Kalayla

by Jeannie Nicholas

Race, sexuality, honesty, abuse, love and forgiveness are interwoven as characters in Kalayla reveal themselves. We meet three families, one Irish, one Italian and one black, confronting the legacy of the past in 1999 Cambridge, MA.

Kalayla: a feisty bi-racial, 11 year old loner whose world implodes when she discovers her parents belong in the Guinness Book of World Records for being “The World’s Biggest Liars” about her mother’s family.

Maureen: Kalayla’s mother cocoons herself in art projects, deflecting the pain of her parent’s rejection. Her husband’s sudden death catapults her into life as a single mother raising a rebellious, incomprehensible daughter.

Lena: their landlady, financially successful, seventy-two years old, wears only black, and lives in a fourth-floor walk-up apartment. Lena is tormented by memories of the dead--her twin sons and husband, and the living--two sons from whom she is estranged.

Anyone who has experienced the angularities, rigid pockets and soft spots of family life can take hope from reading Kalayla which shows that pathways for change do exist--and if we choose to, we can find them.

Genres: Family Drama, Fiction

295 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 1, 2019

About the author

Jeannie loves animals, meditates daily, and practices Tai Chi. She admits she is obsessed by the number of steps on her Fitbit, and according to her husband, several other things, too. Kalayla is her first book, but not her last.

Reviews

[Carey · Rating 1 out of 5]

There were so many problems with this book I don't even know where to begin.

From the synopsis, this novel was right up my alley. I love found family stories, and I was especially interested to see how loss would be portrayed as a point of connection for these characters. Unfortunately, I did not like any of the main characters. This was largely due to the fact that the writing in this novel was telling instead of showing. There was no character arc or development – we are simply told they feel this because of that. Likewise, there is no real mystery to the novel as the three characters reveal most of the mysteries to the reader. The characterizations overall seemed superficial and, even at the end of the novel, there isn’t a noticeable impactful change in any of the three main characters. This made it a struggle to connect with, or care for, the characters.

The writing, or I guess to be more exact the word choice, was outdated and the dialogue between characters was inauthentic. Kalayla is eleven years old at the start of the novel, yet she is left on her own all the time, wandering the streets, and is using profanity? It felt like this was included just to shock the reader, to make us feel like Kalayla was this problematic child. Yet in other stories with white children this is portrayed as an act of wanderlust or childlike exploration. Instead, Kalayla is this hard, bratty child. Her observations – especially her first few of Lena – were cruel and baffling as someone with a nephew the age of this character. It was completely disingenuous of how children her age would be speaking and made the writing feel out of touch with reality.

The biggest issue in this book was Lena’s own observations which were entirely problematic - something never addressed by the author. Lena fetishizes Kalayla many times throughout this book, including these problematic examples: commenting on which features identify her as being not totally white, how because she is mixed-race she is more desirable, how some features make her have more sex appeal like her “delicious, silky chocolate skin,”or that any male character who talks with Kalayla might secretly be thinking of her in a mischievious manner. The worst part of all of these horrific comments is that Lena acts like she is thinking about them to protect Kalayla. As if Lena - a white elderly woman - somehow is entitled to fetishize Kalayla's identity and monitor her. In-fact, this is why Lena strikes up a relationship with Kalayla in the first place, to “put her on the right path,” as Lena repeats many times throughout the novel.

While Kalayla's identity is being fetishized, there is no real discussion of her identity. This seemed odd as Kalayla now only has a white parent, who mostly isolates her from all but one of her black relatives. This only family member representing her black identity is often criticized by Kalayla herself as a greasy low-life archetype. Not exactly a positive representation. The one section where race is mentioned is only to serve as a plot device for tension between Maureen - her white identity - and in the most predictable of problematic tropes. There is no exploration of Kalayla’s identity, no mention even that Maureen and Kalayla have ever really genuinely discussed this. Maybe the author - herself a white woman - did not feel comfortable trying to tackle the personal identity issues of race lingering in the undevelopedness of this story. Yet that begs the questions of why the author made Kalayla a mixed-race character? Why is her identity not expressed or explored when it was physically described so heavily in the beginning of the story? Why does Lena assume that Kalayla is a child destined for trouble? Why does Lena assume that she needs to intervene? The answer to me, as the reader was that Kalayla was a mixed-race character only because it served as a plot device for the author’s story. Lena is yet another white savior character type who can do no wrong, she’s just trying to help after all! However, the reality is that Lena is the most problematic character of them all with her long-list of racist microaggressions which she is expressing as "just wanting to help".

If you are writing a book about a mixed-race character, you should do more than just make that character’s identity your plot device, or an object of fascination for white audiences. Also, a novel should not be historical fiction just to incorporate problematic ideology that the author is not even going to deconstruct, or – at the bare minimum – have a conversation about. Setting this book in the nineties doesn’t excuse the questionable parts of this work, which was published in 2019. I made it to over half-way through and could not finish this book after it became painstakingly obvious what was going on here and how the author was justifying it.

[Antonella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. The three woman perspective was interesting.
The book deals with many serious topics but remains on the lighter side. Especially with a satisfying ending. Emotional & important read that makes me think more than feel. I love the humor teen narration brought in contrast to her mom and neighbor serious ones.

[©hrissie ❁ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heart-wrenching 😭

RTC!

[Gracie Quinn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such a heartwarming story, though there were definitely surprises enough to keep me reading, at the core it was a three generational family orientated story. It dealt with abuse and racial tensions and how over time new generations overcame the prejudice, but it wasn’t just about the youth enforcing the change it was about being brave enough to change even in old age, even after being wrong and knowingly so for so many years.
I really enjoyed how the heaviness of these messages were balanced with the light commentary from the daughter, who wasn’t influenced and was able to actively make her own decisions in who she wanted to be and how she could face prejudice.
Considering this is the authors first book I would definitely consider reading any others she brings out.
(3.5) stars

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

received this as an ARC. Liked all of characters, but Margaret..not as much. Author nailed the dialogue between 11 year old grown up girl and Lena, the old lady sticking her nose into Kalayla's business! Included the generational and racial hangups passed down to each of us. But also that family means family--blood and those we choose to include. And that family should be there for each other... Enjoyed the book! (Will the author continue Kalayla's story? I hope so.)

[Marziye Foroughi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas is a woman fiction in which she has centered the story on three female characters of three generations living in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the late 1990s. Lena is a widowed old lady in her 70s who cannot get rid of the heavy burden of losing her sons in the Vietnam war and being obliged to stay married to an outrageous narcissistic man in the past. She is a woman always covered in black, living in an entirely white house all alone. She can only break the walls of her solitude when Maureen and her daughter move in across the hall. Maureen is a clueless single mother juggling between different jobs to take care of her daughter. She is an artist who has been obliged to give up on painting since her husband, Jamal, died in a car race. Now she is deprived of her husband's precious love and her own family's support at the same time, mainly because her family disowned her after she married a black man. Maureen's daughter, Kalayla, is an intelligent and smart-mouthed 11-year-old girl. She is self-reliant and strong-willed as much as she is pigheaded and tough. She has a surprising favorite activity of hanging out on the streets as free as a wild baby tiger.

