Title: Soul Tracing: Taboo
Author: Ifraah Samatar and Irsha Akbar
Link: https://www.amazon.com/Soul-Tracing-TABOO-Ifraah-Samatar-ebook/dp/B07848V92V/
Summary
DISCLAIMER: THIS BOOK IS NOT SUITABLE FOR ANYONE UNDER THE AGE OF 18. This is the glorious haram version of Soul Tracing Taboo!
Yasmin Khan is everything an imam’s daughter should be: faithful, respectful, and veiled. Behind the cloth lies nothing but darkness and loneliness. She longs for the freedom to speak her own mind and escape her mundane life, but above anything else, she wants to be just like her friend, Noor.
Dean Thynne-Edwards Walker is battling his own demons from the past. Abandoned on the doorstep of a Catholic orphanage at birth, he endured years of unspeakable abuse and cruelty. He now blames God for the nightmares of his stolen childhood and will stop at nothing to seek his revenge against religion.
He doesn’t see her face on that fateful day, but he does see her beautiful eyes. An instant desire sparks within him, a desire to corrupt this woman and sever her ties with God.
Can he do it? Can he seduce a devout Muslim and add her to his list?
As for Yasmin, could this silver-eyed, beautiful stranger be her salvation? Might he be a savior that will release her from the shackles of her cultural obligations? Or will he be the cause of her damnation?
My review
5/5 Stars
Wow, just wow.
I absolutely adored this book. This story centers around a shy, quiet girl named Yasmin who is dedicated to her family and her culture. She doesn’t want to get married as is expected of her and instead clings to the hope of an education and making something of her life. She’s envious of her educated, strong friend, Noor, and wishes she could be more like her. That is, until she meets Dean and her entire world is flipped upside down.
This is a powerful, powerful read. Even after finishing the book, I just can’t stop thinking about it. That ending had me in tears and it was the most realistic epilogue I think I’ve ever encountered in a book. I loved poor Yasmin’s character from the start to the finish and the way the author developed her from a quiet, girl to a strong girl, to a broken girl all over again. It’s not very often that I read books that go into so much detail about the Islamic culture but this book was so realistic that I felt as if I was reading someone’s memoir.
Heartbreaking and captivating, I recommend this book for all readers.
Author Kayla Krantz 