Welcome to Litsy!

This little piece of wood is one of my favorite things I found during the bookstore crawl last week. Slide your thumb in the middle, and it helps you hold your book open with one hand. I love it!

I listened to Binti last week and was impressed with how much the author packed into such a short novella! This is my second book by her and I‘m struck by how vivid a picture she paints with her words.

You‘re two for two with #AuldLangSpine picks, @jenniferw88 !

Binti and her worlds captivated me! Although I am not a big science fiction reader, I plan to read the rest of the trilogy. Thank you for inspiring me to pick this up through the #AuthorAMonth challenge, @Soubhiville !

This story was so short I never had the time to get invested in it. Which is a pity because despite the fact that it is set in space and aliens I unexpected liked it!

Thanks for sharing it with me Meg 🤍 now I‘ve been able to finish the #Afrofuturistic prompt for #Booked2023!

#FoodAndLit #Nigeria

Dare I make a #WeeklyForecast while I have hardly been able to read for the past two weeks? Yes I do! Because I am enjoying When We Fell Apart (thanks to your review @Centique that made me pick it up) and am looking forward to Binti for #Booked2023. The third one I bought based on a review but I have no idea where I read that review!

Missing you Cindy 😘

This was a quick read in one sitting. Most of the story takes place while Binti is en route to university on a starship that gets invaded and she has to step in. I wanted to like this, but it felt like there were a few plot holes (including a big one that I won‘t say because it‘s a spoiler) and also what I always struggle with sci-fi/fantasy—believing the world building. I did like the premise, though, so I might try something else by this author.

This novella featuring a girl from a reclusive, homebound people leaving home to accept a place at an intergalactic university has a sympathetic, unique main character and great world building. My only complaint is that the conflict seems to resolve altogether too easily. #authoramonth

I enjoyed this very much for #AuthorAMonth. Binti is a Master Harmonizer, she sees beauty in numbers. She sees the world around her in numbers, so she sees the beauty all around. When she encounters an alien race for the first time she is harmonizing a peace between them and humanity. I listened to this in audio format and the narrator‘s voice was especially lovely.

My first book by #nnediokorafor. The excellent narration on the audio transported me to Oomza Uni along with 16 year old Binti. She was the first human accepted to the prestigious intergalactic university. Brave,strong, determined and proud, but it is her skill as a “master harmonizer” that will save the day. Fast paced. #authoramonth Thank you, @Soubhiville for encouraging me to try a new author to me!

Lordy! I‘ve been reading but too exhausted for social media or to write reviews. I did make time to eat lunch with a friend yesterday and tried a new wrap!

I enjoyed this novella about a young girl sneaking away from her secretive tribe to attend uni on another planet. When disaster strikes on the way there, she may be the only one who can stop a war. #AuthorAMonth

On to you @BarbaraBB ! 💜

Interesting world building. I enjoyed this but glad it was short. My one criticism will be in comments as a spoiler. Not sure if I will continue on with the series. 3.5 🌟

#SummerEndReadathon

I really liked this one! Read for #authoramonth I think I may try the next in the series, or I also have a kindle version of Remote.

This was a pick for me but not a resounding one. It‘s short enough that I listened to the entire thing this morning. It employs things I‘ve seen since in Afrofuturist literature but that if I‘d actually read this when it came out in 2015 would have seemed groundbreaking. I found this world easy to get lost in and I‘m invested enough in the story to read book 2 of the trilogy and see if our characters grow in complexity and subtlety. #AuthorAMonth

I‘m so happy Nnedi is the #AuthorAMonth bc her work has been on my TBR forever! Just took a quick scan of Amazon‘s Prime/Audible originals and she has two original short stories on there for free if you have Amazon Prime! Will try this one first 💖

This was a pretty good sci-fi novella about a young girl from the Himba tribe. Though this was a short book, it had great world building. I loved that the main character was a mathematician and I loved howher culture was explained within the story. My only complaint about this book was that it's too short. 4✨️

#bookspinbingo #12 @TheAromaofBooks #ispybingo @Clwojick

This could have been longer. Just when I thought I had the hang of the world-building the novella ended. Will probably pick up the subsequent stories in the series.

#SeriesLove2023 @TheSpineView @Andrew65

#Booked2023 @alisiakae @BarbaraTheBibliophage @Cinfhen
#AfrofuturismBook

I have to say this is the most striking cover I have ever seen.

A science fiction novella about an isolated girl from Africa who gets a full scholarship to a university on a faraway planet. Binti is super smart. There is a lot of talk about math and science here that is hard to follow. The ship is highjacked by a species called the Meduse, who kill everyone on the ship except Binti and the pilot. The ending felt very simplistic and unrealistic.

December #bookspin @TheAromaofBooks

Hmm. Not sure I'll continue this series. I'll try the next one and see. Not that I didn't like it, just wasn't drawn in the way I like to be.

I have to say I wouldn‘t have chosen to read this had it not been for #pop22 #ownvoicesSFF, and I chose it because it was so short.

However, I did enjoy it (loved the narrator on audio) but don‘t think I‘ll read further on in the trilogy; it‘s just not my genre.

Would also work for #hugoawardwinner too.

3⭐️ I went into this with high expectations, mostly because of all the glowing reviews. What I got was a short story of a girl trying to survive murderous jellyfish like aliens. Because the book is so short, there isn‘t a whole lot of time to explain things and so I felt dumped into a world I know nothing about and still felt that way at the end. This one just didn‘t do it for me.

What a cool start! Audio is 💯!!

