorfa and Selasi are cousins living in Ghana. They have two very different sets of family circumstances. Akorfa has a more stable, affluent family while Selasi does not. We see the dichotomy of their upbringings and how culture and class impact each. Akorfa goes to the best schools and ends up in America while Selasi struggles and stays in Ghana. As adults they reconnect and the truth of how similar their lives really are.

Dual POVs can be either a blessing or a curse and in this case, starting out with Akorfa didn't work for me. She was super unlikable as was her put upon, hypocrite of a mother. I didn't expect to like Selasi after Akorfa's view of her but I liked her much more. Maybe if they had alternated chapters rather than splitting the first half of the book in half, I would have enjoyed it more. The ending was great but it was a bit of a bumpy road getting there. It deals well with how atrociously men treat women, how the "upper" class treat the lower and the expectations of family and culture.

Thank you to Algonquin Books for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions above are my own.

Actual Rating: 3.25 stars - Solid story but a bit frustrating with the format. However I think this would be a good choice for book clubs because there are many themes to discuss in the book! I'd love to see a discussion guide or some prompts book clubs to plan with.

I actually overall enjoyed the story BUT I would have liked it a lot more if it had been told differently. The story is told in 3 parts -> from the POV of Akorfa (the first 45%), from the POV of Selasi (the second 45%) and from both Akorfa & Selasi's POV in the last 10%. The reason, I didn't like this is primarily because it essentially started all over from the beginning when it switched to Selasi's POV. It just would have helped so much more to see how they both viewed the same events at the same time instead of going through Akorfa's entire story before switching vantage point. The chapters were long and covered a large span of time and breaking it up just felt needed.

Now, Akorfa wasn't the most likeable character and her mom was even worse. Even though I can understand her hesitance with her in-laws, she was very extreme and contradicted herself. Unfortunately, she never redeemed herself or even showed any remorse. which sucks because even though this is a reality for many people, it's still very sad to witness. Many parts of Akorfa's story felt like it dragged and since I already didn't connect with her, I didn't feel bad for her. Especially after she (view spoiler)

Selasi, on the other hand, I immediately liked. With her story starting over in the middle of the book, I felt that many parts were skipped in her experience. I also disliked how angry she stayed when (view spoiler) She deserved a better story through & through!

I will say that reading this story gave me a appreciation for my family and the way that we respond and handle certain situations. But I get it, cultural differences can truly take a toll on your life views + how you interact with people in this world. I just wanted to see so much more triumph and happiness for either of them.

This is a must-read!! This book hooked me from the first page and made me feel so many emotions. The voice and characters are so strong and vibrant. The writing is beautiful but flows easily and isn’t too flowery. There are lots of complex family dynamics and two strong female main characters which made the story really interesting with different views/perspectives and conflicts. I really enjoy reading stories about women’s issues and especially black women’s issues. Stories like this have helped me grow so much over the last few years. Although this is fiction, this story reflects real life and reminds me of books like Unbound by Tarana Burke (non-fiction) and The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett (fiction but also had that “real life” feel). This book deals with topics such as racism, classism, misogyny, Ghanaian culture, friendship, family loyalty, politics, societal expectations and many more (TW for SA!!). I love this quote in the synopsis and I think it sums it up perfectly. “Nightbloom is above all a gripping and beautifully written novel attesting to the strength of female bonds in the face of societies that would prefer to silence women.”

Thank you to Netgalley, Algonquin Books and Peace Adzo Medie for this ARC ebook. Nightbloom will be published June 13, 2023.

Thank you to Algonquin and Netgalley for the advance copy of Nightbloom.

I had not read her first novel so this was my introduction to this author. I enjoyed the writing and the details of life in Ghana for the two cousins. The pressures placed on them for academic success and the family issues they had were eye opening and also really depressing. I wondered if the portrayal of Ghanaian men and fathers in this book was over-generalized or not, and I hesitate to believe that it's a blanket issue.

The emotional depth and the drama were intriguing but I still felt there was something missing by the end. I really wanted more of an explanation about Akorfa's mother and her actions beyond the surface level we got. The story was truly sad in terms of the lost chances to help the girls through their painful childhoods and deal with the trauma they both encountered. And the lost chances to have healthy and loving relationships with family members, for both of the girls. It's true there was some closure at the end of the book, but it left me just feeling so sad about the decades lost in their friendship and with the family (besides the family members who did not deserve the protection they received).

