Spotlight of House of Glass Hearts by Leila Siddiqui

PHOTO SOURCE:
TYPORAMA
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HOUSE OF GLASS HEARTS

LEILA SIDDIQUI

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ALL INFORMATION IN THIS POST IS COURTESY OF JODIE HOCKENSMITH OF JH PUBLIC RELATIONS.

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Leila Siddiqui’s ambitious debut novel takes readers into an event from history that is little-known to western audiences – the Partition of India and Pakistan following WWII.

 

Seamlessly blending the experience of a modern teen from an immigrant family with a lesser-known myth and a forgotten piece of WWII history, HOUSE OF GLASS HEARTS explores how the horrors of the past continue to shape the lives of South Asians around the world and heralds the arrival of an exciting new voice in YA fiction. 

 

HOUSE OF GLASS HEARTS (Yali Books; September 30, 2021)

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PRAISE FOR HOUSE OF GLASS HEARTS:

A BuzzFeed Best Book of September 2021!

“This stunning debut is sure to entertain.” — BuzzFeed

“A genre-bending debut that highlights the intergenerational echoes of pivotal historical events.” — Kirkus Reviews

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ABOUT HOUSE OF GLASS HEARTS:

While both Pakistan and India celebrate the August 15^th anniversary as their Independence Day every year, the truth of what happened on that day in 1947 is much more complicated.

 

It was one of the largest migrations in human history - a violent and historic event where tens of millions of Hindus and Muslims had to crossover to Pakistan if they were Muslim, or to India if they were Hindu or Sikh.

 

The death toll has been estimated to be between 200,000 to two million people, but the event itself is shrouded in mystery in our western culture.

 

Siddiqui, who was born and raised in the United States, grew up understanding and celebrating her Pakistani roots, but with little idea that her family’s origins were actually in Kanpur, in present-day India, or that her grandparents were among those who had been forced to flee their homeland with whatever belongings they could carry, to set up a new life in the newly created nation of Pakistan.

 

Siddiqui wrote about Pakistan’s Independence Day for the Daily News recently - see it HERE and she drew on her fascinating family history to create HOUSE OF GLASS HEARTS.

The book tells the story of Maera, a teenager, living in America, whose brother went missing during a family trip to Karachi ten years ago.

Maera lives with her mother, and her brother’s disappearance, along with her parents’ subsequent divorce is one of the subjects they don’t discuss, ever.

But then Maera’s grandfather dies in Pakistan, and a mysterious greenhouse, one that Maera recognizes as her his, magically appears overnight in the family’s backyard.

Maera becomes convinced that the greenhouse is the key to unlocking her family’s secrets – and perhaps recovering her long-lost brother.

Part magical realism, part horror, part history, HOUSE OF GLASS HEARTS is told in two intertwined narratives.

 

The first, a quest featuring Maera and her friends attempting to discover the mysteries of the greenhouse, and the second, unraveling the story of Maera’s grandfather – known to her as a bitter, angry old man – and the night he was forced to flee India with his teenage love, a night that would alter the entire course of his family’s history.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

PHOTO CREDIT:  PAUL CLARKE

Leila Siddiqui is a Chicago-born Texan who calls New York home. She currently works in publishing in the marketing department. 

She is a horror film devotee and when not writing spends her time fawning over her very floofy cat. 

She lives with her partner in Queens, and House of Glass Hearts is her first novel. 

Find her on Twitter @leilawrites or online at www.LeilaSiddiqui.com.

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Mailbox Monday - 9/27/2021

 

 

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week.

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Warning:  Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles, and humongous wish lists.

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Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia @A Girl and Her Books, has a permanent home now at MAILBOX MONDAY.

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Here is a shout out to the administrators:

Velvet @ vvb32reads

Serena @ Savvy Verse and Wit

Martha @ Reviews By Martha’s Bookshelf

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THANKS to everyone for keeping Mailbox Monday alive.

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I hope you had a good mailbox.

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On Monday, September 20, I received:

1.  THE GIRL IN THE TRIANGLE by Joyana Peters, courtesy of the author, Amaryllis Press, and NetGalley.

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On Tuesday, September 21, I received:

1.  THE NIGHT SHIFT by Alex Finlay, courtesy of St. Martin's Press and NetGalley.

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On Wednesday, September 22, I received:

1.  THE CHAMPAGNE WIDOWS by Rebecca Rosenberg, courtesy of the author.

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On Thursday, September 22, I received:

1.  THE LONDON HOUSE by Katherine Reay, courtesy of Harper Muse and the author.

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On Saturday, September 25, I received:

1.  LAST SEEN ALIVE by Joanna Schaffhausen, courtesy of Kayla Janas of St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books.

