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Sister Spirit
A supernatural thriller, blending African myth, friendship, romance and self-discovery from prize-winning author, Efua Traoré.
Sixteen-year-old adopted Tara has questions – about who she is, where she belongs, why she dreams... When her nightmares darken, fears swarm like a flock of ravens and she traces her visions to the ancient Olumo Rock in Nigeria. It is a sacred place, full of magic, myth, and where whispers of the past linger.
Travelling from England and enrolling in a boarding school at the foot of Olumo, Tara begins a journey to seek the truth of her roots and the spirits that pursue her.
Sixteen-year-old adopted Tara has questions – about who she is, where she belongs, why she dreams... When her nightmares darken, fears swarm like a flock of ravens and she traces her visions to the ancient Olumo Rock in Nigeria. It is a sacred place, full of magic, myth, and where whispers of the past linger.
Travelling from England and enrolling in a boarding school at the foot of Olumo, Tara begins a journey to seek the truth of her roots and the spirits that pursue her.
320 pages, Paperback
First published April 11, 2024
2 people are currently reading
119 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
March 24, 2024
4 ✰
➸YA/ Children's, Mystery/Thriller,
This book was absolutely amazing, a huge thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this!
༄ؘI'm going to try to stay as spoiler-free as possible, but there will probably be a few mild spoilers in my review.
✎﹏ Plot
Our journey starts when 16 year old Tara, adopted at just 2 years old by white parents, starts getting weird nightmares that have her wake up screaming every night.
So naturally, Tara starts searching for answers from her adoptive parents about her biological ones, leading her to believe she has to go to Abeokuta, Nigeria to find out what is happening to her.
Long story short, Tara and her father go to Abeokuta on a trip that is supposed to last only a week. But surprise! Tara decides to beg her parents to let her enroll into "the boarding school down the road" from their hotel. And for some reason they do? That detail seemed rather Impulsive but who am I to judge. Then some weird things start happening, and you have to read to find out.
✎﹏ Characters
༄ؘ Tara is our main character, described as having a "curly Afro and brown skin". She is very clever, smart, and witty. Her overall personality is very bubbly and impulsive, but she's also very clueless sometimes ;).
༄ؘ Bisi and Lanre are Tara's new best friends at the boarding school, Bisi being her dorm mate as well, who go on adventures with Tara and help her with her situation.
'"Because I care for you, you are my friend and I would never abandon you. I know keep inside you're good."'
༄ؘ Lola is Tara's arch nemesis and dorm mate, but as the story progresses so does the girls' relationship
༄ؘMrs Abimbola is Funmi's hostel manager (Funmi is the name of Tara's dorm) she is trying to be strict and enforce rules, but ends up being straight up cruel.
'"I can't believe making out or reading romances is the same level as stealing"
"In Mrs Ambidola's world definitely"'
✎﹏ Overall I really enjoyed this book and I'd definitely recommend it to my friends :)
tl; dr; Read this book, It's worth it!
➸YA/ Children's, Mystery/Thriller,
This book was absolutely amazing, a huge thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this!
༄ؘI'm going to try to stay as spoiler-free as possible, but there will probably be a few mild spoilers in my review.
✎﹏ Plot
Our journey starts when 16 year old Tara, adopted at just 2 years old by white parents, starts getting weird nightmares that have her wake up screaming every night.
So naturally, Tara starts searching for answers from her adoptive parents about her biological ones, leading her to believe she has to go to Abeokuta, Nigeria to find out what is happening to her.
Long story short, Tara and her father go to Abeokuta on a trip that is supposed to last only a week. But surprise! Tara decides to beg her parents to let her enroll into "the boarding school down the road" from their hotel. And for some reason they do? That detail seemed rather Impulsive but who am I to judge. Then some weird things start happening, and you have to read to find out.
