Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

This was an intense and powerful read that deals with a lot of heavy issues so it is important to check the trigger warnings with this one. It was emotional and very well written, and very thought provoking

Not really interested in reading this and it is quite old at this time. I want to try and be more selective of the arc's I request because selecting everything that sounds somewhat interesting.

Was actually loving this book until the 50-60% mark, when the assault and the rape then happened - it just veered from a lightweight (yet deep) account from a teenager in the throes of teenage rebellion to becoming a backdrop for the 'misery porn' angle that is often placed on a lot of traditional society reads set in non-Western countries. I admit the book lost me then, even though I kept reading, needing to find out what happened... And this is where the read also let me down, because we had to 'slog' through all this time across the story and then, poof - years have passed, the protagonist is in England, she's put the hijab back on, had made her peace with Islam...and all this is told to us on 2 pages! These 2 pages would have made for a much better part of the story, how she actually reconciled hijab and red lipstick, but alas, the focus seemed to be the 'misery porn' angle and this book suffered for it

This is an intense read and difficult read at times, but I’m so glad I did. It has big trigger warnings for rape, misogyny, sexual assault, and domestic violence and violence toward women. This is such an interesting and well written book. Though the story is a bit difficult to read at times (emotionally nothing to do with the writing etc), it was so beautifully written and so interesting to see the religious and cultural dynamics within family life. Although I say I found it hard at times , it’s still a fast paced read and I enjoyed the book so very much. Heartbreaking, emotional, inspiring, pick this up and read this , you really need to

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion




[Trigger Warning: rape, sexual assault, child abuse, emotional and physical abuse, misogyany, domestic abuse, coercive behaviour, self harm, suicidal ideation]

This was such a good book! It tells the story of how a little lipstick and some confidence can change a girl!

I really had no clue what to expect from this book as I've read several memoirs about young girls forced to move to Gulf countries and live within a very different culture than they are used to but Hijab and Red Lipstick seemed to be not as extreme. This is actually a debut fictional novel by author Yousra Imran however it is own voices and some of it is based on her own experiences. And whilst this is a work of fiction, the harsh fact remains that there are young girls and women out there for whom this is the brutal reality.
Hijab and Red Lipstick tells the story of Sara who is a Muslim teenage girl living in the UK. Her Father decides to move the family to the Arabian Gulf where he has landed a better job. As the family's time there goes on her Father gradually enforces more and more of the stricter parts of Islamic beliefs on the family, especially the girls. Sara just wants to be a 'normal' teenager listening to pop music and hanging out with her friends but finds herself being told who she can and can't speak to, what she can and can't wear, where she can and can't go, having to ask permission from her Father to leave the house etc. As Sara grows and learns more about who she is and who she wants to be she starts to rebel against her Father but suffers some awful consequences.
It was great to see Sara's strength, resilience and determination throughout her years in the Gulf and she was definitely a character readers would get behind and support.
After reading this novel I feel that those extreme memoirs I mentioned are just that..... extreme cases. It is far more likely that young girls will find themselves in situations similar to what Yousra Imran wrote about. The types of manipulation, emotional, physical and mental abuse that is far more likely to go under the radar but are no less damaging.
The only thing about this book that made this a 4 star instead of a 5 star was that I felt some of the events were written about too briefly and I found myself wanting more details or explanations. I would highly recommend it though.

It’s not often you come across a book that lingers in psych long after you’ve read it, but Hijab and Red Lipstick by Yousra Imran is a book that does just that.

Hijab and Red Lipstick is the debut novel from Yousra Imran and it’s a powerful read, that will resonate and make the reader think. It’s a book that changes you once you’ve read it.

Yousra is a writer we definitely are extremely excited to read more from. As Hijab and Red Lipstick has such emotional depth and deals with topics that can be triggering for readers, in a way which doesn’t belay their importance but is written in a way that does not overwhelm the reader.

As an “Own Voices,” story it gives an insight into a patriarchal society that we all know exists but don’t know much about. Sara’s voice in telling her story is raw, moving and honest. Hijab and Red Lipstick is a book that needs to be in all school libraries and is one that when you read you will feel the urge to pass it on to everyone you know.

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC copy

This book was amazing overall. A great look into another culture and the things they go through. A great book for Young adults to pick up.

I like this quote :
“ I’m not a better Muslim women because of my hijab and I’m no worse of a Muslim women without it . I’ll continue to wear my hijab with red lipstick”.

