Author: Zaheerah

A twenty-something reader. Slowly making her way through the endless pit that is her TBR pile.
Books, Contemporary, LGBTQIA, Non Fiction, Romance, Young Adult/ Teen

Mini Review: It’s Not About The Burqa and More

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Mini Review: It’s Not About The Burqa and More

It’s Not About the Burqa

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

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image source: goodreads

I LOVED this. A much-needed collection of essays from Muslim women on faith, feminism and sexuality as a Muslim woman. Each piece was distinct and worked towards dismantling a very stereotypical narrative around Muslim women. It does its best to discuss a wide range of experiences and allows Muslim women to take a step into a discussion we are never invited to join. It starts for a much bigger conversation where Muslim women can reclaim their identity for themselves without generalisation and gives a great insight into many other perspectives of intersections of Muslim identities.

Are We All Lemmings and Snowflakes?

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

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image source: goodreads

Olive is given a chance to join a new mental health programme where, for one month, she will receive a new form of therapy with other kids like herself, who are dealing with mental health issues. Except Olive does not know her diagnosis and she wants to keep it that way. In this summer camp, Olive comes to term with her thoughts, and while everyone around her is trying to fix her, she realises that maybe it is the world that needs fixing. So, she teams up with the other campers and figures out a way to fix

the world. This book is quite blunt and I, personally, had some seriously mixed feelings about this book. However, I did appreciate the discussion it had on mental health, and it encourages others to discuss it more. The characters are ridiculous and real, and their journey together as a group was a shining moment in this book. I just personally did not connect with this book, but I also did not want to rate it really negatively because of my own personal shortcomings with this book.

The Beauty That Remains

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

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image source: goodreads

Told from the perspective of three teenagers, all experienced the death of a loved one. Autumn lost her best friend, Shay, her twin sister, and Logan, the boy he loved. Their stories are linked through an indie band called Unravelling Lovely, and this book essentially follows them as they navigate their grief. It’s an emotional story, and I really enjoy how each narrator uses music differently to deal with their pain. Towards the end, I feel like the plot thins especially as it’s spread between three different perspectives, but nonetheless, I really enjoyed. It’s, in essence, three different stories in one, and it has a beautifully diverse cast of characters.

Books, Contemporary, LGBTQIA, Young Adult/ Teen

Review: The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali

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Review: The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

Rukhsana tries her best to live up to her parent’s unbelievably high expectation. Luckily for her, she has only months between her life in Seattle to her new life in Caltech, where she can hope to be herself with her girlfriend, Ariana. But when her parents catch her with her girlfriend, she finds herself travelling to Bangladesh, believing she was visiting a sick relative and stripped off her passport until she agrees to an arranged marriage. As she plans to return to the States, she discovers her grandmother’s diary and learns to find strength without losing her family in the process.

This book is emotional and brilliant in every way possible. I warn it isn’t an easy read. It discusses colourism, homophobia, Islamophobia, assault, abuse, forced marriage and hate crimes. The sheer depth of this book is mesmerising and packs a hell of a punch. Rukhsana’s experience is one that is all too real and heart-breaking.

Continue reading “Review: The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali” →
Books, Children, Contemporary, Poetry

Mini-review: Mermaid’s Voice and By Your Side

by Zaheerah1 Comment on Mini-review: Mermaid’s Voice and By Your Side
Mini-review: Mermaid’s Voice and By Your Side

*I receive e-copies of these books via NetGalley in return for an honest review*

the mermaid’s voice returns in this one – amanda lovelace

Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)

A powerful and empowering conclusion to the Women Are Some Kind of Magic trilogy. I wasn’t too sure about this reading especially since I didn’t particularly enjoy the second book that much, but I knew it would bug me to not complete a series that is short like this one. The one thing I liked the most about Lovelace’s work is how she uses the concepts of fairy tales, subverting traditionally submissive stories about women and reinventing them in her own way. I guess, and it isn’t Lovelace’s fault, the style really doesn’t do much for me anymore. I can’t really fault her on this structure being so overused in popular poetry books.  

Rilakkuma: By Your Side – Aki Kondo

Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)

Two words: Cute and simple. By Your Side is a series of different everyday scenes of Rilakkuma and his friends. It’s pretty sweet, a simple quote book filled with adorable art of the well-loved cartoon characters. It’s a book I would keep at my shelf and look through if I’m feeling down.

Don’t expect a lot from this book, it’s mainly pictures with some inspiring quotes alongside it. But it’s delightful and optimistic. I believe this was released in anticipation of Rilakkuma’s upcoming Netflix series, which I did not know what happening. And now I’m pretty excited to watch it.

blog tour, Contemporary, LGBTQIA, Romance

Blog Tour: Graham’s Delicacies (+ INTL giveaway!)

by Zaheerah1 Comment on Blog Tour: Graham’s Delicacies (+ INTL giveaway!)
Blog Tour: Graham’s Delicacies (+ INTL giveaway!)

I am so, so happy to be apart of the blog tour for Graham’s Delicacies. I’m so excited to share my review and playlist I’ve made. My playlist is a little different time around. Initially, it was going filled with songs about the book in general, but I quickly grew really fond of the actual bakery in the book, Graham’s Delicacies.

I’m also hosting my own Paperback copy giveaway of Graham’s Delicacies. It’s international, so everyone’s welcome to join!!! Check it out below!

R E V I E W

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

Six people and three love stories all in one bakery.

Graham’s Delicacies is a collection of short stories revolving around the love lives of the workers of Graham’s Delicacies. If you’ve read Ali’s previous work, you realise this café has already made it an appearance in Ali’s debut, Soft on soft, and I love it! I adored the casual and sweet environment of the café. Apart from Yujin, everyone works there, and it’s adorable. In just Saccharine alone, you can clearly see how furiously protective they are of each other and love each other so much. The familial aspect, inside the café and outside, was one of my favourites part of this book.

Saccharine follows Jen, who is a student working as a waitress, and her relationship with one of the café’s bakers, Emilie. I would, out of all the stories, this was the sweetest. Their relationship was a pretty adorable and we’re shown how they got together. It begins quite delicately with both sides definitely wanting to take their relationship further. I had a lot of love for Emilie; they’re so cute.

In just Saccharine alone, you’re very quickly introduced to the relationship dynamics of the workers. You can clearly see how furiously protective they are of each other and love each other so much.

In Delectable, James is hard-core pining over his co-worker Sam. He’s exceptionally family-orientated and often puts his family before anything else, even himself. If Saccharine was sweet, Delectable was emotional. Sam is confident and amazing. His confidence is sky-high and brilliant. James and Sam fit so well together, and their relationship was very natural and cute.

Ravenous is, I would say, my favourite out of the three stories. Alex hopes to change the mind of a popular food vlogger who made some pretty unjustified comments about the bakery. Except, they certainly weren’t expecting to meet Yujin. Ravenous was hilarious as Yujin tries to persuade Alex to give him a second chance. Alex is highly protective of Graham’s Delicacies, so they aren’t so easily satisfied.

Yujin was a surprising character I didn’t expect to rate so highly. He comes off quite arrogant at the beginning, but quickly he’s developed into this entirely different person, whose public persona precedes him.

Overall, I enjoyed Graham’s Delicacies. I love the way the stories interlink with each other but are their own stories. There are explicit sex scenes in each story, in case, that isn’t your thing, like me. I love the different couple dynamics. It’s pretty low in drama, and everyone gets a happy-ever-after. So I would recommend if anyone wants a fun and quick read.

Continue reading “Blog Tour: Graham’s Delicacies (+ INTL giveaway!)” →
blog tour, Contemporary, LGBTQIA, Romance

Blog Tour: Graham’s Delicacies (+ INTL giveaway!)

by Zaheerah1 Comment on Blog Tour: Graham’s Delicacies (+ INTL giveaway!)
Blog Tour: Graham’s Delicacies (+ INTL giveaway!)

I am so, so happy to be apart of the blog tour for Graham’s Delicacies. I’m so excited to share my review and playlist I’ve made. My playlist is a little different time around. Initially, it was going filled with songs about the book in general, but I quickly grew really fond of the actual bakery in the book, Graham’s Delicacies.

I’m also hosting my own Paperback copy giveaway of Graham’s Delicacies. It’s international, so everyone’s welcome to join!!! Check it out below!

R E V I E W

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

Six people and three love stories all in one bakery.

Graham’s Delicacies is a collection of short stories revolving around the love lives of the workers of Graham’s Delicacies. If you’ve read Ali’s previous work, you realise this café has already made it an appearance in Ali’s debut, Soft on soft, and I love it! I adored the casual and sweet environment of the café. Apart from Yujin, everyone works there, and it’s adorable. In just Saccharine alone, you can clearly see how furiously protective they are of each other and love each other so much. The familial aspect, inside the café and outside, was one of my favourites part of this book.

Saccharine follows Jen, who is a student working as a waitress, and her relationship with one of the café’s bakers, Emilie. I would, out of all the stories, this was the sweetest. Their relationship was a pretty adorable and we’re shown how they got together. It begins quite delicately with both sides definitely wanting to take their relationship further. I had a lot of love for Emilie; they’re so cute.

In just Saccharine alone, you’re very quickly introduced to the relationship dynamics of the workers. You can clearly see how furiously protective they are of each other and love each other so much.

In Delectable, James is hard-core pining over his co-worker Sam. He’s exceptionally family-orientated and often puts his family before anything else, even himself. If Saccharine was sweet, Delectable was emotional. Sam is confident and amazing. His confidence is sky-high and brilliant. James and Sam fit so well together, and their relationship was very natural and cute.

Ravenous is, I would say, my favourite out of the three stories. Alex hopes to change the mind of a popular food vlogger who made some pretty unjustified comments about the bakery. Except, they certainly weren’t expecting to meet Yujin. Ravenous was hilarious as Yujin tries to persuade Alex to give him a second chance. Alex is highly protective of Graham’s Delicacies, so they aren’t so easily satisfied.

Yujin was a surprising character I didn’t expect to rate so highly. He comes off quite arrogant at the beginning, but quickly he’s developed into this entirely different person, whose public persona precedes him.

Overall, I enjoyed Graham’s Delicacies. I love the way the stories interlink with each other but are their own stories. There are explicit sex scenes in each story, in case, that isn’t your thing, like me. I love the different couple dynamics. It’s pretty low in drama, and everyone gets a happy-ever-after. So I would recommend if anyone wants a fun and quick read.

Continue reading “Blog Tour: Graham’s Delicacies (+ INTL giveaway!)” →
Books, Other

Review: If The Dress Fits

by ZaheerahLeave a Comment on Review: If The Dress Fits
Review: If The Dress Fits

Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5)

Martha Aguas is living her best life. She travels, works in a job she enjoys, has the greatest best friend, and always does the most to help her family. But her peace is swiftly shattered when her cousin returns from London engaged with the only boy she’s ever loved. Suddenly, the family is all coming together for the big day, but for Martha, it’s slowly coming undone.

If The Dress Fits was brilliant, character-driven story. I have nothing but utmost love for this story, even with some little discrepancies. It was exciting and touching. Martha is very self-deprecating and depending on the person, you either love her or hate her. Max is a sweetheart and another fictional male lead you will desperately wish existed.

This story, at its core, promotes self-love. I see myself in Marta, struggling with my own weight, and facing comments from our similar south-east Asian background. Despite different cultures, the weight issue is very much the same. Martha meets some insulting comments from about appearance, and I really enjoyed that she didn’t take it. Sure, she makes a little comment about her own body, but it’s her own body, and it’s clear she loves herself despite what everyone else says. 

Considering it’s quite short, the various plotlines we get seemed a little mashed together, so the fake dating that sounds like a massive part of the novel from the book’s description doesn’t happen until quite later on. I think we deserve a full-on Crazy, Rich Asian- style book of the Aguas family.

Family is an essential part of this story. Martha loves her family and will do anything for them. And I absolutely love the role her extended family played in this novel, but what bothered me was how quickly everyone seemed to brush off Regina’s comments and actions. She had previously bullied Martha in the past, and quite frankly, it was terrible to read. It is somewhat acknowledged, but I was indeed uncomfortable with the way her appalling behaviour is brushed off because the novel ends that that family-means-all kind of ending. This also applies to the rest of her family as well. And I wouldn’t consider this a proper criticism but for me, since I wouldn’t invalidate this experience just because it didn’t align with my feelings. But I just found it quite difficult to accept that whole “in the end, we’re family, and that’s all that matters,” when it came to the fat-shaming comments Regina and her family had made about her. But I did enjoy the family scenes, most aspects of her relationship with her family were very heart-warming, and I did appreciate the moments where they are honest with each other.

Overall, this is my second read from Carla, and I’m pretty sure she’s now an auto-buy author for me. If The Dress Fits was adorable and romantic.

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