Welcome to Litsy!

For this year‘s #AustenianAugust, I revisited Persuasuon (beautifully narrated on audio) paired with an inspired-by romance set in Toronto‘s Golden Crescent neighborhood.

Like the author‘s P&P retelling which I enjoyed a few years ago, this folded elements of Austen‘s classic (reunited lovers previously separated by questionable advice) into something new by adding the unique cultural pressures & coming-of-age woes of a modern Muslim woman.

I was out running errands and popped into Dollar Tree because I remembered that I needed super glue. I checked the book aisle, saw they restocked, grabbed as *much* as I could carry, ran into a former student and awkwardly chatted while my face was partially obscured by a towering book stack that kept getting heavier, aaand then proceeded to leave the store without super glue. 🤦🏼‍♀️ But look at this awesome stack for $20!!

This was a great comic and wonderful illustrations.

For more of my review, here is a link to my Vlog:

https://youtu.be/inMb0TwcuOQ

Enjoy!

I loved this book! Nada wants to forge her own way and launch the app she's been working on, Ask Apa, while also staying true to her family's Muslim traditions and expectations. When her friend Haleema takes her to a Muslim conference in the hopes of finding someone for Nada who could be a suitable husband, Nada runs into Baz, who she has a long history with.
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Finished my second #auldlangspine book from @Karisimo ‘s list!

This was a delightful Muslim focused second chance romance based loosely on Austen‘s Persuasion. Jalaluddin‘s novels have been on my TBR for a long time and I‘m so happy I finally picked one up because I loved it! Nada and Baz have a long history which we find out about in bits and pieces between the present day storyline. I loved the way their big secret is slowly revealed. 👇🏻

Ahhhh! This was so good. My favourite Uzma Jalaluddin yet. A wonderful second chance romance and a Jane Austen's Persusasion retelling set in Toronto's Muslim community. You know a romance is well done when the plotting feels tense and unpredictable even though you know the characters will end up together. The protagonists' dynamic was awesome, so much chemistry and such a unique story. Loved all the secondary characters too and hated the villain.

This book is so good!! And I'm only half way through, so I've got lots more to savour. Uzma Jalaluddin is so good at creating flawed and lovable characters. I was immediately on Nada's side. And she and Baz have such a history and chemistry! 🔥

I so extremely rarely like a romance story. I bailed on Beach Read, but I loved Ayesha At Last. So thought I'd give this author another chance and it was a win! I think it's because of the family and friendship drama? And the chaste nature of the romance? Maybe because it's based on a Jane Austen plot? Anyone else have a guess at why these stand out to me?