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Appetite: A Novel
An affirming and utterly original debut about a young chef chasing her dreams—and the pro wrestler she idolizes who derails everything
“Appetite holds a mirror to the puzzling ways humans sometimes find themselves connecting with one another, on and offline. Prepare to be captivated.”—Jinwoo Chong, author of I Leave It Up to You
“I flew through Appetite in one hungry sitting—chest racing, mouth watering, and seriously questioning if I should make women’s wrestling my new personality.”—Haley Jakobson, author of Old Enough
How far will you go to feed your ambitions?
Zarina, a prep cook at a fancy New Haven restaurant, is underpaid, overworked, and might as well be invisible. The only upside? She gets to take home leftover ingredients and whip up modern spins on the Bangladeshi dishes she grew up eating—all while enjoying her second greatest passion, professional namely, her hero Sierra Myst, the massively successful, high-flying heel who’s built like a superhero and is every bit as daring.
One night, Zarina posts about Sierra Myst, and the impossible Sierra responds. Zarina is elated at the chance to become closer with her idol. At first, their friendship is everything she’s ever dreamed of. But as the weeks fly by, Zarina starts to feel more like Sierra’s unpaid personal assistant and relationship counselor—and her desire to make Sierra happy soon threatens everything she’s worked for.
“Appetite holds a mirror to the puzzling ways humans sometimes find themselves connecting with one another, on and offline. Prepare to be captivated.”—Jinwoo Chong, author of I Leave It Up to You
“I flew through Appetite in one hungry sitting—chest racing, mouth watering, and seriously questioning if I should make women’s wrestling my new personality.”—Haley Jakobson, author of Old Enough
How far will you go to feed your ambitions?
Zarina, a prep cook at a fancy New Haven restaurant, is underpaid, overworked, and might as well be invisible. The only upside? She gets to take home leftover ingredients and whip up modern spins on the Bangladeshi dishes she grew up eating—all while enjoying her second greatest passion, professional namely, her hero Sierra Myst, the massively successful, high-flying heel who’s built like a superhero and is every bit as daring.
One night, Zarina posts about Sierra Myst, and the impossible Sierra responds. Zarina is elated at the chance to become closer with her idol. At first, their friendship is everything she’s ever dreamed of. But as the weeks fly by, Zarina starts to feel more like Sierra’s unpaid personal assistant and relationship counselor—and her desire to make Sierra happy soon threatens everything she’s worked for.
251 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 4, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
September 2, 2026
I loved, loved, loved Zarina, there was something so relatable about her and her desire to belong paired with her low level distrust.
This is a story about how easy it is to lose yourself for the sake of validation and how easy it is to miss the forest for the tree. It's also about how easy it is to let your dreams rot in the corner while in the hold of routine, yeah uncomfortably relatable for some of us. It's also-somehow-the kind of somewhat cozy and somewhat literary read that I would recommend to people who enjoyed Margo's Got Money Trouble by Rufi Thorpe. Considering that this was a debut novel I was quite impressed by how effectively written it was.
The food aspect was so much fun, I don't hear nearly enough about Bangladeshi food (or people for that matter) so it was a really a little treat in that regard.
Also, I'm always here for a queer story, so there was that too.
I received an eARC of this book many thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book early and I'm sorry my calendar app did me dirty.
This is a story about how easy it is to lose yourself for the sake of validation and how easy it is to miss the forest for the tree. It's also about how easy it is to let your dreams rot in the corner while in the hold of routine, yeah uncomfortably relatable for some of us. It's also-somehow-the kind of somewhat cozy and somewhat literary read that I would recommend to people who enjoyed Margo's Got Money Trouble by Rufi Thorpe. Considering that this was a debut novel I was quite impressed by how effectively written it was.
The food aspect was so much fun, I don't hear nearly enough about Bangladeshi food (or people for that matter) so it was a really a little treat in that regard.
Also, I'm always here for a queer story, so there was that too.
