Tag Archives: romance

Jan28

Courting Samira by Amal Awad

Posted on January 28, 2024 by islamicschoollibrarian

Authored by a Palestinian-Australian and featuring a protagonist of the same background, this adult rom-com, is pretty halal all things considered. The book is not preachy, hijab and not drinking alcohol are all discussed as being religious decisions, but there is no insight as to how or why they are part of Islam, they just are, and because the characters are Muslim that is what they do. I found myself reading while cooking, which means I was invested enough to keep reading, but if I missed a line or two, to pull something out of the oven, I didn’t need to go back and find my exact spot. It reads a lot like a Confessions of a Shopaholic or Bridget Jones Diary, Islamically it is on par with a Hana Khan Carries On or Finding Mr Perfectly Fine, where the characters are Muslim and that sets parameters, their culture adds the flavor, and the love triangle and writing adds the plot, yeah it is tropey, but most people wouldn’t be picking this up for literary insights, it is meant to be fun, and it is. Three things bothered me with this book that gets a lot right. One, the cover, I find it ugly, additionally it mentions multiple times in the book that her eyes are blue, clearly on the cover they are brown. Second, the labeling of “moderate,” “conservative,” “liberal,” and “fundy” Muslims. There isn’t internalized Islamophobia, every one of the main side characters practices Islam in their way, the other characters accept it, and the stereotyping that the religious one is mean or critical is not present at all (alhumdulillah), the labels just bother me. Finally the kiss at the end before marriage, they are engaged, and it probably is still better than many YA Muslamic romances out there, but as an Islamic school librarian, I have to mention it.

SYNOPSIS:
Samira works at a Bridal magazine, writing on occasion, but mostly getting coffee. The book opens with her mid door-knock, looking at the manga hair of a yet another prospective husband, come to drink coffee and eat biscuits with his parents to meet her and hers in another meeting that will end with no match made. Her parents don’t force her, she plays along willingly, venting to her cousin Lara who refuses to humor her parents, and her co-worker Cate who’s own dating dramas show Samira she isn’t really missing out. When evil cousin Zahra is suddenly getting engaged, Samira is sucked in to familial obligations and involvement. Menem, a guy she met at a team building activity, works near her, and they keep meeting, the icing on the cake is that his brother is Zahra’s groom. As things start to heat up with Menem, old family friend Hakeem starts acting weird, and Samira finds herself caught in a love triangle.

WHY I LIKE IT:

There are a lot of tropes of being 27 and unmarried, being a disappointment for having a liberal arts degree and the like, but at least there are not mean parents, forced religiosity, or the what will everyone say storylines present. A lot of the fun is found in the references to pop culture, that surprisingly didn’t bother me. I was, however, annoyed when suddenly 80 pages in the fourth wall was broken. It broke the tone, but it didn’t become a regular things, so I carried on. A side character asks if Samira’s actions are Muslim or Arab and I like that, that distinction is presented. I wish there was more culture, Samira is Palestinian, Menem is Lebanese, but there isn’t a lot of cultural sprinklings throughout that are specific to the two cultures. There are also a lacking of salams/assalamualaikums in their daily interactions. It does mention Samira praying quite frequently, which I most definitely appreciated though.

Plot and character development was decent for the genre. The pacing makes this book a quick read, I read it in two days (while cooking). I never quite felt a connection to Lara, or rather why Samira and her were so close other than for a lack of options. She just kind of annoyed me throughout, and never seemed to be a great friend (cousin). A few times the book would seem to hint at something and nothing would come from it, take Zahra touching her stomach while picking out ice cream, or why Hakeem says he knows Samira can’t call her brother when she has car trouble.

FLAGS:

A kiss, a few hugs, hints at haram acts in earlier days, alcohol, music, belly dancing, texting, emailing, chatting freely with opposite gender.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I wouldn’t use this as a book club book, but I would be ok having it on the library shelf for high schoolers.

Sep8

Three Holidays and a Wedding by Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley

Posted on September 8, 2023 by islamicschoollibrarian

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Three Holidays and a Wedding by Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley

I don’t think I have ever sat down and watched a complete Hallmark Channel holiday movie, but I know the stereotypes and I’ve caught enough scenes while hanging out with my grandma to know that reality has to be suspended, there will be a happy ending, and the snow and small town charm is going to be laid on pretty heavy as the wholesome romance plays out. This book is the literary equivalent of such a movie. So with that in mind, there are somethings I will concede can be overlooked, but religiously there are some things that need to be noted (see below). I also have to admit that I couldn’t put the book down and read the entire 384 page Adult book in two sittings. The book is told in alternating perspectives: Maryam and Anna. Maryam and her family are Muslim, the book takes place in 2000 when Ramadan/Eid, Christmas and Hanukkah all took place within days of each other. Anna celebrates Christmas, but grew up celebrating Hanukkah too. Even if a romance that has Muslims ok with adopting “Christmas-y” celebrations during the last ten nights of Ramadan no less. is not a book that appeals to you, it is worth noting that this book does an incredible job of not becoming performative. There is no internalized Islamophobia, self-othering, no over explaining, convincing, justifying or religious or cultural identity crisis. For a book co authored by a Muslim and a non Muslim and traditionally published, I am excited for the precedence this book sets.

SYNOPSIS:

Anna is in a perfect relationship, with the perfect guy, and accidently sees the perfect ring in her boyfriend’s luggage. With Christmas plans in Toronto to meet Nicks wealthy parents, it is clear that the perfect proposal is also going to happen. But Anna is not perfect, and who she seems to be to Nick is not who she is or wants to be. It feels so fake. With separate flights from Denver to Toronto, getting redirected and stranded in Snow Falls, Ontario gives her the pause she needs to decide what she wants. She meets Josh, someone in town visiting, which complicates things, and she sorts through her grief of loosing her father and the speed in which her ex step mother moved on, all why becoming good friends with Maryam and her family in this idyllic town that she doesn’t want to leave.

