Welcome to Litsy!

35% currently. Absolutely in love with the story and storytelling🥰Nuanced in its simplicity.

A beautifully observed story of an Indian-American
Muslim family, themes of faith and identity, seen through the eyes of mother, father, daughter and son. I loved the way we see the same incidents from each POV, altering and bending, as families do. Though I did find the wrangling of the non-linear timeline was not as successful as it could have been. At times it was unclear where we are in time, which POV we are with, which became a bit jarring.

For his beloved grandson, out of his love for him, even the Prophet of Islam could pause the single most important requirement of faith, regardless of how many watched. What were we meant to learn from this that we had failed to?

I loved this book about a family, back and forth through the years, illustrating how love can be so entwined with regret. Told in multiple point of views, I felt for each character and they sought forgiveness and understanding from each other and themselves.

#BookMoods #CelebBookClubPick

I guess this might isn‘t exactly a #CelebBookClubPick but I read & reviewed this book for a book tour review in 2018 & it was Sarah Jessica Parker‘s first pick for her publishing imprint/collaboration with Hogarth.

A book of family betrayals, love, tenderness, and forgiveness. The story bounced along much as memories do…dwelling first on this memory from age 5 and that one from age 16. It was beautifully wrought picture of a family in all its glories and shame.

An amazing book about a family who all love each other deeply. Due to the rules of their religion and society, children and parents clash dramatically. By giving us different POV‘s we gain a real understanding of the characters‘ motivations. Was sad to see the book end.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is an excellently written story about a family and the characters felt true. I enjoyed it quite a bit but I was somewhat sad at the lack of some resolution.

I loved this. It‘s a beautifully written chronicle of an Indian-American Muslim family, both parents & children navigating deeply-held cultural & religious values. The author draws each character so sympathetically, as they each struggle to hold on to (or let go of) aspects of their faith/culture. So impressed with this debut novel! (Thanks to @MeganAnn for the #NewYearWhoDis recommendation!) ⤵️

Thoughtful examination of a family and the individual choices that bind and tear them apart. The nonlinear storytelling made it difficult to care about the characters immediately. The slow reveal of their motivations and experiences through flashbacks reveals a family that loves but doesn't always know how. 4🌟for a story that demonstrates we are often more alike than expected..

Just finished this and it was amazing. So emotional. I cried several times. About family relationships and how everyone makes mistakes even though they are trying their best. 5 stars!

This book was recommended to me by my friend who is Muslim and boy, am I grateful. While there is nothing remarkably dramatic about this story of a modern Muslim American family, the WAY in which it‘s told is so powerful and poetic that it feels like a sweeping epic. It‘s told as a series of flashbacks, one memory seamlessly connecting to the next. At times heartwarming and at times heartbreaking. By the end I was weeping uncontrollably.

I absolutely loved this book about an Indian Muslim family- the expectations within school, social gatherings, mosque, relationships, and work. It tells the story of two parents and three siblings, and the journey navigating love, racism after 9/11, and addiction.

Great story about family bonds and struggles. Left me in tears. I imagine even more touching for fathers /sons.

"how unlucky that one person has the power to determine the shape of another's life." Wow. Hits hard if you've ever been part of a break up.

Such a strong but emotional read, gave me Jhumpa Lahiri vibes. And I love Jhumpa Lahiri's works ❤️

WOW. This book blew me away. Beauuuutttiful take of an Indian Muslim family- the expectations in school, in mosque, in relationships. It tells the story of two parents and three siblings, Amar, Hadia, and Huda. Navigating teen love, dealing with racism after 9/11, coping with sinful addiction. OMG OMG OMG I recommend this book 10 times over. The only complaint is that Huda is hardly written about! I would love to hear more of her story.

This book took a while to read but I am glad I stuck at it. This is the story of an Indian-Muslam family living in the US. It starts of an the eldest daughter getting married and estranged brother returning after 3 years away. It goes back and forth throughout the years as the children growup. And aslo how the parents met. I liked the final chapter seen throw the father's eyes. It was very moving! #books

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 I loved this one. So beautiful and heartbreaking. Punched me in the gut at the end.

I‘m sorry Fatima Mirza ....It‘s not you, it‘s me....I‘m just not feeling this book.
I went into this with high expectation but at the 40% mark I started to skim, then just gave up. Maybe because I just read a fantastic historical fiction debut, this one just isn‘t delivering. #BookSpin #DoubleSpin

Jumping into my #DoubleSpin 🥳Loved my #BookSpin and I‘ve heard GREAT things about this one so 🤞🏽🤞🏽

#BookSpinAnxiety is now behind me 😅Reading Gods must really want me to pick up the tagged book, as it was on my list last month, which I causally skipped over😜 Thanks for hosting @TheAromaofBooks 🙌🏻💕📚

I took a break from this one awhile ago and am trying to get back into it.

