Old West meets the Middle East....
342288
*All my reviews can be found on my blog: [...]

Amani AlHiza is a crack-shot gunslinger who has been living with her maternal aunt and her husband for almost a year after her mother was hanged for the murder of Amanis dad. Now that the year is almost up, her uncle is demanding that either Amani is married off or he will marry her himself. This is the catalyst that gives the heroine the desperate determination to enter a shooting contest dressed up as a boy in order to have the money needed to leave and go to the town of Izman where she supposedly has a family relation.

This is also where the love interest Jin is introduced, as he is also in the shooting contest. Although it looks like Amani may be able to achieve her dream, events occur that send her racing back to her Aunts house. Unfortunately for her, the situation quickly deteriorates when the next day she runs into Jin, only this time dressed as a girl, and she proceeds to cover for him to the Commander of the Sultans army. This does not end well as the army is searching for Jin for the crime of treason.

The situation gets out of hand and Amani and Jin set off on a mythical horse creature that is able to cross the desert in record speed time. So begins the rest of the story. They are fleeing the Commander and although split up initially are brought back together and stay united for the remainder of the story.

I had a hard time with the world building. Dustwalk is written like it is the old west but it is set in the Middle East with Middle Eastern traditions and culture. Did not compute! Due to this contradiction of settings I found it difficult to immerse myself in this world. Once the story left that setting I was able to accept the world a bit better.

The heroine, Amani, is straight forward, witty, and determined. I enjoyed reading about her background, her struggles with Dustwalk, and her desire to make her own path. I found her gun slinging ways entertaining and humorous. Her naivet&eacute; is off-putting considering that she grew up hard; she should know a thing or two about the world.

Jin, the love interest, was appealing. The whole brooding, half-truths, and manipulation was disappointing. He had an end goal and he should have stood in that truth when it came out but he was almost meh about it. He could have been very rugged and gritty but he came off like he would be doing a lot of hand wringing in relation to his decisions concerning Amani. I know he is written as a seventeen year old, but he has seen the world and has been taking care of himself for a while now, and given his backstory he should be a lot tougher and mature.

There were many characters introduced that felt flat to me. They lacked depth. I wanted to know more about them but was left wanting. The way the story is written you know it is going to be a series and that although many of the characters were introduced in a rushed way with little depth, that hopefully they will have more depth in the next book.

How can I explain my mixed feelings on this book? Have you ever read a book, then when the movie came out you went to see it? You leave disappointed because although it was a good movie you have the knowledge of what it could have been and you regret going because it almost was injustice to the book. That is how this book feels to me. If it was a movie it would be perfect but as a novel I want those little details, I want the fleshing out of the characters. Will I read the next book? I believe so. I am hoping that there will be more depth to the story and of course with the cliff-hanger the author left me on, I just want to know what is going to happen next.
1637431
Great story and story telling. It was hard to put down and really showed life in the Middle East as if I was there myself. Some good twists with a surprise ending.
570743
This book is more about the middle east. Although the author wasn't able to get into Saudi Arabia, his story about the trip is good. The time frame of the book is earlier and about that time. It was a good read and I enjoyed it.
3582489
Fast moving and very interesting story. I could not put the book down! The story can easily be true with what is going on in the Middle East today.
3601981
Good Read...quite interesting contrast between Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jews. Story of family relationships going through the trials and triumphs of a new culture.
247064
Whether you are an old hand, or a greenhorn who has heard of Zane Grey and willing to try one of his books, The Desert of Wheat will not disappoint....unless you are expecting cowboys on horses or shoot-outs in the streets. This book has neither, but it does give us a taste of the conditions which existed during the period of years surrounding the 1st World War--especially the activity and philosophy of a group called the IWW. There is espionage, arson, murder, and intrigue all set in the wheat growing district of Washington state known as the Columbia Basin. Also, as with any Zane Grey book the vivid descriptions of landscape and his fully rounded and well developed characters are there, as well as the romance, all heightened amid the backdrop of the War--a German father who hates America; the son who wants to fight for American; the daughter of a rich banker who will do anything to keep the man she loves from going to war. The theme, the intense interaction of the characters involved make for one of the best of Zane Grey. A note of reminder: This was a contemporary novel, written and set and published during the time period it displays, so some of the language may seem dated in places, but true to the period and times. Zane Grey has often been charged with his broad use of colloquialisms, and in some of his later novels it does seem over used, but Zane Grey wrote the way he heard people speak. I highly recommend this version if you can not find or afford the unexpurgated version recently published in 2012 War Comes to the Big Bend. Besides, these WJB editions will last through repeated readings and not show any wear.
4338231
This would make a good movie, set in Old Testament Times. Good versus evil. Shows, too, how we can think we know someone, and not know them at all. God worked things out for good for these two people. Love won out!
2016336
Looking for a fast paced story this is it.  Smacks of conspiracy, Templar knights, and ancient scrolls.....

