This might actually be the first book I've read where the characters are unapologetically Muslim. Usually, other books try to conform to Western ideologies and try to absorb them into the religion and normalise them, but this book remained true to Islam to the very end. Genueinly could not find fault in anything; in fact, it taught me so many more things in return. Ramadan is close, I wanted to read books with Muslim representation at least, and this book delivered. The unapologetic use of so many terms that are common in Islam really made me feel right at home. This was a book where I could realistically be immersed in. Amirah was sooo relatable, she turned out to be even more relatable than I had been expecting. It was kind of scary. We both have our Alevels and are the same age (I'm still doing them, will finish in a few months Insha Allah). I even took Business and got the same grade as her lol! Her disappointment was palpable and so real. She was such a man-hater and so anti-marriage, i definetely related to her. I'm glad she found her fairytale ending, but I don't think I'll be able to change my stance anytime soon. Really, these kinds of happy endings only happen in books, but it was nice to see that dream come true on paper. I really had mixed feelings about Zayd, on one hand, he seemed to be a very one-dimensional character. His only personality trait seemed to be worrying about his one sister as if there weren't 4 other siblings to worry about 😭, and in the beginning, he always seemed to assume the worst about Amirah (that moment where she was walking towards without her hijab to grab her abaya, and he was incredulous). But on the other hand, he played that one-dimensional character so well. I could tell he really cared about Amirah, and Amirah really loved him in return. He had his best intentions at heart and went about the only way he knew how i guess...at least he made up for it in the end by standing up for her and listening to her wishes. I know Zayd, being a one-dimensional character, had to have been a deliberate choice because the other male characters in the book all have so many personality traits despite the limited time given to them in the book (Take Usamah, Yusuf, Abdullah, Umar etc) but oh well. I love Ali so much, he's so silly and kind of pathetic 😂 that's how all men should be ngl. Amirah's siblings were also so cute, but she has infinite patience. As an oldest daughter myself, I really bless her MashaAllah because I don't think I could have gone through what she did without harbouring resentment. But then again, I may not have made the same choices as her. May Allah never test anyone with that kind of pain.

This book also lwk strengthened my deen I would love to come back and read it because all of Amirah's friends seem to be one step ahead in their deen, and I want to catch up. I'll try greeting my own friends with Salam, using JazakAllah and other terms more often with them. I already do use them pretty frequently, but sometimes it feels a little off with your own age group, but this dunyah is temporary, so might as well lock in. As Ali said, he doesn't know who he is without his faith, and neither do I

Also wish there was a bit mention of Umar at the end of the book when Ali was leaving, because after that moment under the oak tree, he just disappared

PS: Does Amirah have super vision or something how did she see the details of Ali's hand so clearly and draw them so well that even he recognised his own hands when she was standing all the way on the edge of the basketball court girl what

This book wasn't the best I've read of Ann liang but i did love it. Jenna was so relateable at times it hurt. Maybe i'll appreciate this book more once i leave my self-loathing rut that jenna was once in. I'm still there so it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Her feeling like she wasn't good enough, her descriptions of how it felt when other students could so effortlessly do things but even her trying was never enough realllllyyyyyy hit my soul, like right in the middle.

I would love myself an Aaron Cai tho 😔🙏

I knew how this book would end, yet I read it anyway 💔. Suzanne Collins is truly a one-of-a-kind type of author, and I will read anything she has to say. Did anyone notice the parallels between Trump and Snow, though 😭. Being inside Haymitch's head was a special kind of torture. He was so precious and soft. Everyone was his own, and he legit kept setting himself up for heartbreak 😭. Everyone is either his little dove, his sister, his brother, his love, his sweetheart, or some sort of family 😭 Bro stopp, you're breaking your heart and mine. I loved Masiylee the second she opened her mouth on the train. Knowing the ending of the book and knowing that Haymitch was the only one who survived, I still got attached to characters I knew were going to die 😭. This book is very phenomenally written. Being able to keep readers hooked while everyone knows how it ends is a special talent frfr. The cruelty of the games and President Snow never fails to blow me away. Snow may land on top, but the sun always rises.