Coconut Juice Book Club

When I Hit You is not an easy book, our protagonist experiences and survives extreme violence and social isolation at her husband’s hands. There are moments where the brutalities are too much so prepare yourself for that going into this. That being said, this is many women’s reality and ignoring it doesn’t make it go away, #domesticviolence takes the life of millions of people, world wide. In fact, two women are killed in the UK every week by a former or current partner.

A portrait of modern Britain through the eyes and stories of 12 very different people - mostly women and mostly black.

Imagine if there was a network of secret passages, a rail transport system with safe houses, conductors and secret routes through out America that could help slaves escape bondage. A way for them to get into the free states and Canada while avoiding captivity. This is called alternative history.

Philip Hutton is a loner. It's 1937 in Malaysia and being the mixed race son of an English father and Chinese mother comes with certain hardships. Never quite fitting in and feeling like an outsider, Philip's life takes a turn when he meets an older Japanese diplomat, Hayato Endo, an aikido master who takes Philip under his tutelage. As war looms and the Japanese invade British territory, both Endo and Philip find themselves torn between their loyalty to each other, versus loyalty to their country and family. Philip decides to assist the Japanese and Endo in administering the country in an attempt to keep his family safe, but how far is he willing to betray his countrymen for his sensei?

New York Times best selling author Brit Bennett, answers Zainab, Rav and Steven's burning questions about her debut novel, The Mothers.