Book Review: FEDDIE GIRL by Nona David

Review written by Tayo Sogbanmu; UK

With an amazing ability to capture the very vibrant detail in the culture of the Nigerian people, Nona David takes you on a journey with Feddie Girl.

Carlotta, a mixed-race American teen sent to Nigeria at the demand of her also mixed-race father with Nigerian heritage, is opened up to a whole new civilization, which she deems a far cry from what she calls home. Given her situation and what she sees as a severe predicament, she gives up on any hope of being able to survive, but just in time discovers newly found friendships, an instinct of adaptation and a strength filled with maturity she never believed she had.

As the story unfolds it matures in a way one may not have expected, as both Richard and Shelly (Carlotta’s parents) must also take a journey of their own, that if not travelled with caution, could cost them both the very family they are trying so hard to keep together.

Nona gives great and accurate insight into the life of boarding school in Nigeria, the character and humour of the Nigerian people, and a detailed scope into the diversity that resides in the country.

From the description of the vibrant streets of Lagos; and the constant chatter of Carlotta’s class mates that will have you laughing away; to the mention of some of Nigeria’s well known delicacies; Feddie Girl will allow you to explore and visualize the very ground of Nigeria, doing so in a way that is true and definitely not sugar coated.

An extract from “Feddie Girl”:

Lagos, Nigeria.

Everything and everyone make up the beauty of Lagos!

It’s no wonder everyone wants to come to Lagos.

A true mix of different people of different Nationals:

Different traits, tribes, races and languages;

The Igbo’s, Yoruba’s and Hausa’s.

This is the mystery of Lagos;

A city we call home.

Eko for sure!

Eko for life!

Eko o ni baje!

How to purchase this novel:

1. From publisher (Bernard Books Publishing):
https://bernardbooks.com
{Currently offering a Buy One Get One FREE Promo — Ends Feb 28th 2010. }

2. From Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com

3. Buy in NIGERIA:
See details and contact info for our Sales Agents in Nigeria:

https://bernardbooks.com/gpage1.html

Book Review: Feddie Girl by Nona David

Review posted by Susan Buetow on the blog site Scraps of Life

What an exciting book!  I wanted to read this book to see if it would be appropriate for my teens to read.  Well it is!  The book is about Carlotta Ikedi, angry, pampered, spoiled, bored, attention seeing young teen who was kicked out of school, again.  She was sent to a boarding school in Nigeria (Father is from there) to help straighten her out!  Her parents were dealing with potential affairs and drinking problems.  I felt as though they were responsible for the trouble their daughter was in.  At first I thought that the decision to send her away was a bit extreme.  The book goes on with a sub plot to explain why she was sent away so far from home.

This young lady was sent to a school where she would no longer have her clothes laid out for her!   I thought she proved herself to be a very responsible young lady.  She made good choices to stay out of trouble, control her temper and to try new things.  She is a very determined and strong-willed girl.  Carlotta realized very early into her boarding school stay that when one mistake is made the consequences can last for a long time.  She chose to work hard so she could go back home at the end of the year.

She also learned that judging others, being cruel to others is not a good thing.  She got a taste of this and came to realize this is the way she treated others, too.  She was shocked by how pleasant people were to their parents and authority.  She came to accept this way of life, too.

Before I say too much about this book and give away every thing in it, I do recommend this book for teens and adults.  Once started I didn’t want to stop reading the book!  I was disappointed at how quickly the book came to an end.  The last 10-12 pages quickly wrapped up all the loose ends and twist and turns.  This is typical of me to not want a book to end.  If the book has well developed characters I get attached to them and sad when a book ends!  Feddie Girl has strong, developed characters.  I enjoyed reading about the food and culture of Nigeria.