✎﹏ Characters
༄ؘ Tara is our main character, described as having a "curly Afro and brown skin". She is very clever, smart, and witty. Her overall personality is very bubbly and impulsive, but she's also very clueless sometimes ;).
༄ؘ Bisi and Lanre are Tara's new best friends at the boarding school, Bisi being her dorm mate as well, who go on adventures with Tara and help her with her situation.
'"Because I care for you, you are my friend and I would never abandon you. I know keep inside you're good."'
༄ؘ Lola is Tara's arch nemesis and dorm mate, but as the story progresses so does the girls' relationship
༄ؘMrs Abimbola is Funmi's hostel manager (Funmi is the name of Tara's dorm) she is trying to be strict and enforce rules, but ends up being straight up cruel.
'"I can't believe making out or reading romances is the same level as stealing"
"In Mrs Ambidola's world definitely"'
✎﹏ Overall I really enjoyed this book and I'd definitely recommend it to my friends :)
tl; dr; Read this book, It's worth it!
October 6, 2024
This was a delightful read!
If Efua Traore writes it , I would read it. I like the way research was done and the way she blended the historical aspect. This was fast-paced and had me on the edge of my seat. I highly recommend this for fantasy lovers. Nigerian fantasy will rock your socks off!
If Efua Traore writes it , I would read it. I like the way research was done and the way she blended the historical aspect. This was fast-paced and had me on the edge of my seat. I highly recommend this for fantasy lovers. Nigerian fantasy will rock your socks off!
October 5, 2024
Sister Spirit is a story of self-discovery and finding one's true identity with Tara our protagonist wanting to know more about where she came from.
We travel alongside Tara to Nigeria as she wishes to study abroad which admittedly did have me as a parent wondering just how her parents can just accept it without question. There's not a chance my child would have been allowed to be left on the other side of the world - fiction or not. (Yes, I'm aware it's a silly thing to be stuck on when this is a book with a heavy focus on magic and the supernatural but there we go. It just niggled the Mum brain too much of the big no in my head.)
I do love how Efua Traoré writes about Olumo Rock, which is located in Abeokuta, Ogun State. For anyone such as myself who hadn't ever heard of this mythical place in Nigerian history? Traoré not only makes it feel as though the reader is facing this vast natural edifice but under the all-knowing gaze of those who protect it from damage. Thanks to Sister Spirit I found myself reading and learning not only about the stone itself but Iya Orissa the Priestess of the rock.
But I digress.
Sister Spirit is a consuming narrative that had me unable to put the book down once the story got going. (It did feel a little slow at first but then wow!) I thought that Tara was a realistic main character in as much as she's very determined and assured in what she needs to do, she also is all top aware once she's in Nigeria that she's suddenly out of her comfort zone and in dire need of support from those around her. With some stereotyping of boarding schools and crushes on the boys in the school across the way as a contrast to the supernatural and darker elements to the story; Sister Spirit will have you on the edge of your seat both literal or metaphorical as the realities of Tara's decisions unfold.
Recommended for 12 and up, I would suggest it's perhaps a little more suited for 14 onwards due to the darker and more elemental parts of the story as it may make a younger reader feel a little unsettled.
I hope that there's more about Tara and her companions both in Nigeria and London as there's so much more I would love to know.
We travel alongside Tara to Nigeria as she wishes to study abroad which admittedly did have me as a parent wondering just how her parents can just accept it without question. There's not a chance my child would have been allowed to be left on the other side of the world - fiction or not. (Yes, I'm aware it's a silly thing to be stuck on when this is a book with a heavy focus on magic and the supernatural but there we go. It just niggled the Mum brain too much of the big no in my head.)
I do love how Efua Traoré writes about Olumo Rock, which is located in Abeokuta, Ogun State. For anyone such as myself who hadn't ever heard of this mythical place in Nigerian history? Traoré not only makes it feel as though the reader is facing this vast natural edifice but under the all-knowing gaze of those who protect it from damage. Thanks to Sister Spirit I found myself reading and learning not only about the stone itself but Iya Orissa the Priestess of the rock.
