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Reclaim Your Heart - Yasmin Mogahed 

I missed Yasmin Mogaheds tour in SA, but having seen her YouTube lectures, I was so impressed to realise that her writing is just as passionate and influential as she is as a speaker. This book takes the reader - most likely Muslim female - through the Islamic and philosophical angles of her reflections on life. On attachments, heartache, abandonment, hardships and the every day struggle the soul endures. It speaks to the strength that lies in sensitivity and the freedom that comes with a reliance and deepest love for God. I wouldn't call this work a self-help as its deepest roots denote from Islamic beliefs, however I wouldn't  call it religious either as much of her conversation is psychologically  based. Poetry completes this exceptional work and you have to marvel at how deeply the writer understands her own self.

This is not the type of book you'll read once in your life. No, this is a reminder when the chips are down that all pain is temporary and for the bruised and battered a comfort when times are at their toughest.

*Image copied from www.yasminmogahed.com/reclaim-your-heart/

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The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller

I'd love to be one of those people who can proudly say that they've read the famous poems the Iliad and Odyssey written by Homer centuries ago - but I'm not. I do though, have enough pop culture reference to know that this is a pretty unusual love story - or is it? This book is a take of the famous siege of Troy, however the famous tale is more of a staging of the epic love between Achilles and his Patroclus. While the original works apparently do not make reference of the relationship between the Greek hero and his friend as being romantic, there are some who interpret it as such. And this is what Madeline Miller has so brilliantly depicted in scenes depicted against the rich antiquity of ancient Greece and famous mythological legends. There is something indulgent about being able to fine comb through a such a legendary tale with all its heroes in such great detail. Where emotions, reactions and the more extended nuances of human experience are generally not covered in poems.
Not your average love story, but an epic read.
*image credit to Goodreads

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Lord John and the Hand of Devils - Diana Gabaldon

As it often happens, when an author becomes famous for a particular character(s) in a series, the rest of their works don't necessarily receive the same publicity as what initially made them famous. Such I think is the case with this trio of short stories written about Lord John - remember him Outlander fans? Dashing Lord John who was mistakenly in love with a certain brawny, coppery haired Scot i.e one of the protagonists hence the significance of Lord John
Interestingly, Diana Gabaldon introduces the books (compilations') history as a foreword and it comes with a warning - don't expect to read about any of her more famous characters although due to Lord Johns unrequited affections, we often get to see the writing alluding to a certain said Scot.
A compilation of three short stories i.e Lord John and the Hellfire Club, Lord John and the Succubus and lastly, Lord John and the Haunted Soldier. Highly suspenseful and not what I had been anticipating honestly, but no doubt exquisitely written nonetheless. There are other Lord John novellas about (apparently a highly adaptable character) which I'm sure are just as good.

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A Column of Fire - Ken Follett

The most recent installment of the Kingsbridge series, A Column of  Fire may be the best yet. We see major acts designated to historical heavy weights like Queen Elizabeth 1 and the rival for her throne Mary, Queen of Scots and former Queen of France. Starting at the cusp of the Elizabethan Golden Age, the book has the traditional Kingsbridge novel flair - intelligent male & female protagonists who should be a couple but due to her dutiful (in this case staunch Roman Catholic) nature, they will not be together for many years. Cue ambitious parents who would be nobility though the marriages of their daughters; the necessary and ambitious zealots (cathedral town after all); the intelligent and interesting people surrounding the protagonists and of course a few brutes . But the best parts of this read are the scenes that their set in: the religiously brutal pre-Elizabethan era in England; the slaughter of St. Bartholomew's Day when the streets of Paris were painted red by all the Protestant slaughter; the intrigue and and power struggles in the French palace; the transfer to the Elizabethan crown where the monarch is described artfully in a way that makes her more than just a historical juggernaut giving credence. The same can be said about the Guise's of France and the tragic Mary to name but a few. True historical figures and events are narrated so much and guide much of the of premise that the back of the novel includes a section to help the reader distinguish true from fictional characters
A Column of Fire is a spectacular culmination of the writers pattern of turning real events into vivid fictional narrations, more so  than the other Kingsbridge novels. The tapestry of this read is richly coloured by real historical events and will have you glued in no-time at all.
*Book sponsored by Pan Macmillan 

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World Without End - Ken Follett

