By Shola Oshunkeye
Lovers of books, especially life molding-Christian fiction, are in for a swell time. This is because renowned author, and Nigeria’s undisputed Queen of Christian fiction, Ufuomaee, is set to release another chart-buster to the global market tomorrow, Tuesday, January 31, 2023.
The youthful change agent whose last series, The Naïve Wife Trilogy, is still burning the charts, will release The Accused, the fourth book in her A Small World Seasonal Series, to the global market.
The first in the series is Valentine’s Day; the second-Three Weddings and a Funeral, and the third-A Few Good Men.
From tomorrow, the world will read The Accused, a 244 page-ebook. It is Ufuomaee’s 29th book. And it will be available on global platforms like Kindle, Apple, Kobo, Nook, OverDrive, Bambooks (ideal for local readers) and more.
A Small World, according to the author, is a never-ending seasonal story series, which, like in her previous books, continues to X-ray the lives of the characters in the first three books in the series, namely: The Church Girl, An Emotional Affair, and Broken.
“You can start reading the series from any point, just like you can start enjoying a TV series from any episode,” she guides the reader to a joyful experience. “But to get the best out of this, you should read the three main books first, and previous seasons and episodes in the series. Then you will really understand the characters and appreciate the many lessons in the story.”
To thoroughly enjoy the serving, the author says readers may wish to start with Broken, which is a free ebook available on all main ebook platforms.
Though the official release of The Accused is several hours away, Ufuomaee is already walking on air, feeling as if it’s her birthday.
“I’m so excited to announce the release of the latest season of A Small World on the 31st of January, 2023,” Ufuomaee declares on her website. “It has been a long time coming, and God sent me all kinds of help to get it completed. The story has been a blessing for me to pen, and I know it will be a blessing to everyone who reads it.”
In preparation for its release, the prolific writer has created a website named, A Small World Universe, that allows readers to learn all they can about A Small World Seasonal Series, get the different books that inspired the series and the previous seasons, as well as meet all the characters.
Specifically, she says readers will get to know the characters, Mary, in The Church Girl, Amaka, also in The Church Girl, Danny in An Emotional Affair and Ope in Broken, and how they feel about life, love, and everything.
Already, The Accused has enjoyed some rave reviews.
“I hadn’t read any of the earlier seasons or most of the standalones the characters were hulled from, but I couldn’t refuse an offer to read an ARC,” Iyanuoluwa Olorode, a literary critic and a consummate consumer of Ufuomaee’s works. “So, I delved in, counting on the author’s promise that I could read the book as a standalone.”
“Before I started reading my ARC of this book,” says a reader who identifies himself simply as Arinze, “I kept wondering if I would be able to remember the characters with respect to their relationship with one another from the previous 3 seasons which I enjoyed so much. Thanks to the author, this wasn’t an issue at all as she presented the characters in a relatable manner to remind readers of who they are/were.”
Yet, another reader, Titi Oyemade, a book reviewer for BusinessDay newspaper, says: “Ufuomaee is, in my opinion, the queen of Christian romantic literature in Nigeria and she has mastered the art of including Christian themes in her works without alienating non-Christian readers.“If you have read The Church Girl, Broken, and An Emotional Affair you’re going to like reading this book series, A Small World.
“After reading the first few novels in the series, you might believe you’ve had your fill of high drama. Nope. A variety of interesting histories, some with twists and a dash of drama, are brought to the table by the characters. As the story progresses, you see unforgiveness, poor judgment, and calamity strike several characters. The best-case scenario is that you remember them separately.
“Since the author so effectively draws you into the minds and hearts of her characters, you can’t help but become invested in what they’re struggling for and what they’re willing to sacrifice to achieve.
“Reading this moving book will teach you what it means to have genuine faith.
“A Small World is a great choice if you enjoy books that don’t require a great deal of mental effort to read and if you enjoy love stories or books about marriage.
“Keep an eye out for additional works by this author.”
And in case you wish to have a taste of the pudding, the author serves these teasers from the 244-page book due for release tomorrow:
“Jamie languishes in jail, arrested for the one crime he didn’t commit. He realises that a guilty conscience is a heavy burden to bear, but where is God when you need Him? It seems it will take divine intervention to deliver him from his physical and mental chains.
“Despite their weekend retreat and Oyinda’s new professed faith, Temi seems determined to make him pay for all the hurt he has caused her. Oyinda soon falls back into his old ways, hurt by his wife’s infidelity. It takes a disaster to make them both realise their true feelings, but it seems that time is not on their side…
“News of a plane crash from Abuja to Lagos shocks and devastates the country. In the aftermath, old friends are reacquainted, and Danny and Tolu open their hearts to welcome an orphan boy.
“Antonia wrestles with her conscience and her family as Samson’s court date looms closer. Mary and her family are presented with an offer to end their troubles. In a country riddled with corruption, it seems as though the truth cannot save the one who holds to it.”
A native of Delta State, the lady with the golden pen who wishes to be known simply as Ufuomaee, describes herself as “a writer, blogger, and Christian fiction author.”
“I tell stories to help young people make the right choice before marriage and deal with challenges that often arise during and after,” she says. “I also use parables and poetry to teach about God’s love.”
When she is not writing or working, the Queen of Christian fiction says she loves to watch action movies and romcoms on Netflix. She also loves reading romantic and inspiring books by other amazing authors, which she often reviews on her blog, www.ufuomaee.blog.
- You can access Ufuomaee’s A Small World Seasonal Series at: www.asmallworlduniverse.com