But I digress.
Sister Spirit is a consuming narrative that had me unable to put the book down once the story got going. (It did feel a little slow at first but then wow!) I thought that Tara was a realistic main character in as much as she's very determined and assured in what she needs to do, she also is all top aware once she's in Nigeria that she's suddenly out of her comfort zone and in dire need of support from those around her. With some stereotyping of boarding schools and crushes on the boys in the school across the way as a contrast to the supernatural and darker elements to the story; Sister Spirit will have you on the edge of your seat both literal or metaphorical as the realities of Tara's decisions unfold.
Recommended for 12 and up, I would suggest it's perhaps a little more suited for 14 onwards due to the darker and more elemental parts of the story as it may make a younger reader feel a little unsettled.
I hope that there's more about Tara and her companions both in Nigeria and London as there's so much more I would love to know.
April 19, 2024
Whilst the start of this book was a little slow it got really interesting once the setting changed from England to Nigeria!! The vibrancy of the writing really shone through and the story came alive from then.
I thoroughly enjoyed the relationships forged by Tara in her new surroundings and her self discovery throughout whilst also learning more about Nigeria and its culture.
I actually finished this book wanting to read more about Tara’s life afterwards and what she and her friends got up to next. What else did she learn about her Nigerian ancestry and culture?! Efua?! Is there a follow up? Even a short story 🙏🏽
A great addition to any high school library.
I thoroughly enjoyed the relationships forged by Tara in her new surroundings and her self discovery throughout whilst also learning more about Nigeria and its culture.
I actually finished this book wanting to read more about Tara’s life afterwards and what she and her friends got up to next. What else did she learn about her Nigerian ancestry and culture?! Efua?! Is there a follow up? Even a short story 🙏🏽
A great addition to any high school library.
August 16, 2024
With thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
#SisterSpirit
A solid YA read that will be a brilliant addition to the teenage reading canon for 2024.
Telling the powerful, intriguing and sometimes horror-tinged tale of ___ on a quest to resolve her debilitating nightmares and learn more about her family heritage, Traore writes with urgency and relatability.
The narrative is gripping and easy enough to follow, without over-complicating the premise. That is not to also say that is does not have a thrilling and page-turning edge to it that makes it undeniably readable. Mixing the more nostalgic premise of boarding school with the haunting dreamscape of ancient Olumo Rock in Nigeria, we follow the story of Tara who enrols at a Nigerian boarding school, despite reservation from her parents and London-based friends, in a bid for self-definition and discovery.
The characters across the breadth of this novel have voices which speak authentically to their age, but equally have something pressing and powerful to say about the personal nature of history or heritage. The book also adeptly presents ideas about secrets that do not need to exist between parents and children. Most readers will identify with at least one of the characters created to tell this story - be it parent, teacher, friend or enemy.
The novel's structure works well to maintain pace and that thriller-edge that bumps this offering a little bit above the more standardised teen mystery. There is a pull because of the prose's syntax working to present such vivid imagery during Tara's nightmares and the switching of tone between her reality and dreamscape that gives some sophistication to Sister Spirit - there is huge crossover potential here into adult readership too. Contrasting this to the reality of Tara's world at the boarding school further elevates the thriller-like mystery of her quest for answers.
Overall a brilliant offering for the older teen reader, which will engage and delight.
#SisterSpirit
A solid YA read that will be a brilliant addition to the teenage reading canon for 2024.
Telling the powerful, intriguing and sometimes horror-tinged tale of ___ on a quest to resolve her debilitating nightmares and learn more about her family heritage, Traore writes with urgency and relatability.
