This story had me feeling so many different feelings as Irie navigates her teenage years into adulthood. I felt so bad for Irie, she endured so much loss throughout this book. I love that her friends and family do their best to help her through it all.

Asha Ashanti Bromfield did a great job narrating her own novel and she has a beautiful singing voice. I love it when the author narrates their own stories and has a fantastic reading voice. It also guarantees that names and places are being pronounced correctly.

My heart burst open with this one. Jilly and Irie are from two different walk if life. It is 1976 and Jamaica is crime ridden. There is a presidential election coming. Irie and Jilly are best friends. Their family are on two different sides.

Many thanks to Net Galley and MacMillan Audio for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 ★

Review redacted until such time that Wednesday Books and Saint Martin's Press issues a public statement regarding the pro-genocide sentiments that was shared by their Associate Marketing Manager immediately upon their promotion into this role. As an imprint that "is committed to a diverse readership hungry for stories that speak to them." I find it curious that you have a staunch racist elevated to one of the highest marketing positions in your brand.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge admirer of Jamaican culture and was really excited to learn a little bit more about Jamaican history through this book. I loved the chapters with Irie and her family that detailed her life in Kingston, but I found Jilly’s chapters became quite repetitive and her parents were broadly drawn cartoon-y villains. However, think my biggest struggle was with the story’s pacing: the first 2/3 of the narrative moves pretty slowly and many events happen rapidly in the last quarter of the novel. Overall, the book was also too long.

That being said, I enjoyed listening to this audiobook and the original song excerpts were definitely a bonus! I’m also looking forward to reading Bromfield’s other novel and hope she will publish more in the future!

✨ Review ✨ Songs of Irie by Asha Ashanti Bromfield; Narrated by Asha Ashanti Bromfield

First, I don't read a lot of YA anymore, but I was super intrigued that this was historical fiction set amidst terrible infighting in 1970s Jamaica where the country was leading up to a major election. The violence and vast difference between the rich and the poor was really striking in this book. I learned a lot about this time and the culture in a variety of settings

Jilly - a rich girl with an arranged marriage and child of a political leader and Irie - a working-class girl with musical talent and a record-store-owning dad - are best friends from secondary school. The book really brilliantly shows what different worlds they come from and the types of challenges they're facing. As violence breaks out in the streets around Irie, she writes a reggae song about her rights and political change. Can the girls fall for each other or are their differences too great?

I loved that this was read by the author, and it also includes sung portions from Irie's perspective. This made it really powerful to listen to (and is definitely worth slowing down for these parts!)

I did feel like the end was a little predictable and that there was some repetition within, but overall, I really enjoyed this read!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4.25)
Genre: historical fiction, f/f romance
Setting: 1976 Jamaica
Pub Date: 10 Oct 2023

Read this if you like:
⭕️ historical fiction that's from more recent times
⭕️ Caribbean history + race/class divisions
⭕️ reggae music and cultural history
⭕️ female friendships / romances across big class/race barriers

Thanks to St. Martin's, Macmillan Audio, and #netgalley for advanced copies of this book!

This was okay. Didn’t grab my attention. For some reason I just didn’t care for it as much as HURRICANE SUMMER.

I really don't want to say a lot here because I am not an own voices reviewer. I will say this book was absolutely beautiful and completely heartbreaking. The writing style is some of the most lyrical I've read in a long time. The story as well brought me to tears. Thats really all I want to say other than just go seek out own voices reviews.

Thanks to NetGalley for this Audiobook.

Songs of Irie is a powerful and moving story of political unrest and first love. The story follows Irie and Jilly, two girls living wildly different lives in 1970s Jamaica, that are drawn to one another by a love of reggae music. We see the opposing lifestyles of the two political parties through these girls and their experiences as the election draws closer.

This story is well written and teaches history that is not well known to Americans. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys history, historical fiction, music, and/or queer love stories.

*bonus points* the author narrates the audiobook herself and sings the songs the character Irie sings in the story. She was Melody on Riverdale so we all know the girl is talented!

Trigger Warnings: racism, classism, colorism, violence, gun violence, colonialism, abuse, death

Representation: Jamaican, Sapphic

Songs of Irie is a historical fiction story about two friends. It's 1976 and Jamaica is on fire. The country is on the eve of important elections and the warring political parties have made the divisions between the poor and the wealthy even wider. Irie and Jilly come from very different backgrounds. Irie is from the heart of Kingston, where fighting in the streets is common, while Jilly is from the hills, where mansions nestled within lush gardens remain safe behind gates. The two bond through a shared love of Reggae music, spending time together at Irie's father's record store, listening to so-called rebel music that opens Jilly's mind to a sound and a way of thinking she's never heard before.

