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Not Here to Stay
From bestselling author of Inkling, a painstaking journey of a broken woman determined to heal set in a mythical world— a place of sky oceans, wisteria trees, emotions bottled in vials, scattered houses, dark pasts, backstabbers, unreliable allies and forbidden castles built on clouds.
Sarah Amani is a Worldsmith. At eighteen, she accidentally conjured a mythical world she called Lagenda from her mind with the help of a past lover, Malik. Five years had passed and she was on a straight path to healing and moving on. She made sure nobody could enter Lagenda again and only allowed people to come in as wanderers by giving them petals as tickets. It was her way of ensuring that Lagenda remained hers without destroying it. Just when she thought she could leave her past, she was invited back into the world with a note saying "You know what to do. -M". She had to go back to Lagenda to make sure the person who sent her the note could not take the world from her. What Amani found is that Lagenda was not as abandoned as she thought it was. Determined to save her world from being exploited and smeared more than how it already is, she sets to burn every door and relic holding the world together. If she cannot keep Lagenda, nobody should. But it seemed that the person who sent her the note had other plans. Together with her trusty dagger, Misya, her sister, a stubborn historian called Najmi and all the misfits she never dreamed of collaborating with, she would find herself propelling straight to her dark past and beloved world.
Sarah Amani is a Worldsmith. At eighteen, she accidentally conjured a mythical world she called Lagenda from her mind with the help of a past lover, Malik. Five years had passed and she was on a straight path to healing and moving on. She made sure nobody could enter Lagenda again and only allowed people to come in as wanderers by giving them petals as tickets. It was her way of ensuring that Lagenda remained hers without destroying it. Just when she thought she could leave her past, she was invited back into the world with a note saying "You know what to do. -M". She had to go back to Lagenda to make sure the person who sent her the note could not take the world from her. What Amani found is that Lagenda was not as abandoned as she thought it was. Determined to save her world from being exploited and smeared more than how it already is, she sets to burn every door and relic holding the world together. If she cannot keep Lagenda, nobody should. But it seemed that the person who sent her the note had other plans. Together with her trusty dagger, Misya, her sister, a stubborn historian called Najmi and all the misfits she never dreamed of collaborating with, she would find herself propelling straight to her dark past and beloved world.
585 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 26, 2022
114 people are currently reading
872 people want to read
About the author
N.F. Afrina
3 books856 followersAn author by night, a doctor by day
• Books I gave birth to: Inkling (2019), Not Here to Stay (2022) and Library of Lost Hearts (2024)
• Things I love in books: Metaphors, women being women, plot twists
• Things I hate in books: Miscommunication, instalove, un-root-able characters
My rating system
5 stars: Life-changing, leaves a permanent mark in my heart
4 stars: It was an awesome read
3 stars: It's okay, just not for me
1-2 stars: I have serious issues with the book
• Books I gave birth to: Inkling (2019), Not Here to Stay (2022) and Library of Lost Hearts (2024)
• Things I love in books: Metaphors, women being women, plot twists
• Things I hate in books: Miscommunication, instalove, un-root-able characters
My rating system
5 stars: Life-changing, leaves a permanent mark in my heart
4 stars: It was an awesome read
3 stars: It's okay, just not for me
1-2 stars: I have serious issues with the book
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
July 23, 2022
For the ones who would rather hate themselves than forgive their past self. This one's for you.
If you ever smell salt while reading this, kindly ignore. It is just my evaporated tears from the pages since I cried every day writing this book. This will forever be my most personal book.
April 26, 2023
Not Here to Stay is a Kintsugi vase filled with dead flowers, each representing people that changed too much to remain the same person.
It is a bouquet to mourn the loss of innocents, living with sin and surviving abuse mentally and physically with a side of gaslighting. There are metaphors that blended seamlessly in conversation. You'll find yourself tabbing a lot of quotes, I think Afrina might be more of a poet than a writer. It is a magical surrealism book set in Malaysia. The Malaysian details of the book are glazed over with little explanation since it's written for Malaysians. The readers who get it, get it. ✨
If you enjoy these 5Ms, you will enjoy the book:
Mood reader,
you need to be in a mood for reading deep and difficult emotions to be fully immersed in this book.
Melancholy,
it is not a happy book, it is sad with some tiny sparkles and deliciously filling quotes.
Meaningful,
this book is about Amani's journey to recovery and closure. Anyone searching for those words to console you or validate your emotions will be able to relate to Amani.
Monologue,
there are a lot of internal monologues, I liked the monologue more than the story. It reads like a mini self biography or a journal.
Moments,
you'll find that even though it is a fictional book, there are moments in it that feels too real.
I went into this book without reading the synopsis. Twasn't a fun reading experience if you read the synopsis since it tells you the entire plot of the book except the ending. Just go into it blindly if you like the 5Ms (refer to above). If this is your first time reading my review, you'll find that I do not talk about the plot of books in my review. I think that spoils the element of surprise in reading. I write my thoughts on the book, plot and spoiler-free.
The book is written in time jumps. It is a challenging way to write and it is the only way to tell this story since it is a journey of healing. It does a very good job of flashbacks when needed to maximise the potential of making readers rage/cry. To be honest, I didn't enjoy the book as much as I thought I would. Magical realism is a bit tricky for me, sometimes it is a hit, sometimes it is a miss. I think for this book it was somewhere in the middle, if her writing hadn't been poetic, the book would be a no for me.
My advice for readers is to go into the book without an expectation and have your heart wide open to feel everything.
This is a sad book, it tells a sad bitter story. Prepare your heart, it will not be an easy read.
Rating: 3.5⭐
It is a bouquet to mourn the loss of innocents, living with sin and surviving abuse mentally and physically with a side of gaslighting. There are metaphors that blended seamlessly in conversation. You'll find yourself tabbing a lot of quotes, I think Afrina might be more of a poet than a writer. It is a magical surrealism book set in Malaysia. The Malaysian details of the book are glazed over with little explanation since it's written for Malaysians. The readers who get it, get it. ✨
If you enjoy these 5Ms, you will enjoy the book:
Mood reader,
you need to be in a mood for reading deep and difficult emotions to be fully immersed in this book.
Melancholy,
it is not a happy book, it is sad with some tiny sparkles and deliciously filling quotes.
Meaningful,
this book is about Amani's journey to recovery and closure. Anyone searching for those words to console you or validate your emotions will be able to relate to Amani.
Monologue,
there are a lot of internal monologues, I liked the monologue more than the story. It reads like a mini self biography or a journal.
Moments,
you'll find that even though it is a fictional book, there are moments in it that feels too real.
I went into this book without reading the synopsis. Twasn't a fun reading experience if you read the synopsis since it tells you the entire plot of the book except the ending. Just go into it blindly if you like the 5Ms (refer to above). If this is your first time reading my review, you'll find that I do not talk about the plot of books in my review. I think that spoils the element of surprise in reading. I write my thoughts on the book, plot and spoiler-free.
The book is written in time jumps. It is a challenging way to write and it is the only way to tell this story since it is a journey of healing. It does a very good job of flashbacks when needed to maximise the potential of making readers rage/cry. To be honest, I didn't enjoy the book as much as I thought I would. Magical realism is a bit tricky for me, sometimes it is a hit, sometimes it is a miss. I think for this book it was somewhere in the middle, if her writing hadn't been poetic, the book would be a no for me.
My advice for readers is to go into the book without an expectation and have your heart wide open to feel everything.
This is a sad book, it tells a sad bitter story. Prepare your heart, it will not be an easy read.
Rating: 3.5⭐
December 11, 2022
Because this is a local author, I was a bit critical in my analysis. Call it tough love perhaps.
The first thing I noticed is the use of metaphors and repetition. I must admit, the prose is quite beautiful but overtime it becomes exhausting due to the overuse of those elements. It took quite awhile to get to the main point when omitting a few words or sentences could have solved the problem.
The fantasy aspect to me, was quite detached from the plot in the first half of the book but as it progressed, it became clear but not enough to dispel my confusion on certain aspects of the fantasy world. It lacked something that could really connect the main character and Lagenda. The second half of the book was extremely slow paced that I ended up only skimming through it. Perhaps it is just me but I find the characters unconnected to each other in a way but maybe it is intentional. The writing style reminded me of a little life by Hanya btw.
All in all, I only enjoyed the first half as my attention span did not allow me to enjoy the second. But this is not a ‘bad’ book at all.
