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aforestofbooks's reviews
497 reviews
On the Bright Side by Anna Sortino
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
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
This book was so good! I loved Ellie and Jackson. Usually I’m picky with romance in contemporary YA, but Anna Sortino knows how to do it well. Ellie’s found family and new home made me very emotional, and the intervention was 💯 Jackson’s diagnosis and all his confused feelings about the present and future was very real. I loved the chronic illness rep and the unpredictability of life when you’re dealing with symptoms that pop up without warning sometimes. I think I loved this book even more than Give Me A Sign. Excited to see what Anna Sortino writes next!
If I Loved You Less by Aamna Qureshi
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
sighhhhhhhh
I really thought I would like this. I loved the little of Humaira we saw in When a Brown Girl Flees, and when this book was announced I got so excited to see more of the side characters.
I've never read Emma, but I did watch the movie that came out a few years ago. I knew Emma as a character would be annoying, but I wanted to give a halal Muslim romance a chance–there's so few of these books as it is, and I really wanted to read another one that would make me feel as happy as Love From A to Z did.
I think my main issue with this book was the writing style. The dialogue didn't always fit the time and setting. The characters spoke like they were literally in Emma which didn't make much sense to me, and took me out of the story so many times when they used words I would never hear in conversation.
I also don't know how likeable the characters were, which makes sense because Emma-retelling, but I don't know if Humaira grew on me as a character. Rizwan was awful, mainly because he pouts waay too much. And Farad was okay, but I did eventually get annoyed with him too.
I read this book faster than I normally would have, despite wanting to dnf like 25% of the way in, only because Gretal told me it gets better, and I can't say if it really did. The moments between Humaira and Fawad started to annoy me because there was so much sexual tension, yet Humaira was entirely clueless or in denial for most of it. I always say I'm not a romantic, yet I do enjoy romantic subplots in some of the books I've read over the years. But for some reason, this didn't work for me. It was a bit too much: the constant staring into each other's eyes, standing so close to each other while arguing, Fawad constantly noticing her lips. It was still mostly a "halal" romance, but it didn't work for me the way I wanted it to.
That being said, I do think most people would enjoy this book. I've never seen Bridgerton, but this book is what I would imagine modern day Bridgerton to be like featuring Muslim characters.
3/5 stars
I really thought I would like this. I loved the little of Humaira we saw in When a Brown Girl Flees, and when this book was announced I got so excited to see more of the side characters.
I've never read Emma, but I did watch the movie that came out a few years ago. I knew Emma as a character would be annoying, but I wanted to give a halal Muslim romance a chance–there's so few of these books as it is, and I really wanted to read another one that would make me feel as happy as Love From A to Z did.
I think my main issue with this book was the writing style. The dialogue didn't always fit the time and setting. The characters spoke like they were literally in Emma which didn't make much sense to me, and took me out of the story so many times when they used words I would never hear in conversation.
I also don't know how likeable the characters were, which makes sense because Emma-retelling, but I don't know if Humaira grew on me as a character. Rizwan was awful, mainly because he pouts waay too much. And Farad was okay, but I did eventually get annoyed with him too.
I read this book faster than I normally would have, despite wanting to dnf like 25% of the way in, only because Gretal told me it gets better, and I can't say if it really did. The moments between Humaira and Fawad started to annoy me because there was so much sexual tension, yet Humaira was entirely clueless or in denial for most of it. I always say I'm not a romantic, yet I do enjoy romantic subplots in some of the books I've read over the years. But for some reason, this didn't work for me. It was a bit too much: the constant staring into each other's eyes, standing so close to each other while arguing, Fawad constantly noticing her lips. It was still mostly a "halal" romance, but it didn't work for me the way I wanted it to.
That being said, I do think most people would enjoy this book. I've never seen Bridgerton, but this book is what I would imagine modern day Bridgerton to be like featuring Muslim characters.
3/5 stars
Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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
I am about to make this book my entire personality.
If you're looking for a book that accurately captures the 2024 mood, this one is for you. I could not put it down, and I'm a slow reader. It was gripping, horrifying, and very gory (like major trigger warnings). It made me angry and want to destroy everything and set the world on fire. This book is for those of us who are leftist and socialists; who believe in eating the rich, ending capitalism, and taking down the billionaires and politicians who care only about themselves; it's for those of us who believe in defunding the police because ACAB; and it's for those of us who are neurodivergent and/or queer, who feel like we don't fit in and have to conform to fit society's expectations of us.
