I received an ARC of this title during an ALAN workshop and have since purchased a physical copy of the text and added it to my classroom library.

Rimma Onoseta drops you in on the lives of two teenage Nigerian sisters, Cheta and her younger sister Zam, in her debut novel How You Grow Wings. Neither girls has had an easy upbringing in their strict religous household and school that is amplified by a toxic mother who is obsessed with status and a father who has become a silent doormat for wife. Subjected to various types of abuse, each sister has learned to deal with the trauma in different ways. Cheta, darker skinned and less “beautiful” by society’s standards, has become defiant and outspoken, taking the brunt of their mother’s wrath. Zam, fairer skinned and more submissive, tries to fade into the background at home and at school. Zam’s behavior only provokes resentment and anger in Cheta which causes Zam to withdraw even further. They both realize that they cannot continue to live like this but quickly understand that a better life is not that easy to obtain.


Onoseta has written a brutally honest account of life in a society that elevates classism, colorism, and gender roles. How You Grow Wings is marketed as a teen and young adult book but I would suggest that parents screen the book for younger teens. There are no trigger warnings given but there are a number of scenes and topics that might be bettered suited for a more mature child. For example, the book opens with a father beating his daughter and includes other examples of physical and verbal abuse, child molestation, pedophilia with no ramifications for the offender, drug use and trafficking, and a sugar daddy relationship. The main plot of each sister’s attempt to navigate an escape from their toxic family is played out against the backdrop of poverty, colorism, classism, and post-colonialism.

“Maybe one day the tings I had done would catch up to me but until then, I was going to make the most out of my fresh start and do my best to be happy.”

How You Grow Wings challenged, shocked, and surprised me with the experiences of Cheta and Zam. The story was a first person narrative of each of their lives. Their various recollections helped me to fill in the history behind their relationship and the contibuting factors that developed their individual personalities and coping mechanisms. Many times I realized I had no idea what the plot was or where the story was taking me, but my attention was captured by the tragedy that was their lives and relationship. It wasn’t until the end that Onoseta shocked me with a ending I didn’t see coming. While it was definitely not a happily ever after, the personal growth of Cheta and Zam as well as a stunning disclosure brought closure to this captivating story.

Great plot and beautifully written. I enjoyed getting invested in the character and their experiences.The ending was not what i had anticipated

I love a good sister relationship story. This book made me quite emotional because I resonated with it so much and it reminded of my my own sister and I'd relationship.

How You Grow Wings opens with a very intense scene and continues that theme throughout the story. The characters in this book were written well as was the narrative itself. Unfortunately, as I was reading, I found that time was passing but not much was happening in this book. The synopsis mentions scenes or events that don't occur until the end of the book and as such, it feels like most of the book was just filler to get to that point.

Even though this book deals with heavy themes such as abuse, these abusive situations happen on stage, I felt detached from the events and thus had low sympathy for the characters.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving me free access to the advanced copy of this book to read.

Enjoyed this one so much more than I expected to! I loved that this book is set in West Africa. One of my goals in 2022 was to read more books set outside of the US, and I found myself reading a lot of books by African women. I loved how this one addressed colorism and classism in the context of two very different sisters. It also addresses the messy, sometimes ugly things girls (and especially girls of color) have to do to survive.

I'll definitely be recommending this one a lot at my library, especially to fans of Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi or The Deep Blue Between by Ayesha Harruna Attah. I'm looking forward to more from Rimma Onoseta!

How You Grown Your Wings was a beautifully written book! Raw, relatable, and very relevant to readers of all ages and backgrounds. I would highly recommend this read to young adults as well as adults who enjoy YA reads.

"How You Grow Wings" is an emotionally gripping novel that tells the story of two sisters in Nigeria who struggle to break free from an oppressive home. Cheta, the older sister, is sharp-tongued and unyielding, while her younger sister Zam is timid and withdrawn. Their mother is abusive, and both sisters face challenges in their own unique ways.

Zam gets the opportunity to live with their aunt's family, but Cheta is left behind and forced to make her way in a harsher world. When the sisters are reunited, they realize just how much their lives have changed, and Zam is forced to confront the reality of her sister's struggles.