The first thing I noticed is the use of metaphors and repetition. I must admit, the prose is quite beautiful but overtime it becomes exhausting due to the overuse of those elements. It took quite awhile to get to the main point when omitting a few words or sentences could have solved the problem.
The fantasy aspect to me, was quite detached from the plot in the first half of the book but as it progressed, it became clear but not enough to dispel my confusion on certain aspects of the fantasy world. It lacked something that could really connect the main character and Lagenda. The second half of the book was extremely slow paced that I ended up only skimming through it. Perhaps it is just me but I find the characters unconnected to each other in a way but maybe it is intentional. The writing style reminded me of a little life by Hanya btw.
All in all, I only enjoyed the first half as my attention span did not allow me to enjoy the second. But this is not a ‘bad’ book at all.
February 13, 2023
May contain spoilers so read at your own risk!!
1st read:
This book is absolutely beautiful. I would have said 'This book is heavenly', but it's not. Amani's journey to recovery and closure is anything but heavenly. If anything it's a rollercoaster, it's like being caught in a deadly current and you're not sure if you make it out alive.
I started the first chapter in confusion. "Days to Amani's death: +1727" The worst part is I wasn't confused about the "days to Amani's death" part, I was confused with the numbers. After a few days, I figured out that it meant "1727 days after Amani's death". I sure hope I was not the only one confused about it. Embarrassing.
The last quarter of the book was wonderful. A lot of action, a lot of magical stuff. Plot twists. They all caught me off guard. I'm absolutely delighted at Amani's happy ending. Though it didn't end with a prince, she was all in one piece, and that was all that mattered.
One thing I have to say, though, is I find Lagenda quite hard to imagine, especially the castle. A few times, I've found myself going back and forth between pages to figure out the position of the characters and what in the world was happening.
All in all, I think this book deserves 3.5 stars. I'm sad that I didn't enjoy it more, but that couldn't be helped. I just couldn't connect to the character. But I stuck with Amani, and got to see her happy ending and I'm proud of her. I would definitely recommend this book to friends. I would recommend this book to strangers, even.
2nd read:
I swear, this book was even better on my second read. On second read, I found it a bit easier to imagine Lagenda, though it still got me lost sometimes. Other than that, everything was just as amazing as I remembered, if not even more. The emotions and twists and all hit just as hard and I really appreciate how the author can make us *feel*.
With that said, the rating has gone up to 4 stars :)
1st read:
This book is absolutely beautiful. I would have said 'This book is heavenly', but it's not. Amani's journey to recovery and closure is anything but heavenly. If anything it's a rollercoaster, it's like being caught in a deadly current and you're not sure if you make it out alive.
I started the first chapter in confusion. "Days to Amani's death: +1727" The worst part is I wasn't confused about the "days to Amani's death" part, I was confused with the numbers. After a few days, I figured out that it meant "1727 days after Amani's death". I sure hope I was not the only one confused about it. Embarrassing.
The last quarter of the book was wonderful. A lot of action, a lot of magical stuff. Plot twists. They all caught me off guard. I'm absolutely delighted at Amani's happy ending. Though it didn't end with a prince, she was all in one piece, and that was all that mattered.
One thing I have to say, though, is I find Lagenda quite hard to imagine, especially the castle. A few times, I've found myself going back and forth between pages to figure out the position of the characters and what in the world was happening.
All in all, I think this book deserves 3.5 stars. I'm sad that I didn't enjoy it more, but that couldn't be helped. I just couldn't connect to the character. But I stuck with Amani, and got to see her happy ending and I'm proud of her. I would definitely recommend this book to friends. I would recommend this book to strangers, even.
2nd read:
I swear, this book was even better on my second read. On second read, I found it a bit easier to imagine Lagenda, though it still got me lost sometimes. Other than that, everything was just as amazing as I remembered, if not even more. The emotions and twists and all hit just as hard and I really appreciate how the author can make us *feel*.
With that said, the rating has gone up to 4 stars :)
April 12, 2023
dnf-ed. just felt like the characters are two dimensional and a lot of telling instead of showing. i actually came into the book quite excited about the plot but it didn’t manage to capture my attention. and like a fellow bookworm shared “the writing feels self-indulgent.”
March 25, 2022
i was lucky enough to have read this prior to the release and even then it enchanted me even more than the author’s debut, inkling. definitely re-reading the finished copy soon but i just wanna come out here and give it the rating that it deserves!!! 🤍 now that all is said and done, please go get this book if you haven’t!!! 💳💥
May 28, 2022
There’s SO MUCH lesson in this book. Lessons and thoughts i wish people would have voice out and normalise. I love how the author relate things with islam. This book definitely has a close place to heart.
July 4, 2022
‘𝙱𝚎𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚢𝚊𝚕 𝚒𝚜 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚍𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏-𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗?’
I followed the journey of the author in writing this book through social media. And I decided to imagine her as the main character since, through my bare eyes, she puts herself, her emotions, and her experience into Not Here To Stay.
In the middle of the night, I finished Not Here To Stay and decided to stay a little longer, staring and grieving for this book. It feels unfair if I have not given them time to digest the story and let the whole plot consume me.
Before starting Not Here To Stay better keep in mind that this is metaphorical writing and be aware of your own feelings which could explode and cry at some times. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL STORY OF SORROWFUL GRIEF. The way author describes the fantasy world, it has a very cottage-vibe aesthetic. Her sentences are full of poetic style and Amani's character- oh girl, don’t let me start crying.
This is not like other kinds of fantasy books.
Yet, Fantasy world, check.
Magic, check but they call it Knack.
Adventure, check.
Dagger, check.
The broken main character, check.
“𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝑾𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒓.”
You ask me, what’s the difference? My answer; The struggle of young Amani drove her fantasy world to be different. She committed sin and makes mistakes just like other human beings. You could feel related to Amani by means, you could run and give her a shoulder or hug.
Now, Malik’s turn. If I ever meet with him, believe me, I will smash his stomach with my fists and kick his ass. Red flag. That’s all.
Amani’s father :`). He’s a sweet father and supportive! Besides, Abah makes me tear up as well.
“𝑩𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆, 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌𝒆𝒓…”
I’m gladly starting this book blindly without knowing much about it. The plot twists got me speechless and afraid to know the truth and yeah.. a tiptop storyline even though it was quite confusing at first.
'𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 𝚖𝚒𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚛𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚐𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚝, 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚓𝚞𝚖𝚙𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘.'
I followed the journey of the author in writing this book through social media. And I decided to imagine her as the main character since, through my bare eyes, she puts herself, her emotions, and her experience into Not Here To Stay.
In the middle of the night, I finished Not Here To Stay and decided to stay a little longer, staring and grieving for this book. It feels unfair if I have not given them time to digest the story and let the whole plot consume me.
Before starting Not Here To Stay better keep in mind that this is metaphorical writing and be aware of your own feelings which could explode and cry at some times. IT IS A BEAUTIFUL STORY OF SORROWFUL GRIEF. The way author describes the fantasy world, it has a very cottage-vibe aesthetic. Her sentences are full of poetic style and Amani's character- oh girl, don’t let me start crying.
This is not like other kinds of fantasy books.
Yet, Fantasy world, check.
Magic, check but they call it Knack.
Adventure, check.
Dagger, check.
The broken main character, check.
“𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝑾𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒓.”
You ask me, what’s the difference? My answer; The struggle of young Amani drove her fantasy world to be different. She committed sin and makes mistakes just like other human beings. You could feel related to Amani by means, you could run and give her a shoulder or hug.
Now, Malik’s turn. If I ever meet with him, believe me, I will smash his stomach with my fists and kick his ass. Red flag. That’s all.
Amani’s father :`). He’s a sweet father and supportive! Besides, Abah makes me tear up as well.
“𝑩𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆, 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌𝒆𝒓…”
I’m gladly starting this book blindly without knowing much about it. The plot twists got me speechless and afraid to know the truth and yeah.. a tiptop storyline even though it was quite confusing at first.
'𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠 𝚖𝚒𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚛𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚐𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚝, 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚓𝚞𝚖𝚙𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘.'
August 17, 2024
"Sometimes beauty happens at a peak just before it falls, just as extreme happiness drops." - Sarah Amani, Not Here to Stay.
Before I get into why this story didn't do it for me, let me go over all the reasons Not Here to Stay was good.
It was a story that needed telling to give readers a perspective on people in abusive relationships to better be there for them. There were many life lessons, and you find yourself tabbing a lot of beautiful words, letting the words soothe you as you read.
