Wahala audiobook

I admit it. This cover got me. I love love love it. The story inside really surprised me, too.About the book: “An incisive and exhilarating debut novel of female friendship following three Anglo-Nigerian best friends and the lethally glamorous fourth woman who infiltrates their group—the most unforgettable girls since Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda.”Each of the three friends (well, make that four, once Isabel pushes herself into the group!) has a different personality; but they are bonded despite their differences. The word Wahala means trouble in Yoruba, and the friends certainly find that along with drama and lots of fun. It deals with important issues, too, including race and class, as well as imposter syndrome. What I loved most about the story is how real everyone was. Good communication, vibrant personalities, true friendship- along with the waxing/waning trials and tribulations, and also all the growth.Overall, Wahala is a refreshing and juicy story from a talented debut author that I can’t wait to hear from again.I received a gifted copy.Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

You are going to laugh, cry, get enraged and fall madly in love with Ronke, Simi and Boo! This book is not just a pretty cover! It is engaging , truly unputdownable you wont want to leave your new friend behind! I am a little annoyed that the publishers choose to compare these amazing ladies to those other characters because I feel like I relate more to them than four white women living in New York City… but I digress. In Wahala we meet three Nigerian women Ronke, Boo, and Simi who are all living in London. They all met while in University and bonded because of their Nigerian background. Years later and their friendships are strong as ever even though they are all in different stages of their lives. Ronke is still searching for her happily ever after and thinks she’s found it with Kayode who can be a bit sketchy, added to that, her friends don’t really like him but he’s been showing up and doing better- that counts for something right? On the outside Boo seems to have everything going for her, a wonderful husband, rambunctious daughter and a job she gets to go into when she feels like. Even with all of this, she still feels unfulfilled and like something is missing. Simi is that friend who just seems to shine- you can never catch her faltering…but what happens when the shine wears off and she let her hair down? Simi introduces her two friend to her long time childhood friend Isobel… Isobel swoops in and charms everyone excluding Boo… Boo thinks something is “off” about her, but everyone tells her she is being ridiculous… will they see what Boo is talking about before it’s too late? Y’all I LOVED this one. I ate is up! I truly enjoyed being in the lives of these three women- they felt real and truly relatable. I could pinpoint exactly which friend was who and that is what I exactly why I was enamored with this book. The writing is fresh, engaging and I could not get enough of the pop references. Nikki May does a great job of showcasing Black Women and friendship in a way that was not overdone and eye-rolling and I want more persons to experience this. Truly an experience you won’t forget!

I really thought that Nikki May's debut novel, Wahala was going to be my last read for 2021, but I just couldn't put it down during my post-Holiday commute back into NYC. The cover is spectacular and it may be a contender for best covers of 2022, and it's still 2021! Picking up this book, I thought that it would be geared more towards a Nigerian Sex and the City, as the blurb hints at the main characters resembling them, but what we really get is a Anglo-Nigerian Big Little Lies, and I'm not mad about it!The story focuses on three Anglo-Nigerian women in London—Ronke, Boo, and Simi, three women with different lives, but a core friendship nonetheless. Ronke is dating and feels like she's ready for a bigger commitment, Boo is married to a dedicated French husband with a child already, and Simi is the one that everyone gravitates towards. Simi appears to have the perfect life, but she has her own secrets that she isn't sharing. The trio soon meets Isobel, a woman who appears to also have everything handed to her. But when an outsider joins the group and changes everything, what does that really mean about the strength of their friendship?This book had mystery/thriller undertones, but is mainly a women's fiction drama. PLEASE do not go into it thinking you'll be reading anything other than that. I was disappointed in thinking that we would get something a bit more twisty. That being said, I really enjoyed the power dynamics between Ronke, Boo, Simi, and Isobel. Each woman has a real influence over the narrative and their own personality. For example, Ronke was my favorite! Everyone will find a character to support and everyone will find a character to love to hate.This book talks about many different topics that really drove my interest. Not only does the book talk about female friendship, socioeconomic power struggles, and relationships; but I also really enjoyed the conversations of what it means to be Anglo-Nigerian. Both the struggles and privilege, living in both London and Lagos. I really think this book will be a hit for readers, so let me know what you think when you finish!

I finished this about a week ago, and I’ve been thinking about it ever since, trying to figure out what I’d like to talk about 😌. Every now and then I read something that falls outside of my top 3 genres and this is one of those instances. Y’all already know that I have a fragile heart and you might have seen my mini breakdowns on Twitter 😂Not that it was planned but I ended the year with a book about friendship and happened to start with one too, it felt like a full circle moment. But the last thing I expected was it being so messy 😂 one thing about the women Nikki May writes is that they’re FLAWED (like if I could meet Boo, it would be on sight 😤). The frustrations were running so high I’d audibly voice them - think the New York Pollard “Not you” meme 😂All in all, I think it achieved what it sought out to do - be entertaining 🤷🏾‍♀️ . There were times when I couldn’t put it down, I even forfeited some sleep and you guys know how I yearned to sleep these past holidays 😫. I was a wee bit disappointed when I got to the end, it just felt so rushed but at the same time I don’t care? Endings are such strange things that are often misses more than they’re hits 💀If you’re looking for something that will cause you to let out a little squeal, this might be the book for you ✨ Similarly if thrillers and dramas are your thing, you might just be a little disappointed but I’m a firm believer in trying something out yourself 🥰

This book starts as one thing and finishes as another but it keeps you interested the whole dang time. 4.5 stars.