FINALLY got to this one, after being sold on it via endorsements from my library's personalized recommendation service, so many book podcasters, and countless folks here! And I've recently heard several educators praise its relevance for those of us working with college students, so that was a bonus push. It, of course, was great! I look forward to continuing the series soon.

Book 1.5 of the Binti series, this short story delved into Binti‘s PTSD following the massacre in the ship that carried her to Oomza Uni. It helped flesh out Okwu‘s character, and introduced some new friends that I really like!

There is so much depth and nuance to this novella! I love the world building. Sentient jellyfish-like aliens, an elite university attended by beings from all over the galaxy, and so much more that I hope to learn more about in the rest of the series.

#pop21 #afrofuturism

I had a great weekend - read two books 😁! Highly recommend Binti - it was amazing.

⚔️⚔️⚔️

#binti #nnediokorafor #kindle #kindlequotes #quote #bookquotes

I was interested in this based on all the hype I had heard surrounding it, I had my book club read it. I enjoyed the story tho I did feel like it ended abruptly (tho that may have to do with it having more in the series), and I wish the author had been just a little more descriptive because I did have a little bit of a time picturing some of the scenes and things that were described.
I do think that I may continue on with the series later.
#binti

I‘m not a big scifi girl, but I enjoyed this. This was very creative and the world-building was great. Binti was a great character too!

#bookspinbingo - I‘m sooo close to a 3rd bingo but I seriously doubt I can pull it off!

#pop21 - an Afrofuturist book

Interesting young adult science fiction novella about a young girls trip to a far off university. I can see why this won so many awards. Well written and very creative. I‘m unlikely to pick up the rest of the trilogy but am glad to have read this one.

January 2021 round up!

Two re-reads in this batch, and 50% print vs. audio which might be my best ratio in months! 🤓

Favorite Book: Binti by Nnedi Okorafor

Least Favorite: Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline

#bookreport #roundrup #audiobooks #mysteries #scifi #library #libby #newyear

Popsugar Challenge #2

I cannot express how much I enjoyed this book and how riveting it was. Okorafor's writing is super engaging and her world building is beautiful. She will go down in history as the future of the science fiction literacy cannon.

#scifi #afrofuturist #novella #popsugar #readingchallange #audio #2021

I‘m not sure what I was expecting but this novella was pretty entertaining. I found Binti, a teenage mathematical genius, easy to root for and her story of leaving home relatable, although her quest to save the planet; not so much. Some parts felt REPETITIVE and there was very little plot/action but still, I was curious and engaged throughout the 3 hours. Robin Miles narration was fantastic. #pop21 #Afrofuturist #Booked2021 #SFWrittenByAFemale

At under 3 hours this should be a nice soft introduction into #SciFi and #AfroFuturist reading
#Booked2021 #Pop21
#DoubleDip

A interesting book/novella.
Read as part of the PopSugar Reading Challenge #popsugarreadingchallenge2021 4/5

*sigh* I‘m sorry...I really really wanted to enjoy this. All I can really say is a 90-page novella shouldn‘t feel as if I‘m reading a 1000 paged history book. The first 30 pages were convincing, but then everything went downhill and the second half was boring, tedious, and hard to understand. I respect everyone‘s praise for this book but it just wasn‘t for me. A shame because I really want to read Akata Witch.
Is Akata Witch better or not?
#binti

After some delay, I‘m continuing on with recommendations for #Booked2021 #Winter!

I‘m breaking the prompt “NF Science or Sci-fi written by a woman” into two groups.

These are my scifi suggestions, none of which I have read 🤣, because I don‘t read scifi very often. But all are on my TBR!

Drop your rec‘s ⤵️!

This is a fun fantasy adventure story. Binti leaves home (and Earth) to go study at university. While in transit, the ship is attacked by foreign creatures. And I think this mostly just sets the scene for the rest of the series. I like this author.

#BookSpinBingo free square
@TheAromaofBooks

⭐️⭐️⭐️ An unpopular opinion. Unfortunately it wasn‘t for me. On the positive side, Binti is the story of a strong & brave young woman. It carries the importance of family/culture/friendship, & what you as an individual (different/unique) are capable to do to defend your honor/roots/culture. She didn't want to lose her essence doing everything she could to protect it. I found that beautiful. A powerful message to every reader out there. #binti

Currently reading! 😃 #binti #reading #currentlyreading #book #scifi #readingchallenge #bookshelf

I'm picky about sci-fi. So very picky. But this one was fantastic. It hit so many different levels of introspection and understanding between different groups of people/beings and it does it in 90 pages. No words wasted.

Derpy face for a derpy video! 🤪. My October Wrap Up is posted and ready for viewing!

https://youtu.be/eer_4hxBm8g

#booktube #octoberwrapup #readingwrapup #wrapup

Can‘t wait to continue! I‘m not good at math but I‘ve always admired people who are, and a “magic system” based around math is pretty cool!
Also, I love this cover.

Very interesting ending and I liked it. I recommend it if you are into Scifi Fantasy

For being only 90 pages, there‘s a lot of story in here, but not as much as I wanted. I know it‘s the 1st in a trilogy but I don‘t know why such short works were separated. But I‘m def intrigued to read on. I‘m invested in Binti as a character & want to know what happens next for her. The world is fascinating too, even for a non-sci-fi fan like me. Just wish we got more backstory to start & more explanation of the ‘why‘ of it all. 3/5 ⭐️

Just because something isn‘t surprising doesn‘t mean it‘s easy to deal with.

A quick, enjoyable read ❤ at some point I will want to read the rest of the series as well.