The book brings with a university trip to Qumran and the uncovering of some ancient scrolls.  Enter Jack who teaches at the university and can translate them, but also is a fighter because his dad trained him ....  He's joined by Stephanie who was in the trip to Qumran and what comes is a fast paced, what happens next story all over, with plenty if action and the curiosity of the scrolls and box they refer too.

Like Templar books, da Vinci cod.... This one is tight up that alley.  I'm bit big I ose and just like a good mystery with some action, and this one story rocked !!!
3719198
These are confusing times. There is so much information and misinformation out there about the mid-east that's it hard to keep everything in perspective. That's why I liked Carmen Bin Ladin's book; she brings forth a slightly different view on the mid-east and on Saudi Arabia.

It's a short easy read that has you wanting more, but it's also a read that's refreshing in that the author does not ask for our pity. Carmen could have spent the whole book whining and asking us to feel sorry for her. She could of sounded like a spoiled rich girl who got in over her head, but this book is not about ego. This book is mostly about fundamentalist thought in Saudi Arabia and how it is not only fueling a holy war with the west but how it is also suppressing half it's population (the female half) by imposing obscene restrictions which endanger women.

Carmen Bin Ladin, like many beautiful smart women, fell for a charming attractive man who later turned against her and her children. Her husband was from a rich family in Saudi Arabia, the Bin Ladins. At first only the marriage was to take place in Saudi Arabia, but soon she is living in the country with her husband during the oil boom of the 1970's. Carmen pinpoints her troubles, all of our troubles really, to the fundamentalist movement in 1979 and the fall of Iran to radical students. As the Iranian movement spread through the Mid-east, a conservation Saudi Arabia  becomes fundamentally conservative. Carmen with two little girls could see the writing on the wall. In a country where women have no rights, no say, no power...the lives of her children become threaten.

Another disturbing theme that runs the course of the book is Carmen's descriptions of the Saudis. If she is right, we face a tremendous threat not from Iraq, Syria, or Iran, but from a country where arrogance reins supreme, children are taught to hate in school, and an anti-west attitude fuels aggression and terrorism. It's no fluke that her brother in law Osama, is a Saudi and I believe her when she says that when Osama dies... thousands are ready to take his place. It is an ominous sign.

I recommend "Nine Parts of Desire : The Hidden World of Islamic Women" by Geraldine Brooks as a companion piece to this book. It goes into greater detail than "Inside the Kingdom" and is slightly more satisfying.
1940193
This was a good, interesting book.  It gives you a different view of the trouble and it's effects in the middle east.  Educational in a historical fiction sort of way.
2903551
When East meets West the cultures fuse and combine....but not without conflict and loss of authenticity. This is what we learn during the journey of Ali and Nino. Beautifully written with great consideration for all cultures involved, and understanding of the clashes created by the arrival of outside forces. A lesson in love, tolerance and respect for the past.
3695388
So where should start from ?!

The novel presents life between 1967 to 1980 in the middle east moving to Europe ..  so in the back ground ; we see the historical events that took place in that period ,Egypt , the wars with Israel , Palestine  ..Jordan ..Lebanon , Saudi Arabia , Syria & Iran . the political transformation From Naser to Sadat , all the detailed changes : economically , socially , culture & even in Urban patterns .

While on the front layer we see the life of a family & their surroundings , through them we meet Muslims , Christians , leftists , servants , farmers , workers , the Elite .. westernized people and the fundamentalists rising. we also see the traditions ,religion ideologies , taboos , and all what concerns women , Ahdaf describes everything in so much details !

the novel's main core is based around Asya , her life between Egypt & England in that critical period , with her eyes we adore Egypt and in the same time  get introduced to England And travel to different European countries , one of the most interesting parts to me was the comparison between the life of the Nile and the life of the Thames !
In Asya's ten years journey towards maturity : we live love , romance , passion , sexuality , compassion , humiliation , abuse , failure , infidelity , regrets , bitterness , breaking down & loss !! I can not meet a personality like Asya every day with all her contradictions that present the Cultural duality values she has , but when I read Ahdaf's biography I felt that Asya is - some how - part of her , specially in her relation with her mother & her childhood , also I can see that one of Asya's friends in the novel seems to be inspired by Radwa Ashour - who is one of Ahdaf's friends-and her husband Mourid Barghouti (auther of I saw Ramallah) , this gives more reality to the atmosphere ..

Honestly , I hesitated at first to rate it as 5 (not because it does not deserve it) but because I thought I could not rate it as (The map of love) that captured my heart , while (In the eye of the sun) really.. really hurt my stomach With its tragedy ! beside I was very much annoyed by Asya in some parts ... true I loved her ..loved her descriptions & meditation , I sympathized with her, cried with her , loved Saif with her & understood her reasons for her behavior ; but I could not justify her behavior or her cruelty to herself before anybody else !

