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Been a minute

Fair to say it’s been a few months since my last check-in on Inaayat & I have sorely missed scrawling my thoughts down on here. What I would also like to add, though, is how 2021 has been for me a year of pure, chaotic & immense growth.

Right before last year’s end, I made a promise to myself that the year I was going to see next must be one that I walk out of a different being when comparing to the one that was due to walk in. I wanted to push myself to be & live how God would want. Though it has not yet ended, I can honestly say that I’ve not seen a year quite like this one before.

So this is just a reminder post to say that if you feel like it is too late to make a change, it isn’t.

If you feel like it is too late in general, it isn’t.

It may feel like any moment that one wants disappearing or eradicating but insists on lingering does for some time – a long time – but it will pass & that too quicker than you initially think.

If this year is anything to go by, I have experienced firsthand how it always passes. How else is there then space for the better times to come & to make a forever home in our hearts?

I created this site intending on making it all about books & my thoughts on those I’d read. I wish to see my love for literature translate in ways that transcend reviews. I want to now showcase exactly what impact novels I absorb have on me as I navigate life’s many winding streets – how stories I read inspire me to live my very own in the best possible way.

Hoping to share more of me on here whilst remembering & striving to stay true to the foundations of Inaayat – spreading love for the written word.

Care to join me with a cuppa?

Continuing to be filled with gratitude,

Sheeza

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Show Up: A Motivational Message for Muslim Women

“Love is a verb”

Na’ima B. Robert’s Show Up may well have a small page count, but it certainly packs a punch in the messages it succeeds in conveying to whoever gazes upon her words. It is a collection of reminders, mantras, anecdotes & realisations.

I am forever on the search for quotes & stories that leave a person feeling more hopeful, happy & as though they should be thanking their fortunes more often. Robert quenched my thirst for such a feeling. Her final few chapters left me particularly touched as she personally addresses the reader & how worthy they should consider themselves. It hit home as it is true what she writes: we’re never really taught how to love ourselves, how to praise our achievements & how to strike that balance of being proud & staying humble, so for her to dedicate a chapter to her readers – motivating them to see their distinctive potential – heartened me beyond compare.

Another one of my many interests is to find the silver lining in any type of situation & one way in which I am able to do that is by having an attitude of gratitude. Na’ima swears by counting one’s blessings; to see that reveal itself in her writing was an absolute pleasure. She encourages digging deep to see what makes one not only authentically oneself but also what makes a human being so uniquely capable of overcoming any struggle they may find themselves to be in.

Robert believes that goodness ought to rule supreme over any evil we may otherwise be inclined to spread, being the imperfect individuals that we all are. In a time where hatred can be found in pretty much every major part of the world, it was as though I exhaled a breath I had been keeping in for a long old while when I read Na’ima’s inspiring written word. Practising kindness should be on the top of everybody’s to-do lists & it’s always a lovely occurrence to see people like Na’ima Robert preaching it, too.

As one of my favourite people, Sonny Bill Williams, says, always alhamdulillah,

Sheeza

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Tokyo Ghoul, #2

Sui Ishida’s second instalment of Tokyo Ghoul is a testament to how unique an experience it always is for me whenever I dive into manga. Official statement: I don’t do it often enough.

I was a little worried that I’d forget where the first book ended & how this second book would begin, but, contrary to my belief, I was on Kaneki’s bandwagon successfully within the first few turns of the book’s pages. I don’t wish to spoil this series for you & so I shall keep this review rather brief, but I thought to leave you with some lessons I learnt from my time with the ghouls for a second time:

– Fight for whatever it is your heart believes, regardless of who may or may not stand by your side as you do so

– There really is nothing like unconditional love – run towards that as hard-to-find as it may, at times, seem

– Be your authentic self as it is unsurprisingly tricky to be anybody but unapologetically you &

– It pays to think outside of the box

In a time as unprecedented as the one we face at the moment, manga may well provide you with a healthy dose of escapism, where for a few hundred pages, you’re in another world entirely. Having read a book that brought me into its world page turn after page turn, I sincerely hope that you too are familiar with a similar sense of being elsewhere. If not, then allow me to reassure you that, when (& only when) you do find yourself there, you’ll have a yearning for that feeling time after time, much like myself.

