Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me an ARC for Lionheart Girl.

Summary:

Born into a family of West African witches, Sheba's terrified of her mother who can turn into a crow. But like mother, like daughter – magic runs through her blood and Sheba discovers powers of her own.

Her touch can unravel people's innermost thoughts; their hopes, their fears – their secrets. Sheba too can shape-shift. Through the communion of ancient magic, blood and friendship, she slowly uncovers the murderous truth about her stolen childhood and steels herself for the future. She must protect the hunted from the hunter – her mother.

My thoughts:

Lionheart Girl was an interesting read, although slightly boring. I liked the book, I liked the plot but it fell a little short for me. I wasn't left with a lasting impression, but that's simply my opinion and I'm sure other people will love it. I went in expecting her mother to be this big bad woman and what I found mostly was a woman who stomped around a lot, smoked, and complained about her family. She acted more like a child than an antagonist and I found myself annoyed by her, rather than concerned for Sheba and her family.

Thank you to Netgalley and Zephyr Books for my advanced copy of Lionheart Girl by Yaba Badoe.

Lionheart Girl is the first book by Badoe's that I have read and what a read it was. With incredible world building that sends the author into West Africa and the heat of the jungles and the air that leaves dust across your skin as you meet Sheba who along with her Aunts, Grandmother and Baby Grandmother (her Great Aunt) are descendents of witches.

We follow the journey of Sheba as she learns about who she is, who her family are and what is expected of her and it's a journey that you can tell effects her and helps her characters grow. Sheba spends the majority of her life without the absence of her mother who travels throughout the country selling wares and you can practically feel how suppressed she becomes during the few days her matriarch returns in comparison to her life around her Aunts whose presence jumps from the page due to Yaba Badoe's incredible writing and descriptions.

There are so many questions about Sheba's family, that make this already intriguing tale all the more interesting and keep you hooked needing to know more. I cannot help but feel that anyone who reads this story will want to know just what is going on with the heirs to a magical legacy.

With wonderful characters who add so much to Lionheart Girl, and a world that comes to life on every page, this is a book that I can well imagine lovers of 'Children of Blood and Bone' will enjoy.

I received a digital ARC of Lionheart Girl in exchange for an honest review.

While it took me a while to get into this book the pay off is satisfying. At it's core it follows the trope of coming of age with an emphasis on discovering your inner power and coming to terms with the difference between the family we choose versus that which we are born into. The tone is foreboding and with magic and witchcraft woven throughout I'd recommend reading this in fall by a fire wrapped up cozy rather than summertime. I enjoyed it but wasn't really in the right mood for it.

Exquisitely written, this powerful book takes you into the incredible world of West African myth, magic, and witchcraft. A gripping story that unfolds layer by layer along with its characters. (Can't believe this is the first Yaba Badoe book I have read - I will definitely be exploring the others!)

This felt like such a fever dream of a book! Lionheart Girl is the first book I've read by Yaba Badoe but I think her writing style already sticks out. I can understand it not being for everyone as its ebb and flow really does have a dream-like quality to it that isn't always linear.
However I thought her descriptions of the land and culture surrounding Sheba were full of colour and magic.
I really loved seeing Sheba surrounded by her aunts and grandmother, you got a great sense of how closely tied their family bonds were. Along with this the main theme of the book, for me at least, was the complexity in the relationship between mother and daughter. Although this book has a lot of magic entwined with the plot I think it was a great way of portraying the toxicity of some people in our lives. And how family unfortunately is not always healthy for you.
But Sheba had a great support system in not just her immediate family but her friends and ancestors also.

I loved the concept of the magic in this book, I felt it had such strong cultural ties that made it all the more interesting. Especially the fact that their village was a safe haven for women and children who needed refuge and was inaccessible to those who wanted to cause them harm.
Also Sheba's gift in how she could read people and their emotions/inner self when she touches and braids their hair. I thought this was a really nice acknowledgement of how integral hair braiding is in so many cultures.

Overall, great atmosphere and world building, with almost a fairy tale-like description and writing style.

I love Badoe's writing and it feels as though this is a real labour of love. The writing is sensuous, bold and ambitious. The story is seeped in the world of the supernatural and reading it felt as though you were being drawn into a rich, dangerous, beautiful world dominated by these incredible, powerful family of women from different generations. This sumptuous supernatural landscape and expansive writing style did make it difficult sometimes to focus on the plot. I do worry that this might put young adults off reading it and wonder whether an adult audience would be more forgiving of the slow pace but time will tell.

Really enjoyed this! YA fantasy has become a bit bland for me – especially where it’s focussed on diverse USPs over story unfortunately. However, this was great. There is a nice colloquial tone to the narrative which was very engaging. I loved the weaving in of West African myth and culture. Sheba is a very appealing character, struggling against her own sense of place in the world and her magical powers. The pace and plot were good and the themes of family, both good and bad, were well explored. Really liked the book.