Maryam is the oldest daughter who shoulders the expectation so that her younger sister can live her best life. She became a pharmacist to carry on the family business, so Saima could be a physician with Doctors Without Borders. Now Saima has decided that she wants a wedding in Ramadan and Maryam has to plan it. The flight being diverted and the wedding party being stuck in Snow Falls has long ago crush Saif and Maryam sorting through their past and a possible future together.

The two protagonists, their past, future, love interests are all multiplied by a town full of love and holiday activities, a wedding that might be missed, a Holiday Hoopla show, a movie being filmed, fasting in Ramadan, and wise old Dadu, a former Bollywood director guiding the characters to a happy ending.

WHY I LIKE IT:

The book is an easy read, it really is a guilty pleasure escape from reality and that it comes from a place of- we are Muslim, we fast, we pray, we don’t/shouldn’t date without marriage in mind, and everyone in the book already knows all this makes you feel ok about indulging. It even has a thread of analyzing parental expectation and peeling back some of the assumptions regarding the disconnect worked in throughout the story.

It took a few chapters for me to stop fighting and accept that the snow is so bad that the airport is closed, but every store, restaurant, and the roads in the town are open. That the phones are out, no one has a charger, but the payphone works and food can be ordered and delivered. That Anna is strolling around in a cocktail dress and can find a sweater, but she can’t find pants, and holiday gifts for everyone were not a problem to obtain. The book notes the idyllic diversity and amazing payphone, but you really just have to let it go if you are to enjoy the book.

Some things I couldn’t let go though are the Islamic religious portrayals. The characters note that a wedding in Ramadan is a terrible idea, but for as authentic as the waking up for suhoor and fajr are every day and iftar is every evening, the Muslim wedding party spend the last 10 days and nights of Ramadan watching Bollywood movies, dancing at a music filled mehndi party, planning and performing in an interfaith holiday show, and listening to Christmas music. I know Ramadan staples of reading Quran, doing thikr, and praying, don’t fit the genre, but there are enough people to make jammat, one night it mentions they go to the musallah for taraweeh salat, but I really wish it was every night, and that more traditional Ramadan foundations were shared. I did love that why Dadu couldn’t fast was explored, and that when Saima was stressed she went to the musallah, but really Bollywood marathons and parties in Ramadan are uncomfortable even in fiction.

FLAGS:

For Adults and New Adults the book is remarkably clean. The romance is tame even for YA, the characters are all adults and it is more the Ramadan non worship and Christmas normalization that is more flag worthy to me if a Muslim teen were to read it, than the relationships. So take what you will from the flags: Anna and Nick seem to live together at the beginning, Anna and Josh hold hands, kiss. Maryam and Saif hold hands and hug. Saima and Miraj hug. There are some other hetero couples that kiss. Mention of Maryam’s prior relationship features her husbands infidelity, and Saif admits to having a girlfriend. There are a few LGBTQ+ couples in the town that own stores and the inn, but don’t seem to be Muslim, and their relationships are not significant plot points. Muslims joining in Christmas activities. Alcohol and a pub are mentioned, but Anna partakes, no Muslim characters.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I don’t think I could do this as an Islamic school book club choice for middle or high school. But I do want to gush about it with my Lit Sisters. You can preorder it here https://amzn.to/3L7K9wQ

Jun9

Forty Words for Love by Aisha Saeed

Posted on June 9, 2023 by islamicschoollibrarian

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This YA magical realism book by a Muslim author contains no Islam, and while it is a love story of sorts, and there is a kiss, it remains clean for the demographic. It is a snapshot of daily life for a few characters in a small magical town. There is no real understanding of the premise, or the magic, nor resolution to what happens or why any of it matters, there aren’t even forty words for love provided, yet the author is good at writing, so I kept reading, even when the plot holes and rationale for the “point” of the book clearly were not coming. The ethereal lilting tone was lovely and lyrical at times, but honestly, I was left with more confusion about the leaves, the tree, the pastel waters and the cause of blame and bigotry at the end, than when I started. It is an easy read, I don’t regret it, but it is hard to suggest others invest in a 304 page book that doesn’t really leave you feeling satisfied. I wouldn’t object to it on a shelf, and others might absolutely love the infusion of other worlds into a grounded reality to tell a story of industry leaving a town, and two kids moving from friendship to romance, but I just wanted more: more world building, more tension, more resolution, more backstory, more detail, more magic, more understanding, more character development and connection.

SYNOPSIS:

In the vey first chapter, a small child drowns. The child had wandered off from his nanny and died in the ocean. That is the day that the pink and purple waters of Moonlight Bay turned angry and black. Eighteen year old Raf, a Golub, blames himself because he was about to tell his childhood friend Yasmine that he was in love with her. A rule that he has been told for the last decade will mean that his leaf on his arm will fade and he will have to leave his community. When he is about to approach Yas he sees that she is cozying up with Moses, and he stops. When the body is then found, a scream breaks loose and everyone runs to the little boy. Later that night the Golub tree opens and two kids, a brother and sister emerge, and the tourist rich city is no longer beautiful. The candy factory that relies on the healing waters closes up shop and most of the townsfolk move away. Many of those that remain blame the Golub for the town’s misfortune. The Golub arrived by tree a decade before when their own homeland froze over. They live in the forest and eagerly await the tree to thaw signaling that it is safe for them to return home.

Yas and Raf carry on, Raf working in the diner, and Yas gathering shells for her mother to shape into stars that heal. Both dream of leaving the confining town, pursuing their passions: Yas art and Raf architecture, but rules, family, and obligation keep them from leaving and keep them from being more than just friends.

