I didn’t think I was going to love this book, but I really did. It’s not my typical type of read, but it was a really good one! I would recommend!

Hope Ablaze is a powerful and uplifting story of resilience and courage, with compelling characters and vivid storytelling that keeps you invested. A beautifully written journey of hope and triumph!

I was really excited to read this book when I first heard about it. I still think it's important that this book exists to challenge Islamophobia, and to give voice to so many Muslim teens out there, who feel voiceless and powerless. I appreciated the Muslim representation, specifically Nida's attachment to her hijab.

But this book has a lot of issues as well.

Look, I'm a fairly logical reader. It's not that I set out to poke holes into every story, but sometimes they're so blatant that I can't not notice them, and that was sadly the case here. Throughout the book, regular chapters are interspersed with some of Nida's poetry about the things that are happening to her. I thought it was too much poetry, but that's my personal preference, and not something I count against the book. A big part of the plot is how Nida loses the ability to write poetry, and thereby loses her voice. But the poetry continues. And it's not old poems, because they're all relevant to where the plot is at that point. But Nida can't write them.

There's also a kind of weird magical realism element, which honestly wasn't necessary, but also not really an issue, until the author uses it to conveniently allow Nida to see the past, give us a history lesson, show her exactly what happened to her family before she was born, so she could then use this information to talk to her mother.

I think the part that annoyed me the most was how the author chose to wrap this up, and the message that they will still vote for the Islamophobic politician, because the other choice is worse! And I don't think that's the lesson I want teenagers to learn, because there are other options. I am not American, but I asked an American friend a few questions about how elections work, and granted, it's a complicated system. I don't remember what state this takes place in, and even if I did, I wouldn't know what laws apply in this state. But there could have been an independent candidate as a third option. There could have been a write-in campaign as a show of protest. There could have literally been any other message to teenagers, in 2024, when we are seeing a live genocide, than "vote for the bad guy anyway because the other guy is worse".

A very eye opening look into post 9/11 America from a Muslim point of view. The author approached the event with care and her storytelling for a debut novel was phenomenal. I felt a visceral reaction to what the FMC and her family had to endure. It forced me to reflect on what I’m seeing in the news. Overall I want to read it again and take notes.

Hope Ablaze is a bold, heartfelt debut that tackles weighty themes of racism, Islamophobia, and the brokenness of political systems, woven into a coming-of-age story steeped in Pakistani culture and Islamic faith. Sarah Mughal Rana’s voice is genuine and determined, delivering a narrative that resonates with the current social climate while addressing deep, systemic issues.

The story centers on Nida, a young poet living in the shadow of her celebrated uncle, whose wrongful incarceration looms large over her family and community. When an unjust incident at a political rally leads her to write a fiery poem, Nida’s quiet life is upended as her words go viral and thrust her into the public eye. As she grapples with her unexpected fame, Nida finds herself at a crossroads between family expectations, cultural identity, and her own evolving sense of self.

Rana shines in her portrayal of Nida’s home life, filled with the richness of culture, family, and food. The inclusion of poetry throughout the narrative adds depth and emotion, reflecting Nida’s growth and her struggle to reclaim her voice.

While the novel doesn’t fully succeed in balancing its ambitious themes, it deserves praise for its courage in confronting racism and Islamophobia with unflinching honesty. Some moments, like the assault Nida experiences early in the book, are powerful and visceral, but the story doesn’t always maintain that momentum. The pacing feels uneven at times, with some sections dragging despite the weight of the narrative’s topics.

Nevertheless, Hope Ablaze is an important and timely novel. It celebrates the strength of community and culture while highlighting the resilience of a young woman learning to find her place in the world. Rana’s ability to weave social commentary with deeply personal storytelling marks her as a promising voice in young adult literature.

Hope Abalze tells the story of Nida who uses her poetry to express her feelings about what she is going through and the things happening around her. She comes from a long line of poets, but her family members have stopped sharing or even writing poetry because it can be dangerous and they want to protect the people they love. Nida uses her poetry though and when it is shared without her knowing it leads to trouble with an elected official's campaign and has many more repercussions that come with it. She struggles to deal with these repercussions and we see that through the story from the hardships she goes through and what her family and community go through as well. This book was eye-opening and made me think more outside of my community and how just one little thing can get blown out of proportion in the media. We've been seeing a lot recently with how one little thing becomes a week-long story in the news. It's a lot and it is a good reminder to take a step back and look at what really matters and the people that are being potentially harmed because of these stories.

