marsay reads Archives | Foodeva Marsay

Book Review
Title: The Cursed Touch
Author: Raashida Khan
(kindle version read)

Foodeva Marsay Rating:
🌟🌟🌟🌟 (4 out of 5 Stars)

The Cursed Touch, is a wonderfully gripping tale, centered around protagonist Sondra Carrim-Edwards. For Sondra her career takes priority above all else, including her family.
The Cursed Touch is beautifully and thoughtfully penned, that reaches across religion and race, and is brought together with much finesse. After a dreadful tradegy that occurs, Sondra is forced to take a Step back and Analyse her life, to confront her past and make positive changes to help her move ahead in life.
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The storyline revolves around the death of a young Intern John, who works with Sondra, and the consequences of their ill-considered affair. John’s death brings to the fore real life issues such as anger, confusion, heartbreak and pain related to death.
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My thoughts:
This is the 3rd novel by South African author, Raashida Khan, that I have read in a short space of time. And like the other 2 novels, this too had all of her characteristic writing techniques.
To say the least… I LOVED IT!!! Raashida has fast become one of my favourite South African authors.

The Cursed Touch , is written with amazing passion and thoughtfulness, that you feel drawn into this story. You feel emotions for Hannah, John’s grieving mother, and all the history and people from Sondra’s past, as she works at bringing peace to her life.

Moments of heartbreak, of family separation, of friendship and love, these are just some of the things that you can look forward to enjoying when reading this Novel. Being a Muslim author, Raashida, doesn’t overpower this story with all things Islamic. She carefully, and tactfully, tackles many social issues that is evident in South African society, and the World Over.
A Definite Recommended Read from me.

Inspirational Quote from the Book, I loved this one:

“‘Hate is a draining emotion. It takes everything out of you and leaves a shell of a person behind. It’s pointless and futile.’” (from The Cursed Touch by Raashida Khan)

More book reviews here, featuring author Raashida Khan: https://marriamsayed.com/2021/01/31/marsay-reads-january-2021-mini-book-reviews/

HAPPY READING LOVELIES

Love Marriam💕

Title: The Book of Two Ways

Author: Jodi Picoult
Foodeva Marsay Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

Jodi Picoult is one of my favourite Author to read. And with The Book of Two Ways, she has yet again proved why I LOVE her writing style.

The Book of Two Ways, is about Dawn, who is a death doula. A career path she almost fell into after she had rushed to be at her mum’s side when she was on her last stages of life. Dawn is happily married, living in Boston with her husband, Brian, and daughter. Dawn experiences her own ‘near death’ experience, when the plane she is traveling in crashes.
In front of her, Dawn is torn between Two Paths. As the plane plummets, Dawn thinks of what her life would have been, had she continued to follow the path which she was pulled away from when her mum was dying.

Dawn is drawn back to EGYPT. Where she had once been studying to be an egyptologist, and the man she once loved Wyatt.

Jodi Picoult yet again, masterfully puts the story together, with much research. The story line is brilliant, and characters each brought to life with the progression of the book. Life, Love, History, Choices, have all been brought together perfectly.

I have traveled to Egypt before, and the Book of Two Ways really took me down memory lane. BUT, I have to be honest… at the beginning of the book, I honestly felt I would not enjoy it. WHY? I felt the magnitude of historical information shared, about Egyptology, was a little too heavy. And most often, I ended up skimming over those bits in the book. I persevered, being a Picoult fan, and I was not disappointed. This was such an enjoyable read and one that turns into a beautiful story. I would most definitely recommend you read The Book of Two Ways.
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Inspiring Quote from the book I love:
“Life asked death, ‘Why do people love me but hate you? ‘Death responded ‘Because you are a beautiful lie and I am a painful truth.” ~Unknown~
(The Book of Two Ways – Jodi Picoult)
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The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult : Book Review

Happy Reading Lovelies

Love Marriam

Looking for More Book Reviews?

Have a look at this Mini Book Review of January reads 2021…⬇️

https://marriamsayed.com/2021/01/31/marsay-reads-january-2021-mini-book-reviews/

These Marsay Reads January 2021 come highly recommended. I have managed to read 3 Novels this month, and all 3 of these Books have been Kindle versions (E-Books) that I had purchased.

Take a look at these short mini book reviews. HAVE YOU READ ANY OF THESE YET? If Not, Add them to your ‘TO-READ’ list this year.

