I was really excited to read an own voices book about an Indian Muslim teen in America, something I've never come across in YA.
At first, I was a little wary of the love triangle that quickly emerged, with Maya having both Kareem and Phil interested in her, but it turned out to be the best written triangle I've ever come across, with a ton less angst and a much more realistic protagonist. I loved Maya's narrative as she felt like a very real character when dealing with love, family, and discrimination.
I loved the culture in the book and reading about Maya's family and traditions, which was really refreshing in YA and I'm really excited for all the other own voices books I have left to read as they tend to feel a lot more real. I loved the ending of the story as it felt true to life rather than a lot of YA romances.
At first, I was a little wary of the love triangle that quickly emerged, with Maya having both Kareem and Phil interested in her, but it turned out to be the best written triangle I've ever come across, with a ton less angst and a much more realistic protagonist. I loved Maya's narrative as she felt like a very real character when dealing with love, family, and discrimination.
I loved the culture in the book and reading about Maya's family and traditions, which was really refreshing in YA and I'm really excited for all the other own voices books I have left to read as they tend to feel a lot more real. I loved the ending of the story as it felt true to life rather than a lot of YA romances.