Here is the truth: Wahala stressed the hell out of me but I really, really, really enjoyed it. Wahala is relatively a light read but there is so much ground covered here from dealing with self worth, unfulfilled life, fraying friendship to everyday racism, cultural clashes and conflict of identities. Set in London, the novel introduces us readers to a tight-knit group of Anglo-Nigerian bestfriends: Ronke, a successful dentist who wishes for a perfect domestic life; Boo, a housewife who secretly despises her husband and daughter; and Simi, a brand fashion executive who juggles work pressures and long-distance marriage. However, there has been nothing but wahala (trouble in Yoruba language) since Isobel, Simi’s childhood friend, joins their group. Amid the centralising of female experience and women friendship in this book, there is also a creeping awareness that something sinister is going to happen since Isobel arrived. Girl is shady as hell and boy, do I hate her. What made Wahala particularly riveting read for me was the distinct, diverse cast of characters. They are all messy, flawed and unlikable that I felt like grabbing their shoulders and shake some sense into them (especially Boo and Simi) yet also wanted to root for their happiness (maybe not Boo hahaha sorry not sorry) and their friendship to be mended again. Wahala is also highly rich in Nigerian cultural references: cuisine, culture, language, making the overall reading experience much more authentic and immersive for me.Also, it’s funny how reading a book about women struggle and friendship made me feel sorry for the male characters. This was definitely a first, LOL. If you are looking for a juicy, drama-filled, entertaining, anger-inducing read, Wahala is the perfect book for you. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Times Reads for the opportunity to review this novel. I appreciate it so much.

Hello there, and welcome back to That Introvert Reader! Recently, NetGalley sent me an ARC of Wahala, by Nikki May.https://thatintrovertreader.wordpress...i have laughed, i have cried, i have sat on my sofa staring at the squirrel in the garden in shock....review to come

This is a twisty story that manages to fit a whole lot of drama into just a few characters. Intricately plotted but always staying close to our characters. It is one of those books where every character brings their own perspective to the story and part of the pleasure is seeing them see each other. Ronke, Boo, and Simi have been best friends for years. They are all biracial, half British and half Nigerian, living in Britain. They all have complicated family histories. They are a group that has always been in sync even when their lives are in different places. Boo already has a husband and daughter, Simi dropped out of college but bounced back into fashion, and Ronke is single and a practicing dentist. Things get thrown when Isobel appears, a girl from far in Simi's past. Isobel immediately makes waves and sends up hackles, but slowly they accept her as a new part of the group. But it's clear to us that Isobel is Up To Something. Especially when we see things from different points of view and start to see the cracks in Isobel's story. Isobel nudges them all in different ways, giving them each a little push here and there, and soon their friendship is on the rocks and old grudges resurface.Our characters here are not perfect but all distinctive and I really appreciated how May got us to care about them while still making it pretty clear what their flaws are. I really could have read this for ages, I loved going back and forth between the three women and seeing just how they were going to mess things up next.I am very very tempted to deduct half a star because the ending to this book is all wrong. Too fast and also suddenly ramps things up way too many notches. Felt like we jumped genres, almost. I wanted us to get to have some real time to work on resolution here just like we'd had so much time to get so deep into the mud.I listened on audio and the reader was great, easily moving between British, Nigerian, American, and French accents and really bringing all the characters to life.

Not a new favorite, but a book that I found enjoyable from start to finish with characters I was immediately drawn too. If you like the cozy characters and messy interpersonal conflicts that make up a Liane Moriarty novel then I think you'll enjoy seeing these friends and their lives slowly unravel as the story goes on. Is the ending a little much, maybe? But For me it worked, it felt fine with how the book had been going and it didn't read like an author unnecessarily trying to subvert expectations for the fun of subverting them.