Selasi and Akorfa grew up as cousins and best friends in Ghana. Akorfa was expected to grow up to be a doctor and is raised with some money. Her dad is mostly supportive, and her bipolar mom is very protective. Selasi has an absent father, and her mother dies. When Akorfa's parents take her in, things go badly. This is the story of how complicated families are universal.

The first half of this book was hard. Most every character was completely unlikable and very angry. They were so mean to each other that it was off-putting. Then the book switched perspectives and took a long time to tilt the story. However, the last quarter of the book the book was really good. So, the tone is angry, and writing is uneven. I really liked what this book did overall and really enjoyed some of the plotline, but this was a hard read filled with unlikable characters. I really liked Medie's previous book His Only Wife and this one was very different. It was not what I expected, and it is one that with some distance I may like more.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

A hilarious and heartbreaking dual narrative from the perspectives of two cousins who have differing memories of their upbringing.

I think she has become an auto buy author for me. Her stories are unique and really makes you think. This book was fantastic and I can't wait to read more from her.

A compulsively addictive book that draws the reader into its atmospheric aura. I was given a copy of this arc by the publisher in exchange for an honest review and I also,Italy loved it!

I really loved the way the story started out.
I couldn’t put it down at first , but somewhere towards the middle (when we switched POVs) it felt as if the plot got a bit muddled and lost focus.

Couldn’t really figure out what the point was. After that, it seemed to drag a bit. I finished It because I was determined to see how the story ended but I was bored during the second half.

Selasi and Akorfa are cousins and best friends, growing up together among family and friends in Ghana. But family feuds and adolescence eventually drive them apart. Akorfa goes to the United States for college, marries and settles there. Selasi remains in Ghana, becoming a successful restauranteur. Both women face challenges -- Akorfa as an immigrant, and Selasi with sexism, classism and injustice. Both suffer an assault at the hands of the same relative, and both handle it in different ways, giving readers a fascinating look at the effects of trauma throughout the years. I look forward to recommending this title.

Nightbloom is a powerful novel following two cousins who grow up together in Ghana as best friends and become estranged as their lives start to diverge. When crisis occurs, the two are forced to reckon with the circumstances of their estrangement and the true meaning of their sisterhood.

This is the first of Adzo Medie's books that I have read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The dual narrations do not take place simultaneously, which confused me at first but later on in the novel I fully understood why the author made this literary choice.

This felt so raw and beautiful, heartbreaking and painful all at the same time, and I look forward to recommending this story to my friends.

Thank you to Algonquin Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

When Selasi and Akorfa were young girls in Ghana, they were more than just cousins; they were inseparable. Selasi was exuberant and funny, Akorfa quiet and studious. They would do anything for each other, imploring their parents to let them be together, sharing their secrets and desires and private jokes.

Then Selasi begins to change, becoming hostile and quiet; her grades suffer; she builds a space around herself, shutting Akorfa out. Meanwhile, Akorfa is ac-cepted to an American university with the goal of becoming a doctor.  Although hopeful that America will afford her opportunities not available to her in Ghana, she discovers the insidious ways that racism places obstacles in her path once in Pittsburgh. It takes a crisis to bring the friends back together, with Selasi’s secret revealed and Akorfa forced to reckon with her role in their estrangement.

A story of the importance of what "TRUE SISTERHOOD"" means
Medie reminds you there is only one true Judge and Juror and all can be forgiven, just not forgotten.

This book took awhile for me to finish, it was not one of my favorites. I do apologize tremendously. I just could not get excited for the characters or their lives.

However, I do love Peace Adzo Medie as a writer and will always read her books. ❤️

Thank you NetGalley\Peace Adzo Medie\Algonquin Books\ For this eARC in advance for my honest review. My opinions are of my own volition.

Pub Date: 12 June 2023

Peace Adzo Medie really did her thang with this heartbreakingly beautiful novel. if I do say so myself. Placed in Ghana we follow to cousins; Afroka and Selasi who are more like sisters until a series of family qualms and betrayals within take place. Afroka is going to be a doctor. Period. According to her mother. Meanwhile Selasi struggles in school and has to make ends meet. Both girls seem to overshadow one another until it's too much to take.

