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!

This YA clean romance was quite sweet and I absolutely loved the Muslim representation. I enjoyed the storyline and the way the two banded together to save their Islamic Center, discovering their feelings for the other in the process. The audiobook was well narrated and kept me enthralled throughout.

🎧🎧 Book Review 🎧🎧 I have a confession to make: I hated audiobooks growing up. My mom listened to Stephen King in the car and it terrified me. But I realized I would never get anything done if I couldn’t listen to a book so I finally dove in last year. It really is something that you have to get used to and I have been working with my kids to help them; Four Eids and a Funeral really felt like the chance to share this with my tween//teen girls! This was the perfect pick! This is a culturally rich, beautifully written and narrated novel! Said and Tiwa were once best friends but drifted apart, and for anyone who spends time around teens,you know that friendships are the pulse of life. Said returns to town when the beloved librarian dies and soon after, their town’s Islamic center burns down. Four Eids and a Funeral magnificently balances universal teen problems with bigger issues that inevitably happen in life, like loss and dilemmas of asserting your dreams and goals with family and cultural expectations. Centered in the captivating story is the preparation for the celebration of Eid, sharing a wonderful glimpse into a special holiday with so many beautiful traditions. What an amazing book that shows the passion and drive of our youth as activists in the community!

4.5/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review is posted on Goodreads and the final review will be on Instagram ahead of the publication date!