What do you think?
In the Country I Love
Two Iraqi American best friends—a struggling teen father and the community's golden boy—confront dark truths about their families in the wake of a devastating crime in this heartrending YA debut.
As a seventeen-year-old single dad and a soon-to-be high school drop-out, Yassir Al-Azzawi's lapsed Shia faith is just another thing convincing his parents he's a failure. One more mistake, and they'll send him back to their homeland, a war-torn Iraq.
Khaled Al-Hakim is perfect on paper: devout in his faith, a straight-A student, and captain of the debate team. But beneath the surface, Khaled is no saint either, and his worst sin yet is ignoring his parents’ command to stay away from Yassir.
When their secret friendship is exposed, the consequences set off a series of events that cause family secrets from both sides to come to light, and neither Yassir nor Khaled are prepared to learn the stains that taint their family names.
Told through multiple POVs across time, this authentic exploration of the Shia Muslim experience in the U.S. seamlessly combines classic YA themes of identity, coming-of-age, and relationships with timely social themes of racism, Islamophobia, and justice. This compelling, contemporary debut is perfect for fans of Sabaa Tahir’s All My Rage and Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief.
As a seventeen-year-old single dad and a soon-to-be high school drop-out, Yassir Al-Azzawi's lapsed Shia faith is just another thing convincing his parents he's a failure. One more mistake, and they'll send him back to their homeland, a war-torn Iraq.
Khaled Al-Hakim is perfect on paper: devout in his faith, a straight-A student, and captain of the debate team. But beneath the surface, Khaled is no saint either, and his worst sin yet is ignoring his parents’ command to stay away from Yassir.
When their secret friendship is exposed, the consequences set off a series of events that cause family secrets from both sides to come to light, and neither Yassir nor Khaled are prepared to learn the stains that taint their family names.
Told through multiple POVs across time, this authentic exploration of the Shia Muslim experience in the U.S. seamlessly combines classic YA themes of identity, coming-of-age, and relationships with timely social themes of racism, Islamophobia, and justice. This compelling, contemporary debut is perfect for fans of Sabaa Tahir’s All My Rage and Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief.
413 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2026
About the author
Alaa Al-Barkawi
2 books51 followersAlaa Al-Barkawi is a first-generation, Iraqi-American Shia Muslim writer. Alaa’s novels center around messy Iraqi characters navigating complicated family dynamics, Shia faith, weighty responsibilities, and culture. While her stories mostly take place in contemporary worlds, she infuses speculative twists with unexpected narrators inspired by Iraqi heritage and Islamic elements.
Her young adult debut novel, IN THE COUNTRY I LOVE, will be published in Summer 2026 by Peachtree Teen.
Her young adult debut novel, IN THE COUNTRY I LOVE, will be published in Summer 2026 by Peachtree Teen.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
June 13, 2026
Zana, thanks for putting this on my radar. It's one of my favorite books of the year.
I think this should be required reading.
I think this should be required reading.
May 30, 2026
I said this in my instagram post, but I’ll say it here again…I’ve read quite a few books written by Muslim authors with Muslim characters over the years. Many of which are some of my favourite books of all time. I truly appreciate the path these Muslim authors have paved for a book like In the Country I Love. Despite how much these books mean to me, there was always something missing.
In the Country I Love was that missing puzzle piece.
To think I get to sit here and write a review of a book that mentions Imam Hussain in the first sentence…I never thought that day would come. To see characters pray the way I do, commemorate Ashura and Arbaeen, visit the shrines of the Imams, say “Ya Ali”, send blessings to the Prophet and his family–it makes me emotional just thinking about it. I never thought I’d see myself in a book. I’ve seen some parts of who I am in many books I’ve read, but this core aspect of my religion, the things I used to shy away from sharing because of the fear of being attacked by other Muslims, to be so openly and almost casually mentioned in a book, is a huge deal! This book means so much to me because of this and I really hope this isn’t the last we’ll see of Shia Muslims and Shia Islam being shown in literature.
This book, at it’s core, is a story about family and friendship. It’s about secrets from the past and present. It’s about genocide and displacement and the intergenerational trauma that stems from not having a place you can truly call home. It’s about Islamophobia and what it’s like to grow up as a teenager in a land that doesn’t want you, yet not feel connected to the land your parents’ call home. It’s a very real and raw, but also messy, depiction of life. And it will make you sob multiple times.
Khalid and Yassir are two very interesting characters on opposite ends of the spectrum. Khalid is a loud and proud Muslim, speaking up whenever he sees any injustice. Yassir is quiet, hesitant and desperately wants to fit in. When the book opens up, we’re not told everything about either of their pasts right away. And I really loved the way their story was told in this book. It left me constantly on the edge of my seat, trying to guess what actually happened. Things are revealed slowly and sometimes unexpectedly, and it really kept the momentum going. I flew through this book a lot faster than I was expecting because I kept wanting to read more to find out what happened to cause this rift between the two families.
One thing I’m happy Alaa did was highlight issues like alcohol and abuse and sex that are normally hushed up in many Muslim communities, but especially in Shia communities. It’s something that is more common than people think and her portrayal of it felt like a good balance between raising awareness without causing shame.
I loved both Khalid and Yassir for so many different reasons. I also wanted to shake some sense into both of them every other chapter. Everyone in this book is just so MESSY. Khalid has his heart in the right place, but sometimes his decisions just make everything worse. And Yassir’s passivity in situations when he should speak up makes you almost frustrated with this character. But as you grow to learn more about both of them, you really start to understand why they are the way they are.
I think both Khalid and Yassir represent what it’s like to be Muslim in the West. It’s that constant internal battle of “should I speak out and suffer the consequences” or “should I stay silent and turn the other way so I can breathe for a second”. It’s the balance between standing up for justice and knowing there’s no one who’s going to stand up for you in return. It’s knowing that everyone around you has misconceptions and biases and internalized racism if not outright racism and Islamophobia against you, and sometimes it’s like yelling at a brick wall. You know you won’t get through to people, so is there any point? I truly related to both Yassir and Khalid in their contrasting ways. I understood the desperate desire to just disappear into the background, but also this inherent need to speak out, especially having grown up with Islamic figures like Imam Hussain and Bibi Zaynab.
Watching the two of them at odds with each other was so painful. You can feel the bond Yassir and Khalid have for each other, and the bonds their families had at one point. But everything about their lives is so messy and complicated.
Immigrant parents, especially ones who’ve been through a lot, hate talking about the past, let alone sitting down with their kids and having honest discussions. And I think the reason this book resonated with me so much was because I also come from a messed up family. Not to the same extent as Yassir and Khalid’s families, but it was still very relatable. For some reason, no one ever wants to go to therapy, or talk about anything. They’d rather hide the truth because of the fear their kids will repeat the past. And all it does is create more problems. It’s such a cyclical issue and it's complicated by parenting while escaping genocide and living under poverty. A lot of the healthy coping mechanisms white families have been able to develop over decades aren’t things that our families have access too because of colonialism and white supremacy. (Sidenote: I totally died when Yassir’s dad and siblings all said no at the idea of family therapy lol) Unfortunately, ignoring the past doesn’t bode well for the future and we see that in this book so well.
Kawther was probably my favourite character because I related to her the most. The black sheep, blamed for breaking apart two families, running away to live her dream, while the guilt of her actions eats her alive. I felt so much for her character, especially watching her navigate trying to do what her family expects from her, while also dreaming of her own future and success. Her story progression was the most shocking for me, but also made the most sense. Girls in immigrant families always have it the hardest. And I just wanted to hug her for going through everything she went through by herself. It reminded me of moving away from home and feeling like I had ripped my family apart because of my actions, but knowing this was the best decision for me. I loved seeing Kawther choose herself. It’s such an important message for other Muslim girls to see. We’re constantly told to think of everyone else except ourselves, to make decisions that will please our families and communities. We’re told to ignore all the red flags, that men can be changed, that our value is only in marriage and not our intellect. I love Kawther with all my heart, and the way her story concluded was perfect.
(Lowkey hate Ali for what he did to Kawther and I can’t exactly look past the role his parents and Fatima played in everything. It’s just so classic and something I’ve heard happen over and over again. At the same time, he needs major help and ignoring the past because you’re more worried about what community/people will say does come to bite you in the end, and unfortunately usually results in innocent girls getting hurt.)
One side note I wanted to mention was about Khalid’s mom and the depression and trauma she went through to the point where she couldn’t get out of bed. I really liked how this was included in the book. I grew up at a mosque that was predominantly Iraqi and Lebanese, and I remember hearing things about some Iraqi family members who just couldn’t come to the mosque or community events because of the horrible torture and experiences they went through in Iraq or because they had just lost faith and were no longer religious like Yassir. I think this book put these stories I heard growing up into context.
I am truly impressed at how well this book is written and the way the story unfolded. My heart ached and I came close to tears multiple times. It’s a very bittersweet ending. It didn’t wrap up perfectly, but there was also no way for things to go back to the way they used to be. Instead I loved the focus on acceptance and moving on and changing the future.
I’m already here waiting for Alaa’s next book. I cannot wait to see what she writes next!
In the Country I Love was that missing puzzle piece.
To think I get to sit here and write a review of a book that mentions Imam Hussain in the first sentence…I never thought that day would come. To see characters pray the way I do, commemorate Ashura and Arbaeen, visit the shrines of the Imams, say “Ya Ali”, send blessings to the Prophet and his family–it makes me emotional just thinking about it. I never thought I’d see myself in a book. I’ve seen some parts of who I am in many books I’ve read, but this core aspect of my religion, the things I used to shy away from sharing because of the fear of being attacked by other Muslims, to be so openly and almost casually mentioned in a book, is a huge deal! This book means so much to me because of this and I really hope this isn’t the last we’ll see of Shia Muslims and Shia Islam being shown in literature.
This book, at it’s core, is a story about family and friendship. It’s about secrets from the past and present. It’s about genocide and displacement and the intergenerational trauma that stems from not having a place you can truly call home. It’s about Islamophobia and what it’s like to grow up as a teenager in a land that doesn’t want you, yet not feel connected to the land your parents’ call home. It’s a very real and raw, but also messy, depiction of life. And it will make you sob multiple times.
Khalid and Yassir are two very interesting characters on opposite ends of the spectrum. Khalid is a loud and proud Muslim, speaking up whenever he sees any injustice. Yassir is quiet, hesitant and desperately wants to fit in. When the book opens up, we’re not told everything about either of their pasts right away. And I really loved the way their story was told in this book. It left me constantly on the edge of my seat, trying to guess what actually happened. Things are revealed slowly and sometimes unexpectedly, and it really kept the momentum going. I flew through this book a lot faster than I was expecting because I kept wanting to read more to find out what happened to cause this rift between the two families.