I love this book with all my entire heart. I am so grateful I got to read it before it comes out and at such a perfect time too.
I don't even know what to say about this book because everything about it was incredible. The writing style was easy and quick to read. It kept me on the edge of my seat. The characters are stark and unforgettable. And the disturbing and dark aspects of this book fit the violence of the world we live in today. I was not expecting how bloody and gory this book ended up being, so content warning for anyone planning to pick this up. It might give you nightmares lol
I also really appreciated the ADHD and autism representation and the conversations surrounding that and masking to "fit in". I felt like Miles, coming to terms with how much this makes sense for me. There's also quite a bit of discussion on ableism and disfiguremisia which I feel like we rarely see in books.
I'm obviously going to end off with some of my favourite quotes because these made me scream and fall in love with this book even more.
"This is supposed to be a chapter about US support of genocidal regimes abroad, the sort of thing I soak up like a sponge, but my eyes keep slipping over the timeline of war crimes."
"...Twist Creek Calamity, given that the Davieses got a reputation for killing journalists and burning court transcripts"
"Someone made it up! Workers are exploited, rent is astronomical, the cost of healthcare is life-destroying not because they are the path the river carves through a canyon, but because some capitalist fuckers decided they wanted it this way."
If you're looking for a book that accurately captures the 2024 mood, this one is for you. I could not put it down, and I'm a slow reader. It was gripping, horrifying, and very gory (like major trigger warnings). It made me angry and want to destroy everything and set the world on fire. This book is for those of us who are leftist and socialists; who believe in eating the rich, ending capitalism, and taking down the billionaires and politicians who care only about themselves; it's for those of us who believe in defunding the police because ACAB; and it's for those of us who are neurodivergent and/or queer, who feel like we don't fit in and have to conform to fit society's expectations of us.
I love this book with all my entire heart. I am so grateful I got to read it before it comes out and at such a perfect time too.
I don't even know what to say about this book because everything about it was incredible. The writing style was easy and quick to read. It kept me on the edge of my seat. The characters are stark and unforgettable. And the disturbing and dark aspects of this book fit the violence of the world we live in today. I was not expecting how bloody and gory this book ended up being, so content warning for anyone planning to pick this up. It might give you nightmares lol
I also really appreciated the ADHD and autism representation and the conversations surrounding that and masking to "fit in". I felt like Miles, coming to terms with how much this makes sense for me. There's also quite a bit of discussion on ableism and disfiguremisia which I feel like we rarely see in books.
I'm obviously going to end off with some of my favourite quotes because these made me scream and fall in love with this book even more.
"This is supposed to be a chapter about US support of genocidal regimes abroad, the sort of thing I soak up like a sponge, but my eyes keep slipping over the timeline of war crimes."
"...Twist Creek Calamity, given that the Davieses got a reputation for killing journalists and burning court transcripts"
"Someone made it up! Workers are exploited, rent is astronomical, the cost of healthcare is life-destroying not because they are the path the river carves through a canyon, but because some capitalist fuckers decided they wanted it this way."
Flooded Secrets by Claudie Arseneault
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
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
3.0
This was pretty good. It took me some time to warm up to Keza, but I do like her as a character. And the scene where Horace plays a tree with the little felnexi was adorable. I did enjoy the first book more though. I think the pacing in this one kind of dragged a bit more, but the next book sounds exciting.
Dear Wendy by Ann Zhao
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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? Yes
5.0
I want to scream!!! This book was literally everything I could have ever hoped for. It was also creepily accurate. I am convinced the author knows my friend Jo because the Jo in this book is waay too similar to my aroace friend Jo irl. I had a great time sending her screenshots of “her” chapter headings. She felt attacked every time. It was great.
I’m 100% a Wendy and I love it. Sophie gets me. But Jo does too 😭 Her feeling lonely and wondering what her future will look like without romance and wanting a QPR someday was too real. And Sophie struggling with her parents accepting her, also too real. I felt attacked on all fronts. It wasn’t fair.
But I’m so happy I read this book. It left me feeling hopeful and it was cute and soft without the romance which is definitely needed. I want to see more friends saying they love each other and doing things for each other that is expected in romantic and sexual relationships, but should be just as normal in platonic ones. The last few chapters made me almost cry. And Sophie’s speech to Jo about learning to accept that you’ll always question being aroace and that it’s okay and just a part of life was very validating.