As tensions build in the streets, so do tensions between the two girls. A budding romance between them complicates things further as the push and pull between their two lives becomes impossible to bear. For Irie, fighting—with her words and her voice—is her only option. Blood is shed on the streets in front of her every day. She has no choice. But Jilly can always choose to escape.

Can their bond survive this impossible divide?

A well written, devastatingly beautiful and tragic story. Asha Ashanti Bromfield did an outstanding job with this novel -- both as the author and the narrator for the audio version.

I 100% recommend listening to the audio because one of the main characters, Irie, is a singer and Asha herself narrates and let me just say: her voice is AMAZING! You do not want to miss out on hearing it, I promise. It really elevated my experience and made me feel fully immersed in the story. I listened to the audiobook in one day because it was just such a heartwrenching tale of forbidden love, class divides, civil unrest, family dynamics, tragedy, racism and revolution based on 1970s Jamaica. This book is marketed as a Teen/YA read but adults of any age can appreciate the emotional journey of the two girls as they define who they are and what they will fight for. Asha does an amazing job of portraying the civil unrest in Jamaica during the summer of 1976 when the warring political factions had violence breaking out and the rich pitted against the poor. She describes the racism between lighter and darker skinned Jamaicans and how the politicians were corrupt, playing both sides to incite more violence and turn their own people against each other through her tale of two girls from opposite backgrounds: Irie from the heart of Kingston, living through the violence on the streets and using her words to fight back in the only way she can: through Reggae music, and Jilly from a rich, politically involved family, largely ignorant of the danger her friend experiences every day and trying to determine what she wants for herself despite her parents strict expectations.

I highly recommend reading/listening to this novel! However, there are scenes of gun violence so if that is a trigger for you then you may want to pass.

The author is an actress (explains how great she is at narrating) in Riverdale where she played a high school student/singer and I actually just finished watching the show's finale right before starting this book so it felt like kismet!

Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was nothing I thought it would be. I thought it would be a coming of age novel about two girls falling in love. What it is instead is a story of racism, colorism, violence and death. It is told from the point of view of Jilly, from the rich side, and Irie, from the poor, as they spend the summer of 1976. This is such a beautiful and powerful book, the kind that they should be having kids read in school. It is a must read book.

Songs of Irie is the story of Irie and Jillian, two Jamaican girls from vastly different worlds. It's 1976 and Jamaica is at war with itself, where two opposing parties vie for control of the country. But the two girls develop a best friendship at school and bond over the reggae music playing loud and proud in Irie's dad's record shop. The closer these two get, the more Irie realizes that they have no idea what it's like to live in each other's worlds so can they still find a way to fit into each other's lives?

Do you like reggae music? How about LGBTQ love stories? If you said yes, then do I have a book for you! Bromfield immerses you in Jamaica in the 70s so much so that you feel like you're there. In Irie and Jillain, she has crafted to rich and beautiful characters who leap to life from the story and straight into your heart. I think you can guess that I LOVED this book. It's also rare that a book makes me cry, but this one did. I won't say where, so I'll just leave it at that.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC. Bromfield beautifully narrates her own book, and we wouldn't want it any other way. I HIGHLY recommend this book.

This story is like a tapestry of themes, from social class and colorism to politics and colonialism. But you know what? Jamaica steals the spotlight in a big way. And then you've got these two young guns, Jilly and Irie, each with their own unique vibe. Jilly's all wrapped up in the pressures of being a rich kid with strict parents, while Irie's got this incredible resilience, having weathered life's storms.

This book is like a time capsule of Jamaica in the wild '70s. I was a fan of "Hurricane Summer," so I was pumped to dive into this one. And guess what? It didn't disappoint! There aren't too many books that take you back to the '70s, especially in Jamaica. But this one does it beautifully. It's not just a fun read; it's a beautiful way to soak up Jamaican culture.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC.
Songs of Irie takes place in the summer of 1976, when Jamaica is going through a lot of political upheaval. I liked how this time was picked for a YA book because of how the author was able to explore topics like classism, Rastafarianism, friendship, politics, and wealth. I was instantly drawn into the friendship between Irie and Jilly. Their juxtaposition gave such good tension to the story and gave the author a great way to add depth to all of the topics brought up in this book. I honestly don't know a lot about Jamaican history, so I thought this was a good introduction and I am wanting to learn more. But this story isn't a history lesson - I was able to feel each character's opinions deeply because of the rich character development. The author is the narrator, and she did a fabulous performance. I especially loved the singing aspects of this novel. I have enjoyed both books by this author and can't wait to see what comes next.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for an arc of this one.

In the summer of 1976 in Jamaica, the country is on the brink of civil war. Irie lives in a poor neighborhood and her best friend Jilly lives in the rich hills. Though their backgrounds and families political views are opposite, they come together because of their love of Reggae music. When Irie loses a friend to the violence, it pushes her to become more of an activist which begins to pull her and Jilly apart.