Not that I've researched this fact, but I could not imagine that any of Ken Follett's book reviews are ever negative. Exquisitely detailed, but not to the point of being cumbersome and yet just more than enough to let you know that some serious research has gone into it. Scenes are always described in the most vivid way to capture a readers interest, and keep it. The chronological sequel to The Pillars of the Earth, but not necessarily to the story line, World Without End continues in the town of Kingsbridge two centuries later and again centres around the cathedral. We see the generational successors of some of the previous books protagonists as the main characters and to some extent a similar contextualized theme i.e the unconventional but lovable and seemingly irresistible clever builder (Merthin), the duty bound but stubborn and independent female protagonist (Caris) and the avaricious & ambitious yet identifiable gentry(Ralph, Merthin's brother & his parents) who seem not only to only drink too much, but also will stop at nothing to become nobility. Like its precursor, the prologue of the book has a scene that ties the lives of the main characters together which unfolds later on towards the end. Being a cathedral-town, Of course, there must be a crazed zealot  (Godwyn) who indemnifies his power hungriness as a sign God-sent. And then there was the incredible Gwenda - sold, abused and poor, she is the most interesting of all the characters just because of the sheer determination that allowed her to reach above her social burdens.
If I had to pick at this book, it would be that the repetitive nature of some of the characters in comparison to the previous book is a bit too obvious - but then, I have read them in close succession.
An elegant read written by a thoughtful writer.
*Book sponsored by Pan Macmillan 

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Virgins - Diana Gabaldon

Its hard to believe that Diana Gabaldon isn't a thoroughbred Scot whose been rollicking in the Highlands her entire life to enable her to write about such convincing archetypal Scottish characters in the best representation of their particular colloquial of this 1700's. But no, she's not.
Being a full-on Outlander fan, I was drawn to this book because of the younger character of Jamie Fraser and his brother-in-law (not yet in this book though), Ian Murray. True to his trouble magnetic nature, the book starts out with an injured Jamie - pretty much the way Outlander does. Both he an Ian then go on an adventure that see's them travelling with mercenaries and their travels take them to Paris where they both have eyes for the beautiful - but sneaky we are later to find out - Rebekah.
A short piece or novella, this is my first read of Diana Gabaldon and I have to say my favourite part about the book was the three courtesy chapters of the Outlander book included at the end which in her authors note Gabaldon explains Virgins is the technical prequel for. We get this generous helping of Outlander so that the reader gets to meet the older and more experienced Jamie. Cannot wait to get my hands on a copy of Outlander...

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Heaven Under Your Feet - Pregnancy for Muslim Women
Umm Hasan bint Salim

Last year when I was about 6 months pregnant I picked up this book at a local book store having heard that a reputable OBGYN based her pre-natal lectures on the principles espoused within the book. I read it and then life got busy. Almost a year later, I remembered the book which had been demarcated into a coffee table, patiently awaiting its next pregnant reader. High time for this review then hey?
As a Muslim mum there were definitely identifiable and helpful aspects to the book, particularly for a new mum who wanted to find the religious significance of this whole incredible experience. While I didn't really get that from the book, it did talk to me about how this incredible process impacts ones life from an Islamic female perspective, as well as the lives of our significant in the voice of someone who had obviously tread the path of pregnancy and mommy-hood.Written in a conversational tone, I could almost imagine a friend or aunt speaking to me as I read.
Finding some of the views too idealistic, the authenticated hadiths (narrations) were great, and the presence of helpful dua's (supplications) for different situations were nice too.
All in all a good read for the expectant Muslim mum-to-be who wants something more than the usual get-ready-for-baby literature.

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Living the Healthy Life - Jessica Sepel

I'm in awe of how honest Jessica Sepel is in her books, which is probably what attracted her huge fan base. Opening up about everything from her health struggles to her emotional issues with food, she is a super identifiable example for trying your best to live a healthy life. No diets, no extreme exercising or restrictive food regimes, the Jessica Sepel food creed is all about nourishing your body with food that's good for you and tastes delicious. Packed with nutritious and interesting sounding recipes that echo off what we saw in the Healthy Life, this book expands even further on her experiences and how we can all live better by healing different areas of our lives. I love how she incorporates different facets of the mind and body to give a holistic picture of healthy living - how the gut impacts the human system;  the impact of stress and imbalanced hormones; the relationship we have with ourselves etc
With 160 recipes there are at least 160 reasons to delve into this keepsake of a book, not including the eating plans and general good advice I guess we're all in need of in this super busy age.
*Book sponsored by Pan Macmillan