10/10 stars for this book. I need to get my hands on a copy.
I’m 100% a Wendy and I love it. Sophie gets me. But Jo does too 😭 Her feeling lonely and wondering what her future will look like without romance and wanting a QPR someday was too real. And Sophie struggling with her parents accepting her, also too real. I felt attacked on all fronts. It wasn’t fair.
But I’m so happy I read this book. It left me feeling hopeful and it was cute and soft without the romance which is definitely needed. I want to see more friends saying they love each other and doing things for each other that is expected in romantic and sexual relationships, but should be just as normal in platonic ones. The last few chapters made me almost cry. And Sophie’s speech to Jo about learning to accept that you’ll always question being aroace and that it’s okay and just a part of life was very validating.
10/10 stars for this book. I need to get my hands on a copy.
A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
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? Yes
5.0
This is 100% making it on my top books of 2024.
Before I say anything, I just want to acknowledge how difficult this must have been to write for Etaf. I know she was worried that this story would play into the stereotypes and prejudices people have about Muslims and Islam, especially relating to the role of women, arranged marriages, and abuse. I can say with confidence though, that this book does an excellent job distinguishing between culture/tradition and religion. We get a couple scenes where Isra or Deya notice the difference between what they're taught about Islam and what plays out in their lives and how it doesn't make any sense. It's also something I've realized myself over the last few years-how people are bound to their culture more than their faith, to the point where they act like culture is God over their religion.
I was originally planning to read Evil Eye first, when someone on Instagram told me it's actually her second book, so I quickly placed a hold on this book. I didn't even bother reading the synopsis, so I went into this book not sure what to expect...
This book hurt to read. It made me so angry I wanted to break something. And all I could think about was how this could have been me, and how it was almost me, but I got lucky and "ran away". I wasn't expecting to come away understanding my culture and family better, even though I'm not Arab, but I did. Etaf Rum wrote a book that was life-changing for me and one I will never ever forget.
We get three POVs–Isra, Deya, and Fareeda–one from each generation, which I think perfectly captured the generation divide that many of us have experienced or are experiencing. I saw so much of myself in Isra and Deya, to the point where it was triggering and painful. It brought back dark memories and parts of my past that I had forgotten. And while I hated this book for that, it also forced me to reflect and accept what I have been through and be proud of where I am today.
Isra as a character felt very much like me: quiet, dutiful, constantly trying to please and get people's approval and love, justifying the abuse, and blaming herself. I felt so much for Isra. I understood her darkness, her hopeless, her unhappiness. I cried for her because she was trying so hard, but felt like she was failing as a mother to her daughters. She wanted things to be different and better for her daughters, but she couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel. I think a lot of people might find this difficult to understand, but unless you've been in these shoes, and felt what it's like to be trapped in a corner, with nowhere to go, no good options, you end up succumbing to what you know, what tradition and culture has taught you, and despite knowing about the horrors, you push it away because it's easier to ignore and just accept sometimes.
We see some of this in Deya too as she straddles between accepting that this is her lot in life and wanting to stand up for herself and fight back. So many parts of this book gave me deja vu. Both Deya and Isra reminded me of different parts of my past. Isra came first, then Deya, with a little but if Sarah sprinkled in. I felt so much for this young girl wanting desperately to know the truth and find a way out of the cycle of abuse she's witnessed and experienced. I understood when she didn't know what to do or what the best decision was. And I understood her fear. Fear is so powerful, but I'm glad Deya's self-preservation was stronger, just like it was for me.
Fareeda was a very interesting pov. Her chapters felt like everything I have heard growing up written out in paragraphs. At the same time, seeing this topic discussed across generations was very eye-opening for me. I felt like I finally understood why moms say and do the things they say and do. It doesn't make it okay at all, but sometimes understanding can be part of healing. Imagine living a life of occupation, displacement, starvation, abuse, being told over and over again that this is your role in life, and having no other options. It's very hard to think outside of a life like that. Anything that isn't your norm is scary and dangerous. There's comfort in sameness, even if that sameness means continuing on the cycle of abuse and trauma. Because it's something you can understand and predict. I think there's even a small part that says "If I went through this, so should you", which I don't think was discussed much in this book, but something I truly believe. Maybe it's the need to have others who can sympathize with you that make mothers and grandmothers want the same thing for their daughters...
