Review of Kalayla

[IamJc_Bembo12]

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

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3 out of 4 stars

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Kalayla is a sass-mouthed, insolent, and frequently impolite kid. Her demeanour is more akin to that of an elderly person who doesn't seem to give much thought to many things. She is bi-racial, and due to bigotry, she didn't have the chance to meet her grandparents. Her white mother, Maureen, fell in love with a black Irish guy named Jamal, who happened to be her father, which is against the norm. Maureen's parents warned her, but she didn't listen. Instead, she did everything she could to keep their relationship going. In which, as a result, she has to deal with the most painful rejection she has ever experienced from her parents, forcing her to lie and keep it a secret from her daughter for a long time, telling her that they were already dead when, in reality, she is merely scared of what might happen. Excruciatingly, Jamal died and she needed to continue her life as a single mother to care for her daughter Kalayla amidst her constant emotional dilemma. They both lived in an apartment and met the tenant, Lena Barzetti, a 72-year-old entrepreneur who loves to dress in black. She lost her twin sons and husband in an accident and continuously searched for their two living separated sons, JJ and Mark, from nowhere. She had a similar loss to Maureen, which made them linked together. Will Maureen just keep her secret from her daughter indefinitely as the story progresses? Will Lena be able to reunite with her two sons, who have been missing for a long time? Will Kalayla be able to put up with his obnoxious behaviour? You can simply read it in the book to figure out what will happen next.

Kalayla is indeed a book of hope, love, acceptance, and forgiveness. The novel has a lot of noteworthy points to grasp. I enjoyed how it included unexpected twists and flavors. Hope has been tacitly laid forth to demonstrate that, despite the dreadful circumstances, there is a glimmer of oncoming sunshine, that, at the end of the day, forgiveness always prevails and love always matters. Ms. Jeannie Nicholas knows exactly what words to use to make it enticing to read and retain. While reading, the different points of view of the main characters and the cast made me feel their feelings and emotions.

There was some sexual harassment, racism and profanities included in the novel. I don't like how the story's Kalayla character is depicted; she’s always rude and disrespectful, especially to her elderly, which could romanticize young readers. But, I have eyed character development. The format of the dissertation is ambiguous and is not properly ended. It's almost as if there's a sequel to this novel because I wasn't satisfied with the way it finished.

On a larger scale, I noticed a number of grammatical issues that I presume the author neglected to address. Overall, I gave it a 3 out of 4 star rating.

The novel, on the other hand, has a lot of potential; it's a book that anyone who wants to be motivated and encouraged by the story might enjoy. It is appropriate for adults but not for young readers due to profanities. However, it is a highly recommended book, and I feel that the only way to obtain perfection in expertise, especially the errors I have spotted, is by diligence and frequent careful checking before publishing.

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Kalayla
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[Raluca_Mihaila]

I loved reading your review and it made me discover new aspects regarding the book. I also appreciated the silver linings. Great job!

[NetMassimo]

This isn't the kind of book I generally read but I keep finding positive reviews of it that make me curious. Thank you for your great review!

[markodim721]

I like the plot in which the protagonists are ladies from three different generations. Thanks for the objective review.

[MsH2k]

at the end of the day, forgiveness always prevails and love always matters

A perfect summation of the book—and life, for that matter! Thank you for your take on this read.

[Rayah Raouf]

Well-written review! It is a shame you weren't satisfied with the ending, but I wonder if you would pick up a sequel if that were to happen.

[Sanju Lali]

Insight into the life ladies from different generation make the book interesting to read. Thanks for your honest and insightful review.

[Mwatu]

The plotline sounds engaging. I can only imagine what it was like for Kalayla, her family and their neighbour. Thank you for a lovely review!

[Lilyhale90]

I normally prefer gentle characters over disrespectful ones but the story line sounds charming. I love how you wrote the review it's tempting me to read haha.