This love story is just what the title of the book starts as. Teenagers Said and Tiwa reunited for a funeral of their favorite librarian. But after a fire accidentally breaks loose at the Islamic Center and the mayor has plans to demolish the building, Said and Tiwa makes a truce and work together to save their community, with a hint of romance sparking in the air. Without spoiling too much, I wish that a death of one character wasn't glossed over. It would've been a good opportunity to explore the ramifications and processing of grief across the MC and their family. In addition, I also wish the topic of anti-Blackness is explored more as a conversation than just Tiwa experiencing discrimination. Lastly, since this story involves Tiwa's and Said's letters, it would be nice to have a glimpse of that where I get to learn more about their history outside of the flashbacks (would've give the third-POV narrator more narration time if that's the case). Four Eids and Funeral is a wholesome romance filled with pure Muslim joy and pride that reflects how whether it's a house of worship or a cultural center, these spaces fosters a true [spiritual] sense of community. It's wonderful this book highlights how multifaceted Islamic culture is across South Asian and Black peoples.

3.75 stars

Four Eid’s and a Funeral is Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé and Adiba Jaigirdar’s upcoming joint release. The story centers around Tiwa and Said, ex-best friends and current enemies, on their journey to saving a beloved cultural center and possibly their friendship. Their dynamic is enjoyably antagonistic around the edges, yet still soft in the middle. Whether they like it or not, they have a past together. They still know things about each other that most others don’t and now they don’t seem to know where to lay these things down. Do they want to hold on to these things and start over or is it really time to let each other go? And what does saving their relationship look like? Will it be the same friendship or something more? You’ll have to read the story to find out.
When reading books by more than one author, it can occasionally be a tad obvious as to where one author started and the other left off, but that’s not the case here. This book is seamless. There are no lines drawn in the sand, no marks of delineation. You truly can’t tell where Àbíké-Íyímídé starts or where Jaigirdar ends. This book is a celebration of culture as well as a rekindling of relationships both personal and spiritual. It was both a joy and a pleasure to read! Four Eid’s and a Funeral is out June 4, 2024. Thank you to NetGalley for access to this title!

Yes please! Such a great pair to team up for a YA Romance!!

Tiwa and Said use to be besties but when Said went away to boarding school they stopped talking and started hating each other to the point of Said avoiding going home to avoid seeing Tiwa. But when his beloved librarian dies he goes back to Vermont for the funeral and Eid. Will they be able to get through this Eid without maiming each other?

I love an enemies to lovers. It’s my favorite and this was great so much resentment, some miscommunication but not too bad. I loved all the characters and felt like everyone was fleshed out very well.

The narrators were very good as well I liked both and love when dual pov gets two narrators.

I definitely would recommend this for YA romance lovers

Thank to netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an ALC of this book.

This novel is a cute, easy read, but it felt pretty formulaic. It will be a secondary purchase for most libraries unless they have a Muslim population who would be attracted to the story.

*4.5 Stars*

I really loved this. I loved both main characters. I loved everything about the plot. It all made me feel things, I even teared up a couple times. The pacing was very good and I loved how the writings from both authors meshed together. It was one of the best books I've ever read by co-authors. It was a very fast read and I wished it was a little bit longer, especially at the end, but I really had the best time. This was truly a layered and beautiful YA love story, and I hope Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé and Adiba Jaigirdar write more books together!!

i was hoping i would get this early and i did!! im so excited! i’ve been wanting this title for so long and while reading it i was just the happiest! this story was done so beautifully and so well and ill never get over it! i cannot wait to purchase a copy for my shelves that i can love for years and years to come!

Okay. Loved this book as a contemporary young adult coming-of-age. Didn't like it so much as a romance, just because the romance part seemed to come out of nowhere toward the very, very end (imo, it shouldn't be classified as a romance book). Like the title says, it takes place over four Eids and a funeral. The main characters, Said and Tiwa, are former best friends who had a falling out three Eids ago, after Said transferred to boarding school in Virginia. They're initially brought back together at the funeral of their hometown librarian, with whom they both had a special relationship. The same day, there is a fire at the Islamic Center. The two reluctantly team up to save that year's Eid festivities, and the Islamic Center from demolition after they learn of the crooked mayor's nefarious plans to use the land for condos (because of course).

This book is full of Muslim joy and pride! Said and Tiwa are both Muslims from different ethnic backgrounds (like the authors!). Said is Bangladeshi-American, and Tiwa is Nigerian-American. Ironically, Tiwa is much more involved in their faith but gets treated as an outsider by the aunties in their community because she's Black. They don't recognize her as Muslim (it's weird that some of the aunties don't even recognize her from the mosque, considering the Muslim community in their town is small and tight-knit). As a South Asian, Said's Muslim identity is never questioned (which is ironic since he's less involved than Tiwa). I wish the book hadn't glossed over the commentary on anti-Black racism in Muslim communities. Since the issue was raised, I feel it shouldn't have been brushed off or rushed through and should have gone beyond the surface level.