WHY I LIKE IT: (SPOILERS):

I like the tone of the book. It is like a dreamy lullaby that floats around, but I really needed answers. If certain threads were unresolved, I could take it as being left up to interpretation, but this was more than a literary devices, this reads underdeveloped. So much happens in the first chapter, and the rest of the book really doesn’t keep up. The reader never learns why the leaves fade or pulse or why Uncle came to the conclusions he did even if safety was his motivation, we don’t know how Kot and Nara got through the tree or survived for 10 more years in Golub. It is hard to believe that in a decade so few Golub tested out their leaves? And what purpose do they even have? They allow them to return, that is it? That is their rumored, untested magical ability? Were the waters healing before the Golub came, the confusion of what Yas and her mom do and the arrival of the tree seem a bit inconsistent. Yas feels electricity when Raf is around it is mentioned a few times, but never explored. We are told that Jake hates Golub, but does anyone else really? How can a city that reads like 10 people have its own high school? It doesn’t feel fleshed out, it reads like there are a few families is all, and doesn’t contrast it to when the town was thriving, it is rather stagnant. I get that bigotry and hate are illogical and the story is perhaps a bit of an allegory for that, but the town has pink and purple waters with healing properties that changed overnight and a group of people arrived through a tree with leaves tattooed on their arms, I don’t see how the magic or the leaf on their inner arm is what is being blamed for Sammy’s death or the water changing. It is a weak premise. Even when we learn that Uncle lied, no one seems to get any truth out of him or be determined to figure stuff out. It is a bit hard to believe no one ever looked at the beach at night, and what exactly are the Weepers doing? Some history or back story about Moonlight would be great to explore. Are Golub and humans different in any way? What was the cause of death of Raf’s dad? Absolutely nothing set out by the book is resolved, nothing is learned, no characters grow, the only closure is that Raf and Yas have told each other how they feel, and the Golub have learned that they can travel further than 40 miles from their tree, that is it.

I do like the mix of names of the characters coming from different cultures all existing without othering or explanation. I like that the slow burn angst is clean, it is nothing a 14 and up couldn’t handle, even if it is a bit obvious.

FLAGS:

Magic, a gay couple own the movie theater, there is some angst, a couple of kisses between Yas and Raf, bullying, premonitions, family fighting, lying, sneaking, romantic hetero affection.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

There is no Islam and the plot is centered around two teens’ feelings for one another so I would not host this as a book club, nor would I really want to do so. But, if I knew there was a a group of people gathering to discuss this book, I would totally join in to see if any insight to all the unanswered threads could be resolved.

May19

Much Ado About Nada by Uzma Jalaluddin

Posted on May 19, 2023 by islamicschoollibrarian

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I get teased a lot by my Lit Sisters for enjoying Hana Khan Carries On so much, so I’m writing this review to convince them why I think this is Uzma Jalaluddin’s best book yet, and why they should preorder here and dive in ASAP! First note that is an adult read, it is not targeted to teens, the protagonist for the majority of the book is nearly 30 years old. It is a romance, it is not a hundred percent halal, but it is definitely halal-ish, and if you feel like you reach a point where it absolutely isn’t, please keep reading (you might be surprised). The book for being what I thought would be an empty calorie rom-com guilty pleasure snack, tells the story of Nada in spiraling layers that keep the reader hooked. Just when you think it is predictable and tropey, the next layer peels back a twist and depth that kept me ignoring my kids and glued to the pages for two days straight. I furiously scribbled notes writing down “haram” deal breakers and most by the end where crossed off, so no this is not Islamic fiction, but there is no internalized Islamophobia, there is no liberal agenda, the author knows the lines and is abiding by them and occasionally breaking them in a fictional entertainment world for Muslim and non Muslim readers alike. I hate to compare, but in many ways it reads like an adult S.K. Ali book. There is social commentary on Islamic communities from a place of love and practice from the inside, there are relatable characters, there is humor, there is love, laughter, and warmth. On occasion there is skirting of the halal/haram line a bit here and there, and sure males and females are a little too friendly at times, but it isn’t the oppressive parents and identity crisis, it is joy. Muslim reality and stress, with true mirroring joy as well.

So why am I reviewing this book here? Simple so you can enjoy it. So often I feel like reviewers particularly, but casual readers as well, become nervous while reading, that the book is going to take a turn and become haram or preachy that we can’t just get lost in the story. So my gift to you, is that if you enjoy rom-coms and don’t usually go for “Muslamic” ones because of apprehension, you can dive in and enjoy this. You can laugh when they ask for a doctor at an Islamic convention, you can roll your eyes when hijabi’s bring extra scarves to throw on the stage of the band (there is a guitar player, but mostly daf and vocals), you can be upset at the slight physical touching (keep reading), and you can nod along with the commentary on divorce, misogyny, wheelchair access, and mental health, but you can also just cheer for the protagonist to find her way to happiness and love too.

SYNOPSIS: (Will be brief because other wise there will be too many spoilers, and because of how the book is told, you don’t want spoilers, trust me, you want to enjoy)

The book opens with Nada trying to hide from both her mom who wants discuss her future and her best friend Haleema who is determined to have a girls weekend with her bestie at the Deen & Duniya Islamic conference in Toronto. Cornered she finds herself at the conference organized by Haleema’s soon to be inlaws and face to face with a variety of characters from her past including past victims of her bullying, past love interest, past business partners, past camp roommates, college friends, startup mentors, and others- it is a very popular and large conference

Yep, that is all you are getting.

WHY I LIKE IT:

Again, to avoid spoilers I’m going to simply point out a few plot concerns I had with the book, because it is who I am, and I need to get them off my chest.

In some of the flashback scenes Nada’s voice reads the same as it does in the present. Her articulation of Baz’s potential as a daf player at 11 years old is very mature and insightful and not realistic at all that she can opine on his skill and the role his hand size have on his mastery at that moment of the instrument. She would probably just think, yeah he is good, or wow, he isn’t bad.

I found it odd that Marya’s husband had opinions on Nada’s makeup, it seemed a bit forward. Also they were in line, then they left, the pacing of the scene was a little off, I read an arc, but I’m hoping it is cleaned up a bit, because it is an important scene.

Haleema is Nada’s college friend, but toward the end in college flashbacks she really disappears, and it was noticeable, because the reader is constantly told Haleema and Nada were good college friends, but never shown. So in those scenes to not have her there, without note, is suspect. Nada really isn’t a good friend to here either, at any stage of life save the conclusion, I’m not sure why Haleema does so much for her honestly.

There is a wedding scene without a wali, and there should be a comment as to why the wedding is performed without the religiously mandated staple or how they are getting around it. It reads off for a book that gets so many details correct. I am hoping that the final has it corrected! PLEASE!!!!!!