- Friendship and Family
- Poetry
- Faith
-Misunderstanding

3.5 stars

I was expecting a heart-breaking, tear-jerking book and while it made me tear up a little it didn't deliver like I hoped. I chose to read Hope Ablaze because of the comparison with The Poet X, and while it came close to it, and had some poems that were so thought-provoking, I didn't enjoyed it as much.

Following the aftermath of 9/11 and the rise of islamophobia this book made me so angry for both the protagonist and her family, especially with the political climate nowadays this book feels so relevant, my issues come with the magical realism, and the rituals that were in the story, in my opinion it took some of the seriousness of what was happening, the story was already giving so this just felt unnecessary and disrupted the flow of the story.

Still, I think this is a book that while it is not one of my favorites I would still recommend.

Thanks to netgalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange of a honest review.

This book was heart wrenching and such an accurate portrayal of being Muslim in the western world. Having your words used against you, being the victim of profiling and having to vote for the "lesser evil" are all aspects Muslims can relate to. Sarah's debut was fantastic and I can't wait to see what she puts out next.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to be able to read and review this book!

This was an enchanting and an eye opening read. The writing was so beautiful.

Hope Ablaze by Sarah Mughal Rana. Pub Date: February 27, 2024. Rating: 5 stars. All the stars for this wonderfully executed novel focused on topics of racism, immigration and family through the power of voice. The young girl in this novel is a niece to an uncle who was wrongfully incarcerated during a time of war. She is a young poet who unfortunately was frisked at a Democratic rally which inspired her to write about the politician. What happens afterwards is a whirlwind in which her words go viral. She has to balance being a young woman, her Muslim faith/community, her familial obligations and her own personal thoughts and feelings about what it means to be a Muslim in America. I found this novel really well done, eye opening and full of heart and truth. Such an important novel for everyone to read. Thanks to #netgalley and #wednesdaybooks for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

All My Rage meets The Poet X in this electric debut that explores a Muslim teen finding her voice in a post-9/11 America.


Thank you Wednesday Books & Netgalley for sending me a review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! I read the first 75 pages of this book and I decided to DNF it. It’s an interesting story but I don’t like the writing style.

“I never saw myself in books, shows, nor movies. If I saw a Muslim on TV, it was a villainous stereotype or worse, a girl being coerced to take off her hijab for the sake of the show’s romantic plot. If I saw brown characters, I saw a caricature of a monolith representing South and Central Asia.

I was set on writing a book that gave readers a glimpse into a story of one girl as she navigates a world so set against her. Through touches of speculative magic, I wanted to write about the diversity and beauty of Pakistan without idealizing its flaws, mistakes, and tragic history.” - Authors Note

HOPE ABLAZE by Sarah Mughal Rana is such a beautiful, YA novel. A teenage girl wearing a hijab is wrongly detained and frisked and she begins to fight back through sharing her story and her poetry.

I loved the poetry woven through; I think really helped solidify our main character’s voice and gave us her internal dialogue in such a beautiful and raw way. It’s spoken word - so listening to the audiobook was especially fantastic for these sections.

While it felt slightly long for me at almost 400 pages, it tackled so many issues like: women’s rights; the attacks (physically and otherwise) on women who wear hijabs; ethnocentrism and Islamophobia; and so much more.

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Hope Ablaze

Author: Sarah Mughal Rana

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 4/5

Diversity: Muslim Pakistani MC, Muslim Pakistani characters, Syrian characters, Christian Syrian character

Recommended For...: young adult readers, contemporary, poetry

Publication Date: February 27, 2024

Genre: YA Contemporary

Age Relevance: 14+ (religion, racism, islamaphobia, terrorism, police brutality, animal death, violence, gun violence, death)

Explanation of Above: The Islamic religion is shown proudly throughout the book. There are scenes of racism and islamaphobia. Terrorism is mentioned and police brutality is shown and mentioned. There is an animal death mentioned (slaughter of a goat). There are scenes of violence and a shooting is mentioned. There is some death discussed in the book.

Publisher: Wednesday Books

Pages: 384

Synopsis: Nida has always been known as Mamou Abdul-Hafeedh’s niece - the poet that will fill her uncle’s shoes after he was wrongfully incarcerated during the war on terror. But for Nida, her poetry letters are her heart and sharing so much of herself with a world that stereotypes her faith and her hijab is not an option. When Nida is illegally frisked at a Democratic Senatorial candidate’s political rally, she writes a scathing poem about the politician, never expecting the letter to go viral weeks before Election Day. Nida discovers her poem has won first place in a national contest, a contest she never entered, and her quiet life is toppled. But worst of all, Nida loses her ability to write poetry. In the aftermath of her win, Nida struggles to balance the expectations of her mother, her uncle, and her vibrant Muslim community with the person she truly wants to be. With a touch of magic and poetry sprinkled throughout, Sarah Mughal Rana's Hope Ablaze is heartbreaking, often funny, and ultimately uplifting, not only celebrating the Islamic faith and Pakistani culture, but simultaneously confronting racism and Islamophobia with unflinching bravery.

