The Girl Who Cried Poetry

Happy new month!

I was expecting to put out a blog post on the first day of the month, but it felt right. Is it a sign? *gasps* Apologies. I’m learning more about witchcraft and apparently, the universe puts out signs for guidance. Thank you, Universe.

One of my favourite parts about being a book lover is meeting other book lovers. A plus if they have the same tastes as yours. I love to recommend books and hear that they absolutely loved it. I like to discuss a book with someone and it’s as if we’re gossipping about the lives of real people when actually, we’re just talking about the characters. Others might find it weird and unsettling, but the people that get it get it, isn’t that right?

As you can see from the title, I’m adding a new segment. It was partly inspired from the interviews Grace hosts on her book blog, Grace and Books and partly because the guest this conversation is centred on is someone I admire a lot for her cynicism, takes and how “weird” skhe is. We’re also supposed to get married in the foreseeable future.

I’ve always been curious about the bookish part of her, because honestly, it’s fun to send her books and hear about her responses. They’re usually unhinged and that’s just my style. She’s full of humour as well and I’m sure you all will see what I see in her.

Ladies and gents, I present to you: Nimi.

NB: She’s anti-romance.

Profile

Full name: Olatunde Tioluwani
Location: Lagos, Nigeria
Social media handles:
Facebook- Oluwa Nimi
X- Nimi_Goddess
Instagram- nimi_thetempest
Favourite book: Why would anyone have a favourite book?
Last book read: Someday, Maybe by Onyi Nwabineli.

People have favourite books because they are that good, Nimi.
Nimi: Not me. I’m too indecisive. I love them all!

~I get it, I get it. You know the interview has started, right?

Nimi: Ah.I can give a list of books I love and I’m sure anyone with at least two brain cells would, too. Well, if they dare to or are capable of reading. I have exquisite taste.

I can give a list of books I love and I’m sure anyone with at least two brain cells would, too. Well, if they dare to or are capable of reading. I have exquisite taste.

• Vagabonds- Eloghosa Osunde

• The Stormlight archives- Brandon Sanderson

• All the bright places- Jennifer Niven

• The Folk of the air series- Holly Black

• The Wisdom of Psychopaths – Kevin Dutton

~Of course you have impeccable taste, love. Saving this recs for later. Now, how are you doing today?

Nimi: Usually, I use numbers because they’re easier to quantify and today, I feel 4/10. Pretty good compared to most days.

~That’s understandable. I think I’m a 4 too, today. It do be tough. Tell me a completely normal/boring fact about you.

Nimi: I HATE combing my hair.

~Valid. I hate it more when someone combs it for me.

Nimi: Haha. No one combs for me. Those hairdressers should better stay safe or no one does.

~As should be. What does reading mean to you?

Nimi: Living.

For me, words and language have spiritual undertones and transcribing them into readable strokes, capable of exciting, traumatizing, uplifting or simply evoking any type of emotion which the human brain is capable of interpreting is ethereal. Reading makes it possible for me to unexist, even if only for a while and actually live. I also love knowing as much as I can about things that interest me and written words are the perfect medium for my kind of person.

~Wow. Let’s take a minute for this confession to sink in. Reading is that great, isn’t it? Lovely. What’s your earliest memory of reading?

Nimi: Hmmm…

Me calling letters of words out loud and trying to pronounce them in twos and threes. I remember walking alongside my mum on the road and trying to pronounce the word- Toyota and knowing I got it right after my mother’s confirmation. I was about 3.

~Words have always interested you since then, hmm?

Nimi: Yes. Read every book I could get my hands on. There’s a story but it’s not for you to read.

~What are your top 3 books of all time?Nimi: All the books I’ve ever read have sapa mi lori(run away from my head).

In no particular order: The cradle series, The Stormlight archives and All the Bright Places.

~All The Bright Places is amazing. What’s something that annoys you so badly in books?

Nimi: All these Romance people. Arghhhh!

All the lives I’ve lived have finally led up to this day. Why is there always a vertical scar across his left eye? Ehn? Must he growl? Is he a lion? Must he have cheekbones sharp enough to cut diamond? If he doesn’t have blue eyes the color of the ocean, sky and all blue precious stones mixed into one, broody forest green eyes, stormy grey eyes, or the worst: onyx eyes with gold inflections, will they die?!

~But Nimi, you know that’s the only way we can enjoy romance, right? He has to look like some god moulded him from gold, before we can deem him book boyfriend worthy. 

Nimi: *Judges intensely.*

~So your problem is romance itself? Or just the hot male characters?
Nimi: Wo, one of them should sha die. Would make everything better. I’ve never met anyone like that and probably never will. Why should I read about them?

~It makes sense considering literature should have some form of verisimilitude, but come on, we are reading to escape reality, isn’t it?
Nimi: I know. I’m just a hater.

~Based. What are your top 3 favourite genres?
Nimi: Fantasy, Psychology and Psychological thrillers.