The story begins when Kalayla catches Lena's attention by wandering in the neighborhood and roaming around with odd people. Kalayla, with all her manners and actions, reminds Lena of her twins when they were young. She somehow feels guilty for all the mistakes she made with her husband when the boys were growing up. Being nervous about Kalayla's future, Lena attempts to teach Kalayla things she could not teach her boys. She makes a great effort to prevent her from making poor decisions and going down in the wrong lane. All these endeavors intensify these three characters' power to face hardship. Together they navigate their way through tribulations and turn out to be more united and powerful than they have ever imagined.

The author narrates the story from each character's first-person perspective. The characterization is so well-developed you can feel the depth of the characters. I enjoyed the book, laughed at Kalayla's amusing behavior, became furious about Lena's past family issues, felt compassion for Lena, and warmly smiled at her unique love for Jamal. I liked how the book shows that sometimes family has nothing to do with blood. They provide love, support, and strength to each other unconditionally.

There is nothing I disliked about this story. However, I expected the important and sensitive topics such as racism and domestic violence addressed in the story to be covered with deeper insight to create awareness and lead people struggling with these problems to the light.

I will rate Kalayla 3 out of 4 stars. It is a unique story. Honestly, some parts touched a chord in me. Despite highlighting issues of racism and domestic violence, it failed to expand upon them. But apart from that, this book is dedicated to the women and their struggles that are so relevant and will be relevant forever. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys family dramas, especially to women with heavy burdens.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ties that bind

A glimpse into life and the familial issues that come with it, viewed from three different viewpoints. Follow along as they reflect on the past while building their futures; and fixing their wrongs as well as themselves.
#GoodreadsGiveaway

[BellaGBear · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas is told from the perspective of three people First, there is Lena, a rich 72-year-old woman who only wears black and lives a hermit-like existence. Part of the reason for that is traumatic experiences in her marriage. Secondly, there is Maureen, an artist who is forced to quit her art after the tragic death of her husband. She is abandoned by her family and friends, because she dared to marry a black man as a white woman. Thirdly, there is Kalayla, Maureen's daughter. She is troubled and spends most of her time alone, wandering the streets and finding ways to make money. Kalayla thinks her mother’s family died in a big gas explosion, a lie that has been eating up Maureen for almost 10 year.

In the beginning of the book, the characters feel very strange. Their actions don’t make a lot of sense, and all 3 of them seem outsiders. Whilst reading the book, they slowly start to make more sense when their backgrounds are revealed. Nicholas does that in a non-linear way, with pieces of flashbacks and memories sprinkled throughout the book. In the later half of the book, a lot of personal problems of the characters come knocking. The issues span 3 generations in total, and all the characters have to work together to untangle the messes of each of their lives.

The book is written in an easy, accessible style. This ensured that, once I started the book, it did not let me go until I had finished it. However, this writing style also confused me. It was not clear to me whether the book was meant for young-adults or adults. The words used, and the style made it more suitable for young-adults, but the subject matters fit more in the adult book category (rape, racism, sexual abuse). Therefore, Kalayla might struggle to market itself, because the writing is too simple for an adult book, but the subject is too tough for a young-adult book.

Another thing that bugged me in this book is the jumps forward in the story. For example, there are moments when the characters have a problem, for example a fight between Maureen and Kalayla, and we as readers are not sure how things can ever be alright between them again. And then the book skips forward a few months and everything is hunky-dory between the two! We don’t get to read how the issue was resolved, and the reader is left hanging wondering what happened. This happened several times in the book, which is a shame, especially because it could also have explained the actions of the characters better, which brings me to the following point of this review.

The characters in this book acted frustratingly irrational. Which is both positive and negative. A lot of books are written with rational characters, doing rational things, but people are not rational. So the book brings a refreshing perspective of real-life irrational people. However, it does become frustrating as a reader when the actions are not explained. For example, Maureen tells Kalayla a lie when she is about 2 years old. She immediately regrets telling the lie, but she also does not retract the lie on the spot. Instead, she waited 10 years, and when the truth ever comes out, Maureen en Kalayla’s relationship might be ruined forever. We never get a good explanation why Maureen didn’t solve the issue immediately, and there are more strange moments like that. For example, Kalayla is portrayed as a troubled kid, but we never read why she is troubled. We can guess at it, and the author hints at it, but we never read a satisfying explanation from the perspective of Kalayla.

So in the end, this is a confusing book to review. On the one hand, it is easy to read, and the characters worked their way in my heart, which is impressive for a book of obly about 300 pages. However, there are also a lot of structural issues with this book. This book would have been much better if Nicholas used 50 pages more to flesh-out events and characters. Concluding, I give this book 2 out of 4 stars. The book is recommended for everyone who loves family-drama with a happy ending, and doesn’t want to delve into a long, complicated novel.

[Nancy Hayes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeannie Nicolas' novel, Kalaya, brings us the story of the lives of three generations entwined when a young widower, Maureen, and her daughter, Kalaya, move into Lena's apartment building. Lena is a widower and had lost two sons in the Vietnam war and is enstrangled from the other two. Kalayla is born into a biracial family, believing her maternal grandparents to be dead since Maureen couldn't tell her child that her family rejected her when she married her father, Jamal. Maureen works two jobs to provide for herself and her daughter, which gives Kalaya a lot of unsupervised time to walk the streets and stir up mischief. Lena takes an interest in Kalaya and soon has her doing small jobs around her house. Lena becomes a grandmotherly type to Kalaya. Lena searches for ways to reach Kalaya since she feels Kalayla is vulnerable walking the streets. Lena tries to find ways to keep her away from that life by taking her to a friend's gym to enroll in defense classes. Kalaya is not interested but eventually works out a job for herself with Rico, the owner, to make money to pay for dance classes. Lena gets Kalaya involved with Carlotta and her animal rescue shelter for extra cash too.

I enjoyed this book, laughed at Kalayla's antics, cried over Lena and her past family issues, felt compassion for Maureen. It does address racism and domestic violence lightly but not in detail. I liked how each character benefits from the other. Lena benefits from having Kalaya to give grandmotherly love to since she had no one. Kalaya benefits from a grandmother's tough love that Lena bestows upon her. Maureen benefits from Lena helping her out with Kalayla and offering her a studio to do her artwork. They provide love, support, and strength to each other, showing that sometimes family has nothing to do with blood.

There was nothing I disliked about this story. I would've liked to have seen Maureen's character developed more since she was the central person in bringing the story about. I felt Maureen had much more story to her than was told. I loved how Lena and Kalayla had such a rewarding connection for both.

I rate this book 5 out of 5 because it was a realistic story. We often seek from others what we can't find within our own families. I like having all three perspectives from each character.

Teens, grandmothers, and young women would enjoy Kalayla.I found borderline profanity but not overly offensive. I found one error that appeared to be a typo. This book looks to be professionally edited.

[Teresa A. Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Excellent Read for a Time Like This!

These are very strange and unusual times. I am not sure I couldn't have picked a better book about racism, abuse, friendship and the fact that it does take a village to raise a child. Just ask Malaya...she can tell you about that and a lot more and plenty of surprises to keep it interesting.

[Nomvuyo Dlamini · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas is a story about the lives of three women of different generations who live in an apartment building in Cambridge The lives of Lena, a 72-year-old Italian landlady and her neighbor and new tenant Maureen, a 29-year-old widow and her biracial daughter, Kalayla, intertwine and unfold right before our eyes. Life is unpredictable, the connections we make with other people can make the journey of living worth it, or they could make you want to end your life. Makes you wonder which connections Lena, Maureen and Kalayla make huh.