One thing I’m happy Alaa did was highlight issues like alcohol and abuse and sex that are normally hushed up in many Muslim communities, but especially in Shia communities. It’s something that is more common than people think and her portrayal of it felt like a good balance between raising awareness without causing shame.
I loved both Khalid and Yassir for so many different reasons. I also wanted to shake some sense into both of them every other chapter. Everyone in this book is just so MESSY. Khalid has his heart in the right place, but sometimes his decisions just make everything worse. And Yassir’s passivity in situations when he should speak up makes you almost frustrated with this character. But as you grow to learn more about both of them, you really start to understand why they are the way they are.
I think both Khalid and Yassir represent what it’s like to be Muslim in the West. It’s that constant internal battle of “should I speak out and suffer the consequences” or “should I stay silent and turn the other way so I can breathe for a second”. It’s the balance between standing up for justice and knowing there’s no one who’s going to stand up for you in return. It’s knowing that everyone around you has misconceptions and biases and internalized racism if not outright racism and Islamophobia against you, and sometimes it’s like yelling at a brick wall. You know you won’t get through to people, so is there any point? I truly related to both Yassir and Khalid in their contrasting ways. I understood the desperate desire to just disappear into the background, but also this inherent need to speak out, especially having grown up with Islamic figures like Imam Hussain and Bibi Zaynab.
Watching the two of them at odds with each other was so painful. You can feel the bond Yassir and Khalid have for each other, and the bonds their families had at one point. But everything about their lives is so messy and complicated.
Immigrant parents, especially ones who’ve been through a lot, hate talking about the past, let alone sitting down with their kids and having honest discussions. And I think the reason this book resonated with me so much was because I also come from a messed up family. Not to the same extent as Yassir and Khalid’s families, but it was still very relatable. For some reason, no one ever wants to go to therapy, or talk about anything. They’d rather hide the truth because of the fear their kids will repeat the past. And all it does is create more problems. It’s such a cyclical issue and it's complicated by parenting while escaping genocide and living under poverty. A lot of the healthy coping mechanisms white families have been able to develop over decades aren’t things that our families have access too because of colonialism and white supremacy. (Sidenote: I totally died when Yassir’s dad and siblings all said no at the idea of family therapy lol) Unfortunately, ignoring the past doesn’t bode well for the future and we see that in this book so well.
Kawther was probably my favourite character because I related to her the most. The black sheep, blamed for breaking apart two families, running away to live her dream, while the guilt of her actions eats her alive. I felt so much for her character, especially watching her navigate trying to do what her family expects from her, while also dreaming of her own future and success. Her story progression was the most shocking for me, but also made the most sense. Girls in immigrant families always have it the hardest. And I just wanted to hug her for going through everything she went through by herself. It reminded me of moving away from home and feeling like I had ripped my family apart because of my actions, but knowing this was the best decision for me. I loved seeing Kawther choose herself. It’s such an important message for other Muslim girls to see. We’re constantly told to think of everyone else except ourselves, to make decisions that will please our families and communities. We’re told to ignore all the red flags, that men can be changed, that our value is only in marriage and not our intellect. I love Kawther with all my heart, and the way her story concluded was perfect.
(Lowkey hate Ali for what he did to Kawther and I can’t exactly look past the role his parents and Fatima played in everything. It’s just so classic and something I’ve heard happen over and over again. At the same time, he needs major help and ignoring the past because you’re more worried about what community/people will say does come to bite you in the end, and unfortunately usually results in innocent girls getting hurt.)
One side note I wanted to mention was about Khalid’s mom and the depression and trauma she went through to the point where she couldn’t get out of bed. I really liked how this was included in the book. I grew up at a mosque that was predominantly Iraqi and Lebanese, and I remember hearing things about some Iraqi family members who just couldn’t come to the mosque or community events because of the horrible torture and experiences they went through in Iraq or because they had just lost faith and were no longer religious like Yassir. I think this book put these stories I heard growing up into context.
I am truly impressed at how well this book is written and the way the story unfolded. My heart ached and I came close to tears multiple times. It’s a very bittersweet ending. It didn’t wrap up perfectly, but there was also no way for things to go back to the way they used to be. Instead I loved the focus on acceptance and moving on and changing the future.
I’m already here waiting for Alaa’s next book. I cannot wait to see what she writes next!
August 19, 2026
this book is very dear and personal to me. i want to write something deep and thoughtful but it's going to be more of a stream of consciousness, so pls keep that in mind.
allow me to collect my thoughts
rtc
allow me to collect my thoughts
rtc
March 26, 2026
Thank you to Alaa Al-Barkawi and Peachtree Teen for the ARC of this book.
This book has the emotional complexities and plot intricacies of Arcane. From me, there is no higher praise.
ITCIL isn’t an immigrant story, it’s a children of immigrants story, and Alaa manages to perfectly sample the diverse narratives we experience as diasporic individuals carrying the generational trauma of our displaced families. It gives unique insight into Shia and Iraqi culture while universalizing the multi-generational scars that embed themselves into every soul touched by war, and those around them.
Every character is written with incredibly rich history, thoughts, and feelings, making them come alive on the page. I felt like I was there with them through their pain, confusion, anger, grief. And using Sky as an additional narrator was a unique touch that added an impossible layer of depth to each character.
There are innumerable moving parts to this story- it was almost hard to keep track at first (especially with the moving timeline and multiple POVs) but by the end, every thread comes together in a beautifully woven blanket of painful memories, raw emotion, and the beginnings of healing.
This is an important and profound read that taps the pulse of our time, exposing the naked and ugly truths of humanity in an unapologetic, honest, and empathetic way. An absolute must-read and possibly THE debut of the year.
This book has the emotional complexities and plot intricacies of Arcane. From me, there is no higher praise.
ITCIL isn’t an immigrant story, it’s a children of immigrants story, and Alaa manages to perfectly sample the diverse narratives we experience as diasporic individuals carrying the generational trauma of our displaced families. It gives unique insight into Shia and Iraqi culture while universalizing the multi-generational scars that embed themselves into every soul touched by war, and those around them.
Every character is written with incredibly rich history, thoughts, and feelings, making them come alive on the page. I felt like I was there with them through their pain, confusion, anger, grief. And using Sky as an additional narrator was a unique touch that added an impossible layer of depth to each character.
There are innumerable moving parts to this story- it was almost hard to keep track at first (especially with the moving timeline and multiple POVs) but by the end, every thread comes together in a beautifully woven blanket of painful memories, raw emotion, and the beginnings of healing.
This is an important and profound read that taps the pulse of our time, exposing the naked and ugly truths of humanity in an unapologetic, honest, and empathetic way. An absolute must-read and possibly THE debut of the year.
May 26, 2026
Wow, wow, wow!
This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2026, a book that I had been waiting to read since 2024. And it was well worth the wait!!
I was hooked within 30 pages by the characters, their lore, the complexities of everything they were going through and how intertwined the two families were. I was so invested that I felt like my stress levels went up every time I was reading the book. Yassir, Kawther, Khalid and their story seeped into my mind & heart in a way that no other characters have in a while. I feel like I actively lost sleep over them. Alaa crafted such memorable, real and vulnerable characters that I wanted to know everything about - their past, their present and their future (I would absolutely read another book with them).
Alaa explores such deep topics - identity, generational trauma, the impacts of war, love, sacrifice, the impacts of Islamophobia, but more than anything, this book is a testament and exploration of deep, loyal friendship. Yassir, Khalid and their families were messy, and Alaa did not shy away from anything. I felt like I was going to lose my mind over Yassir and Khalid's decisions, but still, I wanted to protect them.
And Kawther - wow. Talk about Arab girl trauma. I was rooting for her the whole time. She is so brave, even though her family and friends see her as someone who runs away, she made something for herself and stood by her morals after being betrayed, rather deeply.
The Sky having a POV was brilliant, and the countdown to and after *the incident* keeps you on your toes. The whole book has this haunting feeling to it. I was on the edge of my seat, worried for my faves. And I lost it at the start of chapter 24, I told Alaa she was diabolical for that. I also lost it a few more times after that, in other chapters.
I don't think I can sing enough praises for this book. This story is layers upon layers, and it unravels masterfully. The way it ended, I was shattered that it was over. It was such a perfect yet bittersweet ending. Not one of those wrapped-in-a-bow type of endings, but one of those life is hard and things aren't always perfect but we still move on with hope type of endings.
This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2026, a book that I had been waiting to read since 2024. And it was well worth the wait!!
I was hooked within 30 pages by the characters, their lore, the complexities of everything they were going through and how intertwined the two families were. I was so invested that I felt like my stress levels went up every time I was reading the book. Yassir, Kawther, Khalid and their story seeped into my mind & heart in a way that no other characters have in a while. I feel like I actively lost sleep over them. Alaa crafted such memorable, real and vulnerable characters that I wanted to know everything about - their past, their present and their future (I would absolutely read another book with them).
Alaa explores such deep topics - identity, generational trauma, the impacts of war, love, sacrifice, the impacts of Islamophobia, but more than anything, this book is a testament and exploration of deep, loyal friendship. Yassir, Khalid and their families were messy, and Alaa did not shy away from anything. I felt like I was going to lose my mind over Yassir and Khalid's decisions, but still, I wanted to protect them.
And Kawther - wow. Talk about Arab girl trauma. I was rooting for her the whole time. She is so brave, even though her family and friends see her as someone who runs away, she made something for herself and stood by her morals after being betrayed, rather deeply.
The Sky having a POV was brilliant, and the countdown to and after *the incident* keeps you on your toes. The whole book has this haunting feeling to it. I was on the edge of my seat, worried for my faves. And I lost it at the start of chapter 24, I told Alaa she was diabolical for that. I also lost it a few more times after that, in other chapters.
I don't think I can sing enough praises for this book. This story is layers upon layers, and it unravels masterfully. The way it ended, I was shattered that it was over. It was such a perfect yet bittersweet ending. Not one of those wrapped-in-a-bow type of endings, but one of those life is hard and things aren't always perfect but we still move on with hope type of endings.
Want to Read
June 6, 2024(june 5th, 2024)
can’t wait to read this omg !!!!!!
can’t wait to read this omg !!!!!!
June 22, 2026
I loved this so much. I've never felt more protective over three characters. I constantly wanted to reach into the book, yank Khaled, Yasser, and Kawthar out and put them protectively behind me. I loved them, your honor, please protect all the Khaled, Yasser, and Kawthars of the world. ❤️🩹
May 16, 2026
Got an arc from the publisher 4.5/5
Oh man, this is a gut punch but a necessary one. An absolutely, painfully human story I think everyone needs to read. The way it divulges information and plays with preconceived notions of the characters and their stories is so good and I’m so glad I got the chance to read this early.