How to purchase this novel:

1. From publisher (Bernard Books Publishing):
https://bernardbooks.com
{Currently offering a Buy One Get One FREE Promo — Ends Feb 28th 2010. }

2. From Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com

3. Buy in NIGERIA:
See details and contact info for our Sales Agents in Nigeria:

https://bernardbooks.com/gpage1.html

See the full review on “Scraps of Life”

Read excerpts of the novel and other reviews at https://bernardbooks.com/gpage.html

Vicki Newell’s review of “Feddie Girl”

Posted by Vicki Newell to the blog site “Reading at the Beach”
http://www.readingatthebeach.com/2010/01/review-feddie-girl.html

What a fun read this is! Some of the situations that come up very unexpected and are full of suspense, while others hilarious.
I loved how the author brought so many aspects of living at a boarding school in West Africa into the book.
The author writes with such clarity that you feel as if you are there with them, and you know how Carlotta feels as a teen trying to adapt to living in a boarding school in another country. Most of the other students treat her good, but 2 of them go out of their way to be awful to her.
This is a whirlwind of a book and you won’t want to put it down until the last word.

How to purchase this novel:

1. From publisher (Bernard Books Publishing:
https://bernardbooks.com/links.html
{Currently offering a Buy One Get One FREE Promo –Don’t miss this!}

2. From Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0982452608/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&qid=1257266294&sr=1-1&condition=new

3. Buy in NIGERIA:
Contact our Sales Agents directly in Nigeria:
LAGOS = 08023226389, 08023002049, 08098012049
ABUJA/JOS/KADUNA = 08066370106
PORT-HARCOURT/OWERRI/ABA = 08037974482
ENUGU/NSUKKA/ONITSHA = 08030908351

See the full review on “Reading at the Beach”
http://www.readingatthebeach.com/2010/01/review-feddie-girl.html

Read excerpts of the novel and other reviews at https://bernardbooks.com/gpage.html

Promo: Buy One Get One FREE!!!

Hi all,

You can’t beat this deal! Check it out. For a limited time only, if you order a copy of “Feddie Girl” by Nona David directly from the publisher, you get a second copy absolutely FREE.

That means you get one for yourself, and one for a friend or family member or for me 🙂

“Yeah right,” you say, “why would I wanna give you my free copy?”

Oh well, it was worth a try 🙂 Give it to your sister, friend, cousin, or colleague. Forget about me…

Seriously, if you buy one copy, you’ll get a second copy FREE. You won’t get this deal anywhere else — not on Amazon, not on Barnes & Noble, not on eBay. Only directly from the publisher.

All orders ship within 12hrs and it takes 3-5 days to get to US locations and 6-10 days for international locations.

*Please, this promo is not valid for purchases made in NIGERIA. Price for the novel in Nigeria is currently N2500 (already at 24% off. Was N3300). Click here for where to buy in Nigeria.

Now is your chance to save, so hurry now!

Feddie Girl: The Hilarious Adventures of an American Teen in a Nigerian Federal School
An international adventure/thriller detailing the experiences of an American teenager in a Nigerian (West Africa) boarding school. This novel offers a unique reading experience–witty, fun, and exhilarating. The masterful suspense, action, and sub-plot will curl your toes, keep you reading all night, and leave you thirsting for more.

Author: Nona David
Publication Date: February 2010
Copyright: July 2009
Type: US Trade Paperback
Page No: 400
Price: $19.99 (US); £14.05 (UK); $26.10 (CAN); €18.82 (EUR); $28.80 (AUS)
ISBN: 978-0-9824526-0-8
SAN: 858-2041
Deal: Buy One Get One FREE (For a limited time only)

BACK BLURB:

Carlotta Ikedi (A.k.a Feddie Girl) has never liked school. Not in California. Not in Oklahoma. When her exasperated parents ship her off to boarding school–in West Africa–Carlotta faces a life, culture, and existence unlike anything she’s ever known.

School rules and regulations, rising bell, lights-out, manual labor, inspections, dining time, prefects, punishments, mean bunkmates, and visiting days–it’s all here. But author Nona David takes Carlotta’s story a step further when her adventures lead to unfortunate incidents that threaten to drive her American family into the clutches of infidelity and organized crime.

Boarding school doesn’t get any better than this…

For those who have experienced the boarding school life, the adventures of Feddie Girl will bring those memories crashing back… For anyone else, get ready to see the world as Feddie Girl.

