Akata Woman surprised me in the best possible way. I've grown to love my favorite Oha Coven with my entire heart, so it was terrifying to find them in their worst situation yet. Even with that fear, their trials and tribulations were perfectly executed. I found the pacing lagging in the first two books in the series right around the mid-point of the novel, so you can imagine my joy at not finding that issue here. I was hooked to my seat the entire time, and I finished it in a little over three days because I just HAD TO know what happened at the end. Also, I love that each of the members within the Oha Coven got to shine more in their own unique way. Everyone but Sunny gets to move up into the second tier of Leopard Society via magic, and it was interesting to have their journeys just as valid as Sunny's because occasionally novels can focus only on the main character. Ultimately, it's genius because I love each of the members of this friendship dearly.

My favorite part is still the love and friendship between Sunny, Chichi, Orlu, and Sasha. Yes, there's romance between these kids, but at the end of the day, it's so pure and teenager-ish that I cannot help but think of myself at that time. It's realistic and powerful to see these bonds. Oftentimes, romance gets the center stage in books, but the friendships at the end of the day are what matter in the Nsibidi Scripts. I'll always cherish it.

Oddly enough, the main characters may be fifteen years old, but in this installment, the themes, attitudes of characters, and tone of this installment felt very mature. Obviously, it's not adult, but I felt this weight to the story that hasn't really been around since. Sunny is growing up in these books, and I'd compare it to Percy Jackson's growth as the consequences sky rocket in severity or any other magic school book for young adults. Sunny must learn and grow into who she is becoming, and it's downright wondrous to witness. I cannot wait for the fourth book, and hopefully, it comes very soon!