I was a little confused at the beginning but overall this broke my heart in the best way.
Oh man, this is a gut punch but a necessary one. An absolutely, painfully human story I think everyone needs to read. The way it divulges information and plays with preconceived notions of the characters and their stories is so good and I’m so glad I got the chance to read this early.
I was a little confused at the beginning but overall this broke my heart in the best way.
September 30, 2026
This is truly one of the best books I’ve read in 2026. It’s incredibly well-written, brilliantly paced, and unforgettable. I cannot capture how much I loved this book in a review, but I will try. I could NOT put this book down and did not want it to end. If the author ever chooses to write other books about these characters, I would read every single one.
Khaled and Yassir are the heart of this story. They are messy, complicated characters who love each other so much. They are true brothers, but their family dynamics have complicated their relationship. I LOVED their families. I adored Kawther and Fatima and even Ali for all his complexities and the trauma that led him to be who he was. Khaled and Yassir’s parents both felt so real, and I could feel their pain through the pages.
This book portrays the experience of two Iraqi American families and the Islamophobia they are forced to confront in American schools and American society. One of my favorite parts of the book was when Khaled visits Iraq and witnesses the love and kindness of his extended family. He reflects on how this is not the way his classmates view Iraq or his religion..
The Islamophobia that the characters experience feels so real and deeply sad, as Khaled and Yassir are repeatedly called terrorists and assumed to be violent. It’s all taken a step further because even within the Muslim community, Shia Muslims are further discriminated against. Books have the power to deepen empathy, understanding, and knowledge that readers might not have otherwise. I truly wish everyone would read this book, and I’m so grateful Alaa Al-Barkawi has written it and that so many YA and adult readers will get to discover it.
My favorite part of this book was the pacing and the careful decision the author made to hold information and backstory until it would have the most impact. It made for an incredibly complex read that made me so emotionally invested that I couldn’t put it down. I also loved how there were still some questions we never had answers to, although I do still desperately want them and would read a sequel in a heartbeat.
Khaled and Yassir are forced to confront their own flaws, the flaws of their families, and stand up for themselves. This is a story about the power of love, community, forgiveness, and faith. I adored the way some characters struggled with their faith and that a variety of experiences with their religion was shown. I was so invested in these two families, and despite the themes being emotionally heavy, it’s also a funny and enjoyable read too. If you want to laugh, cry, and feel so engrossed in a book that you don’t want it to end, please read this one!
Khaled and Yassir are the heart of this story. They are messy, complicated characters who love each other so much. They are true brothers, but their family dynamics have complicated their relationship. I LOVED their families. I adored Kawther and Fatima and even Ali for all his complexities and the trauma that led him to be who he was. Khaled and Yassir’s parents both felt so real, and I could feel their pain through the pages.
This book portrays the experience of two Iraqi American families and the Islamophobia they are forced to confront in American schools and American society. One of my favorite parts of the book was when Khaled visits Iraq and witnesses the love and kindness of his extended family. He reflects on how this is not the way his classmates view Iraq or his religion..
The Islamophobia that the characters experience feels so real and deeply sad, as Khaled and Yassir are repeatedly called terrorists and assumed to be violent. It’s all taken a step further because even within the Muslim community, Shia Muslims are further discriminated against. Books have the power to deepen empathy, understanding, and knowledge that readers might not have otherwise. I truly wish everyone would read this book, and I’m so grateful Alaa Al-Barkawi has written it and that so many YA and adult readers will get to discover it.
My favorite part of this book was the pacing and the careful decision the author made to hold information and backstory until it would have the most impact. It made for an incredibly complex read that made me so emotionally invested that I couldn’t put it down. I also loved how there were still some questions we never had answers to, although I do still desperately want them and would read a sequel in a heartbeat.
Khaled and Yassir are forced to confront their own flaws, the flaws of their families, and stand up for themselves. This is a story about the power of love, community, forgiveness, and faith. I adored the way some characters struggled with their faith and that a variety of experiences with their religion was shown. I was so invested in these two families, and despite the themes being emotionally heavy, it’s also a funny and enjoyable read too. If you want to laugh, cry, and feel so engrossed in a book that you don’t want it to end, please read this one!
May 26, 2026
Ⓑⓞⓞⓚ Ⓡⓔⓥⓘⓔⓦ
Title: In the Country I love
Author: Alaa Al-Barkawi
Publisher: Peachtree Teen
Format: 📖
Length: 384
Review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Pub Date: May 28th, 2026
Thank you @peachtreeteen and @netgalley for the #gifted ARC! All opinions are my own.
🚨Debut Author Alert!
“Refugees fascinate me, how they flee violence I am forced to witness and start over again and again in lands where they are not welcome. How their search for home never ends. How their fear never quite disappears, just changes”- The Sky
☁️If you like to read YA books, you must add this book to your list. Besides the coming of age themes it does not read like a YA novel and the sophistication of the themes and writing is just wonderful. Alla Al-Barkawi is a debut author, who is first-generation, Iraqi-American Shia Muslim. She weaves these identities into the story beautifully.
☁️Told in duel timelines and from three POV’s; Yassir a teen dad, his best friend Khaled, and Khaled’s older sister Kawther. There is also one unique POV from the Sky, which I loved so much! The story is fast paced, packed with cultural references and showcases how Islamophobia run deep in the US. Al-Barkawi also shows how Shia Muslims, a minority of the Islamic religion have also been persecuted in Iraq and works to unpack stereotypes of those living in Iraq and the US. A deep family saga runs deep between the Al-Azzawi and Al-Hakim families and as the story unfolds we see how trauma and PTSD for immigrants can change the course of young peoples lives.
☁️I hope everyone picks this book up as All Al-Barkawi has crafted a moving 5 star read that is so education for everyone!
#youngadult #YAdebut #iraqiamerican #shiamuslim
Title: In the Country I love
Author: Alaa Al-Barkawi
Publisher: Peachtree Teen
Format: 📖
Length: 384
Review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Pub Date: May 28th, 2026
Thank you @peachtreeteen and @netgalley for the #gifted ARC! All opinions are my own.
🚨Debut Author Alert!
“Refugees fascinate me, how they flee violence I am forced to witness and start over again and again in lands where they are not welcome. How their search for home never ends. How their fear never quite disappears, just changes”- The Sky
☁️If you like to read YA books, you must add this book to your list. Besides the coming of age themes it does not read like a YA novel and the sophistication of the themes and writing is just wonderful. Alla Al-Barkawi is a debut author, who is first-generation, Iraqi-American Shia Muslim. She weaves these identities into the story beautifully.
☁️Told in duel timelines and from three POV’s; Yassir a teen dad, his best friend Khaled, and Khaled’s older sister Kawther. There is also one unique POV from the Sky, which I loved so much! The story is fast paced, packed with cultural references and showcases how Islamophobia run deep in the US. Al-Barkawi also shows how Shia Muslims, a minority of the Islamic religion have also been persecuted in Iraq and works to unpack stereotypes of those living in Iraq and the US. A deep family saga runs deep between the Al-Azzawi and Al-Hakim families and as the story unfolds we see how trauma and PTSD for immigrants can change the course of young peoples lives.
☁️I hope everyone picks this book up as All Al-Barkawi has crafted a moving 5 star read that is so education for everyone!
#youngadult #YAdebut #iraqiamerican #shiamuslim
August 3, 2026
4.5
buddy read with mamma <3
this was so so special to me—finishing this book literally on the day of chehlum/arbaeen; knowing people who are walking at this moment from najaf to karbala, as khaled and his family did the same; reading about all the rouzas (tombs) in iraq and thinking, oh, i've literally been there, i know exactly what they're talking about; reading about all the little intricacies that define shiism (the mentions of the sajdagahs (turbahs), the amount of times the characters give durood/say salawat, etc. etc.).
oh! representation truly does matter! i've read so many books with muslim characters and have felt so represented but to see shia characters? this was another level. i've literally been dreaming of this. i hope this opens the floodgates to the normalisation and more depictions of real, fleshed-out shia characters.
i felt so so seen by and cared so deeply for all three of the mcs, particularly kawther. the dynamics between all the characters were so fleshed-out and felt so raw and real. i loved how realistically flawed each character was and how al-barkawi clearly wasn't trying to represent the whole of shiism through these characters; rather, they just happened to be shia and that was that. but that's normal and real and so important to see!
loved it so much. i have so much more that i could say about this!!!! i just loved this entire reading experience & will definitely be recommending this to lots of ppl!
thank you, alaa al-barkawi!!!
buddy read with mamma <3
this was so so special to me—finishing this book literally on the day of chehlum/arbaeen; knowing people who are walking at this moment from najaf to karbala, as khaled and his family did the same; reading about all the rouzas (tombs) in iraq and thinking, oh, i've literally been there, i know exactly what they're talking about; reading about all the little intricacies that define shiism (the mentions of the sajdagahs (turbahs), the amount of times the characters give durood/say salawat, etc. etc.).
oh! representation truly does matter! i've read so many books with muslim characters and have felt so represented but to see shia characters? this was another level. i've literally been dreaming of this. i hope this opens the floodgates to the normalisation and more depictions of real, fleshed-out shia characters.
i felt so so seen by and cared so deeply for all three of the mcs, particularly kawther. the dynamics between all the characters were so fleshed-out and felt so raw and real. i loved how realistically flawed each character was and how al-barkawi clearly wasn't trying to represent the whole of shiism through these characters; rather, they just happened to be shia and that was that. but that's normal and real and so important to see!
loved it so much. i have so much more that i could say about this!!!! i just loved this entire reading experience & will definitely be recommending this to lots of ppl!
thank you, alaa al-barkawi!!!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This book has been my most anticipated read of 2026, and I am so glad to come back and say it's the best I've read so far this year.
In the Country I Love revolves around four POVs: Yassir, Khaled, Kawther, and the Sky. Each of these four POVs is interwoven with one another, jumping around between two timelines, where the present goes over the hate crime, anti-Muslim hate that Yassir experienced, and also the past, where we find out more background about the relationship tensions that the three characters, Yassir, Khaled, and Kawther, faced that lead to the strains they now face with one another.
After Khaled and Kawther go back to Iraq and participate in the Arbaeen walk, Khaled comes back to the United States with a hospitalized Yassir after being a victim of the "Kill-a-Muslim Day" rampage. We get to learn why Khaled and Kawther's family are in no contact with Yassir's, despite creating strong bonds as refugees from Iraq. IN THE COUNTRY I LOVE balances the unique stories of Khamr, abuse, family estrangement, teen parenting, and faith crisis.