Not Here to Stay was real, raw and rang true, especially about anger, letting go and moving on. N.F. Afrina didn't mince her words on the suffering many domestic abuse victims face. The author handled solemn topics with grace and care.
When the topic of being shamed for sinning came up, the author spoke about how some practitioners made you sound tainted and undeserving of repentance, and I could relate to that. The author and I don't share a religion, but such an attitude echoes across religions. I've been in such a company before, and even if it wasn't me, I could see how someone like Amani wouldn't feel safe and secure around them.
I learnt a lot from this book, but honestly speaking, Not Here to Stay lost me after the first part - maybe even before - and never found me again. I was struggling until the end.
The prologue sold me on the book, and I propelled forward with the purchase after seeing I had great success with Inkling. Unfortunately, that excitement didn't last long.
Firstly, this book contains a lot of internal monologues, which in any book instantly detests me and pits me against enjoyment. It was fine at first, but as the book went on, it got clunky and weighed the narrative down. The same goes for the author's writing. N. F. Afrina weaves words the way Amani weaves flower crowns and bracelets. In Inkling, it was beautiful and resonated with me. In Not Here to Stay, her prose was excessively purple that it bogged down my concentration.
The worldbuilding of Lagenda was convenient - too convenient as and when needed by the plot. The magic system was all over the place, and there was info-dumping too. Confusion ensued about where the characters were and what was happening in Lagenda most of the time. It was imaginative and metaphorical, but Lagenda needed better execution of its details and descriptions.
Next would be the flashbacks. Don't get me wrong. I understood the intent of having it be repetitive to show the damage done to Amani, but it just got too frequent. It was the same thing over and over again. It dragged the book, in my opinion.
Other than that were the many errors in this book. It added to the distraction I was already feeling. The repeated 'days to Amani's death' felt insignificant because I didn't understand or know why it was there. Not Here to Stay is character-driven, and it didn't do it for me.
Overall, Not Here to Stay opened my eyes to a different walk of life and taught me vital lessons. The quotes and advice put a smile on my face and soothed my soul. Even some parts of the ending got me grinning. I only wish I hadn't let my expectations skyrocket and ruin this book for me.
Thank you for taking the time to read my review. Enjoy reading the book, fellow bookworms!
Before I get into why this story didn't do it for me, let me go over all the reasons Not Here to Stay was good.
It was a story that needed telling to give readers a perspective on people in abusive relationships to better be there for them. There were many life lessons, and you find yourself tabbing a lot of beautiful words, letting the words soothe you as you read.
Not Here to Stay was real, raw and rang true, especially about anger, letting go and moving on. N.F. Afrina didn't mince her words on the suffering many domestic abuse victims face. The author handled solemn topics with grace and care.
When the topic of being shamed for sinning came up, the author spoke about how some practitioners made you sound tainted and undeserving of repentance, and I could relate to that. The author and I don't share a religion, but such an attitude echoes across religions. I've been in such a company before, and even if it wasn't me, I could see how someone like Amani wouldn't feel safe and secure around them.
I learnt a lot from this book, but honestly speaking, Not Here to Stay lost me after the first part - maybe even before - and never found me again. I was struggling until the end.
The prologue sold me on the book, and I propelled forward with the purchase after seeing I had great success with Inkling. Unfortunately, that excitement didn't last long.
Firstly, this book contains a lot of internal monologues, which in any book instantly detests me and pits me against enjoyment. It was fine at first, but as the book went on, it got clunky and weighed the narrative down. The same goes for the author's writing. N. F. Afrina weaves words the way Amani weaves flower crowns and bracelets. In Inkling, it was beautiful and resonated with me. In Not Here to Stay, her prose was excessively purple that it bogged down my concentration.
The worldbuilding of Lagenda was convenient - too convenient as and when needed by the plot. The magic system was all over the place, and there was info-dumping too. Confusion ensued about where the characters were and what was happening in Lagenda most of the time. It was imaginative and metaphorical, but Lagenda needed better execution of its details and descriptions.
Next would be the flashbacks. Don't get me wrong. I understood the intent of having it be repetitive to show the damage done to Amani, but it just got too frequent. It was the same thing over and over again. It dragged the book, in my opinion.
Other than that were the many errors in this book. It added to the distraction I was already feeling. The repeated 'days to Amani's death' felt insignificant because I didn't understand or know why it was there. Not Here to Stay is character-driven, and it didn't do it for me.
Overall, Not Here to Stay opened my eyes to a different walk of life and taught me vital lessons. The quotes and advice put a smile on my face and soothed my soul. Even some parts of the ending got me grinning. I only wish I hadn't let my expectations skyrocket and ruin this book for me.
Thank you for taking the time to read my review. Enjoy reading the book, fellow bookworms!
March 19, 2022
“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙥𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙛𝙚𝙖𝙩. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙛 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙚𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙨, 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙢𝙚𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙚”
“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣 𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙤𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜..𝙞𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙮. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤𝙤 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙩. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙣𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙤 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚. 𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙚𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙖 𝙮𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙧 𝙣𝙤”
“𝙒𝙝𝙮 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙥𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙧𝙪𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪?”
“𝙈𝙮 𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚. 𝙏𝙤 𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙨. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙞𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙗𝙮 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙛𝙪𝙚𝙡 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙫𝙞𝙖𝙡𝙨.”
These are some of my fav lines from this book.
I liked how the author articulate her words and there are a lot of lessons to be learned in this book.
I could relate with few parts of the book especially on closure. Been there, done that too 🥲✋
I could understand where Amani was coming from but maybe my younger self would have agreed with her actions/ behaviour but after having moved on from my past long ago and being happily married with a kid so it was a bit hard for me to resonate or empathise with her..as much as I wanted to.
Can also relate with the ustaz thing where having sinned makes you tainted and undeserving of repent. Its a toxic culture in malaysia and the author portrayed this well.
Pointers as to my 3 ⭐️ rating:
• the jumping timelines
-i feel like i needed to draw out the timelines to see it easier
-i got confused so ended up didnt bother to see which timeline i was in
• the repeated para of days to amani’s death in 1726 and 1727
-was this intentional? I think I missed out the reason for this
• the many typing and cosmetic errors
• how angry Amani is (this was explained that she had too much anger) but didnt she bottle them up in vials? Mariam said she looked calm and collected but that was not how I saw Amani. Esp when she was talking to Kira and Najmi. I felt like she’s too quick to get angry? Or short tempered idk
Anyways I loved the author’s note so don’t skip it!
Overall I enjoyed NHTS and these opinions are my own and i might be in minority here so please take this with a grain of salt.
“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣 𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙩𝙤𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜..𝙞𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙮. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤𝙤 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙩. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙣𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙤 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚. 𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙚𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙖 𝙮𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙧 𝙣𝙤”
“𝙒𝙝𝙮 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙥𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙧𝙪𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪?”
“𝙈𝙮 𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚. 𝙏𝙤 𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙨. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙞𝙙𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙗𝙮 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙛𝙪𝙚𝙡 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙫𝙞𝙖𝙡𝙨.”
These are some of my fav lines from this book.
I liked how the author articulate her words and there are a lot of lessons to be learned in this book.
I could relate with few parts of the book especially on closure. Been there, done that too 🥲✋
I could understand where Amani was coming from but maybe my younger self would have agreed with her actions/ behaviour but after having moved on from my past long ago and being happily married with a kid so it was a bit hard for me to resonate or empathise with her..as much as I wanted to.
Can also relate with the ustaz thing where having sinned makes you tainted and undeserving of repent. Its a toxic culture in malaysia and the author portrayed this well.
Pointers as to my 3 ⭐️ rating:
• the jumping timelines
-i feel like i needed to draw out the timelines to see it easier
-i got confused so ended up didnt bother to see which timeline i was in
• the repeated para of days to amani’s death in 1726 and 1727
-was this intentional? I think I missed out the reason for this
• the many typing and cosmetic errors
• how angry Amani is (this was explained that she had too much anger) but didnt she bottle them up in vials? Mariam said she looked calm and collected but that was not how I saw Amani. Esp when she was talking to Kira and Najmi. I felt like she’s too quick to get angry? Or short tempered idk
Anyways I loved the author’s note so don’t skip it!
Overall I enjoyed NHTS and these opinions are my own and i might be in minority here so please take this with a grain of salt.
February 10, 2024
Not Here To Stay - 2/5 ⭐️
I bought this book as I saw the book launching event on tiktok live, planning to support our local author. The blurbs of the book enticed me as it highlighted the MC, Sarah Amani who is a Worldsmith; who created Lagenda, together with Malik, her past lover.
