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fizrabibi
May 107 min read

Recap #2/3

Hi Page Turners, 


Welcome to another RECAP and the wrap-up of March and April. In March we were able to witness another blessed month of Ramadan and April was really just recuperating and getting a routine established outside of Ramadan. I have been in a slump in regards to keeping the blog and newsletter updated which I explained in one of the Ramadan posts but hopefully with spring in full bloom and my favourite season just around the corner I will start to get out of the funk I am in and start posting. All of my Ramadan series (the ones I posted anyway) I will link below in case you missed it and I hope your days in March and April went as smoothly as you wanted comment down below on what you got up to and your highlights of the month. 



Reading 






The picture above is all the books that I read over March and April and below I will do a breakdown of what I read in each month and pick only my favourites which are predominantly four and five-star reads. Comment below what books you read over the last two months and if you found any favourites or if you are dying to recommend a book go ahead I am always on the lookout to expand my reading list. If you have read any of the books mentioned click on the link to take you to my full review and leave a comment if you agree/disagree with my review and let me know your thoughts as well. 


March 2024


In Memoriam- Alice Winn

In Memoriam is basically a newsletter detailing the deaths or injuries of soldiers on the front line of the war. However these are not just names, they are humans with very real stories to tell. Following the journeys of two boarding school boys who enlist in the war this very graphic and harrowing journey is harrowing and a very honest and raw insight into what it is like to survive a war and bear all the scars and wounds trying to live a life after it. Read my review here- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6296207668


One Small Voice- Santanu Bhattacharya


A novel that lingers in your mind well after you have finished it. Such a timely read especially with elections taking place in India- where the novel is set. It follows a young boy into adulthood where he has to grapple with his conscience after witnessing a tragic incident which he has to carry with his whole life. Handles dark themes so delicately and really hits hard.


The Hike- Lucy Clarke


The book took me by surprise. Or maybe I was quick to judge as I didn’t think I’d like it as much as I did. A thriller about four friends who come together for a hike in the Norwegian wilderness amidst the hike comes betrayal, deception and a lot of secrets with one of the four never returning. Such a page-turner and really keeps you on edge until the end of the book. Review here- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6319601242


Evil Eye- Etaf Rum


My first read of Ramadan and this was one of the books that has been on my TBR for a while. Raised in a conservative and emotionally volatile Palestinian family in Brooklyn, Yara thought she would finally feel free when she married a charming entrepreneur who took her to the suburbs. She’s gotten to follow her dreams, completing an undergraduate degree in Art and landing a good job at the local college. As a traditional wife, she also raises their two school-aged daughters, takes care of the house, and has dinner ready when her husband gets home. With her family balanced with her professional ambitions, Yara knows that her life is infinitely more rewarding than her own mother’s. So why doesn’t it feel like enough?- A little bit of the description- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6330292195


Get Your Money Right- Emmanuel Asuquo


I listened to this book as an audiobook and such great advice and tips for financial matters especially for beginners. I am looking to educate myself more on this topic so any other recommendations comment down below. Review here- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6313715699


Yellowface- R. F. Kuang 


My second book of Kuang’s works that I have read. I had high expectations as I devoured Babel and has become one of my favourite books however I did have to take a step back and realise this is a different genre she is writing in and a different context. I definitely enjoyed this book and really delves into some really interesting conversations and thought-provoking discussions around diversity, racism, and cultural appropriation in the publishing industry. It also explores cancel culture and the role social media plays and the erasure of Asian-American voices and history by Western white society. And I love those types of books that can do that. The only reason why I didn’t give it five stars is because it didn’t grip me as much as Babel did. Read my review here- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6343866240


Wandering Souls- Cecile Pin

A book that I read really quickly because it was only a short book. This book was Longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction and I totally get why. Haunting and lyrical it tells the story of the Vietnamese diaspora and how when you find yourself in dire situations desperation and the sense of survival is the only thing that carries you. Such a timely read and so important especially in these times. Read my review here- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6354597078


We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves- Karen Joy Fowler


The plot twist no one was expecting. The Booker Prize winner, the amount of research the author undertook for this book was so evident and it was a very emotional and gut-wrenching book and it is a shame that it is something that continues today with something in the news this past week with a women being charged I will put the link for that news story and my review here- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6360556581


