Absolute brilliant book and it's ONLY a debut! A hopeful and heart-wrenching story about Syrian Revolution, a hisfic but not too far behind so it felt too close. As a Muslim this story shaken me because my bothers and sisters by religion really had to suffer like what Salama, Layla, Kenan, Lama, Yusuf, and Hamza was experienced. It's giving me emotions, one moment I felt dreadful and scared, the next moment I grinned from the banters. It shows not only the trauma a war gives but also hope and bravery. Miss Zoulfa is really a talented writer and I can't wait to see what's more to come from her

Wow wow wow! Salama Kassab was a pharmacy student when the cries for freedom broke out in Syria. She still had her parents and her big brother; she still had her home. She was even supposed to be meeting a boy to talk about marriage.

Now Salama volunteers at a hospital in Homs, helping the wounded who flood through the doors. She knows that she should be thinking about leaving, but who will help the people of her beloved country if she doesn't? With her heart so conflicted, her mind has conjured a vision to spur her to action. His name is Khawf, and he haunts her nights with hallucinations of everything she has lost.

But even with Khawf pressing her to leave, when she crosses paths with Kenan, the boy she was supposed to meet on that fateful day, she starts to doubt her resolve in leaving home at all. Soon, Salama must learn to see the events around her for what they truly are-not a war, but a revolution-and decide how she, too, will cry for Syria's freedom.

This is a beautiful, heart wrenching book. I'll be gathering my thoughts and updating with an in depth review very soon but for now trust me when I say you need this book in your life!

THIS BOOK!! It’s so bloody good and one my favourite reads of the year!!! I can't believe it's a debut.

After finishing i’m still not over it. i’ve come to associate the colour yellow with hope because that’s exactly what this book is about. that despite the circumstances, despite the pain and loss and grief that Salama and Kenan go through, there is still hope. Taking place during the Syrian revolution, this story is about survival and being forced to grow up under the harshest of circumstances. I love these characters with my whole heart. and my favourite thing about it is that they don’t read like characters in a book. they read like real, raw fleshed out human beings with emotion and heartache. this story is over, but this is the reality for many Syrians and those whose story doesn’t end like Salama’s.

With beautiful prose and vivid imagery that places you in the centre of tough situations, you will not be able to put this book down. And when you reach the mother of all plot twists, i can assure you your heart will not be able to take it.

Salama and Keenan’s story will stay with me for a long time. Their constant support for each other despite all the obstacles made me fall in love with them. I urge you to read this book when it comes out in August, because i wasn’t the same after i finished, and neither will you be after you turn that final page.

This book will rip your heart and tear it to pieces but you will come out a better person because of it.

this book is heartbreaking, raw and truly incredible. I can't believe how beautiful yet horrific this story is. It made me cry.

I was excited to pick this book up and when I did, I was completely blown away. This book is incredible - I mean seriously good. The writing, character developement and storyline are just something else entirely. This book is incredibly emotibe and all the more beautiful for it. Honestly 5 stars will never be enough.

I have fallen in love with this book 100%.

I was recommended As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow by my friend, who is a bookstagrammer and friend of the author, Zoulfa Katouh. So I joined Net Galley and thanks to Bloomsbury, I was approved my first ever request!

I knew the story was about teenagers in Syria during the Revolution but I had no other expectations. And thank God I didn't! Because this story just blew me away! I found myself wanting to read it all in one go, but at the same time, it got me so emotional on countless occasions that I had to put it down, take a breather then pick it up when I had fully processed what had just happened.

The way the author has beautifully put the story together, the words, the dialogue, and the way she takes her readers on this heart-wrenching (but also heartwarming!) journey with Salama and Kenan is just incredible, pure talent. And I can't believe this is her debut novel!

I have been looking for novels with Muslim representation by a Muslim female author for a long time. And this is just perfect. Not only will I be highly recommending this to my young students, but will definitely be considering incorporating it into the KS3 English curriculum at my school. I can already envisage the deep conversations that will stem from the beautifully-crafted characters and relationships; the universal themes, the setting of war-torn Syria, and the social and cultural context.

Thank you, Zoulfa Katouh. May Allah bless and nurture your talent. Aameen. And thank you, Bloomsbury!

PS. Khawf is my favourite character!

I inhaled this book, it is honestly one of the best books I have read this year and will undoubtedly stay with me for a long time. It is an intricate and poignant depiction of Syria in the aftermath of the 2011 revolutionary uprisings that swept the Middle East, and vividly captures not just the impact of war, violence, and militarism at the human level (exploring PTSD, grief, and loss), but also drives home the resilience and love of the Syrian people through a cast of lovable characters. The storylines and character development throughout the book are beautifully multi-dimensional, and the book overall is an exciting and much-needed addition to the YA genre. The Muslim representation in the book is one of the best portrayals I have ever come across (I adored the development of Salama and Kenan's relationship in particular!), and it ends with a beautiful author's note and acknowledgments section. I will be recommending this book to everyone I know, and will definitely be picking up a physical copy once I get the chance. I would urge you to pick this up even if you are not familiar with the YA genre or the contemporary crisis in Syria, and especially if you have loved books such as The Map of Salt and Stars by Zeyn Joukhadar. 5 stars.