Wow... This was such an amazing book, but very hard to read. I wasn't expecting this roller coaster of emotions and I did love it, but it was super serious content.
I loved the romance between Irie and Jilly. It was nice to see them navigating through life and dealing with the seriousness of your love being illegal. I also really enjoyed the multiple POVs, especially towards the end. I just thought being able to see this story through the eyes of other characters, besides Irie and Jilly, was great.
I loved how the people you were supposed to hate, you truly hated and WHAT. A. TWIST!!!
Learning the history of Jamaica and reggae music in this way, I truly appreciated and I made me want to dig deeper into my Trini/soca roots!

“Songs of Irie” is a devastating book that beautifully and lyrically captures the violence, turmoil and struggles of the underbelly of Jamaican culture during the violent 1970’s. Descendants of former slaves, Jamaica’s mostly poor black inhabitants were dominated by the tiny minority of rich and powerful Caucasians. After 300 years of British rule, England granted Jamaica independent-nation status in 1962, giving the tiny Caribbean island full dominion status within the British Commonwealth. As in many places where slavery once was prevalent, the overwhelming black population was left poor and uneducated. Dirty politics and the competing desires between the majority black citizens and the minority white people turned the small island into a war zone, injuring and killing thousands of people.

Gangs linked to both of the country’s two political parties, the democratic socialist People’s National Party (PNP) and the conservative Jamaican Labour Party (JLP), were locked in an urban paramilitary conflict. In the late sixties and early seventies, based on Christian religious beliefs that began 40 years earlier, a group of black people, mainly men, rejected the British colonial culture that dominated Jamaica and wanted to replace it with a new identity based on a reclamation of their African heritage. Rastafarians, as they are known, began their movement as a quest for justice for the marginalized, impoverished and disenfranchised people of African descent caused by the British imperial culture which had dominated Jamaican colonial society. Theirs was a peaceful movement, associated with reggae music and smoking marijuana, but it threatened those in power.

This is the world into which the two protagonists of “Songs of Irie,” best friends Jilly and Irie, were born and in which they lived. The differences between the two are stark, Jilly having been born to an extremely wealthy, white, politically powerful family, and Irie, a poor, black girl growing up in the violent, urban ghettos; yet their friendship is genuine and deep, solidified by their common love and appreciation of reggae music and seemingly the beliefs it represents. When the two find themselves involved in a violent, deadly attack on the evening of one of the most fraught and violent election battles ever waged, the consequences are devastating.

Clearly author Asha Ashanti Bromfield knows of which she writes, being of Afro-Jamaican descent. In her acknowledgements, Bromfield notes that her grandfather, “Daddy Burge,” “owned the boddest record store in all of Kingston.” I would venture to guess, then, that Irie’s father, a famous record store owner in the outskirts of Kingston, is based on Ms. Bromfield’s grandfather. Ms. Bromfied’s captivating writing style kept me riveted to the story from the very start, and I was eager to keep reading until the very end. I can’t wait to read another one of Ms. Bromfield’s novels.

I loved the historical aspect of this book. It mixes a coming of age story with the civil unrest of 1970s Jamaica.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

While I’m sure this is a wonderful story I couldn’t get myself into it only because I’m not in the mood for YA however I’m willing to try again in the future. Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book

This book was so beautiful. I wouldn't expect anything less from Bromfield. I absolutely loved her debut and I loved this book as well. It's heartbreaking and just absolutely beautiful.

A powerful coming-of-age novel, Songs of Irie by Asha Ashanti Bromfield immerses readers in the sights, sounds, and emotions of 1970’s Jamaica. It's a testament to the strength of friendship, the power of music, and the resilience of the human spirit.

Jamaica is ablaze with political tensions. The upcoming elections have widened the divide between the poor and the wealthy. The streets are a battleground. In the midst of this chaos, two young women find an unlikely connection through their shared love for Reggae music.

Meet Irie, who comes from the heart of Kingston, where street fights are commonplace. Her father owns a record store and this is where she (and us readers) meet Jilly. She lives in the hills, behind the safety of gated mansions nestled within lush gardens. Their backgrounds couldn't be more different, yet their bond grows as they spend time together immersed in the rebellious sounds of Reggae.

This story is a poignant tale of friendship, love, and resilience amidst the chaos of civil unrest. Bromfield's writing captures the essence of a pivotal moment in Jamaican history, where music becomes a lifeline and love faces impossible odds. The characters come alive, and their struggles resonate deeply with me, especially as someone who is of Trinidadian heritage. My family came from (and still resides in) a community much like the one of Jilly and her family.

Bromfield brings her Afro-Jamaican heritage to the forefront. She fearlessly tells these stories, infusing them with authenticity and redemption. She invites Jamaican (and Caribbean) women to find solace in shared humanity and reminds us that our struggles matter. We matter. This sweeping novel deserves a spot on your reading list. Dive into the rhythms of Jamaica and witness the spirit of Irie and Jilly as they navigate love, revolution, and the echoes of rebellion.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books for a temporary e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I was really looking forward to this one because I really liked Hurricane Summer + I knew it was sapphic + I was interested in learning about the historical context. I may come back to this one in audio format instead, because I just couldn't get into it for whatever reason when reading it physically.

