Ayesha at Last | 
pick🥲 As someone who was raised as a practicing Muslim, reading this brought back so many warm and delightful memories. I was intrigued about how this love story was going to play out and appreciated the modern day spin while bringing in real issues that impact people regardless of faith paths. The author was dynamic in her challenges to check our own biases when it comes to people who believe and are different from us.
pickAyesha's cousin Hafsa doesn't want to help with the planning of the Muslim conference and asks Ayesha to go in her place just this once... but Ayesha then has to maintain the facade to keep her auntie and uncle from knowing that Hafsa isn't keeping up with her responsibilities. This leads to mistaken identities, friendships based on a lie, and feelings getting hurt.
#LitsyLoveReads
#TwinPeaksReadingChallenge: Audrey Horne @Yuki_Onna
“Because while it is a truth universally acknowledged that a single Muslim man must be in want of a wife, there‘s an even greater truth: To his Indian mother, his own inclinations are of secondary importance.”
A little time on the patio before it gets too hot. This is a team book for August‘s Trope-Ical Readathon.
You can still join all the fun, registration closes tomorrow. https://jenjenreviews.wordpress.com/tropeical-readathon/
#VolumesAndVocals
One of my favorite Pride and Prejudice retelling, recently reread with the #PemberLittens 💜💛
I love how the book cover coordinates with the record cover for #AtLast by Etta James. Such a gorgeous song and this part especially matches Ayesha‘s story:
“I found a dream that I could speak to
A dream that I can call my own
I found a thrill to press my cheek to
A thrill that I've never known, oh, yeah, yeah”
pickA modern Pride & Prejudice retelling set in Toronto‘s Muslim community. School teacher Ayesha is a poet at heart who gets guilted into helping the local mosque with a conference by her cousin, Hofsa. Unfortunately, now everybody thinks she‘s her cousin.
Traditional Khalid is also helping with the conference & slowly starts falling for “Hofsa” but things get complicated when his mom arranges his engagement to the real Hofsa.
Slow burn and adorable.
pickI am so behind in reviews and am determined to post one a day until I am current.This was a book that I read because of the #pemberlittens.A modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice that takes place in Toronto within a Muslim community. Ayesha is a school teacher with a desire to be recognized for her poetry.She is a modern woman who unexpectedly falls for traditional Khalid.Complications ensue when cousin Hafsa is engaged to Khalid.A fun read.
pickI enjoyed this novel, because it was so interesting to know about these immigrant Muslim families , how some of them integrated themselves better to a new culture without leaving their religious beliefs and traditions. Khalid and his mother were more traditional. I liked Ayesha, Nana popular/literary wisdom and Nani. Love the quotes and Ayesha poem and glad that the work discrimination was discussed and resolved. But⬇️
pickI listened to the #audiobook for our #Pemberlittens buddy read. It took me awhile to get into it but overall I enjoyed it. I learned a lot about the Muslim culture and I think by the end of the book all of the P&P tie-ins were clear and well done. Thanks for hosting @StayCurious ! 4⭐️
pickThis was a unique Pride and Prejudice retelling from a Muslim perspective. I was interested by the conversation around religious values and how the world, even including people within the same community, can judge based on first impressions. The characters were only inspired by Austen's and they could be extremely frustrating at times with their miscommunication but overall I enjoyed the journey.
Thanks for hosting @StayCurious ☺️
#pemberlittens
I feel about the same as when I read this 3 years ago, I really enjoyed this Pride and Prejudice retelling. Back then I said, “Loved the characters & the glimpse into a modern-day suburban Toronto Muslim community setting. Keeps to the spirit of the original but has its own clear voice.” (And I‘ll take the 🥑 🍞 too!) 😋
Fun to reread it at a #chapteraday pace with the #Pemberlittens. Thanks to @StayCurious for hosting! 💜
pick#Pemberlittens Ch.47-48 - All‘s well that ends well indeed. I think she tied up all the loose ends and gave a nice happy ending. Overall I enjoyed this book. It was frustrating at times but it definitely made me think and react and feel. That‘s the mark of a good book in my opinion.
#Pemberlittens Ch. 45-46:
Well well- Hafsa and Masood - ha it kinda works. And how is Ayesha going to support herself while she‘s overseas chasing the dream? Doesn‘t she still owe her uncle tuition money? He probably needs it back now. Will finish tomorrow!
#Pemberlittens Ch.41-42: yes a makeover! Gotta do smth abt that scraggly beard at least lol.
Ha. Tarek will get his comeuppance. Do you think it‘s what he deserves? Or did Khalid and Idris go too far?
Ch.43-44: Hafsa is still a brat. I can‘t believe Ayesha is so forgiving. She‘s a better person than me. And good for Khalid for going through with Amir‘s plan. Sheila deserved worse, but it‘s a start.
pickThis was a fun retelling of Pride and Prejudice with Muslim characters. There were parts that I shook my head because of the characters' actions and I think things could have been fixed if there was open communication, but it lived up to the spirit of P&P.
