What do you think?
Rate this book
A Girl Within a Girl Within a Girl
A girl takes on a series of identities to survive, shrouding herself in layers of secrets, until years later she is forced to reckon with her past.
On an ordinary day in an upscale Atlanta suburb, Maya is making breakfast for her two sons, when her husband drops a red-and-blue striped envelope on the counter and asks a devastating Who is Sunny?
Maya is sent reeling back to her childhood in Guyana—a time when Sunny was her only name. Unbeknownst to her husband, Maya is not who she claims to be. The letter, from her long-lost sister Roshi, now threatens to expose her true identity and shatter the seemingly perfect existence Maya worked so hard to build.
As she frantically weighs the impact of the truth on her future, Maya relives the harrowing details of her past—her journey to America on the “backtrack,” the shock of being delivered into the hands of an abusive family while being severed from her own, and her many evolutions of self as she struggles to find a path forward against all odds.
This striking debut transports the reader from the sugar cane fields of Guyana to the world of immigrant laborers in Miami to the affluent suburbs of Atlanta. Nanda Reddy takes us on a wrenching journey of assimilation, survival, and reinvention that explores the very construct of identity and the resilience of the human spirit.
On an ordinary day in an upscale Atlanta suburb, Maya is making breakfast for her two sons, when her husband drops a red-and-blue striped envelope on the counter and asks a devastating Who is Sunny?
Maya is sent reeling back to her childhood in Guyana—a time when Sunny was her only name. Unbeknownst to her husband, Maya is not who she claims to be. The letter, from her long-lost sister Roshi, now threatens to expose her true identity and shatter the seemingly perfect existence Maya worked so hard to build.
As she frantically weighs the impact of the truth on her future, Maya relives the harrowing details of her past—her journey to America on the “backtrack,” the shock of being delivered into the hands of an abusive family while being severed from her own, and her many evolutions of self as she struggles to find a path forward against all odds.
This striking debut transports the reader from the sugar cane fields of Guyana to the world of immigrant laborers in Miami to the affluent suburbs of Atlanta. Nanda Reddy takes us on a wrenching journey of assimilation, survival, and reinvention that explores the very construct of identity and the resilience of the human spirit.
372 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 4, 2025
150 people are currently reading
20288 people want to read
About the author
Nanda Reddy
1 book104 followersNanda Reddy is a Guyanese-American writer and former fourth-grade teacher. In her teaching days, she co-wrote 180 DAYS TO SUCCESSFUL WRITERS, a day-to-day writing curriculum best suited for elementary classrooms. A GIRL WITHIN A GIRL WITHIN A GIRL is her first novel. An avid reader, she consumes about 100 books a year. The ones rated here are among her favorites!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 243 reviews
May 24, 2025
Maya has overcome incredible hardships to build a beautiful life. She has a thriving career, a doting husband and two amazing children. But Maya has a secret…she hasn’t been totally honest with her husband about her past. When her long-lost sister tracks her down and sends a letter to their home, Maya must reveal her painful secrets. Told in dual timelines, this book alternates between Maya’s current anxiety and her past trauma.
This was such a powerful story. I love it when books open my eyes to experiences unlike my own. Not only does this book shine light on the dangers faced by undocumented immigrants in the U.S., but it also includes a lot of information about Guyanese culture. I found some of the flashbacks hard to read, as the protagonist was dealing with so many difficulties, but it also felt like a necessary read, as these experiences are the reality for many children who are trafficked or living in poverty. Overall, I found this book super compelling and I think this would be a good book club read!
This was such a powerful story. I love it when books open my eyes to experiences unlike my own. Not only does this book shine light on the dangers faced by undocumented immigrants in the U.S., but it also includes a lot of information about Guyanese culture. I found some of the flashbacks hard to read, as the protagonist was dealing with so many difficulties, but it also felt like a necessary read, as these experiences are the reality for many children who are trafficked or living in poverty. Overall, I found this book super compelling and I think this would be a good book club read!
