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bookworm_leilani's review against another edition
hopeful
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? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Islamophobia
azrah786's review against another edition
4.25
[This review can also be found on my BLOG]
**I was provided with a finished copy of the book by the publisher for a blog tour in exchange for an honest review**
CW: racism, islamophobia, hate crime, vandalism, death, car accident (off page)
Uzma Jalaluddin has returned with a Muslim rom-com that will both pull on your heart strings and have you laughing out loud.
The story follows Hana Khan, a woman in her early twenties with a passion for telling stories, whose heart is set on a future in the broadcasting industry. However, she’s also big on family so juggles her internship at the local radio station and time hosting her own podcast with helping out at her mother’s restaurant, the Three Sisters Biryani Poutine which as of late isn’t doing so great. When competition arrives to the neighbourhood of Golden Crescent in the form of a new gourmet halal restaurant and its dashing owner Aydin Shah, and some family secrets as well as more hostile affairs cause further complications, with the help of her family, friends and her most loyal podcast listener Hana is determined to do whatever it takes to save Three Sisters.
**I was provided with a finished copy of the book by the publisher for a blog tour in exchange for an honest review**
CW: racism, islamophobia, hate crime, vandalism, death, car accident (off page)
Uzma Jalaluddin has returned with a Muslim rom-com that will both pull on your heart strings and have you laughing out loud.
The story follows Hana Khan, a woman in her early twenties with a passion for telling stories, whose heart is set on a future in the broadcasting industry. However, she’s also big on family so juggles her internship at the local radio station and time hosting her own podcast with helping out at her mother’s restaurant, the Three Sisters Biryani Poutine which as of late isn’t doing so great. When competition arrives to the neighbourhood of Golden Crescent in the form of a new gourmet halal restaurant and its dashing owner Aydin Shah, and some family secrets as well as more hostile affairs cause further complications, with the help of her family, friends and her most loyal podcast listener Hana is determined to do whatever it takes to save Three Sisters.
"Find your principles and see your story through to the end, no matter what."
I’ve personally not seen the film that this book is loosely based off of – You’ve Got Mail – but I’d say the storyline definitely has a unique narrative from your average rom-com. Set in a neighbourhood akin to Gilmore Girls’ Stars Hollow with a much more diverse set of characters, this book is delightfully jam packed full of Indian-Canadian culture and great Muslim rep that immerses you right in to the close-knit community at the heart of the story.
As someone who is of a very similar age I found Hana to be a super relatable character. Her spunky outlook on life and the segments of her podcast that were interspersed throughout the book were truly inspiring. In fact I loved that this book was full of inspirational and wonderfully written women characters!
The various relationships, both familial and friend related were wholesome and I thought it was refreshing to see Hana have such great parental support on both ends when it came to her life decisions. I really appreciated the commentary that was present on the attitudes and societal pressures, particularly towards women in South Asian communities, with regards to marriage and career choices.
There is also the exploration of racism and islamophobia in this book both on a more discernible, hate crime level as well as a look at the more subtle prejudices and microaggressions towards ethnic minorities in the workplace which I thought was all handled incredibly well. Hana’s persisting mentality of staying true to herself and her journey of self-discovery was absolutely wonderful.
"My father says that trying to stop hate is like trying to stop the tides... The best thing you can do is take advantage of it. Don't stop the tide from flowing. Build a hydroelectric dam and make electricity instead, enough to power ten thousand houses. That's how you stop hate."
Now I’m someone who loves it when characters give each other nicknames so I was down for the romance as soon as the words “Mr Silver Shades” came into Hana’s mind. I was surprised with how the romance plot wasn’t as central to the story as I expected but it was one solid rivals to lovers rollercoaster. The banter and the bickering, the sometimes glare sometimes longing glances was all just *chef’s kiss* (no pun intended)
Where this book didn’t have the full on South Asian serial drama feel that Ayesha At Last gave me, the family drama and a couple of the reveals were still on that level. However, despite the storyline being a little predictable it still felt pretty realistic, was hilariously entertaining and a really fun read. I’m even a little curious to have a taste of Biryani Poutine now too! 😂
I can’t wait to pick up what Uzma Jalaluddin writes next!
Final Rating - 4.25/5 Stars
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Racism, and Islamophobia
Moderate: Death
Minor: Car accident
treereads's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime and Islamophobia
Minor: Suicide attempt
andmaggie's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Xenophobia, and Islamophobia
Moderate: Racial slurs
katiemack's review against another edition
challenging
funny
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This is marketed as a retelling of You've Got Mail, and it's an improvement on the original. Jalaluddin has created a strong, intelligent, fully realized character in Hana; I appreciated that she has her own career goals related to radio and podcasting but isn't above helping out her family. Speaking of family, Hana's aunt and cousin need their own books...
The Islamophobic attacks that happen are also poignant; it would be easy to dismiss them as overwrought, but, unfortunately, those micro- and macroaggressions happen every day, and I'm glad Jalaluddin does not shy away from that and brings this to the forefront of her book.
