Salama was a pharmacy student when war broke out in Syria; now she volunteers in a hospital helping those wounded in the war while trying to find a safe way out of the country for her and her pregnant sister in law Layla, the only remaining member of her family. Her fear takes form in Khwaf, who haunts her every move, making her ever vigilant and paranoid about her safety. Torn between loyalty to her country and wanting to survive, Salama meets a boy who she was supposed to have met before war broke out, and she must choose between country and self.

I’ve had quite the backlog of Book of the Months books on my shelf that I’ve been trying to get through, and I’m kicking myself for not getting to this one sooner. This was an incredibly poignant story of love, revolution, survival, and overcoming trauma. There was a BIG plot twist that I did not see coming that made me literally gasp out loud. Katouh’s debut novel is a beautiful love story to Syria while showcasing the brutal impacts of the ongoing revolution. This was my first five star read of the year, and such an important book that I think everyone should read!