November 3, 2025
A main character you can't help but cheer for!
This is my first book written by a Guyanese author and I want more of it. The book opens with Maya getting a letter addressed to Sunny that rocks her entire world. Told from the past and present POV, we get to understand who Maya is, and who Sunny was!
A journey you won't forget, read this one.
This is my first book written by a Guyanese author and I want more of it. The book opens with Maya getting a letter addressed to Sunny that rocks her entire world. Told from the past and present POV, we get to understand who Maya is, and who Sunny was!
A journey you won't forget, read this one.
March 17, 2025
A Girl Within A Girl Within A Girl is the novel I have been waiting for, and I am so glad that Nanda Reddy is the author who gave voice to it.
In the 1980s, Guyana was grappling with the aftermath of colonialism, along with a complex political environment. Colonialism had left a significant mark on the various ethnicities within the makeup of Guyana. The British had brought indentured laborers from India to work alongside enslaved people, creating a society with noticeable ethnic divisions between Afro-Guyanese, Indo-Guyanese, and smaller indigenous communities, which added to the unpredictability the people of Guyana faced at this time.
Sunny gives a voice to those who left Guyana during a period of turmoil and inflation, in search of opportunity, stability, and a new beginning in the United States. Reading Sunny's story deepened my understanding of the immense risks those who left Guyana at that time took, all in pursuit of an uncertain reward.
The depth of Sunny's journey, spanning from her young adulthood to the present day, is so encompassing that you truly feel as if you’re facing all of these setbacks right alongside her. There are many topics touched upon in this book, so please read with care (TW listed at the beginning). However, I love that Nanda found ways to weave light into Sunny's many dark days. Also, it's worth noting that you don’t have to be from Guyana or familiar with Guyanese culture to enjoy this book, as Nanda does a great job of providing contextual placement. That said, I will definitely say that some of these Caribbean references had me cracking up, and I truly enjoyed seeing my culture represented on the page in a way that I have never read before.
A Girl Within A Girl Within A Girl is a deeply introspective novel that beautifully examines self-identity, the immigrant experience, the intersection of cultural expectations within this experience, as well as the complexity of generational relationships. This is truly a 5-star read.
Thank you to Nanda Reddy, Zibby Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC!
In the 1980s, Guyana was grappling with the aftermath of colonialism, along with a complex political environment. Colonialism had left a significant mark on the various ethnicities within the makeup of Guyana. The British had brought indentured laborers from India to work alongside enslaved people, creating a society with noticeable ethnic divisions between Afro-Guyanese, Indo-Guyanese, and smaller indigenous communities, which added to the unpredictability the people of Guyana faced at this time.
Sunny gives a voice to those who left Guyana during a period of turmoil and inflation, in search of opportunity, stability, and a new beginning in the United States. Reading Sunny's story deepened my understanding of the immense risks those who left Guyana at that time took, all in pursuit of an uncertain reward.
The depth of Sunny's journey, spanning from her young adulthood to the present day, is so encompassing that you truly feel as if you’re facing all of these setbacks right alongside her. There are many topics touched upon in this book, so please read with care (TW listed at the beginning). However, I love that Nanda found ways to weave light into Sunny's many dark days. Also, it's worth noting that you don’t have to be from Guyana or familiar with Guyanese culture to enjoy this book, as Nanda does a great job of providing contextual placement. That said, I will definitely say that some of these Caribbean references had me cracking up, and I truly enjoyed seeing my culture represented on the page in a way that I have never read before.
A Girl Within A Girl Within A Girl is a deeply introspective novel that beautifully examines self-identity, the immigrant experience, the intersection of cultural expectations within this experience, as well as the complexity of generational relationships. This is truly a 5-star read.
Thank you to Nanda Reddy, Zibby Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC!
March 4, 2025
"This novel contains sensitive subject matter pertaining to domestic violence, sexual assault, and substance abuse. Please read with care."