~What’s the worst book you have read?
Nimi: Haunting Adeline, Woom and Death’s obsession. Finished all. Two were your fault.

~If not that I’m in love with you, Nimi, I would have blocked you. I know Haunting Adeline was ass, but Death’s Obsession was niceeee. And please, Woom? Woom is just crazy. I get it.
Nimi: God will punish Death and his obsession all over again.

~Okay, okay, don’t vex. What’s your worst genre and why is it your worst genre?
Nimi: Happy Romance.
Why are y’all not dying? Sad? Depressed? Manic?
What’s so happy about life?

~Escaping reality, Nimi. Remember?
Nimi: Again, I’m a hater. If I don’t hate, I might faint.

~Valid. What’s your green flag in a book?
Nimi: Great world building, witty characters, superb dialogue and plot.

~As should be. One genre you can never read?
Nimi: I would have said none but one day I came across an array of books on Bestiality.
I could never ever never never ever do that to my brain.

~Do you want this to make it to the internet?
Nimi: Yes.

~What book will someone recommend to you that’ll make you question their taste?
Nimi: Alpha mail.

~Which one be alpha mail, abeg? Please, be specific.
Nimi: I don’t know, anything that has alpha mail, like Haunting Adeline for example.

~Okay, ma. I have to ask, what happy romance novel is in your good graces?
Nimi: The Hating Game.

~That’s interesting. Very. I’m interested to know what you like. A genre you wish you could read more often?
Nimi: Poetry.

~Same here, my dear. I try my best to savour it when I do. If you had the chance to meet an author, living or dead, who would it be?
Nimi: Eloghosaaaaaa! Moses.

~Moses who?
Nimi: Moses in the bible.

~Why’s that?
Nimi: I want to hear the creation story from this perspective.

~Makes sense. I’m giving you one last chance to hate. Is there any author you want to drag by the wig?
Nimi: Colleen Hoover!

~I need to read her books. I need to know why she’s one of the most hated authors. And do you know what worries me? That I might actually like her books. Le gasp.
Nimi If you do, I’ll force myself to un-love you.

~Fuck. And I was about to ask you when you’ll propose. It’s just for testing na.
Nimi: You can like Verity sha.

~Yes, ma. Last interview question…What do you think about Mercy?
Nimi: I love you sm. Your self expression drew me to you in the first place. Consistency despite everything. Ability to draw people in and keep them there and your love for smut. I’m not a fan, but, gotta admire the passion.

~I wasn’t expecting this, but thank you sm. I love you too!

---

You see, guys? My love for smut will take me to places. In this scenario, into the arms of my woman.

I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as the both of us loved chatting together. There’ll be more bookish conversations in the future. I just have to read and socialise. Both I’m seeming to have trouble doing lately.

If there is any conversation about a book you’ll like to have with me and put it out here, you can always contact me. I’m conventionally unemployed, so it means I’m readily available.

Also, what are you currently reading? Leave the answer in the comments.

As for me, it is:

Marriage For One by Ella Maise

Synopsis

Jack and I, we did everything backward. The day he lured me into his office-which was also the first day we met-he proposed. You’d think a guy who looked like him-a bit cold maybe, but still striking and very unattainable-would only ask the love of his life to marry him, right? You’d think he must be madly in love. Nope. It was me he asked. A complete stranger who had never even heard of him. A stranger who had been dumped by her fiancé only weeks before. You’d think I’d laugh in his face, call him insane-and a few other names-then walk away as quickly as possible. Well…I did all those things except the walking away part. It took him only minutes to talk me into a business deal…erm, I mean marriage, and only days for us to officially tie the knot. Happiest day of my life. Magical. Pop the champagne… Not. It was the worst day.

Jack Hawthorne was nothing like what I’d imagined for myself. I blamed him for my lapse in judgment. I blamed his eyes, the ocean blue eyes that looked straight into mine unapologetically, and that frown on his face I had no idea I would become so fascinated with in time. It wasn’t long after he said I was the biggest mistake of his life that things started to change. No, he still didn’t talk much, but anyone can string a few words together. His actions spoke the loudest to me. And day after day my heart started to get a mind of its own. One second he was no one. The next he became everything. One second he was unattainable. The next he seemed to be completely mine. One second I thought we were in love. The next it was still nothing but a lie. After all, I was Rose and he was Jack. We were doomed from the very beginning with those names. Did you expect anything else?

That was an awfully long synopsis.

If you’re into the fake marriage trope and you love to read romance novels with no big plot and just the relationship development of the couple, then this is for you.

I’ve read it before and am re-reading it just because of how good it is. If you’re like me, it will have you grinning from ear to ear. They’re just amazing.

As for the climatic fall outs, I can’t remember how it was considering I read it two years ago, but they did work it out. Wonderful book in my opinion.

Before I go, take a moment to share this with your bookish friends. It will do a lot for the blog.

With love and smut,
The Girl Who Cried Poetry.