If I could rate this book 6 stars I would! What an absolutely perfect book. I knew this book would be wonderful from the moment I saw the cover and the Janelle Monae lyric in the beginning.I’m not an english teacher (former math teacher), but this should be required reading.

This review contains spoilers!

 Nishat is navigating friendships, family, cultural appropriation, and her own identity during a school competition. This is the first book I’ve seen that exists within a Desi Muslim Lesbian intersection. Adiba Jaigirdar has written an authentic, complex, and emotionally compelling story that leaves one feeling introspective. The microaggressions that Nishat faces at school, I’m sure ring strongly with POC that have repeatedly had their name mispronounced. Each time Nishat is waiting for a message from Flavia brings me back to my early gay crushes. Even small details like sitting at a school’s guidance office knowing that the staff won’t help with the situation, feels all too familiar (and I graduated high school 10 years ago!).

 The characters created here are all so memorable. Chyna is the absolute worst, and brings to mind ‘that girl’ from childhood that tears others down, and yes, is racist. Priti makes me wish I had a younger sister to be honest. The way she described herself as an emotional support sister is so endearing. Oftentimes sibling relationship portrayals in the media feel cringey, but Nishat and Priti feel so real. Of course we want Nishat and Flavia to be together, but seeing Flavia’s and Nishat’s flaws (both girls were selfish in a sense), makes their happy ending feel all the more rewarding. The repaired, and stronger than ever, friendship with Jess and Chaewon was well met too.

 I can’t wait to see what Adiba Jaigirdar creates next.