Rakiya by Ellis Shuman is an interesting collection of diverse short stories that transport readers to the heart of Bulgaria, a country with rich history, exotic traditions, and complex human experiences. Each story in the collection is drawn together by shots of rakiya, the traditional Bulgarian spirit, which the collection is unsurprisingly named after. Rakiya’s…
A Broken People’s Playlist by Chimeka Garricks is a collection of twelve deeply moving short stories that explore the core of the human experience – grief. Each story displays meticulous writing, leaving the reader emotionally bruised yet yearning for more. Garricks masterfully portrays characters who transcend mere character roles, but serve as representations of prevalent…
“Words and Other Weapons” by Thembe Khumalo is a thought-provoking collection of twenty-two essays and short stories that explore the multifaceted aspects of life; themes of growth, love, illness, ageing, and the various shades of human experience. The first piece, “Third Party,” stands out and delves into the challenges of a couple dealing with an…
Dreams and Assorted Nightmares by Abubakar Adam Ibrahim is a collection of intertwined short stories set in an unknown land in Nigeria—a mystical place called Zango where its inhabitants die when leaves fall from a magnificent live tree in a vast and dark forest called Kurmi. These stories explore the spaces between the earthly realm…