Now there is nothing I disliked about this book simply because of the rawness I personally felt with some of these characters. Especially with the parent and child dynamics. I will say look into the trigger warnings before reding.

I've been reading a lot of books by African authors and many of them including this one talk about the real struggles happening in certain places and it has taught me so much. For that I thank these authors for bringing us the information and awareness.

I'd like to give a special thank you to NetGalley for the patience you've given me to read this arc read and to Algonquin Books for giving me this copy. The book officially comes out in June so pick up your copies!

I had previously read the author’s debut novel His Only Wife and thought it was a strong 5 star book. So when I saw Nightbloom was written by Peace Adzo Medie, I was so excited to read it.

Nightbloom starts in Ghana from Akorfa’s point of view as a young girl. We meet Akorfa’s friend and cousin, Selasi, and see how their relationship evolves over the years. This book is rich in detail of life, the culture, the struggles, the injustices, and family dynamics of Ghana.I was engrossed in Akorfa’s story and life as she grows into an adult. Things are not always easy and become complicated, especially with her relationship with Selasi.

Not quite half way through the book, I realize we go from Akorfa’s adulthood to Selasi’s point of view starting as a girl. This is unfortunately where I started to become disappointed with the book. Some of the scenes are played out through Selasi’s perspective which at times really made me rethink the situation when it was told from Akorfa’s point of view. A lot of things made way more sense having Selasi’s perspective. However, I think this book could have been another strong 5 star book to me if we could have occasionally switched points of view throughout the girl’s life instead of reading through Akorfa’s life and then Selasi’s life. Towards the very end of the book, the point of view is slightly mixed.

This review is really tough for me. The 2 stories independently are really captivating, and the plot overall kept me interested. However, at times I did feel the plot would drag at times and I didn’t always want to read a scene or time period through Selasi’s point of view when I read Akorfa’s so long ago. In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry, Ron, and Hermione turn back time and see events unfold but from a different perspective. Yes, you do learn things that way and make you completely see certain things differently. However, this part of the entire series was my least favorite. So when this book did that at times, it reminded me of this.

This author is extremely talented. If she writes a future novel, I will still excitedly want to read it. I think she just took a chance on the presentation of the story, and I didn’t connect with it as much as hopefully others will.

Thank you to Algonquin, Peace Adzo Medie, and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advanced reader’s copy.

Nightbloom by Peace Adzo Medie is the story of two best friends and cousins growing up in Ghana. As they grow older, their lives take different directions on different continents until decades later, they are together in Ghana again.

First, we read Akorfa's story. She is bright but quiet and studious. She dreams of attending college in the US and becoming a doctor. Then we read about Selasi. She's vivacious and outgoing, until something tragic happens that sends her life on different trajectory. Lastly, we read about the two women as they come together again in their home country.

My thoughts:
Nightbloom is a powerful story about women, our experiences, the relationships that shape us, and the tragedies that sometimes break us. I loved the dual POV, and I think the decision to share Akorfa's story first was brilliant! We have these perceptions of Akorfa, of Selasi, of their families, and their situations. Then we read Selasi's story, and we can see a different side of things. This is life! We as humans view the world in reference to ourselves because how can we see it any other way? Medie shows us what we miss out on when we're only concerned with our own view.
Granted just like in real life, there are times in Akorfa's and Selasi's lives when their pain is all consuming, and they're just trying their best to get through the day.

I admire Akorfa's tenacity. Despite what happened to her, she was able to build a beautiful life for herself in the US. I admire Selasi's perseverance and sheer force of will. She not only stood up for herself but others. Even when backed into a corner, she refused to give up. Her story will stay with me for awhile.

Nightbloom would be an excellent choice for book clubs. Not only will you learn about Ghanaian culture, but there are many topics for discussion. From female friendships to the relationships we have with family to the role that class, race, and gender plays in society, there's a lot that will make for great conversation.

CW: sexual assault, gaslighting, losing a parent

Can't wait to share more about Nightbloom as the publication date gets closer! All reviews are posted on Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram.