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heathssm's review
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
bibliomania_express's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Hana Khan Carries On by Uzma Jalaluddin confronts racism, family secrets, and what it takes to be true to yourself.
I really liked Hana. She's young and trying to reach her goals while being there for her family. She faces a lot of racism in this book, from microaggressions at her internship to straight up physical violence, hate speech, and harrassment by Islamophobes. It was interesting to see how Jalaluddin shows the different reactions of Hana's family members to these events.
On the romance front, this is a secret penpals, enemies-to-lovers, sweet romance. Aydin is dealing with his own pressures and family secrets, and both he and Hana are trying to find their voices and carve out their places in the world. I liked that a lot of their interactions showed how compatible they were even when they were at cross purposes.
I've read one other book by Jalaluddin, and in both I've really liked how important the family relationships are to the story. I do wish there had been a bit more with Hana's sister, and the friend storyline with Lily and Yusuf felt like a background plot that didn't do much.
Overall, I do recommend this romance. It had lots of fun moments and cute moments. Do take care though - there are on-page acts of racism and Hana's experience as the victim of those attacks.
I really liked Hana. She's young and trying to reach her goals while being there for her family. She faces a lot of racism in this book, from microaggressions at her internship to straight up physical violence, hate speech, and harrassment by Islamophobes. It was interesting to see how Jalaluddin shows the different reactions of Hana's family members to these events.
On the romance front, this is a secret penpals, enemies-to-lovers, sweet romance. Aydin is dealing with his own pressures and family secrets, and both he and Hana are trying to find their voices and carve out their places in the world. I liked that a lot of their interactions showed how compatible they were even when they were at cross purposes.
I've read one other book by Jalaluddin, and in both I've really liked how important the family relationships are to the story. I do wish there had been a bit more with Hana's sister, and the friend storyline with Lily and Yusuf felt like a background plot that didn't do much.
Overall, I do recommend this romance. It had lots of fun moments and cute moments. Do take care though - there are on-page acts of racism and Hana's experience as the victim of those attacks.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, Misogyny, and Physical abuse
Minor: Terminal illness, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Cancer, and Self harm
allireadsmke's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
This was a really sweet Indian diaspora, updated version of You've Got Mail. I thought the way they addressed anti-muslim hate felt unfortunately true to reality: online harassment, protests, counter protests, etc. The addition of the inter-twining family dynamics also felt true to other stories I've read of the Indian diaspora-- the strong ties to family and community. I also really liked (well HATED that this happened...) the storyline around Hana's radio/podcast career and the prejudice she had to overcome at work.
phattypatty's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
bookishbasma's review
5.0
Oh my gosh, where do I even begin? This book was a whirlwind of drama, love, gut-wrenching pain, and forgiveness. I laughed, I cried, and I want to pick it up and reread it immediately.
I've never seen You've Got Mail and as usual, I went into this book without reading the synopsis. So knowing absolutely nothing except that I adored the author's other book, Ayesha At Last, I went into this book and absolutely loved it. Hana is a brilliant MC and her perspective was such a great place to read from. Her drive to be a storyteller while sticking to her roots was inspiring, especially as we see her struggling to stick to her morals. Good Muslim representation in all forms of media is often an uphill battle, and we see Hana fighting that battle at her job at the radio station, when they want to run stories on Muslim communities that would actually be harmful. This struck a major chord with me, as I try my best to read and recommend books with good Muslim representation, and it can be extremely frustrating to see bad Muslim representation praised.
In addition to the fight for proper rep, Hana also deals with quite a bit of Islamophobia. This can't be discussed without mild spoilers, so stop by after you've read the book if you don't want some small spoilers! I had actual tears in my eyes reading the Islamophobic attack scene. I've been in that situation where I've had strangers screaming at me because of my religion, and reading about it and what was going on in Hana's head had me bawling. Not only the fact that it happened, but Hana's gut instinct was to think "did I wear too bright of a hijab? Maybe I should have worn a hijab with the Canadian flag on it" (obviously paraphrasing here). The concept that hijabis often feel the need to make themselves smaller in order to avoid being attacked hit way too close for home. And the backlash?? The anti-Muslim protests, the hateful comments, the need to have Hana rehash her trauma over and over again for news stories?! (the exploitation of trauma when it comes to minorities is WAY too common) Props to Uzma Jalaluddin for the fantastic writing of this plot point. I felt so frustrated and so seen. End of spoilers!
This is turning out to be a longer review than I anticipated so I'll wrap it up. The romance was angsty, adorable, and basically everything I wanted from a halal Muslim enemies-to-lovers. I adored Rashid (definitely my favorite character-), and I grew fond of Aydin, especially as more and more of his story was told. You NEED to pick up this book on April 13th. It's going into my all time favorites.