The story is told in first-person narrative of all three of these women revealing their past, their secrets and all their fears. Lena is an old woman who has gone through so much already when this story begins. She was married to a brute who abused her physically and mentally before his “untimely” passing. She had 4 children but 2 of them are dead and she doesn’t have much of a relationship with the ones that are alive. She is an old lady stuck in her ways, wearing nothing but black clothing for thirty years and closing herself off from the world, existing in it but not really living. Until she meets Maureen and her daughter, who have been through their fair share of trouble themselves. The way the author tells this story in each woman’s perspective really makes each of these three characters stand out.

The story bravely brings up issues about abuse, race, family and the importance of honesty and understanding in all relationships one might have. Although not one of the major themes of this book, the author brings up mental illness as well in the form of traumatic stress and its effects on Clarence, a rather complex character that any reader would find interesting. The author was successful in making a story that a lot of people could relate to because of such important themes. The book is edited well with very few errors.

Some parts of the story felt repetitive because I had to get three people talking about the same event. Organizing Maureen’s birthday party for example was an idea that Kalayla brought up and planned. She asked her neighbor Lena for help and when Lena’s chapter comes, we hear about the same things that Kalayla has already thought and told us about. And then the actual party comes up and Maureen tells us the same thing as she is surprised by the efforts of both Kalayla and Lena. For this one event, all three women go through similar thoughts about how Kalayla was so sweet and coming with the idea and how wonderful she was for making it happen. Having three people talk about the same thing makes the story hard to get through, one must read several chapters that don’t move the plot but instead repeat what previous chapters have touched on.

Another issue with this book is that it introduced so many important themes that some of them are not really explored deeply enough. An example of this would be Clarence and his mental illness, or not. It’s not clear whether Clarence has any mental illness or if he just has a poor character. He is an important side character whose story just ends without us knowing its conclusion or even exploring his circumstances clearly. We know enough about him to be a distinct character but not enough to describe what motivates him to do what he does. I have so many thoughts I want to discuss after reading this book about so many characters which proves one thing; the author is successful in engaging her audience. Bringing the reader into the world she has created, forcing you to form an opinion, to want to advise Lena, Kalayla or her mother, to form a connection to the characters she has made as if they were real people.

This story was enjoyable and somewhat believable. Although superficial, it touched on important topics that any woman who reads it can relate to. I rate it 2 out of 5 stars. This is because I believe other storylines like that of Clarence could have elevated this story if they had been started and finished with an end goal in mind. I recommend this book to anyone looking to understand how other people get on with this unpredictable thing we call life.

[Kim Radatz · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Kalayla, we are introduced to three female characters, residing in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the late 1990s. We get acquainted with Maureen, Kalayla, and Lena through learning each of their stories, background information into how they came to be who they are present-day, from the past they each experienced. Complex life events plague each of these characters, shaping their lives along the way. Each character seems to recognize that they are struggling, but they are unable to ease their struggles. As the storyline unfolds, it becomes apparent that the relationships among Maureen, Kalayla, and Lena, combined with current events, will be life-changing.

This author’s writing style is engaging, descriptive, and endearing. The lives of Maureen, Kalayla, and Lena intertwine intriguingly throughout Kalaya. Readers learn how the relationships among these characters aid one another in addressing the struggles they are facing long before the characters realize this themselves. Kalayla provided me with the opportunity to see how culture can impact life, both positively and negatively. Seeing how cultures can have an emotional impact was eye-opening for me. I feel this book left me with new-found empathy for those who find themselves facing struggles similar to those of Maureen, Kalayla, and Lena.

I highly recommend this book to others.

[ANA RIKKA DIANNE PINEDA · Rating 4 out of 5]

In "Kalayla," the author crafts a poignant and multi-layered narrative that explores the complexities of race, family, and identity through the eyes of three resilient women creating a rich tapestry of emotional intersections.

Kalayla is a spirited and opinionated biracial girl navigating the challenges of adolescence and identity. Her mother, Maureen, is a white woman grappling with the recent loss of her African-American husband and the ensuing struggle to raise Kalayla on alone while dealing with her own grief.

Enter Lena, an elderly Italian-American widow living in the same apartment building with a wound that still aches deeply. When she crosses paths with Kalayla and Maureen, an unlikely friendship forms. Lena becomes a surrogate grandmother to Kalayla and a source of wisdom and support for Maureen.

The novel delves into themes of forgiveness, familial love, resilience, and the power of community. As the three women confront their own prejudices and fears, they find strength in their shared humanity. Nicholas deftly explores the generational and cultural divides that both separate and bind these women, painting a vivid picture of their evolving relationships offering readers a profound look at the challenges and triumphs of contemporary life.

Here are some thoughts and reflections to ponder:

1. Kieran's decision to refuse choosing between his grandfather and his friend demonstrates a powerful statement on loyalty and love. This choice reflects a refusal to let circumstances dictate the bonds he cherishes and made me think that really true love and loyalty are non-negotiable, even in the face of difficult choices.

2. Lena discovering a purpose or reason for living beyond mere existence is a critical turning point. Her interaction with Kalayla and Maureen gives her life renewed meaning, transforming her from a state of passive existence to active engagement with life. This shift highlights the impact that intergenerational relationships can have on giving life purpose and fulfillment.

3. The contrasting relationships between Maureen and her family, and Lena’s relationship with her children highlight different approaches to parenting and forgiveness. While Lena's relationship with her children is strained, she realizes the need for reconciliation and hopes for forgiveness. This contrast emphasizes the importance of healing familial rifts and the enduring hope for forgiveness and understanding within families.

4. Clarence’s tears for his mother resonate deeply with the mothers, a clear representation of the unconditional love a mother has for her children. It sparks a realization highlighting that despite any mistakes, a mother's love remains unwavering. This connection between Clarence's vulnerability and maternal instincts emphasizes the theme of enduring familial love.

5. Maureen's understanding of the trauma Clarence experienced in his childhood underscores the importance of empathy within relationships. Recognizing each other's past struggles fosters deeper connections and compassion, reinforcing the idea that family members should support and care for one another.

6. The notion that love is a remedy for certain kinds of pain is a central theme. It suggests that the love and support from family can heal wounds that nothing else can. This theme advocates for the power of love and connection in overcoming personal and relational challenges.

7. Emphasizing the importance of actions in the present, regardless of past mistakes, is crucial life philosophy.

8. Mark’s freedom to live openly without fear of judgment speaks to the importance of acceptance within families. It illustrates the liberating power of being loved and accepted for who you are, without the burden of judgment or apology.

9. Lena’s statement about not making her personal trauma her children’s problem reflects a protective and self-aware approach to parenting. It shows her determination to shield her children from the pain she experienced, highlighting the sacrifices parents often make to ensure their children’s well-being.

10. The Burden of Truth and the Weight of Guilt:

Lena's revelation to Rico about Joey's death and her possible culpability is a profound act of vulnerability and courage. It forces us to reflect on the heavy burden of carrying such a truth and the complex nature of guilt. Is the act of confessing her perceived role in Joey's death a path to personal redemption, or does it risk shattering the fragile bonds that remain? This moment underscores the intricacies of human emotion and responsibility—how acknowledging our darkest fears and mistakes can either set us free or further entangle us in the web of our past. It challenges us to consider the impact of our actions on those we love and the delicate balance between honesty and the desire to protect others from pain.