I received an eARC of this book many thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book early and I'm sorry my calendar app did me dirty.
July 17, 2026
This review is of an advanced copy from NetGalley.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Dial Press Publishing for this advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is one of the most exciting new books in the literary community for me right now - one that defies easy categorization or genre homogenization. This isn’t a book about food, or about sports fanaticism; it’s not the type of mixed-media work we are starting to see more of, written part in narrative style and part text messages or emails. Those are some of its components but primarily it is about a Bangladeshi chef, Zarina, existing under the patriarchal constraints of a career dominated by white men, questioning a body that doesn’t fit into preexisting gender binaries, a solitary person who craves the safety of individual friendships, someone who understands the performativity of social interaction and who’s inability to enact that causes her great anxiety; she is a fiercely talented but lonely human being. She is also a huge fan of WTG wrestling and the character Sierra specifically. That is why, when she finds a group of like-minded Sierra fans online, she feels an acceptance free from the manufactured type of generic in-person interactions, and is able to go bananas behind the safety of the screen. She is fiercely in need of reinforcement of an identity she is still in the process of cobbling together, without realizing that the stones of herself are already enough.
The wrestler Sierra is very important in Zarina’s life as a figure of inspiration, a source of strength, and often the validation of her own tenacity. She is often someone whose gender performance, as a physically strong, muscular, and powerful woman has shaped the way Zarina has scaffolded her own concepts of gender. Gender presentation and performance is something Zarina references a lot in the novel, mostly in relation to how she witnesses it in others (female wrestlers, a gender fluid friend), but once in relation to herself when she explains “I just want to be me…it’s harder in the U.S. with language. In Bangla, we don’t have gendered pronouns. It feels liberating” (85). Although she is entering a metamorphosis, Zarina is still particles of a self she is trying to compose, and like a positive ion, she is drawn toward the negative components of obsessive online life, leading to an even more problematic relationship later with the wrestler Sierra when she befriends her.
Initially, we see Zarina’s online group as a way for her to socialize, although there is a distance between her online self and her “real” self, a chasm between her internet persona, herself as a fan-friend to Sierra/Jenn, and her internal self - her thoughts, emotions, personal agonies, dreams, needs and desires. These are things she doesn’t share (often) with the online group and rarely with Sierra (Jenn), which is what makes their “friendship” so one-sided. Zarina begins to realize that while being popular in the wrestling world gives her a “high”, it is nothing compared to the burning, constant elation she feels from creating new culinary experiences.
One of the primary lessons of the book is that it is possible for people to see you, to encourage you, to support you, and to catalyze your dreams. In Zarina’s case that is her cooking. Without giving any spoilers, the author shows us that even if Sierra/Jenn isn’t the one to support her culinary pursuits, that doesn’t mean that her uniqueness as a person doesn’t make her both a desirable colleague and trusted friend to others in the culinary and wrestling world. She is also able to reconcile these two passions in her life and understand how they intermingle: “creating a successful wrestling match is very much like creating the perfect dish. Finding the right rivalry, the perfect storyline, and getting audience attention by trial and error by mixing different wrestlers in the ring reminds me of picking out the right ingredients, getting the perfect flavor combination, and tasting the marriage of a mixture of perfectly calibrated ingredients “(15).