I received an e-arc of this title from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I've never seen You've Got Mail and as usual, I went into this book without reading the synopsis. So knowing absolutely nothing except that I adored the author's other book, Ayesha At Last, I went into this book and absolutely loved it. Hana is a brilliant MC and her perspective was such a great place to read from. Her drive to be a storyteller while sticking to her roots was inspiring, especially as we see her struggling to stick to her morals. Good Muslim representation in all forms of media is often an uphill battle, and we see Hana fighting that battle at her job at the radio station, when they want to run stories on Muslim communities that would actually be harmful. This struck a major chord with me, as I try my best to read and recommend books with good Muslim representation, and it can be extremely frustrating to see bad Muslim representation praised.
In addition to the fight for proper rep, Hana also deals with quite a bit of Islamophobia. This can't be discussed without mild spoilers, so stop by after you've read the book if you don't want some small spoilers! I had actual tears in my eyes reading the Islamophobic attack scene. I've been in that situation where I've had strangers screaming at me because of my religion, and reading about it and what was going on in Hana's head had me bawling. Not only the fact that it happened, but Hana's gut instinct was to think "did I wear too bright of a hijab? Maybe I should have worn a hijab with the Canadian flag on it" (obviously paraphrasing here). The concept that hijabis often feel the need to make themselves smaller in order to avoid being attacked hit way too close for home. And the backlash?? The anti-Muslim protests, the hateful comments, the need to have Hana rehash her trauma over and over again for news stories?! (the exploitation of trauma when it comes to minorities is WAY too common) Props to Uzma Jalaluddin for the fantastic writing of this plot point. I felt so frustrated and so seen. End of spoilers!
This is turning out to be a longer review than I anticipated so I'll wrap it up. The romance was angsty, adorable, and basically everything I wanted from a halal Muslim enemies-to-lovers. I adored Rashid (definitely my favorite character-
Spoiler
even if he's part of the New Delhi mafia lolI received an e-arc of this title from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
jaymeee's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
tagoreketabkhane31's review against another edition
5.0
I was so happy to learn that Uzma Jalaluddin was releasing a second book that would be an original, following the success of her Austen retelling, "Ayesha at Last". Her sophomore effort, "Hana Khan Carries On" follow the story of Hannan (nickname Hana), a twenty - four year old Canadian Indian hijabi as she navigates what she wants out of her life. Her family owns the sole halal restaurant in the Golden Crescent, a diverse neighborhood in Toronto, and she interns at the city radio station, hoping to land a permanent position. On her free time, she also records a small podcast, and has a one very loyal and intriguing fan whom she corresponds with regularly - though neither have given out any identifying information about each other. Also, a father and son duo that are polar opposites appear, and it slowly comes out that they plan to open a new Halal restaurant in the area - a flashier and modern place that threatens to put the Three Sisters Biriyani Poutine out of business.
The story is told in the 1st POV from Hana, and you meet the cast of characters - her family, her cousin and aunt visiting from India, the other families in the area, the local Imam, and her co-workers at the radio station along with her two best friends, Yusuf, the Syrian Muslim, and Lily, the agnostic Catholic who are also in love, they are too on again and off again for Hana's liking.
There were so many great things about this rom-com novel, and so much came from the plot itself. But two of the great strengths of the novel are the diverse cast of characters that Jalaluddin includes in the novel. The novel incorporates Indian Muslims, a minority often brushed over in the larger narratives of Muslims, while also keeping diversity of Toronto at the forefront, ensuring that Jalaluddin highlights the diversity of Muslims and other immigrant stories in Desi and API diaspora, and among native born Canadians as well.
The second prong for the greatness of this novel was the parallel plot points. While this was a rom-com for sure, with Hana and Aydin acting out the enemies to lovers trope (what can I say, I have simple tastes in my romance folks) but the Islamaphobia in Canada that Jalaluddin incorporated into the narrative - both the direct and indirect examples of it. I didn't realize that I might have needed the CW/TW for Islamaphobia, and I won't lie and say that it wasn't a little jarring to read these instances, but I did appreciate that the author was not afraid to showcase these examples, especially in Canada, in a city like Toronto. Living here in the states, we tend to see this picturesque view of Canada (courtesy of the vapid Trudeau government coverage here in American media) that it is a much more tolerant society compared to Americans (Jalaluddin even references this by a character in the novel).
It is a beautiful novel that really encompasses the practicing Desi Muslim identity, but also shows a main character that does not change herself and her convictions, but rather grows over the course of the novel and learn more about herself.
If you were a fan of "Ayesha at Last", love to read #OwnVoice novels, and also were a fan of Kim's Convenience Store on Netflix will enjoy this book as well.