Naturally, I’m expecting a whole adventure of the MC in Lagenda with some of the important characters mentioned like M, Najmi & Misya but unfortunately the plot seems unclear as theres so many fillers between the scenes; unnecessary quotes, dumped all over the place until it interrupted the plot.
Kinda confused with the age of Salis because at the beginning, the MC mentioned that she is older than her, but later in the book Najmi mentioned that Salis is the same age as them.
The author mentions that this story might be triggering and kinda a heavy read but I don’t think it is a heavy read. It was just poorly written. Honestly I do aware of the focus and aim of this book. It’s just the reading journey is not as pleasent as I expected.
As a sucker for fantasy book, I can’t read this honestly. The map was already drawn in the book yet I can’t actually imagine how Lagenda is. I think some people love this book because they find comforts in the quotes and life lessons written by the author, and i can see that. But honestly, it is not for me.
I wish for future improvements from the author!
kinda review on tiktok: https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSFNPw2Hq/
I bought this book as I saw the book launching event on tiktok live, planning to support our local author. The blurbs of the book enticed me as it highlighted the MC, Sarah Amani who is a Worldsmith; who created Lagenda, together with Malik, her past lover.
Naturally, I’m expecting a whole adventure of the MC in Lagenda with some of the important characters mentioned like M, Najmi & Misya but unfortunately the plot seems unclear as theres so many fillers between the scenes; unnecessary quotes, dumped all over the place until it interrupted the plot.
Kinda confused with the age of Salis because at the beginning, the MC mentioned that she is older than her, but later in the book Najmi mentioned that Salis is the same age as them.
The author mentions that this story might be triggering and kinda a heavy read but I don’t think it is a heavy read. It was just poorly written. Honestly I do aware of the focus and aim of this book. It’s just the reading journey is not as pleasent as I expected.
As a sucker for fantasy book, I can’t read this honestly. The map was already drawn in the book yet I can’t actually imagine how Lagenda is. I think some people love this book because they find comforts in the quotes and life lessons written by the author, and i can see that. But honestly, it is not for me.
I wish for future improvements from the author!
kinda review on tiktok: https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSFNPw2Hq/
July 10, 2024
This is not a review. This is a bye-for-now message.
NHTS has a special place in my heart. Similar to what the author mentioned in the author's note, "This book is the most personal thing I have ever written.", NHTS is probably the most personal thing I have ever read :') One of the reasons why I decided to have it as a friend. NHTS is the book I keep next to my pillow, the book I always have in my bag that I bring to class, the library and trips back home, and the book I safeguard with my whole heart.
I cried a lot when I was with her hoho. She's that friend who will never give me beautiful lies and hide bitter truths because she knows me all too well. I love how I cried when I finished the last chapter. I supposed it was because I was not ready for it to end.
That is what I thought. But when I think about it now, I think it is more about me, not believing in myself that I am ready for it to end. I started reading this 1-year-anniversary edition in July 2023 and now it's July 2024. What a year of crying, learning, and healing. For the record, this is the longest time I have kept a book in my current read. I love it ever so dearly.
Now that leaving is due, I shall bid farewell. Thank you very much, dearest author.
*sobs silently
NHTS has a special place in my heart. Similar to what the author mentioned in the author's note, "This book is the most personal thing I have ever written.", NHTS is probably the most personal thing I have ever read :') One of the reasons why I decided to have it as a friend. NHTS is the book I keep next to my pillow, the book I always have in my bag that I bring to class, the library and trips back home, and the book I safeguard with my whole heart.
I cried a lot when I was with her hoho. She's that friend who will never give me beautiful lies and hide bitter truths because she knows me all too well. I love how I cried when I finished the last chapter. I supposed it was because I was not ready for it to end.
That is what I thought. But when I think about it now, I think it is more about me, not believing in myself that I am ready for it to end. I started reading this 1-year-anniversary edition in July 2023 and now it's July 2024. What a year of crying, learning, and healing. For the record, this is the longest time I have kept a book in my current read. I love it ever so dearly.
Now that leaving is due, I shall bid farewell. Thank you very much, dearest author.
*sobs silently
April 25, 2023
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️/5
This honest review is from a girl who just turned 18 this year; love Amani like her bestfriend and want to hug her tight with a whispered, “It’s okay Amani.”
This book is beautifully written and really inspiring me; as a girl who has same age with past-amani.
Surprisingly , I had read this book more than 10 times and still not bored rereading it again. Plus I really want to convinced everyone that they should read this book. THEY NEED TO READ THIS, I SWEAR.
Beside, I love the elements in this book; fantasy, post-trauma, platonic love and kinda self-help i guess. Yeah, the author really did a great job 🫶🏻
This honest review is from a girl who just turned 18 this year; love Amani like her bestfriend and want to hug her tight with a whispered, “It’s okay Amani.”
This book is beautifully written and really inspiring me; as a girl who has same age with past-amani.
Surprisingly , I had read this book more than 10 times and still not bored rereading it again. Plus I really want to convinced everyone that they should read this book. THEY NEED TO READ THIS, I SWEAR.
Beside, I love the elements in this book; fantasy, post-trauma, platonic love and kinda self-help i guess. Yeah, the author really did a great job 🫶🏻
March 31, 2022
Honestly, this story is so relatable especially the parts where Amani could not forgive herself for the sins she had done, and the gaslighting she did to herself. We are all sinners so I am sure a lot of us can actually relate to Amani. And Mariam, even.
I do not have a lot to say about this book, but the first part actually hurts me the most with whatever monologues of Amani. It has the most wtf moments because Malik was mentioned the most here. Reading this part made me realise that Malik is just a walking red flag, and I pray that we never will have to meet someone like him in our lives, and for those who have met a Malik, I pray that you will escape him and find peace within yourself.
"I don't mind bruises. I had any of my own inflected by people I trust."
This might be the line that hits home the hardest. We might have experienced this, at least once in our life. Or not. But being betrayed by the people we trust hurts the most and it leaves the most bruise.
Well, overall the story is beautifully written-the metaphores I really love. I love the ending because for me it doesn't really portray a happy ending or a sad one. It just shows that live still goes on- we will still experience the sweetness and bitterness of life, but this is life, ain't it?
Anyways thank you so much to the author for writing this book, even though it didn't actually hit me with a life changing experience, I still enjoyed Amani's little adventure.
I do not have a lot to say about this book, but the first part actually hurts me the most with whatever monologues of Amani. It has the most wtf moments because Malik was mentioned the most here. Reading this part made me realise that Malik is just a walking red flag, and I pray that we never will have to meet someone like him in our lives, and for those who have met a Malik, I pray that you will escape him and find peace within yourself.
"I don't mind bruises. I had any of my own inflected by people I trust."
This might be the line that hits home the hardest. We might have experienced this, at least once in our life. Or not. But being betrayed by the people we trust hurts the most and it leaves the most bruise.
Well, overall the story is beautifully written-the metaphores I really love. I love the ending because for me it doesn't really portray a happy ending or a sad one. It just shows that live still goes on- we will still experience the sweetness and bitterness of life, but this is life, ain't it?
Anyways thank you so much to the author for writing this book, even though it didn't actually hit me with a life changing experience, I still enjoyed Amani's little adventure.
