We Can't Keep Meeting Like This by Rachel Lynn Solomon

 

“Quinn Berkowitz and Tarek Mansour’s families have been in business together for years: Quinn’s parents are wedding planners, and Tarek’s own a catering company. At the end of last summer, Quinn confessed her crush on him in the form of a rambling email—and then he left for college without a response.

Quinn has been dreading seeing him again almost as much as she dreads another summer playing the harp for her parents’ weddings. When he shows up at the first wedding of the summer, looking cuter than ever after a year apart, they clash immediately. Tarek’s always loved the grand gestures in weddings—the flashier, the better—while Quinn can’t see them as anything but fake. Even as they can’t seem to have one civil conversation, Quinn’s thrown together with Tarek wedding after wedding, from performing a daring cake rescue to filling in for a missing bridesmaid and groomsman.

Quinn can’t deny her feelings for him are still there, especially after she learns the truth about his silence, opens up about her own fears, and begins learning the art of harp-making from an enigmatic teacher.

Maybe love isn’t the enemy after all—and maybe allowing herself to fall is the most honest thing Quinn’s ever done.” - taken from Goodreads.com

Quinn and Tarek cross paths every summer during the wedding season. Quinn's parents are wedding planners while Tarek's are caterers. After things don't end well between the two of them, Quinn confesses her feelings for Tarek in an email but he never responds. What happens the following summer when they meet at the first wedding of the year starts a journey of recovery and reconciliation between the two of them, another enjoyable romance by this author.

Visit Rachel Lynn Solomon’s website.

Yes No Maybe So by Becky Albertalli and Aisha Saeed

“YES

Jamie Goldberg is cool with volunteering for his local state senate candidate—as long as he’s behind the scenes. When it comes to speaking to strangers (or, let’s face it, speaking at all to almost anyone), Jamie’s a choke artist. There’s no way he’d ever knock on doors to ask people for their votes…until he meets Maya.

NO

Maya Rehman’s having the worst Ramadan ever. Her best friend is too busy to hang out, her summer trip is canceled, and now her parents are separating. Why her mother thinks the solution to her problems is political canvassing—with some awkward dude she hardly knows—is beyond her.

MAYBE SO

Going door to door isn’t exactly glamorous, but maybe it’s not the worst thing in the world. After all, the polls are getting closer—and so are Maya and Jamie. Mastering local activism is one thing. Navigating the cross-cultural romance of the century is another thing entirely.” - taken from Goodreads.com

This was an adorable book of first love and standing up for what you believe in. Maya, who is Muslim, and Jamie, who is Jewish, reconnect while volunteering on a political campaign. Their families were friendly when these two were younger. Taking place during Ramadan, Jamie and the reader learn about the Muslim holiday just as Maya gains some insight into Jamie's younger sister's bat mitzvah.

According to the authors' note at the end, the event surrounding Maya and Jamie's story was based on the current political climate here in the United States. This shouldn't be a turn off because the reader gets some insight into how our political system works. Putting yourself into either Maya or Jamie's shoes is an invaluable lesson.

Visit Becky Albertalli’s website.

Visit Aisha Saeed’s website.

Love From A to Z by S.K. Ali

“A marvel: something you find amazing. Even ordinary-amazing. Like potatoes—because they make French fries happen. Like the perfect fries Adam and his mom used to make together.

An oddity: whatever gives you pause. Like the fact that there are hateful people in the world. Like Zayneb’s teacher, who won’t stop reminding the class how “bad” Muslims are.

But Zayneb, the only Muslim in class, isn’t bad. She’s angry.

When she gets suspended for confronting her teacher, and he begins investigating her activist friends, Zayneb heads to her aunt’s house in Doha, Qatar, for an early start to spring break.

Fueled by the guilt of getting her friends in trouble, she resolves to try out a newer, “nicer” version of herself in a place where no one knows her.

Then her path crosses with Adam’s.

Since he got diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in November, Adam’s stopped going to classes, intent, instead, on perfecting the making of things. Intent on keeping the memory of his mom alive for his little sister.

Adam’s also intent on keeping his diagnosis a secret from his grieving father.

Alone, Adam and Zayneb are playing roles for others, keeping their real thoughts locked away in their journals.

Until a marvel and an oddity occurs…

Marvel: Adam and Zayneb meeting.

Oddity: Adam and Zayneb meeting.” - taken from Goodreads.com

This is a love story and the personal journeys of two teens that begin with a chance meeting on a flight. When their paths continue to cross over the next two weeks, Adam and Zayneb soon realize that they cannot fight their mutual attraction even as they each work to overcome personal struggles. I loved how the author wrote this in a diary-style from the two main characters while providing a satisfying ending.

Visit S.K. Ali’s website.

Internment by Samira Ahmed

“Rebellions are built on hope.

Set in a horrifying near-future United States, seventeen-year-old Layla Amin and her parents are forced into an internment camp for Muslim American citizens.

With the help of newly made friends also trapped within the internment camp, her boyfriend on the outside, and an unexpected alliance, Layla begins a journey to fight for freedom, leading a revolution against the camp's Director and his guards.” - taken from Goodreads.com

Not sure what to say about this book. The content is super timely and could realistically happen. The beginning had me sucked in but the middle sort of fell flat for me. I found a few things that I thought seems a little far-fetched. I did push through to finish to see how the story ended but it felt a bit rushed to me without any real closure. 

Visit Samira Ahmed’s website.