Nanda Reddy's debut novel is a gritty story about one young girl's immigrant experience. We first meet Maya as a grown woman living in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband and children, who know nothing about her secret past. But a letter from Guyana catches up to Maya and she feels she must confess the things she did to survive alone in America as a young girl. Will his love survive the shock?
We learn Maya's true story then in flashbacks. She was born Sunita 'Sunny' Kissoon with a big, close-knit family in Guyana. One day when she is 12, her father comes home with a scheme, a sweet deal to send Sunny to America using a dead girl's passport. Her name there will be Neena Das and she'll have to pretend to be a couple years older. She'll work for the dead girl's family in Miami until the travel debt is paid off. Then she'll continue to work and save money to bring the rest of the family to America. But it doesn't work out quite that way...
Sunny/Neena suffers through abuse, makes terrible choices, gets in with the wrong crowd etc but through it all, she's so resilient, has the help of a few good people, makes friends and eventually finds a way to carve out a life for herself. Who is to judge what she did to survive?
I learned about this book through a Buzz Editors and Authors Panel discussion on 1/22/25. It sounded interesting so I requested it and received an arc from the author and publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
Nanda Reddy's debut novel is a gritty story about one young girl's immigrant experience. We first meet Maya as a grown woman living in Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband and children, who know nothing about her secret past. But a letter from Guyana catches up to Maya and she feels she must confess the things she did to survive alone in America as a young girl. Will his love survive the shock?
We learn Maya's true story then in flashbacks. She was born Sunita 'Sunny' Kissoon with a big, close-knit family in Guyana. One day when she is 12, her father comes home with a scheme, a sweet deal to send Sunny to America using a dead girl's passport. Her name there will be Neena Das and she'll have to pretend to be a couple years older. She'll work for the dead girl's family in Miami until the travel debt is paid off. Then she'll continue to work and save money to bring the rest of the family to America. But it doesn't work out quite that way...
Sunny/Neena suffers through abuse, makes terrible choices, gets in with the wrong crowd etc but through it all, she's so resilient, has the help of a few good people, makes friends and eventually finds a way to carve out a life for herself. Who is to judge what she did to survive?
I learned about this book through a Buzz Editors and Authors Panel discussion on 1/22/25. It sounded interesting so I requested it and received an arc from the author and publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
March 2, 2025
Have you ever read a book that made you FEEL from the inside? A book where you felt the connection, the love, the fear, the anxiety, the shame, the hope, all of it? This is that book for me. I literally felt this book in my body from my head to my toes. In it, readers meet Maya, a woman confronted with the past she hoped she had left behind. But when she receives a letter from her sister, it all comes back to haunt her and the new life she’s created. Told back and forth from the present day to various stages of her childhood, Maya walks us through all versions of her identity: Sunny, Neema, Cindy, Synthia…a girl within a girl within a girl. This book is filled with hardship, with violence and with abuse. But it’s also filled with determination, hope and starting anew. And while all readers might not be able to relate, we CAN relate the idea of all our past selves tucked inside our current version to make us who we are today. This book is NEEDED. Beyond the obvious connections to our own inner selves and the identities we’ve created as we’ve grown, this book showcases a journey that many of us will never understand unless we read this book. That’s why we need it so much. It will open your eyes. It will make you look differently at the world. Reading it will change you.
April 7, 2025
I listened to this one as an audiobook thanks to @librofm and thought the performance was excellent. This is a complex book about a young girl who is sent to the US from Guyana. I want to pause here and say that this is the first book I've read about a Guyanese character and I ended up running google searches several times. I love that! I love learning as I read.
Anyway, Sunny faces a pretty long list of hardships. At times, they felt a little overwhelming, but then, a character would lift her up or show her a way out.
This is a truly unique immigration story filled with desperation and hope.
Anyway, Sunny faces a pretty long list of hardships. At times, they felt a little overwhelming, but then, a character would lift her up or show her a way out.
This is a truly unique immigration story filled with desperation and hope.
February 25, 2025
A Guyanese author?! Sign me up!
