The Braid Blog

A literary billet-doux to the African world.

Hi! I’m Joy, a Louisiana-born, Nigerian-American writer who’s obsessed with literature, research, and the untold histories of Africa and the Black diaspora. The Braid Blog is where I weave it all together: memory, literature, culture, and the quiet power in our everyday lives. Think of this space as part archive, part altar–always an offering.

I’d love to connect! Feel free to visit my socials below or send me an email xo.

Tag: Ghanaian wedding

  • Read, Rinse, Repeat: Sweet Heat by Bolu Babalola

    In Sweet Heat (2025), Bolu Babalola delivers romance with depth–intimate, messy, and impossible to ignore. Kiki Banjo thought she outran her past, but one reunion cracks everything open: love, pride, ambition, and the life she’s been carefully constructing. Consider this your invitation to read this spicy title responsibly.