Book Club

Gives me steampunk vibes...Aesthetic of Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare (2010) 🎻

What book are you reading took this in the morning

Shakespeare's classic "Romeo and Juliet." We know what was originally said about the novel and it has changed in perception through the 90's. I do not deny Romeo is not what a good hijaabi girl is looking for. He really was like 'lightning' as Juliet describes their love. At the same time, Dr. John Green, who has written the book 'The Fault in Our Stars' does make a strong argument that their destiny played a huge part in their ending as well. In the end, it is just a novel. Had it happened in real life, it would warrant more of our attention. But we can say 'aspects of our romance' can relate to it. God knows best.

I promised you a review, so here it is!

Appetite for Innocence 3⭐ ⭐ ⭐

_Three girls are kidnapped and held captive in a basement by a man who has no intention of letting them go. They’re forced to endure unimaginable circumstances and ultimately only two of the girls make it out alive. I won't say much more because I don't want to spoil the story or the twists. _

I’ll be honest the book was a slow starter for me. I actually considered putting it down because, even though the main storyline had already begun, I felt like I was waiting for that moment when everything would really hit and it just wasn't happening for me. If you’re someone who enjoys storytelling told from a first-person pov, you may enjoy this one more than I did. The story is told through the eyes of the two main characters and flips back and forth between past and present. It wasn't confusing, but I found that the constant switching made it harder for me to stay invested.

That being said, it was an easy read and the writing was easy to follow. I also have to give the author props for the descriptiveness👏🏽 There was ONE scene in particular where I swear I could physically feel the pain myself. That scene definitely had me cringing! There are also twists throughout the story, but unfortunately I wasn't as surprised by them because I saw some of them coming. Overall, I think this is one of those books where your experience will depend on what you enjoy as a reader. It wasn't a bad book by any means it just didn't hold my attention the way I wanted it to.

Now, compared to the previous book I read, The Groomer THAT one was a 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ for me. If you're looking for a dark, disturbing read that will pull you in, it's worth checking out but PLEASE have a strong stomach. And now onto my next read! I’m in the mood for something completely different this time a good tearjerker romance. 💔😭

my mother, poor fish,
wanting to be happy, beaten two or three times a
week, telling me to be happy: "Henry, smile!
why don't you ever smile?"

and then she would smile, to show me how, and it was the
saddest smile I ever saw

Book lovers will understand the excitement of seeing someone else reading the same book you're reading.

Recent favourite bookmarks 🔖 thanks to the Korean Cultural Centre Nigeria 🇰🇷🇳🇬

🌙 She Never Gave Up

There was once a girl who smiled even when her heart was tired. People saw her smile and thought everything was perfect, but they never knew how many nights she spent asking herself, “When will life finally get better?”

She had dreams. Big dreams. But sometimes life made her feel like she was moving too slowly. She watched other people succeed while she was still trying to find her own way.

One day, she looked at herself in the mirror and said:

“Maybe I’m not where I want to be yet, but I’m not where I used to be either.” 🤍

From that day, she stopped comparing her journey to everyone else’s. She started believing in herself again. She worked quietly, prayed, learned from her mistakes, and kept moving forward.

Years later, she realized something beautiful:

She didn’t need to become someone else to have a beautiful life. She only needed to keep becoming the best version of herself. ✨

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh 🤍

I pray everyone who’s stayed here, and everyone new to the app, has been doing well and taking care of their mental health. 🤲🏽 Our minds need care too, even when we think we’re strong enough to handle everything. While I’ve been away, I started thinking about how much time I was wasting scrolling Jamaa and TikTok truly, brainrot 😭. So I decided to do what I know best READ 📚

I challenged myself to read or finish a book a day, even if it’s only for a few minutes whenever I have downtime. And honestly, it’s made a bigger difference than I expected not just in my mindset, but in my screen time too. Sometimes we just need to replace what drains us with something that nourishes us.

May Allah bless us with beneficial knowledge, protect our minds and hearts, and make reading and learning a source of goodness for us. Ameen. 🤲🏽

Join me for my next book Appetite For Innocence by Lucinda Berry or you can simply look forward to my rave review. 😉📖

In my coffee is a homeland I have become addicted to taking refuge in.