I almost feel like this book suffered from trying to do TOO much that some of the threads were lost. I wanted MORE on so many topics, like Ms. Barnes (the librarian), Timi (Tiwa's little brother), and Tiwa's dad, to name a few. But especially Timi.

My favorite character was Tiwa's best friend/Said's sister Safiyah (we support women's rights AND wrongs). She's so funny AND gay (and you can't tell me those two things aren't related, LOL).

Overall, I liked this book, but I didn't LOVE it. It kinda reminded me of Lark and Kasim Start a Revolution by Kacen Callender (ex-best friends explore their feelings for each other, plus a sprinkle of activism), so if you liked that, you'll probably also like this!

A big thanks to Macmillan for the advanced copy of this book! All thoughts are my own.

What an amazing collaboration between these two authors!

This book had so many valuable aspects jammed into it. From parental expectations to cultural burdens. And with that we are getting immersed in this tight knit Muslim community and their culture along with Said and Tiwa rebuilding their fallen friendship.

I wish we got more of that Romance aspect, and that it wasn’t resolved so close to the end!

JazakhAllah Khair to NetGalley and Macmillan Publishing Group for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Can I rate this over five stars? Because it deserves a million stars. WOW. I already knew a book written by my two favorite muslim authors (aka my two favorite authors of all time) was going to be one of my top reads of the year and I was RIGHT.

First of all, the characters? Incredible. Amazing. Showstopping. Never been seen before. 10/10. I loved Tiwa and Said so much and I hold them so near and dear to my heart. And everyone else too! Like Safiyah and Julian and of course we can’t forget habibi Laddoo.

I also loved that we got a lot of friendship and family dynamics and that the relationship aspect of the book wasn’t solely focused on romance!! That being said, let’s ABSOLUTELY talk about the romance because the second I saw that Much Ado About Nothing quote in the opening I was like “oh this is gonna be a GREAT annoyances to lovers arc” and I was absolutely correct. Tiwa and Said are also just so jennajulien core and you know I will be hooked on any relationship that reminds me of jennajulien.

As a muslim, I really appreciate some of the little details about practices in the faith! Like performing ablution and how we start and end our prayers. I also just love the casual ‘inshallah’s and ‘mashallah’s AND the talk of how important community is in Islam and how much it can aid our imaan.

I couldn’t recommend this book more, for both muslims and non-muslims. And inshallah we’ll see more book co-written Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé and Adiba Jaigirdar in the future!

Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé and Adiba Jaigirdar do not miss! I have read both of these authors' books and am so excited for the world to read this release!

Four Eids and a Funeral follows Said and Tiwa's love story - how they became best friends then ex-best friends, and then...rekindled? Their story is precious and showcase the way certain bonds we have with people are invincible. The characters are all relatable and likable, and authentic to how teenagers/young adults are. I loved both Said and Tiwa's personalities! They were angsty and passionate.

The writing in this book is amazing - the pacing of the plot, the overall story, and dialogue were all so well-written. I was engaged the entire time. Being Muslim and Bengali, I felt that the representation in this book was excellent and I truly felt so seen and valid in my identity.

5 stars, highly recommend this upcoming YA release!

This is a wonderful collaboration between two of my favorite YA authors!

Said and Tiwa used to be best friends, but something drove them apart when Said started at a new school. A few years later, the two are reunited when their favorite librarian passes away. Then the two team up to try to save the Islamic Center and might just repair their relationship along the way.

Said and Tiwa's summer is a fun exploration of friendship, teen love, and community identity. There are underlying themes of parental expectations and grief that were handled well. I adore these two authors, and I can't wait to read more from them!

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review!

These authors should team up more because this was absolutely delightful.

I loved the inclusive representation, the angsty teen dynamics, and the varied Muslim perspectives.

I am forever a sucker for we-used-to-be-friends-and-now-we-have-beef-but-maybe-we-should-kiss - That's a trope, right? ;)

If you were wondering if you needed to read this book….you do. In my TOP 5 book and audio of 2024 for me!!!

@dibs_j and @faridahlikestea just know how to craft THE PERFECT impeccably written YA romance…forever auto-buy authors for me!! The relationships (familial, romantic, and platonic) in this book were one-of-a-kind and felt like a warm hug! Simply put I’m happy that books like this one exist, and that I get opportunity to read them (this one got me feeling extra sappy🥹)

⭐️FOUR EIDS AND A FUNERAL, out JUNE 4th⭐️

Thank you Feiwel and Friends for the eARC and @macmillan.audio for the gifted review ALC of this book!

"Let's get one thing straight: This is a love story."