April 9, 2023
actual rating: 4.5 stars
“𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠, 𝐈 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐈. 𝐒𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐈.”
this book helped me heal from a heartbreak i never thought would’ve been healed by a piece.
n.f afrina where do u live? are u living in my mind?? bcs u literally wrote everything that’s on my mind. the anger, the grief, the memories, the VALIDATION. i think that’s why i resonate so much with this book; since im not the type of person who shares about my hard times (keep it to ourselves gurlie lol) so reading this masterpiece and knowing that someone out there also feels the same as me, also shares the same grief and anger with me, oh TEARJERKER. this fictional book is better than any other motivational non-fiction for me hahahaha Not Here to Stay is so raw and personal!!!
fantasy & magical realism isn’t my usual read so it gets a little bit confusing at times but i live for n.f afrina’s writings so that didn’t matter. the plot twist left my mouth hanging, even though i’ve seen lots of the author’s teasers about the book yea i still didn’t expect the plot twist (tho it’s not the point of this book).
i would show you my annotations (it’s almost everywhere on this book) but i can’t. if you’ve been on my instagram @pagesofaina long enough you’d know how much love i have for this book. it’s no longer a recommendation, this is an order for you to read this book especially you broken-hearted girlies (ops who feels called out?) ❤️🩹
“𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠, 𝐈 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐦𝐲𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐈. 𝐒𝐨 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐈.”
this book helped me heal from a heartbreak i never thought would’ve been healed by a piece.
n.f afrina where do u live? are u living in my mind?? bcs u literally wrote everything that’s on my mind. the anger, the grief, the memories, the VALIDATION. i think that’s why i resonate so much with this book; since im not the type of person who shares about my hard times (keep it to ourselves gurlie lol) so reading this masterpiece and knowing that someone out there also feels the same as me, also shares the same grief and anger with me, oh TEARJERKER. this fictional book is better than any other motivational non-fiction for me hahahaha Not Here to Stay is so raw and personal!!!
fantasy & magical realism isn’t my usual read so it gets a little bit confusing at times but i live for n.f afrina’s writings so that didn’t matter. the plot twist left my mouth hanging, even though i’ve seen lots of the author’s teasers about the book yea i still didn’t expect the plot twist (tho it’s not the point of this book).
i would show you my annotations (it’s almost everywhere on this book) but i can’t. if you’ve been on my instagram @pagesofaina long enough you’d know how much love i have for this book. it’s no longer a recommendation, this is an order for you to read this book especially you broken-hearted girlies (ops who feels called out?) ❤️🩹
April 27, 2023
the book's not bad, i just did not care for any of the characters. i couldn't. probably because i couldn't relate to their personalities, or perhaps they were just poorly written.
i read a review by a fellow reader and they said that the writing felt self-indulgent. i did not understand what they meant by that at first, but after reading the book, i agree with that opinion.
the drama between amani and mariam became too repetitive at one point that it pissed me off.
i actually really like the premise of the book though. i love magical realism, and lagenda sounds like a nice place for escapism.
i think i would appreciate this book more if i were in high school, when i was still trying to get into reading. this somehow feels like a children's book but with mature themes.
now to the technical part. ever since high school, friends would come to me to help them proofread their works. they said i pay attention to the littlest details. now, reading this book was quite a pain in the ass because i found almost 30 typing errors throughout the whole book. i feel like that is unacceptable. editor-nim, please do your job properly.
i read a review by a fellow reader and they said that the writing felt self-indulgent. i did not understand what they meant by that at first, but after reading the book, i agree with that opinion.
the drama between amani and mariam became too repetitive at one point that it pissed me off.
i actually really like the premise of the book though. i love magical realism, and lagenda sounds like a nice place for escapism.
i think i would appreciate this book more if i were in high school, when i was still trying to get into reading. this somehow feels like a children's book but with mature themes.
now to the technical part. ever since high school, friends would come to me to help them proofread their works. they said i pay attention to the littlest details. now, reading this book was quite a pain in the ass because i found almost 30 typing errors throughout the whole book. i feel like that is unacceptable. editor-nim, please do your job properly.
July 5, 2023
Definitely not for me to stay and continue reading.
A 1.5⭐ read
When i was 3 chapters in, i felt like I've been reading a never-ending pendahuluan. And that same "pendahuluan" finally comes to an end after 120 pages in. The words were quite flowery, which was to my liking, but the storyline felt like it was intentionally prolonged(?), I felt like it could be shorter, but the author chose to blabbering stupid nonsense
It has that "heavy" nature while being a fantasy story. And tbh, it doesn't click well. Some people who read this will say it is "heavy", but for me, it's just plain stupid. I've read multiple heavy english novels before, and this book doesn't feel like the others I've read in the past.
The introduction to the fantasy side of the story was also bad. I don't understand how and what the MC is. The world building pun hampeh. I just, don't understand a thing i guess.
Idk if any one of you guys will be offended with my review, but as i was reading this, i felt like the FL is playing victim on everything that had happened in her life.
Sekian.
A 1.5⭐ read
When i was 3 chapters in, i felt like I've been reading a never-ending pendahuluan. And that same "pendahuluan" finally comes to an end after 120 pages in. The words were quite flowery, which was to my liking, but the storyline felt like it was intentionally prolonged(?), I felt like it could be shorter, but the author chose to blabbering stupid nonsense
It has that "heavy" nature while being a fantasy story. And tbh, it doesn't click well. Some people who read this will say it is "heavy", but for me, it's just plain stupid. I've read multiple heavy english novels before, and this book doesn't feel like the others I've read in the past.
The introduction to the fantasy side of the story was also bad. I don't understand how and what the MC is. The world building pun hampeh. I just, don't understand a thing i guess.
Idk if any one of you guys will be offended with my review, but as i was reading this, i felt like the FL is playing victim on everything that had happened in her life.
Sekian.
July 8, 2022
this book felt like a warm hug ngl. the story screams heartbreak, betrayal, pain, family, grief and so much more. literally worth every penny 🤍🤍🤍
December 23, 2024
I always am impressed when a book is 500 pages long. Like damn is it that serious? But I will still pick them up! Cuz if the book is good, then more content for me. But if it’s bad? Just my luck I guess. I refuse to DNF books that I pay for with my hard earned money so finishing it and getting to write a review —it’s like a reward.
The GOOD PARTS.
I went into this book after seeing the author promoted it online, FULLY expecting it to be a fullblown fantasy, as in, the fantasy aspect would be the majority of the book.
Lagenda, the mythical world with barely inhabitants, was so nice imo. It feels like a place I’d love to escape to. It reminds me a lot of the Caraval world --which is cool, imagine having a whole mythical world for yourself. I’d stay there for dayssss and never go back ---which our MC Amani is trying to NOT do.
Couldn’t be me though cuz I *WOULD* take revenge. But I understand where she comes from even if I disagree. If i could kill my perpetrator with no consequences in a world I created, I would do it with pleasure. I’ll admit my faith isn’t as strong as Amani —which is another thing I feel about fantasy and religion. Maybe I need to read more books with fantasy elements and Islam incorporated, because it doesn’t entirely make sense for me and I hate when I can’t make sense of plots.
i can imagine vividly lagenda in the first part of the book, but in the second part when mariam came in the picture, for some reason its so hard to imagine the place, esp the final showdown in the ballroom. idk why i imagined them being in the sea at first with starry skies above them, but then its said the ship top is almost touching the ceiling and im confused again.
which brings me to some stuff i'm disappointed about: T_T I WISH THEY SPEND MORE TIME IN LAGENDA. I get it's a place for pain for Amani, but it was so fun in the beginning when she went to the 'village' (sorry forgot, but it was not at the castle) I actually wanted them to explore more of the place? But it was back n forth to the real world & back only to find the door to destroy lagenda. i also realised, there's not rly much that went on in the plot. a lot of it was just flashbacks (which was very needed) and Amani's long monologue about her complicated feelings. I read the author's note & agree that this is def suitable for women's fiction/contemporary instead of fantasy.
+++some characters' actions/movements are vague, maybe bc of their religion? but im a believer that the more descriptive their actions are the more TENSION it creates! they dont hv to touch hehe.
eg: that knife to throat/stomach part. i had to reread the lines to imagine the position they were in. cuz it cant be that Amani was ON Najmi lmao, but he was on the ground & she 'got up' afterwards. anyways, that's just an observation ehe.
BUT THE EXTRA SHORT STORY IN THE END. ik the author CAN write a full fantasy book about a group of friends/found family so im waiting for that.
this book is great for young girls to read! its not your fault if ur forced/tainted by a man. that doesnt make you any less a person/a woman. its a sin, yes but dont reduce urself to it. i wish girls arent so dictated about our own bodies but here we are, it is what it is.
not here to stay: 3 stars
isle of thunder & wilted flowers (i see what u did there author! najmixamani endgame): 4.5 stars!
The GOOD PARTS.
I went into this book after seeing the author promoted it online, FULLY expecting it to be a fullblown fantasy, as in, the fantasy aspect would be the majority of the book.
Lagenda, the mythical world with barely inhabitants, was so nice imo. It feels like a place I’d love to escape to. It reminds me a lot of the Caraval world --which is cool, imagine having a whole mythical world for yourself. I’d stay there for dayssss and never go back ---which our MC Amani is trying to NOT do.