The writing feels more YA than adult or New Adult--at times I wanted less telling and more showing--but overall it works well here. I would also recommend viewing this more as contemporary literature than romance; the romance is present but isn't the center of the novel. Overall, if you liked Jalaluddin's first book, you'll probably like this one too.
The Islamophobic attacks that happen are also poignant; it would be easy to dismiss them as overwrought, but, unfortunately, those micro- and macroaggressions happen every day, and I'm glad Jalaluddin does not shy away from that and brings this to the forefront of her book.
The writing feels more YA than adult or New Adult--at times I wanted less telling and more showing--but overall it works well here. I would also recommend viewing this more as contemporary literature than romance; the romance is present but isn't the center of the novel. Overall, if you liked Jalaluddin's first book, you'll probably like this one too.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Islamophobia, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Car accident
ananko's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, and Islamophobia
Moderate: Death, Violence, Xenophobia, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy
Minor: Infertility, Grief, and Death of parent
librariangeorgia's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Islamophobia
willowy's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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? Yes
4.0
Hana Khan Carries On
Length: 368 Pages
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
"My parents had raised me to be honest, to accept that everything would work out if only I had faith. But they had also taught me stories from the life of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. One time the Prophet witnessed a Bedouin man leaving his camel untethered in the desert. When he asked the Bedouin why, the man replied that he trusted God to take care of his animal. The Prophet's advice? 'Trust in God, but tie your camel.'"
24-year-old Hana Khan is -- somehow -- balancing shifts at her Mother's restaurant, Three Sisters Biryani Poutine, working on a hard won internship at a Toronto Radio Station, and running an anonymous podcast called Ana's Brown Girl Ramblings. Oh, and I did I mention her blossoming online romance with a commenter on her podcast known only as StanleyP?
Just when she thinks things can't possibly get more complicated, a new restaurant moves into the close-knit neighborhood of Golden Crescent, a new halal restaurant, which threatens the struggling Three Sisters Biryani Poutine. The owner of the hip new restaurant, Aydin, is cold, frustrating, and, most aggravating of all, totally hot. Hana and him instantly butt heads, but could there be something more to his hard exterior?
With a colorful cast of characters, like Hana's Machiavellian cousin Rashid, her bestfriends, the Doctor Lily and the ullu Yusuf, and her mysterious tree-climbing aunt, Kawkab Khala, Hana Khan Carries On is a heart-warming story of family and community. It has plenty of cozy, fluffy and romantic moments, but doesn't shy away from harder topics, like Racism and Islamphobia.
It took me a while to warm up to Aydin, who for the majority of the book aggravated me as much as he did Hana! But by the end I liked him well enough, and thought he was a good choice for headstrong Hana. I guessed all of the twists early in the book, though it didn't take away from the enjoyment of seeing their conclusions.
A perfect choice for if you're looking for something a little more on the light-hearted side, and need a guaranteed happy ending!
For more reviews visit my blog!
Length: 368 Pages
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
"My parents had raised me to be honest, to accept that everything would work out if only I had faith. But they had also taught me stories from the life of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. One time the Prophet witnessed a Bedouin man leaving his camel untethered in the desert. When he asked the Bedouin why, the man replied that he trusted God to take care of his animal. The Prophet's advice? 'Trust in God, but tie your camel.'"
24-year-old Hana Khan is -- somehow -- balancing shifts at her Mother's restaurant, Three Sisters Biryani Poutine, working on a hard won internship at a Toronto Radio Station, and running an anonymous podcast called Ana's Brown Girl Ramblings. Oh, and I did I mention her blossoming online romance with a commenter on her podcast known only as StanleyP?
Just when she thinks things can't possibly get more complicated, a new restaurant moves into the close-knit neighborhood of Golden Crescent, a new halal restaurant, which threatens the struggling Three Sisters Biryani Poutine. The owner of the hip new restaurant, Aydin, is cold, frustrating, and, most aggravating of all, totally hot. Hana and him instantly butt heads, but could there be something more to his hard exterior?
With a colorful cast of characters, like Hana's Machiavellian cousin Rashid, her bestfriends, the Doctor Lily and the ullu Yusuf, and her mysterious tree-climbing aunt, Kawkab Khala, Hana Khan Carries On is a heart-warming story of family and community. It has plenty of cozy, fluffy and romantic moments, but doesn't shy away from harder topics, like Racism and Islamphobia.
It took me a while to warm up to Aydin, who for the majority of the book aggravated me as much as he did Hana! But by the end I liked him well enough, and thought he was a good choice for headstrong Hana. I guessed all of the twists early in the book, though it didn't take away from the enjoyment of seeing their conclusions.
A perfect choice for if you're looking for something a little more on the light-hearted side, and need a guaranteed happy ending!
For more reviews visit my blog!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Islamophobia
rrubin97's review against another edition
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I enjoy the authors writing and enjoyed the story of Hana finding her voice - both on the radio and at home
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny and Islamophobia
readingwithkt's review against another edition
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Violence, Islamophobia, Grief, and Religious bigotry