The Majestic Qur’an- Musharraf Hussain 


One of the best English translations I have read of the Qur’an. Written in simple English so it is clear and easy to understand with comments in the margin that have a profound impact when reading. It also has the Arabic alongside so you can read both at the same time and understand what you are reading further. Read my full review here- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6338196770


Every Smile You Fake- Dorothy Koomson 


I love reading anything Dorothy Koomson writes and she did not fail to surprise me. A very unconvincing blurb because I went into this thinking it is not going to live up to my normal standards I hold for Koomson, however such a fast paced, really intriguing plot line which I wanted more of and the ending was one I didn’t expect. Hugely recommend- read my review here- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6407507456


April 2024 


Spare- Prince Harry

This has been on my reading list for a long time and I finally got around to it. I went into this blind even though I know there is so much reviews and discourse around this books and I gave this four stars and you will have to read my review to find out exactly what I thought about it. Read my review here- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5188106368


The Fast 800- Dr Michael Mosley


I really do want to become a better version of myself and that starts with health. This book really glorifies intermittent fasting and how you can lose weight quickly by doing the fast 800. I of course already knew all about the benefits of fasting from Ramadan however I really learnt so much more from this book. Read my full review here- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6427937309


Believe- Leigh-Anne Pinnock  


I absolutely loved Little Mix back in the day and followed their journey from day 1. But what you don’t see is what happens behind the curtain. This raw and intimate look into Leigh-Anne’s journey as she grapples with identity, race, belonging and finding herself such an honest account and I really applaud her for how far she has come. Read my review here- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6461116234



Exploring


Ever since I watched the MH370 doc on Netflix I have become so invested and intrigued by it. This year is the 10th anniversary since it first disappeared and has become one of the biggest aviation mysteries. I have since then continued to explore all types of material and have kind of gone down a rabbit hole consuming content. So I am sharing it all with you. 


This is my review after watching the Netflix doc- 


The Guardian did an amazing timeline starting all the way to when it first disappeared in 2014 to know the link is here- https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/06/mh370-search-timeline-malaysia-airlines-flight-missing-plane-disappearance-visual-guide


There is also a very well-produced video of it on YouTube link here-


There is also a new BBC documentary questioning all the theories proposed about the disappearance of the plane. Watch here- 


Finally, there is also hope for families and friends as Malaysia’s government said it will renew the hunt for the plane as the American marine robotics company- which tried to find the plane in 2018- proposed a fresh search. Read more on it here- 


I am also have been exploring the death of Sarah Everard which I also wrote a post on which you can read here- https://fizwrites.wixsite.com/website/post/safety-of-women

The BBC in a new documentary investigates how the crime unfolded and its impact but also how a serving Met Police Officer was able to abduct Sarah Everard and kill her. Such a devastating tragedy you can watch the documentary here- 


Content


Content I am enjoying- essays, videos, social media etc. Comment below on what you have enjoyed during the past two months, this is what I have been reading/watching/following these past two months.




100 tips that may or may not improve your next novel- lit hub- https://lithub.com/100-tips-that-may-or-may-not-improve-your-next-novel/


Dua Lipa on Radical Optimism- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPMr2XNWhdI


Admire

College protests for Palestine.  


Planning


If you are a regular on here you probably already know that one of my favourite season is summer so this year I am planning the ‘summer diaries’. Same concept as the Ramadan diaries where I write and record about my time during Ramadan or in this case summer. I do hope to post more frequently though and that it doesn’t be another case of what happened with the Ramadan diaries. I am planning the content in advance and I am excited and hope you will receive it with the same excitement. I would love to know how you all plan to spend your summer if it is also your favourite month too. Comment down below.


That is my March and April RECAP wrap up complete. I hope you enjoyed reading. Links to my socials including my Goodreads and newsletter is linked below do be sure to subscribe to my blog if you enjoy reading and tell a friend and share it please. In the meantime subscribe to my newsletter for weekly updates and to my blog so you can be notified every time I post so you can make sure never to miss a post. Thank you for reading. 😊


Tools for Palestine- Never stop educating yourself on Palestine and please donate as they need everyone's support. https://toolsforpalestine.com/



Link to newsletter (top link) and other socials- https://linktr.ee/EPST


With Love and Dua’s,

Fiz @Every Page She Turns.




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