Dripping in culture and betrayal, Nikki May's debut Wahala was everything I was hoping it would be and more. I do think it was an odd decision to compare this story to Sex and the City, but I agree the ladies of this book are pretty unforgettable. I loved the viewpoint switches between Ronke, Boo, and Simi, and this is a story with TONS of drama and secrets. Each of the women is experiencing their own struggles, but things get really interesting when they start clashing as well. I can't say I found any of them to be all that likable per se, but I thought the meat of this book was incredibly relatable as a woman. I got so caught up in everything that was going on, and I could have easily finished this in a day. I was also really excited to see this is going to be a BBC TV drama, and I will most definitely be watching it. Wahala is also a brilliant book to listen to on audio and being a white person who knows nothing about the culture, it was very helpful for me since I got all of the pronunciations I wouldn't have known otherwise. I had no idea how to say most of the character names, and the narrator, Natalie Simpson, was also wonderful to listen to. I personally thought the pacing was slow without being too slow, and May's writing easily kept me engaged. I also loved the strong dose of Anglo-Nigerian culture I got to experience since reading about other cultures is always interesting to me. I think Wahala is a great choice for anyone who enjoys reading stories about female friendships and lots of drama. There were a couple of surprises I didn't see coming either and it was a great addition to the book!I received an advanced listening copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Wahala is Nigerian Pidgin for trouble, but it might as well stand for Oh, Sh–t, because that’s what I thought to myself over and over while listening to this tension-packed novel. When it comes to creating a villain you love to hate, Nikki May aced it. Isabelle is such a master of manipulation that the other characters don’t recognize that she is motivated by “pull her down syndrome.” Coined by feminist Gloria Steinem, this syndrome describes a woman who denigrates other women. Having been victimized by a woman of this ilk, I found several scenes in this novel to be very painful. However, it’s a testament to May’s writing that the events felt so real to me. It also made me desperate for the other women to hold tight to one another and the people they loved—to regain their empowerment and refuse to lose confidence in themselves.The two elements that kept this from being a five-star read were that the plot relies a bit too heavily on coincidence. Also, the child in the novel, Sophie, is such a rude, spoiled brat (through no fault of her own) that I wish she’d been in fewer scenes. Overall, I think May is a writer to keep an eye on. I hope to read more of her work in the future.

Discover the locations in WahalaA fun, quirky and fresh take on a group of friends and their dual heritage experience of being Nigerian in Britain. You will want to be friends with these people and eat the food in the novel!FULL REVIEW DEC 17th 2021Ronke, Simi and Boo have been friends for years ever since school. They bonded due to their joint heritage and this Nigerian-English mix has bonded them as much as it has kept them apart from othersThe three women are very different and have different views on life, love and everything in between. Each voice is very different and that makes this novel a joy = as if you are sitting there with them around the table and eating all that wonderful food.Each chapter swings back to one of the friends and through this way of storytelling, its like chatting to each friend in turn. You find out their thoughts, inner feelings and hopes and dreams. THEN comes Isobel. A cat amongst the pigeons. She will place a bomb in the group and then turn the group in on itself revealing underlying suspicions, jealousies and testing the most resolved of loyalties.The sprinkling of Nigerian culture and food is woven lovingly into the storyline. All that food! Bless Nikki for including the recipes at the end.One of the characters goes to the supermarket she steps out of London and into downtown Lagos with its noise and aromas. A brilliant way of contrasting and exploring the two cultures and cuisines. When one of the friends sees the other she notes; ‘teeth, dimples, sunshine, you’. What a lovely way to notice a friend.Nikki May has a wonderful turn of phrase and there is such character and individuality in the people she creates on the page. They leap off it and dance! A favourite of mine was aunty K who visits London from Lagos and is shocked by the prices so says that she is going to keep her money for the high blood pressure tablets she is going to need. She also smuggles fish into the country and ignores pleas that they could catch her one day. When she was cooking moinmoin in smuggled banana leaves, my mouth was watering! If I see her on Banged up Abroad one day, I wouldn’t’ be surprised though haha.I’m off for some jollof rice with fried beef and pounded yam with seafood okra with some chicken suya to go please.

I loved this story, devoured it. I'm a fan of novels featuring toxic friendship and female group dynamic and this was absolutely addictive and beautifully written. A group of close friends, all of Nigerian/British heritage rely on each other in their varied lives - but when an outlier arrives, a cuckoo in the nest so to speak, everything spectacularly falls apart.The writing is vivid and gorgeous, the characters so alive on the page and hugely engaging. As the insidious manipulation begins, heading towards tragedy, it is completely and utterly gripping. The cultural aspects are fantastic and I'm definitely going to try out all the recipes, that plus the absolutely superb storytelling makes this a must read in my humble opinion. Highly Recommended.

I'm very happy I selected Wahala as my first read of 2022. I enjoyed being a fly on the wall, so to speak, as I watched the women in this story deal with romantic relationships, careers, and friendships. This book is being described as a Nigerian Sex and the City and I guess that's a fair description but I can tell you I'd much rather spend time with these women than Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, and Samantha. There's much more depth to this story than anything we got with the tv show.Ronke, Boo, and Simi are close friends and each woman spent part of their childhood growing up in Nigeria. As adults they are living in England. Ronke is a dentist and doesn't have a great track record when it comes to her dating life. Boo, has a loving husband and daughter but she is feeling frustrated with her life these days. Simi is a fashionista and is keeping a rather large secret from her husband. When a fourth woman, Isobel, joins this group of friends, let's just say she is going to rock their world to the core.The story alternates between Ronke, Boo, and Simi. I thought each woman brought something interesting to the table in terms of their storyline. As for the character of Isobel, I did question from time to time if she was a truly necessary character. By the end, I think Isobel contributed to the story but I do have some lingering issues with thinking she was a bit of cliché character. The conclusion of the story could have used just a tad more development as it felt hastily tacked on. But all in all, it was great read especially if you enjoy women's fiction.Wahala would make a great book club read as there's so much to discuss here. By the way, bonus points to the author for including some recipes in the back of the book. The yummy food descriptions throughout the story had my mouth watering more than a few times.Thank you to William Morrow for providing me with an advance copy! All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.