I remember last year when ITCIL stumbled on my Instagram page, with no cover reveal yet, just the premise, and since that day, I have been anticipating reading this book. Every single page of Alaa Al-Barkawi's work ever so gently touched parts of my heart that held all the pain and anger from this world and assured that nothing needs to be perfect in order for you to feel the love that constantly surrounds you.
Yassir, Khaled, and Kawther's lives were filled with so many challenges, so much heartache, and the raw reality of our lives that I could visibly feel the strings that held these characters down. The conversations of Islamophobia were incredible, which are already rarely highlighted in our society, and ended up bringing so much light into the hostility and tolerance of people who stay as observers towards hate that is right in front of us.
Throughout reading ITCIL, I could not help but think of the phrase, "It always starts as a joke," because it truly does. ITCIL fleshes that out for us, how we conform to Whiteness and how it begins with the people around us. Complacency is never an option, and Alaa Al-Barkawi does not shy away from this.
This is an OUTSTANDING debut, and if I could recommend any person to purchase on release this year, it would be ITCIL. Thank you so much to Peach Tree Teen for sending a physical galley in exchange for an honest review!
PS. Be ready to cry...like...a lot lol
In the Country I Love revolves around four POVs: Yassir, Khaled, Kawther, and the Sky. Each of these four POVs is interwoven with one another, jumping around between two timelines, where the present goes over the hate crime, anti-Muslim hate that Yassir experienced, and also the past, where we find out more background about the relationship tensions that the three characters, Yassir, Khaled, and Kawther, faced that lead to the strains they now face with one another.
After Khaled and Kawther go back to Iraq and participate in the Arbaeen walk, Khaled comes back to the United States with a hospitalized Yassir after being a victim of the "Kill-a-Muslim Day" rampage. We get to learn why Khaled and Kawther's family are in no contact with Yassir's, despite creating strong bonds as refugees from Iraq. IN THE COUNTRY I LOVE balances the unique stories of Khamr, abuse, family estrangement, teen parenting, and faith crisis.
I remember last year when ITCIL stumbled on my Instagram page, with no cover reveal yet, just the premise, and since that day, I have been anticipating reading this book. Every single page of Alaa Al-Barkawi's work ever so gently touched parts of my heart that held all the pain and anger from this world and assured that nothing needs to be perfect in order for you to feel the love that constantly surrounds you.
Yassir, Khaled, and Kawther's lives were filled with so many challenges, so much heartache, and the raw reality of our lives that I could visibly feel the strings that held these characters down. The conversations of Islamophobia were incredible, which are already rarely highlighted in our society, and ended up bringing so much light into the hostility and tolerance of people who stay as observers towards hate that is right in front of us.
Throughout reading ITCIL, I could not help but think of the phrase, "It always starts as a joke," because it truly does. ITCIL fleshes that out for us, how we conform to Whiteness and how it begins with the people around us. Complacency is never an option, and Alaa Al-Barkawi does not shy away from this.
This is an OUTSTANDING debut, and if I could recommend any person to purchase on release this year, it would be ITCIL. Thank you so much to Peach Tree Teen for sending a physical galley in exchange for an honest review!
PS. Be ready to cry...like...a lot lol
April 12, 2026
This debut, told through multiple POVs, kept me turning the pages as the secrets of both the Al-Azzawi and Al-Hakim families slowly came to light. It offers a thoughtful look into the Shia faith, showing how deeply it shapes everyday life as both boys grapple with belief in their own ways. The story also captures the weight of living in post 9/11 America, exploring not only the racism they experience in their everyday, but also the quieter judgments and cultural pressures within their own community. At its heart, it’s a moving portrayal of two teens, with all their insecurities, flaws, and hopes laid bare. While I know families can be complex and full of a plethora of problems, I wish I the focus was on only a few, to really go in depth with the trauma and difficulties both boys went through and truly are still going through.
Thank you to Netgalley and PeachTree Teen for a copy of this e-arc. All thoughts are my own.
Thank you to Netgalley and PeachTree Teen for a copy of this e-arc. All thoughts are my own.
February 1, 2026
“You can’t apologise for something that is not
Your fault. Not everyone is brave enough to love”
“Yassir Al-Azzawi” did not need to be fixed. He needed to be loved… he loved fiercely, even if quietly”
What happens in a small Muslim town when the golden boy is best friends with the failure and both families are riddled with secrets and traumas that have driven them apart. How can they resolve this and what happens when all the secrets surface and they are forced to confront their deepest fears.
I cannot truly explain how deeply and truly I absolutely adored this book. Al-Barkawi was able to write a book that felt so personal and authentic that I truly latched on to each character and felt myself in each of their journeys.
The book explored a range of topics included deep Islamophobia and racism found in academia as well as everyday life and what it means to be a woman and defy roles written for you, even if it means choosing yourself before everyone else.
Each character was flawed and so so beautifully human, this book is a triumph of the YA genre and I have found a new auto-buy author.
Everyone should read this!!!
Your fault. Not everyone is brave enough to love”
“Yassir Al-Azzawi” did not need to be fixed. He needed to be loved… he loved fiercely, even if quietly”
What happens in a small Muslim town when the golden boy is best friends with the failure and both families are riddled with secrets and traumas that have driven them apart. How can they resolve this and what happens when all the secrets surface and they are forced to confront their deepest fears.
I cannot truly explain how deeply and truly I absolutely adored this book. Al-Barkawi was able to write a book that felt so personal and authentic that I truly latched on to each character and felt myself in each of their journeys.
The book explored a range of topics included deep Islamophobia and racism found in academia as well as everyday life and what it means to be a woman and defy roles written for you, even if it means choosing yourself before everyone else.
Each character was flawed and so so beautifully human, this book is a triumph of the YA genre and I have found a new auto-buy author.
Everyone should read this!!!
June 30, 2026
⭐️4.5/5
December 29, 2025
One of the most authentic, emotional contemporary books you’ll absolutely want to read and fall in love with. I love Alaa’s writing style—it was easy to read (so much that I was devouring this book) but also packed with some gut-wrenching one-liners and “isms” that any Arab or SWANA Muslim will relate to.
10/10 you should read this.
10/10 you should read this.
Read
August 13, 2026Review to come.
June 17, 2026
I love everything about this book. I want everyone I know and my future kids to read it!
October 7, 2026
wow. just wow. take the 6 fricking stars man
↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺ 0:00 ───|── ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ : 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘴𝘬𝘪 ──── 0:00 ↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺
(Not even kidding, every single lyric in that song fits this book)
this book was perfectly devastating. this book was so good that i procrastinated finishing it. My life during this book was a pattern of me simultaneously dreading reading it while being desperate to finish it, and then when i picked it up, i wanted to put it down because it was so painful but also wanted to fly through it because it was just so good. This book was so good that i thought about it every waking moment. after every reading session i was left staring at the wall for like 10 mins. i was studying for the most important exams in my life which basically determine my future and my mind kept drifting to this book. I was at a party and i kept thinking about this book. I was trying to sleep and my mind kept thinking about this book. This book was so good it took me ages to fall asleep. this book was so good that i dreamed about it. This book made every other book i was reading at the same time seem mid in comparison. i usually read books in 3 times speed on the audiobook, 2.5 minimum, but this book was so good i was putting it as low as 1.8 because i wanted to prolong and cherish every word. i didnt want it to end. This book was life changing. i will probably be in a reading slump after this.
and to think this is a debut novel!
and let me tell you why this book had me so addicted. the characters. Ever since reading the daevabad trilogy by sa chakraborty (aka my last 6 star read), i realised that one of the most important factors about a book that can make or break it for me is the characters. and this book reinforced that. the plot was devastating, but it was not very complex, but that didnt matter because the characters were so well written. the characters were flawed, and that was exactly what made them so interesting to read about. They were flawed people and this made them real. They made pretty stupid decisions (which were quite frustrating to read!) but we can understand why they made these decisions. You could understand each character's motivations and why they are the way they are. Even when they were arguing, i understood each party. and when a book can make me root for every single character regardless of what they may have done wrong, thats when you know its good. It was these characters that i was constantly thinking about, dreaming about, and just almost crying over. Let me tell you something crazy: i am year 12, i applied for a law degree, and i got early admission while i was reading this book. and the night before early admissions came out i got to the part where there was a lawyer involved (not gonna spoil it much) and then i was trying to sleep and i was probably in nrem stage 1 or 2 (heh, look at my psychology knowledge coming in clutch!), and i kept imagining myself as the lawyer working on the case. and then i suddenly regained consciousness and was like, hold on, what the hell? i am not even a law student yet, and these characters are FAKE. FICTIONAL. WORDS ON PAPER. Yet they affected me so deeply, to the point i wanted to help them physically. the next day i started searching up human rights law because that is probably the type of law that was involved in the book. If i become a human rights lawyer, it will be all because of this book. And on the day i got early offers for law, i was planning on finishing this book. but after i got it, i was like, nah, this book is too sad. i cant have such conflicting extreme emotions in one day (Hence why i kept procrastinating this book). Before i got early offer, i was even like questioning whether i should do law and honestly reading this book solidified my desire to do law. call me crazy but yes, a book helped me with my career aspirations. kawther is me and i am her. (my fav character was yassir tho, so sweet, so nice, so amazing, he didnt deserve anything u put his way ms al-barkawi!!)
and no i am not muslim or arab/middle eastern. but the representation in this book was phenomenal. i grew up indian christian. and i do think the issue of islamaphobia is prevalant in this community. especially one where we are indian christians living in a western country, i have a specific memory of being in year 7, i had a muslim friend, and i wanted to invite her to my bday party, so i started searching up muslim videoes to understand their religion better and what i could do to accomodate her (like having halal food, etc) and my dad told me to stop watching those videos. I was a confused 13 year old. but i think he was just uuncomfortable about the idea of me learning about islam. and then this year, i started getting back into reading and i started reading more muslim/middle eastern books and whenever i tell my dad that, he tells me to stop wasting time reading such stupid books, even if some of them are literally some of the best books i have ever read (every 6 star book ive read is middle eastern/muslim). and when i was reading this book, i asked him "do u know what a shia muslim is?" and he said "Did you see the news about this muslim man trying to kill a indian pilot?" not even relevant to my question btw. it is so upsetting to me that his first reaction when talking about muslims is about violence, when christians have committed violence too. so i am trying to get him to read his book. to go against the stereotype that all muslims are violent, when they are the victims alot of the time (like this book shows). i think thats another reason why this book affected me so much. seeing how these racist stereotypes that my own people perpetrate leads to violence against muslims, even when we are all people of colour. (like i thought the #killamuslimday thing was made up, but i searched it up, turns out its real). it was the same issue for me with how the other types of muslims in the book stopped supporting yassir because he was shia muslim. we are all marginalised poc. really, i told my dad that if a white person looks at him, they could be thinking the exact same stereotypes about him that he has against muslims. because like its mentioned in the book, white assholes dont understand the difference. Like i saw a charlie kirk video, he was talking to a christian palestinian, and he didnt believe christians existed in palestine. i just dont get why poc are racist to each other when we are all suffering from similar types of discrimination. its not going to make the white people like you!!
this book focused on children of immigrant experiences, and i found this aspect very relatable. especially the feeling of disconnect from one's homeland compared to how it is portrayed by the west. india is represented as dirty, backwards and unhygenic, and while some parts of india are like that, its not the majority. and whenever i visit india its always so hard to comprehend the difference. and the reason why those parts of india are like that is mostly due to poverty, which is largely due to the british. colonial propaganda is so silly. criticising a country for the things that you caused is crazy. just like how in the book, they call iraqis and muslims barbaric when it is these western nations forcing these people to fight for their lives in violent ways. i also related to yassir in the sense that he did not fully identify with his faith even though it was such a huge part of his culture to the point he got victimised by it.