Couldn’t be me though cuz I *WOULD* take revenge. But I understand where she comes from even if I disagree. If i could kill my perpetrator with no consequences in a world I created, I would do it with pleasure. I’ll admit my faith isn’t as strong as Amani —which is another thing I feel about fantasy and religion. Maybe I need to read more books with fantasy elements and Islam incorporated, because it doesn’t entirely make sense for me and I hate when I can’t make sense of plots.
i can imagine vividly lagenda in the first part of the book, but in the second part when mariam came in the picture, for some reason its so hard to imagine the place, esp the final showdown in the ballroom. idk why i imagined them being in the sea at first with starry skies above them, but then its said the ship top is almost touching the ceiling and im confused again.
which brings me to some stuff i'm disappointed about: T_T I WISH THEY SPEND MORE TIME IN LAGENDA. I get it's a place for pain for Amani, but it was so fun in the beginning when she went to the 'village' (sorry forgot, but it was not at the castle) I actually wanted them to explore more of the place? But it was back n forth to the real world & back only to find the door to destroy lagenda. i also realised, there's not rly much that went on in the plot. a lot of it was just flashbacks (which was very needed) and Amani's long monologue about her complicated feelings. I read the author's note & agree that this is def suitable for women's fiction/contemporary instead of fantasy.
+++some characters' actions/movements are vague, maybe bc of their religion? but im a believer that the more descriptive their actions are the more TENSION it creates! they dont hv to touch hehe.
eg: that knife to throat/stomach part. i had to reread the lines to imagine the position they were in. cuz it cant be that Amani was ON Najmi lmao, but he was on the ground & she 'got up' afterwards. anyways, that's just an observation ehe.
BUT THE EXTRA SHORT STORY IN THE END. ik the author CAN write a full fantasy book about a group of friends/found family so im waiting for that.
this book is great for young girls to read! its not your fault if ur forced/tainted by a man. that doesnt make you any less a person/a woman. its a sin, yes but dont reduce urself to it. i wish girls arent so dictated about our own bodies but here we are, it is what it is.
not here to stay: 3 stars
isle of thunder & wilted flowers (i see what u did there author! najmixamani endgame): 4.5 stars!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2022
I have read this novel twice to fully absorb myself into the text. First, this is a very beautiful story that I really hope everyone will read. This is one of those novels where everyone can read it and take away something different from the same piece. I don't think I was the same after reading this. Of course, be aware that there are certain trigger warnings that readers should note but this story is one that many people can relate to because to be truthfully honest, everyone experiences struggles.
This is not a story for the faint heart because the author does touch on many deep topics including loss of loved ones, rape, and grooming. However, there is a wonderful balance of humor to this and I think the main character, Amani is constantly growing. I think that many people can relate to her and find her inspiring.
This follows our characters throughout their university life and we see them following their dreams and finding themselves in the process. Each place that they visit inside Lagenda is different and it's really fun to see the characters in a different environment, and it’s balanced out by things in the real world as well.
If you like philosophy and psychology, this is definitely the story for you. I think that it can get a little difficult at times to follow as there is a switching between what happened in Lagenda and reality, as well as different POV’s and flashbacks occasionally but you can figure it out pretty easily and be absorbed into the text.
This story is magical. It's a wonderful journey you’ll regret if you miss it. I was having a rough few years and while not about to actually do it, I thought about dying a lot. I like dissecting my emotions and why I felt them—why am I terrified of even being in the same grocery store aisle as other people? Why does the sound of people hollering at each other in dorms sent me into panic? What were the root events of all these different triggered responses?
Not Here to Stay is about dreams, about trauma, about what shapes us, what makes us associate this with that and react this way or that way. It doesn't take a surface look, either, instead fully on board with twists and turns, that is at the core of how we became this way. Which person, event, or thing is the one actually ruling over your life? More importantly, can changing your perception of it alter its grip strength on your life, thoughts and how you perceive things?
If a mythical world is the subconsciousness of your soul, if someone decided to play the King and build a castle in it, could that illuminate a path in your darkest moment? or vice versa? If there are ocean waves that carry the darkness of the water, and your loved one wants you to fall in it, how does one make a choice? Not Here to Stay ties an incredibly compelling, intricate and fantastical setting to not just psychology, but also its application. It says uproot that mythical wasteland and tells you that the right tool to do so is by coming to terms with the trauma you might consciously forget.
Yet despite this theme of recovery, it's not a novel that takes journey for granted. All the characters are imperfect and flawed in such ways, with such details as to feel alive to the readers. To resonate with another soul, you never need an exact copy of experiences. Everyone is on a constant journey out of the dark, but the destination is never perfect. If the audience can handle the subject matter, I do think that it doesn't need to be perfect to have an effect, after all.
It’s a great mishmash of both fantasy and reality as it interweaves a stunning mythical world with its corresponding representations in the real world. The romance develops reasonably and it’s believable. Although I cried a lot while reading this book, one thing that I would like to highlight is the betrayal of Malik. I certainly could empathize with Amani about the cheating.
The slow burn on the romance between Amani and Najmi is well thought out. I love that his character brings comedic relief to the audiences. I love how he schemes to her ends and not for his own selfish ideas. I never felt that they were anything more than human in his machinations. I conclude that the logic is well laid out and the development of Amani’s relationship with other characters (Malik, Mariam, Najmi, her sister Misya and her mother) is organic. I love the fact that Amani and Najmi are genuinely good for each other.
HEALING IS A MATTER OF TIME, BUT IT IS SOMETIMES ALSO A MATTER OF OPPORTUNITY. – HIPPOCRATES. Thank you for writing this story. It’s very inspiring especially to a fellow Muslim. Yes, Amani regains control over her subconscious and trauma by uprooting Lagenda. And while she built Lagenda Mosque and Hotel for others to seek refuge in where they could heal, I cannot help but feel that the author might have accidentally made this book as my refuge. One where I can crawl into the space between the pages and curl my back to seek comfort in and be healed by reading it.
This is not a story for the faint heart because the author does touch on many deep topics including loss of loved ones, rape, and grooming. However, there is a wonderful balance of humor to this and I think the main character, Amani is constantly growing. I think that many people can relate to her and find her inspiring.
This follows our characters throughout their university life and we see them following their dreams and finding themselves in the process. Each place that they visit inside Lagenda is different and it's really fun to see the characters in a different environment, and it’s balanced out by things in the real world as well.
If you like philosophy and psychology, this is definitely the story for you. I think that it can get a little difficult at times to follow as there is a switching between what happened in Lagenda and reality, as well as different POV’s and flashbacks occasionally but you can figure it out pretty easily and be absorbed into the text.
This story is magical. It's a wonderful journey you’ll regret if you miss it. I was having a rough few years and while not about to actually do it, I thought about dying a lot. I like dissecting my emotions and why I felt them—why am I terrified of even being in the same grocery store aisle as other people? Why does the sound of people hollering at each other in dorms sent me into panic? What were the root events of all these different triggered responses?
Not Here to Stay is about dreams, about trauma, about what shapes us, what makes us associate this with that and react this way or that way. It doesn't take a surface look, either, instead fully on board with twists and turns, that is at the core of how we became this way. Which person, event, or thing is the one actually ruling over your life? More importantly, can changing your perception of it alter its grip strength on your life, thoughts and how you perceive things?
If a mythical world is the subconsciousness of your soul, if someone decided to play the King and build a castle in it, could that illuminate a path in your darkest moment? or vice versa? If there are ocean waves that carry the darkness of the water, and your loved one wants you to fall in it, how does one make a choice? Not Here to Stay ties an incredibly compelling, intricate and fantastical setting to not just psychology, but also its application. It says uproot that mythical wasteland and tells you that the right tool to do so is by coming to terms with the trauma you might consciously forget.
Yet despite this theme of recovery, it's not a novel that takes journey for granted. All the characters are imperfect and flawed in such ways, with such details as to feel alive to the readers. To resonate with another soul, you never need an exact copy of experiences. Everyone is on a constant journey out of the dark, but the destination is never perfect. If the audience can handle the subject matter, I do think that it doesn't need to be perfect to have an effect, after all.
It’s a great mishmash of both fantasy and reality as it interweaves a stunning mythical world with its corresponding representations in the real world. The romance develops reasonably and it’s believable. Although I cried a lot while reading this book, one thing that I would like to highlight is the betrayal of Malik. I certainly could empathize with Amani about the cheating.
The slow burn on the romance between Amani and Najmi is well thought out. I love that his character brings comedic relief to the audiences. I love how he schemes to her ends and not for his own selfish ideas. I never felt that they were anything more than human in his machinations. I conclude that the logic is well laid out and the development of Amani’s relationship with other characters (Malik, Mariam, Najmi, her sister Misya and her mother) is organic. I love the fact that Amani and Najmi are genuinely good for each other.
