Reads, Recs & Reviews

By Chiamaka Ehiem

Reads, Recs & Reviews is a podcast for every reader and anyone looking to read wide, read more and find joy in reading. Chiamaka the Bookish Igbo Girl will be sharing reviews of books she's currently reading, reading excerpts from books and sharing book recommendations. Sometimes she might chip in a not so bookish news and spice up things a little. Keep an open mind as she would read explicit content from books as well (God give her strength), this is a safe space to relax and have fun. Social Media Handles @bookishigbogirl (instagram) and @thelifeofamaka (twitter)

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Ep 2: Recommending | Books for New Readers.

Reads, Recs & ReviewsJun 03, 2021

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Ep. 23 | Reintroduction + Current Reading Goals for 2023

Hey there, welcome back to the podcast. It has been so long and I'm glad to be back.

In today's episode, I'll be reintroducing the podcast while addressing and sharing with you some plans that I have and I'll also be sharing my current goals for the rest of 2023.

Here's a look at some of the top episodes we've had in past seasons:

I mentioned listening to more audiobooks and if you want to get into it as well, you can do that by signing up to Scribd. With this link, you get 60 days free to listen and read so many books.

Connect with me on Instagram, Twitter, and Storygraph.
Subscribe to my YouTube Channel and Newsletter.
Join the Something Bookish Reading Challenge and The Storygraph Reads The World 2023 Challenge.

Enjoy! ✨

Sep 10, 202326:12

Ep. 15: Reading | A Broken People's Playlist by Chimeka Garricks

It's #ShortStorySeptember and I'm doing another reading from A Broken People's Playlist, a collection of 12 stories inspired by music. This is an all time favorite book and you'll find that I mentioned among the books that would pull you out of a reading slump in Episode 9.

May 20, 202238:27

Ep. 22: Recommending | Five Books for Five Prompts in The Something Bookish Reading Challenge.

Every book fits into a prompt in a reading challenge, it all just depends on you.

On the show today, I shared books for five prompts in The Something Bookish Reading Challenge, the prompts mentioned in this show are:

A book over 500 pages
A book by a Southern African Author
A book by a Caribbean Author
A book set in East Africa
A translated novel published in 2022

The Reading challenge is hosted by Amyn - The Lipglossmaffia and the books recommended can be found on Scribd, using my link and you get 60 days free. Try it Now!

Connect with me on bookstagram and twitter.

For more bookish recommendations, reading and reviewing, subscribe to Reads, Recs and Reviews on Apple Podcast.

May 06, 202220:02

Best Books of 2021 & Anticipated releases of 2022

Hey there! Happy New Year! Welcome to the first episode on the podcast season 3, today I'm sharing my best books of 2021 and anticipated releases of 2022. Reviews and Reflections of books mentioned are:

If you love my content, please share and buy me a digital cup of coffee.

The complete list of Best Books of 2021 and anticipated releases of 2022 are up here!

Follow me on StoryGraph and get 60 days free to read book on Scribd

Jan 16, 202233:42

Ep. 17: Reviewing | Bush Baby by Roseline Mgbodichinma

Bush Baby is a short story published by Illino Media, it is a story that has an otherworldliness to it. I especially love the writing style and how easy the story was to get into and comprehend. You can read Bush Baby on illino.org and you can also subscribe to their mailing list to know when they have published new stories.

Nov 20, 202115:22

Ep. 16: Recommending | 5 Smutty books that would leave you hot and bothered (Pt. 1)

Whew! Recording this episode was total chaos. I had my initial thoughts penned down but as soon as I sat to record it all vanished. Today's episode is very explicit, explores books with levels 5-10 smuts and I loved every bit of this episode. Books mentioned include: Sugar Daddies by Jade West, The Billionaire Submissive by Joely Sue Burkhart, Bait by Jade West, Hotter than ever by Elle Kenedy, The Until series (Him/Her) by Aurora Rose.

Sep 30, 202140:29

Ep. 14: Reading | Love Is Beautiful When In Bloom by Lara T. Kareem

Love Is Beautiful When In Bloom is a collection of seven short stories that centre and focus on Love. The stories are refreshing and have a lightness to them that would make you just sit and smile. I'm proud of Nigerian Female authors who are doing extraordinarily well and I'll always highlight them in anyway I can. Since it's Short stories September, I decided to read two stories from this collection and I hope you enjoy it. You can get the book from the author's page on Instagram @laratkareem or @rovinheights, @pagebookstore and @bookpeddlerng all on Instagram.