Also for a different wedding Sufyan is noted to have got an invite to help serve chai, but he is the groom’s cousin’s son, introduced earlier as a nephew, before the cultural chain of relation is given, so why wouldn’t he be at the wedding?

FLAGS:

Music, female and male close friendships, sneaking around, bullying, talk of sex, sex, kissing, talk of pregnancy, lying, stealing, theft, there might be a curse word or two, sorry, not sure. For an adult book it is clean, these days for a YA book it would be considered remarkably clean.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I wouldn’t suggest it for a school library or high school book club, but I wouldn’t put up much of a fight if it was on the shelf or schedule.

Jan20

The Next New Syrian Girl by Ream Shukairy

Posted on January 20, 2023 by islamicschoollibrarian

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The Next New Syrian Girl by Ream Shukairy

This culture rich, American set, upcoming 416 page YA book proudly shows the characters’ Islam as it shares a story of pain, privilege, guilt, adversity, hope, and family dynamics. The book is an easy read that is hard to put down, and is remarkably clean for the threads of romance, war, and mental health that permeate the pages (note that here are triggers of loss, separation, death, suicide, drowning, trauma, hate, and bullying). There, however, are also some plot holes, contradictions, and weak threads that I feel obligated to note, but ultimately don’t make the book a bad read. I think 16 year old readers, both Syrian and not, as well as Muslim and non Muslims will benefit from the characters sharing their lives and peeling back surface layers to show an intimate account of expectation and obligation for Syrian American girls in today’s world with the backdrop of war in Syria. The book’s first few pages are powerful in their Islamic centering and unapologetic normalizing of salat and hijab and identity. The Islam in the forefront fades as the story progresses and I don’t think I can sign off on the relationship between two characters as being “halal,” but starting the story with fears of praying on the side of the road as a mom’s concern is next level. Most book parents are trying to get their kids to pray, in this family- prayers are happening five times a day and on time, so the worry is knowing where you are when Maghrib time hits, because it obviously won’t be missed or delayed, alhumdulillah.

SYNOPSIS:

Khadija’s mom is queen bee in the tight knit Syrian community in Detroit and Khadija does not fit the mold of what the queen’s daughter should be. It isn’t that Khadija is a rebel, she loves her mother, her faith, her roots, and well, boxing. Khadija is wealthy, and privileged and so much of what is expected is for appearance sake only. Khadija knows this, and takes boxing lessons for free in exchange for helping keep the gym clean as to establish this as her own thing, no strings attached. When Khadija’s mom takes in a Syrian refugee and her daughter, Leene, Khadija has to figure out if she is threatened, jealous, or impressed by the new arrivals and what that means about her own family.

Leene shares the narrative with Khadija and shares her transition to life in America and in the Shaami home along with her past. The loses she has faced, the obstacles overcome, and the secrets she keeps in order to face each new day show glimpses into the destruction of the Syrian war on a way of life and the beauty lost.

The two girls are at odds with each other for much of the book, but as their stories start to intertwine, they find themselves with similarities and strengths that show they are a benefit to each other, despite their stubbornness and fiercely independent personalities. In a race to reclaim what was once lost, the girls start to trust each other, and when family is further threatened the two girls allow themselves to be vulnerable and work together to save what matters.

Clearly I am trying not to spoil the book, nor takeaway from the climax, but I think most that start the book, will find themselves glued to the pages and will understand why I am choosing not to disclose too much.

WHY I LIKE IT:

The first chapter completely blew me away, I loved the idea of such a strong hijabi girl boxing and being so unapologetic about her Islam and culture. I must admit I cried at the end as well. It was tied up very neatly, arguably too perfectly, but there were tears none-the-less and no matter what I critique about the book, I was moved by it. The writing is engaging, and entertaining, no doubt, but alas, I have some questions, lots of questions in fact: How did the mom’s meet? One is super posh and high class, the other refugee with very little, how did their paths cross? How did Leene convince her mom to let her travel even if the ‘why’ was kept hidden? After everything they have been through wouldn’t being left to travel to the Middle East be a huge obstacle that needed to be overcome, it reads inconsistent and unbelievable. How hard was it for the “girls” to leave the “boys,” I would imagine it was devastating, yet it didn’t even get a mention.

What changed so much about the family dynamic when they stopped going to Syria, the author shows the joy of Syria and being together for the family, but I think if you are not Syrian and do not know Syrians well, some of this thread, is going to fall short. I talked to @muslimmommyblog and could see the reflection of the characters for her, but if I didn’t have her shared experience to flesh out the characters, I don’t know that I would have understood the weight of the guilt, the helplessness, and the frustration. Similarly, only through talking to Shifa did I understand the pressures of being an American Syrian girl, if I’m being honest, Khadija the majority of the time, just reads whiney. Other family dynamic questions involve the dad and brother. Was the dad always so absent? It must not have happened overnight, right? And exactly how old is Zain? He reads like he is 12, but he is in high school? Additionally, high school graduation is very important for both girls for very different reasons, but their is no talk of college or career plans, which was noticeably missing from the book.

Then there is the angsty storyline of Younes. The perfectly selfless guy who doesn’t center his Islam as much, but does want to have a prolonged engagement. What does that even mean, and how will that be ok Islamically, with them already laying on the 90s Bollywood style glances and loving confession? Also why does Khadija frame morality through an Islamic lens for most things, but for the relationship resorts to worrying about what her mother will be ok with? And was the family ok with Younes? How is he at the BBQ? Speaking of places he shouldn’t be, how was he at the party Nassima isn’t Arab enough for, when she at least speaks Arabic and he does not?

I think it best to just enjoy the story for what it is, not look too deep, not ask questions, and just enjoy the rep, the story, the characters, and the emotions released with the climax and conclusion.

