Reviews - The Keysmash Blog

Book Corner, Contemporary, Diverse Books, Home, Mystery & Thriller, Own Voices, Reviews, Young Adult

Book Review: Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

July 5, 2024July 3, 2024 tanazmasaba

I became a die-hard fan of Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé ever since I picked up her debut novel, Ace of Spades a couple years ago and absolutely fell in love with the way she tells the story of queer, colored teens in the YA thriller/mystery genre. When I heard about her new book Where Sleeping Girls Lie earlier this year, I knew it would be a masterpiece just like her last novel.

And as it is in most cases, I was 100% right.

Flawlessly intriguing, intense and riveting, Where Sleeping Girls Lie is not just another dark academia mystery–it’s a hauntingly beautiful story about girlhood and survival.

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Book Corner, Home, Reviews, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Young Adult

Book Review: A Tempest Of Tea (Blood and Tea#1) by Hafsah Faizal

June 20, 2024June 17, 2024 tanazmasaba

One of my favorite things about fantasy novels is how it can serve as a medium to look closely at stories of colonization, and the impact of its damage that can be still felt today even after generations have passed. So of course when I heard about Hafsa Faizal’s A Tempest of Tea, I had it on my list of most anticipated books to read in 2024.

I mean, it’s got everything that I absolutely adore. Fantasy heist? Check. A scathing criticism of colonization and white privilege? Check. Ragtag group of misfits who become each other’s found family? Check. A badass gunslinger? Check. Hot, artistic vampires? Also, check.

With all that said, you’d think I’d be in love by now, right? Unfortunately, even though A Tempest of Tea was a fun, fast-paced novel with an intriguing plot, it just missed the mark for me, and I blame it mostly on the story being rushed too quickly. Here’s my full review.

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Home, Book Corner, Historical Fiction, Mystery & Thriller, Reviews, Romance, Young Adult

Book Review: Foxglove (Belladonna #2) By Adalyn Grace

January 19, 2024January 15, 2024 tanazmasaba

In 2022, Belladonna by Adalyn Grace was one of my favorite books of the year. Naturally, I had high hopes for the sequel, Foxglove, to blow me away as well.

And while Foxglove by Adalyn Grace was definitely a fun and engaging read, it lacked the charm, the gothic intrigue, and the sizzling romance that Belladonna did. Here’s my full review

Book Review: Foxglove (Belladonna #2) By Adalyn Grace

Warning: this review of Foxglove by Adalyn Grace contains a few spoilers for the first book, Belladonna. If you have not read Belladonna yet, consider reading my spoiler-free review of it here.

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Book Corner, Contemporary, Diverse Books, Home, Own Voices, Reviews, Young Adult

Book Review: Between Two Moons by Aisha Abdel Gawad

January 12, 2024January 8, 2024 tanazmasaba

To be honest, I don’t know where to begin with this book. It’s one of my favorite books of 2023, but I feel like no matter how succinct I try to be with my review, I will not be able to do it justice.

I’ve had Aisha Abdel Gawad’s debut novel, Between Two Moons, on my most anticipated summer releases list last year and finally got the chance to pick it up from the library a couple months ago. As someone who loves coming-of-age stories, I was super excited to see a book that featured not only Muslim main characters but an entire novel full of Muslim people and the Muslim community at large.

And I knew this book would break my heart, simply after reading the blurb. And yet, I couldn’t stop the tears when I reached the end of the story.

A gorgeous, and truly authentic story about what it means to grow up as Muslim teenagers struggling with identity and faith in a country where Islamophobia runs rampant, Between Two Moons by Aisha Abdel Gawad is a shockingly realistic novel about family, girlhood, and the immigrant experience.

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Adult, Book Corner, Contemporary, Home, Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction & Fantasy

Book Review: The Modern Girl’s Guide To Magic By Linsey Hall

October 27, 2023October 24, 2023 tanazmasaba

I might be a big fan of high fantasy, but every once in a while, I get an itch to read a fun supernatural story–usually featuring vampires or witches. Which is why I knew I would love Modern Girl’s Guide To Magic by Linsey Hall when I first picked it up, and I was right.

A light and charming story about a witch with wonky powers trying to prove herself, The Modern Girl’s Guide To Magic by Linsey Hall is a fun cozy read with just the right sprinkling of magic and romance.

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Book Corner, Contemporary, Home, Poetry, Reviews

Review: Heavy Is The Head by Sumaya Enyegue

August 10, 2023July 25, 2023 tanazmasaba

As someone who has an intense love of poetry, I am always looking forward to discovering new poets and their works. And very recently, I discovered Heavy is the Head by Sumyaya Enyegue, and I was absolutely entranced by how emotionally beautiful her works are.

A collection of heartwrenching poems, Heavy Is The Head by Sumaya Enyegue is an unforgettable debut that reminds you of what it means to be truly vulnerable.

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Book Review of Orchard of Skeletons by Eli Wilde

Home, Book Corner, Dystopia, Horror, Mystery & Thriller, Reviews, Young Adult

Review: Orchard Of Skeletons by Eli Wilde

August 3, 2023July 25, 2023 tanazmasaba

It’s been a while since the last time I picked up a dystopian horror, but even then, I did not expect Orchard of Skeletons by Eli Wilde to be such an unforgettable and incredible survival story! Centered around two teenagers on the run for freedom, Orchard of Skeletons is a dark and gruesome story set in a post-apocalyptic world where most of humanity have died to a pandemic while the rest that are alive would do anything to survive, even if it means resorting to nightmarish violence.

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Book Corner, Diverse Books, Home, Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Young Adult

Review: Daughter Of The Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan

June 24, 2023June 24, 2023 tanazmasaba

I am the problem, it’s me.

For real though. Highly appropriate Taylor Swift references aside, Daughter Of The Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan is hit-or-miss; you’ll either love it or you won’t. And I…am not quite fond of it. That’s not an issue with the book itself, it’s just a very personal preference.

Sounds ambiguous? Here’s my explanation for those who care to read.

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Book Corner, Contemporary, Diverse Books, Home, Own Voices, Reviews, Romance, Young Adult

Review: The Dos And Donuts Of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar

June 10, 2023June 10, 2023 tanazmasaba

As a Bangladeshi woman who has never really seen her culture represented accurately in media or literature, I was beyond thrilled for the release of The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar! It was in fact, number one on my list of most anticipated summer book releases of 2023. The story follows Shireen Malik, a Bangladeshi teenager being raised in Ireland, who gets a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete in a reality TV baking show.

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Book Corner, Adult, Diverse Books, Home, Own Voices, Retellings, Reviews, Science Fiction & Fantasy

Book Review: Song Of The Mango And Other New Myths by Vida Cruz-Borja

May 5, 2023June 7, 2023 tanazmasaba

If you have been here for a while, then you must know about my love for fairy tales, folklore and fantasy. When I picked up Song of the Mango And Other New Myths, I was expecting a collection of fantastical, whimsical stories rooted in Filipino folklore and mythology, that would sweep me off my feet and take me to places that could only exist in my imagination.

Book Cover Song Of The Mango And Other New Myths by Vida Cruz Borja

I got all of that and so. Much. More.

At times enchanting and captivating, at times unnerving, Song of the Mango by Vida Cruz-Borja is an anthology like no other. With stories that openly and joyfully celebrate Filipino culture and heritage, Song of the Mango And Other New Myths is an epic collection of fantastical stories written with great, vivid imagery, along with elements of Filipino folklore as well as modern and contemporary themes.

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