11. The Enduring Nature of Love:

Maureen's mother's cake, adorned with the heartfelt message "for all the missed birthdays," serves as a poignant symbol of enduring love and unspoken connections. Despite the years of physical separation and the milestones missed, this gesture embodies a love that transcends time and distance. It suggests that true familial love persists, silently weaving through the gaps created by absence. This act of baking a cake becomes a tangible representation of reconciliation and hope, reminding us that love remains steadfast and can bridge even the widest of chasms. It's a testament to the unbreakable bonds that, though tested by time and circumstance, never truly fade.

The author excels in character development, rendering each protagonist's voice distinct and authentic. Kalayla transforms from an initially annoying teenager to a compelling and loving character. Maureen's evolves from a grief-stricken widow, paralyzed by loss, into a vibrant individual who rediscovers her true self through the strength of her community. Lena's journey from isolation symbolized by her dark clothing, to embracing life anew with vibrant colors both literally and figuratively, illustrates a personal renewal.

The book is a touching and thought provoking novel that resonates on multiple levels. It is a celebration of the strength and resilience of women, and redemptive love of family and community.

For readers looking for a heartfelt and deeply human story, Kalayla is a must read. It is a testament to the enduring bonds that can form in the most unexpected places, offering hope and inspiration to all who turns its pages.

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great, quick, read. Recommended to me by a family member since it takes place in Cambridge, Mass. I love reading first person female voices, and this one has three! Kalayla, an 11-year-old loner with a smart-ass voice, Maureen, her recently-widowed artist mother, and Lena, the "Crabby old lady" who is their landlord.
The stories of the three women intervene, filling in the spaces left in each other lives after the loss of loved ones. For example, Kalayla needs purpose and something to do instead of roaming the streets, and Lena fills that purpose with odd jobs and even food--eventually chipping away at the vulnerable child underneath.
I love the dialogue here. It's witty and real. Spunk and sass.
I highly recommend, especially if you are from Boston!

[Tammy Landgren · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is told from the perspectives of three different generations of women: Lena, a woman in her 70s still fighting the demons from her past, Maureen, a 30-year-old widow struggling to provide for her daughter, and Kalayla, an 11-year-old who has been through a lot. Over the course of a year and a half, they get to know each other and discover that family doesn't have to be determined by biology. I recommend this book to mothers out there who are constantly feeling guilty about their mistakes and worrying that they are doing it all wrong. This is such a poignant story. I laughed, cried and didn't want it to end.

[Avinash Soni · Rating 4 out of 5]

REVIEW OF KALAYLA

Summary

Sometimes people who genuinely care about you regardless of who you are, become more important than the actual biological family you got. Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas is the story of the above revelation in the life of 3 women of 3 different generations. Lena, a 72 years old widow, is suffering her past with the beautiful memories of her 2 dead children and the other 2 who don’t visit her, along with the unfortunate anamnesis of her unwanted husband. Maureen, a young widow, who recently moved with her daughter, Kalayla, is a young widow, who was abandoned by her family since she married a black, was trying so hard to keep up with all in her life, and working so hard to cater to the financial needs of the family, leading to her daughter suffering from the least of her company. Kalayla is innocent by her heart, yet very audacious and impudent through her behavior. She doesn’t think twice before uttering not-so-good words for people most often. The story revolves around the lives of these three women, with the first-person storytelling style. It’s not always easy to cope up with the loss of your children, so Lena is always looking forwards to help Maureen & experience the company of Kalayla. Because she reminds of her children, and also she doesn’t want kalayla to end up growing & becoming like one of her sons who doesn’t care much like his father. She believes her experience in upbringing four children might help. Gradually all three women start to bond together & have great relationships.
 

Positive aspects

Author conveyed the story from each character’s first-person perspective, so the chapters are divided as per the character as well. Also, the writing style is so accurate that as a reader I could actually relate and differentiate easily whenever a particular character was in the narrator’s seat. All the characters are different in their way, which is very realistic & lively. Then the author tries to touch sensitive topics eloquently, with balanced emotional expressiveness. What I most liked about the book is the understanding of all the characters are at perfectly balanced levels as per the personalities depicted. Lena is very experienced and mature, Maureen is not so competent in dealing with stuff because it's new for her, and Kalayla is recklessly bold and hard but contemptuous as well. As a reader, I can feel the depth of characters very easily. The events are so naturally described that you can find yourself watching Maureen & Lena, see them consoling & crying & feel the warmth, the pain, and the anxiety at many scenes. The kind of understanding & maturity was revealed, when characters understand each other is amazing. It’s always great to have someone who can understand you & your situation even before telling you.


Negative aspects

Although there was nothing as bad as I would highly disliked about the book, but author using so many cuss words when Kalayla is talking, makes me feel irritated more often, As an avid reader I personally don’t like to listen or read this kind of language, on the contrary I truly respect the artistic liberty of the author to characterize Kalayla in that fashion where reader can understand the real Kalayla, that’s why this point of dislike is not significant from that perspective.


Rating and recommendations.

I would give 4 out of 5 stars. Some minor errors and above point won’t be justifiable enough according to me deduct any stars from the ratings. Lastly I would highly recommend this book to everyone except for the people who can never tolerate any cuss words. But apart from that this book is specially dedicated to the women and their issues which are so relevant today and forever. So anyone out there can give it a try, this will be worth your time.  

[Omer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The novel revolves around three characters. Kalayla is a beautiful, mixed-race, independent, and foul-mouthed girl. After the death of her father Jamal, she moved to another area and met Mrs. Lina, an old businesswoman who owns the new apartment building. Lonely and withdrawn. Wearing nothing but black, she is haunted by sad memories of her previous life. Her mother is a white-colored, beautiful, soft-spoken woman who hides from the pain of her husband's sudden death and her family's rejection of her. She gives up her dream of becoming an artist. Life pushes her to become a single mother, raising a rebellious and unfathomable girl who tries her best to get close to her daughter. Kalayla discovers that her parents lied to her and is subjected to many traumas and crises. But she overcomes all adversity discovers her dream and tries to reach her dream. The events escalate and show the suffering of each of them in their previous lives, and they get closer to each other and share a strong bond of love that changes their worlds. As the story unfolds, you realize that it's better to fix a mistake late than to bear the burden of it all the time. One has to be able to look at the events and understand them well. The author touches on many issues, such as the issue of mixed race, as Kalaya Jamal's father was black and her mother was white, and they shared a love story and faced many challenges and rejection by society. The issue of bullying and its serious impact on children made me cry. I was moved by the scene where my uncle Kalaya was bullied as a five-year-old boy and how it affected him forever. She also showed the power of change and turning crises into strength, such as what happened with Jamal when he was bullied. She mentioned the issue of spousal abuse, the wife's acceptance of abuse, and the impact on her and the children. The author also explained the impact of criticizing and directing children to do what we want them to do, and how this affects their desires and destroys their personality forever. She showed this with JJ, the eldest son of Mrs. Lena, and how his father's interference in his life affected his personality forever. She also mentioned the issue of gays and the impact of society's rejection of them, and how they deal with that. I liked the development of the characters and their connection with the events. The author's style was beautiful as she switched between the three characters, connecting the events and developing each of them wonderfully. I liked the independent character of Kalayla. She knows what she wants and how to achieve it. I liked the phrase "love is the cure for all troubles". I loved the character of Lady Lena and her ability to tame the rebellious Arya and contain the vulnerable Mordin. Her ability to change as a 72-year-old woman. Her constant attempt to correct her mistakes and get closer to her children. She mentioned a sentence that is a message to every human being: "Fixing a mistake late is better than continuing it." One of the most complex scenes in the novel that impressed me was when Lena intervened to save Mordin from an attempted rape and then sympathized with him. Mordin's character was also very realistic, representing most mothers. She gives up her dreams and changes her path to contain her daughter when she doesn't know how to manage her own affairs. Anyone can read Kalayla's novel, especially parents and teenagers, to gain hope and know that the essence of happiness is "pursuing your dream". Although there are some sex scenes and swear words.
I would like to thank the author Jenny for this novel and the way she deals with strong issues in an enjoyable style with a wonderful interconnection of events. She also added her personal character in the novel through her love for animals, especially her two cats, as well as her love for Tai Chi. I give this novel four stars.