If Asha writes it, Im absolutely going to read it! She did not disappoint. This book drew me in. I stayed up all night to finish it only for my heart to break. But Asha breaks it so good that I’ll continuously subject myself to it 😩

I love when a book also gives me information and history of a place and time period that I did not know of beforehand. This book gave me that. Before this book, I did not know about the political unrest that happened in Jamaica during this time. I love how this book is able to perfectly mixed in real life events with the storyline of our favorite duo.

This was a fantastic book. I will be screaming about it until everyone I know reads it. Truly a great novel.

Due to St. Martins Press refusal to address the remarks made by their employee regarding Palestine, I will not be reviewing this book.

This in no way has anything to do with the author. But I refuse to support anything from SMP because of their refusal to address a major issue at hand.

Once again, Asha Bromfield knocks it out of the park with Songs of Irie. Combining love, struggle and heartbreak, this book is certainly one you won't be able to put down.

“ Dem can kill a revolutionary, but dem cyaan kill a revolution”
“ they can kill a revolutionary, but they cyaan rest, Irie. Yuh haffi lead with the love an’ light the way... Yuh only get one life”

I cannot express how much I love this story and the raw emotions and realism, that was expressed in the novel. Reading this story was like seeing the stories my grandparents and parents would talk about and it was such a blast to read.

Loved Irie as a main character. Jilly and Irie relationship was amazing to read about because I could feel the passion off the paper. Getting to be in both of their perspective was everything.

mind blown. i loved this authors first book hurricane summer. she didnt disappoint with this one either. another love story set in jamaica with singing. i felt like i should have a whole bob marley playlist after reading this one.


update full review can also be seen @drbooksreads via instagram

Asha Bromfield once again let me give you your flowers for the Beautiful Sophomore novel you created.

🌺 If you haven't read my review for this authors first book Hurricane Summer please do. It was one of my favorites of last year. The author didn't miss with this one either. Her Love of history and passion for Jamaica will leave you in tears and educated!

❤️ This is a love story but also so much more between two best friends Irie and Jilly. Both girls are Jamaican but from different sides of the tracks. Irie is no stranger to poverty and Jilly to the finer things in life. However happiness is only found when they are with each other and can escape their worlds. But what is this friendship/love if built off half truths that are discovered in the midst of a life changing war? That is what the reader is given in these pages. A story of love, friendship, deceit, political gain, poverty, colorism, caste systems, and the truth of the power of music. Every character in this book played a significant role and the author wrote them well. My favorite was Junior.

🎼 Irie and Jilly meet at a fancy high school. Their friendship blossoms and is destroyed through the love of reggae & societal differences. It was great to read the history behind reggae and how the artist used it for the purpose of spreading love not hate. I need to listen to more BOB especially in todays society.

💨 My Final thoughts: Jamaica in the 1970's was a total war zone. Families destroyed all in the name of political gains. It's amazing to see how diplomacy in the past and present has failed so many. In the end we are left with the memories of the survivors to learn from. I know this book was one of fiction but the story was so much deeper and very relatable to today economical crisis. This is literally one of the best books I've read this year.

🥰 Special thank you to @netgalley @ashaashanti and @stmartinspress @wednesdaybooks for the ARC given to me. This book is available now and please let me know what you think!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5 stars

#jamaica #reggae #songsofirie #ashabromfield #love #war #politics #bookstagram #books #romance #murder #gangster #friendship #gayrights

- thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc to review!

- a stunning sophomore book that explores revolution and connection in a nuanced way. Bromfield knows her craft, and handles the topics selected with nuance and care. alongside strong prose and captivating characters, Bromfield is still in her game with her novels, and songs of irie is a great novel to read.

Asha’s books are so powerful, tender, heart wrenching. This story about the war in Jamaica and two friends on either side grappling with that and their feelings for each other. There was so much to learn from this story for me personally. It scooped me up and had me swept away the whole time

Beautiful story! I got the chance to talk to Ms. Bromfield when she was YALL FEST and the way she told the story of how she wrote Songs of Irie was EVERYTHING and more!! She gained a fan out of me and what makes it even more magically was that I got to listen to the audio book while I read it so it was even more amazing!

Thank you to Macmillon for my ARC in exchange for an honest review. This was okay! Nothing bad but nothing I LOVED either.

"Songs of Irie by Asha Bromfield is a lyrical masterpiece that resonates with the soul. Bromfield's poetic prose weaves a captivating tale of love, loss, and self-discovery in the vibrant world of Irie. The characters are beautifully crafted, each note of their journey hitting a poignant chord. The author's ability to evoke emotions through words is truly remarkable. With a rich tapestry of culture and an enchanting narrative, Songs of Irie is a symphony of storytelling that deserves every one of its five stars."