I found parts of the plot very interesting and compelling, but others (e.g. her affair/work storyline) a bit dull and already done. The intertwining of different cultures and languages was smart.

This is the second book I have read by Lola and really enjoyed the last. We are back in Stockholm, Sweden to catch up with Kemi and Brittany . We also meet Yasmin and her husband alongside Muna who is in hospital following a horrific incident.

I liked that all 3 leading characters were strong, black women. I loved how down they felt and what they were each going through, their own personal battles - they still find it within them to have a voice and do what they feel is right. Racism is discussed through out the book from different points of views and on different levels, from the micro racism encountered and every day comments, to the bold in your face discrimination. I think the author did this extremely well.

The other topics discussed in this book include infidelity, child loss, sexual assault, and suicide. The general theme through the book is I found was feeling misplaced and never really fitting in.

Muna and Ahmed's story particularly I found to be extremely sad and harrowing in parts to read. I liked how Lola manage to weave the story to interlink each character.

Throughout it all though and down to the author and characters she built - these incredible women there is still love and hope to hold on to.

I will be recommending this book to others and looking out for more from this author.

This book was incredibly. The author seamlessly slipped us into the lives of the characters and I felt such a multitude of emotions.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of his book in exchange for a review.

Firstly thank you to net galley for a free copy in return for my honest review.

A fantastic read with some strong female characters battling against the odds to build a life for themselves and their families. The Western world sells itself on equal opportunities for all, but this book explores how people fall through cracks or show the image people want to see. This is about building and maintaining female friendships and supporting each other.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC

I stupidly was not aware that this book was a sequel, and therefore I won't be fully reviewing it as I feel like had I of read the first book, my opinion would be different! As expected with having not read the first book, I was a bit confused at times and felt like we didn't get a real introduction to the characters. But now that I know this is the second book of a series, that makes total sense. Besides the obvious bumps because of that, I did actually enjoy this book overall! Now I'm off to read the first one!

I had difficulty getting into this book. It was also assumed that the reader had read the first book (I had, but couldn't remember details) as the book is about the 3 characters in that book. You are immediately thrown into the plot without much explanation about who is who, though when you read on there are reminders about the history of the women. I didn't feel engaged with these characters or really care very much about their lives. There is a message about the lives of women of colour, but is buries quite deep . Some detail is too overdone and there are a lot of diffeent characters who are part of the womens'lives to keep track of .
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARc,

I liked the novel but it was a little too fast paced for me. It seems that the author also spends a lot of hours a day, maybe the day job, in front of the computer. This is the only explanation I find for the way the book is written.

Thanks to Net Galley for an advanced copy of this book, which will be published on 23 October 2023. This is my honest review of it:

This book is a sequel, and even though the author said this could be read first, I don't think I've made a good decision by reading this one first. Maybe if I read the In Every Mirror She’s Black, I would enjoy more Everything is Not Enough...

I liked the writing and the three points of view, but it wasn't enough for me to like the story 100%. Sometimes I thought the chapters were very slow and I found it difficult to read more than one chapter a day. The plot focuses on three black women, bad decisions, toxic relationships and racism! My favorite part of the book was definitely Kemi's point of view.

I think I'll need to read In Every Mirror She’s Black, and maybe my opinion about this book will change!

If you liked the author's first book, I'm sure this one won't disappoint you!

Lola Akinmade Åkerström's "Everything is Not Enough" takes readers on a captivating journey through the lives of three remarkable women in Stockholm. This second novel from the acclaimed author of "In Every Mirror She's Black" is a thought-provoking exploration of life, love, prejudice, and the unexpected connections that bind us.

Yasmiin finds herself in disbelief when she learns that her friend is in a coma following an attempted suicide. As Yasmiin delves into her friend's past, she uncovers mysteries that lead her to question her own life's trajectory. Akinmade Åkerström skillfully builds suspense and keeps readers engaged as Yasmiin's search for answers takes unexpected twists and turns.

Kemi appears to have it all—a successful career, a beautiful home, and a loving boyfriend. Yet, she struggles with an underlying restlessness that pushes her toward destructive choices in search of change. Akinmade Åkerström delves into Kemi's internal battles, offering a poignant portrayal of the complexity of human emotions and the quest for fulfilment.

Brittany-Rae, a woman overshadowed by her domineering husband Jonny, embarks on a journey to reclaim her identity. Uncovering disturbing secrets about Jonny, her focus shifts to protecting her daughter and creating a life far away from his influence. Brittany-Rae's story is one of strength and empowerment, reminding us of the resilience found within ourselves when faced with adversity.