I don‘t think I‘ve ever read another book that describes so accurately the angst that you feel as a child/teen when you are trying to learn who you are apart from your family.The author delves into relationships between parents and children from both sides, plus relationships with siblings.Add to that an exploration of faith,religion,and community and I was deeply moved. Image is from West Side Story as the title refers to a song featured in it

I had two false starts with this book. I found the beginning very slow. Actually the whole book is slow but if you relax into it, you will get swept up in this family‘s story. I liked the way the author wove together many common everyday scenes to reveal the bigger story of the family. It‘s very well done but will not suit people who want a faster pace or a more obvious plot line. 🐌

I‘ve spent the entire day reading this and it was beautiful. I found myself making many connections between these characters and my own family growing up. I loved the various viewpoints and how we saw different events through the eyes of more than one person, the threads of these changing the story from one thing to another. It‘s a good reminder that how one person views something is different than the next, even within our own families. ❤️❤️❤️

This one is breaking my heart. 😢💔

First novel by the author and I'll be watching for her next one. I loved the detail and depth of each character and both loved was frustrated by each of them. The father is not given dimension until the end, which i was glad to read when i got to it, but i wished i knew more earlier. He probably had regrets too. Great modern family story

So I‘m taking a break from Unfollow and am picking up this book. I‘m in a bit of a rut right now. I have heard such great things about this boon and I am hoping this might help it a bit!

#AuldLangReads #GoldontheCover

This was a sad, family story, really good story telling (though I‘m probably done with non linear for at least a few books!). Dealt with multiple modern issues very well. Had a little cry at a couple of points.
Using for #millennialauthor #booked2020

I really LOVED this book! I‘m so fascinated with books that give me glimpses into other cultures. The more I read, the more I see how much we have in common — especially when it involves family and love.

Read for 2018 Modern Mrs. Darcy Summer Reading Guide
https://modernmrsdarcy.com/summer-reading-guide-2018/

Re-read as ModernMrsDarcy.com #MMD Flight Pick for January 2020

#lunchtimeread just started this one on the bus this morning!

I‘ve posted pictures of the wonderful books I received from fellow littens, but I didn‘t post the bookish gifts Santa tucked into my stocking on Christmas morning! 🎄

I got the tagged book which will work perfectly for the #booked2020 #millennialauthor prompt. Santa (aka my wonderful husband 🎅🏼) also signed me up for a bookbinding class in a few weeks! I can‘t wait! 📖❤️

Here‘s a popular one on sale at BookBub

#bookmail
More birthday pressies 😁😁
Signed Brett one from hubby that‘s just arrived and lovely pressies from Katie - I love leather bookmarks and looking forward to the book 😘 thank you so much.

This was so so good. I get choked up thinking about it. A moving story about family and faith, about how desperately we search to make a place for ourselves in the world. One of my favorites this year. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I‘ll be missing book club on Thursday to take my high school senior to visit UW-Madison but that doesn‘t mean I‘m going to skip the book. (Well, sometimes I skip the book when I won‘t be there but I‘ve heard really good things about this one.) #schnauzersoflitsy

#7Covers7Days #Day5

#7Covers7Days #Day5

I can see that this is much admired, but I am not getting into it. I don't feel anything for these characters yet, and I suspect that there's a lot of "extra" description that isn't adding value. [bailing at 8% / 1:22:49]

“...And if he says no, and if he says nothing, will you say this: ‘I used the wrong words. I acted the wrong ways. I will wait, until you are ready. I will always wait for you.‘”

This book wrecked me.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Oh, my heart. 💔

Truly, an excellent and powerful saga about a devout Muslim Indian-American family making their way through the world and trying to relate to each other.

My review: http://sprainedbrain.blog/2019/09/10/a-place-for-us-by-fatima-farheen-mirza-just...

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Fatima manages to cover a lot of contemporary issues and one that she adeptly covers is the impact of addiction on family without it getting tedious and repetitive. I loved the shifts in POV for that reason and the narration was well done. I will buy this in print and reread it if I run across it used.

While I enjoyed the book for the most part, I didn't like the non-linear plot. Maybe that is because I just read another book in the same vein, I don't know. If the author would have titled the sections with dates, I think I would have not been as annoyed. The best, most touching part was the last section, told from the father to his estranged, grown son. Despite the problem with plot, I still recommend this book. ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Home made samosas and mango lassi for the office book club today. I loved following the personal journey of each character in this beautiful story.

"And let me always feel that this life is mine, experience it proudly, fully, and ever alive."

#upgloreads

A very quiet book that snuck up on me. Beginning 2/3 was frustratingly slow but was written as if recalling memories - so uniquely wonderful. And that last part! 💔The writer is talented in her ability to write such a deceptively simple read. #ATY2019 #favorites

A nearly operatic début, if opera focuses on the intimacies of one family in one Shia Indian community in California - and I think it could. The personal connections, betrayals, memories, everything built from tenuous moments and the constant interrogation of what really happened and the layers of who did what, not to mention the various losses each person in the five-person family sustains - it's a good one, veering toward great.

As a parent, I really enjoyed this book. I related to the parents of this family, trying to do the best they can for their children. This story is not told linear, but rather is memories, which jumped from different time periods. This was hard to follow at first, but once I got over that, I found the story to be engaging and heart touching.
#readingwomen