[Haru · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas is a family, social novel and slice of Life, that presents the conflict of ways of an 11-year-old girl named Kalayla with a 72 old woman, where the old woman Lena is forced into the life of this child after she was living her quiet old life, which opens old wounds for Lina, which had been buried by the time.
Life does not distinguish between young and old, and can bare its fangs at any time without warning.
On the paths of tragedy we meet the dearest people, where misery gathered this child and the old woman, as Kalayla was born to a black father and a white mother, an orphan who knows nothing about her mother’s family.
What is the secret that her mother hid from her all those years? Why is her mama always so obsessed with the idea and value of the family when Kalayla has never seen a single member of her mother's family before, and what is the story of the mysterious old woman, and why does she always wear black and cover all her house in white?

I loved in the book the idea that the narrator is a reciprocal role between 3 characters, namely Kaila and Lina, the old woman, and Maureen, Kaila’s mother, as Jeannie Nicholas puts you in the heart and perspective of each character separately, showing you the matter from the point of view of a child, a young woman and an old woman.
I also liked the very easy language of the book and the informal language sometimes like ('em / 'course) in addition to using the names of real restaurants and cafes that make the novel more realistic, such as "Starbucks" page 205, and the names of chocolates such as "Snickers" in several places in the novel.
I loved the nature of the relationship and the big age gap between Lina and Kayla, as the writer proves that age does not matter at all in forming relationships, as the dialogues between the two characters were very funny, interesting and sometimes warm.
I liked the frequent use of the inner monologue, as it shows us the way a person thinks and measures things according to his personality and his method of analysis.
The novel shows a beautiful style of drama and the development of events and characters, and this is a wonderful matter from my point of view, the extent to which the characters' style has matured and changed over the course of the novel, as they moved between laughter and comedy to sad drama, as I cried in the chapter "Lena's family", while the chapter "Jamal" was sweet and romantic. As I mentioned, the novel shows many cases and human feelings that a person goes through during his life.
I loved presenting the idea of ​​husband cruelty and the look of a patriarchal society, in addition to presenting an idea of ​​abhorrent racism.

The things I did not like about the novel are the procrastination of events, as you can get bored after completing 100 pages. The development of events is very slow, and it presents many unnecessary dialogues in my view.
Moreover, sometimes I felt that there was a slight exaggeration in the reactions and feelings of some characters to the point of unrealism, such as Kalayla's reaction when discovering her mother's secret.

I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars , The novel is beautiful and its idea is wonderful. I highly recommend reading it, but I discounted a star because of the reason I mentioned, which is the length of the novel, as the writer can shorten the events in fewer pages.

I recommend reading this novel for adults who are about to get married or who have young children, as it helps to rethink the style of education and how to deal with children and life problems in general. Parents can read this novel with their children like reading a chapter every night, as the events are interesting, beautiful and peaceful It contains many interwoven stories.

[Lydia Efobi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kalayla is a fictional story written by Jeannie Nicholas. It has three main characters: Lena, Maureen, and Kalayla. Maureen, an Irish widow, was repudiated by her parents for espousing a black man. She suffers emotional trauma at the untimely death of her dear husband. She is left to play both the role of a father and a mother in Kalayla’s life. Her busy schedule in a bid to provide for the family leaves Kalayla almost without a mother figure. Lena is an old lady stalked by the demons of her past: the loss of her twin boys, the alienation from her two older sons, and her unfortunate marriage. She is fascinated by Kalayla as she reminds her of the children she couldn't protect. Lena has so much guilt about how she raised her children. Because of this, she takes accountability for keeping sharp-mouthed Kalayla in check. In the end, Lena, Kalayla, and Maureen become blended families: woven together by choice, strengthened together by love, and tested by everything.

The major themes of this book are family ties and parenting. This book is a reminder that in family life, love is the oil that eases friction, the cement that binds us together, and the music that brings harmony.

The story is from a first-person narrative. The chronology of events spurred a swift flow while reading. The author was skilled in crafting the accurate emotions into each word penned down. I could feel the anger, love, fear, care, and innocence while reading as though I was present in the making of this book.

I enjoyed Jeannie’s choice of words and her inclusion of symbolism. She used Lena’s white apartment to express the lack of joy, happiness, and love in Lena’s life and the black clothing Lena always wore to depict her misery.

As the book progresses, it's like you can see through the varied characters. Their hopes, fears, and goals are all expressed. This book explored the depths of family ties and parenting.

I found some paragraphs unnecessarily lengthy. I did not appreciate Kalayla’s behavior. Besides, I understood the author's aim of making Kalayla rebellious and quick-tempered, but I found her behavior too exaggerated for an eleven-year-old child. Likewise, I felt the author should have chosen milder utterances for Kalayla’s character.

There were a few errors in the book. Nevertheless, I decided to overlook them because they were barely noticeable. With that said, the book was well-edited. Despite my dislikes, I would rate Kalayla 4 out of 4 stars because my dislikes did not hinder my overall satisfaction. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and found the book very relatable to the real world despite being a work of fiction.

Sadly, due to the addition of violence, vulgar words, and homophobic language, I do not advise the younger audience to read this book. However, a mature audience who enjoys family drama, thrillers, and works of fiction should pick this read because it is one book that pulls you in on the first page and holds you until the end.

This book clearly shows that at the time of the test, family is best.

I submitted this review for OnlineBookClub and it can be found here: https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/vie...

[Tamika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas is... It's like opening one of your old diaries.
There is Lena, your cranky regular old neighbour who just can't help but be nosy (she means well of course), then you have Maureen, a hard-working, widowed mother of one, clueless about parenting (but then again, every parent shares the sentiment), and then there's the star of the show, Kaylayla, a self-reliant 11-year-old girl, with a big mouth, witty mind and an even bigger heart. The story revolves around these three women and the choices they make to navigate their lives. Lena, an elderly woman holding on to grief having lost her sons and husband in quick succession, Maureen, also a widow and holding onto the ghost of her late perfect husband while striving to create a balance between being the best mother and a good provider, and Kaylayla, an adolescent girl far more mature for her age in some aspects and just your regular 'girl next door' coming of age. This book is one filled with hope, redemption, family, love, sacrifice and the spirit of community.