✮⋆˙
(Minor spoilers:)
On a similar note, about that one part of the book when khaled gets in trouble for doing a presentation about how the us military are terrorists: in my modern history class we are studying the cold war but we could have picked the middle east. and i would have preferred that because im sick of learning about white men and how they are always glorified. and my teacher said she didnt pick the middle east because its 'too controversial'. which i understand. my point is, the fact that learning about the middle east and how they are being dehumanised and victimised (because im assuming the controversial part is about israel-palestine), is seen as controversial. violence against brown people and poc in general is controversial, like its justified for white people to take our land and kill us. and teaching the accurate history is controversial because god forbid the white superpower nations are held accountable or criticised for the lives theyve ruined! just the hypocricy of white ppl viewing poc as violent while also bombing and ruining our countries.
another thing i liked was the representation of family and friendship and the reality of what happens when a person/place doesnt love u the same way u love it. I loved uncovering the secrets between the families, i loved seeing yassir and khaled's friendship developing and seeing how even if u fight sometimes the friendship doesnt have to end. I liked how at the end they were able to express their emotions and start on the path to change. i like the message about not ignoring the past, but not letting it define u and learning to move on from it while holding the pain. i liked the chapters of sky, really added depth. i liked the discussion of taboo topics like sex and teen pregnancy and alcohol. i liked the message about forgiveness (lines up with a christian interpretation too). since i read the author's note at the start of the book i knew my life would be changed by this book and i was right. i liked how kawther subverted what is expected of a muslim woman (i know there was a quuote in there about how people dont expect to see a lawyer in a hijab. i think when i become a lawyer, people also wont expect to see a lawyer in a wheelchair). i liked the relationship between yassir and yasmin, probably my fav part of the book (and his lullaby to her 'go to sleep or dads gonna have a full on mental breakdown' thats funny). i loved seeing all the individual character arcs. i liked how it discussed intergenerational trauma. i liked seeing how systemic racism/issues affected khaled and yassir's academics (like when i was studying i was just thinking of how yassir would probably be taking care of yasmin and how khaled would prob be in the office if i was studying at their school). and i liked the subversion of islamic steroetypes. i liked how khaled and yassir were so kindhearted despite everything them and their families went through. i loved the writing style, it was simple yet so effective and descriptive and had so much emotional depth. i loved the audiobook, especially how they did ali's dialogue lmao. i liked how it subtley explored the more nuanced reasons why people do crimes. i liked the representation of microagressions or being on eggshells around white people (that opening few chapters bro). i just imagined me as a lawyer/judge, i would not be so harsh on teenagers who did drugs after reading this. the amount of empathy i had for them. i liked how yassir tried to protect himself from racism through things like a western nickname but reclaiming his identify in the end, because no matter what, poc will be poc to racist people. I liked how khaled tried so desperately to defend himself and his people even when it came at his own detriment. I liked how yassir grew from shy and timid to also defending himself. i liked alex he was funny. i liked the realistic parental relationships and the forgiveness coming from that. i liked the symbolism of not being able to find the perpetrator of the crime, like it shows how anyone can spread anti muslim/racist beliefs and those beliefs will always lead to violence against poc/muslims. it doesnt matter who did the crime because every little microaggression, racist comment, etc, creates the conditions for these crimes to occur. i liked everything in this book honestly
✮⋆˙
in conclusion, please please read this book. the people who most need to read it will probably not (aka my dad) but i will keep screaming for everyone to read it. this book is too niche, it must be made mainstream. i only picked it up after watching a tiktok from tajdreamer about the author's note, and what a good decision. people say scrolling is bad but it led me to this gem of a book!
quotes
"Refugees fascinate me, how they flee the violence I am forced to witness and start over again and again in lands where they are not welcome. How their search for home never ends. How their fear never quite disappears, it just changes."
"It was the same expression she’d earned from classmates and professors in her law classes. They easily stereotyped her in their heads. When she walked into a courtroom, even judges stared at her in surprise. A hijab wearing lawyer seemed too far-fetched in their imaginations of what a Muslim woman could be."
"It’s strange that humans will hurt each other with the same hands they cup in prayer."
"It was a barrier to help set him apart. From his family. His heritage. His religion. It was supposed to protect him. Why hadn’t it protected him?"
“Even if that veteran hurt me … even if he tried … it’s not going to bring true justice. It’s not one person. It’s never been one person. If he did do it, do, you think they’d even hold him accountable? It’s not like they’ve done anything to all the others who hurt us."
"Michael wouldn’t protect him. It never had."
“But you know not all Iraqis are blowing shit up. Our people get blown up.”
“I mean, I know that, but other shitheads don’t,”
"Because she could not force someone to love her, just like they could not force a country to love them back. But how dear it was to believe so. To believe that you could hold on to someone, to something, and have them love you like you wanted."
↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺ 0:00 ───|── ᴺᴼᵂ ᴾᴸᴬᵞᴵᴺᴳ : 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘴𝘬𝘪 ──── 0:00 ↻ ◁ II ▷ ↺
(Not even kidding, every single lyric in that song fits this book)
this book was perfectly devastating. this book was so good that i procrastinated finishing it. My life during this book was a pattern of me simultaneously dreading reading it while being desperate to finish it, and then when i picked it up, i wanted to put it down because it was so painful but also wanted to fly through it because it was just so good. This book was so good that i thought about it every waking moment. after every reading session i was left staring at the wall for like 10 mins. i was studying for the most important exams in my life which basically determine my future and my mind kept drifting to this book. I was at a party and i kept thinking about this book. I was trying to sleep and my mind kept thinking about this book. This book was so good it took me ages to fall asleep. this book was so good that i dreamed about it. This book made every other book i was reading at the same time seem mid in comparison. i usually read books in 3 times speed on the audiobook, 2.5 minimum, but this book was so good i was putting it as low as 1.8 because i wanted to prolong and cherish every word. i didnt want it to end. This book was life changing. i will probably be in a reading slump after this.
and to think this is a debut novel!
and let me tell you why this book had me so addicted. the characters. Ever since reading the daevabad trilogy by sa chakraborty (aka my last 6 star read), i realised that one of the most important factors about a book that can make or break it for me is the characters. and this book reinforced that. the plot was devastating, but it was not very complex, but that didnt matter because the characters were so well written. the characters were flawed, and that was exactly what made them so interesting to read about. They were flawed people and this made them real. They made pretty stupid decisions (which were quite frustrating to read!) but we can understand why they made these decisions. You could understand each character's motivations and why they are the way they are. Even when they were arguing, i understood each party. and when a book can make me root for every single character regardless of what they may have done wrong, thats when you know its good. It was these characters that i was constantly thinking about, dreaming about, and just almost crying over. Let me tell you something crazy: i am year 12, i applied for a law degree, and i got early admission while i was reading this book. and the night before early admissions came out i got to the part where there was a lawyer involved (not gonna spoil it much) and then i was trying to sleep and i was probably in nrem stage 1 or 2 (heh, look at my psychology knowledge coming in clutch!), and i kept imagining myself as the lawyer working on the case. and then i suddenly regained consciousness and was like, hold on, what the hell? i am not even a law student yet, and these characters are FAKE. FICTIONAL. WORDS ON PAPER. Yet they affected me so deeply, to the point i wanted to help them physically. the next day i started searching up human rights law because that is probably the type of law that was involved in the book. If i become a human rights lawyer, it will be all because of this book. And on the day i got early offers for law, i was planning on finishing this book. but after i got it, i was like, nah, this book is too sad. i cant have such conflicting extreme emotions in one day (Hence why i kept procrastinating this book). Before i got early offer, i was even like questioning whether i should do law and honestly reading this book solidified my desire to do law. call me crazy but yes, a book helped me with my career aspirations. kawther is me and i am her. (my fav character was yassir tho, so sweet, so nice, so amazing, he didnt deserve anything u put his way ms al-barkawi!!)
and no i am not muslim or arab/middle eastern. but the representation in this book was phenomenal. i grew up indian christian. and i do think the issue of islamaphobia is prevalant in this community. especially one where we are indian christians living in a western country, i have a specific memory of being in year 7, i had a muslim friend, and i wanted to invite her to my bday party, so i started searching up muslim videoes to understand their religion better and what i could do to accomodate her (like having halal food, etc) and my dad told me to stop watching those videos. I was a confused 13 year old. but i think he was just uuncomfortable about the idea of me learning about islam. and then this year, i started getting back into reading and i started reading more muslim/middle eastern books and whenever i tell my dad that, he tells me to stop wasting time reading such stupid books, even if some of them are literally some of the best books i have ever read (every 6 star book ive read is middle eastern/muslim). and when i was reading this book, i asked him "do u know what a shia muslim is?" and he said "Did you see the news about this muslim man trying to kill a indian pilot?" not even relevant to my question btw. it is so upsetting to me that his first reaction when talking about muslims is about violence, when christians have committed violence too. so i am trying to get him to read his book. to go against the stereotype that all muslims are violent, when they are the victims alot of the time (like this book shows). i think thats another reason why this book affected me so much. seeing how these racist stereotypes that my own people perpetrate leads to violence against muslims, even when we are all people of colour. (like i thought the #killamuslimday thing was made up, but i searched it up, turns out its real). it was the same issue for me with how the other types of muslims in the book stopped supporting yassir because he was shia muslim. we are all marginalised poc. really, i told my dad that if a white person looks at him, they could be thinking the exact same stereotypes about him that he has against muslims. because like its mentioned in the book, white assholes dont understand the difference. Like i saw a charlie kirk video, he was talking to a christian palestinian, and he didnt believe christians existed in palestine. i just dont get why poc are racist to each other when we are all suffering from similar types of discrimination. its not going to make the white people like you!!
this book focused on children of immigrant experiences, and i found this aspect very relatable. especially the feeling of disconnect from one's homeland compared to how it is portrayed by the west. india is represented as dirty, backwards and unhygenic, and while some parts of india are like that, its not the majority. and whenever i visit india its always so hard to comprehend the difference. and the reason why those parts of india are like that is mostly due to poverty, which is largely due to the british. colonial propaganda is so silly. criticising a country for the things that you caused is crazy. just like how in the book, they call iraqis and muslims barbaric when it is these western nations forcing these people to fight for their lives in violent ways. i also related to yassir in the sense that he did not fully identify with his faith even though it was such a huge part of his culture to the point he got victimised by it.