Socially distanced hug from myself to you,

Sheeza

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The Book Thief

“I am haunted by humans”

Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief follows the life of a little girl named Liesel Meminger, who, during the Second World War, is made to feel as though she has no place in Nazi Germany. Separated from her mother at a young age, Liesel finds herself prematurely accustomed to the feeling of loss. The novel has themes surrounding war, grief, friendship & morality.

Though it took myself a while to read, this novel wasted no time in introducing characters that I believe I won’t forget for a very long time yet:

Hans Hubermann, a shining example of what it means to be an inspiring & motivating father…

Rudy Steiner, the boy next door who showed unwavering loyalty towards his sport, friends & family…

& Max Vandenburg, the one with patience similar to that of a saint.

What I continue to find most intriguing about this book is the narrative. The book is told from the perspective of Death. Needless to say, that in itself made for a highly immersive read as the narrator would foreshadow events that would later take place. With that said, the spoilers meant little when what Death hinted at would actually transpire – nothing could have stopped those tears from surfacing. Ironically, I resented not being properly prepared for what was to come.

A truly unforgettable tale, The Book Thief needs to be read if you want firsthand insight into a country that is riddled with the constant fear of being bombed, what it is like to say goodbye to somebody without knowing if it’s the last time you’ll be in their company & what fierce loyalty resembles. I’ll sorely miss following Liesel in her journey to overcoming this time in her life she probably wishes she’d never lived.

Yours tearfully,

Sheeza

Trigger warning: violence, war, suicide

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An ode to 2020

My year in books looks a little something like:

Whiskey Words & a Shovel III – it made me weep

We Hope This Reaches You in Time – my favourite living couple of poets

THE BOOK I WROTE THAT SAVED MY LIFE – reminders I really needed

The Midnight Library – realising that the life you have is the best you could have

The Truth About Magic – what it says on the tin — just pure, simple magic

The Courage to Be Disliked – has stuck with me since the day I first picked it up

Maybe in Another Life – incredible read if you are a fan of the theory of parallel universes

Forever, Interrupted – answers a major what if question

Lullaby – moments of nostalgia about my birthplace, despite the storyline being creepy with a capital c 

Tokyo Ghoul, Tome 1 (Tokyo Ghoul, #1) – a manga that provides escapism like no other

The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali – a coming of age novel discussing a topic that could not be considered more taboo in some circles

Jackpot – adventure lies within these pages

The Wild Robot (The Wild Robot, #1) – you would not believe how many of the children in my class bought a copy!

The Story of Tutankhamun – recommended highly if you wish to teach young minds about a time in Ancient Egypt

This year was not my finest with regards to how much time I dedicated to reading. It is this realisation that has inspired today’s writing as I am reminiscent about how good this year has been to me, in a myriad of ways.

So, here goes.

2020, in my eyes, was the year:

I chose myself more

I made decisions I look back on that I thought I could not make, but – thankfully so – did

I bettered my relationship with my faith

I gained clarity about how to become a better me

I became kinder to myself, thus to others

I said no often

I said yes even more

I pushed myself

I gifted patience to myself & thus to others, also

I am nervous about the new year. To many, it symbolises a new beginning; though I am getting better at embracing change, it takes time, which resonates with a few, too, I hope.

May this new beginning be the best one yet, for every single one of us, who continue to keep walking the greatest gift that we call life.

Thanking you for your company this year. Until the next.

Filled with gratitude,

Sheeza

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Whiskey Words & a Shovel III

“the library is therapy for those with minds like mine” r.h. Sin

R. H. Sin’s Whiskey Words & a Shovel III was read in a solitary evening for one very specific reason: my heart could only bear to endure this book for a single sit-down reading time. I didn’t have it in me to read this the next day, though the night was waning, because if there is any living poet out there whose words resonate with my beating heart to an absolute T, it is R. H. Sin. So please don’t get me wrong — though I read it in a sitting so I didn’t have to for another evening, that is certainly not to say it wasn’t my all time favourite read of this year… as it definitely is!

He’s the poet for you if you’re big on affirmations, reminders, realisations about some realities & explanations about why certain things happen the way that they do. I believe that his words will be best appreciated by a reader who doesn’t shy away from finding parallels in somebody else’s wise words to one’s own life experience.

Sin touches on romantic relationships, friendships & family relationships, also. There are countless reasons why he is my all-time favourite living poet, but I appreciate him most for his humble nature whilst addressing real misconceptions & issues hitting society not just today but that have been pressing for quite some time now.