4⭐️
#bookspinbingo #6 #ispybingo #scarf
@TheAromaofBooks @Clwojick
#Pemberlittens Ch. 39-40: Why did it take so long to tell Ayesha about her father? Secret‘s just breed mistrust. And I feel as though in this case it destroyed Ayesha‘s relationship with her mother. And man, Tarek is so angry. Do you think he really gave the money back?
#Pemberlittens Ch. 37-38- a lot of juicy secrets are being revealed and thank God for it. I‘m so glad we finally learn Zareena‘s story - and it‘s great that she‘s happy with her husband - it‘ll be interesting to see her confront her mother. And I really hope Khalid confronts Sheila.
#Pemberlittens 35-36: I almost wish they had done a flashback scene for what happened to Zareena. While I appreciate the letter - in true P&P spirit - I need to know more of what happened! And why did she wait 12 years to leave? Was she trying to squirrel away money for all that time? Is she on her way to meet Tarek for a share in the absconded funds?
Chapter 33. Ayesha opts for a depressing, existential Shakespeare quote at the mosque's youth summit. 🤦 Khalid chases her to her car and congratulates her on her fortunate engagement to him, the rich guy who will help her be more religious and quit her job to write amateur poems. Wow. Way to read your audiences, people! #pemberlittens
Chapter 35. 🤣🤣🤣 Is Idris anyone else's favorite character? He steals the scene every time he walks onstage. I have no doubt he will be the head of a giant tech company someday. #pemberlittens
Chapter 30. I love how the best Farzana can do toward a smile is an upturned grimace. She is so mean. Tarek is clearly up to no good, but I sympathize with his opinion of Farzana. #pemberlittens
#Pemberlittens 33-34: Ouch. That hurts. The proposal gone wrong and the money gone. But can‘t say we didn‘t see it coming.
#Pemberlittens 31-32: it just makes me annoyed how easily the characters are being played by Tarek. They don‘t question him at all.
💩 is about to hit the fan.
so-soMeh, I think P&P retellings just don‘t work for me. They can‘t compare to the original, and at least this one was only ok on its own. It felt like too many threads all at once - lots of family drama on all sides, the romances with its ups and downs and knots, workplace discrimination, a makeover, career questions, friend drama, a villain getting comeuppance - it was a lot to tie together. #PemberLittens
#Pemberlittens Ch.29-30: gosh, so many red flags where Tarek is concerned. These people are just waiting to be duped out of all that money. And Hafsa is such a spoiled brat I hope something comes along that teaches her a lesson.
#Pemberlittens Ch.27-28: Khalid is getting more bold and giving in to his anger with Farzana - good - if there‘s a woman who needs to be knocked down a peg-it‘s that one. And I say that with feminist love. I am concerned about Zareena. I wonder if she ran away. And what did Tarek have to do with her disappearance back in the day? My gut says he got her pregnant. Any other theories?
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
#Pemberlittens Ch.25-26 - I‘m sad right now. Khalid was so happy only to suffer this blow? And now what? He‘s going to marry Hafsa because his mother got teary-eyed? She‘s an evil one, that‘s for sure! Everyone just needs to sit down and talk things out. Yeesh!
#Pemberlittens Ch. 23- so Nani has figured it out. And she‘ll frustratingly remain silent. Of course she will. Because reasons.
Ch.24: so let‘s make this a teachable moment. Who cares if everyone ends up miserable in the end? I hate these types of misunderstandings in books.
Reading in the giant nest at the Atlanta zoo
#Pemberlittens Ch. 21: Ick, all I feel is dread for when this whole farce becomes exposed. And really, Farzana and Hafsa are pretty mean to pull this on their family. Hafsa is so spoiled she can‘t stand for one of her rishtas to go to her cousin? Really?
Ch. 22. Amir is a pig. And I really want to know more about Zareena.
#Pemberlittens 19:😮Farzana is certainly revealing more of her true colours to us - will her manipulations prove successful? I worry that Ayesha and Khalid have already hit an wall with each other - they didn‘t need her meddling to make things worse.
20: Clara and Rob are about to have it out. The Pad Thai (with ketchup!?!) wasn‘t the only thing that tasted bad at that dinner. But it got Ayesha & Khalid to see each other again so there‘s that.
I did a few things that are considered self care this weekend: go on a waterfall hike, gardening, and get my eyebrows waxed (I was starting to look like sasquatch).
I listened to two different audios in between activities. I'm glad to say that I have finished all of the prompts for the #EasterOMC #picturechallenge! 🙌
@Clwojick @LadyKatrina
Finally starting this one! I hope to catch up over the next few days! Travel is mostly over for the month! @StayCurious #pemberlittens
Um, I‘m not Muslim and don‘t follow halal restrictions, but I am 99% certain that Twinkies (really, Hostess products at all) are not halal. Hostess uses tallow/animal fat in their cream fillings, and while it‘s from cows or sheep it‘s not prepared according to any religious rules. Other products (cupcakes, for one) also contain gelatin from pork. (I say this as a vegetarian, by the way)
#PemberLittens @StayCurious
#Pemberlittens sorry for late post - Easter celebrations ran a bit late - 17: Ayesha and Khalid are totally catching feelings! And Nani is a shrewd lady - she knows exactly what‘s going on. Too bad Ayesha and Khalid are still a bit confused .