Rimma Onoseta's debut novel is a powerful exploration of complex issues such as classism, colorism, and cycles of abuse. The author's writing style is poetic and evocative, bringing the characters and their world to life in vivid detail. The novel is both heart-wrenching and thought-provoking, delving deep into the messy truths about family, loyalty, and morality.

Overall, "How You Grow Wings" is a stunning debut novel that will stay with readers long after they've turned the final page. Onoseta's unique perspective and powerful storytelling make this a must-read for fans of contemporary fiction. Highly recommended.

I think this book does something more than what readers may expect. In a western world where we understand stories to be broken into 3 parts, Onoseta tapped into her roots and told this story the way that people of the Diaspora who grew up in non-western countries/cultures are used to hearing stories. This book is beautifully written and the story is so poignant, it's almost heartbreaking. This deserves to be in curriculum!

An emotional story, enjoyable read, one that will stay with you in your heart long after you turn its final pages.

Since living in West Africa, I have found some of my favorite reads to be by authors from the region. This was a tough but good book to read.

The story of two very different sisters. The older sister, Cheta, is tough and outspoken, while Zam, the younger sister, is more meek and preferred by her mother. Their mother is very domineering and abusive. Zam tries to stay under the radar where her mom and sister are involved. Dad is just there. He stays uninvolved and is probably beaten down by the mother. Ultimately, Zam has the good fortune to move in with her wealthy aunt and her family. Of course this causes further conflict between the girls.

The story is rough but good and I look forward to being able to read this author’s next book.

"Sometimes I wished we were like normal sisters. If we actually got along, I would go over to her, wrap my arms around her, tell her that everything would be fine, maybe laugh about Mama's madness. But we weren't close and Cheta would probably slap me for touching her."

Rimma Onoseta's debut How You Grow Wings is a beautifully written YA story set in Nigeria. In the book, we meet sisters Zam and Cheta. One sister has to figure out life through hardship and pain, but as a result is an independent woman who knows what she wants and how to get it. The other, seemingly gets everything without effort, but is meek and has a hard time speaking up for what she wants. Told through each sister's perspective, we see them grapple with their own reality, and grow up to be a little better in the end.

Aside from this being an interesting story, How You Grow Wings deals with a broad variety of issues: from both physical and mental abuse to colonialism and from anxiety and mental illness to familial relationships (both healthy ones and the ones that are not so healthy). As such, this story is not a walk in the park, yet Onoseta makes it easy to read Zam and Cheta's storylines, makes you feel and root for both of them (and many a side-character), all the while creating wonderful passages of prose that make the scenes and characters come to life.

This YA novel tells the story of two young women from Nigeria who both work very hard to escape the abuse and suffering they experience in their home. While the story alternates between two perspectives, I would say that Zam, the younger sister, has a slightly more prominent role in the story. Zam is the favourite of her mother, a fact that is acknowledged and understood by all members of the family. She is given the opportunity to move away and live with her aunt's family in a rich neighbourhood far from home. Cheta is unhappy with this decision and as the child who suffers more of her mother's physical abuse, she is also desperate to get away from the family home. Eventually, Cheta runs away and tries to make a life for herself in an impoverished roommate situation that leads her to making some difficult and dangerous choices. Back at home, their mother struggles without either girl home to take care of the house, and perpetuates a rumour that Cheta has become a prostitute, making it impossible for Cheta to ever return home. In the end, both girls find their own way to leave the past behind and become free.

While living with her aunt's family, Zam begins to see the impact of colonialism through the stories she shares with a secondary character, Ginika, who wants to embrace her Nigerian background and language, and her rich cousin Kaira, who is obsessed with hiding any ties to her "village family". Many discussions of racism, colourism, abuse, classism, and sexism are woven throughout the story. As a result, this book is interesting and insightful which will capture the attention of a young adult and adult audience, while also sharing important messages about societal views and discrimination.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this wonderful book!

Wow just wow. There were so many similarities between these characters and those of people we met day in and day out.

The family dynamic and the overall story took me in an emotional ride. There’s so much insight to African culture, I felt like the author did a really great job using traditional sayings in the story, it felt authentic.