Sarah is a character I have mixed feelings for. I did like her role in Deya's character development, but I think at times she was too harsh on the girl. While she didn't want Deya to follow in her footsteps, she also wasn't as forthcoming and helpful as I think she could have been. Yet at the same time, maybe the harshness was what Deya needed. I do think she could have been more understanding and accepting of Deya's point of view though, especially when Deya talks about how she felt her mother hated being a mother. Sarah denies this and says Isra loved being her mother, but I think it takes away from Deya noticing from a young age the way her mother treated her and her sisters. Even Isra notices herself acting in ways she shouldn't. And while that can be explained by her depression, I don't think it should take away from how Deya feels based off her memories of her.
There were a few scenes that stood out to me. The one where Sarah finds out her friend Hannah was murdered by her husband and realized that the same thing could happen to her, but her mother doesn't care. Sarah, Isra, and Deya realizing that despite their mothers having experienced abuse themselves, they're still okay with their daughters ending up with the same fate. And Deya confronting Fareeda about the truth and watching Fareeda make excuses for her son, but say absolutely nothing about protecting Isra more. All three girls come to realize that their gender means nothing to not just the men in their family but also the women who have raised them. And I think this is something that is prominent in all cultures. Sometimes the people who you would expect to have your back because they have gone through something similar are the ones twisting the knife in deeper. It's a painful realization to come to however.
The book ends kind of bittersweet. We see Deya able to go off to college and attain that freedom she's craved so badly, but we're also left with what might be Isra's final moments of trying to attain her freedom, yet we know as the reader how that ended.
I'm going to add a bunch of quotes I highlighted from this book here because I want to be able to go back and reread them.
"I don't know, it's just...Sometimes I think maybe happiness isn't real, at least not for me. I know it sounds dramatic, but...Maybe if I keep everyone at arm's length, if I don't expect anything from the world, I won't be disappointed."
"It was because they'd been loved in their lives that they believed in love, saw it surely for themselves in their futures, even in places it clearly wasn't."
"She had to give him what he wanted and enjoy giving it to him, too. And she would do that. She would give him herself if it meant he'd give her his love."
"If you live your life waiting for a man's love, you'll be disappointed."
"Maybe once she was married, she could finally be free."
"Or perhaps it was because Isra had been raised to think that love was something only a man could give her, like everything else."
"She knew that the suffering of women started in the suffering of men, that the bondages of one became the bondages of the other."
"But pretending nothing's wrong is not protecting yourself. If anything, it's much more dangerous to live pretending to be someone you're not."
"No matter how I look at it, I'm still being forced to get married. Just because I'm offered options, that doesn't mean I have a choice. Don't you see? A real choice doesn't have conditions. A real choice is free."
"She wasn't sure of the precise reason, but if her own family was willing to throw her away to the first man who asked, then why should she expect more from anyone else? She shouldn't. She was only being safe, she reasoned. She was only protecting herself."
"It's the loneliest people who love books the most."
"You're making it sound like I have more power over my life than I actually do, and it's not fair. If things were really that simple, then why didn't you do that yourself."
"You're telling me I need to accept myself for who I am, that I need to stand up for what I truly believe in instead of running away, but that only sounds good in theory. It doesn't work like that in the real world. Self-acceptance won't solve my problems, and courage won't get me anywhere. These things sound great in some inspirational speech, or in a book, but the real world is much more complicated."
"Isra resented her books in these moments when she thought about the limits of her life and how easy courage seemed when you boiled it down to a few words on paper."
"Words can do extraordinary things, but sometimes they were not enough."
"And, if that wasn't enough, how could they have urged her to get married young and quickly, as her parents had done. How could they risks something like this happening again? Happening to her?"
"Knowing she couldn't change things–that she didn't have a choice–made living it more bearable."
"That she would do the same thing to her daughters that Mama had done to her. That she would force them to repeat her life."
"Deya wanted to scream. No one she'd ever met actually lived according to the doctrines of Islam. They were all hypocrites and liars!"
"If we educate our women, we give them power over their lives and over themselves. And if we allow them this power, they're not going to put up with the injustices committed against them."
"Instead of reaching out, she is taught to reach in, conceal, pretend. When she internalizes this experience, she begins to enforce this silence in the women around her, teaching her daughters and granddaughters to do the same, a passing down of silence."
5/5 stars. A book I hope every immigrant girl reads.
