Kindness is a Waiting Place by Minnah Arshad

Title: Kindness is a Waiting Place

Author: Minnah Arshad

Genre: Political Fiction

Publisher: Prolance

Released: October 2017

Format: Paperback

Pages: 208

Source: I received a soft copy from the publisher in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.

Related Links: Amazon | GoodReads

Penelope Whitaker sets off for Syria as a relief worker, leaving behind her apathetic suburban life in search of meaning. But when a bombing in Aleppo derails her plans, she finds herself stuck in Istanbul. There, beneath all its beauty, she encounters untold suffering, through the eyes of Ameer, the forgotten Syrian boy, and Mr. Ghanzali, a cheerful professor turned peddler. When she returns home, only to discover a Trump sign on her father’s lawn, old wounds around race, family, and politics resurface. Throughout her journey, Penelope learns to see people as they are rather than as she expects them to be.

In the Land of Strangers, by Zeneefa Zaneer

“These stories discuss different relationships in our life. And how we have become strangers to our beloved ones. We only start realizing it once we lose someone dearer to our life.”
– In the Land of Strangers, Zeneefa Zaneer

In the Land of Strangers by Zeneefa Zaneer is a collection of the author’s best short stories that she has penned down, and self-published through her small-scale organization Think Publishers.

Normal Calm, by Hend Hegazi

“The best way to experience the true pleasure of a reward is when the reward comes after hardship.”
– Normal Calm, Hend Hegazi

Tight Rope, by Sahar Abdulaziz

“But Nour knew that goodwill and acceptance would never reveal themselves by taking off their hijab because for her or any other person of color, the skin she lived in wasn’t removable and therefore, subsequently, neither were the seeds of hatred.”
– Tight Rope, by Sahar Abdulaziz

Djarabi Kitabs Publishing had sent me a hard copy of Tight Rope by Sahar AbdulAziz for review, and masha Allah, it is one powerful book, relatable to Muslims living in the West who undergo bigotry and racist attacks.

Unveiled, by Rumki Chowdhury

“I may be different,

but as I am,

I am just fine.”

– Unveiled, Rumki Chowdhury

Unveiled, a thought-provoking collection of poems, showcases the beauty of a hijabi’s open mind, her non-conformity to the modern-day fashionistas, and an insight into her enlightening soul. Djarabi Kitabs Publishing had sent me a digital copy for review purposes.

The Broken Half, by Sahar Abdulaziz

The Broken Half, by Sahar Abdulaziz, tells the story of Zahra Evans, a young American Muslim woman who married Jamal Evans in the hopes of leading a normal wedded life. Little did she know it would take a wrong turn. 

Behind Picket Fences, by Hend Hegazi

Behind Picket Fences by author Hend Hegazi is an emotional roller-coaster ride/read. The author takes us through the journey of 4 families living in a neighbourhood, who are very different from each other by their faith, background, morals, and lifestyle.

She Wore Red Trainers, by Na’ima B. Robert

This is another one of my First’s.

She Wore Red Trainers was my first Islamic romance fiction. By ‘romance’ I mean halal romance, and not like the romance of Mills and Boons (haven’t read them, but their cover pages says it all *grim face*).

The Ducktrinors: Hanifa – Book 1, by Papatia Feauxzar

“The world is coming to an end and Hanifa Ducktrinor can feel it.”

This book is a start of a series called The Ducktrinor (read: those who follow the doctrine). Set in the future when The Hour is near, Hanifa, a warrior, finds her true calling and fights to attain freedom from the Seculars. She dreams of fighting the Dajjal alongside Isa and Mahdi ‘alayhimussalam, of finding the Yajooj and Majooj, and of being a battle hero. How will she attain this in a world filled with vulgarity and obscenity, where that is the norm and being covered results in trouble? The Ducktrinors: Hanifa is the beginning of the fight to freedom from The Seculars.

Secrets That Find Us, by Sahar Abdulaziz

 

Secrets That Find Us is a heart-wrenching read. Sahar Abdulaziz artfully entwines taboo topics like rape, abuse, incest, and violence into the story. The author also skillfully mentions how these issues can affect the victim’s mental state.