I enjoyed the story a lot and the plot twist was definitely a good surprise and unexpected

As a debut novel, I thought How You Grow Wings hit the mark, but it ultimately fell flat by the end. After reading the synopsis, I was really intrigued by the idea of two sisters in Nigeria taking completely different paths to get away from their horrible home situation. Rimma Onoseta did a great job setting up the character development of both Cheta and Zam - both living vastly different experiences in the same home. Throughout the novel I kept waiting for something to really happen, but it mostly felt very uneventful, despite big life changes and quite a bit of trauma. The wings felt like baby wings instead of something strong and powerful - I liked the subtlety and growth over time, but didn't think it quite gave what I expected.

I kept wanting just a bit more from the book and felt the ending was rather abrupt. I felt in part it was very realistic (no spoilers) and quite sad, but also not wrapped up. Overall I did enjoy the book and will most likely read the author's next release.

I didn't see a content warning in the ARC, but I hope one was added to finished copies. It definitely deals with quite a few very heavy topics that will be triggering for some readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC. All opinions are my own.

How You Grow Wings is an emotional story which will take you through sadness, anger, and love all at once. It's a story about the ways that society upholds traditions and practices and how no one will speak up. Onoseta not only examines this from a society perspective, but also the individual in the family. Above all, the family in How You Grow Wings is complex, painful, and emotional. Told from both sister's POVs, I could see their lives, their pain, and their struggles. Some times it was difficult to listen to, mostly because of how heart wrenching it was.

I received this egalley as part of the ALAN conference and it is kept on a kindle in my classroom. My rating is based on the fact that my students have enjoyed this title and I look forward to when I get the chance to read it.

I loved this book. The characters were so well rounded, the story kept my attention, and I didn't see the twist coming! I was bummed when it ended - want everyone to read this!

A poignant story of two sisters desperate to escape a toxic home.

It's so amazing to me how a book can be nothing like you were expecting, and sometimes you still love it and other times you emphatically do not. I'm glad to say that this is a case of the former. I thought, based on the description, that I'd see these sisters into their adult lives. It's surprising that only a few months pass in the book, and yet SO MUCH has happened from the start.

Let me also state now that there are several content warnings for this book: verbal & physical abuse (in fact, the book opens with a scene where a father is beating his daughter), child molestation & pedophilia (and the school/church turning a blind eye), drug use/addiction & sales, and sugar dating. And that's in addition to the less prominent (though prevalent) themes of poverty, colorism, and the ignoring of mental health issues throughout.

As usual, I liked that this story is written from both Cheta and Zam's perspectives. This is a case where it's extremely necessary because we as the reader become privy to things that the other sister is not. For example, Zam doesn't understand why Cheta dislikes her but we can clearly see and understand Cheta's resentment for Zam.

On another note, I was surprised to discover (as I'm sure Zam was) that though luxurious in comparison to her home, life for Zam in her uncle's house isn't care-free. It's definitely an upgrade but still a very different way of life, and her tumultuous relationship with her cousin didn't help. However, it's hard to feel bad for her when you consider Cheta. I can tell that Onoseta meant for it to be difficult to choose a side, but I couldn't help seeing Cheta as the underdog in this story. That's not to say that I agree with her choices or the way she handled certain situations (I don't) but I do at least understand her drive if nothing else.

Without spoiling it, I think if you're expecting this book to end with Cheta and Zam hugging it out and everything being suddenly okay via unspoken apologies and an erasure of the past, you're going to be disappointed. While I would love to see how these girls' lives unfold into adulthood, I can recognize and appreciate that this story has been concluded.

I gave this book four stars -- it's emotional and definitely has some sad moments, but I really enjoy stories that showcase various family dynamics. There's so much in this book to be discussed and dissected, and to me, that makes it a great story. (Shout out to this being Onoseta's debut novel!) However, I was a little confused by Cheta's timeline -- *mini spoiler* her meeting Samson and everything that happened after that, which I thought was after Zam's BIG move but was apparently concurrent. And there were some aspects of Cheta and Zam's individual and join stories that I wish had been explored in a little more depth. But overall this was a great debut and I look forward to reading more from Rimma Onoseta.