April reads & impressions

 Woohoo, first official book post of the blog! 

This year my goal is to read at least forty books. It's quite ambitious for me considering that I am now entering a crucial time of my life where I prepare for university and that whole chapter of my life. This month my goal is to read at least six books. I have already read five and below are my impressions and thoughts of the books I have read so far. :) 

Palace Walk (Cairo Trilogy #1) by Naguib Mafhouz 

I really loved this book. It really played with my emotions. Being one that doesn't really cry with books, this novel has won me over and made me cry more than I can count. The family dynamic in the book is one that is not rare yet the way Naguib writes it moves one to emotion as it's written from a omniscent point of view. I loved this book so much and had such a fun time reading it. Many unfair things happen to the most fair character in the novel but that is the beauty of literature, it exposes the flaws and fallibilities of those we deem superiror and above us. 

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Nievan

This book, guys. This book was eye-opening and had me hooked. At one point, I did not leave my seat for close to three hours because I was just so invested in the plot. After I finished, I sat in disbelief of what I had just read and reached out to a couple friends who I haven't talked with in a while. Out of the three I wrote to, only one responded. I suspect that the other two I wrote to just want their own space and I hope they will reach out to me when they feel it's best. This book was a young adult fiction novel and I'm now in search of books similar to it. I didn't know y/a to be so moving. Definetly lived up to it's hype on booktok. 

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthurs Court by Mark Twain

I had to read this for a school project and... I really did not enjoy it. There were times when I wanted to just burn this copy and others when I wished I hadn't taken the class (even though it is my absolute favorite of the year). I tried to make it as fun as I could so my teacher could feel that I liked her novel of choice for this project but rather than that... it was just such a drag. 

Fundamentals of Tawheed by Dr. Abu Ameenah Bilaal Phillips

This book is a classic for me. I first read it when I was twelve, not being able to grasp most of its content yet I still enjoyed reading it very much. As I am growing older trying to learn more about my religion and the way of life that it preaches, I hold this book in very high esteem. It is not a very long book and I love how it is written in simple sentences as can sometimes not be the case in more classical works such as those authored by Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al Qayyim. 

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros 

Again, this is another book my class had to read for an upcoming project. Unlike the case with Twain's novel, I LOVED this book. There were parts when I just sat in awe of what I had read. This book is a lyrical masterpiece written in vingettes and short sentences. There were parts when I teared up and remembered things from my own childhood and stories from the women in my family. It did not exactly make me cry, but I feel like if I was alone in a room with my thoughts and this book, I would most likely cry. Absolutely wonderful. 

Those are the five books I have read so far this month. I am actively reading two but I have many books that I have started and have not yet finished (I hope you guys can relate to that). 

Current reads 

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen

Honestly, I don't really know how to feel about this one just yet. I love the story and plot, I really do, but after watching the movie (1999 edition) the book itself all of a sudden just seems so long, LOL. But I do enjoy Austen's style of writing. I find her books to be very warm, comfortable, and cosy. 

Animal Farm by George Orwell

I read this back in eighth grade for a school project and I really liked it. I wanted to feel thirteen again and read it for the second time.

By the end of this month, I hope to finish at least one of my current reads. I think I can but as I am extremely busy with schoolwork and moving homes it can be a bit hard. Also, I am fasting. I want to start another religious book too for my Ramadan reads so let's see how that goes, Insha Allah. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my post !

The American Bookslayer (Asma) xx