This book was so good! Oh my gosh the history, the narration, the main characters, their love story and families. I loved every bit of it. I love Irie's music and how she uses it for activism. Honestly Jilly was majorly getting on my nerves but I feel like she redeemed herself.

This actually taught me a lot about the feud between the JLP and the PNP in Jamaica and I am amazed that some of these things are never taught in schools in America. It inspired me to learn more about the political conflict.

I really loved this book. It taught me a lot and made me feel all the things.

CW: bombing, gun violence, racism/colorism, homophobia, death, kidnapping, druggings

Informative. Intense. Inspired.
A tale of the past yet the narrative continues to repeat itself.

Jamaica has always been one of my favorite places to visit. However, when I first traveled there I was shocked to learn the truth of about how the people are treated and the politics. Each time I went I made sure to immerse myself in the true culture outside of the hotel.

Wow wow wow. What a powerful, beautiful book. Not gonna lie: I didn’t know a ton about this time period in Jamaican history, but I was a HUGE Bob Marley fan in my youth, so I’m so happy I picked up Songs of Irie.
This book is raw and emotional. Written from dual POV’s this covers both sides of the political unrest and vastly different existences of two recent high school grads in Jamaica in the 1970’s. I loved the queer aspects and the music lyrics.
The author narrates this audiobook and I could genuinely feel her enthusiasm and passion throughout. And, as a side note, this is perfect timing to release before the Marley biopic, so now I’m even more excited to see it and curious to read more about this historical period.

Canadian actress turned author Asha Ashanti Bromfield is really blowing my mind with her heartfelt and heartbreaking YA novels!

This latest one is set in 1976 Jamaica when the country is on the eve of a politically tumultuous election. Rastafarianism is growing in popularity, racism and classism is on the rise, gun violence is rampant but amidst all the turmoil two teen girls from opposite sides of the divide fall in love.

This was a great Sapphic historical romance that was excellent on audio narrated by the author herself! Highly recommended, especially for fans of books like The Black kids. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

4.5 stars

WOW!!!!!! This book has SO much to offer: historical fiction, romance, queer representation, coming of age, and the list goes on! It's quite a read for audiences of all ages, especially those (like me) who have almost no incoming knowledge of Jamaican culture and politics at this time.

Jilly and Irie are both living in Jamaica in the 1970s, but their life experiences - though intertwined at critical times - could not be more distinct. Jilly encounters extreme financial privilege, though she has little agency over her own life. This is best demonstrated through her parents' use of her as a political pawn and her inability to be with the one she loves. She also benefits from having a lighter complexion and eye color in a society in which colorism runs rampant. Irie's socioeconomic status is basically the opposite, and her wealth comes in the form of her close family bonds, their mutual love of music, and her ability to make *some* more decisions for herself than Jilly can. However, the constant interruptions of violence make her life terrifying. When these two find each other in a space beyond friendship, readers have to be truly maniacal not to want them to be together forever. Since this is historical fiction set in a politically fraught location, well...

I enjoyed this so much, and this is certainly due in part to the way that the author narrates her own audiobook. Prepare for a lot of realistic teen dialogue (and at times pitch), singing, and onomatopoeia. This author really brings her own characters to life in this medium, too.

Though there are times when the plot and pacing can be tightened up a bit, this is an engaging piece of historical fictions with some fantastic representation to boot. I'll be recommending this one to students enthusiastically.

Highly, /highly/ recommend getting this as an audiobook - the author is the narrator, and there are so many reasons why she is perfect for it and why audio is the ideal way to experience this book. There's the different accents of each character and the way that certain characters will codeswitch between English and Jamaican Patois, there's the inclusion of vocals and music tracks for Irie's songs, which as they are a vital part of the story and the fabric of the context, really make for a rewarding listen. Then there's just the passion and acting that Bromfield infuses into each line - you get caught up in each conversation, especially as events and feelings run more and more intense.

The story itself is also a marvel, following two girls at the cusp of decisions about their futures, in a country on the cusp of a decision about its future, and how the two are inseparable. While there's very clearly a more sympathetic side and a side that we as the reader are meant to lean towards, Jilly's circumstances and feelings of why she makes the decisions she does are done so well. While the narration and we as readers can see the flaws her her logic, it's without malice or villianizing that Jilly is set opposite Irie and chooses to, again and again. It just illustrates beautifully how class systems persisted, even when people think they are doing what's right for all people and on the side of progress.

There are a ton of heavy, big topics here - politics, civil unrest and war, racism, colorism, classism - and while at times they're handled with righteous anger and fire, there's always love and a hope for the future, a belief in the hearts of people and the power of love and music. Bromfield also does a wonderful job of bringing to light an era of history and sides to it that a lot of people don't know, and I was glad to learn so much about Jamaican history.