In "Everything is Not Enough," the lives of these three women unexpectedly intersect, revealing the power of connection and the potential for healing through shared experiences. Akinmade Åkerström explores themes of prejudice, privilege, and personal freedom, weaving them seamlessly into the narrative.

The author's writing style is engaging and evocative, painting vivid pictures with her words and eliciting a range of emotions. The story flows smoothly, keeping readers enthralled and eager to uncover the resolutions to the characters' dilemmas.

"Everything is Not Enough" serves as a poignant reminder that our paths can cross in surprising ways and that sometimes, the answers we seek can be found in the most unlikely of places.

With relatable characters, an intricate plot, and powerful themes, this book is a must-read for those seeking an engaging and thought-provoking narrative.

Thanks to NetGalley, Head of Zeus, and the author for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ákínmádé Åkerström returns to tackle racism in Sweden in her sequel novel, Everything is Not Enough.

The development of characterisation that we see throughout the novel, was paced really well and I really enjoyed the changing of perspectives between the lead characters and how they touched each others lived in various ways and manners.

The best thing about this novel is that no one is perfect and everyone is flawed. The author hadn't sought to make life appear like a fairytale for these women but even in the harsh moments, the novel is grounded in a stark and real reality faced by many people living in western, white majority cities/countries.

I love grey characters and Ákínmádé Åkerström tackles this really well, take for example the husband of one of the women, he loves his wife greatly, but we are continually asked the question does his love trump his no desirable traits?

We are invited into a world where women have to fight for their autonomy in the workplace, their homes and the wider culture sphere of Sweden, and they take on the mantle successfully. They aren't perfect, but who is and although some of the characters I wanted to shake, Ákínmádé Åkerström does so well to feed into the lives of these characters and the struggles to find their place in Sweden and bring a level of understanding to their actions.

This book contains heavy, real topics such as infant death, infidelity and sexual assault so please check in with yourself before starting to read.

Thank you to Head of Zeus, Lola Ákínmádé Åkerström and Net Galley for this advanced copy. I'll be releasing a more in-depth review closer to publication.

This is a sequel to ‘In Every Mirror She’s Black’ which I’d highly recommend reading before continuing to this book. I loved the first book and when I finished it, I was left wanting to know more, about how each story would continue so was glad when I heard that this book was in the works and it did not disappoint!

As with ‘In Every Mirror She’s Black’ I really enjoyed this book. I loved how we continued to hear the stories of three different women with distinctive voices who live completely different lives but share the struggles of navigating life, love, and prejudice in a country where they have moved to.

We primarily continue to hear the stories of Brittney, Kemi and Yasmiin (and Muna through Yasmiin’s perspective) and how they overlap. But we are also introduced to some other bold women such as the “tigris/tigress Amani and her sister Salima.

Brittney continues to struggle to find her place in Sweden and tries to come to terms with revelations regarding her husband Johnny and their relationship. Kemi questions where her future lies and whom it lies with. Yasmiin gains some independence but struggles with coming to terms with her past. Each of them faces a huge personal crisis and we follow how they attempt to overcome this.

I enjoyed how this book ended. Whilst I wouldn’t call it predictable, I was satisfied with how this book ended and where the story of each of the main character concludes. However I would be interested to hear the stories from the perspective of the men; Johnny (to hear his feelings on his family, how the relationship with Maya unfolded and his relationship with Brittney), Yagiz (to hear his arrival to Sweden and how he became a “boss”) and Tobbe (his family, growing up in Sweden and his feelings on the career differences between him and Kemi).

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading other books by Lola.

Thank you to Lola Akinmade Åkerström, Head of Zeus and NetGalley for the advance free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Our mistakes as Black women are unforgivable in this world .”

⚠️ In Every Mirror Shes Black Spoilers. Please Google The Trigger Warnings.

After the success of 'In Every Mirror She's Black' in 2021, I have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of this sequel, "Everything Is Not Enough".

'Everything Is Not Enough', starts immediately after the ending of it's predesscor. With Brittany trapped within the clutches of the Von Ludin clan, she attempts to break free from her marriage. But with no one to trust, can Brittany forge allies to help her leave? Following the suicide attempt of Muna, Yasmiin, the wife of Yagiz, is left to pick up the pieces, all the while trying to establish a new career, motherhood & marriage, along with fighting to be seen in a country where her race is a barrier. And finally, after her entanglement with a white colleague, will Kemi be able to continue climbing the corporate ladder whilst enduring macro & micro-aggressions?

Much like the former, 'Everything Is Not Enough' explores the nuances of being Black, especially being Black in a land where it is not the norm, nor accepted with ease. Fetishism, microaggressions, racism, sexualisation of black bodies, the list goes on.