The narrative is gripping and easy enough to follow, without over-complicating the premise. That is not to also say that is does not have a thrilling and page-turning edge to it that makes it undeniably readable. Mixing the more nostalgic premise of boarding school with the haunting dreamscape of ancient Olumo Rock in Nigeria, we follow the story of Tara who enrols at a Nigerian boarding school, despite reservation from her parents and London-based friends, in a bid for self-definition and discovery.
The characters across the breadth of this novel have voices which speak authentically to their age, but equally have something pressing and powerful to say about the personal nature of history or heritage. The book also adeptly presents ideas about secrets that do not need to exist between parents and children. Most readers will identify with at least one of the characters created to tell this story - be it parent, teacher, friend or enemy.
The novel's structure works well to maintain pace and that thriller-edge that bumps this offering a little bit above the more standardised teen mystery. There is a pull because of the prose's syntax working to present such vivid imagery during Tara's nightmares and the switching of tone between her reality and dreamscape that gives some sophistication to Sister Spirit - there is huge crossover potential here into adult readership too. Contrasting this to the reality of Tara's world at the boarding school further elevates the thriller-like mystery of her quest for answers.
Overall a brilliant offering for the older teen reader, which will engage and delight.
November 11, 2024
Sister Spirit is a story that focuses on identity, belonging, and self-discovery, all mixed with the supernatural.
It’s a fast and easy read, so if you’re looking to get some West African myth in your reading life, this is a great book to pick up.
The characters we follow closely within the book are complicated but feel very real. I enjoyed the journey they went on. It handles some complicated topics with grace, but gives you the emotion and sense of adventure a young character feels when trying to find themselves.
I did struggle a little with the main character's relationship with her adoptive parents though. I wanted a little more of that, to go deeper so it would give the story more weight and grounding. That part felt rushed to get us to the 'better' part of the story faster.
I enjoyed learning more about West African Mythology through the lens of what felt like a lived experience. Getting to see some Nigerian representation and being immersed in that world was a huge pull for this book.
Wondering if this mythology book is for you? Here’s some at-a-glance info:
* Spice levels: Very low levels, just kissing.
* Fantasy levels: West African spirits and ancestors galore!
* Rep: Queer rep.
* Trigger warnings: Mental health, homophobia.
* The format I read it in: Physical.
For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel.
Want to understand my book rating system? You can find it
It’s a fast and easy read, so if you’re looking to get some West African myth in your reading life, this is a great book to pick up.
The characters we follow closely within the book are complicated but feel very real. I enjoyed the journey they went on. It handles some complicated topics with grace, but gives you the emotion and sense of adventure a young character feels when trying to find themselves.
I did struggle a little with the main character's relationship with her adoptive parents though. I wanted a little more of that, to go deeper so it would give the story more weight and grounding. That part felt rushed to get us to the 'better' part of the story faster.
I enjoyed learning more about West African Mythology through the lens of what felt like a lived experience. Getting to see some Nigerian representation and being immersed in that world was a huge pull for this book.
Wondering if this mythology book is for you? Here’s some at-a-glance info:
* Spice levels: Very low levels, just kissing.
* Fantasy levels: West African spirits and ancestors galore!
* Rep: Queer rep.
* Trigger warnings: Mental health, homophobia.
* The format I read it in: Physical.
For more reviews and book recommendations, check out my YouTube channel.
Want to understand my book rating system? You can find it
August 2, 2025
This book is a YA mystery with a chilling twist. It follows Tara, a girl adopted and raised in England, who begins having vivid nightmares, so real they leave her waking up in fear. The dreams are strange, unsettling, and always seem to lead back to one place: Olumo Rock in Nigeria.
Desperate for answers, she convinces her parents to let her visit Nigeria. But when she enrolls in a school near Olumo Rock, things only get stranger. The dreams intensify. She feels an unexplained pull toward the rock like it's calling her. Memories she doesn't remember.
Visions she can't explain. And the question that haunts her more than anything else: Are they just dreams... or something more?
This book was thrilling! Some parts even had me a little scared and the mystery kept me hooked. The chapters are short (which I love) you just keep flipping through without realizing.
