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alyollivierre's review
3.0
Cute, short story with strong female characters accurately and authentically depicting Jamaica and diverse Caribbean dialects.
booksenvogue's review
3.0
Enriched in culture and language, this novel brings Jamaican patois to the forefront. With brief glimpses of food and social interactions of a lax Blue Lagoon contrasting the hustle and bustle of New York elicits a visceral appreciation of the island, affectionately called “yaad”. This short story about family, love, and leaps of faith is the perfect breezy summer read.
*Thanks to the author for entrusting me with an honest review.
*Thanks to the author for entrusting me with an honest review.
lulureads365's review
4.0
This was such a cute story! This is a quick, easy, fun read about Stevonie, a hard-working Jamaican descent who’s only focus is to succeed in life. When the past decides to make an appearance in the present, everything just left. And it leaves Stevonie wondering what exactly it is that she is supposed to be doing with her life.
This is such a cute story and I cannot wait to read more about Stevonie. I could actually see her story playing out on the big screen. Also, the author put together a soundtrack that can be found on YouTube by searching “From Yaad Playlist”.
If you haven’t already, check out this story and the playlist. You won’t be disappointed.
This is such a cute story and I cannot wait to read more about Stevonie. I could actually see her story playing out on the big screen. Also, the author put together a soundtrack that can be found on YouTube by searching “From Yaad Playlist”.
If you haven’t already, check out this story and the playlist. You won’t be disappointed.
bookofcinz's review
2.0
From Yaad is a short immersive read about what happens when Stevonie receives a letter from Jamaica (Yaad), that throws her entire life off balance. Stevonie is a second generation Jamaican, living and working in Brooklyn as a Marketing professional who is about to invest into a new business with one of her best friends. By all intents, Stevonie's life is going great, that is until she receives a letter from Jamaica concerning her late father's will.
A short but entertaining read for me. I particularly loved hearing from Stevonie's mother, their interactions were believable and totally authentic. A great read.
A short but entertaining read for me. I particularly loved hearing from Stevonie's mother, their interactions were believable and totally authentic. A great read.
knightreader1988's review
4.0
From Yaad is a delightful and cute short story suited for a day at the beach. You will gobble it up in no time!
The novella centers around Stevonie, a working class professional of Jamaican descent living and working in the United States. A marketing executive by trade with a promising career, Stevonie's 'perfect' life is thrown into disarray when she inherits a small tourist resort in Jamaica. The new demands placed on her threaten to derail her own ambitions, leaving her with the hard choice between her father's dream and her own.
Authentic Jamaican language and references colour the pages as we take a trip with Stevonie back 'home'. Her ability or at times inability to connect to the Jamaican climate is not unlike the struggle many returning residents or first generation immigrants face on revisiting their ancestral land. As a nomad myself, I related a lot to Stevonie's challenge.
The telling of the story led to easy reading but my only major qualm was the under development of certain characters particularly the protagonist's mother. She was quite a rich presence at the start, so I was understandably disappointed when she didn't appear more often later in the story. Indeed, given the Novella format the author chose, full development of multiple characters would be next to impossible, but a reader can hope!
The story comes at a time when women have established themselves as leaders in society and it is now the job of authors worldwide to have this reflected in present day literature. Stevonie's strength in many ways exemplifies the real world gusto women display in their daily lives, whether at home or at work, and I applaud the author for this. I certainly look forward to additional works by Tracey, whether continuing Stevonie's journey or otherwise. Extra happy points are awarded for Tracey's inclusion of a playlist at the end of the story. I'd suggest flipping to the back before starting, queuing up some of the songs and then reading for the full effect!
I thank the author for providing this novella in exchange for an honest review. All views are my own.
The novella centers around Stevonie, a working class professional of Jamaican descent living and working in the United States. A marketing executive by trade with a promising career, Stevonie's 'perfect' life is thrown into disarray when she inherits a small tourist resort in Jamaica. The new demands placed on her threaten to derail her own ambitions, leaving her with the hard choice between her father's dream and her own.
Authentic Jamaican language and references colour the pages as we take a trip with Stevonie back 'home'. Her ability or at times inability to connect to the Jamaican climate is not unlike the struggle many returning residents or first generation immigrants face on revisiting their ancestral land. As a nomad myself, I related a lot to Stevonie's challenge.
The telling of the story led to easy reading but my only major qualm was the under development of certain characters particularly the protagonist's mother. She was quite a rich presence at the start, so I was understandably disappointed when she didn't appear more often later in the story. Indeed, given the Novella format the author chose, full development of multiple characters would be next to impossible, but a reader can hope!
The story comes at a time when women have established themselves as leaders in society and it is now the job of authors worldwide to have this reflected in present day literature. Stevonie's strength in many ways exemplifies the real world gusto women display in their daily lives, whether at home or at work, and I applaud the author for this. I certainly look forward to additional works by Tracey, whether continuing Stevonie's journey or otherwise. Extra happy points are awarded for Tracey's inclusion of a playlist at the end of the story. I'd suggest flipping to the back before starting, queuing up some of the songs and then reading for the full effect!
I thank the author for providing this novella in exchange for an honest review. All views are my own.
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