Reading the book, as I did all at once, was like going to a restaurant you’ve never heard of, finding out the seating is only family style, only knowing three things on the menu, and then ending up having the best culinary experience you’ve had with the most fascinating people you’ve ever hung out with, but whom you’d feel totally fine sitting around in your pajamas too. The book is that kind of special. It’s just that kind of special. Regardless of how autobiographical this book is, I believe we are looking at a phenomenally special writer as well. I was unable to pump the breaks once I started reading this book, and no doubt that will be true for her future writing.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Dial Press Publishing for this advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is one of the most exciting new books in the literary community for me right now - one that defies easy categorization or genre homogenization. This isn’t a book about food, or about sports fanaticism; it’s not the type of mixed-media work we are starting to see more of, written part in narrative style and part text messages or emails. Those are some of its components but primarily it is about a Bangladeshi chef, Zarina, existing under the patriarchal constraints of a career dominated by white men, questioning a body that doesn’t fit into preexisting gender binaries, a solitary person who craves the safety of individual friendships, someone who understands the performativity of social interaction and who’s inability to enact that causes her great anxiety; she is a fiercely talented but lonely human being. She is also a huge fan of WTG wrestling and the character Sierra specifically. That is why, when she finds a group of like-minded Sierra fans online, she feels an acceptance free from the manufactured type of generic in-person interactions, and is able to go bananas behind the safety of the screen. She is fiercely in need of reinforcement of an identity she is still in the process of cobbling together, without realizing that the stones of herself are already enough.
The wrestler Sierra is very important in Zarina’s life as a figure of inspiration, a source of strength, and often the validation of her own tenacity. She is often someone whose gender performance, as a physically strong, muscular, and powerful woman has shaped the way Zarina has scaffolded her own concepts of gender. Gender presentation and performance is something Zarina references a lot in the novel, mostly in relation to how she witnesses it in others (female wrestlers, a gender fluid friend), but once in relation to herself when she explains “I just want to be me…it’s harder in the U.S. with language. In Bangla, we don’t have gendered pronouns. It feels liberating” (85). Although she is entering a metamorphosis, Zarina is still particles of a self she is trying to compose, and like a positive ion, she is drawn toward the negative components of obsessive online life, leading to an even more problematic relationship later with the wrestler Sierra when she befriends her.
Initially, we see Zarina’s online group as a way for her to socialize, although there is a distance between her online self and her “real” self, a chasm between her internet persona, herself as a fan-friend to Sierra/Jenn, and her internal self - her thoughts, emotions, personal agonies, dreams, needs and desires. These are things she doesn’t share (often) with the online group and rarely with Sierra (Jenn), which is what makes their “friendship” so one-sided. Zarina begins to realize that while being popular in the wrestling world gives her a “high”, it is nothing compared to the burning, constant elation she feels from creating new culinary experiences.
One of the primary lessons of the book is that it is possible for people to see you, to encourage you, to support you, and to catalyze your dreams. In Zarina’s case that is her cooking. Without giving any spoilers, the author shows us that even if Sierra/Jenn isn’t the one to support her culinary pursuits, that doesn’t mean that her uniqueness as a person doesn’t make her both a desirable colleague and trusted friend to others in the culinary and wrestling world. She is also able to reconcile these two passions in her life and understand how they intermingle: “creating a successful wrestling match is very much like creating the perfect dish. Finding the right rivalry, the perfect storyline, and getting audience attention by trial and error by mixing different wrestlers in the ring reminds me of picking out the right ingredients, getting the perfect flavor combination, and tasting the marriage of a mixture of perfectly calibrated ingredients “(15).
Reading the book, as I did all at once, was like going to a restaurant you’ve never heard of, finding out the seating is only family style, only knowing three things on the menu, and then ending up having the best culinary experience you’ve had with the most fascinating people you’ve ever hung out with, but whom you’d feel totally fine sitting around in your pajamas too. The book is that kind of special. It’s just that kind of special. Regardless of how autobiographical this book is, I believe we are looking at a phenomenally special writer as well. I was unable to pump the breaks once I started reading this book, and no doubt that will be true for her future writing.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was a good book. It was entertaining and flowed well. It wasn’t what I would call an outstanding novel, but if you are interested in any of the subject matter then I think it would be a very enjoyable read.
Highlights:
-The author did a great job of handling two separate but interconnected plotlines; the cooking and the wrestling fan. The way the story waxed and waned back and forth between the two was well done.
-Great depiction of a parasocial relationship and the corresponding behavior of obsession. This novel showcased the downsides to this sort of dynamic without being overly heavy handed or dramatic; it was very realistic.