What I didn't love so much is that the beginning was a bit slow for me and also the transitions were sometimes confusing.
Overall, I really enjoyed it and would absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for a YA mystery with a Nigerian boarding school setting and supernatural elements. If you're into short chapters, creepy dreams, this one's for you!
Desperate for answers, she convinces her parents to let her visit Nigeria. But when she enrolls in a school near Olumo Rock, things only get stranger. The dreams intensify. She feels an unexplained pull toward the rock like it's calling her. Memories she doesn't remember.
Visions she can't explain. And the question that haunts her more than anything else: Are they just dreams... or something more?
This book was thrilling! Some parts even had me a little scared and the mystery kept me hooked. The chapters are short (which I love) you just keep flipping through without realizing.
What I didn't love so much is that the beginning was a bit slow for me and also the transitions were sometimes confusing.
Overall, I really enjoyed it and would absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for a YA mystery with a Nigerian boarding school setting and supernatural elements. If you're into short chapters, creepy dreams, this one's for you!
April 1, 2024
📚 Book Review 📚
This story is set against the spiritual backdrop of Olumo Rock in Nigeria and follows sixteen year old Tara, an adopted girl from London, who is trying to find her roots and discover more about herself.
When Tara travels to Nigeria, the nightmares she experienced at home intensify and if it wasn’t for her friends Bisi and Larne, these nightmares could consume her. The friendships she makes will be her saviour.
This is a very good teen read. There are ghostly, spiritual elements, a villain with a secret she has to hide and the description of the friendships made at the boarding school Tara goes to, are strong and realistic.
I loved the ghostly element to the tale and felt that it was well written and easy to read. I really enjoyed it and would recommend this book.
I’d like to thank Head of Zeus Publishing, NetGalley and the author for the arc and the fantastic opportunity, in exchange for my honest feedback 😊
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This story is set against the spiritual backdrop of Olumo Rock in Nigeria and follows sixteen year old Tara, an adopted girl from London, who is trying to find her roots and discover more about herself.
When Tara travels to Nigeria, the nightmares she experienced at home intensify and if it wasn’t for her friends Bisi and Larne, these nightmares could consume her. The friendships she makes will be her saviour.
This is a very good teen read. There are ghostly, spiritual elements, a villain with a secret she has to hide and the description of the friendships made at the boarding school Tara goes to, are strong and realistic.
I loved the ghostly element to the tale and felt that it was well written and easy to read. I really enjoyed it and would recommend this book.
I’d like to thank Head of Zeus Publishing, NetGalley and the author for the arc and the fantastic opportunity, in exchange for my honest feedback 😊
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
October 1, 2024
Although this novel is for 12 years onwards, I absolutely loved every second of it. At the tender age of 5 Tara came home from school crying by being verbally bullied with the colour of her brown skin, that’s totally different to her parents. Then the truth comes out from Tara’s adoptive parents, she has another mummy. Tara’s dreams are very real like, with strange, gusts of wind, and her mattress felt like a hard rock. She was able to see a bright light, with seeing a strange woman, on a rock. But who was the woman in her dreams that she was seeing. After Tara’s weird dreams I knew she must be gifted with the spirit world through her dreams. This is Tara’s journey in search for her roots. I have always been interested in anything supernatural. Sister Spirit is one of the best spiritual novels that should be read with the light on! A fascinating, powerful story with African myth, a magical feeling, superstition, spirits, supernatural.
July 19, 2024
Thank you to the publisher – Head of Zeus – for giving me access to this book as an E-ARC via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Adoptee Tara tries to find out more about her biological family and does an exchange in Nigeria to do so. It is an interesting blend of cultural shock, trying to fit in and a supernatural/fantastical element as Tara discovers more about herself and her past.