The story is told in the 1st POV from Hana, and you meet the cast of characters - her family, her cousin and aunt visiting from India, the other families in the area, the local Imam, and her co-workers at the radio station along with her two best friends, Yusuf, the Syrian Muslim, and Lily, the agnostic Catholic who are also in love, they are too on again and off again for Hana's liking.
There were so many great things about this rom-com novel, and so much came from the plot itself. But two of the great strengths of the novel are the diverse cast of characters that Jalaluddin includes in the novel. The novel incorporates Indian Muslims, a minority often brushed over in the larger narratives of Muslims, while also keeping diversity of Toronto at the forefront, ensuring that Jalaluddin highlights the diversity of Muslims and other immigrant stories in Desi and API diaspora, and among native born Canadians as well.
The second prong for the greatness of this novel was the parallel plot points. While this was a rom-com for sure, with Hana and Aydin acting out the enemies to lovers trope (what can I say, I have simple tastes in my romance folks) but the Islamaphobia in Canada that Jalaluddin incorporated into the narrative - both the direct and indirect examples of it. I didn't realize that I might have needed the CW/TW for Islamaphobia, and I won't lie and say that it wasn't a little jarring to read these instances, but I did appreciate that the author was not afraid to showcase these examples, especially in Canada, in a city like Toronto. Living here in the states, we tend to see this picturesque view of Canada (courtesy of the vapid Trudeau government coverage here in American media) that it is a much more tolerant society compared to Americans (Jalaluddin even references this by a character in the novel).
It is a beautiful novel that really encompasses the practicing Desi Muslim identity, but also shows a main character that does not change herself and her convictions, but rather grows over the course of the novel and learn more about herself.
If you were a fan of "Ayesha at Last", love to read #OwnVoice novels, and also were a fan of Kim's Convenience Store on Netflix will enjoy this book as well.
daggersanddragons's review
4.0
24yr old Hana (Hanaan) Khan is a storyteller, or at least she'd like to be. She works two jobs both of which do not pay her. She works for her mothers restaurant which has been open for 15yrs and at a local radio station hoping to advance her career. Both parents being very supportive of her choice.
Three Sisters Biryani Poutine is in financial distress and things only get worse when a new restaurant is set to open across the street. In fear of her mothers restaurants imminent demise she does something very out of character causing her to feel immense guilt for her actions.
What she doesn't know but will eventually find out is that the owner of the new restaurant is in fact one of her listeners of her podcast whom she's become quite close with.
As the story unfolded the more gripped I became. Cousin Rashid was my favourite with his colourful humour and constant flirting and his all out cool dude vibes. Aydin and Hana take a win with their stellar banter that could rival the best of them. But the cherry on the top for me was Kawkab khala (my favourite rebel woman because who doesn't love a woman who rebels!), Hanas aunt, and her story of "the bride in the tree" (a beautiful and inspirational story of a bride climbing a tree in traditional wedding attire with a rifle because she doesn't wish to get married to someone she didn't consent to. If that alone doesn't get you running to this book idk what will.) and how she stood up for herself regardless of how it made her or her family look.
If you enjoy books about love, hate, fear and people coming together as a community in the face of hate to show that such things will not be tolerated then this is the book for you (lastly the food will have you drooling, all this mention of biryani, poutine and pakoras has my mouth watering. If you need me you'll find me in the kitchen).
Three Sisters Biryani Poutine is in financial distress and things only get worse when a new restaurant is set to open across the street. In fear of her mothers restaurants imminent demise she does something very out of character causing her to feel immense guilt for her actions.
What she doesn't know but will eventually find out is that the owner of the new restaurant is in fact one of her listeners of her podcast whom she's become quite close with.
As the story unfolded the more gripped I became. Cousin Rashid was my favourite with his colourful humour and constant flirting and his all out cool dude vibes. Aydin and Hana take a win with their stellar banter that could rival the best of them. But the cherry on the top for me was Kawkab khala (my favourite rebel woman because who doesn't love a woman who rebels!), Hanas aunt, and her story of "the bride in the tree" (a beautiful and inspirational story of a bride climbing a tree in traditional wedding attire with a rifle because she doesn't wish to get married to someone she didn't consent to. If that alone doesn't get you running to this book idk what will.) and how she stood up for herself regardless of how it made her or her family look.
If you enjoy books about love, hate, fear and people coming together as a community in the face of hate to show that such things will not be tolerated then this is the book for you (lastly the food will have you drooling, all this mention of biryani, poutine and pakoras has my mouth watering. If you need me you'll find me in the kitchen).
elizabethstrachan's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I love Hana. She was very loving and strong, and I liked reading more and trying to guess what else she would do to help her family.