✮⋆˙
(Minor spoilers:)
On a similar note, about that one part of the book when khaled gets in trouble for doing a presentation about how the us military are terrorists: in my modern history class we are studying the cold war but we could have picked the middle east. and i would have preferred that because im sick of learning about white men and how they are always glorified. and my teacher said she didnt pick the middle east because its 'too controversial'. which i understand. my point is, the fact that learning about the middle east and how they are being dehumanised and victimised (because im assuming the controversial part is about israel-palestine), is seen as controversial. violence against brown people and poc in general is controversial, like its justified for white people to take our land and kill us. and teaching the accurate history is controversial because god forbid the white superpower nations are held accountable or criticised for the lives theyve ruined! just the hypocricy of white ppl viewing poc as violent while also bombing and ruining our countries.
another thing i liked was the representation of family and friendship and the reality of what happens when a person/place doesnt love u the same way u love it. I loved uncovering the secrets between the families, i loved seeing yassir and khaled's friendship developing and seeing how even if u fight sometimes the friendship doesnt have to end. I liked how at the end they were able to express their emotions and start on the path to change. i like the message about not ignoring the past, but not letting it define u and learning to move on from it while holding the pain. i liked the chapters of sky, really added depth. i liked the discussion of taboo topics like sex and teen pregnancy and alcohol. i liked the message about forgiveness (lines up with a christian interpretation too). since i read the author's note at the start of the book i knew my life would be changed by this book and i was right. i liked how kawther subverted what is expected of a muslim woman (i know there was a quuote in there about how people dont expect to see a lawyer in a hijab. i think when i become a lawyer, people also wont expect to see a lawyer in a wheelchair). i liked the relationship between yassir and yasmin, probably my fav part of the book (and his lullaby to her 'go to sleep or dads gonna have a full on mental breakdown' thats funny). i loved seeing all the individual character arcs. i liked how it discussed intergenerational trauma. i liked seeing how systemic racism/issues affected khaled and yassir's academics (like when i was studying i was just thinking of how yassir would probably be taking care of yasmin and how khaled would prob be in the office if i was studying at their school). and i liked the subversion of islamic steroetypes. i liked how khaled and yassir were so kindhearted despite everything them and their families went through. i loved the writing style, it was simple yet so effective and descriptive and had so much emotional depth. i loved the audiobook, especially how they did ali's dialogue lmao. i liked how it subtley explored the more nuanced reasons why people do crimes. i liked the representation of microagressions or being on eggshells around white people (that opening few chapters bro). i just imagined me as a lawyer/judge, i would not be so harsh on teenagers who did drugs after reading this. the amount of empathy i had for them. i liked how yassir tried to protect himself from racism through things like a western nickname but reclaiming his identify in the end, because no matter what, poc will be poc to racist people. I liked how khaled tried so desperately to defend himself and his people even when it came at his own detriment. I liked how yassir grew from shy and timid to also defending himself. i liked alex he was funny. i liked the realistic parental relationships and the forgiveness coming from that. i liked the symbolism of not being able to find the perpetrator of the crime, like it shows how anyone can spread anti muslim/racist beliefs and those beliefs will always lead to violence against poc/muslims. it doesnt matter who did the crime because every little microaggression, racist comment, etc, creates the conditions for these crimes to occur. i liked everything in this book honestly
✮⋆˙
in conclusion, please please read this book. the people who most need to read it will probably not (aka my dad) but i will keep screaming for everyone to read it. this book is too niche, it must be made mainstream. i only picked it up after watching a tiktok from tajdreamer about the author's note, and what a good decision. people say scrolling is bad but it led me to this gem of a book!
quotes
"Refugees fascinate me, how they flee the violence I am forced to witness and start over again and again in lands where they are not welcome. How their search for home never ends. How their fear never quite disappears, it just changes."
"It was the same expression she’d earned from classmates and professors in her law classes. They easily stereotyped her in their heads. When she walked into a courtroom, even judges stared at her in surprise. A hijab wearing lawyer seemed too far-fetched in their imaginations of what a Muslim woman could be."
"It’s strange that humans will hurt each other with the same hands they cup in prayer."
"It was a barrier to help set him apart. From his family. His heritage. His religion. It was supposed to protect him. Why hadn’t it protected him?"
“Even if that veteran hurt me … even if he tried … it’s not going to bring true justice. It’s not one person. It’s never been one person. If he did do it, do, you think they’d even hold him accountable? It’s not like they’ve done anything to all the others who hurt us."
"Michael wouldn’t protect him. It never had."
“But you know not all Iraqis are blowing shit up. Our people get blown up.”
“I mean, I know that, but other shitheads don’t,”
"Because she could not force someone to love her, just like they could not force a country to love them back. But how dear it was to believe so. To believe that you could hold on to someone, to something, and have them love you like you wanted."
Want to Read
September 17, 2025books about friendship are criminally underrated, i'm so excited
March 3, 2026
This book truly opened my eyes. the story follows two Iraqi American teens who couldn’t look more different. Yassir is barely holding things together, a teenage father on the brink of dropping out, constantly feeling like he’s one mistake away from being sent to Iraq, a place he barely knows but is expected to fear. Khaled, on the other hand, is the community’s pride: devout, disciplined, and seemingly flawless. But that “perfect” image starts to crack the moment his connection to Yassir is revealed.What unfolds isn’t just a story about friendship it’s about the weight of family expectations, the quiet (and sometimes loud) pressure of faith, and the way secrets can shape entire lives. When a devastating crime shakes their community, both boys are forced to confront truths that reach far beyond themselves, exposing the complicated, messy realities behind the reputations their families have built.instead of a straightforward narrative, you get layers past and present intertwining to show how history, trauma, and intertwine into the present. It’s not always an easy read emotionally, but that’s exactly the point.What makes this book especially important is how it centers a Shia Muslim experience in America something that’s still rarely explored in mainstream YA. It doesn’t flatten its characters into symbols or lessons. Instead, it gives them contradictions: faith and doubt, love and resentment, loyalty and rebellion. And through that, it challenges the reader to sit with complexity rather than reaching for easy judgments.This is exactly why books like this matter and why they shouldn’t only be picked up during something like Arab American Heritage Month. Limiting stories like these to a specific time frame defeats their purpose. The whole point is to expand perspective year round to understand communities beyond headlines, stereotypes, or fleeting cultural spotlights.Reading outside your usual lens isn’t about checking a box. it’s about building a more honest understanding of the world. Stories like this one make that unavoidable. They remind you that identity isn’t one dimensional, that families carry histories we don’t always see, and that “good” and “bad” people rarely exist in categories.If you go into this expecting a simple coming of age story, it will surprise you. It’s heavier than that and far more necessary.
Want to Read
January 10, 2025"A multi-POV contemporary YA novel that explores the complexities of friendship, grief, and family through the story of two Iraqi American best friends—a teen single father whose Shia Muslim faith has lapsed and the community's devout golden boy—before, during, and after a crime that will alter their lives and unearth dark truths their families have worked to keep hidden."
Review of advance copy received from Author
In The Country I love by Alaa Al-Barkawi is a messy family drama which isn't really my genre but perhaps it should be because this is a wonderful novel, the tl;dr is five stars, go read it now.
It revolves around two families who are part of the Iraqi Shia diaspora in a small conservative white city in the United States of America with the two main characters being Yassir and Khaled who are best friends despite their families no longer being on speaking terms due to past tragedies. The trauma of the past has affected the two high school boys and they've started to go against their faith and family by drinking. While both are guilty of this, Yassir is the one who gets into trouble while Khaled remains a golden boy, especially as Yassir's indiscretions have left him the sole teenage parent of a baby girl, Yasmin.
And there are more tragedies in store, some caused by the Islamophobia of their new home, others lingering from their past as Iraqi refugees, and quite a few being self-inflicted. The book jumps backwards and forwards in time, counting down to and then away from a pivotal incident that has grave implications for one of the two main characters. The main difference is, while all the other conflicts served to force the characters apart, this one forces them together and leads to toxic secrets being unearthed.
One of the brilliant parts of the novel is how reading it feels like marrying into an Iraqi Shia family. At the start you slowly learn about the people in the family at a surface level and then as you spend more time with them, get to know them deeper, with new characters coming in and requiring time to get used to as well, the most important to my mind being the estranged daughter Kawther. As this is happening you will get familiar with the, perhaps foreign to you, Iraqi Shia culture and the importance of yearly religious events such as Ashura, and Arbaeen as you experience them along with the characters.
At the core of the novel is a deeply human question, that being what do you do when someone, or something, that you love, doesn't love you back?
And if that's not a universal sentiment, I don't know what is.
Thanks to the publisher and author for sending me an advance reader's copy for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
It revolves around two families who are part of the Iraqi Shia diaspora in a small conservative white city in the United States of America with the two main characters being Yassir and Khaled who are best friends despite their families no longer being on speaking terms due to past tragedies. The trauma of the past has affected the two high school boys and they've started to go against their faith and family by drinking. While both are guilty of this, Yassir is the one who gets into trouble while Khaled remains a golden boy, especially as Yassir's indiscretions have left him the sole teenage parent of a baby girl, Yasmin.
And there are more tragedies in store, some caused by the Islamophobia of their new home, others lingering from their past as Iraqi refugees, and quite a few being self-inflicted. The book jumps backwards and forwards in time, counting down to and then away from a pivotal incident that has grave implications for one of the two main characters. The main difference is, while all the other conflicts served to force the characters apart, this one forces them together and leads to toxic secrets being unearthed.
One of the brilliant parts of the novel is how reading it feels like marrying into an Iraqi Shia family. At the start you slowly learn about the people in the family at a surface level and then as you spend more time with them, get to know them deeper, with new characters coming in and requiring time to get used to as well, the most important to my mind being the estranged daughter Kawther. As this is happening you will get familiar with the, perhaps foreign to you, Iraqi Shia culture and the importance of yearly religious events such as Ashura, and Arbaeen as you experience them along with the characters.