Unpopular Opinion: 'Everything Is Not Enough' fell rather flat for me. I was expecting more from.the characters and hoped that they would form greater bonds. Unfortunately, due to their personal afflictions, the women were extremely cold & unlikeable within this story. I would have loved a sisterhood bond for these characters.

The plot was not as driven as I expected, and my interest picked up around the 75% mark. Brittany's story would have benefitted from a darker & more suspensfull backdrop. I wanted to see more of her love for baby Maya & her mothering. Kemi - I'm not going to say anything. Yasmin, held my heart more so, she offered this story a lifeline that it needed to stay afloat.

Unfortunately, not one for me on this occassion, however I am happy that I now have closure from 'In Every Mirror She's Black'. Is 'Everything Is Not Enough' on your TBR lIst?

Release date Oct 2023

4.5 stars rounded up

I don't think I was quite ready for the wealth of feeling this book evoked in me. It took me a little while to get into this, mainly to get acquainted with our three heroines, but once I did, I could hardly put this down. There are so many layers to Everything is Not Enough, so many different issues that are being discussed, and yet none of it felt forced or exaggerated. Beautifully written, heart-wrenching story - I highly recommend.

This is the second instalment of this ‘story’ and it built on the last one and so much more. Lola Akinmade Akerstrom is an amazingly brilliant author. I love the intertwined lives of these strong black women in a country designed to see them fail. Fantastic

I didn’t read the first part of this series but I had no problem jumping in the story and understanding what was going on.

The book tells the story of three Black women living in Sweden and struggling with racism, their own bad decisions and other various life problems.

I found this book quite captivating with the plot but I didn’t particularly enjoy the structure of the book. I felt like it was flat and lacking some points of surprise before the last 50 pages or so.

I liked the characters, they felt like real people when making mistakes and dealing with problems but I would have enjoyed it more if the characters were generally more dimensional. However, having not read the first book in the series, it might be the reason why I felt the characters were lacking some character outside of the plot as I haven’t met them in the first book.

Overall, I enjoyed the book in some aspects but I would have liked it more had the structure of the plot been more gripping.

Thank you NetGalley and Head of Zeus for a digital ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book is a sort of sequel but according to the writer can be read separately as well as a standalone book.
So the book has three narrators and follows their lives in a mostly white and pretty racist (not all overt, a lot of micro aggressions) Sweden. The narrators all have very distinct voices and it is lovely to have such a truly diverse group of characters in the book.
Without spoilers, of all the men in this book, only three are nice. The other men are gaslighting meanies. It’s a pity they weren’t more nuanced.
Because of the men in their lives, the three women’s lives basically revolves around their issues. And I feel like the women weren’t fleshed out well. Also a lot of the book does not pass the Bechdel test, which again is such a pity because all three women have incredible stories and strength.
All in all there were some really good highs, but the overly kvetchy/complaining women were not well rounded enough to get behind. Like whole chapters of one of the women just complaining.
I thought Yasmiin was the most interesting narrator and story.

Yasmiin is a refugee from Somalia, married to Turkish Yagiz, her former roommate and friend Muna tried to kill herself.
Brittany-Rae - from Atlanta - parents from Jamaica - mother to Maya, partner is Jonny, a super rich dude - bff Tanesha
Kemi - from Lagos, Nigeria - partner Tobias, wants to move back to the us, works for Jonny, had a steamy make out with colleague Ragnar. Twin with Kehinde who lives in the US.

Thank you so much to Head of Zeus, Lola Akinmade Akerstrom and Net Galley for the advanced copy of this fantastic book, which publishes on 23rd October 2023.

Please be aware of the trigger warnings that are shared at the beginning of this book, some of which are alluded to in this review:
Infidelity, sexual assault, infant loss and suicide.

The dedication of this book, “For the strong, looking for safe spaces to be weak”, sums this book up in one beautiful, succinct sentence.

Everything is Not Enough is a sequel to the hugely popular In Every Mirror She’s Black and I would highly recommend reading this first, as it lays the foundations perfectly for the sequel.

We return to the lives of Yasmiin, Kemi and Brittany who all live in Sweden and are each facing their own personal challenges.

Yasmiin, who fled Somalia now lives a seemingly happy life with her Turkish husband and child, but the secrets she keeps about her past threaten to disrupt everything, as her previously close friend and fellow refugee Muna makes an attempt on her life.

Kemi, who moved to Sweden from the USA to pursue a promising career opportunity, is regretting her decision to give up her successful position for one that is not as fulfilling as she had hoped. Coupled with her less than perfect relationship with Swedish boyfriend Tobias, Kemi is drawn into some rather self destructive behaviours, with the consequences that come with them.

