Month: May 2020

Once upon an Eid anthology – review

Thank you to Netgalley/publishers for a early copy

Once upon an Eid synopsis

Once Upon an Eid is a collection of short stories that showcases the most brilliant Muslim voices writing today, all about the most joyful holiday of the year: Eid! 

Eid: The short, single-syllable word conjures up a variety of feelings and memories for Muslims. Maybe it’s waking up to the sound of frying samosas or the comfort of bean pie, maybe it’s the pleasure of putting on a new outfit for Eid prayers, or maybe it’s the gift-giving and holiday parties to come that day. Whatever it may be, for those who cherish this day of celebration, the emotional responses may be summed up in another short and sweet word: joy. The anthology will also include a poem, graphic-novel chapter, and spot illustrations.

The full list of Once Upon an Eid contributors include: G. Willow Wilson (Alif the Unseen, Ms. Marvel), Hena Khan (Amina’s Voice, Under My Hijab), N. H. Senzai (Shooting Kabul, Escape from Aleppo), Hanna Alkaf (The Weight of Our Sky), Rukhsana Khan (Big Red Lollipop), Randa Abdel-Fattah (Does My Head Look Big in This?), Ashley Franklin (Not Quite Snow White), Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow (Mommy’s Khimar), Candice Montgomery (Home and Away, By Any Means Necessary), Huda Al-Marashi (First Comes Marriage), Ayesha Mattu, Asmaa Hussein, and Sara Alfageeh.

My review below

This was such a beautiful collection of short stories entering around Ramadan and eid mubarak. very diverse full of very different meanings/ experiences of Eid/Ramadan written by all the others and really enjoyed that all the characters were all so unique in all their own ways and I didnt fell that there were one of the same in other characters. 

some books were very happy and cheerful and some very sad but with hope swell which I loved the variations very much. learning more about the culture was so interesting and all the dishes that get made throughout this anthology sounded so amazing and I needed to eat them right away.

Even though im not the target audience for this book, it was just so amazing and if your muslim or not I very recommend you to read this book and to get a insight into the culture and you definitely learn quite a lot.

4/5 stars

Felix ever after by kacen callender!!! Review

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Thank you to the publisher and edelweiss for the eArc in exchange for review.

Synopsis below

From Stonewall and Lambda Award–winning author Kacen Callender comes a revelatory YA novel about a transgender teen grappling with identity and self-discovery while falling in love for the first time.

Felix Love has never been in love—and, yes, he’s painfully aware of the irony. He desperately wants to know what it’s like and why it seems so easy for everyone but him to find someone. What’s worse is that, even though he is proud of his identity, Felix also secretly fears that he’s one marginalization too many—Black, queer, and transgender—to ever get his own happily-ever-after.

When an anonymous student begins sending him transphobic messages—after publicly posting Felix’s deadname alongside images of him before he transitioned—Felix comes up with a plan for revenge. What he didn’t count on: his catfish scenario landing him in a quasi–love triangle….

But as he navigates his complicated feelings, Felix begins a journey of questioning and self-discovery that helps redefine his most important relationship: how he feels about himself.

Felix Ever After is an honest and layered story about identity, falling in love, and recognizing the love you deserve.

My review below

5/5 stars 

before I get into the review thank you so much to the publishers for approving me of this eARC.

The trigger warning for this book are outing, transphobia, homophobia

WOW…This book was so powerful and so poignant and everyone and also to people who feel like they don’t belong. wether that’s coming to terms with your own sexuality and/or becoming the person you were truly meant to be in this world need to read this book. as as its released. 

this book is definitely a new favourite of mine, and I loved The character of Felix very much. Reading about a trans male/ Demi boy plus being black and queer it was just so emotional, and it really brings to light even more so in this day and age plus with Felix in this book how Felix gets treated differently to a white queer boy . seeing Felix navigate everyday life just thinking he didn’t belong was such so heart wrenching to see and I just wanted to give Felix a hug and tell him he is Lovable and he belongs anywhere he wants to be. 

Such a beautiful story that tackles so many issues throughout the novel, Which Kacen always does well in all their books. 

just having a Demi boy main character represented i loved learning more about and this cover with the top surgery scars is so beautiful to see being represented.