Where to begin. I’ve been waiting for such a long time to read a book by a Guyanese author and ‘A Girl Within a Girl Within a Girl’ by Nanda Reddy is a searing story with commentary on so many things.
Everyone knows Guyana now for its booming oil wealth. But for a long time, especially in the 1980’s the country struggled with political strife, economic policies were hurting families, and the future was dim with no opportunity. The country also faced a racial divide that stemmed from colonization. With immigration policies shifting in North America and the UK, many Guyanese began to migrate and took advantage of the opportunities to start anew.
Those that immigrated were considered beams of hope. They were seen as vessels of financial stability, they were given insurmountable pressure as the ‘saviour’ that would eventually help the rest of their family immigrate. That’s the space that Nanda Reddy takes advantage of in her debut ‘A Girl Within A Girl Within A Girl’. Truly I can’t believe this is a debut because the material is ripe with so much tension that it pulses.
In Sunny’s case, her family sends her abroad under a false identity also known as 'backtrack'. As she struggles to find her footing, while also trying to retain a connection to Guyana and her sister, she’s faced with the constant threat of deportation. The reality of living undocumented, human trafficking, domestic abuse, the lengths Sunny will go to remain in ‘a promised land’ of opportunity. It’s all captured the good and the bad.
Despite the sadness, pain, and despair threaded in the book (my god this book is a non-stop rollercoaster that is ominous and unsettling), Sunny pushes forward and fights for a better life. Dwyane is such a light that tied the story together for me. Don't overlook his role in the narrative!
Having visited Guyana multiple times, I knew the locations, the dialect, the food and the culture. So this one is really special for me. Thank you so much Nanda Reddy and Zibby Publishing for providing a digital arc.
Out of March 5th, I hope many readers will pick this book up. Whatever Nanda Reddy writes next, I’ll be there ready to read it.
Where to begin. I’ve been waiting for such a long time to read a book by a Guyanese author and ‘A Girl Within a Girl Within a Girl’ by Nanda Reddy is a searing story with commentary on so many things.
Everyone knows Guyana now for its booming oil wealth. But for a long time, especially in the 1980’s the country struggled with political strife, economic policies were hurting families, and the future was dim with no opportunity. The country also faced a racial divide that stemmed from colonization. With immigration policies shifting in North America and the UK, many Guyanese began to migrate and took advantage of the opportunities to start anew.
Those that immigrated were considered beams of hope. They were seen as vessels of financial stability, they were given insurmountable pressure as the ‘saviour’ that would eventually help the rest of their family immigrate. That’s the space that Nanda Reddy takes advantage of in her debut ‘A Girl Within A Girl Within A Girl’. Truly I can’t believe this is a debut because the material is ripe with so much tension that it pulses.
In Sunny’s case, her family sends her abroad under a false identity also known as 'backtrack'. As she struggles to find her footing, while also trying to retain a connection to Guyana and her sister, she’s faced with the constant threat of deportation. The reality of living undocumented, human trafficking, domestic abuse, the lengths Sunny will go to remain in ‘a promised land’ of opportunity. It’s all captured the good and the bad.
Despite the sadness, pain, and despair threaded in the book (my god this book is a non-stop rollercoaster that is ominous and unsettling), Sunny pushes forward and fights for a better life. Dwyane is such a light that tied the story together for me. Don't overlook his role in the narrative!
Having visited Guyana multiple times, I knew the locations, the dialect, the food and the culture. So this one is really special for me. Thank you so much Nanda Reddy and Zibby Publishing for providing a digital arc.
Out of March 5th, I hope many readers will pick this book up. Whatever Nanda Reddy writes next, I’ll be there ready to read it.