The characters are supposed to be sixteen but to me they all read a few years younger than that. They were all quite childish in a way I feel sixteen-year-olds aren’t. That’s one of the critiques I have. Other than that it is a pretty familiar story of being the new person in school, being new to a culture and just trying to fit in.
Always nice to learn something new about other parts of the world and different cultures with stories, mythology and the like.
Adoptee Tara tries to find out more about her biological family and does an exchange in Nigeria to do so. It is an interesting blend of cultural shock, trying to fit in and a supernatural/fantastical element as Tara discovers more about herself and her past.
The characters are supposed to be sixteen but to me they all read a few years younger than that. They were all quite childish in a way I feel sixteen-year-olds aren’t. That’s one of the critiques I have. Other than that it is a pretty familiar story of being the new person in school, being new to a culture and just trying to fit in.
Always nice to learn something new about other parts of the world and different cultures with stories, mythology and the like.
October 25, 2024
This book was different than what I expected but it was good. It was a very light read I spent 2 actual days reading it, um I didn’t like all the juju and superstitions but I just don’t like juju and witchcraft anyways. Lanre and Tara were cute, I liked lanre having a relationship w bise and bise friendship with Tara. I loved the character development of Lola and I’m ngl as soon as she read the sevens husbands ik she was a lesbian. The link between omotara and Tara was also perfect and I liked how it reflected the family life’s of ofeefee and dudu, Tara having a white family all be it troubled while omi was an orphan just like Dudu. I also loved that Tara mourned omis death unknowingly, but I do have a question about why the baby is white and the link to the mission. Did he rape her? Um I also loved reading in pidgin it’s just makes me feel so seen. So yeah solid book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 20, 2025
Started this book 12:24am finished 3:00am, and I want to say Damnnnnnnnnnn this book is lit, it kit excitement throughout my veins and fed my juju fantasy I love juju and magical stories 🤭
Tara is an adopted child, she's been having dreams strange dreams that make her act weirdly in physical world the dreams are messing my girl up, seeing the dreams lead to olumo rock in Abeokuta, she picks her things and begin her self discovery journey that started with her adopted father.
this story explore the LGBTQ community how homophobic the country is how partial an unfair people in the community are seen and treated.
the book explores themes of friendship, Love, self discovery, identity, racism,anger, loneliness,siblinghood motherhood, hypocrisy ohhhh Mrs. Abimbola heavens help me I want to scratch her eyes.
I loved the way African stories blended into this book
it's a 5⭐ read for me
Tara is an adopted child, she's been having dreams strange dreams that make her act weirdly in physical world the dreams are messing my girl up, seeing the dreams lead to olumo rock in Abeokuta, she picks her things and begin her self discovery journey that started with her adopted father.
this story explore the LGBTQ community how homophobic the country is how partial an unfair people in the community are seen and treated.
the book explores themes of friendship, Love, self discovery, identity, racism,anger, loneliness,siblinghood motherhood, hypocrisy ohhhh Mrs. Abimbola heavens help me I want to scratch her eyes.
I loved the way African stories blended into this book
it's a 5⭐ read for me
March 10, 2024
I devoured this book on the space of 24 hours. The writing was so easy to slip into. I never felt the urge to grab for my phone while reading. The description was ritch without being overly disruptive which I loved!. However, I did find the shift from London to Nigeria was very swift and unexpected.
Taras journey of finding her home and herself within herself, her adopted family, her past, and with new friends was beautiful.
The found family between Bisi, Lanre, and Tara was absolutely phenomenal. The bond they built was beautiful. They believe in her even when she struggled to believe in herself.
Lola is proof that hurt people hurt people. While reading I STRUGGLED to give grace but hold tight and give her time because she does develop as a character.
I really enjoyed the history of Olumo Rock, as a Nigerian born in the UK I don't know as much as I would like about Nigerian Landmarks and the hairy behind them. This provided me with the perfect introduction to this part of Nigerian history.