HEALING IS A MATTER OF TIME, BUT IT IS SOMETIMES ALSO A MATTER OF OPPORTUNITY. – HIPPOCRATES. Thank you for writing this story. It’s very inspiring especially to a fellow Muslim. Yes, Amani regains control over her subconscious and trauma by uprooting Lagenda. And while she built Lagenda Mosque and Hotel for others to seek refuge in where they could heal, I cannot help but feel that the author might have accidentally made this book as my refuge. One where I can crawl into the space between the pages and curl my back to seek comfort in and be healed by reading it.
May 15, 2022
5/5 ⭐'s
The flowers in her garden died again, but in this life, she was not here to stay anyway. Might as well make it worthwhile and allow happiness in the door.
This is a comfort read. Really.
Caraval became my comfort read bcs of its plot, NHTS become my comfort read bcs of its character.
Amani. I love you, and if I can hug you, I really will. I want to hug you bcs i found pieces of me in you. You help me. You fill me. You understand me. We are very similar except the fact that I don't really move on from toxicity yet but you really inspire me to take a step. Slowly but surely, thanks :)
If you come to read this book for the plot, I can say that you might not enjoy it as much as you enjoy other books. The thing with NHTS is you don't just enjoy, you drown in it. Every words in this book will hit you with realization and offer you a very warm hug, especially those who got her heart broken.
I didn't cry because of the plot, I cry because the story met an end. It was a very beautiful journey with NHTS.
The flowers in her garden died again, but in this life, she was not here to stay anyway. Might as well make it worthwhile and allow happiness in the door.
This is a comfort read. Really.
Caraval became my comfort read bcs of its plot, NHTS become my comfort read bcs of its character.
Amani. I love you, and if I can hug you, I really will. I want to hug you bcs i found pieces of me in you. You help me. You fill me. You understand me. We are very similar except the fact that I don't really move on from toxicity yet but you really inspire me to take a step. Slowly but surely, thanks :)
If you come to read this book for the plot, I can say that you might not enjoy it as much as you enjoy other books. The thing with NHTS is you don't just enjoy, you drown in it. Every words in this book will hit you with realization and offer you a very warm hug, especially those who got her heart broken.
I didn't cry because of the plot, I cry because the story met an end. It was a very beautiful journey with NHTS.
January 20, 2023
4.75
please check the trigger warnings
please check the trigger warnings
May 14, 2022
However, people are not very kind to girls who say no too slowly, girls who do not flee at the first blow, girls who believe and hope and sacrifice. These girls give and give until there is nothing but their own skin and bones to surrender.
Rating : 5/5
I was fortunate enough to be able to read it before this was publish and this is the second time I am devouring this masterpiece, though it feels like a new reading experience all over again. In here I will insert some parts of my initial review which I sent to the author herself <3 because I really can't seem to articulate my thoughts in a better way than that.
“The writing is raw, human, and painfully vulnerable. This story seemed a little bit too personal to read, it was truly an experience to read something so from the heart and soul.”
This was one of the sentences in my review for inkling, this one felt the same, except this felt personal on a different level than what inkling felt like. This was so much more direct , it felt like the 10 minutes version of all too well. It felt a little like intruding even without context.
This book I think is meant to be reread over and over until you understood every metaphor, every foreshadow, every twist or at least learned to interpret in a way that made you fully digest the story with how it all span out, it had so many layers to it, that it could felt overwhelming at times, but the story itself was meant to be overwhelming i think, it’s the way I understood it. Nobody should have to endure so many things, in a way the readers were bombarded the way Amani was too. With so many entanglements of pain and bloodied paths that it felt a little hard to read, but something you have to continue anyway because this was important, and it was necessary
Amani was too real of a human being that I felt all she felt, with so much anger, sadness and empathy along with the many confusing feelings that I didn’t know what to make of. I really did like the non-linear way of the story. Not everything was revealed at once, and it felt like you were uncovering it all in a pace that made you feel everything Amani felt.
Thoughts during the read :
while rereading , I found myself appreciating the story in a different way, some characters grew on me even more and I saw some others in a different light. As I said, it's a story meant to be reconsumed over and over. I do agree that this book is not meant for everyone, as it is somewhat a niche one. However I guarantee that through reading this you can feel the love and the soul that has been poured into the pages within. It is a book written with so much intention and thought that it has permanently lodge an ache in me. I have immense fondness for this book in a way that is special to me in a way that I will treasure it forever. I can't really put into words just exactly what makes me love this book so much
However there were quite a number of printing errors in the physical copy (spelling errors, grammar mistakes) which were minor annoyances but those are more of the technical part
ok bye signing off
May 24, 2022
𝙉𝙤𝙩 𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙏𝙤 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙮 𝙗𝙮 𝙉.𝙁 𝘼𝙛𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙖
𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙚: 5 ⭑
“𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑖𝑛 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑔𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑒𝑛 𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒, 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑤𝑎𝑦. 𝑀𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑎𝑠 𝑤𝑒𝑙𝑙 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑡ℎ𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤 ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑜𝑜𝑟.“
_
that was a hella ride. this book got me hooked from the beginning until the end. the writing in this book is so beautiful and the plot is just absolutely stunning. honestly i’ve never read this kind of book in my whole life. the way this book talks about someone’s journey to recover and closure. a whole rollercoaster.
so this book contains a lot of internal monologues with beautiful and interesting quotes and that was the reason i adore this book so much. this book talks about Amani who is couldn’t forgive herself for the sins she had done in the past and also the gaslighting she did to herself. this book is very character-driven. it’s not just about the Lagenda but it’s about Amani. ngl the starting of this book makes me confused a little bit bcs of the numbers but then i realized there’s going to be a flashback in the plot. interesting right? saying i love this book does not do any justice to this book. this book feels like a warm hug but at the the same time it feels like punch in your face. i don’t even know how many times i cried over this book. the author really did well even though i don’t know what’s was she thinking when she wrote this book like IM A MESS AFTER FINISH THIS. the climax, the ending, the characters, the plot, the magical realist elements in this book EVERYTHING ARE JUST PERFECT. hands down.
Amani, she’s very strong woman i literally could relate to her every single things. she really inspired me. i love her and i wanna hug her so bad. she’s been through a lot and she really deserves a happy ending. Malik, he’s just a fictional character that walking red flag. i hope and pray that we will never meet a guy like Malik. lastly, Najmi the love interest. i have nothing to say about him but he deserves my respect. he is the man. he is a very loveable person.
i got to learn a lot of life lessons from this book. i’m still amaze with the author’s writing. also, love how the way author relate some things with Islam like that’s brilliant. there are a lot of things i wanna say but i don’t think it could put into words. this book will always has a special place in my heart.
𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙚: 5 ⭑
“𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑖𝑛 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑔𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑒𝑛 𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒, 𝑠ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑛𝑜𝑡 ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑤𝑎𝑦. 𝑀𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑎𝑠 𝑤𝑒𝑙𝑙 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑡ℎ𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤 ℎ𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑜𝑜𝑟.“
_
that was a hella ride. this book got me hooked from the beginning until the end. the writing in this book is so beautiful and the plot is just absolutely stunning. honestly i’ve never read this kind of book in my whole life. the way this book talks about someone’s journey to recover and closure. a whole rollercoaster.
so this book contains a lot of internal monologues with beautiful and interesting quotes and that was the reason i adore this book so much. this book talks about Amani who is couldn’t forgive herself for the sins she had done in the past and also the gaslighting she did to herself. this book is very character-driven. it’s not just about the Lagenda but it’s about Amani. ngl the starting of this book makes me confused a little bit bcs of the numbers but then i realized there’s going to be a flashback in the plot. interesting right? saying i love this book does not do any justice to this book. this book feels like a warm hug but at the the same time it feels like punch in your face. i don’t even know how many times i cried over this book. the author really did well even though i don’t know what’s was she thinking when she wrote this book like IM A MESS AFTER FINISH THIS. the climax, the ending, the characters, the plot, the magical realist elements in this book EVERYTHING ARE JUST PERFECT. hands down.
Amani, she’s very strong woman i literally could relate to her every single things. she really inspired me. i love her and i wanna hug her so bad. she’s been through a lot and she really deserves a happy ending. Malik, he’s just a fictional character that walking red flag. i hope and pray that we will never meet a guy like Malik. lastly, Najmi the love interest. i have nothing to say about him but he deserves my respect. he is the man. he is a very loveable person.
i got to learn a lot of life lessons from this book. i’m still amaze with the author’s writing. also, love how the way author relate some things with Islam like that’s brilliant. there are a lot of things i wanna say but i don’t think it could put into words. this book will always has a special place in my heart.
