Raghad Chaar's guest appearances

Raghad Chaar

Headline Books

Orion Books

Behind the Mic with AudioFile Magazine

Cathleen McCarron

Nathalie Buscombe

Gavin Osborn

Patricia Rodriguez

Annie Aldington

Adjoa Andoh

Hillary Huber

Richard Burnip

Christine Lakin

Katherine Fenton

Gemma Whelan

Tavia Gilbert

Colleen Prendergast

Sophie Roberts

Lauren Fortgang

OwlTail

Marilyn Booth

Narrator Raghad Chaar’s performance of this audiobook is mesmerizing. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss the music in Chaar’s voice as she narrates Jokha Alharthi’s nonlinear novel. Her delivery of the many Arabic words and passages intensifies it, and her deft pacing and cadence give form to the memories and experiences that create the plot. The novel ties together the past life of the solitary narrator, a student named Zuhoor, and the vivid remembrances of her grandmother, Beit Amin. The author, winner of the Man Booker Prize, writes lyrically about the lives of women and girls in traditional societies. The listener comes away bathed in the poetry.Read the full review of the audiobook on AudioFile’s website. Published by Tantor Media.Find more audiobook recommendations at audiofilemagazine.comSupport for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from BOLINDA. A world-leading audiobook and technology company, Bolinda publishes the greatest books you’ll ever hear and inspire people to live their best lives through the power of storytelling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Narrator Raghad Chaar’s performance of this audiobook is mesmerizing. Host Jo Reed and AudioFile’s Alan Minskoff discuss the music in Chaar’s voice as she narrates Jokha Alharthi’s nonlinear novel. Her delivery of the many Arabic words and passages intensifies it, and her deft pacing and cadence give form to the memories and experiences that create the plot. The novel ties together the past life of the solitary narrator, a student named Zuhoor, and the vivid remembrances of her grandmother, Beit Amin. The author, winner of the Man Booker Prize, writes lyrically about the lives of women and girls in traditional societies. The listener comes away bathed in the poetry.Read the full review of the audiobook on <a href="https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/reviews/read/220204/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">AudioFile’s website</a>. Published by Tantor Media.Find more audiobook recommendations at <a href="http://audiofilemagazine.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">audiofilemagazine.com</a>Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from <a href="https://www.bolinda.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">BOLINDA</a>. A world-leading audiobook and technology company, Bolinda publishes the greatest books you’ll ever hear and inspire people to live their best lives through the power of storytelling. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://megaphone.fm/adchoices" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">megaphone.fm/adchoices</a>

BITTER ORANGE TREE by Jokha Alharthi, Marilyn Booth [Trans.], read by Raghad Chaar

Gina Wilkinson

At night, in Huda's fragrant garden of apricot trees, a breeze sweeps in from the desert, carrying warning of visitors at her gate . . .Huda, a secretary at the Australian embassy, has been ordered by the mukhabarat - the secret police - to befriend Ally Wilson, the deputy ambassador's wife. Huda has no wish to be an informant, but she fears for her teenage son, who may be forced to join a deadly militia. Little does she know, Ally has dangerous secrets of her own.Meanwhile, Huda's former friend, Rania, enjoyed a privileged upbringing as the daughter of a sheikh. Now her family's wealth is gone, and Rania, too, is battling to keep her child safe and a roof over their heads.As the women's lives intersect, their hidden pasts spill into the present. Facing possible betrayal at every turn, all three must trust in a fragile, newfound loyalty, even as they discover how much they are willing to sacrifice to protect their families.

At night, in Huda's fragrant garden of apricot trees, a breeze sweeps in from the desert, carrying warning of visitors at her gate . . . Huda, a secretary at the Australian embassy, has been ordered by the mukhabarat - the secret police - to befriend Ally Wilson, the deputy ambassador's wife. Huda has no wish to be an informant, but she fears for her teenage son, who may be forced to join a deadly militia. Little does she know, Ally has dangerous secrets of her own. Meanwhile, Huda's former friend, Rania, enjoyed a privileged upbringing as the daughter of a sheikh. Now her family's wealth is gone, and Rania, too, is battling to keep her child safe and a roof over their heads. As the women's lives intersect, their hidden pasts spill into the present. Facing possible betrayal at every turn, all three must trust in a fragile, newfound loyalty, even as they discover how much they are willing to sacrifice to protect their families.

WHEN THE APRICOTS BLOOM by Gina Wilkinson, read by Raghad Chaar - Audiobook Extract

Leila Aboulela

Click here to buy: https://adbl.co/2PbqT3pSalma, Moni and Iman are embarking on a road trip to the highlands to pay homage to Lady Evelyn Cobbold, the first Muslim woman of Scotland. The women are looking for more than a holiday. Each wants to escape her life; each wants an answer.Salma came up with the idea for the trip. Born in Egypt, she moved to Scotland for love, giving up her right to practise medicine. Now a successful masseuse, married to David and bringing up their children, she feels that she still has to make an effort to belong. And when her old boyfriend Amir starts messaging her, she is tempted to risk the life she has worked so hard to build.   Moni has been caring for her disabled son Adam for five years and is reaching breaking point. Her husband wants them to join him in Saudi Arabia, but Moni is reluctant to uproot her son, taking him to a country where his condition will render him an outcast.  Iman, the youngest of the three, in her late twenties and yet on her third husband, is burdened by her beauty. Treated like a pet by her lovers and friends, she longs to be alone and free.   On a remote hillside in Inverness, each woman is visited by the Hoopoe, a messenger bird of Islamic lore, and forced to question how much they have sacrificed in the name of love.  Bird Summons is a haunting, fiercely compelling story of loyalties torn apart when love and religion, faith and culture collide - confirming Leila Aboulela as a leading storyteller of our times.(p) Orion Publishing Group Ltd with Audible Studios 2019

Click here to buy: <a href="https://adbl.co/2PbqT3p" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://adbl.co/2PbqT3p</a> Salma, Moni and Iman are embarking on a road trip to the highlands to pay homage to Lady Evelyn Cobbold, the first Muslim woman of Scotland. The women are looking for more than a holiday. Each wants to escape her life; each wants an answer. Salma came up with the idea for the trip. Born in Egypt, she moved to Scotland for love, giving up her right to practise medicine. Now a successful masseuse, married to David and bringing up their children, she feels that she still has to make an effort to belong. And when her old boyfriend Amir starts messaging her, she is tempted to risk the life she has worked so hard to build. Moni has been caring for her disabled son Adam for five years and is reaching breaking point. Her husband wants them to join him in Saudi Arabia, but Moni is reluctant to uproot her son, taking him to a country where his condition will render him an outcast. Iman, the youngest of the three, in her late twenties and yet on her third husband, is burdened by her beauty. Treated like a pet by her lovers and friends, she longs to be alone and free. On a remote hillside in Inverness, each woman is visited by the Hoopoe, a messenger bird of Islamic lore, and forced to question how much they have sacrificed in the name of love. Bird Summons is a haunting, fiercely compelling story of loyalties torn apart when love and religion, faith and culture collide - confirming Leila Aboulela as a leading storyteller of our times. (p) Orion Publishing Group Ltd with Audible Studios 2019

Bird Summons by Leila Aboulela, read by Raghad Chaar