Taras journey of finding her home and herself within herself, her adopted family, her past, and with new friends was beautiful.
The found family between Bisi, Lanre, and Tara was absolutely phenomenal. The bond they built was beautiful. They believe in her even when she struggled to believe in herself.
Lola is proof that hurt people hurt people. While reading I STRUGGLED to give grace but hold tight and give her time because she does develop as a character.
I really enjoyed the history of Olumo Rock, as a Nigerian born in the UK I don't know as much as I would like about Nigerian Landmarks and the hairy behind them. This provided me with the perfect introduction to this part of Nigerian history.
June 4, 2025
There were lots of good bits - strong themes of ancestral trauma, spirituality and Nigerian folklore. But the structure was messy, and as a listener, I found it downright confuslecating. Timelines blurred, family lines didn’t quite make sense (how can someone be your great-great-great grandmother when they died as a child?), and by the end I wasn’t sure who was dead, cursed, symbolic, or all three. It had real potential, but felt less than the sum of its parts.
December 31, 2024
I was expecting to but I really enjoyed this book. I was absolutely hooked and the shirt chapters made me fly through. I was invested in Tara's life as well as the mystery surrounding her history and how it unravels through the book. I also liked the characters and how invested I got in their lives and stories. However I was a little confused with the ending and I'm not really sure how it ended
August 26, 2025
Two things are still open imo
Why did Lola flirt with Lanre when she is lesbian? Only bc she wants to annoy Tara?
And what was this wind that convinced Tara‘s dad to let her stay in Nigeria? Are Dudu‘s powers so strong?
I‘m a little sad when didn’t see more of Maxine
Bisi is a true friend, literally my favorite character 💛
Why did Lola flirt with Lanre when she is lesbian? Only bc she wants to annoy Tara?
And what was this wind that convinced Tara‘s dad to let her stay in Nigeria? Are Dudu‘s powers so strong?
I‘m a little sad when didn’t see more of Maxine
Bisi is a true friend, literally my favorite character 💛
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2024
Tara is a teenage black girl adopted by white parents in the UK. She is plagued by bad dreams for as long as she can remember. In her dreams she can hear a woman screaming for Jimmi. Finally she realizes that her dreams correspond to a real place– Nigeria.
Once Tara realizes that images from her dream are real, she convinces her parents to let her go to Nigeria. While she is visiting the country with her father, she finds out that there is a boarding school that she can attend. She slowly adjusts to boarding school life in general and life in Nigeria too. There is friendship, mystery, and a bit of romance in the story.
Efua’s writing captured my attention immediately. She manages to intrigue and educate the reader at the same time. It is very easy to read. I gave it 4.75 stars on Storygraph. I am excited to recommend it to people I know. Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the free Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for an honest review.
Once Tara realizes that images from her dream are real, she convinces her parents to let her go to Nigeria. While she is visiting the country with her father, she finds out that there is a boarding school that she can attend. She slowly adjusts to boarding school life in general and life in Nigeria too. There is friendship, mystery, and a bit of romance in the story.
Efua’s writing captured my attention immediately. She manages to intrigue and educate the reader at the same time. It is very easy to read. I gave it 4.75 stars on Storygraph. I am excited to recommend it to people I know. Thank you to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for the free Advanced Reader’s Copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 25, 2024
Heartfelt, thoughtful & highly entertaining.
I enjoyed this book and all of its themes!
The tenderness of the protagonist to find herself was inspiring and I loved reading about the historical and mythological aspects of the book.
I enjoyed this book and all of its themes!
The tenderness of the protagonist to find herself was inspiring and I loved reading about the historical and mythological aspects of the book.
September 6, 2024
I actually rated this 3.5 ⭐️. I loved the setting, the Nigerian mythology and spooky elements of the book, I loved the use of dreams. I thought some of the dialogue was stilted and cringey at times but I enjoyed the story and would recommend this book.
