A Painful But Uplifting Read

Going into 52 Likes, I figured it would be a painful read and in a way it was. Valerie is in high school and experiences one of the worst things a female can - rape and near murder. What's worse is that she's been struggling after being bullied over a bad decision she made during the previous school term. After her rape, she's plagued by forces beyond the grave that prompt her in a certain direction.

In a sense, Valerie is a victim but she's far from being a shrinking violet. She takes on her bullies and is proactive in seeking to identify the man who raped her.

Sharif has created a realistic teenager, who is isolated by bad choices but courageous in the face of violation. At several points in the book, I was in tears because of Valerie's suffering but this girl is a fighter and handles her business.

All told, the book took me several hours to read, but it will stay with me for a while. Good job, Ms. Sharif. 

Source: I purchased 52 Likes from Smashwords.

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Snip, Snip Revenge - Medeia Sharif

STORYLINE:  Tabby, a self-absorbed teenager with gorgeous hair, loses her crowning glory through a planned mishap. Although she has a wonderful group of friends and is popular at school, she feels invisible to her family and that without her hair she’s a nonentity. The radical change in her looks takes her on a journey of discovery that changes her life.

PLAYERS: Tabby Karim is a spunky, Turkish-American teenager who doesn’t take any foolishness from anybody. With her supportive group of friends, she weathers attacks from a racist schoolmate, plus a teacher who seems to have it in for her. Tabby is also wrapped up in her own idea of beauty and is the typical teenager, thinking the world revolves around her needs. Plus, she’s a drama queen.

Tabby’s love interest, Michael, seems to be the epitome of what she adores in a boy. The only trouble is that her friends don’t quite see him that way. Micheal is good-looking and considerate and looks like ideal boyfriend material.  

I LIKED: the fact that Tabby comes across as a real teenager. She’s a good kid, but has a streak or rebelliousness a mile wide. She stands up for her friends and does the right thing, which makes her an admirable character.

I COULD HAVE LIVED WITHOUT: the periods Tabby goes through when she thinks she’s not important to her family. It is painful for any child to believe they don’t have a place where they belong. Tabby often feels like an outsider, which makes her act out. However, this is part of what makes the story work and helps with her growth process as her point of view shifts.

OVERALL COMMENTS: Tabby grows and changes as the book progresses, which makes her story worth reading. She moves from being self-centred to caring about how her actions affect other people, owns up to her mistakes and makes amends. I found her dilemma with her hair touching. It’s a rude awakening for her, when what she equates as being important is taken away from her and she begins to feel invisible. She adapts to her situation and learns how to make it work for her. Though Tabby is sneaky, the thing I admire most about her as a character is the fact that she has an active conscience that forces her to do right by the people she wrongs.

COVER NOTE: The emphasis on the hair works. as much of Snip, Snip Revenge is about Tabby’s life, before and after her beautiful hair is lost.

SOURCE: The writer, Medeia Sharif provided the book for review. Snip, Snip Revenge was published by Evernight Teen.

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Book Review - Bestest.Ramadan.Ever. - Medeia Sharif

STORYLINE:  Almira Abdul has something to prove to both her family and herself; she can fast successfully during Ramadan. Her first crush proves to be problematic as she has competition from both friend and seeming enemy. Almira must stand strong through constant hunger, the strictures that come from being Muslim, and a struggle to maintain a friendship that means the world to her.

PLAYERS: 

Almira: A spunky, determined American Muslim girl who faces several challenges, including that of cultural practices, self-image and romance.

Grandpa: epitomizes fundamentalism in its worst form. He’s quite a character, who believes in sticking to tradition and has the habit of yelling ‘Prostitute!” at any woman who’s not dressed to his standards or who behaves contrary to his standards. Though insufferable, Grandpa provided me with immense entertainment at times.

I LIKED: Almira’s voice. She makes funny observations from the get-go, including her reference to Arabic as a ‘foreign language’. The story flowed for me because I found her to be funny, natural and realistic in all the angst she goes through over her love life and physical attributes.

I admired her determination to succeed at the goal she set herself despite several attempts to sabotage her efforts. Though she struggles with her conscience, Almira is mature enough to realize that some things are better left unsaid, particularly in the context of familial expectations.

I COULD HAVE LIVED WITHOUT:  Grandpa’s extreme approach to dealing with women, however, the book would not have been the same without his character being written as is.  

COVER NOTE: I think the cover captures all the main elements that Sharif writes about in Bestest. Ramadan. Ever.

OVERALL COMMENTS: Several themes are explored in Bestest. Ramadan. Ever., which makes it a good read for teens. These include friendship, tolerance, isolation that comes from being misunderstood, and self-acceptance. The lessons learned are obvious, but do not come across as preachy, which marks Medeia Sharif as a sensitive writer who handles her chosen subjects well.

SOURCE: I purchased Bestest. Ramadan. Ever. on Amazon.

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