FLAGS:

Romance, crushes, road rage, bullying, Islaophobia, mental health, death, killing, war, destruction, suicide, drowning, abandonment, separation, loss, grief, rebellion, angst, lying.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

This would not work for a middle school book club, and I really should say that this wouldn’t work for a high school book club either, but I know many older high school girls that would absolutely love this book and I think it might be possible to convince them that the relationship is more than the text shared, and was approved by the families and made halal. Considering so many holes exist, it might be possible to control the narrative in a book club setting on the permissibility of the relationship. It would definitely depend on the girls reading the book and I would strongly suggest that whether you read this book in a group or hand it to a teen, that you make it clear what a halal relationship looks like and that this is a work of fiction.

The book releases in March 2023 and as always to show support for OWN voice Muslim character filled stories please consider pre-ordering the book: you can do so here on Amazon. And once the book releases please purchase, checkout from your library, and encourage your schools to shelve titles to encourage similar books to be published and made available, thank you.

Dec19

Rebel of Fire and Flight by Aneesa Marufu

Posted on December 19, 2022 by islamicschoollibrarian

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Rebel of Fire and Flight by Aneesa Marufu

I struggled with this 384 page young adult fantasy. It skirts and plays with Islamic doctrine as the characters and plot points dance with fantasy and fiction; and because I never felt that the author was completely in control of the story and where it was going, I could never relax and be swept away. The author identifies as Muslim and in the backmatter addresses how experiences with Islamophobia influenced her writing, yet I don’t know why jinn and hijab were in the book when fictionalized creatures and cultural dress would have sufficed. Clearly the character on the cover is in hijab, the names of half the characters are Muslamic, the culture is very desi, the broad concepts of jinn, the ghaib, sihr, Prophet Sulaiman, call to prayer, are all Islamically rooted, but characters go to worship at temples, jinn and jinniya eat corpses and are described so often as looking like smoke. There is no clear identifier that these characters are in fact Muslim, it is simply hinted at, which makes the fictional parts seem like extensions of religious doctrine and ultimately made me uncomfortable with much of the story. It also makes me think readers will not know where the lines are, if my brain was muddled, I can’t imagine a young teen reading it and keeping it clear. There is a few rushed romantic scenes of kissing, there is a trans character who’s gender identity and born gender is a significant plot line in the story, and there is a lot of oppression, racism, death, abuse, misogyny and fear. It is a dark read that metaphorically takes real societal concepts and sets them in shades of gray with the added use of fantasy. There are a lot of layers in the story, and while it wasn’t poorly written, there were definitely places it needed to be better. I really didn’t like any of the characters, I didn’t understand their motives, their relationships, their drives, the commentary on occupiers and rebels was weak as was the push back on misogyny after the first few chapters. I didn’t feel a love of hot air balloons or feel that the battle scenes accounted for many of the characters that would suddenly be missing from the scenes. I think the dual perspectives kept the intensity of the climaxes at bay and halted the rising action. Too many misses for me to recommend this standalone book, but if you’ve read it and can talk me through it, I’m willing to listen.

SYNOPSIS:

In a land where girls are running out of time to be arranged in marriage at 17 and transportation is done in hot air balloons, there are two groups of citizens: the darker Ghadaean’s are the rulers and the lighter skinned hāri are oppressed. The book establishes this power dynamic early on in a quick synopsis: the hāri came from the Himala mountain range to trade to Ghadaea, but their greed and lust for power drove them to try and seize the land. They failed, and now 90 years later the hāri are punished for the mistakes of their grandfathers (4%). Both groups fear sihr and jinn. Everyone is vegetarian because jinn are attracted to rotting corpses, animal and human, and thus anything dead is quickly burned. When a radical hāri group, the Hāreef, is formed with a new leader, sihr and jinn are no longer enemies but tools to rebel against the racist oppression, and assist in the war to change the balance of power.

Khadija is 16 and with her mother and younger brother deceased at the hands of some hāri, her older sister married and off in a balloon, her father is desperate to get her married. Most females are not allowed to read, nor are they even allowed out of the house alone. The fear of the jinn is weaponized to keep them in, and misogyny prevents from proving themselves. While out meeting with a suitor, Khadija in a burst of desperation leaves her father and jumps in to an escaping balloon. Khadija does not know how to fly a balloon, having never even ridden in one, but when it lands in different town she meets Jacob.

Jacob is hāri and the second of the dual perspectives telling the story, he is orphaned and is unique in that he is an apprentice of a glass blowing Ghadaean. He meets Khadija and offers her food, and in the span of a few hours she saves him and he saves her and both seem to have a dead glass blower on their hands. Add this to his growing rift with his best friend William, who has joined the Hāreef, and is now dead, and you have Khadija and Jacob escaping in a balloon, not trusting each other nor knowing who and what they support.

From here on the two’s friendship and motives wax and wane as they are drawn in to battle together, and against each other. Neither are “good” or “bad” nor are their decisions always clear, but they will be forced none-the-less to figure out what they want and what they stand for as peri’s are tortured, nawab’s are killed, jinnya queens are called upon, wishes are granted and a group of hāri and Ghadeans known as the Wazeem offer a unified collective. Unfortunately, change and power never come easy and when a dead son is brought back as an ifrit and an ancient princess in the jinn world is ready to battle, all the shades of gray that exist in politics, revolution, rebellions, families, hate, racism, gender identities, and control all come spilling out from balloon baskets and the ghaib.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I honestly kept reading to see how the author was going to bring it to a conclusion and wrap up all the loose threads. And while the book lagged at times, she definitely got it concluded. Aside from the religious signaling, but never owning identity problems, I struggled with the writing too. The hāri Jacob doesn’t read like a little brother, he and Khadija read the same age, and so his importance in the Hāreef seems an ill fit. Plus he is very duplicitous and I get that that is part of the story, but I never liked him so it just got annoying how many second, third, fourth chances he got, and I mean, why would anyone care?

Khadija seems like she is going to battle misogyny early on, I hate that marriage and arranged marriage is equated to oppression, but the not being allowed out and not being educated seems to fizzle in the middle and then come out a bit in the final scene. I hoped it would have been commented on in every new city they arrived at. The set up was there, but because it wasn’t, it made it seem more of a shortsightedness of her own father, and not a larger problem when strong women existed elsewhere. This also reinforced a “brown Muslim” man stereotype that is never pushed back on.

