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shaziareads's reviews
123 reviews
The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
The Girl in 6E by A.R. Torre
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Sexual content, and Murder
Moderate: Death and Death of parent
'Salem's Lot (Movie Tie-In) by Stephen King
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
4.25
Dream Man by Linda Howard
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.5
i was thinking maybe a terribly written 90s thriller with a psychic protagonist would bring me out of my reading slump and i think maybe it did?
but wow the whole love interest plot line with the aggressive cop is a bit much.
but wow the whole love interest plot line with the aggressive cop is a bit much.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, and Murder
Moderate: Abandonment and Torture
Much Ado About Nada by Uzma Jalaluddin
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
this was my first uzma jalaluddin book, although I have been wanting to read her work for a while now. i happened to get this title assigned for a library journal review, and i was honestly pleasantly surprised with how much i enjoyed this book - there were quite a few "plot twists" as more was revealed about nada and baz. for fans of both romance and muslim representation - this is probably the closest you'll get to a halal, contemporary love story with practicing muslim characters.
My Library Journal review:
In this complex yet comedic romance inspired by Jane Austen's Persuasion, Nada Syed is a young Muslim woman who wants to work on her career but is under constant pressure by friends and family to get married. Nada's best friend Haleema organizes a girls-weekend trip to attend a conference where she is planning to introduce Nada to her fiancé's brother Baz, but unbeknownst to everyone, there is a long and complicated past between the two. Meanwhile, Nada also comes face to face with a double-crossing mother-son duo who, years earlier, stole her start-up idea to build their own successful app that was suspiciously similar to hers. The novel is interspersed with chapters that delve into Nada's past, slowly revealing the depth of her relationship with Baz. VERDICT Sure to be a hit among readers who relish a complicated "will they/won't they" romantic tale. Additionally, readers looking for an authentic contemporary Muslim voice will also enjoy this novel filled with cultural references and featuring practicing Muslim characters.
My Library Journal review:
In this complex yet comedic romance inspired by Jane Austen's Persuasion, Nada Syed is a young Muslim woman who wants to work on her career but is under constant pressure by friends and family to get married. Nada's best friend Haleema organizes a girls-weekend trip to attend a conference where she is planning to introduce Nada to her fiancé's brother Baz, but unbeknownst to everyone, there is a long and complicated past between the two. Meanwhile, Nada also comes face to face with a double-crossing mother-son duo who, years earlier, stole her start-up idea to build their own successful app that was suspiciously similar to hers. The novel is interspersed with chapters that delve into Nada's past, slowly revealing the depth of her relationship with Baz. VERDICT Sure to be a hit among readers who relish a complicated "will they/won't they" romantic tale. Additionally, readers looking for an authentic contemporary Muslim voice will also enjoy this novel filled with cultural references and featuring practicing Muslim characters.
The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Incest
Moderate: Death, Rape, and Miscarriage
Minor: Child death