If you are considering diving into this delight, I recommend having a best friend nearby for emergency laughs — I very fortunately had mine readily waiting to comfort me with Instagram posts and WhatsApp messages. Guess who da real MVP is?

Sincerely,

Sheeza

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Jackpot

Nic Stone’s Jackpot follows Rico Danger and Alexander (‘Zan’) Gustavo Macklin, who could not be leading more different lives. Rico lives pay cheque to pay cheque, having to juggle being a teenager with quite adult responsibilities, whilst Zan has to concern himself very little about whether or not he’ll see a meal when the sun rises and sets. His family business ensures that he has a back-up plan, should school not end as he would have liked, directly contrasting Rico’s uncertain future. It is when Rico discovers that a lottery ticket she sold whilst working her shift at the petrol station is a winning ticket that she encounters Zan and both agree to find the victor of the six-figure prize. Rico hopes that hunting this fortunate individual down may mean she gets a sum of money to take home to her family, unbeknownst to Zan, who simply fancies a change of pace and scenery with a girl whom he finds intriguing. The reader seeks to find out if they ever locate said jackpot winner.

I grew very fond of the female protagonist, Rico, because I found her to be so relatable: bumbling along, trying to make ends meet without losing her head in the process. She was written to be such a sweet girl, merely attempting to pick up the pieces at home, with her mother and little brother depending on her to put food on the table and a roof over their heads.

Similarly, Zan did well as the male protagonist, portrayed refreshingly as a sensitive, happy-go-lucky yet determined and driven chap. He reminded me of my all-time favourite male character, Finch, from Jennifer Niven’s All the Bright Places (high praise indeed, if you know my affinity with that story!)

The book was insightful regarding class and how living in an affluent area, like Rico did, did not make her feel any richer. Her lifestyle would lend itself to desiring more than her job at the petrol station offered. The book illustrated how easily, at times, class can label a person, both rich and poor. I was reminded of the privilege that is the NHS, here in the UK, a gift we so often can forget is just that: an entitlement that warrants high appreciation.

This book also did well to remind the reader of the sweetness of love – those first couple of butterflies that one experiences upon seeing the person of their affection, not to mention the feeling as though one is with their very best friend. Nic Stone addresses love as, albeit not a focal point of the novel, rather in a very real manner that is entirely easy to conceptualise.

All in all, Jackpot was an absolute delight to read from beginning to end and it was just what I needed for my lazy summer days basking in the thunderstorms that the UK has in abundance!

It is ideal to read if one wishes to live out an adventure from the comfort of one’s armchair.

Sincerely,

Sheeza

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Forever, Interrupted

“We have to find little ways to smile. No matter how strong you are, no matter how smart you are or tough you can be, the world will find a way to break you. And when it does, the only thing you can do is hold on.” t.j.r.

I’ve said it before and I will not hesitate to say it again: Taylor Jenkins Reid knows how to write a story that takes her readers on a journey that is, much to their dismay, fleeting but, fortunately, completely unforgettable. Forever, Interrupted is no exception – it follows our protagonist, Elsie, who loses her husband in a freak bike accident a week after marrying him.

The book explores grief and how it has many forms depending on the person experiencing it. It sheds light on how life goes on, no matter how much an individual may wish for it to be put on hold, even if for just a moment. I find this to be a very important read because of how it discusses the process behind mourning and how, though heart-wrenchingly difficult, it is a normal, natural and necessary process to experience.

Like every other book of hers I’ve read, Forever, Interrupted is an absolute page turner, with nearly every chapter ending on a cliffhanger that makes it impossible to stop reading on.

The book is structured very cleverly, with it going back and forth between the past and present, a form the writer is masterfully skilled at executing in every book that she has crafted, including Forever, Interrupted.

Taylor Jenkins Reid has become the author whose works I could read blindly, simply because they are her design – her work is consistently captivating and I am never disappointed by her stories. She always includes a plot twist that could come at any time (I for one am never prepared, hence the multiple gasps that take place whenever there’s a book of hers in my hands!)

I caught myself smiling like a Cheshire cat oftentimes at the relationship explored in this book – it’s one that anybody would and does want, which is what it makes it so compelling to read about.

I’m not sure how long it’s been since I read an ending and felt this immense sense of closure. The way Taylor Jenkins Reid closed this story is a testament to how important it is to assure your readers that they are taken care of, from the very first page turn to the last. It’s that careful attention to detail that makes for loyal readers who will always return to the writer who promises to deliver just that.