Sep 03, 202128:10

Ep. 13: Recommending | Books for the Something Bookish Reading Challenge

This is one long episode where I shared recommendations for prompts in the Something Bookish Reading Challenge hosted by Amyn. Check it out on Instagram @something__bookish!

Aug 20, 202141:00

Ep. 12: Recommending | 10 Nigerian Authors you need to know about

Nigeria is home to a lot of popular authors known worldwide who have become household names. We always hear about these household names but have you heard of others who aren't household names but who have actually broken into these writing streets and shown themselves worth so much. These are authors in Nigeria that I think their names should be on everyone's lips. Enjoy!

Aug 13, 202137:49

Ep. 11: Drunk Reviewing | Butter Honey Pig Bread by Francesca Ekwuyasi

Reviewing a book sober is cool but have you ever reviewed a book while drunk?! This one is fun!

ABOUT THE BOOK: Butter Honey Pig Bread tells the story of three women: Kambirinachi and her twin daughters Taiye and Kehinde. The women confront their pasts years later and through food they bond again and forgive themselves.

Incase you missed it:

CONTACT:

If you have any questions, comments, email me at bookishigbogirl@gmail.com

SOCIAL MEDIA

Instagram: @bookishigbogirl | Twitter: @thelifeofamaka | Book Blog

Jun 18, 202151:31

Ep. 10: Reading | Verity Of Old by Chio Zoe

Verity Of Old is the second book in the Memory Of Stone series published June 8, 2021. It follows and continues the journey of Nyx, Egan, Cecily and Gannon. It is pure fantasy and doesn't hold back on adventure, romance and suspense.

Jun 11, 202130:14

Ep. 9: Recommending | 5 books + 1 to get you out of a reading slump

In this Episode, I'll be sharing 5 books + 1 that are guaranteed to pull you out of a reading slump. These books range from intense, to playful to less intense but are packed with so much drama and suspense and some cliffhangers. They're books that I found to have helped get me back to reading after getting frustrated from a reading slump. Read my reviews of Pet, Silver Sparrow and Easy Motion Tourist.

Follow my Instagram reviews here

Jun 04, 202139:11

Ep 2: Recommending | Books for New Readers.

Today I'm sharing with you four books, all written by women, that I think is a good start for new readers and folks who are looking to get back into the reading game.
Books mentioned are:

The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives by Lola Shoneyin

Stay with Me by Ayobami Adebayo

Second-Class Citizen by Buchi Emecheta

Ogadinma by Ukamaka Olisakwe

All book can be purchased from these bookstore and more: Rovingheights, OuidaBooks, BookPeddler, MasobeBooks and a lot of others mentioned in this episode.
Please subscribe and share to all of your friends because there's so much love in sharing!

Jun 03, 202140:34

Ep. 8: Reviewing | His Only Wife by Peace Adzo Medie

Reviewing debut book by Peace Adzo Medie set in Ghana

May 28, 202142:10

Ep. 7: Reading | Son of The Storm by Suyi Davies

Today I'm reading an excerpt from one of the most anticipated books in 2021. Son of The Storm gives off an afro-futuristic vibes and it's a fantasy book based on Africa. There'll be a Global South Blog Tour starting 22/05/2021 (Saturday). Accounts mentioned in the podcast are: @decentred_lit, @suyidavies, @joanzoya, @ghbookjunkie.

May 21, 202130:01

Ep. 6: Reviewing | The Mountains Sing & Ru

Today's episode is a review and reflection as well as comparison between two books written by Vietnamese women where they showed us the impact the Viet Nam war had on them and their families. Both books were similar and different but they both did the same thing; bringing to light the Viet Nam war and all of the many disasters caused by the war.

Apr 30, 202101:11:29

Ep.5: Reading | Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

I decided to read Homegoing and it seemed appropriate for all that's going on right now. Homegoing tells the story of two sisters spanning through generations. It fits into one prompt on The Something Bookish Reading Challenge and I think it should be experienced.

Apr 16, 202147:50

Ep. 4: Reviewing | The First Woman by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi

Since this podcast started out with reading an excerpt from The First Woman, it seemed appropriate to review it at the end of the month. This book captured everything that is feminism, giving themes of motherhood, family and friendship.

If you haven't read this, then I suggest you pick it up, beautifully written as always with history being the background of the story and never for once coming into the foreground and overshadowing it.