Usually, I prefer paranormal/fantasy genres but this book was so well written I was rushing back to it every chance I got out of my busy schedule going so far as skimping on sleep just to get more of these characters created by Jeannie Nicholas. I loved the era chosen, 1999-2000, an era that I myself was coming of age in, so I found it highly relatable. All the characters did not, at any one moment feel fictional, I mean, Lena could be your Grandma, in the way that most Grandmothers are always feeding you, sticking their nose in your business, you getting irritated by it, but loving their wise input that makes everything better all at once. Maureen could fit the bill of so many women across the globe. No matter how much the world has developed, racism is still very real today and Maureen's pain when she opened her eyes to just how severely closed-minded racists can be, I felt the pain right along with her. Kaylaya, this smart young girl, seeing the world through her eyes, her heart... just how courageous, witty, funny, and open-hearted she was, it was like looking back at the girl I used to be.
I love how this book made me laugh out loud in public, shed actual tears for the pain these characters experienced, and rejoiced at their victories, big and small. I loved how it made me question how I handle my own family and if perhaps, I should be a little more compassionate and forgiving.

The only thing I disliked was the slang of choice. It was a little ghetto, and I'm a bit of a grammar snob. I also noticed a few nonsensical grammatical errors that irked me. For example, on page 674 of the free epub copy, Lena says, "Too bad it's such waste of money.", when it should be '...such a waste of...' I found only one other such instance and wish I could only deduct 0.2 points from the review as this did not take away from the depth and richness of the story.

I definitely highly recommend everyone to read this book at least once in their life, you won't regret it!

[Koyna Dalmia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas is a very touching book. It is about three lonely people who end up finding company in each other in the most unusual way. Maureen is a young white woman. Her family disowns her when she marries a black man. After a few years, her husband dies in a car crash, and now she is all alone with her 10 year old daughter, Kalayla. They move into a flat next to the landlady of the building, Lena. Lena is a 72 year old woman. She virtually has no family- her husband and her twins died, and she doesn’t bond well with her other two sons. After Maureen and Kalayla shift next door, she observes Kalayla for a few days. Kalayla’s attitude worries her. She has no friends and wanders about the street taking to strangers. Lena knows Maureen is busy most of the day trying to make ends meet and does not pay much attention to Kalayla. But she cannot bear to see the child ruin her life, so she comes to help her. With her intervention, Kalayla is steered to the right path. But what Lena does not realize is that in the process she too turns over a new leaf.
I really like the story in its entirety. But if I have to choose one element, it will be the transition in Lena’s life. Lena was in an abusive marital relationship. Due to her husband’s strong influence on their sons, she could not teach them values which she thought were important. In the process, she wasn’t close to her sons, so much so she didn’t know where one of them was. In a way, she failed as a mother. But when Kalayla came in the picture, one could see her maternal instincts kick in. She was a mother to Kalayla. A mother she only wished she could be to her sons. And as the story proceeds, one can see she has moved on from her past. Instead of wearing only black, she gradually starts including some color in her clothing. Her change in attire, hints that she is positive about the future. She is done reminiscing about the past and is willing to give a second chance to life!
Though the story is beautifully weaved. I felt the author left one loose thread. Maureen and Kalayla did not share the best of the mother-daughter relation. It is obvious Kalayla resented her mother for not looking after her as a child. I would have really liked to see their relationship improve. Maybe, Kalayla became more sensitive towards her mother’s situation or Maureen became a stronger person or both. I feel this tiny detail would enrich the story further.
I will rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. This is a unique story. There are parts which touched a chord in me. It highlighted issues of racism, marital abuse, and struggle. But everything came together in the end, and readers are left satisfied. Though, I would have liked to see Maureen and Kalayla’s relationship improve. Also, there were a few grammatical errors. The book contains borderline profanity and contains sexual scenes. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys family dramas, especially women.

[Charu Malhotra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kalayla is the debut novel by Jeannie Nicholas that centres around the lives of three women: Lena, Maureen and the titular character Kalayla herself. Situated in the city of Cambridge, this story begins in the year 1999 and spans two years of the lives of these three women. It is their confluence when Maureen and her daughter, Kalayla, moves into the apartment building across Lena who owns the building that marks the unraveling of their stories. Through each chapter we go through the life changing events of each of the protagonists' life and develop an understanding of their back story. Racism, irreparable and irrevocable loss, toxic relationships, rigidity of belief is spun right into the story but despite all such serious matter at hand, this book manages to remain light hearted. This must be attributed to the sarcastic and yet endearing character of Kalayla that stands in stark contrast to the complicated and flawed personas of both Lena and Maureen. And the matters are only helped further by Lena's and Kalayla's banter. There were moments when I ended up stifling a chuckle. It is understandable since Kalayla at only eleven years old is yet to be initiated into the world and hence has not been bereft of her innocence yet. Despite this, at times she shows the level headedness, resolve and simplicity that most of the well meaning adults in her life lack when brought vis-a-vis to grave situations.

I understand why the book is named after Kalayla since it is a maternally concern for her on the part of Lena that brings about her to interact with Maureen. That marks the beginning of Lena helping a struggling family of two which culminates in her helping herself ultimately. An end to her personal struggles of thirty years.

The narrative style of this book employs the inner dialogues and the interactions of the three main characters with other supporting characters in the play. The author has dedicated individual chapters to each of the three main characters by way of progressing the story. It is this technique of narration that helps reader dive deeper into the state of mind of each character and through that get a glimpse of their past. But this also works against the author at some places since it feels like she is feeding everything instead of providing a subtext and guiding the reader to reach the zeitgeist of the moment by their self.

All in all, despite few underwhelming aspects like lack of subtlety, I enjoyed reading this book through and through. I would strongly recommend it to anyone who is looking forward to binge reading and having their heart melt at the end. And I believe it does suffice to say for all those finicky readers out there who struggle with closure that this book won't disappoint you in the least. The author, after all, has done a remarkable job of not leaving this one "open to interpretation".

[Chiara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kalayla di Jeannie Nicholas è un romanzo che racconta di tre generazioni di donne. La più piccola tra loro è Kalayla, ragazzina astuta e senza peli sulla lingua ma dal cuore d’oro, cresciuta in fretta e praticamente da sola. Poi Maureen, dolcissima giovane donna con un animo da artista, arte nella quale si è rifiugiata dopo la morte dell’amorevole marito, e con un grosso peso sulle spalle: un segreto riguardante la sua famiglia sul quale ha tenuto la figlia all’oscuro. Infine abbiamo Lena, un’anziana signora che veste solo di nero e vive in un appartamento tutto bianco, perché la sua vita ha perso tutti i colori da quando due dei suoi figli sono morti in guerra.

Tre donne tanto diverse, eppure con una cosa in comune: tutte e tre sanno cosa significhi soffrire. E di fronte al dolore non contano l’età, l’estrazione sociale o le esperienze di vita. Il dolore rende tutti uguali, e unisce. Le loro strade, apparentemente così diverse, si sono incontrate, e forse era destino che accadesse. Forse avevano bisogno le une delle altre per poter andare avanti. Per poter sopravvivere. E crescere insieme.

