Overall rating and opinion of "Kalayla" by Jeannie Nicholas

[FaithMO19]

I find this book interesting because of how the story is narrated and because the characters are relatable. Family doesn't have to be those that are related by blood that's a good message to deliver to people.

[Joan642]

This book is an amazing one that centers on family, race, anger, motherhood. I loved the way kalayla was able to forgive so easily.

[Misty20058]

I enjoyed that this book discusses the fact that "family" does not have to be biological, or even the same race. It is an amazing book and I enjoyed every part of it.

[shreyagupta]

I liked the book. The various topics like domestic abuse, racism, and general struggles faced by people were new for me. I loved reading about these 3 self-dependent women. It was inspiring. The author added humor to the book through Kalayla to keep it from being boring.
Though I would have appreciated if the author would have explained Kalayla's thought process when she received two big shocks, that were getting to know that her grandparents were alive and that they had disowned her mother and her. We only got to know about those events through Lena and Maureen.
Maureen's character was a bit absurd to me. I couldn't sympathize with her as she didn't know anything about her own daughter and was more than happy to be lost in her own world of art.
Also, the character of Kalayla was a little bit difficult to digest. For me, she was far too arrogant and worldly-wise for someone so young.
I would like to point out that apart from our 3 protagonists, the author has beautifully painted various other supporting characters like Mattwo, Rico, Carlotta. They made the book an entertaining and engaging read.

[Lorraine De Vos]

Personally I found the book to be a slow burn. Nothing truly kept my attention and the unkind attitude the characters have towards each other left something to be desired. Granted I got through the first chapter and a half, but I did not find this book intriguing.

[Agnes Masobeng]

What stood out the most for me is how relatable Kalayla is. Most of the themes covered here are in line with what we experience in our daily lives. For instance, the issue of racism.

[Pearl Hijabi]

KALAYLA is a very relatable and realistic story for me. Based on multi generational characters. This shows that the famil doesn't have to be blood related only. I rate the book 4 out of 4 stars.

[Aurelia_2020]

I really enjoyed reading this book, I would even say it was an excellent read. Do not get me wrong, the book has grammatical errors and it seems not to be well edited but the author did an excellent job in building the characters and in coordinating the story. I was not bored by the information used in building the characters and I guess it is because of use of the first person. I liked the author's style of using first and third persons. It is as if the author realized that readers would confuse the characters and went ahead to give headings as to who a specific chapter was about.
Jeannie Nicholas is definitely very creative as shown by the writing style and character development. I can go on and on about character development in the book but I will summarize it as outstanding so that I do not bore you.

I did not like the author's use of strong language, curse words and vulgar language deployed in the book. As much as it contributed to the characters' development, such language can seem offensive to some readers or influence younger readers in a negative way.

Generally, it is great book for an adult reader who does not mind the language of the book. Please do not recommend or give it to a teenager!

[Kreads1]

This is a discussion topic for the September 2020 Book of the month, Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas.

What is your overall opinion of the book? What do you like most about it? What do you like least? Will you recommend the book to other people? Why or why not?

Please remember to add your actual rating using the book's page on: Bookshelves.

* This topic is for those who read the book.

I read and reviewed this book, and awarded it 4 out of 4 stars. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. For me it was eye-opening to read about how cultural differences can impact someone on an emotional level. This was painful at times, especially learning that Maureen's family had disowned her becuase she fell in love with a black man. I found it intriguing how the lives of Maureen, Kalayla, and Lena intertwined throughout the story and how they each helped the other, without recognizing it in some cases.

What I liked most was how the author arranged the chapters. I found the organization by season and year, along with significant events lent itself to a timeline for me. This timeline allowed me to better understand how the characters were evolving over time. If I had to choose something I liked the least, maybe it would be the title...but that is a stretch. I just think, perhaps, there could be a better title then Kalayla, solely because this story is not focused 100% on Kalayla.

I would certainly recommend this to others, it's a wonderful story about overcoming struggle and changing one's outlook on life and future.

[Sonja Jacobs]

I am against any form of discrimination, but it is struggles that are real, even in the modern world. It seems as if this book gives the reader a chance to intimately experience what it does to people. I also agree that family is not always blood relatives.
There is nothing I disliked about the book. I would recommend it everyone who needs both a good laugh and good cry. I would also recommend it to parents. If they relate to it or learn from it would be their choice. I would rate the book 4 out of 4 starts.

[Hames]

Seeing kalayla grow from a lonely girl to a responsible young woman is one of the things that caught my eye. The ability to forgiveness and compaction for others was awesome. The best thing about this book is that it is realistic and relatable. It features life's daily challenges and circumstances. One is also able to flow and feel for the characters.

[mustaharleena]

Kalayla is an amazing story. The title is most appropriate and it gives the book uniqueness. I most like that the story is written from each of the main characters' perspectives but I like Kalayla's perspective the most because it portrays well the mindset of most adolescents towards elderly people. I also like the motherly attitude of Lena towards Kalayla despite Kalayla's aversiveness. I would definitely recommend the book to readers of all ages because the perspectives of the three women represent womenfolk of all ages.

[Tarbena45]

I loved this book. Jeannie Nicholas covers so many vitally important issues that are relevant now. The way racial prejudice had a profound affect on family relationships was particularly poignant. A definite four out of four stars and I would thoroughly recommend this book.

[Faithy_Goody_Star]

To me, this book basically centers on family. As much as one may not even try hard to like Kaylala, I also loved the character of Maureen, her mother. The book is easily lovable. While reading it, I giggled, I smiled, I laughed. I also felt a lot of things. Kaylala attracts a full rating from me because I can't even fault the book in any way.

[Kaylee Elmer]

I absolutely loved this book! I would give it 4 out of 4 stars without hesitation. I loved that the book is from different perspectives. It was fun to see what each woman thought about the same situation. I also found the characters themselves extremely likable. I think Kalayla was probably my favorite. Her growth throughout the book was astounding.