April 25, 2025
Loved this debut novel about identity! Visit Book Nation Book Club on YouTube for my recorded interview with Nanda📚🎉😊
January 28, 2025
Sunny is a 12 year old living a normal life in Guyana. Her family dreams of living in the United States some day when they save enough money and an opportunity arises that may allow Sunny to go over first and send money home. Sunny must accept some very drastic changes for this opportunity to work out and the country is very far away and things do not work out like her family had been promised. This story is about so much more than immigration and opportunities and money. It’s about a young girl having any say in what happens to her and how she internalizes it all and believes it’s all her own fault. It’s also about how she finds her way out and creates her own life - and happiness.
Thank you Netgalley and Zibby Publishing for the opportunity to read this book early.
Thank you Netgalley and Zibby Publishing for the opportunity to read this book early.
January 8, 2025
I devoured this book! I have a soft spot for reading and leaning more about the immigrant experience. Maya is forced to face a past she buried, when she gets a letter from Guyana. She wants to see her family again, but she severed those ties long ago. She must reveal, to even her husband, who she really is and how she came to America in order to connect with her family again.
The timeline shifts back and froth from present day to her immigration as a child, alone and forced to take on the identity of another child. She was her family’s chance to change their trajectory, yet she cut off all ties after making it to America. Heartbreaking, tragic, abuse, redemption.
The timeline shifts back and froth from present day to her immigration as a child, alone and forced to take on the identity of another child. She was her family’s chance to change their trajectory, yet she cut off all ties after making it to America. Heartbreaking, tragic, abuse, redemption.
March 28, 2025
This is a riveting and redemptive story of a young Guyanese trafficking victim and her journey to build and protect her life in the United States. Maya's carefully curated suburban life in Atlanta is disrupted when she receives a message from her long-lost sister, reopening doors she had long since bolted shut. Reddy skillfully intertwines Maya's present with the haunting echoes of her childhood as Sunny, a spirited girl from Guyana. This book presents an emotionally rich narrative that delves into the complexities of identity, family bonds, and the courageous journey of self-discovery.
The story shifts between past and present, immersing readers in the vivid yet often harsh realities of Sunny's early life—her tumultuous journey from her homeland to the challenging landscape of Miami. I loved the author's descriptive prose that captures the experiences of immigrants pursuing dreams in unfamiliar territories, highlighting the resilience and vulnerability of the human spirit. This novel perfectly portrays the tension between escaping one’s past and embracing one’s true self. Maya's struggle is so real that we witness the layers of identity she's built to survive, which gradually unravel in unexpected ways. The author has crafted an incredible story and a poignant reflection on survival, authenticity, and the strength of family connections, no matter how complex.
To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://zibbymedia.com/blogs/transcri...
The story shifts between past and present, immersing readers in the vivid yet often harsh realities of Sunny's early life—her tumultuous journey from her homeland to the challenging landscape of Miami. I loved the author's descriptive prose that captures the experiences of immigrants pursuing dreams in unfamiliar territories, highlighting the resilience and vulnerability of the human spirit. This novel perfectly portrays the tension between escaping one’s past and embracing one’s true self. Maya's struggle is so real that we witness the layers of identity she's built to survive, which gradually unravel in unexpected ways. The author has crafted an incredible story and a poignant reflection on survival, authenticity, and the strength of family connections, no matter how complex.
To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://zibbymedia.com/blogs/transcri...
March 10, 2025
This is a must add to your TBR friends!
The book opens with Maya… who receives a letter from her sister who she hasn’t spoken to in years. The letter shares devastating news that makes Maya start reflecting on her childhood in Guyana and how many lives she has lived since. She decides this maybe the time to let her husband know the true story of who she is and where she came from… and what she did.
The formatting is addicting. After learning about Maya and where she is at in life currently, it then flashbacks to her childhood in Guyana and under her birth name Sunita “Sunny” you then go down the path of learning the scheme to send her to America where she becomes Neena… this is where your heart will break and you hope Sunny can find her way. Without saying to much more. I loved how the Parts were labeled by her identities and that you get a bit of Maya present day in each one. Making the story end seamlessly
This is a hard read but also an important one. I would love to discuss this one with a Bookclub. Nanda Reddy is one to watch! Stunning debut.
