Join a book club that is reading As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow!

Janesville Readers

In-person book club in Janesville, WI, meeting monthly for fellowship and to discuss good reads!

Forever Young Adult (FYA) Book Club

A book club for NYC-ers who are a little less "Y" and a little more "A". We meet the 3rd Tuesday of every month to read the latest ForeverYoungAdult.com book club pick.

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow

A love letter to Syria and its people, As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow is a speculative novel set amid the Syrian Revolution, burning with the fires of hope, love, and possibility. Perfect for fans of The Book Thief and Salt to the Sea.

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 had a normal teenager's life.

Now Salama volunteers at a hospital in Homs, helping the wounded who flood through the doors daily. Secretly, though, she is desperate to find a way out of her beloved country before her sister-in-law, Layla, gives birth. So desperate, that she has manifested a physical embodiment of her fear in the form of her imagined companion, Khawf, who haunts her every move in an effort to keep her safe.

But even with Khawf pressing her to leave, Salama is torn between her loyalty to her country and her conviction to survive. Salama must contend with bullets and bombs, military assaults, and her shifting sense of morality before she might finally breathe free. And when she crosses paths with the boy she was supposed to meet one 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.

BUY THE BOOK

Published Sep 13, 2022

464 pages

Average rating: 8.46

295 RATINGS

|

Community Reviews

CeLynasings
Dec 31, 2023
10/10 stars
This story allowed me to understand hardships I have been fortunate enough to not have experienced. I feel in love with every character and will be adding this to my personal collection.
RubyReads
Jun 06, 2025
10/10 stars
Oof. This author grabbed my heart, then she ripped it out, sqaushed it, tossed it then said “oh let’s put it back to see if it still works.” And does it? No. It does not. This book was so beautiful and amazing and it climbed the ladder to my top list of all time fav books.

I felt so connected to Salama and Layla and rooted the entire book for them to make it away from syria and its horror.

***SPOILER***


I sobbed when we realized that layla had died and our girl salama hadnt accepted her death. Their interactions were all in her head.
Harrietaspy
May 04, 2025
8/10 stars
Becoming a refugee is an agonizing choice and this book describes that agony well. A beautiful story.
Fvickie1
Jan 12, 2025
5/10 stars
This book gave me an awareness of the issues in Syria. It’s quite different from only watching the news media. Well written and thought provoking.
bibsncups12
Dec 11, 2024
Again one of the book if you loved "The stationary shop in tehran" .... A must read ♥️

See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.