Review: 'The Other Half of Happiness' by Ayisha Malik (2017)

Sofia Khan is just married. But no-one told her life was going to be this way . . .
Her living situation is in dire straits, her husband Conall is distant, and his annoyingly attractive colleague is ringing all sorts of alarm bells.
When her mother forces them into a belated wedding ceremony (elopement: you can run, but you can't hide), Sofia wonders if it might be a chance to bring them together. But when it forces Conall to confess his darkest secret, it might just tear them apart.
When I found a paperback review copy of Ayisha Malik’s on my doorstep several weeks ago, I immediately recognised the name of the author. In 2015 I was asked to read and review her debut novel ‘Sofia Khan Is not Obliged’, which I really quite enjoyed (click here to read my review). At the start of April, the sequel was released by publisher Twenty7 and I was really happy to see the publisher had kept me in mind with the review copy I received. The book has a lovely cover which fits Spring really well, if you ask me, and I couldn’t help but smile every time I took the book out of my bag. However, it’s also important to see what was inside of that lovely outside, though, so be sure to scroll further down to check out my opinion on the book!
**Please be advised this review will contain spoilers for readers who are still planning to read Ayisha’s Malik novel ‘Sofia Khan Is not Obliged’, to which this new title is the sequel**
When Sofia Khan married Conall, her Irish next-door neighbour she couldn’t help but fall in love with, she had no idea what to expect of marriage. However, reality definitely does not fit the hopes she had for life as a married woman. Conall is more focused on finishing his documentary, which requires a lot of travelling and spending time with his attractive female colleague, and Sofia’s family is constantly minding her business. When she is asked to write her second book, this one about her experiences of marriage, she is keen to take on this next challenge, especially since her new editor thinks it will be a success. But what happens when Sofia discovers Conall has been hiding something from her, something quite big, something that could change their entire lives, and especially their marriage…?
I really liked how author Ayisha Malik seemed to pick things up where her debut novel ‘Sofia Khan Is not Obliged’ ended; after just the first chapter I had once again become a part of protagonist Sofia’s life, and I loved stepping back into her world, populated by the familiar faces of her friends and family. There’s also the same comfortable and well-paced writing style and form of the book, which is written in relatively short chapters/diary entries, spread over the four seasons. Because of this I also highly recommend reading the other book first, before picking this one up. While this novel can be read as a stand-alone, it really will influence your reading experience if you’re not yet familiar with these characters and what they’ve been through together, and Ayisha Malik’s debut novel is worth picking up.
I was quite surprised by the direction of the story; I was surprised by Connall’s secret and how this influenced the rest of the characters and the plotline of the book, and I was especially surprised by the ending of the novel, which I have to admit I wasn’t a big fan of. However, I don’t want to give too much away in this review, because I can imagine other readers might actually really enjoy how this was written and worked out. I understand the comparison that is being made to Bridget Jones, but at the same time I also feel Ayisha Malik deserves to not be labelled like that; this book is something fresh and new, and deserves to be read like that as well. All in all, I found ‘The Other Half of Happiness’ to be a compelling modern-day read with some fascinating characters and mixing of cultures at its core; a promising new voice within women’s fiction and a read certainly worth checking out.

Rating:8,5/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads
Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: 'Sofia Khan Is Not Obliged' by Ayisha Malik (2015)

"Brilliant idea! Excellent! Muslim dating? Well, I had no idea you were allowed to date.' Then he leaned towards me and looked at me sympathetically. 'Are your parents quite disappointed?'

Unlucky in love once again after her possible-marriage-partner-to-be proves a little too close to his parents, Sofia Khan is ready to renounce men for good. Or at least she was, until her boss persuades her to write a tell-all expose about the Muslim dating scene.

As her woes become her work, Sofia must lean on the support of her brilliant friends, baffled colleagues and baffling parents as she goes in search of stories for her book. In amongst the marriage-crazy relatives, racist tube passengers and decidedly odd online daters, could there be a a lingering possibility that she might just be falling in love...?

Today I have a review of quite an exciting, just published, new novel to share with all of you! The e-book version of Ayisha Malik's 'Sofia Khan Is Not Obliged' was released on the 3rd of September (the paperback version will follow in January) and I was lucky enough to be contacted about reviewing the book for my blog. The novel is released by Twenty7, a new digital-first fiction imprint of Bonnier Publishing. The new imprint will focus on debut authors and international writers new to the UK markets, covering all commercial fiction genres but especially crime and women's fiction. 'Sofia Khan Is Not Obliged' is the very first title by Twenty7 and I'm happy to be a part of this exciting first publication!

Sofia Khan is thirty years old and newly single after her fiancee turned out to be a bit closer to his parents than she initially thought. After the whole debacle, she is quite ready to give up on men for good. But then her boss at the publisher where she works offers her a job: writing a tell-all novel about the Muslim dating scene. Sofia knows she can't refuse the chance of writing her very own book and all of a sudden she finds herself back in the dating game while also searching for stories to use from her beloved group of friends and sometimes slightly crazy family. However, between the craziness, she also meets some interesting characters, and completely against her expectations, Sofia might be falling in love after all...

One of the first descriptions of this book I read was that it can be seen as the 'Muslim Bridget Jones' Diary' and I can definitely see the similarities. Ayisha Malik has written her novel completely in the form of diary entries, e-mails and text messages, resulting in us as readers being able to follow all of main protagonist Sofia's thoughts and experiences. I have to admit this is probably one of the first books I've read from the point of view of a Muslim heroine and it was not just an enjoyable and fun read, but also one that taught me a bit more about the Muslim culture and traditions. While the novel included some unfamiliar language in places, this didn't influence the reading experience and I loved taking a look at the lives of Sofia and her family and friends.

Sofia is quite an outspoken and unique character and it definitely took me a bit of time to get used to her. However, some of the things she says, does and thinks just made me laugh out loud and this definitely helped me warm to her. While Sofia seems strong-willed and determined, she doesn't exactly know what she wants from life and it was great to see her change throughout the novel and see how certain experiences influenced her. I really loved the writing style of the book, the relatively short chapters, and the great cast of secondary characters (Sofia's parents are both wonderful and funny, just like her friends). Overall, 'Sofia Khan Is Not Obliged' is a contemporary, witty and refreshing women's fiction novel which I thoroughly enjoyed!

Rating:8,5/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.