Brittany meanwhile learns early on that her seemingly perfect marriage is based on secrets and past ghosts and she is left having to decide how she moves forward with this new information.

I really enjoyed this beautiful book, flying through it in a weekend. Lola so wonderfully writes human, raw emotions in a relatable and compassionate way. These women are each facing their own personal battles and making mistakes, life choices and experiences we can all relate to on some level or another. I loved the way Lola made these women empowered, despite the hurdles they had to navigate and never made them seem a victim, but a survivor.
This is an honest, thought provoking exploration of three women’s stories and I’m grateful I was able to walk alongside them for this brief time.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for a digital ARC copy in exchange for this review.

Everything is Not Enough is a sequel to In Every Mirror She's Black, the latter of which I read immediately before this one. I really liked that first book; I found the characters well-written and compelling, and the story gave interesting insights into Black women's experiences in a fairly unfamiliar (to me) culture. Unfortunately, this follow-up left me disappointed.

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

I want to start with the good. It was a relief to hear more of Muna's story, having found the ending of the previous instalment rather bleak; I also liked the shift to Yasmiin's perspective, which added a lot of context to her brief appearances in the first book and fleshed her character out. Yagiz was also given a bit more to do, and while neither his nor Yasmiin's story was perfect, it was the most enjoyable part of the book. I flew through Muna's segments in the previous book, which gave some heartbreaking insights into the lives of refugees in Stockholm.

Now, what I didn't like so much. It felt like a wasted opportunity to dedicate two thirds of the book to carrying on Kemi's and Brittany's stories, when they felt like they'd reached a natural endpoint in the previous book. The plotlines for both characters didn't, in my opinion, justify the decision to continue following them; it would have perhaps been more interesting to pivot to other characters, as with Yasmiin. Many of the developments felt far too soap-opera and often rather ridiculous, and their endings felt very rushed. The continuing saga of Kemi and Ragnar, the latter a character who I didn't like when introduced in the previous book, felt very forced; I was bored and frustrated by their relationship, and found it hard to believe Kemi would throw away everything for him, based on her strong characterisation in the previous book. Ragnar's character was very two-dimensional and it was difficult to see what exactly Kemi found so compelling about him. He was also extremely unlikeable, as in the first book, and while there's nothing wrong with an unlikeable character, they do at least need to be given some background and motivation. The twist involving Maya Daniels also had me rolling my eyes; the 'confession' towards the end also felt far too easily given and there was very little tension in this scene to make it stick the landing. Finally, while it was nice to see a happy ending of sorts for Muna, there were absolutely no repercussions for the assault she committed at the end of the first book, which seemed unrealistic.

I'll happily return to In Every Mirror She's Black in the future, but unfortunately I can't say the same for its sequel.

Having not yet read Lola Akinmade Akerstrom's hugely successful novel, In Every Mirror She Is Black, I was a little apprehensive about starting the sequel, Everything Is Not Enough. But it proved surprisingly easy to slip into the lives of Yasmiin, Kemi and Brittany-Rae, three very different women struggling to find their place (and space) as Black women in mainstream Swedish society.

While Scandinavia is notoriously liberal, those familiar with Nordic societies generally say that fitting in is something that is asked of nearly every immigrant. No matter what your skills and credentials in your country of origin, you are invariably expected to prove yourself once again within this new milieu.

For Yasmiin, who has escaped from Somalia at considerable personal cost (in terms of what she had to do in order to survive prior to her marriage to her Turkish husband in Sweden), distancing herself from her past is part of her survival strategy as well as her plan for happiness in this new life with her husband and baby.

Now, that strategy is being jeopardized by the apparent attempted suicide of her friend, Muna, a fellow refugee, whom Yasmiin has distanced herself from, despite the two of them once having been extremely close. Of course, that might partly be explained by the fact that Muna knows things about her that Yasmiin would definitely prefer not to share with her husband.

For African-American Kemi, who left behind a successful professional track record in the US to take up a career opportunity in Sweden, life with both her Swedish boyfriend Tobias and her new job is proving to be less satisfying than she expected. To make matters worse, this is driving her to reckless and potentially self-destructive behaviour that is unlikely to end well for anyone involved in the situation.

Meanwhile beautiful ex-flight attendant Brittany-Rae discovers that her marriage to a powerful, white Swedish tycoon is based on his yearning for a lost love whom she closely resembles. And whom, Brittany-Rae realises, he has named their daughter Maya after!

Each of the three women is facing a major personal crisis, albeit ones that are quite different in nature. How they will be able to address their problems - and whether they can do so without significant collateral damage - remains to be seen...