The racism, power struggle oppression is more consistent, but with the foundation that the hāri came and tried to take over nearly 90 years ago makes it hard to feel too bad for them. They tried to occupy and now are enslaved. Neither is ideal, but why didn’t they just go back? We aren’t talking more than one generation, it is the “crimes of their grandfathers,” they had a home, they were kicked out, they should leave. Yes, I know they are human and racism is wrong, my point is a literary one, that the foundation should have been stronger, more detailed.

The love interest I also felt was lacking, Darian comes out of nowhere, they are in love, he gives her his heart so he is saved, I didn’t feel the tension, I didn’t get it, not at all. It was forced and cheesy and I just know he kept getting hurt, they would kiss, and then he was back to getting hurt or possessed or something, had no personality what so ever.

The seal of Prophet Sulaiman and the hundreds of pieces of it didn’t sit right with me, nor the jinns being smoky and eating corpses. I truly don’t understand why very real Islamic concepts were brought in and twisted. Why not just create your own characters and say they were loosely inspired. I felt like the religious rep and OWN voice kept one foot in the religious inspired world and one in the fantasy is fiction so I can do what I want, and it didn’t work for me. I think it crossed in to being disrespectful, and had the author not identified herself as Muslim, I would have been furious as the book reads like an outsider who doesn’t get that jinn are real, Prophet Sulaiman was real, sihr is real, the ghaib is real. It really needed some some clarification on where the story existed and where the religion or religious inspiration started and stopped.

The trans character is worth highlighting because it does touch into Islamic rulings regarding hijab, even though we don’t know if Anam or any of the characters are Muslim. Anam is born a male, but leaves her family of exorcists and is a leader of the Wazeem as a female. She presents as a female, but when she enters a room where numerous Wazeem women are changing many hide, draw their hijabs, make horrified gestures etc., it has to be explained to Khadija why this is. It does not bother Khadija. Story wise it is a critical point because the Jinniya Queen Mardzma is the queen of female warriors and it is unknown if Anam would be seen as female or male. When Anam went from being an exorcist to the greatest human warrior present is beyond me, but there was a lot of assumptions you had to accept while reading.

FLAGS:

Death, erroneous religious rep, kissing, murder, killing, lying, torturing, threat of sexual assault, murder, coming back from the dead, oppression, racism, trans, misogyny, abuse, hetero relationships, stealing.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I would not shelve this book in an Islamic school library or classroom, nor would I use it as a book club selection. Although if my local public library or some adult Muslims read it and were planning to discuss, I would join to hear their thoughts about it. I would not be able to lead, but I would enjoy picking it apart with others.

The book releases shortly, just because it didn’t work for me, if you think it sounds like something you would like, you can preorder and purchase it HERE.

Dec2

The Love Match by Priyanka Taslim

Posted on December 2, 2022 by islamicschoollibrarian

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This new YA book features Muslim characters, but is not a religious conscious read that fits in the halal category. There is a lot of Islam: waking up for fajr, celebrating Eid, a hijabi, mention of jummah, but the OWN voice rom com sets boundaries based on Bangladeshi culture and American perspectives. The book does not other, or have internalized Islamophobia, or fall in to tropes of oppression and rebelling- quite the contrary- it normalizes everything: LGBTQ+ relationships, dating, music, etc. The book is well written from a literary perspective: easy read, fleshed out characters, resolved plot lines, I wish there would have been more slow burn and heightened emotion, and cathartic release, but it happily held my attention for 388 pages, so I can’t really complain about plot holes or development. The problem I have as an Islamic School Librarian is the non issue dating and romance is for the characters with their parents knowledge, both lesbian and heterosexual. The book doesn’t get graphic, in fact there is only a handful of kisses, but there is a lot of hand holding and pdas in front of parents and even a sleepover with a lesbian couple in a Muslim family’s home, again, nothing “racy” occurs, but the normalization is worth noting for those thinking a Salaam Reads book is going to be a more Islamically centered publication.

SYNOPSIS:

Zahra Khan has graduated high school, and while she’d love to be heading to Columbia to study writing with her best friends, she is stuck deferring her admission and scholarships, and hiding her dream to be an author. Two years earlier her father has passed away and Zahra works in a tea shop to help keep a roof over the heads of her mother, grandmother, and siblings. In the Bangladeshi community in Patterson, New Jersey Zahra’s mom imagines arranging a marriage to a wealthy family for Zahra to ease their financial stresses. When a potential match comes a possible reality, Zahra takes control to try and keep the peace and keep her dreams within reach. In Jane Austin-y feels, a love triangle emerges, friends step up, culture and family touchstones shared and appreciated, and decisions about the future will have to be figured out at 18 years old.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I loved how easy a read the book is, the cultural framing was warm and rich and never overly explained or apologized for. It is what it is, it is who the characters are, and while at times they push back on the negatives, it doesn’t disregard the love that exists at the core. Unfortunately, I really struggled though with the ease in which the characters date with their parents’ knowledge, hold hands, cuddle. I really couldn’t imagine a practicing Muslim family being so supportive of a lesbian daughter in the way that the Tahir family is and allowing a sleepover, nor could I see a hafiz attending musical concerts and Bollywood movies or an imam passing on “love” notes, even side comments about a loan between mother and daughter being paid back with interest felt off. I know I know, there are lots of shades of Muslims, but the normalcy of haram I feel in a review of this book should be noted. It isn’t side mentions, they are central to the story and large portions of the book. The reason I also feel they are worthy of note, is because the book includes a lot of Islam as well. The characters pray and fast and eat halal. They are conscious of chaperones in some settings and keeping things appropriate. There is no doubt that the characters are Muslim, but I think intentionally, to avoid perhaps critiques such as mine, Islam is not used as a reason to do or not do anything, Islam is not used in the thought process or conscience of the characters, culture is. There is no haram police setting boundaries, it just isn’t what “good Deshi girls do.” To be fair, I don’t think the author has ever claimed that this is a halal love story, or that the characters are exploring their Muslim identities, it is a love story that features Muslims is all.