But I decided to rate it as 5 because of Ahdaf that manage so cleverly to prevent me from letting this 800 pages book down before finishing it !! her so much full of life characters , her brilliant way that expressed human feelings & weakness , for the metaphors she used and specially for the last part of the book ! wow - It is the most painful one but so powerful : the conformations between Asya & Saif , Asya & her mother ..Asya & the mirror ..then Asya & the memories !! also the way she discussed Islam & traditions , the translations of Quraan , and from anther side Om Kulthom's songs , this was an unforgettable book !
2565976
As a child I was always fascinated with ancient Middle East. I think it all started with my obsession with belly dancing and the colorful outfits with the sashes the jingle as the dancer sways her hips. But as I got older I started to appreciate the more intricate details of the culture. The ancient traditions and spellbinding customs, the deep rich colors found in the spices, flowing materials and intricate architecture. Even the romanticism of a wide open desert and all the adventure that awaits, completely appeals to my wanderlust. Needless to say, I was pretty psyched when I heard about Forbidden.

The research that went into this book is clearly evident in the details and world-building of the story. The way the author builds the landscape, describes the social customs and religious beliefseven the way she details the womens dresses and jewelry, truly show what commitment she had to making sure that every little detail was just right. As a reader, I really appreciated that. It helped me to be more invested as I was reading and in turn, allowed me to enjoy the story more.

We meet Jayden and the girl has been through some rough stuff! I mean, imagine all the worst things that could happen to you and thats pretty much what shes been through. Everything seems to fall apart at once and I couldn't help but feel immediate sympathy for her. Jayden goes through some serious range of emotions and reactions to whats happening around her, and I cant say I blame her. Im hoping that she continues to grow more confident and strong in the subsequent books because for most of Forbidden I found myself wishing that she would stop being so wishy-washy. One minute shes scared and timid, and then next minute shes aggressive and head strong. Buuuutgiven Jaydens situation I think the author did a good job of allowing the character to grow into her strength and uncover what shes truly made of. I appreciate that Jayden didn't go from one extreme to the other in the blink of an eye. It made the her characters progression more believable.

One aspect that didn't quite click with me 100% was the romance. While, it certainly wasn't insta-love, I don't feel like I got enough back story as to HOW the romance developed. Sure, Kadesh is super swoony and gives Jayden the total opposite of what shes forced into with Horeb, but part of me felt like she would have fallen in love with any guy who showed even the smallest bit of respect and affection. I really wanted to understand what it was that drew Jayden and Kadesh together. Dont get me wrong, there were so many aspects of this romance that I was really drawn toI just need a little more detail. Granted, the guy really did step up to the plate for a family of total strangers and became the leader they all needed, so I cant really blame Jayden for falling for himhard.

I also would have liked more development when it came to Kadeshs back story as well, but I have a sneaking suspicion that well learn more about his past in future books. He appears out of nowhere (literally) with this vague story about where he comes from and hes immediately shrouded in mystery. What glimpses we do get of his past are super intriguing and Im really hoping we get some more.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book for its detail, and I really felt as though I learned a bit more about ancient Mesopotamia. There aren't many YA books out there that take place during this time period. According to The Age of YA timeline courtesy of Epic Reads, its actually one of the few books set during this time, 1759 BC to be exact. It made for a unique setting for a historical young adult novel and Im now itching for more. I also enjoyed the story of Jayden and Kadesh and look forward to learning more about their pasts and how they are going to navigate their future together.
268855
I love this book...the mix of male and female pioneer spirit is refreshing....a family is moving west in covered wagons...no train..just them and the wilderness. A few hard men ride up to join them under the guise of protection..before long all realize they are not there for protection but to steal their wagons...the servant cook...Rosemary hides a gun and waits them out. Soon, the fat is in the fire...and Rosemary is gone in a flash. The family is left at the mercy of the outlaws...gun thieves, in fact, as they robbed a Army shipment of new rifles and need the wagons to freight them to the Apaches for gold. What follows is a run in with a great Army scout, some very bad men, Apaches, cliff dwelling exploration, cave hiding and hot desert riding...great details and great plot....I will tell you no more...gun play...and intestinal fortitude abound....it is well worth the paltry price for an entertaining western tale.
471182
Well written and believable. Just keep in mind that it is fictional, albeit based on the author's strong understanding of events, etc. that have and are occurring in the Middle East.
1790309
Between Two Deserts
Germain Shaimes

The short novel is a slice of the life of Israel between the Jews and the Arabs living in Jerusalem. We read about many characters in both quarters of Jerusalem and how they collide or just mix.
Eva Cavell is presented as the main character but she becomes the interconnected of all the characters in this story. Naming her Eve may not be an accident as she starts out pure and enthusiastic for learning about her Jewish heritage.
The writing is very descriptive so that you truly get a sense of both Israelis and Palestinians lives in Jerusalem
1168897
Extremely well researched and written.  If you want to try to understand the Middle East today, this is a must read.  Plus, the exploration of a fascinating character or characters as the story unfolds.