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.A...
The book opens with Maya… who receives a letter from her sister who she hasn’t spoken to in years. The letter shares devastating news that makes Maya start reflecting on her childhood in Guyana and how many lives she has lived since. She decides this maybe the time to let her husband know the true story of who she is and where she came from… and what she did.
The formatting is addicting. After learning about Maya and where she is at in life currently, it then flashbacks to her childhood in Guyana and under her birth name Sunita “Sunny” you then go down the path of learning the scheme to send her to America where she becomes Neena… this is where your heart will break and you hope Sunny can find her way. Without saying to much more. I loved how the Parts were labeled by her identities and that you get a bit of Maya present day in each one. Making the story end seamlessly
This is a hard read but also an important one. I would love to discuss this one with a Bookclub. Nanda Reddy is one to watch! Stunning debut.
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.A...
March 6, 2025
A Girl Within A Girl Within A Girl by Nanda Reddy. Thanks to @zibby for the gifted Arc and promo box ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Maya’s husband drops an envelope and asks “who is Sunny?” It takes Maya back to her childhood in Guyana, when Sunny was her only name. It takes her on a journey back, when she came to America only to be met with an abusive family and a struggle to find herself in an unknown country.
This was an amazing read, especially for this who love coming of age immigration stories. Sunny comes to America with hope but is met with cruelty. She learns through her trauma and pushes but it takes a lot of determination and missteps. This story truly showed the fear of being undocumented and how it’s the forefront of every move made. The last quarter went by way too fast for me but I think I was just said it was ending.
“I’ve picked up the broken pieces of my life so many times before. This time, I’m doing the shattering, and the fall out is out of my control.”
A Girl Within a Girl Within a Girl came out 3/4 and is available now!
Maya’s husband drops an envelope and asks “who is Sunny?” It takes Maya back to her childhood in Guyana, when Sunny was her only name. It takes her on a journey back, when she came to America only to be met with an abusive family and a struggle to find herself in an unknown country.
This was an amazing read, especially for this who love coming of age immigration stories. Sunny comes to America with hope but is met with cruelty. She learns through her trauma and pushes but it takes a lot of determination and missteps. This story truly showed the fear of being undocumented and how it’s the forefront of every move made. The last quarter went by way too fast for me but I think I was just said it was ending.
“I’ve picked up the broken pieces of my life so many times before. This time, I’m doing the shattering, and the fall out is out of my control.”
A Girl Within a Girl Within a Girl came out 3/4 and is available now!
June 27, 2025
4.5 roundup
August 26, 2025
A powerful story of immigration, code-switching, identity, and erasure, this book is both a tribute to Guyana 🇬🇾 and a homage to Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. A single line from Angelou—“What you looking at me for? I didn’t come to stay …”—becomes the golden thread that binds the entire novel together.
I was completely captivated by this story. The main character, in all her layers and iterations, will stay with me for a very long time.
I was completely captivated by this story. The main character, in all her layers and iterations, will stay with me for a very long time.
August 15, 2024
What an amazing read. Sunny is sent to America from Guyana to potentially pave the way for the rest of her family to follow. Once she gets to America she realizes that all of the things that she was promised were lies. She is placed with a couple and has to endure years of hardship and abuse.
This book is at times heartbreaking and uplifting. Sunny/Neena/Synthia/Maya goes through some unimaginable traumatic events but she also gathers a small group of people who are in her corner trying to help her.
The writing is beautiful and the story is told in such a way that no matter what Sunny does I was always rooting for her!!!
Thank you Zibby Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!!!
This book is at times heartbreaking and uplifting. Sunny/Neena/Synthia/Maya goes through some unimaginable traumatic events but she also gathers a small group of people who are in her corner trying to help her.
The writing is beautiful and the story is told in such a way that no matter what Sunny does I was always rooting for her!!!
Thank you Zibby Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!!!