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It's Monday!! What Are YOU Reading? - 9/27/2021

   

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I hope you had a great reading week.

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This is a weekly meme hosted by Kathryn at BOOK DATE!

Post the books completed, the books you are currently reading, and the books you hope to finish at some point.

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Books Completed:

 

THE SECOND MARRIAGE by Jess Ryder - review will be on November 6.

 

Ohhhhh...so good.  

 

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ALL HER LITTLE SECRETS by Wanda M. Morris - review will be on November 5.

 

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 THE TALLY STICK by Carl Nixon- review will be on November 3.

 

Very well written but a disturbing read.

 

 

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THE PILOT'S DAUGHTER by Meredith Jaeger - review will be on November 2.

 

A MUST read....fantastic!!

 

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A LETTER FROM NANA ROSE by Kristin Harper - review will be on October 27.

 

A sweet read.

 

 

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THE LAST CHECKMATE by Gabriella Saab - review will be on October 20.

 

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THE HIDDEN CHILD by Louise Fein - review will be on October 19.

 

 

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THE GIRL ON THE PLATFORM by Ellie Midwood - review will be on October 14.

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THE MOTHER NEXT DOOR by Tara Laskowski - review will be on October 12.

 

  

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THE FAULT BETWEEN US by Bette Lee Crosby - review will be on October 7.

 

Another splendid book by Bette.

 

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HIS LOVING WIFE by Miranda Smith - review will be on October 4.

 

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NO ONE WILL MISS HER by Kat Rosenfield - review will be on October 11.

 

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THREE SISTERS by Heather Morris - review will be on October 5.

 

Heartwrenching but very good.

 

 

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THE STOLEN LADY by Laura Morelli - review is in the book's title.

 

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BETTER TO TRUST by Heather Frimmer - review is in the book's title.

 

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THE KEEPER OF HAPPY ENDINGS by Barbara Davis - review will be on October 1.

 

Do NOT miss reading this gem.

 

 

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Book Currently Reading:

THE LONDON HOUSE by Katherine Reay - review will be on November 18.

 

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Books Up Next:

 

THE NEW WIFE by Sue Watson - review will be on November 22.

 

 

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NANNY DEAREST by Flora Collins - review will be on November 23.

 

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HELLO, TRANSCRIBER by Hannah Morrissey - review will be on November 30.

 

 

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THE GIRL IN THE TRIANGLE by Joyana Peters - review will be on December 1.

 

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MATILDA WINDSOR IS COMING HOME by Anne Goodwin - review will be on December 8.

 

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CHAMPAGNE WIDOWS by Rebecca Rosenberg - review will be on December 23.

 

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THE REPLACEMENT WIFE by Darby Kane - review will be on December 27.

 

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MY DARLING HUSBAND by Kimberly Bell - review will be on December 28.

 

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THE SORORITY MURDER by Allison Brennan - review will be on December 29.

 

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THE MAID by Nita Prose - review will be on January 4, 2022. 

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RECKLESS GIRLS by Rachel Hawkins - review will be on January 5, 2022.

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THE LAST HOUSE ON THE STREET by Diane Chamberlain - review will be on January 11, 2022.

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SOMEBODY'S HOME by Kaira Rouda - review will be on January 18, 2022.

 

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LAST SEEN ALIVE by Joanna Schaffhausen - review will be on January 25, 2022.

 

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THE CHRISTIE AFFAIR by Nina de Gramont - review will be here on February 1, 2022.

 

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THE NEXT SHIP HOME by Heather Webb - review will be on February 8, 2022.

 

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SECRETS OF OUR HOUSE by Rea Frey - review will be on February 9.

 

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UNMISSING by Minka Kent - review will be on February 15.

 

 

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THIS MIGHT HURT by Stephanie Wrobel - review will be on February 22.

 

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THE NIGHT SHIFT by Alex Finlay - review will be on March 1.

 

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THE GOLDEN COUPLE by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkannen - review will be on March 8.

 

 

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UNDER THE GOLDEN SUN by Jenny Ashcroft - review will be on March 15, 2022.

 

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THE YOUNGER WIFE by Sally Hepworth - review will be on April 5, 2022.

 

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LAST DANCE ON THE STARLIGHT PIER by Sarah Bird - review will be on April 12.

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LITTLE SOULS by Sandra Dallas - review will be on April 26, 2022.

 

 

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