FLAGS:

Straight and sapphic relationships, secret relationships, kissing, hand holding, hugging, lying, music, loss, bullying, interest.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I would not be able to use this book, it would be very damaging to be given to a Muslim child from a Muslim teacher in an Islamic school. It normalizes a lot of haram in a familiar Islamic framing that I think would really confuse YA readers who see themselves and see no push back or consequences for actions they know to be against Islamic ideology.

Nov18

A Second Look by Hannah Matus

Posted on November 18, 2022 by islamicschoollibrarian

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Ok, so y’all, don’t be like me, don’t judge this book by it’s cover, its inside font and spacing, or even the blurb on the back. Judge it based on this sentence: A modern ISLAMIC Libyan cultural retelling of Jane Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice, that is done so, so well. It is seriously so well written and so effortlessly adapted that for those that know the original by heart you will giggle and be giddy with anticipation of how the characters and plot points are turned Islamic. And those that have never read or watched the original or any of the many adaptations, will be sucked in and swept away by the story at hand. Oh sure it needs a few tweaks here and there, but truly this hidden gem sat untouched on my shelf with it’s unattractive cover for way too long. Alhumdulillah for @bintyounus giving the book a start and squealing with glee until the entire @muslimbookreviewer crew dropped everything and read the book. Not that it was hard, once started, this book stayed glued to me as I tried to sneak minutes at dismissal, at work, while cooking, and talking on the phone to stay in the world so masterfully created. The book is halal, but the characters for the most part are in their twenties and I think I wouldn’t object to older teens reading it, but it is an Adult or New Adult book, in both characters’ ages and readers’ interest and appeal.

SYNOPSIS:

The five sisters in the BenTaleb family are all unmarried, balancing life, school, jobs, and daily stresses as varied Muslim Libyan young women in America. With so many girls, the parents of Jana, Elizza, Maryam, Leedya, and Kawthar are known in the small Midwest community as Abu l’Banaat and Umm l’Banaat. When two young businessmen from Libya come in to town to teach at the local university, the eligible bachelor’s are sough after and all the drama, angst, longing, and courtship comes to fruition. Throw in a distant cousin who is an imam, a scandal with a younger sister, social media updates, and cultural expectations, and you have yourself a book full of laughs, tears, cheering, and joy.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I love how seamless the retelling is, the pop culture references, and how relatable and rich the writing is. I was blown away by the beautiful strong Islam present that somehow never comes across as preachy, but is so thoughtfully present in presenting ideology, cultural pushback, western conflict, that Muslims and non Muslims will enjoy the story. I’m fairly certain every Muslim Jane Austen fan has thought how similar books written so long ago mirror the courting etiquette of Muslims, and this book delivers all of those hopes and imaginings: the names of the characters, the opposing perspectives of the sisters- I really can’t stop gushing, and haven’t since I finished the 200 page book. There is so much Islam, swoon, and it is presented so well.

FLAGS:

As an Adult book it is clean, even as a New Adult book it is clean. I hesitate to call it Young Adult because it is about marriage, and there is a scandal with a sister, and mention of wedding nights, and STDS and lingerie, nothing is explicit, but for as halal as it all is and how practicing the character’s all are, these few mentions elevate the story from suitable for a 13 year old, to being ok for older teens.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I think everyone should read it and come gush with me. You can purchase the book here.

Sep9

The Bird and the Blade by Megan Bannen

Posted on September 9, 2022 by islamicschoollibrarian

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I didn’t know what to expect as I opened this 416 page book: it was recommended to me, my library had it, and I wanted a break from reading on a screen, so I dived in. The map, the character list, and the setting of 13th century Mongol empire had me bracing for a complex read. I gave myself a goal of a few chapters to see if I could connect, but by page 20 I was completely absorbed and not to be disturbed. The character driven plot is written in a rather contemporary manner, although the setting is historical fiction (with a lot of noted liberties) it reads really quickly and easily. It is definitely 16 and up, romantic YA and has triggers of suicide, murder, drowning, death, war, abuse, misogyny. While reading it, there often felt like there were holes in the plot as the story builds on itself in quiet layers- the story is fairly linear just broken up and rearranged in time, but the informatio

n shared is gently teased out, and nearly every hole filled by the final page. I think if someone told me about the book in detail, I would not have read it. There are many things that I feel like I shouldn’t like about it, but truth be told, I enjoyed the story. The tokenish Islam found a way to convince me it was done intentionally, the (few) main characters present held my intention at all times, the backmatter detailing the research and liberties just all combined masterfully, that I feel compelled to share the story on my platforms even though the Islamic rep is only slightly more that the YA equivalent of a #muslimsintheillustrations tag.

I tried really hard not to include spoilers, so forgive some of the vague sentiments.

SYNOPSIS:

The story without any spoilers is quite simple- a slave girl, Jinghua, is mourning her dead brother and comes across Prince Khalaf, son of Timur, the ruler of the Kipchak Khanate, while working in the family’s service. Shocked by his kindness, and persona, she falls hopelessly in love with him and when his family is exiled she decides to stay with the prince and the khan rather than flee. They journey together and their feelings grow. To save his family’s rule, however, Prince Khalaf decides to attempt to wed the daughter of the the Great Khan. Princess Turandokht is exceptionally beautiful, wise, and powerful. She refuses to wed and has set up a test for any prince wishing to try and marry her. She has three riddles, each one to be answered in seven minutes, anyone who answers wrong is immediately put to death. Numerous suitors have been killed. When Khalaf sneaks off in the night to test his wits, the story of how how intertwined Jinghua and Khalaf’s stories are comes to light before the final riddle is answered.

WHY I LIKE IT:

It is not OWN voice, it is researched and based on a tale from The Thousand and One Days, but having very little to no knowledge of Mongol history (I’ve read the book Ghenghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World years ago, but that is about it), and have never seen or read the opera, poetry, or stories that this tale has presented as, I have nothing to compare it to. The book does not need knowledge of the story or time frame to make sense, but the backmatter is well done and makes the process of the story more fulfilling.