October 10, 2024
If you have ever read anything by Khaled Hosseini and loved it (even though they are haunting and tough to read), I would 100% recommend you read this book! It follows a girl as she immigrates to America illegally (against her will) and struggles to find her place in the world. She suffers abuse and hardships and weaves a tale of lies that eventually catches up to her. However, amidst all of this, she shows true resilience and love for her family and those she meets along the way. This book will stick with you for a long time after reading.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC copy!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC copy!
August 28, 2025
⸻
A GIRL WITHIN A GIRL WITHIN A GIRL
By Nanda Reddy
Narrated by Khaya Fraites
“She could never be a kid again—she crossed a chasm too large.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️½
A story of sacrifice, identity, survival, and resilience. We meet Maya, who has lived a content life with her husband and two sons—until one day, he hands her a letter addressed to Sunny. That moment shatters her world.
Through Maya’s story, we’re taken back to her arrival in the U.S. at the age of twelve. As her past unfolds, we learn of the harrowing choices she made to survive. Some parts are brutal to read, but always compelling. You’ll find yourself rooting for Maya as she confronts the layers of her past and present.
The American dream isn’t always what it seems. This is a powerful and emotional debut—I’ll definitely be watching to see what Nanda Reddy writes next.
The narration by Khaya Fraites was well done and kept me fully engaged throughout.
August 6, 2025
What an emotional rollercoaster!!!! Wow, where do I begin with this review? This book painted a vivid picture of immigration to the US and the lengths people.would go for the American Dream.
In the novel we meet 12 year old Sunny,.a.bubbly girl from Guyana who dreamed of life in the USA. That dream came through but at a cost...a very painful cost. Her family, being poor and in search of a better life grabbed an "opportunity" to get ahead and this involved Sunny going to the US under an alias.
Upon reaching America, Sunny became Neena eventually Maya. Her life in the US came with abuse, drugs, homelessness and despair. In spite of the odds against her and the people who were enemies, Sunny became a strong woman.
This book deals with a number of emotional issues but that is what made me want to get to the end. I enjoyed it.
In the novel we meet 12 year old Sunny,.a.bubbly girl from Guyana who dreamed of life in the USA. That dream came through but at a cost...a very painful cost. Her family, being poor and in search of a better life grabbed an "opportunity" to get ahead and this involved Sunny going to the US under an alias.
Upon reaching America, Sunny became Neena eventually Maya. Her life in the US came with abuse, drugs, homelessness and despair. In spite of the odds against her and the people who were enemies, Sunny became a strong woman.
This book deals with a number of emotional issues but that is what made me want to get to the end. I enjoyed it.
June 3, 2025
This was a dark, heavy story, but I couldn't put the book down once I started. After building immense tension throughout the whole book, the resolution felt a bit rushed--and perhaps too easy. But otherwise I really enjoyed reading this story.
April 7, 2025
@nandareddy
When I realized the author, Nanda Reddy, is of Guyanese decent, I just had to support her.
I purchased the audible version of the book and was at first disappointed that the book was not narrated by Nanda herself BUT the actual narrator, Khaya Fraites, did do a great job with the narration and was able to speak in the broken English and pronounce all the accurate names of the various foods mentioned in this novel perfectly.
While this is a fictional story of a Guyanese immigrant coming to the Americas, I don't think it's content of abuse and rape and child labor is what I have heard from my parents and grandparents. Don't get me wrong- I have heard some crazy stories just not sure rape was part of it. Not to say that it didn't happen but I guess it's not the kind of stories I have been told. Or folks don't want to tell those stories and want to just forget them which makes this novel even better for me. The authenticity is real.
I loved all the references to the food that coincide with various holidays and traditional foods that go with each celebration.
The ending as the character of Maya was wrapped up a little too quickly and in today's government - Maya would be living in fear for potential deportation.
Overall a great novel and proud that it was written by a fellow Guyanese American.
Overall rating 4.5 out of 5.
Book recommendation from Alicia Pepperpot on Instagram who has become popular in the Caribbean community for her online food postings and recipes for Guyanese cuisine & culture.