Il romanzo è ambientato più di vent’anni fa ma è ancora molto attuale, poiché tratta di temi che fanno parte della vita di tutti, e superano i confini del tempo. Parla di amore, di amicizia, di fiducia, di lealtà. Di discriminazioni, di dolore, di lutto, di traumi, di abusi. Parla di coraggio. Parla delle difficoltà della quotidianità, di cambiamenti, di errori, di scelte difficili. Parla di seconde occasioni.

Lo stile della narrazione è molto scorrevole, leggero, a tratti molto comico, e le vicende narrate scaldano il cuore. È uno di quei libri perfetti per i tiepidi pomeriggi di primavera. Ma lateralmente vengono trattati temi importanti e sempre attuali, quali la violenza domestica, il razzismo, l’omofobia, le difficoltà della genitorialità, il fatto che un legame di sangue non sempre significa famiglia. E l’autrice tocca questi argomenti così delicati con una sensibilità davvero toccante.

La caratterizzazione dei personaggi è sottile, è mostrata più dai dialoghi e dai fatti che dalle descrizioni vere e proprie, ed il punto di vista che ciascuno ha sugli altri fornisce un quadro più completo e aiuta a renderli più autentici. Le parti narrate dal punto di vista di Kalayla sono senza dubbio le mie preferite. Quella ragazzina è semplicemente esilarante! La miglior costruzione di un personaggio che abbia visto negli ultimi anni in un romanzo di questo genere. Tutti i personaggi principali hanno avuto un’evoluzione, ma in particolar modo Kalayla. Lei è così preziosa. Ho adorato talmente tanto questo personaggio che vorrei poterla conoscere!

È stata una lettura davvero piacevole. Consiglierei questo libro a chiunque abbia un cuore gentile e a chiunque ami le storie familiari toccanti e piene di significato.

[Anjaliparmar · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book Kalayla, written by Jeannie Nicolas, revolves around three lonely women of three different generations whose lives are entwined when a young widower, Maureen, and her daughter, Kalayla, moves in Lena's apartment building. Lena is a rich widow, who lost her twin sons in the War in Vietnam, and is separated from the other two. Kalayla was a bold, bi-racial teen as an individual, with a time-consuming, error-mouth. Her world is shattered when she learns that her parents lied to her about her mother's family. Kalayla's mother, Maureen, was disowned by her family when she got married to Jamal. She was an art student but after her husband's sudden departure now she works two jobs to support herself and her daughter, which provides Kalayla tons of free time to steer the streets and wreak havoc. Lena takes interest in Kalayla because she reminds her of her dead' twins. Lena wants to help Maureen, could also be due to guilt conscious because she couldn’t save her own sons. It's really exciting to ascertain how within the process of helping Maureen and Kalayla how her own life takes an excellent turn.
These three women will give each other the love, support and strength, which proves that, sometimes, the family has nothing to do with the blood in it. Even though the book deals with issues of race, gender, sexual orientation, marital violence, and it is the setting for the legacy of the past, rather than the focus of the story. It's going to be violence and racial tension, and how future generations can overcome the prejudices of the time, but it wasn't just about young people who are striving for change, but it was also that we have to be brave enough to get it to change, even in old age, even if they are in the wrong, and to be aware for several years.
It was a heart-warming story and there was nothing in this story that I didn't like it. I loved the book, it has both the sense of humour of a teenager and seriousness of an adult. The book Kalayla furnished me with the possibility to look how sub-culture can impact life, each positively and negatively. Seeing how cultures can have an emotional impact changed into eye-commencing for me. This book left me with new-observed empathy for people who discover themselves facing struggles similar to those of Maureen, Kalayla and Lena.
I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars.
Kalayla, it is suitable for both adults and young people. We all undergo different phases of life and each one of us might have experienced some similar emotions experienced by our three protagonists. I feel everyone should try reading it at least once.
The language used in the book is bordering on blasphemy, but it is not abusive.

[Shruti Chhabra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kalayla is a novel with varied themes. It covers racial discrimination, complex relationships, guilt, domestic violence, love, and forgiveness, all in one book.
The book essentially revolves around three protagonists,
Kalayla- an eleven-year-old bi-racial, motor mouth, feisty girl. Her widowed mother Maureen, abandoned by her Irish family, married a black and Lena, a successful seventy-two-year-old businesswoman living a recluse life.
Kalayla is a loner, and she only has her father's family as relatives. However, she has been told that her mother's entire family had perished in a gas blast even before she was born. Which she later discovers was fed as a lie to her because Maureen did not want to reveal to her that her family abandoned her for marrying Kalayla's father.
Maureen hardly faced real life until her husband Jamal was alive. She remained in her creative world painting and loving her husband and daughter. Only after her husband's death, she finds herself fending, struggling monetarily, managing two jobs, trying to keep her perverted brother-in-law Clarence away. Worrying sick for her only treasure- her Kalayla.
Lena, on the other, has nothing to worry about financially. She is successful in her career and supported by her brother and her friend of years, Lotta. However, she is haunted by the past of an abusive relationship with her husband, Joey. The death of her twin boys, her estranged son Mark, who she has not heard for the last 15 years, and her eldest JJ, whose family she meets only twice a year, despite being in the same town.
Lena keeps comparing Kalayla with her boys in her mind. In fact, this was the foremost reason for Lena's attraction towards the girl.
The characters in the story help heal each other. They unknowingly enter the lives of each other and become each other's support. All three characters evolve during their journey. It's a happy ending. The supporting cast is well articulated, Lotta's character is sharp and crisp, yet it's humane. Rico is gentle, and Clarence is loud and sleazy.
The conversation between Kalayla and Lena is never a child to adult. It's witty and taunting and enjoyable to read.
The fact that things get better, in the end, gives hope to the readers, and there is nothing more pleasurable than hope.
The only area where I thought the novel could do better was the bi-racial plot. The author has touched upon such a powerful theme, and yet she chose to marginalize it. It could have been explored and implored much more.
Overall it was a pleasurable read with mixed emotions.

[Rosie Ziarnik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas was 3 stars for me.

Kalayla is a book about struggle. Discussed in the book are topics such as social status, race, gender, domestic abuse, neglectful parents, and underlying religious ideals. I did tear up during certain dialogue between characters. Even though these tough topics are being discussed, the writer keeps the content light; it’s not super challenging to read, but it did stir some emotional responses inside me as the reader.

Overcoming the racial prejudice and developing personal confidence are the motivating forces of this story. All three main characters, all women, learn to grow into themselves and better themselves for personal and social reasons.

I liked the idea of the story, but at times, I felt myself asking, “How does this tie into the plot?” or “Why is this significant?” I feel that the story could often get derailed and sidetracked for a bit, and those times were hard to get through for me as the reader. Going into reading [i]Kalayla[/i], I didn’t know that the author, Jeannie NIcholas, was British. There’s some vulgar language used as a way to describe someone, or someone’s feelings towards another, and it was often a variation of the same word which got really repetitive.

There were certain scenes in the book that brought up some personal trauma for me as the reader. I felt that this gave me a better way to connect to certain characters. I believe Jeannie Nicholas described the scenes and character thoughts in a way that got the message across that she was trying to convey, without focusing on the issue more than the plot of the story. The story moves along at a decent pace and I didn’t feel as if the harder topics made the story harder to get through, I think it contributed to stronger character development. Without the struggles, the characters wouldn’t have been able to achieve the level of growth seen throughout the book.

