Category Archives: Reviews

Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed

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Over the course of the year I have made a conscious effort to introduce my children to more diverse reads. Encouraging them to read books from different genres, authors and countries has definitely had a strong impact on their thinking. If you’d like to see what middle grade reads we’ve devoured this year, check out the books about differing abilities and rebel women that we’ve read.

More recently I came across Amal Unbound authored by Aisha Saeed. First of all, can we just take a moment to appreciate the gorgeous cover designed by Shehzil Malik! It has henna adorned hands with rose stems held together in prayer for hope. It’s absolutely beautiful!
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Calypso by David Sedaris : deeply personal and darkly hilarious

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Coffee and a chocolate chip cookie at Tryst, Washington DC. 

I started reading Calypso on the metro into DC, and I wondered if people could tell what I was reading because I felt all my emotions visible on my face! That is the effect of this book!

His latest book, Calypso, is a collection of 21 essays about his family, health, mortality and relationship with his father and partner that form the foundation of this book. His stories are eloquently written exhibiting wry, wit, and sarcasm.
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A Place For Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza

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I first saw ‘A Place For Us‘ pop up on Bookstagram – which has become such a wealth of information on books! The author, the story and the imprint intrigued me instantly, and I pre-ordered this novel! I am so glad I did, because I wouldn’t have wanted to wait too long to read this one! Plus I always feel that if a book starts getting a buzz (which this one is getting), and I read it later, I am often left feeling underwhelmed. So this time I wanted to be one of the first to read it!
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10 Best Gifts For The Book Lovers In Your Life

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Getting a book for a bibliophile may seem like the quintessential gift, but more often than not, you don’t know if they’ve already read the book or prefer a different genre of books. If you are stumped for ideas, here are a few ‘bookish’ presents that are may win a few hearts over!

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Author Spotlight : Kay Woodward for What Would She Do? Real-life Stories of 25 Rebel Women Who Changed The World

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Kay Woodward reading to some children at the Maktaba library.
Image supplied by the author

My daughter and I recently had the opportunity to get our hands on a fantastic book called ‘What Would She Do? Real-life Stories of 25 Rebel Women Who Changed The World’. A beautifully illustrated and thoughtfully written book about strong resilient women – what’s not to love?!


Have you read my latest review on this gorgeous book? If not, head over here, to see why this should be next on your ‘to be read’ list!
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What Would She Do? Real-life Stories of 25 Rebel Women Who Changed The World

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Are you looking for a book that packs a feminine punch? This one is it!

As parents, it is imperative to empower young minds (girls and boys alike) with books that showcase the women who have made a difference in this world. I recently came across  ‘What Would She Do’? by Kay Woodward and would highly recommend picking it up! This book is filled with awe-inspiring gorgeous illustrations and stories that would want you to savor every wordl!
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Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

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*No Spoilers

I started reading ‘Small Great Things’  by Jodi Picoult over New Years’ eve! Yes, the introvert in me admits that I wasn’t out partying that night! I started this book outside on our patio that evening while we had a family BBQ going on, and I could not put this book down! #pageturner

Read the synopsis below and my thoughts, to see if this is a book that would pique your interest as well.
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Book Review: Torn Pages by Lara Zuberi

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Torn Pages by Lara Zuberi Image credit: Good Reads

**No Spoilers*


‘Torn Pages’ is a story that depicts the struggles in the face poverty and hunger. It explores the desire to learn and grow. It touches on the sacrifices that play a role in life altering decisions. Moreover, it is a story where the strength of relationships is tested. It is a story where you witness the passion of the characters shine through.

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A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman: Book, Screen & Looking Ahead

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A man called Ove. How did you just pronounce ‘Ove’ in your head? Was it like ‘stove’? Or more like  ‘Ooo – veh’, where the ‘Ooo’ is the long syllable and ‘veh’ is said pretty quickly. Try it. Or perhaps as the audio book version on Amazon pronounces it – like ‘Ooo- vah’ ?

I started off mispronouncing Ove in my head, and at about 60 pages in, I realized, I couldn’t go on saying it incorrectly. It is a Swedish name and I remember how hard those names can be from what I had read in the ‘The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo! Remember those names?

Since Ove is a Swedish name, apparently it can have different pronunciations, depending on where in Sweden you are from! Now that we are done with the lessons in Orthoepy, let’s talk more about the book itself.
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Top 5 Middle Grade Reads About Differing Abilities

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I’m an avid reader – always have been! More importantly though, I have been fortunate enough to cultivate the love of reading in my children. They will always be on the look out for books to satisfy their appetite for reading. In this insatiable quest, they indulge in a diverse range of books – different genres, authors and recommendations from friends, and may even try out a book based on the cover! (I think it’s safe to assume we have all done that at some point!).

To fuel my own thirst, I recently joined the Diverse Books Club (DBC) as a way to cultivate a diverse range of books in my reading. I was first introduced to the DBC, through Madeleine, who shares her love for literature through Top Shelf Text.
She is also a Special Education Teacher and works hard at instilling the love of reading in children. I highly recommend her Instagram stories as they are pure bookish joy!

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