When I realized the author, Nanda Reddy, is of Guyanese decent, I just had to support her.
I purchased the audible version of the book and was at first disappointed that the book was not narrated by Nanda herself BUT the actual narrator, Khaya Fraites, did do a great job with the narration and was able to speak in the broken English and pronounce all the accurate names of the various foods mentioned in this novel perfectly.
While this is a fictional story of a Guyanese immigrant coming to the Americas, I don't think it's content of abuse and rape and child labor is what I have heard from my parents and grandparents. Don't get me wrong- I have heard some crazy stories just not sure rape was part of it. Not to say that it didn't happen but I guess it's not the kind of stories I have been told. Or folks don't want to tell those stories and want to just forget them which makes this novel even better for me. The authenticity is real.
I loved all the references to the food that coincide with various holidays and traditional foods that go with each celebration.
The ending as the character of Maya was wrapped up a little too quickly and in today's government - Maya would be living in fear for potential deportation.
Overall a great novel and proud that it was written by a fellow Guyanese American.
Overall rating 4.5 out of 5.
Book recommendation from Alicia Pepperpot on Instagram who has become popular in the Caribbean community for her online food postings and recipes for Guyanese cuisine & culture.
did-not-finish
April 4, 2025I think it’s going to be a good book but I have to dnf this book. Books about people travelling to the US and being undocumented make my heart so heavy. Like there’s always abuse of all sorts in the stories. I just refuse to put myself through that. I’m so sorry 🙏🏿
March 21, 2025
The story centers around a family in Guyana, where a father makes the decision to give his daughter away for six years, believing it will provide her with a better life and help the family as a whole. It's a profoundly sad and shocking coming-of-age story, and the experiences this young girl endures, left me stunned.
I listened to the audiobook, which was incredibly well done.
That being said, this book contains some heavy themes, so please be sure to check for trigger warnings before reading.
I listened to the audiobook, which was incredibly well done.
That being said, this book contains some heavy themes, so please be sure to check for trigger warnings before reading.
May 10, 2025
A heavy, sad story of resilience and overcoming removal from family, forced illegal immigration, assimilation, the struggles of learning an entirely new culture, and the weight of living a normal life while keeping such a dark secret, all while pretending to be a girl within a girl within a girl.
Please check trigger warnings before reading.
Please check trigger warnings before reading.
April 15, 2025
This was such a heart wrenching debut novel by this author. It’s about a South American girl who was a victim of human trafficking as an adolescent, and the trauma she endured in America as an illegal immigrant thereafter. This taught me a lot and gave me a new perspective on forced illegal immigration of children. Highly recommend if you are in the mood for a book with heavy content. Trigger warnings: rape, drug abuse, domestic violence, abortion, racism.
July 20, 2025
Devastating book but I loved it so so much. Made my heart ache throughout almost the entire thing 🥲
August 31, 2025
4.5 stars rounded up, audiobook.
Brutally traumatic coming of age, immigrant story. I learned quite a bit about Guyana.
I’m hoping to see more from this author!
Brutally traumatic coming of age, immigrant story. I learned quite a bit about Guyana.
I’m hoping to see more from this author!
June 18, 2025
what a debut!!!! what a story! I had to crawl my wat through some very triggering and traumatizing events but I'll never forget this book! Sunny, Neenah, Synthia, Maya will be in my heart forever!
March 21, 2025
Whether this is fair, or not, I was comparing this story similarly to Junie that I recently listened to. That one was five stars for me, but this one had somewhat of a similar story, so it didn’t hit as well as I was hoping it would.
Thank you @zibbysbookshop for my audiobook ARC
Thank you @zibbysbookshop for my audiobook ARC
April 21, 2025
This book is so well written, between the language and tension...I was totally into it. While hard to read at times because the main character had it so tough, I couldn't put it down because I needed closure. The subject matter is relevant for our times; I cried at the end. This should be a Reese's Book Club pick, it's so engaging :)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 243 reviews