Sincerely,

Sheeza

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The Wild Robot

“I’ll tell you what: If I could do it all over again, I’d spend more time helping others. All I’ve ever done is dig tunnels. Some of them were real beauties too, but they’re all hidden underground, where they’re no good to anyone but me.” p.b.

Peter Brown’s The Wild Robot is a children’s book that narrates a robot’s need to survive life in the wilderness – such an otherworldly concept that I was so eager to find the answer to! As a teacher about to teach her very first class in a few months time, I was excited to embark on the pursuit to discover literature for my class kiddos, commencing with the reading of The Wild Robot.

The story begins with a robot delivery gone wrong – several boxes filled with robots are deposited onto a remote island, in pieces. All but one are destroyed & it is Roz who survives the unfortunate accident that brings her to the wild, making her the foremost robot to pay a visit to this desolate land.

She does well to portray the standard robotic creation, running only on pure logic. That’s what makes this book so page turning: the reader cannot help but wonder what will become of her and it is what got me to be so quickly attached to her. The reader witnesses her develop into a being with emotion, purpose & meaning; I found myself wanting her to survive the obvious dangers that can and do arise with living in unfamiliar surroundings.

Slowly but surely, Roz finds a routine in the wild, her loving personality lending itself to making friends who were like family to her, with ease. When all seems to be going well, it’s then that the unthinkable happens … as if the book wasn’t gripping enough! I’ll spare you the spoiler so I’m not that reader, but I promise you that it’s the most heartbreaking yet captivating plot point I have come across in a while, much less in a children’s novel.

There is a lot to be learned from this book, from children & adults alike:

how to make friends

how to be a parent

how to not only survive but thrive in a place that is completely out of one’s comfort zone

valuing that which truly matters

living a more purposeful life

I feel that as much as this book needs to be picked up by every primary school educator, it would also provide solace for anybody who feels that either they or somebody they know could benefit from reading about complex human concepts that have been explained in a straightforward and colourful manner.

My favourite part about reading The Wild Robot As somebody who didn’t speak English at home and who didn’t read until the age of about 9, I have very little recollection of reading children’s literature when I was a child myself. I think that plays a massive role in how much I enjoyed reading The Wild Robot – I was able to feel the pleasure that can be taken from reading about a robot who learns, through experience, the art of surviving in the circumstances that, though she did not choose for herself, handled with grace and humility (attributes not commonly associated with a manufactured creation) A big thank you to Mr. Brown for showing 24-year-old me the magic that lies within children’s books such as this one.

Sincerely,

Sheeza

My rating:

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
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Maybe in Another Life

“Life is long & full of an infinite number of decisions. I have to think that the small ones don’t matter, that I’ll end up where I need to end up no matter what I do.”

~ T. J. R.

a book by a favourite author

Taylor Jenkins Reid is an author whose books I now buy blindly, because I am that sure I’ll love her literary handiwork. Maybe in Another Life did not disappoint. It follows Hannah Martin, a twenty-something year old who is uncertain about where her life is headed. After a big move back home to Los Angeles from New York, Hannah hopes to start over, if circumstances around her would ever allow her to, that is. Things take an intriguing turn when her best friend, Gabby, throws a party & a certain high school sweetheart makes an appearance. As the night draws to an end, Hannah has to decide between going home with Gabby or staying a little while longer with her former flame.

The novel’s central theme is choice & what I loved most about it was the form it took. One chapter, we’re in the head of Hannah who chose to stay at the party. In the next, Hannah goes home with her best friend & lives that version of a life. It’s an absolutely mental way to experience a book & I was so here for it!

In her very classic style, Taylor Jenkins Reid turns the everyday act of making decisions on its head, taking the reader on a cosmic, time-travel-style path, writing an unprecedented tale that couldn’t have been predicted.

Female friendships I was a massive fan of Hannah’s best friend, Gabby. The epitome of fierce female independence, I truly feel that she is a friend who many could benefit from having in their lives.

Without giving anything away, there is one character who made my jaw drop. That’s the magic behind Reid’s writing: one can’t help but fall in & out of love with certain characters almost instantly.

This book has enlightened me on planning: how too much of it isn’t great, how living in the moment – the time & moment we really only ever have any control over – is always the more worthwhile choice.

Welled up, I did, & as evil as it may sound, I would love for more people to feel what I did. (sorry!)

Sincerely,

Sheeza

☽