Audiobook Review: Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin

Ayesha at Last by Uzma Jalaluddin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Published: June 2019
 

Khalid is a devout Muslim who follows the old rules of wearing robes and keeping his beard long. Ayesha is also a devout Muslim, but is a little more lax in her rule following. Khalid has admired Ayesha from afar not knowing who she was. When they are put together on a project at the mosque, Khalid is introduced to Ayesha as a different woman. They learn more about each other through working together, but it doesn't necessarily draw them closer. What Khalid hears about Ayesha and what he knows from the woman he spends time with are two different stories. Will they be able to come together to accomplish their work as well as personal goals, or will they go their separate ways?

This book was pegged as a retelling of Pride & Prejudice. I have never read the book, so I'm not sure if they compare or not.

I really enjoyed this book. I listened to the audio and it engrossed me right away. I was invested in the characters and what they were going to do. I really like Ayesha. Even though her family wanted her to find a man and get married, she wanted to do her own thing, by becoming a substitute teacher and working on her poetry.

Will they or won't they be able to put their small differences aside and be able to accept each other?


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Review: On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Published: June 2019
 

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous is the story of a young man, writing to his mother. His mother is Vietnamese and she herself is suffering from PTSD, but she would never admit it. The letters are to be a way of letting go of the pain since his mother is not able to read. She calls him Little Dog and is frequently abusive to him. To top it off, Little Dog is small for his age and is often teased and bullied in school. He also is gay. How do you deal with all of these things when no one wants to listen to what you have to say.

This was a deep and moving story that touched me from the very beginning. You want to reach in and just give him a hug. You just felt sorry for him. This is supposed to be a novel, but it read more like a memoir.

One of my favorite quotes from this book was "Because freedom, I am told, is nothing but the distance between the hunter and its prey." This quote hit me deeply.

If you are looking for a moving story that will grip you from the start, this is a great story!

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