For the majority of the book, Islam and the khan and prince being Muslim is just a label occasionally remarked upon when the khan praises the Eternal Blue Sky, instead of Allah swt, and that is about all. In fact Allah swt I don’t think is ever mentioned in the book. Based on the information in the back about Mongol’s and a few dialogues in the book it seems that many practices were a hodgepodge of many faiths and traditions, especially by leaders to unite their subjects. A few ayats from the Quran are mentioned as are some hadiths loosely, which are sourced at the end. Khalaf gets drunk, and acknowledges that it is haram, and sleeps next to Jinghua for warmth which he also notes is haram. It mentions a few times that he prays. There is a weird emphasis on his turban, but it could be culturally Muslim (?), so I let it slide.

The first person voice really sets a good pace for the story, and all of its twists and turns, but does make the love, crush, infatuation theme seem very naïve in the beginning, with more telling than showing. I think it is accurate for Jinghua, but does require the reader to just accept it and keep reading. It seems at times she is also rather helpless and so desperate to be seen that the stereotype is a bit cringe, particularly at the end. I get that appearance and women’s worth is tied to the time and setting, but it still doesn’t completely absolve how triggering the main character’s portrayal can be.

Jinghua’s religious beliefs of the Song Dynasty made me understand the offerings made to her ancestors and the ghost of her slain brother to be religious in context, not literary fantasy. Many places have labeled this a fantasy romance book, but I don’t know that the world building was fantasy as much as it was historical reimagining. Either way, there are ancestral ghosts that the main character dreams about and often sees, the epilogue pushes this element, but in my mind still adheres to the same point of ghosts and ancestors being a religious thread.

A found the fear of water story detail a little forced as she was not scared of water when washing out the bloody clothing in the river alone, but then was terrified to stand near a river. Perhaps a minor detail, but one that I noticed none the less.

My favorite character is the the cantankerous old goat, I’m not going to say much about him other than if at first you hate him, stick around, he might win you over.

FLAGS:

There are multiple suicides and it is glorified, seen as a mercy, and shown as an act of desperation. There is cruelty and classism along with misogyny and reducing a woman to her appearance. There is talk of penises and them being seen when urinating, as well as one scene of an erection being felt. There is killing, war, battle. murder, death, that is fairly detailed. There is language and crudeness. There is talk of rape, and affairs, and fornicating. There are a few kisses, one while a character is drunk, one forced upon a nonconsenting woman. Jinghua disguises herself as a boy. There are theological concepts present and ghosts. Alcohol and wine are consumed. Nothing is over the top or overly stressed to the point of being obnoxious, but it is present and older YA readers can probably handle it.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I would love to discuss with readers, but not my students, I don’t think it would work for an Islamic school book club selection. The “Muslim” character gets drunk, kisses two different women, has an alter to honor the dead, places offerings of wine.

Jul22

As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh

Posted on July 22, 2022 by islamicschoollibrarian

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As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh

Anything I write about this YA book will fail miserably in conveying how powerful, beautiful, lingering, moving, emotional, and overall masterfully written every one of the 432 pages are; it just might be my favorite book of the year. I do know that this will be my new standard for Muslim OWN voice stories, as the authenticity was absolutely engulfing, I’m not Syrian and I could feel it and naturally, I also verified it. There is no pandering to a western gaze, the story and characters pull you in and show you Syria from the ground, there is no telling, there is no lecturing, it is mesmerizing storytelling at its finest. The book has mental health issues, war, and a sweet “halal” romance, that I think upper YA, 16 plus, can handle and appreciate. I hope every adult will spend time with this book, it truly is incredibly well done, alhumdulillah.

SYNOPSIS:

Homs is under the protection of the Free Syrian Army, but that isn’t enough to keep pharmacy student Salama and her family safe. Her mother is killed, her father and brother taken, and so she moves in with her best friend Layla, her pregnant sister-in-law, her only family left. Working as a doctor in the hospital where anyone remaining is given responsibilities far above their skill level, education, and experience- every day is a struggle to survive.

Haunted by the physical manifestation of her fear, “Khawf,” who urges her to fulfill her promise to her brother of keeping Layla safe and getting them out of the country, Salama at eighteen years old has to find a way.

Before all the pieces come together to escape, a boy enters the picture, Kenan, who gives Salama hope, who distracts her from the death and destruction that has consumed their lives. A boy unwilling to leave his beloved homeland.

WHY I LIKE IT:

I’m a crier, but this book brought out ugly angry tears, shocked tears, heartbroken tears, sentimental tears, you get the point, this book held me in its grasps and never let go. I.COULDN’T. PUT. IT. DOWN. If this is the author’s debut novel I can’t even fathom what is yet to come.

I love that the characters are Muslim, and that they pray together, that they plead with Allah (swt) and meet at the mosque. It is who they are, it is not up for debate or in need of explanation, it is what it is and it is not anything to discuss. The parts where a character pleads with Allah for death over being taken, absolutely wrecked me. Just as efforts to keep everything halal between Salama and Kenan made me beam. (If I’m completely honesty, I did on occasion get frustrated, I mean come on they are being shot at, bombed, nearly sexually assaulted, scoop her up in your arms and console, her, I know haram, but it is fiction and I was invested, and there is a war. Thankfully, I am not an author and she kept it all clean and her characters much stronger and mindful of the shortness of this world.)

I love that there are political voices, but that it isn’t a political book trying to give back story to the conflict. In so many ways the news has failed to keep a light shining on Syria and books such as this, remind those of us outside Syria without strong connections to the land, that the conflict is still raging. If this was a journalistic article it would be a human interest piece, it is character driven. Readers see themselves in the characters that live lives that most of us of privilege could never imagine, yet here we are spellbound by the characters, their choices, their dreams, and their safety. This book shows the power of fiction in opening our eyes to the horrors that are happening in our time, by giving us a face and a character to care so deeply about, that we are spurred to action and determined to not remain apathetic.

FLAGS:

Death, torture, physical abuse, sexual assault, fear, loss, coercion, war, murder, torture, child abuse, crimes against humanity, starvation, mental health, PTSD.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I would love to use this book in a high school book club. The story and themes of the book would open themselves up to discussion so effortlessly and the beauty of the writing would be a gift to share with students.