Review of Kalayla

[Angela Swinney]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Kalayla" by Jeannie Nicholas.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Kalayla, written by Jeannie Nicholas, is a well-written fictional novel. A story about eleven-year-old Kalayla, who lives alone with her mother, Maureen. Following the sudden death of her father, they move into a new apartment. Kalayla finds herself getting to know the little old lady that lives across the hall named Lena. While Maureen works all day at a local diner, the girl spends time helping the old lady, and Ms. Lena feels compelled to help Kalayla and keep her from landing in trouble. An unlikely friendship develops, which leads to mending the past for all involved while facing struggles along the way.
Kalayla is a story full of drama, excitement, heartbreak, and adventure. A tale of family secrets, lies, racism, and domestic violence. A story of two families torn apart by lies and secrets. Two families come together and help one another heal from the past. Will the truth set them free?
The story was very well written by Jeannie Nicholas, and I was unable to find anything about the book that I did not like, and that is why I am giving Kalayla a 4 out of 4 stars rating. What I loved most about this story was how turning every page led to a new adventure. The novel appears to be professionally edited, and I could not find one error throughout the entire book. The story seems as though it flows perfectly from one adventure to the next and keeps you wanting more and more. It is written from 3 different perspectives that allow you to feel the emotions each character is experiencing while telling their story. At times, I felt the sadness or anger the young girl felt. I could feel just how desperate Maureen felt at times and how frightened Lena must have been.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys an adventurous novel dealing with real-life family struggles. It is the most relatable novel that I have read in a very long time. I was able to relate to the story's characters and could easily understand the situations they found themselves in. At times, there are some mature situations and content with mature language, so I recommend young adults. If you are a reader who enjoys an excellent drama-filled fictional novel, you must read Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas. I promise a story you won't regret reading.

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Kalayla
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[Soraya Bayah]

I was lucky to read this book and quite agree with the positives that you listed. This book is indeed a remarkable and relatable book. Thank you for the lovely review.