BOOK 1 in Marsay Reads January 2021

TITLE: MOTHER’S KNOW – Letters To My Global Daughters

AUTHOR: Feeyola Dawood

PUBLISHED DATE: December 2020

This is South African Born Author, Feeyola Dawood’s 1st Published Book. An easy to read narrative, that is in the form of ‘Journal Letters’, that is addressed to her daughter. HOWEVER, the broader message delivered in each letter, are little pearls of wisdom, that the author takes from some of her personal journey through life, and shares her insights that are valuable to all young women, the World Over. You can look forward to a variety of topics and discussions that are addressed, some taboo in certain societies, but penned quite well. Mother’s Know: Letters to my Global Daughters, is a treasure of wise words not just for young women to read up on, but could also assist single dads with young daughters. I enjoyed this read, and would recommend it.

FOODEVA MARSAY RATING

🌟🌟🌟🌟 OUT OF 5 STARS

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BOOK 2 in Marsay Reads January 2021

TITLE: MIRROR CRACKED

AUTHOR: Raashida Khan

PUBLISHED DATE: July 2018

I have had this book on my ‘To-Read” shelf since 2019. And whenever I went to my local book store, I was never able to find a copy. Finally, I purchased the e-book version of this novel, on kindle. OOOH WHAT A TREAT!!!! Raashida Khan is also a South African Author, and I must admit, I had thought it would be like every other South African Muslim writers books, thinking the same old, with storyline and ending.

Mirror Cracked truly had me hooked from the 1st page. Raashida Khan’s writing abilty is most admired. A story that encapsulates LOVE, HOPE, BETRAYAL and SURRENDER. Raashida Khan’s skilfully takes her reader through the various emotions, and I felt drawn in with each emotion. There are many relevant topics, that are of social importance raised throughout the book, and one major TABOO Topic that can leave eyebrows raised (In a South African Muslim Community). I will not divulge more about that, because Like me, I want YOU MY READER’S, to also be drawn in with each page you turn.

Mirror Cracked is about Portaganist, Azraa Hassim, who is a Modern and Strong Muslim Women. This novel will take you on a journey through her life and how she holds on, as life throws her challenges that may leave her Cracked and Distorted.

I have ENJOYED this novel Tremendously, a true page turner. It most definitely comes Highly Recommended!

FOODEVA MARSAY RATING

🌟🌟🌟🌟 🌟 OUT OF 5 STARS

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BOOK 3 in Marsay Reads January 2021

Fragrance Of Forgiveness By Raashida Khan

TITLE: Fragrance of Forgiveness

AUTHOR: Raashida Khan

PUBLISHED DATE: February 2019

Because I LOVED MIRROR CRACKED, And needed to Know how this Storyline would end, I knew I had to purchase the Sequel. YES, Fragrance of Forgiveness is a SEQUEL, to Raashida Khan’sAward Winning 1st Novel, Mirror Cracked. WAS THIS THEN ANY GOOD YOU MAY ASK?…. ABSOLUTELY. If I began enjoying Raashida Khan’s writing ability in her 1st Novel, Then this book sealed my love for this great South African Writer.

Fragrance of Forgiveness, picks up some 2 years after Azraa Hassim had to deal with a few traumatic incidents in Mirror Cracked. The Book focuses once again on the protagonist in the story, Azraa, who seems to just be living a robotic life, hardly involving herself with her loved ones. Fragrance of Forgiveness has its own tragedies, and eyebrow raising moments too, but it is a story that paves the way for healing. The book is full of life lessons and messages, that we can each benefit from in our own situations in life. Azraa too proves to be a Resilient and Admired Woman, who finally manages to pull herself together.

Fragrance Of Forgiveness is another masterfully penned story that is thought provoking and gripping at the same time. This is yet another READ I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND, But Do read Mirror Cracked 1st!

Foodeva Marsay Ratings

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 OUT OF 5 STARS

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I do Hope you have ENJOYED my Marsay Reads January 2021: Mini Book Reviews. IF YOU DO READ, or have READ, these books, do drop me your feedback as well. I LOVE HEARING FROM You.

Happy Reading Lovelies

Love

MARRIAM

Tag: marsay reads

Marsay Reads: The Cursed Touch by Raashida Khan

Marsay Reads:The Book of Two Ways by Jodi Picoult

Marsay Reads January 2021 – Mini Book Reviews