What do you get when you cross the author of Ace of Spades with the author of The Henna Wars, stir in a 90's movie of similar name, and don't forget a cheeky nod to Shakespeare and Dickens and Van Gogh?!

You get Said and Tiwa, of course!

I absolutely loved this story! It starts with the love of a hometown librarian, which tugged at my heartstrings.

And from there, it gets messy and complicated and a bit of a whirlwind.

Each of the main characters have distinct voices, and I adore them. They felt so real to me - like maybe they could be kids I've taught in the past. And their struggles are about as real as it gets.

"It was the worst of times. It was the worst of times." Tiwa definitely has had some. "A multitude of people yet a solitude." Said knows that better than most.

But together? Well, anything might be possible.

"In a weird way, it's kind of nice, all of us here together. It's what Eid is about after all: community."

Thank you Netgalley and MacMillan Children’s Publishing Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

"Four Eids and a Funeral" by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé and Adiba Jaigirdar is a book that elicits an infinity rating as you're swept into a beautiful story that demonstrates the transformation of childhood friendship to a well-developed romance. The love story is the main focus of the book, though I also really enjoyed the exploration of Muslim culture and traditions, particularly during the celebration of Eid.

The authors’ writing style is a standout feature. The pace was pretty fast and consistent throughout the book, and the writing was engaging. I especially enjoyed the dialogue, mainly between Tiwa and Said, as this dialogue felt real and authentic. The characters leap off the page, each one crafted with depth and authenticity. Every character feels relatable and multi-dimensional, which is what makes up the backbone of a romance story.

At its core, "Four Eids and a Funeral" is a love story that transcends boundaries. The complex relationship between Tiwa and Said, evolving from childhood friendship to enmity and ultimately to romance, is absolutely heartwarming. Their journey is accompanied by a host of well-developed supporting characters, each contributing to the depth of emotions exhibited throughout the book.

While the resolution of the central conflict was resolved quite nicely with all the loose ends tied, it did feel a bit superficial. The central conflict seemed to be hastily resolved, detracting from the emotional weight built throughout the story. Despite this, I was still very much invested in the happy ending of the book.

Overall, "Four Eids and a Funeral" is a book I thoroughly enjoyed, and I can’t wait to read more from both authors.

I was delighted to get the chance to read this ARC about two Muslim teenagers who had once been best friends but had become enemies in recent years due to a series of misunderstandings. When the death of their favorite librarian brings them back together, and a fire at the local Islamic center pushes them to work together to save it, hostility slowly falls away, and long buried feelings start resurfacing. This was a lovely, sweet story about rekindling a relationship, and the importance of culture and community. Queer side characters normalize their presence without fuss. Highly recommend for any YA readers! Another hit for @dibs_j and @faridahlikestea. Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. #yabooks #multiculturalbooks #muslimcharacters #muslimauthors #yaromance #multiculturalya #queersidecharacters

This book was really excellent. I was frustrated whenever I had to put it down to do some other stuff. I didn’t see anything coming although I enjoyed the entire ride. Thank you to NetGalley for providing an earc for me to review!

This was definitely cute but definitely YA. At times it was a bit slow, but I loved the plot and the characters are endearing. If you have a middle schooler who loves friendship drama and high tension this is great and also a great peak into learning about different cultural and religious practices. I loved the concept of four eids, it was clever and really tied the story together. The novel is told from the shared perspectives of Tiwa and Said our F and M MCs. Their perspectives are shared in the present with an additional third voice narrating events of the past that allow the reader insight into how this became a friends-to-enemies-to-frenemies-to-friends- to loversish(?) story. This rollercoaster relationship begins with a friendship that is broken apart by distance, loss, and a misunderstanding, but is mended through a shared love for their community and each other. I have not read any other stories by either of these authors but it was a fun pairing and I recommend reading for anyone!

The overall premise of this book was pretty interesting, but the ending was rushed. There was little development of the romance until the last 100 pages or so, and they got together so quickly.

4 stars

These two fabulous YA authors partnering up for a collab?! It's a YES from me, and it should be a yes from you, too!

Readers get a reminder that this is a love story, and they might need that, because this is a friends to not enemies but not friends to lovers situation. Even the fabulous cover might make a prospective reader a little skeptical.

Tiwa and Said share perspectives in this fast-paced novel. They are both Muslim, and when their town's Islamic Center burns to the ground, they do not wallow in sadness; they get busy gathering community and political support and trying to make a positive impact. Through this process, they are forced to confront some of the issues they've had with each other as well as some of their personal struggles relating to (heartbreaking!) deaths in the family, next steps in their academic futures, and more. Both characters are nicely developed, and while this IS definitely a romance as promised, that's not ALL it is. For this reader, that is a real win.

I love both of these authors, and a mashup is such a gift. They both absolutely delivered and exceeded my hopes and expectations. BOTH writers mention further possible future collabs in their acknowledgements, and I hope this is a promise!