The Light Blue Jumper (Book #1) by Sidra F. Sheikh

Genre: Sci-Fi, Humor. 
Year Of Publication: 30th June 2017
Publisher: Mongrel Books
Pages: 276 (Paperback)
My rating: 5/5

“Zaaro Nian was pale blue with watery blue tiny round eyes.He had thin blue lips,a bulbous nose and ears,which fit neatly on to a large head,shiny,round and bald.Yet it wasn’t his physical appearance that was odd.It was everything else.I could not quite decide whether he was an advanced life form who functioned entirely without emotion, or just incredibly naive.”

The story begins when our protagonist – Zaaro the Zaaronian crashes into an IPF Rebel Ship on his way to work.
As a weapons developer.

Being in danger doesn’t concern him as much as getting fired from his jobs does.
Not to mention he’s a “jumper” with the ability to manipulate time AND space – the stuff of myths and legends.
Considered to be extinct.
Until now….

The Spinster Club series by Holly Bourne

Genre: Young Adult,contemporary, feminism, mental health.
Year Of Publication: 1st August 2015-1st November 2016
Publisher: Usborne Publishing Ltd.
Pages: 1570 ( Paperback / Hardback )
My rating: 5/5

This series is AWESOME! I finally understand why people love it so much! Thank God it’s not one of those books that are insanely hyped about but are utter disappointments.

“We can reinvent the word ‘spinster’, make it the complete opposite of what it means?Like ‘young’ and ‘independent’ and ‘strong’?”
“At the moment,spinster,technically means,what?An older unmarried woman?But it also means more than that.It’s the scary fairytale word girls are told about so we fear being unattractive to men from a young age.It means left on the shelf.It means a life wasted.It means cat lady.It means lonely and sad and bitter just because a man doesn’t want you…What if we reversed it?”
“To what?”
“Being a spinster means you value your female relationships as much as your male ones. It means not altering who you are,what you believe in,and what you want just because it makes a boy’s life easier”
“Being a spinster means you’re not afraid to look at society and say loudly,’I don’t agree with this,this is wrong’.Being a spinster means not worrying that boys won’t find you cute or sexy for saying those things”
“Being a spinster means looking after your girlfriends supporting them through whatever they need”

 

Update: My blog turned 1 and got featured in a magazine!

So last month I was featured in US magazine (The News International) in an article called “Blogging for Bliss” alongside other fellow bloggers -you can read the entire article HERE.
The magazine comes out weekly on Friday. You can get it nationwide at newspaper stalls or you can read it online. It was such an honor for me to be featured with other influential bloggers from Pakistan.  ( *I regret not getting a print copy for myself).

In other news: My blog is 1 year old ! 🎉🎊🎈
*I can’t believe I stuck with something for so long without giving up 🙈😂
I have a ton of fun things planned for the future *fingers crossed* so stay tuned!

 TILL NEXT TIME ❤

GIVEAWAY (closed): The Rose Within by Sana Pirzada

It’s The Rose Within’s 1 YEAR anniversary!
I’ve teamed up with the author to give you the chance to win a SIGNED copy of this wonderful book ! (read my reveiw HERE  and you can find my exclusive interview with Sana Pirzada HERE  )

This house of clay and water by Faiqa Mansab

Genre: Contemporary fiction, Pakistani literature
Year Of Publication: 24th May 2017
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Pages: 270 ( Hardback )
My rating: 4.5/5

Set in the streets of the historical city of Lahore; This House of clay and Water tells the story of it’s three main protagonists – Nida, Bhanggi and Sasha.
Told in alternating POVs , the story transports us into their lives and we come face to face with their hopes, dreams and longings- the emotions they’ve suppressed for far too long. Now threatening to burst at the seams.
As the characters try to come to terms with themselves and try to figure out their identities, we get a glimpse of how religion and societal norms play a part in shaping “who we are” and what is expected of us.

“In our aloneness, our souls had found each other. That was all. How silly to call it anything less”

This story isn’t merely about forbidden love.
It’s about the intricacies that bind us together as human beings. How easy it is sometimes to forget that. 

My dream reading nook.

Recently I was contacted by the people at Arhaus who encouraged me to share my dream reading space with you guys.
A reader spends most of their day curled up with a good book. So, naturally one needs a comfy reading nook that caters to all their reading needs and helps them unwind and relax.
In this post I’m going to share my vision of the perfect reading nook- and hopefully someday I’ll get around to making it come true. *fingers crossed*.

Being Miss Nobody by Tamsin Winter

Genre: Young adult, mental illness
Year Of Publication: 1st April 2017
Publisher: Usborne Publishing Ltd
Pages: 384 ( Paperback )
My rating: 5/5

“……unfortunately words aren’t magic…..Words can’t make Actual Miracles happen.Sometimes words just don’t do anything at all.Sometimes they don’t even matter.”

Rosalind Banks is eleven and suffers from Selective Mutism. She strives to be “normal” so she can stop being “Officially  Weird”- but that’s not an easy thing to do,considering she can’t speak in front of people (whenever she builds up the nerve to do so, her words disappear completely or become a “Massive Muddle” in her head and she can’t seem to make herself speak).

This makes her a social pariah at her new school (Manor High) and she gets bullied -not just verbally but physically as well. Her outrage against the bullies inspires her to start an anonymous blog with the help of her brother; Seb , called “Miss Nobody”.

Thus, begins a journey of vigilante justice and bully-shaming ,but soon things spiral out of control and Miss Nobody seems to be at the centre of it all.

What happens when the moral police becomes an accessory to bullying?
How far is too far when taking matters into your own hands?
And ,is relying on social media an effective way to solve your problems or does it only add to them?

These are some of the important questions raised in this book.