Before I say anything, I just want to acknowledge how difficult this must have been to write for Etaf. I know she was worried that this story would play into the stereotypes and prejudices people have about Muslims and Islam, especially relating to the role of women, arranged marriages, and abuse. I can say with confidence though, that this book does an excellent job distinguishing between culture/tradition and religion. We get a couple scenes where Isra or Deya notice the difference between what they're taught about Islam and what plays out in their lives and how it doesn't make any sense. It's also something I've realized myself over the last few years-how people are bound to their culture more than their faith, to the point where they act like culture is God over their religion.
I was originally planning to read Evil Eye first, when someone on Instagram told me it's actually her second book, so I quickly placed a hold on this book. I didn't even bother reading the synopsis, so I went into this book not sure what to expect...
This book hurt to read. It made me so angry I wanted to break something. And all I could think about was how this could have been me, and how it was almost me, but I got lucky and "ran away". I wasn't expecting to come away understanding my culture and family better, even though I'm not Arab, but I did. Etaf Rum wrote a book that was life-changing for me and one I will never ever forget.
We get three POVs–Isra, Deya, and Fareeda–one from each generation, which I think perfectly captured the generation divide that many of us have experienced or are experiencing. I saw so much of myself in Isra and Deya, to the point where it was triggering and painful. It brought back dark memories and parts of my past that I had forgotten. And while I hated this book for that, it also forced me to reflect and accept what I have been through and be proud of where I am today.
Isra as a character felt very much like me: quiet, dutiful, constantly trying to please and get people's approval and love, justifying the abuse, and blaming herself. I felt so much for Isra. I understood her darkness, her hopeless, her unhappiness. I cried for her because she was trying so hard, but felt like she was failing as a mother to her daughters. She wanted things to be different and better for her daughters, but she couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel. I think a lot of people might find this difficult to understand, but unless you've been in these shoes, and felt what it's like to be trapped in a corner, with nowhere to go, no good options, you end up succumbing to what you know, what tradition and culture has taught you, and despite knowing about the horrors, you push it away because it's easier to ignore and just accept sometimes.
We see some of this in Deya too as she straddles between accepting that this is her lot in life and wanting to stand up for herself and fight back. So many parts of this book gave me deja vu. Both Deya and Isra reminded me of different parts of my past. Isra came first, then Deya, with a little but if Sarah sprinkled in. I felt so much for this young girl wanting desperately to know the truth and find a way out of the cycle of abuse she's witnessed and experienced. I understood when she didn't know what to do or what the best decision was. And I understood her fear. Fear is so powerful, but I'm glad Deya's self-preservation was stronger, just like it was for me.
Fareeda was a very interesting pov. Her chapters felt like everything I have heard growing up written out in paragraphs. At the same time, seeing this topic discussed across generations was very eye-opening for me. I felt like I finally understood why moms say and do the things they say and do. It doesn't make it okay at all, but sometimes understanding can be part of healing. Imagine living a life of occupation, displacement, starvation, abuse, being told over and over again that this is your role in life, and having no other options. It's very hard to think outside of a life like that. Anything that isn't your norm is scary and dangerous. There's comfort in sameness, even if that sameness means continuing on the cycle of abuse and trauma. Because it's something you can understand and predict. I think there's even a small part that says "If I went through this, so should you", which I don't think was discussed much in this book, but something I truly believe. Maybe it's the need to have others who can sympathize with you that make mothers and grandmothers want the same thing for their daughters...
Sarah is a character I have mixed feelings for. I did like her role in Deya's character development, but I think at times she was too harsh on the girl. While she didn't want Deya to follow in her footsteps, she also wasn't as forthcoming and helpful as I think she could have been. Yet at the same time, maybe the harshness was what Deya needed. I do think she could have been more understanding and accepting of Deya's point of view though, especially when Deya talks about how she felt her mother hated being a mother. Sarah denies this and says Isra loved being her mother, but I think it takes away from Deya noticing from a young age the way her mother treated her and her sisters. Even Isra notices herself acting in ways she shouldn't. And while that can be explained by her depression, I don't think it should take away from how Deya feels based off her memories of her.