Reviews and Praise for Feddie Girl:

~ I highly recommend the memorable and intriguing book Feddie Girl: The Hilarious Adventures of an American Teen in a Nigerian Federal School by Nona David, as a coming of age tale that takes on fairy tale proportions. Author Nona David weaves a fine story of character, friendship, and triumph over adversity. –Wayne Hulbert

~ FEDDIE GIRL is an adventure that will have you laughing until tears roll down your face, gasping in shock, or shaking your head back and forth, unbelieving what is happening. Character building, world development, and seamless writing have Nona David on the path straight to the top. –Wendy Hines

~ It is interesting to learn of the different cultures and behaviors, especially of teens. The colorful characters will keep you turning the pages, and I enjoyed the very fitting ending. –Jill Page

~ Nona David has created a well-written and entertaining work of fiction, with the story taking wild and complicated turns. Feddie Girl was unique with its multicultural blend, offering many readers a glimpse of another world many would rarely see. –Evie Alexis

~ I couldn’t put it down! Really, who would have thought that a book about a Nigerian boarding school would be so interesting? –Weny Wallach

Read excerpts of this novel at https://www.bernardbooks.com/FeddieGirlExcerpts.html

Feddie Girl by Nona David — Book Review by Wayne Hurlbert

Review posted by Wayne Hurlbert to Blog Business World

Feddie Girl: The Hilarious Adventures of an American Teen in a Nigerian Federal School

By: Nona David 

Published: July 2009
Format: US Trade Paperback, 400 pages
ISBN: 978-0-9824526-0-8
Publisher: Bernard Books Publishing

Thirteen year old Carlotta Ikedi didn’t like attending her American schools, and was in constant trouble, and was often expelled for her behavior. Seeking a solution to Carlotta’s problems, her parents enroll her in a private girls school in Nigeria. Carlotta faces a culture shock unlike any that she has ever known, and faces the challenge of succeeding on her own in a strange environment. In the wonderful coming of age novel Feddie Girl: The Hilarious Adventures of an American Teen in a Nigerian Federal School, author Nona David weaves a fine story of character, friendship, and triumph over adversity.

Nona David develops several important themes in the book including the interaction of the girls attending the West African school. As an American, Carlotta is termed a Feddie Girl by the other students, and as such occupies a special niche in the school. The students do not always treat one another well, and as a result, friction does take place. Carlotta must learn how to navigate the unfamiliar customs and rigid rules and punishments practiced in the school. Her recognition that she must take care of herself, and not depend on others helps her to cope with the different culture. At the same time, she develops important friendships and shares mutual support with several other girls.

Carlotta begins her Nigerian school career with her bad attitude firmly in place. Over time, the spoiled American girl becomes independent and reaches out to others. Her character grows along with her acceptance of the school and its students, mores, and rules. The story follows the evolution of Carlotta from her beginnings as a troubled youth to responsible young woman. Her initial concern is only for herself, but as she gets to know and understand Nigeria and its people, she changes her opinion from intense dislike to one of understanding and love.

I highly recommend the memorable and intriguing book Feddie Girl: The Hilarious Adventures of an American Teen in a Nigerian Federal School by Nona David, as a coming of age tale that takes on fairy tale proportions. In the exile of Carlotta to her father’s home country of Nigeria, leaving her parents and their troubled marriage behind, Carlotta is transformed as a person. She starts her journey of self discovery with bitterness and disappointment and becomes one with her new surroundings and the people of Nigeria. The scenes in the book are memorable, and the characters stay with the reader long after the book ends.

Read the fascinating and enjoyable adventure novel Feddie Girl: The Hilarious Adventures of an American Teen in a Nigerian Federal School by Nona David, and transport yourself in both place and time to a private girls school in West Africa. Become entwined in the main plot and in the many interwoven subplots that give this novel its richness. Spend some time with Feddie Girl Carlotta, and share her sorrows and enjoy her triumphs as she becomes part of the school social fabric.

How to purchase this novel:

1. From publisher (Bernard Books Publishing): https://bernardbooks.com/links.html

2. From Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0982452608/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&qid=1257266294&sr=1-1&condition=new

3. Buy in Nigeria: https://bernardbooks.com/news.html

See the full review on “Blog Business World”