Overall rating and opinion of "Kalayla" by Jeannie Nicholas

Use this forum to discuss the September 2020 Book of the month, " "Kalayla" by Jeannie Nicholas.
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athurst123
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Re: Overall rating and opinion of "Kalayla" by Jeannie Nicholas

Post by athurst123 »

I really enjoyed this book. It discussed many different topics from family issues, friendship, race relations, and even finding love unexpectedly. The characters were well-developed and the story was well-written.
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crisanja
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Post by crisanja »

I adored this book. I loved the way it addressed subtle racism as well as not subtle racism. I also loved the relationships between the three women of different generations. It was interesting to learn about how each of these characters dealt with the way life had been going for them. I loved that as the story progressed the characters began to rely on each other for wisdom, friendship, and support. I have recommended it to my coworkers, friends, and family. I'd love to read a sequel taking place a few years after this book to see how the characters have grown. Its on my to be reread shelf.
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Post by kalgaonkarsnehal »

I am still reading this book and it is sassy, emotional in the best way possible. That makes me laugh and cry with the characters, and makes me think about them long after I've closed the book. I'm loving it! Even though someone earlier said that it is 'slice of life' sort of a book, I still can't wait to know what happens next.
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Post by mlh6fn »

I think Kalayla tackled a lot of important issues regarding racism, domestic violence, and grief from a lot of different perspectives and experiences. The dialogue was the main factor that had me knock my rating down to a 3 out of 4 stars because it was often unrealistic and written the same as a novel, rather than as natural speech. Having multiple perspectives added more nuance, but occasionally I think it fell victim to setting a few chapters from the wrong point of view and diluting the impact of certain scenes.
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Pearl Akpan
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Post by Pearl Akpan »

I read this book even though I didn’t write a review on it. I expected it to be fast paced and you know, include some elements of mystery. Although it had none of these elements, it was just as interesting. I think what particularly made it so was how diverse it was. Kayla’s character was developed very accurately and I loved how she took up responsibilities. If I wrote a review, I’d give it a 4 out of 4 star rating.
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Pearl Akpan
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Post by Pearl Akpan »

Lena and Kalayla’s relationship in this book was very outstanding for me. The determination of Lena to not go in the same direction she did with her kids with Kalayla was very inspiring. Above all, I love many emotions that the writers creative writing evoked. You could hardly predict how this book was going to end. I’d read this book again if I had to 😂
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Pearl Akpan
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Post by Pearl Akpan »

Oh and there’s sth i failed to mention. I liked how racism regardless of how seemingly subtle, was addressed in this book as well as how Kalayla dealt with it. This book addresses versatile points.
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Post by namuyong »

This is a four star book as it is based on family.family is an important topic to be discussed, As in the day to day life we need to know family is not all about blood relations. The character of kalayla is just great as she is smart and forgiving.i love it
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Post by jokinyo »

forgiveness is Avery difficult factor in this days but seeing the although teach his audience to forgive is very important.interesting book give it 4 stars rating already.
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Post by Chelsearoses »

I really enjoyed the book and even wrote a book review on it. I appreciate how it delves into the three women's lives and gives an honest and raw sense of emotion and understanding. It could have been easy to focus on only one perspective but instead, the author decided to give equal attention to the characters. I gave the rating 3 out of 4. There were moments I got frustrated with Maureen and how she sometimes handled or didn't handle Kalayla, however, given her situation I tried to give her breathing room. But still frustrating at times. I respect and appreciate how the book addresses and brings attention to race, cultural (as well as cultural differences), and mixed-race problems that couples, as well as children, have to face. These things don't just affect the parents, they affect the children too no matter if they are consciously aware of it or not. A very good book and I definitely recommend it. Also, I love Lena.
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Post by Murugananthan »

This is an amazing book. I enjoyed every chapter and every character. Seeing Kalayla grow from a lonely little girl with a chip on her shoulder to a lovely giving person with a sense of responsibility was so enjoyable. This is the first book I have actually cried over in a long time. When she found out that her grandparents rejected her and they didn't want to know her or have her in their lives, I just couldn't stand it. Then the way she put aside her bitterness so easily and reconciled with her grandfather was very touching. I also liked the way she and Kieran found each other so quickly and were fast friends.
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Post by Valerie Garske »

I gave it a 3 out of 4, because of the lack of professional editing. I was surprised how much I did like this novel.
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Post by professionalreviews »

I loved the first person perspective. Given the times we live in, with racism being a big issue and the need for community I found it bittersweet and fitting. Malaya's wit and the book, in general, was enjoyable.
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Post by MoniqueBatty »

I really enjoyed reading Kalayla and gave it a 3 out of 4 rating. I like to reserve a 4 out of 4 for truly exceptional books, but this one was still very good. It covered many current, relevant topics and covered them quiet well. I felt that the characters were very believable and I enjoyed the fact that it featured three strong women of different ages that helped each other get through difficult times. It is a book that stays with you.
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Post by ElizaBeth Adams »

I would give Kalayla four stars. I haven't had much time to read lately, but I still made time to finish this one. I loved the themes of reconciling with family and being like family to those who are alone. I wish the ending offered a bit more closure.
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