April 7, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. The relationships between the girls in the school were beautifully observed and it was easy to imagine yourself there. #netgalley
September 26, 2024
What a delicious read where the protagonist goes on a journey to discover herself.
October 25, 2024
The book catered to the Nigerian boarding school horror story I’ve always craved mixed with perfect cringey secondary school lingo, friendship and a bit of romance.
September 24, 2025
I really enjoyed how immersive the book is. The story itself, both present and past, is so intriguing.
December 5, 2025
I'm reading a selection of teen reader books for my school's reading feast. this is the third and the story is bright and imaginative.
August 7, 2025
Wenn das Buch seine Zielaltersgruppe nicht so verfehlen würde, hätte es wirklich gut sein können. Die Geschichte ist spannend, mit liebenswerten Charakteren und interessanten Themen. Das Problem ist, dass wenn ich es mit 16, also dem Alter der Protagonistin, gelesen hätte, ich ziemlich beleidigt darüber gewesen wäre, wie simpel und direkt alles dargestellt ist. Mit etwa 11 Jahren hingegen hätte ich es sicher geliebt, von daher finde ich, dass dies ein Kinder- statt Jugendbuch hätte sein sollen.
May 24, 2024
This was a lovely book about family and finding identity. It was written with compassion and heart. The thing I loved most was that Tara clearly came from a loving adopted home where she was loved and happy before she began her search for identity.
I loved how the supernatural elements were intertwined with the very familiar story about the search for one’s roots. The prophetic dreams woven between chapters and the ghost stories at the school were brilliant. It was good to see the yoruba culture and the ghost stories reflecting Tara’s Nigerian identity.
I honestly read this in a day. It was short and gripping and I just sped through it. I loved Tara and the other characters at the boarding school. While I thought that perhaps Tara’s parents were a bit quick to agree to just leave her in Nigeria, I think there was a supernatural explanation? Whatever was drawing Tara to Olumo rock was perhaps affecting her dad too? But it was slightly unclear.
Overall though this was just a brilliant book. I definitely want to go and read the author’s other stuff.
I received this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. Cross posted to thewhisperingofthepages.co.uk
I loved how the supernatural elements were intertwined with the very familiar story about the search for one’s roots. The prophetic dreams woven between chapters and the ghost stories at the school were brilliant. It was good to see the yoruba culture and the ghost stories reflecting Tara’s Nigerian identity.
I honestly read this in a day. It was short and gripping and I just sped through it. I loved Tara and the other characters at the boarding school. While I thought that perhaps Tara’s parents were a bit quick to agree to just leave her in Nigeria, I think there was a supernatural explanation? Whatever was drawing Tara to Olumo rock was perhaps affecting her dad too? But it was slightly unclear.
Overall though this was just a brilliant book. I definitely want to go and read the author’s other stuff.
I received this gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. Cross posted to thewhisperingofthepages.co.uk
July 26, 2024
Overall I think this was a cute and fun read. I love a coming of age story where a character goes on a journey to find out who they are by exploring the culture they come from and the author does this so well in this book.
I will say the beginning in really slow and a bit hard to get into. I really had to push to keep going but once the setting changed to Nigeria it began to really pick up pace. (To be honest though it felt a bit rushed or like weird that the parents let their child go to a boarding school in a foreign country with little information but I digress)
The main little friend group was so sweet to read. The characters were written extremely well. There was a lovely sprinkling of the supernatural with some ghostly elements. And a really good villain character that didn’t feel too cliche.
All in all a really good read would recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley, Efua Traoré and Head of Zeus Publishing for the arc
January 16, 2025
This was one of the best books I’ve read.Although it was my first teenager book I loved the plot and the title doesn’t really give much away from the book which I thought it was giving things away.It is about this girl and she goes to Nigeria to find her birth dad only to find that she can’t find him but she has found the answer to these mysterious dreams which she has every now and then .I liked reading about her journey.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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