Toxic people exist everywhere. In this African novel, seeped in magical realism, Sheba struggles between her love for this beautiful woman who gave her life, and the hurt that same woman inflicts upon her and the rest of her family with words that twist every good feeling into ashes, loss, sadness and anger.
When we read the words on those pages we are transported to hidden African villages, a world of strong woman, a world of ancestral magic, wisdom and stories. It is a quick read but it evokes many things, surfing on complex feelings and filial pride. I haven’t read many African books, but I love fairytales and fables from the world and it greatly evoked some in my mind.
A novel that stands out of time, and urges the young generation to stand up for themselves, carve their own path and do what is right.
I recommend it to people who like confident magical realism and more tales from Africa.

As a descendant of West African witches, magic runs in Sheba's veins. She had the ability to view people's thoughts and memories through touch and this empathetic nature jars with her mother's - a shape shifting soul eater who is destined to destroy. She must join her village in preventing her mother from taking everything she loves, while also coming to terms with her own destiny, which is entwined with a boy called Maybe.

The aspects of this novel that will stay with me the longest is the wonderful family dynamic and sense of community. Sheba is raised by her Aunts and Grandmothers, who show her far more maternal love than her mother ever does. They are a close knit group, bound by their own magical adeptness with hair and their is a strong sense of community and culture that feels very authentic and genuine. They're a grounded group of individuals who help coax the best from Sheba, nurturing her ability and protecting her from the worst of her mother, and I really enjoyed seeing this relationship develop between them all.

The plot, while interesting, doesn't really give these characters enough story to draw out their potential, with a slow pace and an ending I found rather abrupt. It's also quite messy in places, and could have done with more world building to help me understand what was going on. However, I was intrigued enough in this world, and invested enough in these characters, to read on. The writing itself is also really good, and I found that it didn't take me long to finish at all.

Wonderful, richly drawn female characters, but I feel the story itself could have done with some work.

I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I love Yaba Badoe's writing and I really hope this book gets the recognition it deserves! A shapeshifting lioness, a boy with his dead-departed and a village kept hidden, safe as a sanctuary for the desperate. What more do you want? Lionheart Girl is powerful, expressive, full of heart and soul.

Sheba is a fantastic character. You love her from the beginning with her headstrong charge into the forest to find her father, then as she begins to explore the power in her touch that reveals people's inner truths to her and even more as she unearths her shapeshifting heritage. Her relationships with Nana, Grandma Baby and her aunts are full of unspoken understandings, tender moments, support and unconditional love. Her friendship with Maybe is full of warmth and mutual respect. They see things in each other no one else can see.

Sheba's mother is pretty terrifying! I completely understood Sheba's need to withdraw but also her growing need to escape. I really liked how Sheba followed her own intuition and was compassionate even when faced with dark truths.

My only criticism is that at times major reveals or turning points were dropped in rather casually and I found myself flicking back to check I understood correctly as the character didn't have much reaction to a reveal. At one point I felt a little lost because I think we skipped several years and the ending was quite abrupt. That said I loved the setting and atmospheric quality of the story as a whole. I felt like I was in a liminal space with Sheba somewhere between her reality and a more spiritual realm of existence amongst a pride of shapeshifting lions.

I look forward to reading more by this author.

Lionheart Girl is the story of Sheba, born into a long line of magical heritage in West Africa, she must forge her path whilst also carrying out the duties of her ancestors. However, every family bears a dark fruit once in a generation and Sheba’s mother is the worst of all – she is a soul eater. Sheba’s mother spends most of her time on the road but whenever she returns home, her cutthroat tongue is ready to lash her family relentlessly. Sheba is terrified of her but is shielded from the worst of her curses by her grandmas and aunties. Sheba has often wondered – what happened to her father? Why are there no men in the family? How can her mother shapeshift into a crow?

Whilst trying to figure out the mystery of her absent father, Sheba runs into a boy called Maybe. Upon their first touch, they both realise that they are destined to be together. The reasons behind their connection are not made clear in this book and will hopefully be explored in a sequel. However, the dynamic is adorable and they gently guide and care for each other through their trials and tribulations. Sheba soon grows into her powers, she can sense a person’s thoughts, memories and soul through the sense of touch. The women in her family are mystical hairdressers who can soothe a person’s ailments through combing washing and styling their hair. This magical trait is unique and one that is refreshing.

Sheba soon discovers the secrets and lies that her mother has been holding back and the true depths of her dark desires. She must work together with her family and her ancient ancestors to protect their village from her mother’s murderous intent. The book’s narrative style is similar to ‘Children of Blood and Bone’, with its first-person, direct, dynamic, colloquial narrator. Through this style, Sheba’s culture and traditions are bought to fruition in precise, colourful detail, making the flow of the novel appealing and a fast-read. I’m interested to see where Sheba’s destiny and emerging powers will take her and her journey with Maybe, I will hold out for a sequel.

An arc of this novel was gifted via NetGalley for an honest review.