This is such an interesting , well written and inspiring book . A fast paced book that touch lots of issues such as hijabi , misogyny, rape , sexual harassment, domestic violence , oppressive rules and expectations, two different cultures need to adapt ,

After all , glad that the author sharing her story and how she realized that everything happened around her is the part of the culture not religion matter . Recently , Islamophobia happened very huge . So the message that the author want to portray is the culture that makes the religion looks bad . After all , remember that not to blame religion solely . As religion is not do any harm but the people.

4/5

***Special thanks to NetGalley and Hashtag Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***

This book was really amazing and unique. My only complaint was the format the book was written (it was written documentary style). I felt like this took away from the book as a whole, but I still found this book to be very interesting.

This book deals with many tough issues that may be hard for some to read, but I would advise people to stick with this book.

I would recommend this book. It grasped my attention, even though it was written in a format that I am not a fan of.

*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in return for an honest opinion.

<I>Hijab and Red Lipstick </I>is a look into a world that few of us can fully understand. It is the story of Sara, who is half-English and half-Egyptian. Her family are devout Muslims and in England, her father is very conservative. When he moves the family to the Gulf for a job, their lives take a massive turn as he becomes ultra-religious. Sara is not allowed to do anything without her father's permission. She is in a country where women are considered less than and where the local men see Western women as loose and easy.

This book was an excellent look into a community that is hard to comprehend if you have not lived it or known someone who has lived it. Parts of the story were really excellent and compelling. My only problem was that there were a number of sections that felt flat. As a narrator, Sara had ups and downs. But what Imran did manage to do was highlight issues that are especially important to teens which means that they are also things teens can relate to. Sara wants to be a normal teenager. She wants to listen to current music, wear fashionable clothing, date, and just go out to have fun. But these are all things that are "harem," or forbidden. I think this is an important work for young adults to read in order to better understand others, it might have been edited a bit better.

Hijab and Red Lipstick
Author: Yousra Imran
Genre: YA Contemporary
Rating: ⭐️ • ✨ / 5
Reviewed: Maya

[Trigger Warning: rape, sexual assault, child abuse, emotional and physical abuse, misogyany, domestic abuse, coercive behaviour, self harm, suicidal ideation]

The premise for this book sounds very interesting and important, however I struggled to enjoy this book. First of all, the book is told as a ‘reflection’ on Sara’s life to a journalist for a documentary, which did not work at all. It is a good idea, however I think it should have been incorporated as an epilogue instead of randomly inserted into the ‘reflection’ (which was the actual storyline of the book). It was a very powerful story, however it was told more as a memoir than a fictional novel and the writing style was very lacking in any emotional depth. Many of the topics were not handled sensitively especially paired with the poor writing style (as seen through the trigger warnings) which made it hard to read at certain points. This book highlights Islamic religion and Gulf culture, and Sara tells the readers that the patriarchal problems *only* arise from Gulf culture, not Islam, which was not a true ending point (all the large religions are patriarchal) and does not relate to the entire book where the message does not differentiate and reads ‘Muslim/Gulf is equal to oppression and abuse’. Imran has a lot of potential, but she needs to continue to practising her writing and making her arguments clear.

Huge thanks to Netgalley, Literally PR Ltd. and of course Yousra Imran for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. The publishing date was set for the 5th of November, 2020.

This memoir is chatty but plodding, and there's so much of the author not learning from her own past and not thinking about her actions that she became more irritating than sympathetic. I sympathize with women stuck in abusive cultures dominated by men, but there's nothing in this particular book that offered any new insights or information about the culture in Saudi Arabia.

Sara thinks are dad is too strict as she is growing up in London but things are only going to get harder for her when her strict Egyptian father decides to move the family to the Arabian Gulf, His new job gives them certain 'luxuries' but Sara struggles with the restrictions placed upon her.
We follow Sara's journey as she tells her story to a journalist who is making a documentary about the patriarchal society that strips women of all their rights, and freedoms. Sara has managed to rediscover her voice but only after she has made the decision to free herself from her fathers 'rule@.