There were a few scenes that stood out to me. The one where Sarah finds out her friend Hannah was murdered by her husband and realized that the same thing could happen to her, but her mother doesn't care. Sarah, Isra, and Deya realizing that despite their mothers having experienced abuse themselves, they're still okay with their daughters ending up with the same fate. And Deya confronting Fareeda about the truth and watching Fareeda make excuses for her son, but say absolutely nothing about protecting Isra more. All three girls come to realize that their gender means nothing to not just the men in their family but also the women who have raised them. And I think this is something that is prominent in all cultures. Sometimes the people who you would expect to have your back because they have gone through something similar are the ones twisting the knife in deeper. It's a painful realization to come to however.
The book ends kind of bittersweet. We see Deya able to go off to college and attain that freedom she's craved so badly, but we're also left with what might be Isra's final moments of trying to attain her freedom, yet we know as the reader how that ended.
I'm going to add a bunch of quotes I highlighted from this book here because I want to be able to go back and reread them.
"I don't know, it's just...Sometimes I think maybe happiness isn't real, at least not for me. I know it sounds dramatic, but...Maybe if I keep everyone at arm's length, if I don't expect anything from the world, I won't be disappointed."
"It was because they'd been loved in their lives that they believed in love, saw it surely for themselves in their futures, even in places it clearly wasn't."
"She had to give him what he wanted and enjoy giving it to him, too. And she would do that. She would give him herself if it meant he'd give her his love."
"If you live your life waiting for a man's love, you'll be disappointed."
"Maybe once she was married, she could finally be free."
"Or perhaps it was because Isra had been raised to think that love was something only a man could give her, like everything else."
"She knew that the suffering of women started in the suffering of men, that the bondages of one became the bondages of the other."
"But pretending nothing's wrong is not protecting yourself. If anything, it's much more dangerous to live pretending to be someone you're not."
"No matter how I look at it, I'm still being forced to get married. Just because I'm offered options, that doesn't mean I have a choice. Don't you see? A real choice doesn't have conditions. A real choice is free."
"She wasn't sure of the precise reason, but if her own family was willing to throw her away to the first man who asked, then why should she expect more from anyone else? She shouldn't. She was only being safe, she reasoned. She was only protecting herself."
"It's the loneliest people who love books the most."
"You're making it sound like I have more power over my life than I actually do, and it's not fair. If things were really that simple, then why didn't you do that yourself."
"You're telling me I need to accept myself for who I am, that I need to stand up for what I truly believe in instead of running away, but that only sounds good in theory. It doesn't work like that in the real world. Self-acceptance won't solve my problems, and courage won't get me anywhere. These things sound great in some inspirational speech, or in a book, but the real world is much more complicated."
"Isra resented her books in these moments when she thought about the limits of her life and how easy courage seemed when you boiled it down to a few words on paper."
"Words can do extraordinary things, but sometimes they were not enough."
"And, if that wasn't enough, how could they have urged her to get married young and quickly, as her parents had done. How could they risks something like this happening again? Happening to her?"
"Knowing she couldn't change things–that she didn't have a choice–made living it more bearable."
"That she would do the same thing to her daughters that Mama had done to her. That she would force them to repeat her life."
"Deya wanted to scream. No one she'd ever met actually lived according to the doctrines of Islam. They were all hypocrites and liars!"
"If we educate our women, we give them power over their lives and over themselves. And if we allow them this power, they're not going to put up with the injustices committed against them."
"Instead of reaching out, she is taught to reach in, conceal, pretend. When she internalizes this experience, she begins to enforce this silence in the women around her, teaching her daughters and granddaughters to do the same, a passing down of silence."
5/5 stars. A book I hope every immigrant girl reads.
Night Cry by Borja González
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
This is my fault. I didn’t realize this was book two, and while I don’t think you need the background from the first book to read this one, it was a bit weird and confusing and ended super abruptly. Not awful but not amazing…
A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
sad
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
3.0
I would have loved this more if it hadn't taken me 25 days to read it. I fell into a book slump mid-way that had nothing to do with this book, and because of that and work, I just didn't have much energy to read.
But I will say, this book has the best found family I've read in a while. It made me teary. I loved all of them so much. Oil and Ami's friendship though was really something. I miss reading books that don't have romance and just focus on friendship. We need more of these because they're so wholesome and fulfilling.
3/5 stars (probably would be 4/5 if I had read this in a week or two)
But I will say, this book has the best found family I've read in a while. It made me teary. I loved all of them so much. Oil and Ami's friendship though was really something. I miss reading books that don't have romance and just focus on friendship. We need more of these because they're so wholesome and fulfilling.