January 31, 2023
Love was difficult. Movies never told the whole story. They never showed the scenes when the silence felt more like a burden the lovers had to carry across town. They never showed the fights and the words thrown that did irreparable damage on the tapestry of the lovers' chemistry
This paragraph caught me off guard, smiling like an insane person or smirking? Like, this is what I understand from the word of 'love' but of course, all of us like to refuse the bad part of loving people. Love can destroy or give you life.
I was not expecting this book would be more to the journey of Amani's closure on finding herself again. It is full of angst, grief and madness. How innocent we were when we were young, to let other people take charge of us because we were oblivion.
If you read the synopsis, you will get a little bit confused at first because the synopsis described the adventure of Amani in her Lagenda world so I was craving for the 'adventure' part but most of the book told us about Amani's emotional setting. So I described this book as more like self-help but we change it in fiction.
I want to add another part as others had mentioned about Lagenda. I also find that it is hard for me to imagine the Lagenda as the info dumping of this world is less. I need more to imagine the Lagenda but of course, I cannot expect more since the focus of this book is Amani's emotions.
The plot twist of this book was really unexpected, as much as that 'character' succeed to convince Amani about being an ally, I too am really convinced about him. The author has the strength to convince us about all the character's stories until boom, the plot twist will ruin you.
I like the part where the author concludes about religion is always the solution for us to hold ourselves from being 'dead'.
I loved this book, because of the idea of validating our emotions and finding ourselves back.
I gave this book 4 ⭐
This paragraph caught me off guard, smiling like an insane person or smirking? Like, this is what I understand from the word of 'love' but of course, all of us like to refuse the bad part of loving people. Love can destroy or give you life.
I was not expecting this book would be more to the journey of Amani's closure on finding herself again. It is full of angst, grief and madness. How innocent we were when we were young, to let other people take charge of us because we were oblivion.
If you read the synopsis, you will get a little bit confused at first because the synopsis described the adventure of Amani in her Lagenda world so I was craving for the 'adventure' part but most of the book told us about Amani's emotional setting. So I described this book as more like self-help but we change it in fiction.
I want to add another part as others had mentioned about Lagenda. I also find that it is hard for me to imagine the Lagenda as the info dumping of this world is less. I need more to imagine the Lagenda but of course, I cannot expect more since the focus of this book is Amani's emotions.
The plot twist of this book was really unexpected, as much as that 'character' succeed to convince Amani about being an ally, I too am really convinced about him. The author has the strength to convince us about all the character's stories until boom, the plot twist will ruin you.
I like the part where the author concludes about religion is always the solution for us to hold ourselves from being 'dead'.
I loved this book, because of the idea of validating our emotions and finding ourselves back.
I gave this book 4 ⭐
December 5, 2022
It took me quite a while to read this book but I guess it’s more of a me problem.
1. I find it hard to read physical books. They’re just heavy and make me sleepy.
2. It’s not a genre that I’m used to read.
3. My lack of imagination or ability to decipher metaphors.
4. I don’t really appreciate poetic-like writings. No hate against them, but I just don’t find joy in it.
5. I also found repeated set of pages and lots of missed punctuations, which unfortunately is my pet peeve. That affected a lot of my reading experience. (Not fair, I know)
Overall, I think the book is decent. It has a great start and ending, I really love it even though it took a turn that I wouldn’t exactly root for but ended up cheering for it anyways (sounds stupid without context haha). I guess there were bland chapters in between that didn’t motivate me to finish up the book quickly.
One thing that made me stay is the wisdom Afrina has when writing this. I bet she went through something very tough in the past to be able to come up with beautiful wisdoms. She said this book is about sins and coming back, and I felt that. I appreciate all the parts that talked about it because I resonated with it. That’s why I stayed.
Besides my ‘critics’, I am still proud of this author for producing a well-written fictional book while studying for degree.
1. I find it hard to read physical books. They’re just heavy and make me sleepy.
2. It’s not a genre that I’m used to read.
3. My lack of imagination or ability to decipher metaphors.
4. I don’t really appreciate poetic-like writings. No hate against them, but I just don’t find joy in it.
5. I also found repeated set of pages and lots of missed punctuations, which unfortunately is my pet peeve. That affected a lot of my reading experience. (Not fair, I know)
Overall, I think the book is decent. It has a great start and ending, I really love it even though it took a turn that I wouldn’t exactly root for but ended up cheering for it anyways (sounds stupid without context haha). I guess there were bland chapters in between that didn’t motivate me to finish up the book quickly.
One thing that made me stay is the wisdom Afrina has when writing this. I bet she went through something very tough in the past to be able to come up with beautiful wisdoms. She said this book is about sins and coming back, and I felt that. I appreciate all the parts that talked about it because I resonated with it. That’s why I stayed.
Besides my ‘critics’, I am still proud of this author for producing a well-written fictional book while studying for degree.
August 15, 2023
-Very repetitive. I know the author wants to do ‘bunga-bunga’ sentence and all but until the second half of the book im annoyed instead…
-When i found out who ‘M’ is, not gonna lie i’m this close to dnf the book
-The connection between amani and lagenda is non-existant. Maybe like 10%???
-I read author’s notes so I FINALLY understand what the message of this book. I think the flow in the storyline is kinda messy and hard to understand since most of the character always tell, tell and didnt show.
-I dont see how certain character helps contribute in building ths storyline at all. They seems kinda useless to me BUT its nice to see someone. Example; Amani’s sister, Misya (im sorry i dont remember her name) add some flavour to the story, but she is a little menyemak ye at the end.
-Definitely overhype i think, maybe i need to devour it second time to finally get it you know, the girl who get it, gets it eheehehheh
-Not recommended for someone who just start reading.
-When i found out who ‘M’ is, not gonna lie i’m this close to dnf the book
-The connection between amani and lagenda is non-existant. Maybe like 10%???
-I read author’s notes so I FINALLY understand what the message of this book. I think the flow in the storyline is kinda messy and hard to understand since most of the character always tell, tell and didnt show.
-I dont see how certain character helps contribute in building ths storyline at all. They seems kinda useless to me BUT its nice to see someone. Example; Amani’s sister, Misya (im sorry i dont remember her name) add some flavour to the story, but she is a little menyemak ye at the end.
-Definitely overhype i think, maybe i need to devour it second time to finally get it you know, the girl who get it, gets it eheehehheh
-Not recommended for someone who just start reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 4, 2024
Weak FL is not my preference, so I was originally going to give it a ⭐ if it weren't for the last hundred pages...
I believe it would've been better if the story was written in a sequel (the past and the present); both plots were lacking details and explanations, it had two main plots so it should've been treated as such, characters that felt important were given very few scenes, it's like everyone was there to validate Amani's trip to self healing.
For the first 100 or so pages the writing style was confusing and I didn't understand anything about the knacks, different worlds, or Legenda itself; I just kept reading to see what the ending was going to be tbh.
So yeah, not my cup of tea...
I believe it would've been better if the story was written in a sequel (the past and the present); both plots were lacking details and explanations, it had two main plots so it should've been treated as such, characters that felt important were given very few scenes, it's like everyone was there to validate Amani's trip to self healing.
For the first 100 or so pages the writing style was confusing and I didn't understand anything about the knacks, different worlds, or Legenda itself; I just kept reading to see what the ending was going to be tbh.
So yeah, not my cup of tea...
September 10, 2024
DNF :(
Interesting premise. Badly executed.
If I still can't connect with the MC and know nothing about her personality 50 pages in, I can tell its gonna be a tiring read (and probably put me in a reading slump)
I really wanted to give this book a chance because the author is local. But its just not for me.
The wording is weird too sometimes. Big words that doesn't fit the context.
50 pages full of JUST world building that I feel like could've been written better through more engaging narratives.
Interesting premise. Badly executed.
If I still can't connect with the MC and know nothing about her personality 50 pages in, I can tell its gonna be a tiring read (and probably put me in a reading slump)
I really wanted to give this book a chance because the author is local. But its just not for me.
The wording is weird too sometimes. Big words that doesn't fit the context.
50 pages full of JUST world building that I feel like could've been written better through more engaging narratives.
August 19, 2023
Took me a few months to finish.
Not my cup of tea, i guess.
Too many metaphors.
Not my cup of tea, i guess.
Too many metaphors.
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