At the core of the novel is a deeply human question, that being what do you do when someone, or something, that you love, doesn't love you back?
And if that's not a universal sentiment, I don't know what is.
Thanks to the publisher and author for sending me an advance reader's copy for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
August 19, 2026
الرواية جدًا جميلة و مؤثرة! صحيح أن في بعض الأحيان الشخصيات استفزتني و حطيت مليون علامة استفهام على دوافعها ألا أن كل ما قرأت أكثر و أكثر حسيت أن تصرفاتهم منطقية، في الفقرات الجاية - إن شاء الله - بتكلم عن كم شيء أحس أن ضروري أتكلم عنه!
أحس من أول الأشياء الي ابي اتكلم عنها مع أن أحنا كقراء للرواية اكتشفناها في النهاية هي علاقة كوثر مع علي. بعيدًا عن علاقتهم ببعض الي بتكلم عنها بعد شوي، استانست أن الكاتبة ما ذكرت تفاصيل علاقتهم مرة وحدة؛ بحيث أن نحصل تفاصيل قليلة كل فترة و الثانية إذا جينا بنقرأ القصة من وجهة نظر كوثر.
طبعًا ما أحتاج أقول أن علي يعني كشخصية مستفز لآخر درجة! لأن مو معقول كل مرة يقول أنه بيتغير و بعدين يظل نفس ما هو! يعني حرفيًا تعشيم على الفاضي. أمّا بالنسبة لكوثر فبصراحة تعاطفت وياها جدًا لأن هي في النهاية كانت على نياتها و قبلت عرض الزواج منه لأنها اوردي كانت معجبة فيه.
من الأشياء الي قهرتني واجد في موضوع "زواج" علي و كوثر أن الأهل نفسهم من جهة علي الي هم أخته و أمه على حسب ما أذكر كانوا على دراية بوضع ولدهم بس بعد قدموا عرض الزواج بدون ما ينبهون كوثر أن ولدهم فيه واحد و اثنين و ثلاثة!
طبعًا من الأشياء الي واجد عجبتني في الكتاب أن الكاتبة خلت شخصية خالد و أيضًا ياسر مو مثاليين بل شخصيات طبيعية تذنب و تقع في الخطأ، و حرفيًا من يتهاوشون مع بعض أزعل.
موضوع أن ياسر كان أب و هو في سن صغير صدمني في البداية بس أحس كل ما تقدمت القصة كل ما تقبلته أكثر! من أكيت و أكثر التصرفات مسؤوليةً و تقبلاً لهل الموضوع في الكتاب هو تصرف جدة أم الطفلة و الي فعلاً حبيته. تطور شخصية ياسر إلى أنه يعترف أن ياسمين بنته أمام ناس أكثر في آواخر القصة جدًا لطيف و أعجبني.
بالنسبة لخالد أحسني أخذني وقت أكثر إني استوعب و أتفهم دوافعه؛ لأن شخصيتي بالواقع تميل إلى أنها تكون نفس شخصية ياسر في بعض الجوانب. أذكر إني في بداية القصة كنت متنرفزة من طريقة معاملته حق أخته بس بعدين لما جانبه من القصة أو بالأحرى وجهة نظره وضحت أحسني قدرت أستوعب أكثر ليش هو قاعد يتصرف جذي! من أكثر الأشياء الي اقدرها في شخصيته أنه كان دائمًا يبي يحمي صديقه ياسر حتى لو أنه عرض نفسه للخطر.
ما رح أعلق واجد على شخصيات أولياء الأمور في القصة بس كل الي اقدر اقوله أن شخصياتهم كانت مكتوبة بطريقة جيدة و يسهل تصديقها.
ملاحظتي الوحيدة على الكتاب هي أنه يعتبر فيه واجد سب و الي شوي أزعجني بس بعد يعني يعتبر أنه يخدم القصة بشكل من الأشكال ف ما بعلق عليه واجد!
الكتاب أتكلم عن واجد مواضيع حساسة بس أحس أنه أوفى حقهم و أنه ما تكلم عنهم بطريقة مسيئة و هذه نقطة تحتسب ليه.
أستمتعت بقراءتي لهل الكتاب و إن شاء الله ذي ما رح تكون آخر مرة اقرأ عمل للكاتبة!
أحس من أول الأشياء الي ابي اتكلم عنها مع أن أحنا كقراء للرواية اكتشفناها في النهاية هي علاقة كوثر مع علي. بعيدًا عن علاقتهم ببعض الي بتكلم عنها بعد شوي، استانست أن الكاتبة ما ذكرت تفاصيل علاقتهم مرة وحدة؛ بحيث أن نحصل تفاصيل قليلة كل فترة و الثانية إذا جينا بنقرأ القصة من وجهة نظر كوثر.
طبعًا ما أحتاج أقول أن علي يعني كشخصية مستفز لآخر درجة! لأن مو معقول كل مرة يقول أنه بيتغير و بعدين يظل نفس ما هو! يعني حرفيًا تعشيم على الفاضي. أمّا بالنسبة لكوثر فبصراحة تعاطفت وياها جدًا لأن هي في النهاية كانت على نياتها و قبلت عرض الزواج منه لأنها اوردي كانت معجبة فيه.
من الأشياء الي قهرتني واجد في موضوع "زواج" علي و كوثر أن الأهل نفسهم من جهة علي الي هم أخته و أمه على حسب ما أذكر كانوا على دراية بوضع ولدهم بس بعد قدموا عرض الزواج بدون ما ينبهون كوثر أن ولدهم فيه واحد و اثنين و ثلاثة!
طبعًا من الأشياء الي واجد عجبتني في الكتاب أن الكاتبة خلت شخصية خالد و أيضًا ياسر مو مثاليين بل شخصيات طبيعية تذنب و تقع في الخطأ، و حرفيًا من يتهاوشون مع بعض أزعل.
موضوع أن ياسر كان أب و هو في سن صغير صدمني في البداية بس أحس كل ما تقدمت القصة كل ما تقبلته أكثر! من أكيت و أكثر التصرفات مسؤوليةً و تقبلاً لهل الموضوع في الكتاب هو تصرف جدة أم الطفلة و الي فعلاً حبيته. تطور شخصية ياسر إلى أنه يعترف أن ياسمين بنته أمام ناس أكثر في آواخر القصة جدًا لطيف و أعجبني.
بالنسبة لخالد أحسني أخذني وقت أكثر إني استوعب و أتفهم دوافعه؛ لأن شخصيتي بالواقع تميل إلى أنها تكون نفس شخصية ياسر في بعض الجوانب. أذكر إني في بداية القصة كنت متنرفزة من طريقة معاملته حق أخته بس بعدين لما جانبه من القصة أو بالأحرى وجهة نظره وضحت أحسني قدرت أستوعب أكثر ليش هو قاعد يتصرف جذي! من أكثر الأشياء الي اقدرها في شخصيته أنه كان دائمًا يبي يحمي صديقه ياسر حتى لو أنه عرض نفسه للخطر.
ما رح أعلق واجد على شخصيات أولياء الأمور في القصة بس كل الي اقدر اقوله أن شخصياتهم كانت مكتوبة بطريقة جيدة و يسهل تصديقها.
ملاحظتي الوحيدة على الكتاب هي أنه يعتبر فيه واجد سب و الي شوي أزعجني بس بعد يعني يعتبر أنه يخدم القصة بشكل من الأشكال ف ما بعلق عليه واجد!
الكتاب أتكلم عن واجد مواضيع حساسة بس أحس أنه أوفى حقهم و أنه ما تكلم عنهم بطريقة مسيئة و هذه نقطة تحتسب ليه.
أستمتعت بقراءتي لهل الكتاب و إن شاء الله ذي ما رح تكون آخر مرة اقرأ عمل للكاتبة!
September 2, 2026
A story about 2 Iraqi American families that teaches you all over again what it means to have identity, faith and loyalty.
💭 REVIEW:
@alaaalbarkawi tells us this story is about friendship and brotherhood. WRONG🤪 . This is a story about 2 families that grew with each other. That loved and hated each other, then learned to accept their flaws and fix them. Every single character in this book is flawed and complex, except one (Yeah, we need to draw a line there) . 😌
This is my first read featuring Shia Muslims and it is so raw & brutal. The pain she has poured into these 3 characters is beautiful & heart wrenching at the same time. 😭 This is not a sugar coated story. It is unfiltered version of what happens to people after they have survived war and tried to build a new life in a country that considers them a threat, after destroying their home.
Khaled is loud, straightforward and the first to call out injustice but this has its consequences and this book shows you exactly what those are. Yassir on the other hand is a hypocrite and a coward and his cowardness will frustrate you throughout the entire book. But here is the thing, there are 2 ways to exist in a country that does not accept your faith. You either live like Khaled or you live like Yassir However you can be Kawther.
Kawther saw war and suffered more than anyone however she didn't scream like Khalid or runaway like Yassir nor gave in to temptations. Her silent female rage is something to admire<3
could write a whole post about her ( and I did) . 😌 She carried weight that was never hers to carry and watching her was one of the most quietly devastating things I have read in a long time.
Special shoutout to Mona. Every Kawther needs a Mona in her life❤️
Adding sky as a narrator makes the story even better💕
Do you speak up and face the consequences or do you stay silent just so you can breathe for a second? Do you know what its like to be a minority in a minority?
💭 REVIEW:
@alaaalbarkawi tells us this story is about friendship and brotherhood. WRONG🤪 . This is a story about 2 families that grew with each other. That loved and hated each other, then learned to accept their flaws and fix them. Every single character in this book is flawed and complex, except one (Yeah, we need to draw a line there) . 😌
This is my first read featuring Shia Muslims and it is so raw & brutal. The pain she has poured into these 3 characters is beautiful & heart wrenching at the same time. 😭 This is not a sugar coated story. It is unfiltered version of what happens to people after they have survived war and tried to build a new life in a country that considers them a threat, after destroying their home.
Khaled is loud, straightforward and the first to call out injustice but this has its consequences and this book shows you exactly what those are. Yassir on the other hand is a hypocrite and a coward and his cowardness will frustrate you throughout the entire book. But here is the thing, there are 2 ways to exist in a country that does not accept your faith. You either live like Khaled or you live like Yassir However you can be Kawther.
Kawther saw war and suffered more than anyone however she didn't scream like Khalid or runaway like Yassir nor gave in to temptations. Her silent female rage is something to admire<3
could write a whole post about her ( and I did) . 😌 She carried weight that was never hers to carry and watching her was one of the most quietly devastating things I have read in a long time.
Special shoutout to Mona. Every Kawther needs a Mona in her life❤️
Adding sky as a narrator makes the story even better💕
Do you speak up and face the consequences or do you stay silent just so you can breathe for a second? Do you know what its like to be a minority in a minority?
