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mmrohbock's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
4.25⭐
G for a cute young adult novel good for any teen!
As a teenager, I really didn't know much about Ramadan and learned so much more as an adult living in diverse cities with coworkers who are practicing Muslims. This is the young adult book I wish I had as a teen so I could learn more about customs different from the ones I grew up with.
Dua is a seventeen-year-old only child and the only Muslim in girl in her school who's just looking forward to summer when her parents announce they're going to spend the month of Ramadan in NYC with her uncle's very religious family of seven. The following month is so much change as Dua learns to find her place among such a large family, grow in her religious practice and meet a cute Desi boy who's a friend of the family.
This book tackled so many different topics from Islamophobia to marriage decisions to the joy of a first crush. Sara Sharaf Bag did a great job bringing her characters to life and sharing their challenges in such a short book. I did find it hard to keep all the characters straight at first and there was a lot going on to keep track of. The characters also made some major decisions extremely quickly, so the book didn't always quite flow but I think some of that may be due to cultural differences on my end.
If you're looking for a great book to learn more about the Islamic faith or Ramadan that can be shared with people of all ages, I definitely recommend this book. It was so sweet and so informative!
And I do not want to appropriate Ramadan but as a Catholic with Lent rapidly approaching, this book has put me in the right mindset to think about how I want to grow during the time period where Catholics use fasting and restrictions to bring themselves closer to God.
G for a cute young adult novel good for any teen!
As a teenager, I really didn't know much about Ramadan and learned so much more as an adult living in diverse cities with coworkers who are practicing Muslims. This is the young adult book I wish I had as a teen so I could learn more about customs different from the ones I grew up with.
Dua is a seventeen-year-old only child and the only Muslim in girl in her school who's just looking forward to summer when her parents announce they're going to spend the month of Ramadan in NYC with her uncle's very religious family of seven. The following month is so much change as Dua learns to find her place among such a large family, grow in her religious practice and meet a cute Desi boy who's a friend of the family.
This book tackled so many different topics from Islamophobia to marriage decisions to the joy of a first crush. Sara Sharaf Bag did a great job bringing her characters to life and sharing their challenges in such a short book. I did find it hard to keep all the characters straight at first and there was a lot going on to keep track of. The characters also made some major decisions extremely quickly, so the book didn't always quite flow but I think some of that may be due to cultural differences on my end.
If you're looking for a great book to learn more about the Islamic faith or Ramadan that can be shared with people of all ages, I definitely recommend this book. It was so sweet and so informative!
And I do not want to appropriate Ramadan but as a Catholic with Lent rapidly approaching, this book has put me in the right mindset to think about how I want to grow during the time period where Catholics use fasting and restrictions to bring themselves closer to God.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence and Islamophobia
onkenzisshelf's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
What I Liked:
- I learned so much about the Muslim faith in this book! I loved the narrator and I'm really glad I listened to this, as I never would have been able to pronounce half the words. I also felt like this was a really good, modern look at Islam.
- I really loved Dua's character arc - both within her faith and within her family. It felt genuine and I felt like I was on this journey with her.
- I went into this thinking it was going to be a lighthearted romance novel, but WOW it dove deep into Islamophobia, something that we tend to overlook a lot. It dealt with this topic in incredibly moving ways too. I honestly am not sure I would even classify this book as a romance, as it dealt more with Dua and her faith.
What I Didn't Like/Wanted More Of:
- I wish the romances had been a little more fleshed out.
- Parts felt a little preachy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Islamophobia and Gun violence
katiemack's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
3.0
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The #ownvoices rep is strong in this one. As far as halal romance goes, this book does a decent job illustrating that and the positive aspects of Islam (though it got a little preachy at times). The ending is very cute too. Overall, it's great that this book was written and will be widely circulated so more YA readers will see themselves in mainstream literature--I'm a huge proponent of that.
Unfortunately, it was tough to enjoy the story because the writing feels clunky and overly explanatory. I also read parts out loud to my husband (who is Pakistani) because sometimes it sounds like a South Asian drama. (I love watching those dramas, but it doesn't translate well to the written word.) There were also some strange inconsistencies and errors that will hopefully be resolves when the book is published.
I was conflicted with what to rate this because, again, just the fact that this was written is excellent; however, the writing could use some polish.
The #ownvoices rep is strong in this one. As far as halal romance goes, this book does a decent job illustrating that and the positive aspects of Islam (though it got a little preachy at times). The ending is very cute too. Overall, it's great that this book was written and will be widely circulated so more YA readers will see themselves in mainstream literature--I'm a huge proponent of that.
Unfortunately, it was tough to enjoy the story because the writing feels clunky and overly explanatory. I also read parts out loud to my husband (who is Pakistani) because sometimes it sounds like a South Asian drama. (I love watching those dramas, but it doesn't translate well to the written word.) There were also some strange inconsistencies and errors that will hopefully be resolves when the book is published.
I was conflicted with what to rate this because, again, just the fact that this was written is excellent; however, the writing could use some polish.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Islamophobia and Gun violence
bareerahzafar's review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
This is a super cute, super quick read. Great for Muslims who are looking to reconnect with their faith. It's also great for non-Muslims who want to learn more about Islam. The romances are cute and halal, but I wish they were more flushed out. I didn't feel the chemistry between love interests, but it was enjoyable nonetheless. As someone who's on a journey to improving their deen, I really appreciate this book.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Islamophobia, Gun violence, and Racism
whatirinreads_18's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Salaam, With Love is a YA novel about Dua, a Pakistani-American teenager who spends Ramadan at her uncle's place and unexpectedly learns important lessons on family, faith and love. This was such a heart-warming book with a great Muslim representation (one of the best I have ever read tbh) 💗 My heart is so full. I am really happy that books with Muslim characters like this one are being published, especially in the YA corner of the book community. Swipe right to read synopsis!
