Novel Hour Live Replay – Arab American Heritage Month Book Recs
Heartfelt and insightful episode celebrating Arab American Heritage Month with a range of book recs spanning fiction, romance, memoir, fantasy, and historical reads.
Novel Hour Live Replay – Arab American Heritage Month Book Recs
Air Date: April 10, 2025
Co-hosts: Victoria from
We go live on YouTube at 12 PM ET for Novel Hour, our weekly book chat. Mark your calendars and join us every week!
Episode Overview
In this week’s Novel Hour, we spotlighted Arab and Arab American authors across genres—offering emotional reads, sharp commentary, and genre-bending storytelling.
Books mentioned can be found below.
Bonus Mentions:
The Dream Hotel by Laila Lalami got a shoutout from the live chat!
Erin shared poetry picks and vibes were immaculate.
📹 Watch the Full Replay
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Show Notes
Victoria shared Fiction & Memoirs:
Against the Loveless World by Susan Abulhawa – A haunting, character-driven novel about exile, resistance, and survival through a Palestinian woman’s eyes.
Behind You is the Sea by Susan Muaddi Darraj – A powerful Baltimore-based Palestinian community story with interwoven voices and rich emotional depth.
A Woman is No Man by Etaf Rum – A heart-wrenching intergenerational story about silencing, survival, and reclaiming identity.
Hijab Butch Blues by Lamya H. – A deeply personal memoir blending queer identity, faith, and found family with stories from the Qur’an.
Francesca shared Young Adult & Fantasy Recs:
An Emotion of Great Delight by Tahereh Mafi – A moving post-9/11 coming-of-age novel about grief, identity, and choosing joy.
A Tempest of Tea by Hafsah Faizal – A fantasy vampire heist set in a speakeasy-style blood house? Yes, please. Think Peaky Blinders meets Six of Crows.
Francesca shared Romance & Historical Gems:
The Viscount Made Me Do It by Diana Quincy – A sexy historical romance featuring a bone setter heroine, mystery, and societal tension. On KU!
Join Us Next Week!
📅 April 14: Bookish Tea
📅 April 17: Cowboy Romance
See you next week! 💛
Novel Hour is our weekly live book chat, hosted every Thursday at 12 PM ET on YouTube. We’re three book-loving friends who co-work daily and come together each week to talk all things books, from new releases and reading challenges to bookish controversies and pop culture tie-ins.
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