3/5 stars (probably would be 4/5 if I had read this in a week or two)
Light in Gaza: Writings Born of Fire by Jehad Abusalim, Jennifer Bing, Mike Merryman-Lotze
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
Reading this book while watching a genocide unfold in Gaza live from my phone is the weirdest reading experience ever. The entire time, my thoughts oscillated between:
"Is this author alive? (May Allah grant Refaat Alareer and his family Jannah). Have they lost family and friends? Where are they in Gaza right now? Are the people they mentioned in their essays/stories still alive? What about the house they live in? Is it completely destroyed? Are they starving in northern Gaza? Are they getting bombed in Rafah? Are they under siege in a hospital? Have they been arrested and tortured? What are they thinking right now?"
Each essay/story highlighted a different aspect of Gaza and the issues it faces under Zionist occupation. I love how each author cites their sources with footnotes. It makes you realize the breadth of evidence we have about Israel's war crimes, especially in comparison to the Nazi Zionists who love coming up with lies based on zero evidence or sources.
Every topic that's discussed, whether it's about travelling restrictions, electricity, agriculture, art, architecture, made me think of Gaza now. The essay "Ethical Implications of Experimental Design on Affected Communities in the Gaza Strip" was especially painful to read. Seeing how hard Gazans work to rebuild their homes and communities after every zionist attack, made me think of the drone footage we got from Motaz about the level of destruction in Gaza from this genocide. Anytime I see videos of destroyed buildings, exposed beams and wires, streets that no longer look like streets, it makes me realize how enormous the scale of this attack is compared to the others. The difficulty in rebuilding Gaza after the previous attacks pales in comparison to what it'll take to rebuild Gaza if Israel is ever held accountable and forced to stop this ethnic cleansing campaign.
"Regimes of oppression work tirelessly to render the historical context of oppressed people irrelevant and obscure. Their final goal is to portray oppressed people and their struggles for reclaiming their rights as irrational and, at worst, reduce them to a threat against those who built their privilege at the expense of others." (Abusalim, J., Introduction)
"Knowledge is Israel's worst enemy. Awareness is Israel's most hated and feared foe. That's why Israel bombs a university: it wants to kill openness and determination to refuse living under injustice and racism." (Alareer, R., Gaza Asks: When Shall This Pass?)
"We hold onto our phones for dear life because we have learned the hard way that documenting what we are going through is very important to ensure our narrative remains alive and remains ours. Our stories, our struggle and pain, and the atrocities committed against us for more than seven decades are being erased. The Israeli journalist Hagar Shezaf explained how Israeli Defense Ministry teams systematically removed historical documents from Israeli archives, which describe the killing of Palestinians, the demolition of their villages and the expulsion of entire Palestinian communities. This is part of Israel's attempt to constantly rewrite history in its favour. So, we hold tight to our phones and record." (Abu Mezied, A., On Why We Still Hold Onto Our Phones and Keep Recording)
"The problem is no longer a lack of evidence against Israel's constructed myths or its powerful public relations, or even insufficient grassroots action, whether in Palestine or globally. The problem is that the international system is not prepared to truly listen to the cries of the Palestinians for justice amid immoral investment to maintain Israel apartheid. The international system leveraged its power to make the Arab regimes complicit in perpetuating Israeli occupation. Later through the Oslo Accords, the PLO also became complicit. This is happening despite the unsustainable realities that trap us, with ramifications beyond the boundaries of historic Palestine, as seen elsewhere in the Middle East, in Kashmir, and even in the US. Israel is exporting innovative models of oppression to other dictators and oppressive regimes that are using these 'tested' methods against their unwanted Others, a situation that should worry every citizen." (Abusalama, S., Breaking the Vicious Cycle of Permanent Temporality)
I only typed out a few quotes I highlighted that stood out to me and made me realize how Palestinians have been voicing their arguments, concerns, anger for years and years...only for little change to be made. This time, things have been different. Israel is scared because the world now has knowledge and awareness of their war crimes. It's why the US is moving towards banning TikTok. It's why people are getting censored on social media. It's why many individuals have lost their jobs from speaking out against genocide and ethnic cleansing and apartheid. And yet, Israel continues to commit crimes despite knowing we know these things, because they know the international powers will sit back and let them get away with it. It's why it's so important to disrupt social order, make people's lives hell, boycott, sanction, etc. It's why we can't let a UN resolution of a possible temporary ceasefire be enough to stop us from protesting and move on. It's what Israel and the US wants. And this time around, things feel so much closer to liberation than they did in the past. It's the only bit of hope any of us have, that things will be different this time.