May 26, 2026
when i tell you that this book is top tier, i mean it with every fibre in my being.
the way by this book had me sobbing, laughing, hopeful, raging and dying all in the same breath is a testimony of how good it is.
i could count on one hand how many books have succeeded on making me cry, and In the Country I Love by Alaa is one of them 🥺
the way i was dying to read this book because there was Shia representation and then i got the ARC??? like made my entire year 😭 (this review is entirely my own thoughts and opinions)
there are SO many important topics being explored in ITCIL, grief, generational trauma, living as a Shia in the Western world, struggling with Faith, being brave in a world that’s constantly against you. this whole book was written so well i’m constantly thinking about it. since i first picked it up on Thursday to now my thoughts are circulating around it.
DONT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE TRAUMA THAT ALAA PUT ME THROUGH OMG
also, having the sky being one of the narrators is so smart and i LOVED it. there were so many quotes throughout this book that are SO important and just hit so hard. i loved the way Alaa showed the hardships of being a young Muslim in the Western world, and how there is SO much racism, and islamophobia rooted in the West that people are still choosing to ignore.
the dynamic between Khaled and Yassir is my favourite (*cough* *cough* Khaled is my favourite *cough*) i loved that this book explores forgiveness, our faith as Shia, the important events we have, the way that even within the Muslim community we face hatred.
truly Alaa has outdone herself with this novel and i’m praying that everyone picks up this book and realises just how amazing and needed this book is.
the way by this book had me sobbing, laughing, hopeful, raging and dying all in the same breath is a testimony of how good it is.
i could count on one hand how many books have succeeded on making me cry, and In the Country I Love by Alaa is one of them 🥺
the way i was dying to read this book because there was Shia representation and then i got the ARC??? like made my entire year 😭 (this review is entirely my own thoughts and opinions)
there are SO many important topics being explored in ITCIL, grief, generational trauma, living as a Shia in the Western world, struggling with Faith, being brave in a world that’s constantly against you. this whole book was written so well i’m constantly thinking about it. since i first picked it up on Thursday to now my thoughts are circulating around it.
DONT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE TRAUMA THAT ALAA PUT ME THROUGH OMG
also, having the sky being one of the narrators is so smart and i LOVED it. there were so many quotes throughout this book that are SO important and just hit so hard. i loved the way Alaa showed the hardships of being a young Muslim in the Western world, and how there is SO much racism, and islamophobia rooted in the West that people are still choosing to ignore.
the dynamic between Khaled and Yassir is my favourite (*cough* *cough* Khaled is my favourite *cough*) i loved that this book explores forgiveness, our faith as Shia, the important events we have, the way that even within the Muslim community we face hatred.
truly Alaa has outdone herself with this novel and i’m praying that everyone picks up this book and realises just how amazing and needed this book is.
May 26, 2026
As readers, we often talk about the power of books to expand our empathy, and Alaa Al-Barkawi’s debut novel, In the Country I Love, is one of those books.
Following along as two best friends, Yassir and Khaled, navigate life in their teens in a world post-rise of global Islamophobia, there will be aspects the average reader won’t relate to (being Shia Muslim, being teenaged boys, etc), and aspects any reader will relate to (the power of friendship, the cost of grief, coming of age, etc). Both of these experiences are SO IMPORTANT. It is crucial, especially in times where marginalized identities are weaponized against instead of celebrated about people, that we as readers read books that represent communities we don’t belong to or even understand while juxtaposed with our common experience as humans.
Al-Barkawi masterfully captured complex human emotion, the juxtaposition of grief and joy, love and hate, and humanizing communities that are commonly dehumanized. There was not a moment of this book that did not capture my attention and my heart. I was fortunate enough to read an advanced copy several months ago, and I mean it when I say that this book has stuck with me every day since.
I strongly encourage all readers to pick this book up, but I especially encourage adults to pick this up for the young adults in their lives. More stories told like this to more young folk has the immense power to create a kinder, more empathic future for us all.
It may sound like I’m overselling, but I firmly believe in the power of storytelling. ITCIL is a superior example of this super power!
Fat-Friendly Rating: 🩶, neutral
Following along as two best friends, Yassir and Khaled, navigate life in their teens in a world post-rise of global Islamophobia, there will be aspects the average reader won’t relate to (being Shia Muslim, being teenaged boys, etc), and aspects any reader will relate to (the power of friendship, the cost of grief, coming of age, etc). Both of these experiences are SO IMPORTANT. It is crucial, especially in times where marginalized identities are weaponized against instead of celebrated about people, that we as readers read books that represent communities we don’t belong to or even understand while juxtaposed with our common experience as humans.
Al-Barkawi masterfully captured complex human emotion, the juxtaposition of grief and joy, love and hate, and humanizing communities that are commonly dehumanized. There was not a moment of this book that did not capture my attention and my heart. I was fortunate enough to read an advanced copy several months ago, and I mean it when I say that this book has stuck with me every day since.
I strongly encourage all readers to pick this book up, but I especially encourage adults to pick this up for the young adults in their lives. More stories told like this to more young folk has the immense power to create a kinder, more empathic future for us all.
It may sound like I’m overselling, but I firmly believe in the power of storytelling. ITCIL is a superior example of this super power!
Fat-Friendly Rating: 🩶, neutral
June 1, 2026
Content Guide:
🤬 Some strong language and moderate language.
🌶️ Implied sex. Teen parents. Nothing on-page. Even the kissing is very brief.
🗡️ References to war crimes and hate crimes including beatings and murder; abuse, stalking, and accidental injury. Occasionally briefly graphic.
🍺 Alcohol use by minors, cigarette use by adults.
TW: war, racism, sexism, islamophobia, military status discrimination, death of loved one, bullying, abuse, infidelity, family trauma, and faith crisis.
4.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
A story about Iraqi refugees, who are Shia Muslim, living in the US. This perspective is so rare, and Alaa Al-Barkawi handles it with honesty, sensitivity, and beauty. ✨
I loved the honest portrayal of family trauma, faith crisis, hurts that go deep, and chains that are not easily broken, yet there is hope.
I could really feel for all of these characters - even the ones I hated! The perspective of Sky brings compassion and empathy.
I loved the POV of Kawther. I wish we had more of her perspective from the beginning, and I want to know more about her life in LA and how she became a chain-breaker in her family.
As a white Christian reader, I learned a lot about Iraqi culture and Shia Muslim faith. I was googling the meaning of many of the words. I'm sure some of it still went over my head, but the most valuable thing I learned is to more clearly see the humanity in those who are different from me. ❤️
Thank you to Alaa Al-Barkawi and Peachtree teen for the free book in exchange for my honest review.
🤬 Some strong language and moderate language.
🌶️ Implied sex. Teen parents. Nothing on-page. Even the kissing is very brief.
🗡️ References to war crimes and hate crimes including beatings and murder; abuse, stalking, and accidental injury. Occasionally briefly graphic.
🍺 Alcohol use by minors, cigarette use by adults.
TW: war, racism, sexism, islamophobia, military status discrimination, death of loved one, bullying, abuse, infidelity, family trauma, and faith crisis.
4.5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫
A story about Iraqi refugees, who are Shia Muslim, living in the US. This perspective is so rare, and Alaa Al-Barkawi handles it with honesty, sensitivity, and beauty. ✨
I loved the honest portrayal of family trauma, faith crisis, hurts that go deep, and chains that are not easily broken, yet there is hope.
I could really feel for all of these characters - even the ones I hated! The perspective of Sky brings compassion and empathy.
I loved the POV of Kawther. I wish we had more of her perspective from the beginning, and I want to know more about her life in LA and how she became a chain-breaker in her family.
As a white Christian reader, I learned a lot about Iraqi culture and Shia Muslim faith. I was googling the meaning of many of the words. I'm sure some of it still went over my head, but the most valuable thing I learned is to more clearly see the humanity in those who are different from me. ❤️
Thank you to Alaa Al-Barkawi and Peachtree teen for the free book in exchange for my honest review.
July 8, 2026
This book was beautiful, but had one drawback. The chapter breaks include references to the passage of time, either as flashbacks, or chronological reference points to a major event of the book. Without giving that event away, as it should be experienced in sequence, the use of these for the entire book up to the alignment with said event had no context. I understood why they we there after getting halfway into the book, but the use of this literary organization device in the beginning I found confusing, which made it hard to get into the story. I kept getting confused why there was some kind of countdown clock that didn’t seem to have any point, and then since one of the side characters, the sister Ayah, is only mentioned and never present in the story up through this point when the event happens, I kept questioning if I had missed something, or if the book was missing a chapter, or if I had zoned out and skipped a whole section out of my memory, because these time-codes would jump back and forth to pay out the story through the multiple POVs, but don’t make sense until the timer runs out, and the climactic event that spurs the characters to begin resolving their story arcs occurs. This confusion made it take me a week to get halfway through the book, and then a day to finish it once things finally made sense. Just as a critique of that writer’s choice, I would presume others may get confused as well, and potentially DNF the book before getting to the good stuff in the end, where so much beauty of relationship and growth of characters and sharing of culture happens.
August 16, 2026
I never thought I'd see Shias represented in a ya novel, nor a novel set during 'Ashura or Arba'een. For this fact, I am grateful, and I hope to see more of that in the future. However, I was left a little saddened by some of the stereotypes that the book conforms to. The two main characters in the book have very toxic family situations. Both sets of parents encourage their daughters to marry young -- as young as 17 -- and have children as opposed to pursuing higher education. There is a gloss in the book about how there is no compulsion in religion, only for one of the fathers to consistently push his son to pray when he doesn't want to. I am not naive, I know that what happens to the kids in the book is still happening to several families today, I just feel like if a non-Muslim/non-Shia were to pick up this book, it gives them a lot of fuel to have a negative perspective about us. At one point, a woman uses trinkets to supposedly tell two of the characters' futures, invoking the names of the Ahlul-Bayt as she does so. That is not Shia Islam.
That said, the pulse of the book moves forward mainly through keeping information away from the reader. It gets kind of confusing at certain points, and I couldn't keep up with all the time jumps and drama that kept getting added on. I couldn't tell whether or not the secrets had all been fully revealed at the end or not.
Still, I liked these characters, and I was rooting for them. I was just hoping for more from a setting so close to my heart.
That said, the pulse of the book moves forward mainly through keeping information away from the reader. It gets kind of confusing at certain points, and I couldn't keep up with all the time jumps and drama that kept getting added on. I couldn't tell whether or not the secrets had all been fully revealed at the end or not.
Still, I liked these characters, and I was rooting for them. I was just hoping for more from a setting so close to my heart.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews