Blog Tour | Sway With Me by Syed M. Masood | Review and Favourite Quotes

Sway With Me

Author: Syed M. Masood

Pages: 320

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance

Publishing date: November 2nd, 2021 by Little, Brown

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Synopsis:

Arsalan has learned everything he knows from Nana, his 100-year-old great-grandfather. This includes the fact that when Nana dies, Arsalan will be completely alone in the world, except for his estranged and abusive father. So he turns to Beenish, the step-daughter of a prominent matchmaker, to find him a future life partner. Beenish’s request in return? That Arsalan help her ruin her older sister’s wedding with a spectacular dance she’s been forbidden to perform.

Despite knowing as little about dancing as he does about girls, Arsalan wades into Beenish’s chaotic world to discover friends and family he never expected. And though Arsalan’s old-school manners and Beenish’s take-no-prisoners attitude clash every minute, they find themselves getting closer and closer—literally. All that’s left to realize is that the thing they both really want is each other, if only they can get in step.

Book Links: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indigo | IndieBound

Author Info:

I grew up in Karachi, Pakistan, and currently live in Sacramento, California. There have been plenty of stops in between though. I’m a first generation immigrant, twice over. I’ve been a citizen of three different countries and lived in nine cities. I am, as Goethe, said, “nothing but a wanderer […] on this earth.”

Living among different people, in different countries at fascinating times in their histories, has shaped both my view of the world and my writing. Ultimately, human beings are the same everywhere (despite the fact that they tell themselves, everywhere, that they are different from each other), and the theme of this fundamental human unity informs everything I write.

As to my life outside of writing, I went to the William and Mary School of Law, and before that attended the University of Toronto, where I studied English Literature. I am currently practicing as an attorney and must “measure out my life in coffee spoons” on a daily basis.

Some members of my family will tell you that I’m also a poet. This isn’t true. I wrote a few poems in Urdu when I was a teenager, and I’ve never heard the end of it…which I wouldn’t mind, honestly, if they were any good. As it is, I’m very happy living in prose, thank you very much.

Other interests include good food, video games, sitcoms, and books of all kinds. Most of my time that doesn’t go to writing or billable hours is consumed by my two children, four and two years of age.

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads

My Review:

Thank you to NetGalley and TBR and Beyond Tours for providing me with an ARC to review. You can check out the other posts on the tour here.

This book was absolutely AMAZING. I mean, I didn’t go in with any expectations- good or bad, but well, it turned out to be pretty amazing! I can’t hold account for the Muslim rep, since I am not a Muslim, but I thought it was pretty good.

Plot:

To be honest, the plot was special, but not at the same time. Like the breaking the bonds of patriarchy part was pretty amazing, but the romance part wasn’t anything special. It was basically badass girl trying to help/makeover awkward boy. But I loved the entire thing about dancing in the wedding even though it was prohibited. I love how it was developed most of all.
It was honestly so intriguing to see how it would end, that I couldn’t put the book down, it was so freaking amazing!

Characters:

Not gonna lie, I didn’t enjoy reading about Arsalan much. I mean, he was just weird. And I am weird, and I am saying that. He was also honestly a little annoying, like how naive could someone be? Like, had the book not been from his POV, and I would have to read about him as the love interest, I wouldn’t have enjoyed the book as much.

But Beenish, oh my god, I loved her! She was so charismatic, and just a bubble of energy, honestly! I loved Nana too, and I loved to see their relationship grow. It was amazing.

Another side character I enjoyed reading about was Qirat, Beans’ sister. She was so sweet, and mature. Diamond Khan was another side character who grew on me.

I also enjoyed reading about Muslims, since I never really have read Muslim rep in books a lot.

Writing Style:

I was hooked to the book that’s how good the writing style was. It didn’t even take time for me to adjust it. I do wish the introduction would have been a little longer, but then that’s just my opinion, it might suit others.

Favourite Quotes:

1. “Me? I don’t know. I guess it’d be nice if, when someone told me they loved me, I could believe them.
   
2. As the uncle wandered away to mingle with his other guests, I wondered who that child would grow up to be and what shape his world would take. I had been new like him once, as had Diamond and Beans and Nana and my parents too. But then life had happened and we had reacted to it. We’d become who we were because of the things that had happened to us, or didn’t happen to us and because of who was around us, or who was absent.
   
3. “We are always either wearing too many clothes or not enough clothes and no one wants to mind their own f*cking business.”
   
4. “You know, Arsalan, one of the things I’ve learned in life is that we tend to become trapped by the way other people see us. People say you’re shameless and you really start to think you are shameless. They say you’ve dishonoured yourself and you start to think they are right.”
   
5. “That sometimes the world stops and there are no tomorrows.”

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Final Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I would recommend all lovers of Contemporary YA Romances to pick this one! Will you pick it? Let me know in the comments!

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