"Is this author alive? (May Allah grant Refaat Alareer and his family Jannah). Have they lost family and friends? Where are they in Gaza right now? Are the people they mentioned in their essays/stories still alive? What about the house they live in? Is it completely destroyed? Are they starving in northern Gaza? Are they getting bombed in Rafah? Are they under siege in a hospital? Have they been arrested and tortured? What are they thinking right now?"
Each essay/story highlighted a different aspect of Gaza and the issues it faces under Zionist occupation. I love how each author cites their sources with footnotes. It makes you realize the breadth of evidence we have about Israel's war crimes, especially in comparison to the Nazi Zionists who love coming up with lies based on zero evidence or sources.
Every topic that's discussed, whether it's about travelling restrictions, electricity, agriculture, art, architecture, made me think of Gaza now. The essay "Ethical Implications of Experimental Design on Affected Communities in the Gaza Strip" was especially painful to read. Seeing how hard Gazans work to rebuild their homes and communities after every zionist attack, made me think of the drone footage we got from Motaz about the level of destruction in Gaza from this genocide. Anytime I see videos of destroyed buildings, exposed beams and wires, streets that no longer look like streets, it makes me realize how enormous the scale of this attack is compared to the others. The difficulty in rebuilding Gaza after the previous attacks pales in comparison to what it'll take to rebuild Gaza if Israel is ever held accountable and forced to stop this ethnic cleansing campaign.
"Regimes of oppression work tirelessly to render the historical context of oppressed people irrelevant and obscure. Their final goal is to portray oppressed people and their struggles for reclaiming their rights as irrational and, at worst, reduce them to a threat against those who built their privilege at the expense of others." (Abusalim, J., Introduction)
"Knowledge is Israel's worst enemy. Awareness is Israel's most hated and feared foe. That's why Israel bombs a university: it wants to kill openness and determination to refuse living under injustice and racism." (Alareer, R., Gaza Asks: When Shall This Pass?)
"We hold onto our phones for dear life because we have learned the hard way that documenting what we are going through is very important to ensure our narrative remains alive and remains ours. Our stories, our struggle and pain, and the atrocities committed against us for more than seven decades are being erased. The Israeli journalist Hagar Shezaf explained how Israeli Defense Ministry teams systematically removed historical documents from Israeli archives, which describe the killing of Palestinians, the demolition of their villages and the expulsion of entire Palestinian communities. This is part of Israel's attempt to constantly rewrite history in its favour. So, we hold tight to our phones and record." (Abu Mezied, A., On Why We Still Hold Onto Our Phones and Keep Recording)
"The problem is no longer a lack of evidence against Israel's constructed myths or its powerful public relations, or even insufficient grassroots action, whether in Palestine or globally. The problem is that the international system is not prepared to truly listen to the cries of the Palestinians for justice amid immoral investment to maintain Israel apartheid. The international system leveraged its power to make the Arab regimes complicit in perpetuating Israeli occupation. Later through the Oslo Accords, the PLO also became complicit. This is happening despite the unsustainable realities that trap us, with ramifications beyond the boundaries of historic Palestine, as seen elsewhere in the Middle East, in Kashmir, and even in the US. Israel is exporting innovative models of oppression to other dictators and oppressive regimes that are using these 'tested' methods against their unwanted Others, a situation that should worry every citizen." (Abusalama, S., Breaking the Vicious Cycle of Permanent Temporality)
I only typed out a few quotes I highlighted that stood out to me and made me realize how Palestinians have been voicing their arguments, concerns, anger for years and years...only for little change to be made. This time, things have been different. Israel is scared because the world now has knowledge and awareness of their war crimes. It's why the US is moving towards banning TikTok. It's why people are getting censored on social media. It's why many individuals have lost their jobs from speaking out against genocide and ethnic cleansing and apartheid. And yet, Israel continues to commit crimes despite knowing we know these things, because they know the international powers will sit back and let them get away with it. It's why it's so important to disrupt social order, make people's lives hell, boycott, sanction, etc. It's why we can't let a UN resolution of a possible temporary ceasefire be enough to stop us from protesting and move on. It's what Israel and the US wants. And this time around, things feel so much closer to liberation than they did in the past. It's the only bit of hope any of us have, that things will be different this time.