Genre: Adult Fiction 
Rating: 5/5
Plot: 
You cannot do anything in this country without my permission.”
Being a teenager isn't easy. And it doesn't help when you have a mega strict Egyptian dad who tells you that everything is "haram" a.k.a. forbidden. All Sara wants to do is experiment with makeup, listen to the latest Destiny's Child single and read fashion magazines, but her dad's conservative interpretation of Islam makes it impossible. Things get even harder when her dad lands himself a job in the Arabian Gulf and moves Sara and her family to a country where the patriarchy rules supreme. In a country where you have to have your father's permission for everything, every door feels like it is being closed on Sara's future. In a desperate bid for freedom, Sara makes a judgement call that threatens to ruin their dysfunctional father-daughter relationship forever.
Hijab & Red Lipstick is told from the perspective of a young British Muslim woman growing up between London and the Middle East. It is a tale of a young woman’s difficult quest to find herself, offering an unusual and unique insight into life in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE, where people’s personal lives, relationships and coming of age experiences are rarely spoken about.
My verdict: Firstly Thank you to Netgalley for letting me read this book before it’s release to the general public. Wow! What a book! A powerful memoir about a young woman’s life in the often stereotyped UAE. Throughout the novel we see Sara struggle with her faith and the restrictions faced by women in the UAE whilst the men have more freedom and opportunities. Not only does this book deal with a struggle to conform to what seems like an oppressive community’s rules and expectations but also things that aren’t openly talked about not only in the east but also the west like mental health, sexual assault, domestic abuse and struggling with your identity; especially as Sara’s mother was English and so felt the pull and desire for western ideals. Overall, a very emotive read where you couldn’t help empathise with Sara’s family but at the same time it makes us realise how lucky we are as women to have all the opportunities we do. I felt a solidarity with Sara and championed her throughout and I loved how the red lipstick became an allegory for her identity outside the family and community ideals. It must have been hard for her to write about these issues and publish them but in by doing so provides a spark of hope for young women in similar situations (I hasten to add that not all eastern communities and family’s are oppressive like the media wants us to believe.) and by raising her voice can cause ripples that lead to waves that lead to change. Lots of readers would probably say that it just covers the different attitudes to men and women in the east and yes, it is partly that but most importantly it is a feminist raising her voice for the greater good. If you love Malala yousafi and Khaled Hosseni, you will love this real life experience of a half English and half Egyptian young woman and her battle for independence and the yearning to become a valued individual in a time when the majority of women are underestimated and disregarded.

I started reading this book when I should have been in bed and ended up finishing it in one night. I couldn't stop reading it. While there were parts that were difficult to read, the story flowed quickly and naturally between main events and back and forth from the present to the retelling of earlier events. It is important that books like this one are written, because they provide insight into challenging, complicated issues facing the modern world. It was a welcome reminder that the teachings and tenets of Islam do not always coincide with cultural practices in countries where Islam is the dominant religion.

TRIGGER WARNING : mysoginy, rape, sexual assault, beating
*I'm not ownvoice in anyway for this story *

This book was sooo quick to read ! I really liked the writing but that's all just the least of the qualities of this book.

I picked it up because I never read about Gulf life or the relationship between muslim women and their hijab / religion. I loved to read about this perspective and this interpretation of this.

I recommend it for people who want to read about the life of women in the Gulf and in arabic societies.

Hijab and Red Lipstick by Yousra Imran is not an easy read about girls wearing hijab and playing with the rules set by their male guardians - father and brothers and other male relatives. Actually, it has to do with hijab too, but it´s more than that and it´s the merit of the writer to bring up the complexity of the women religiosity in Islam.

Sara is born in a British-Egyptian family. Her mother is a convert to Islam, her father a practicant Muslim of Egyptian origin. Together with her sister and two brothers, she is moving from NW London to the Emirates where her father was offered better professional and financial opportunities. In practical terms, for Sara and her family, it means a stricter control and a more religious pressure to conform, as his father was following a strict Wahhabi-oriented version of Islam.

She is trapped in a world of extreme violence and abuse - physical and verbal, from her father, brothers and random guys she is dating. Rape, constant hiting on behalf of her father, verbal abuse from her brothers and father, Sara is living a double life, when she has to lie when she wants to go out on a party and where meeting a man is a family affair.

In this world there are double standards operating, when it comes to girls and boys: ´A young man can clean up his act and become a good Muslim and find a wife, even if he messes around for a bit. But if a young Arab woman gets caugh dating, her reputation will be ruined forever´.

When Sara will be raped by a man who apparently belongs to the royal family his parents are reacting in a completely awkward and non-emotional way. They don´t offer any emotional support and are not even trying to defend her, as in fact she may be the cause of what happened to her...

However, guys can be trapped as well in abusive parental relationships and they are too under the pressure of following the rules their parents, especially their fathers, do request them to obey. However, there is not happening because there is an universal religious obligation but because in many cases, there is a mixture of tradition AND religion that distracts and detour the everyday religious practice. In the end, after many misadventures and hardships, Sara will find herself and reconcile with her religious and feminine identity: ´I´m not a better Muslim woman because of my hijab and I´m no worse of a Muslim woman because of it. I´ll continue to wear my hijab with red lipstick. I´m finally free´.

Although I´ve find some parts of the book unbearable - because of the situations presented - I enjoyed the book which I´ve read in one long sitting. There is so much to learn about different manifestations of Muslim identities and I am glad there are so many diverse voices that are telling interesting stories lately.

Rating: 3.5 stars