A review by daggersanddragons
Hana Khan Carries On by Uzma Jalaluddin

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).