The cover on this is gorgeous and the concept is fascinating! I just felt like the execution was off. The worldbuilding was beautiful and Sheba was a great main character but I didn't engage with the plot and both the pace and the writing was confusing at time. I wish I liked this more than I did.

I received an eArc of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sheba comes From a long line of west African witches. We follow her as she grows into her powers and learns more about her world, her loved ones and her absent father. 

It took me a while to get into this, mainly because of the writing style. It felt like I was jarred out of the story a lot as I was trying to get my head around it (this may just be me!)

I loved the meaning of the Sheba’s friend Maybe, however; I kept getting confused by their name and the word. I’d end up reading the sentence wrong and having to backpedal, which was off-putting. 

There were lots of unique, interesting and colourful characters which brought the story to life. The magic was different and was interesting to read about. Overall a fantastic book, even though there were some things I didn’t like. Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for a chance to read and review this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for kindly providing me with this eArc!

This was really interesting! I’ve heard of this author previously but hadn’t gotten the chance to read any of their books. This novel weaves such a beautiful story of West African culture, witches and magic!

I’ll round it up to a 4 stars however I felt like something was lacking or missing... this however may be subject to change as this isn’t a finished product after all!

So, today I'm reviewing Lionheart Girl by Yaba Badoe, which I got as an ARC from NetGalley, so thank you to NetGalley, Yaba Badoe, and Head of Zeus for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Please remember that while this is a fairly negative review, this is just my opinion. Don't form a final opinion about this novel based off of what I have to say about it. There are plenty of positive reviews of Lionheart Girl out there, and they are definitely also worth a read too.

As you may have worked out, I didn't love this book. I had a similar problem with this to Yaba Badoe's other novel, A Jigsaw of Fire and Stars. Both books had a brilliant concept- I was really excited to read this!- but I feel that maybe the author was just too excited by this main concept/plot that they forgot about the rest of the details. The way it was written, it felt like a historical fiction novel, but then a more modern concept would bang in and change up my entire idea of the book so far.


It felt a little fan-fiction-y in that I felt that I was almost expected to know everything already- about Sheba's powers, etc- but I just felt so confused. The romance was predictable, but at the same time it felt forced, and out of place in what feels like a Middle Grade. It didn't work so well with the characters' ages.

But, I did love the villain. She was good. She was manipulative and mean. And I loved that she had such a close relationship with Sheba, which meant that Sheba really struggled with inner turmoil- which we did get to see, and that was really great. The villain made this for me, and the family relationships.

Unfortunately, that didn't make up for a lot of the other things that I didn't like, so this book only got 2.5 stars.

This is an ambitious YA (I hate that term) novel in the theme of “Children of Blood and Bone”, populated with some colourful characters.

Sheba is a descendant of West African Witches and magic runs through her veins. As she grows up she starts to discover her powers - her touch allows her to view other people's thoughts, memories and secrets. Oh, and she’s a shape-shifter too. But she also learns about her mother, and her prophesied destiny which brings conflict to her life.

The story moves along nicely, as Sheba grows and learns about herself and her family. We meet her friends, her aunts and grandmothers and her absent father, about whom her mother is loath to talk. We learn about her heritage and her growing powers. It’s all drawn nicely, with a colloquial style that’s actually quite appealing. There’s quite a nice cultural tone running through the story.

However, the way in which the story is told (first person, present tense) doesn’t work well for me. It jars, and as the book progresses it makes it obvious we’ve missed something, only to be presented with it a bit later on. I felt like I’d been left out, somehow. I did however enjoy the revelations about Sheba’s father, and that of her friend, Maybe.

There is no doubt the book will be compared to Tomi Adeyemi’s “Children of Blood and Bone” series. It’s impossible not to make the comparisons, but actually, it’s quite different. I’d like to think there will be a sequel, and I’m actually quite interested to see where Sheba’s destiny will take here.

Definitely worth your time seeking it out.

Please be aware I received an uncorrected proof of this book and my opinion is based on that. This is not the final version and my rating and review is based on the book in its current form, which will differ from the final version.

I requested this book from Netgalley after seeing the cover (which is stunning!) and reading the blurb (which sounded amazing!). Sheba is a descendant of West African Witches and with the discovery of her own powers, she has to fight against her mother’s growing power to fulfil her destiny.

I really liked the start of this book as Sheba was developing her friendship with Maybe and her determination to find her father. I also liked her relationships with her grandmothers and aunts. However, I got lost around 25% and was really confused about what was happening. I felt the writing style changed completely and struggled with it from that point on. The book has the potential to be great, but does need a bit of development in the world building and characters. It felt as though the book started off as a different one and was then meshed with another idea the author had. The magical element in the book was really interesting and I loved learning about Sheba’s and her families powers. The powers and the way they worked are different from anything I’ve ever read before and kept my attention whenever they were in action. The book is rich in culture and I loved learning different terminology. However, I felt disconnected to the story and characters throughout - there was almost a missing depth to it.

Overall, the magical elements of this book is amazing but the writing style left me disconnected and confused at times.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for a chance to read this uncorrected proof in exchange for an honest review.