Breaking the Spine does an awesome book meme, Waiting on Wednesday, every week where book bloggers highlight the titles they’re looking forward to. This week I did something different: the two books below are based in Pakistan and are two very, very different stories: Promising Azra and Fire Boy.
Here’s the blurb to Promising Azra:
Azra is sixteen, smart and knows how to get what she wants. She thinks. When she wins a place in a national science competition, she thinks her biggest problem is getting her parents’ permission to go. But she doesn’t know they’re busy arranging her marriage to an older cousin she’s never met. In Pakistan. In just three months’ time.
Azra always thought she’d finish high school with her friends and then go on to study science, but now her dreams of university are suddenly overshadowed. Can she find a way to do what she wants, while keeping her parents happy?
Or does being a good daughter mean sacrificing her freedom?
And Fire boy:
From Sami Shah comes Fire Boy, the first of a two-part urban fantasy set in modern-day Pakistan, where djinns roam the street alongside corrupt cops, hustling beggars, and creatures from the darkest corners of Islamic mythology.
Growing up in Karachi isn’t easy. Wahid has a lot on his mind: the girl he likes, mostly, but also choosing a good university and finding time to play Dungeons and Dragons. Oh, and the fact that he can see djinns, other-worldly creatures made of a smokeless and scorching fire. After a horrific car accident kills his best friend and djinns steal his girlfriend’s soul, Wahid vows to find out why. Fortunately, he has help in finding the djinns that tried to kill him. Unfortunately, that help is from the darkest of all spirits, the Devil himself …
Fire Boy is filled with supernatural entities and high-paced action, but it also gives the reader a vivid insight into life in Pakistan.
As you can see, two very different titles based in Pakistan. Promising Azra intrigues me because it sounds like the topic of arranged marriages isn’t sensationalised in the blurb. It’s something that Azra is contemplating seriously — and I want to see it tackled and dealt with properly.
Fire Boy is an urban fantasy — and I mean, Karachi, the Djinns and the Devil AND insight into life in Pakistan — I mean, how awesome does that sound? AND Sami Shah is an Australian author too!
What do you think of Promising Azra and Fire boy? What are you waiting on this week?
Oh WOW!! This sound amazing!! Especially “Fire Boy” They both look interesting though. Will be checking them out when they are released. Thanks for sharing.
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Shubba @ Wee Shubba’s World.
TY! I’m so hopeful about these — they sound sooo brilliant, don’t they?!
I love those covers! Hope you enjoy them!!
Thanks Lauren, I am crossing everything they’re good!
Both books sounds interesting but I think I’m more drawn to Promising Azra. Hope you enjoy them both!
Renee My WOW
Renee, Promising Azra is going to break your heart — my heart too! I am convinced of it!
I have never heard of these! I’ve never read anything set in Pakistan. I’ll have to add this to my to read list!! 🙂
I actually found these completely by chance but I’m so glad I did !
They both sound intriguing. I hope you love them both! Great picks!
Thanks Natalie!
Love how you grouped these and both sound incredible
Thanks for stopping by my WoW!
Thanks Eva! I totally found these by chance, literally one after the other and was hooked!
I like how you chose books based in Pakistan. Will this be a regular theme, international books?
Thank you! I found these one after the other by chance and thought they fit the meme, but your comment did make me pause and wonder if I could? I mean, if I can, I definitely will, I just never thought about the meme in terms of a theme before.
I am so intrigued by these titles. I do not think that I have read a book set in Pakistan and I really need to change that. The concept of arranged marriage interests me so much and I would love to read something that is completely different from my way of life. Thank you so much for sharing these!
Aw, Olivia, thank you — I’m so please you and everyone enjoyed these choices so much!
They might be different, but they both sounds promising!! Hope you truly enjoy the reads 🙂
Thanks for sharing and stopping by my blog earlier!
WOW, WOW, WOW!! Two AWESOME picks in one post!! I’m totally thrilled!! I had not heard of these books before, and honestly, I’ve never read any fiction based in Pakistan. Well, now I’m adding both of these to my Goodreads shelves!!
I’m very intrigued by the theme of arranged marriage. I sure hope Azra can find a way out of that one! As for Wahid, I want to see him outsmart the Devil himself! Lol.
Thanks so much for sharing these!! Also, thanks for stopping by and commenting on my own WOW!! Have a GREAT weekend, Verushka!! <3 : )