The story turned out to be quite different than I expected it to be. It is cute and wholesome, yes, but the plot deals with some serious issues like Islamophobia as well. I loved how Dua's POV revolved around faith and how spiritually fulfilling Ramadan is in general. I wouldn't call this a romance novel because the plot doesn't focus solely on Dua and Hassan's blooming relationship. Salaam, With Love is more about a girl's journey of wholeheartedly connecting with Islam ~ and becoming a better person with her through her faith. I loved how different Surahs from the Quran were quoted throughout the book, and Dua's prayers (duas) for herself and her family were presented in the chapters too. ALSO, Dua and Hassan connected mostly because he helped her memorize verses from the Quran 🥺
I wish the issues that the book talked about, like Islamophobia and Mahnoor's concerns about her marriage ~ were more fleshed out. Those are my only complains about the book! I hope the author writes a sequel, though! Salaam, with Love has really motivated me in terms of religious aspects too. I am going to write a Ramadan Checklist every year from now onwards like the ones mentioned in the book :')
The story turned out to be quite different than I expected it to be. It is cute and wholesome, yes, but the plot deals with some serious issues like Islamophobia as well. I loved how Dua's POV revolved around faith and how spiritually fulfilling Ramadan is in general. I wouldn't call this a romance novel because the plot doesn't focus solely on Dua and Hassan's blooming relationship. Salaam, With Love is more about a girl's journey of wholeheartedly connecting with Islam ~ and becoming a better person with her through her faith. I loved how different Surahs from the Quran were quoted throughout the book, and Dua's prayers (duas) for herself and her family were presented in the chapters too. ALSO, Dua and Hassan connected mostly because he helped her memorize verses from the Quran 🥺
I wish the issues that the book talked about, like Islamophobia and Mahnoor's concerns about her marriage ~ were more fleshed out. Those are my only complains about the book! I hope the author writes a sequel, though! Salaam, with Love has really motivated me in terms of religious aspects too. I am going to write a Ramadan Checklist every year from now onwards like the ones mentioned in the book :')
Content Warnings
Moderate: Islamophobia, Racial slurs, and Gun violence
starshynebrite's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.5
I went into this cautiously optimistic and was pleasantly surprised! As a Muslim reader it's always a little difficult to read books with Muslims that might practice faith differently than I do which generally sets me up for disappointment. That being said, the only real thing that makes me not like the representation is if the book contributes to the rhetoric that Muslims who practice differently (or stricter) aren't great or if it fits into the whole "I'm not like other Muslims" trope.
So this book passed that test because this book really explored GROWTH in faith. This is one of the rare non hijabi books that shows that the hijab isn't what makes a woman more Muslim than another. I loved seeing Dua strive to grow in her faith and get closer to her family and her passions. I absolutely adored seeing bits and pieces of the Quran or hadith in the book. It was so seamless and natural and unapologetic!
My actual rating would probably be 4.5 just because there were moments that took me out of the story like the fact that they would listen to music during Ramadan. And while I know every Muslim practices differently, it felt strange to have it brought up so many times, especially because music isn't really allowed in Islam (and while I still struggle with that aspect of my faith I do tend to try and avoid it especially during Ramadan). However, the band name Sheikh Rattle and Roll was iconic and I think it was really cool to see Muslim kids sing nasheeds! So that specific portion is just a me thing and not something that would deter me from recommending the book, really.
I also think the romance aspect was so well done especially because it wasn't really a traditional romance at all. We actually got to see two types of romance in the book, and they were both halal. I loved that the book discussed interracial marriages as well! This book also had such lovely family and friendship relationships! The dynamics between the individual characters were really well done and by the end of it it almost felt like I was a part of the big family too!
Overall, I really enjoyed the book and would highly recommend it!
So this book passed that test because this book really explored GROWTH in faith. This is one of the rare non hijabi books that shows that the hijab isn't what makes a woman more Muslim than another. I loved seeing Dua strive to grow in her faith and get closer to her family and her passions. I absolutely adored seeing bits and pieces of the Quran or hadith in the book. It was so seamless and natural and unapologetic!
My actual rating would probably be 4.5 just because there were moments that took me out of the story like the fact that they would listen to music during Ramadan. And while I know every Muslim practices differently, it felt strange to have it brought up so many times, especially because music isn't really allowed in Islam (and while I still struggle with that aspect of my faith I do tend to try and avoid it especially during Ramadan). However, the band name Sheikh Rattle and Roll was iconic and I think it was really cool to see Muslim kids sing nasheeds! So that specific portion is just a me thing and not something that would deter me from recommending the book, really.
I also think the romance aspect was so well done especially because it wasn't really a traditional romance at all. We actually got to see two types of romance in the book, and they were both halal. I loved that the book discussed interracial marriages as well! This book also had such lovely family and friendship relationships! The dynamics between the individual characters were really well done and by the end of it it almost felt like I was a part of the big family too!
Overall, I really enjoyed the book and would highly recommend it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence
Moderate: Islamophobia
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