Review: This was such a good read. The book revolves around Nida who is following in her uncle’s footsteps of becoming a poet. Following a racist incident led by a political figure, Nida writes a poem about the incident which gets leaked. The book follows Nida as she navigates the insane racism and terrorism following the incident as well as discovering how the poem got leaked. The book was very impactful and honest in showing how the USA treats Muslim citizens. The book features some good poetry as well, so it’s great for people who like slam poetry in books. The book had great world building and character development as well.

The only thing I didn’t like about the book was that it was a bit repetitive in places and there were some spots where I was like “eh… is that necessary?”. But overall I did think that the book was good.

Verdict: It was thought provoking. Highly recommend.

Sarah Mughal Rana is an amazing author and I want to meet her someday! She inspired me to study abroad and Hope Ablaze is incredible. I hope to see more readers read it and her future books!

Wow, this book was amazing! First of all, the fantastic Muslim representation was, well, fantastic! I loved the characters and getting to know them, and the poetic elements were so cool. The only thing that didn't work for me was the magical realism bit, but other than that, I very much enjoyed this book and I think everyone should read it at some point!

(Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any quotes are taken from an advanced copy and may be subject to change upon final publication.)

Hope Ablaze is a powerful debut that expertly weaves the personal and political, capturing the struggles of a young Muslim woman in a post-9/11 America. Nida’s journey of self-discovery and the weight of her family's legacy create a compelling narrative that resonates deeply. The exploration of her voice through poetry is beautifully portrayed, and the impact of her viral poem serves as a pivotal moment that challenges her identity and expectations. The infusion of humor and magic adds a unique flair, making the story both poignant and uplifting. While the pacing occasionally feels uneven, the themes of resilience and courage shine through, making it a memorable read that bravely confronts stereotypes and celebrates cultural identity.

Hope Ablaze is ideal for fans of All My Rage. It’s a touching book that readers will adore. I genuinely loved it.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. Review previously withheld in solidarity with the St. Martin Press reviewer boycott. All opinions are my own. 

Hope Ablaze was another of those books that I requested while glancing briefly at the premise and thinking it sounded great, but not being aware of how hard it would end up hitting, even knowing the book would tackle Islamophobia. But given the state of the world as I write this (even if the world will hopefully look at least marginally different when this review sees the light of day?), I felt a lot of feelings while reading this. 

The book follows Nida, who is an incredibly relatable protagonist.. She lives with a single mother and her sister, and I felt for her as she struggled with the feeling that her mother preferred her sister to her. There’s also the additional factor that her uncle is a poet who was wrongfully incarcerated and deemed a “terrorist.” She too is a poet, and while it’s a form of expression she uses in her activism, it’s also one she uses to explore her internal and familial issues too. 

I appreciate the way the book explored the myriad ways, beyond the obvious, that Islamophobia pervades our society. While there are some very obvious and large-scale incidents, there are the more subtle, yet equally insidious. 

And one of the most intriguing for me was the wider political focus, with Nida’s initial form of protest being a poem dedicated to a Democratic Senatorial candidate after an illegal frisking. This is in line with the broader themes, and comes full-circle by the end of the book, with the arrival of the election that was anticipated throughout. The bittersweet truth about having to choose between the lesser of two evils when neither has your best interests at heart rings particularly true in this election year, when our two primary choices for President are a former President who, among other issues, attempted to ban immigrants from Muslim-majority countries, and an incumbent President who has largely been supportive of Israel. 

And while, if this review has gone up, the issues that have led to the boycott will have been resolved, but it’s ludicrous to me how little regard SMP had for authors like Rana with their actions. 

This is a fabulous book, and I’d recommend it to readers who are interested in hard-hitting contemporaries, especially those centering Pakistani-Muslims.

Although a difficult read, especially during this climate of rising islamophobia, this was an empowering story of a young muslim woman finding the power of her voice. I was rooting so hard for Nida, and I'm definitely excited to read what Sarah Mughal Rana writes next.

This was a beautifully written book. I feel like this should be required reading especially now when Islamophobia is running so rampant in this world. I was so moved by all the poetry in this book, that they will stay with me for a very long time.