18: oof - Tarek is a wolf - he sees Khalid as competition and is determined to crush him. I‘m so worried about how things will play out for everyone, and for the mosque.
bailedI can‘t deal with this stupid mistaken identity thing any longer. Are any of the characters other than Ayesha, Khalid, and Clara more than cartoons? 🙄
pickMy copy is due back to Libby and can‘t be renewed so I decided to just binge the second half of this. I‘ll keep silently checking it on the #Pemberlittens discussions this month to see what everyone else is thinking. I got really into this adaptation! While there were a LOT of things I found infuriating, and found myself wanting to argue with the book pretty frequently, my overall sense of the story is that it was heartwarming and captivating.
#Pemberlittens 15. Khalid has gotten good at apologies. But will Ayesha be as good when she has to apologize for pretending to be Hafsa? Things are getting complicated.
16. Rishtas seem complicated - everyone acting and playing a part. I think Khalid is having second thoughts about giving complete control to his mother. Even though she seems used to that.
#Pemberlittens Ch.13: a life coach for wrestlers? How…interesting. Poor Ayesha‘s prospects aren‘t great.
Ch.14: ok her cousin is kind of the worst. I wouldn‘t cover for her anymore - I‘d tell her parents the truth. But that‘s just me.
Ch 14. Jalaluddin shows us the flip side of having a traditional extended family when Ayesha confronts Hafsa. It is wonderful that Hafsa's dad gave Ayesha's mom a house and gives his children everything they could want, but now we've got a 27 year old woman covering for her irresponsible teen cousin and afraid to stop because her generous aunt and uncle might not see her as saintly anymore if they find out. And Hafsa is an entitled little sh!t.
Chapter 13. Why not? How about because it is hard to imagine a more uncomfortable feeling than heart-pounding, electric (sexual, let's call it what it is) attraction at first sight while your mom and teenage brother eagerly watch? I guess that is sort of what happened with Jane and her nosy mom when Bingley first met her, but then they danced together away from prying, immediate vicinity supervision. #pemberlittens
Mmm, yes, I do dream of larger women in lingerie… oh wait, that‘s not what Sheila meant. #bisexual 💙💜💖
#Pemberlittens Ch.11: ooh Sheila is the worst! I‘m glad the lingerie ladies are giving Khalid a chance. Maybe he‘ll wind up being good at this job (although it‘s difficult to see how at this point). I wonder how much of a say Khalid‘s father had when it came to sending his daughter away. It seems to me Farzana ruled the roost. 👇
Chapters 11-12. So Tarek straight up tells the small mosque that they are bumping their already scheduled conference because a bigger fish came along. Anyone else started to think this guy is a little slimy and a bit too shiny? Also, Ayesha is an idiot to cover for Hafsa again! #pemberlittens
#Pemberlittens Ch.9: ooh, is Tarek the villain of the piece? I sense our Wickham has come. Sigh Ayesha…or should I say Hafsa? I always hate when people pretend to be someone they‘re not - it never ends well. And really, should you lie in a mosque? To an Imam?
Ch.10: poor Ayesha - to be so easily dismissed by the aunties must have stung - no wonder she went off. I can‘t help thinking Hafsa is going to end up in a miserable marriage -just like Lydia
#Pemberlittens Ch.7: Poor Khalid - he doesn‘t fully get the hornet‘s nest he‘s stepped on with Sheila. And poor Clara being stuck in the middle. I‘m wondering how this will play out.
Ch.8: I‘m trying to be understanding of Khalid‘s parents and their religious and cultural views - but I‘m not liking the idea that they married his sister off as some sort of way to rein her in.
Things are settling down a little after kiddo‘s big ballet weekend, so I‘m diving into this one before I get too far behind. #PemberLittens
#Pemberlittens Ch.5. Ah, to be the sensible one in the family - when really Ayesha wants to run free and live through her poems. Hafsa seems a bit silly and spoiled. How is Ayesha supposed to rein her in?
Ch.6. Ayesha schools Khalid in poetic fashion - but I wonder if he realizes she heard his comments. I‘m so curious about the secret of her father‘s death. Why doesn‘t anyone talk about it?
#Pemberlittens Ch3. Wow…Khalid‘s mother sure is old fashioned. And so is he. But I kind of like him. Nothing wrong with living the way you want. His boss sure doesn‘t agree. Yikes.
Ch.4. Reading Sheila‘s comments about Khalid made me squirm, and feel for both him and Clara. What a mess Clara‘s in! What would you do if you found yourself in that situation?