I’d recommend this book for readers who want to discuss some controversial, harder topics, but on the lighter side, not too deep. I wouldn’t recommend this book for younger readers under age 13, as it might pose more questions or expose them to topics they’ve never discussed, which would take away from the story itself. If you identify as a woman, and you want to read about some of the everyday struggles of some women, this is a read for you. If you’re a person of mixed heritage with children, this is a read for you.

[areadingnook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas contains an interwoven plot of three generations leading to an interesting tale of betrayal, family ties, and a testament to how it is never too late to make things right. Kayla is a rebellious, smart-mouthed, eleven-year-old being raised by her single, widowed mother Maureen. Maureen struggles to raise Kalayla on her own and finds solace, friendship, and guidance in her neighbor, Lena. Lena is a seventy-two-year-old widow who has her own past troubles needing to be faced. Together, they navigate the murky waters and tribulations and come out stronger than they could have imagined.

The book is written in the 1999-2000 time period and alternates perspectives between all three of the women. My favorite character is Lena, who sees her own children reflected in Kalayla's feisty and independent personality. She is a tough, no-nonsense older lady who only wants to help out Maureen and perhaps do what she wasn't able to do with her own kids. Jeannie Nicholas' decision to alternate the perspectives throughout the story was a well-chosen one. Usually, when chapters are written this way, some may have trouble distinguishing one character from the next but with Kalayla, this is not the case as each character's personality and speaking traits are uniquely their own. I was glad to see that this book attempts to touch a variety of topics that ring true to today's state of the world like racism, abuse, rape, homophobia, and the importance of having someone's back.

In reading this though, I wasn't completely convinced that an eleven-year-old girl would be able to run rampant and with a foul mouth as the author portrays here. I constantly kept forgetting that she was only a pre-teen and kept picturing her of an older age. Despite this work of art bringing about the different topics mentioned above, I also believe some could have been expanded upon. At times, each topic was only mentioned once without any deeper insight, leaving me frustrated and wanting to know more about how the characters would process each issue. For example, the instance of rape where Uncle Clarence is excused from this behavior due to his bad experience as a young, black kid. I believe this only diminishes the importance and impact rape can have on the victim.

All in all, I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars. There were no errors that I could detect - none that kept me from being able to read and understand this work. The cover art is beautiful, colorful, and engaging. My rating on this is due to the lack of depth I felt when discussing major topics.

There was so much good material to draw from though. Therefore, I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a book ending in hope, friendship, and a chance at new beginnings. Although this was a coming-of-age story, I would not recommend it to younger kids as it does contain profanity, sexual abuse, and other delicate topics. If there are any parents out there that struggle with the day-to-day afflictions of raising kids, I would say this book serves as a nice reminder that you are doing the best you can and that no parent is perfect. It really does take a village.

[p ✧* · Rating 4 out of 5]

a copy of this book was provided to me by OnlineBookClub.org

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Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas follows the story of three female protagonists. Lena, an old businesswoman and a mother of four sons, who has many regrets about her past. Maureen, a young widow and a single mother who’s raising her daughter all on her own after being disowned by her family for marrying a black man. And finally Kalayla, Maureen’s eleven years old daughter with a bold and honest attitude, who spends a lot of time unsupervised while her mother is working two jobs to provide for them. One day, Lena notices that Kalayla is often roaming the streets all alone and decides to interfere to keep the girl out of danger. She feels she had failed as a mother and wants to make up for it by helping out another child. As the story unfolds, these three characters grow closer and form familial relationships with each other, while also struggling with thein own family-related issues at the same time.

This book deals with topics such as racism, domestic abuse or broken and estranged families. It’s a story about friendship, family, second chances, forgiveness and redemption. It shows that family doesn’t always have to be related by blood and that biological families don’t always love us unconditionally.

One of my favourite parts of this book is the relationship between Kalayla and Lena. They don’t like each other very much at first but over time, they create a meaningful connection and provide support and affection to each other. I liked each of the main character’s personal journey as well, they’re all well-developed and all have backstories that explain their motivations and actions. I enjoyed the three different points of view - each protagonist belongs to a different generation, comes from a different background and has their own unique personality, which affects the way the view the world and the people around them. They all narrate the story in a way that reflects their personality, which I think is something the author handled very well. Every character has a distinct way of describing their thoughts. For example, Lena mostly uses formal language, while Kalayla uses slang and many swear words.

One thing that could have been done better is the depiction of Kalayla’s bi-racial identity. It’s only ever mentioned in the context of Maureen’s severed relationship with her racist family and I think it could have been explored much more than it was. I would have loved to read about it from Kalayla’s point of view and see how this part of her identity affects her. I think it would have added more depth to her character.

[Shubhangi · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Kalayla" weaves a poignant tapestry of three women across different generations, each navigating life's challenges with grace and resilience. Jeannie Nicholas skillfully explores themes of racism, domestic violence, abuse, and mental health, illustrating how strangers can become family through love and support.
The narrative unfolds through the intimate perspectives of its characters, seamlessly blending flashbacks with present-day struggles. This non-linear approach not only enriches the storytelling but also deepens our connection to the characters. From the outset, I was captivated by their journeys, though I wished for more closure for supporting characters like Clarence. One thing that bugged me was the profanity of the language Kalayla uses, and I appreciate the fact that Lena loved and cared for her despite her rough behavior. The bond of friendship between Lena and Carlotta radiates a warmth that I believe every woman can relate to.
What resonated deeply was the characters' willingness to embrace new beginnings, regardless of age. Lena giving love another chance with Mattwo and Kalayla's unwavering confidence was particularly compelling. I appreciated how the narrative didn't seek to change Kalayla but celebrated her fierceness. The patience and understanding shown by characters like Lena and Maureen toward Kalayla underscored the novel's exploration of emotional turmoil and healing.
While exploring sensitive topics like racism and abuse, Nicholas's writing remains evocative and engaging. The conclusion, where everyone finds their best possible outcomes, leaves a lingering sense of optimism. I rate "Kalayla" 4 out of 5 stars for its compelling portrayal of life's spontaneity and recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone seeking a heartfelt story of resilience and hope.

[Kiera Patel · Rating 3 out of 5]

'Kalayla' is a beautifully written novel about female friendships and familial love, whether that be family by blood or new-found family. It focuses on the lives and hardships, both past and present, of three females and the interlinking of each of their lives with each other and the development of close ties and bonds, which ultimately helps them overcome their individual challenges. The author explores themes of race, abuse and love, and the progression of maturity of each of the main characters in a way that leaves the reader feeling sentimental and emotional. The author delves into the daily struggles each woman faces, particularly when confronting the past, and how impactful this is in the present. Yet the author actively emphasises the role each women played in guiding the others throughout life and providing an almost maternal role. The side characters are, arguably, carefully depicted in a certain way as to place additional importance on the concept of new-found family and the feeling of love and familiarity, with attention to the relationships formed throughout the book and creation of a new, more accepting family. It is clearly evident how each character plays a crucial role to demonstrate and accentuate the principal themes of this novel and the realistic issues surrounding bi-racial marriages and identity crises. The increasing strength each female protagonist gains and harnesses as the book progresses in order to fight their own battle as well as each others battle, proves how successful the character development is and the growing stability of family dynamics. Despite perhaps leaving the reader feeling frustrated or infuriated at the behaviour of certain characters and the lack of maturity or agency, only adds to the value of the book and each character's personal development.