-Fandom! Both the wonderful fun parts and the horrible toxic parts. This novel takes you on a tour and it felt very genuine.
-LOTS of food talk. If you love food and cooking then your appreciation of this novel will be higher, that is for sure.
-Despite being full of conflict, this novel wasn’t stressful and the conflicts were relatively mild. This was good in an easy-reading sort of way (though it also made some parts a little underwhelming).
My only real criticism is that it was somewhat underwhelming in parts, including some of the conclusions, but on balance that’s not a terrible thing. I enjoyed this novel.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.
Highlights:
-The author did a great job of handling two separate but interconnected plotlines; the cooking and the wrestling fan. The way the story waxed and waned back and forth between the two was well done.
-Great depiction of a parasocial relationship and the corresponding behavior of obsession. This novel showcased the downsides to this sort of dynamic without being overly heavy handed or dramatic; it was very realistic.
-Fandom! Both the wonderful fun parts and the horrible toxic parts. This novel takes you on a tour and it felt very genuine.
-LOTS of food talk. If you love food and cooking then your appreciation of this novel will be higher, that is for sure.
-Despite being full of conflict, this novel wasn’t stressful and the conflicts were relatively mild. This was good in an easy-reading sort of way (though it also made some parts a little underwhelming).
My only real criticism is that it was somewhat underwhelming in parts, including some of the conclusions, but on balance that’s not a terrible thing. I enjoyed this novel.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.
April 14, 2026
Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.
Appetite takes Bangladeshi food, professional wrestling, and parasocial fascination and somehow makes them feel like the most natural trio since The Fabulous Freebirds. If you came for the wrestling… you get that reference, right? 😅
Zarina’s need to be seen by her mother, her community, and especially her idol, Sierra Myst, gives the whole story a very relatable vibe as admiration gets… complicated. The food writing will have you salivating, the wrestling is compelling and fun for fans and nonfans alike, and the main event (eh? eh?) is a look at identity and belonging through an immigrant lens.
Anyway… maybe don’t meet your heroes.
Appetite takes Bangladeshi food, professional wrestling, and parasocial fascination and somehow makes them feel like the most natural trio since The Fabulous Freebirds. If you came for the wrestling… you get that reference, right? 😅
Zarina’s need to be seen by her mother, her community, and especially her idol, Sierra Myst, gives the whole story a very relatable vibe as admiration gets… complicated. The food writing will have you salivating, the wrestling is compelling and fun for fans and nonfans alike, and the main event (eh? eh?) is a look at identity and belonging through an immigrant lens.
Anyway… maybe don’t meet your heroes.
April 2, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! I’ve been anticipating this book for quite a while and I’m delighted to say that it surpassed my high expectations. I devoured Appetite in one sitting. This book offers a nuanced and compassionate examination of fandom, power dynamics, and the intoxicating allure of obsession. The food writing is delicious and Paramita’s strong narrative voice imbues Zarina, their relationships, and their journey with life. This debut is incredibly compelling and I’m excited to see what Paramita writes next!
October 6, 2026
As someone who grew up loving wrestling, this was both nostalgic and very affirming in why I left that world behind. The food aspect is one I was very interested in reading about especially spotlighting Bangladeshi food. I loved Zarina and this was such a fun read for me
July 31, 2026
Zarina was a sweet person with big dreams, a desire to find community, and a fair amount of anxiety. I really related to her struggles with her gender identity and acceptance of her body in a heavily gendered society. I also could appreciate the way they struggled with their mom's lack of enthusiasm for their career goals and that feeling that their parent only wanted braggable "success" from them and not happiness. The way it felt easier to participate in fandom and pump up someone else in a parasocial way, compared to breaking off and creating their own success with a team, was also relatable (if hard to watch). I was warmed by the way Zarina's community tried to uplift and encourage the dreams that felt too big for her to execute on her own and I felt compelled to see the story through - I devoured it quickly. There were a lot of questions raised like "what do white celebrities owe BIPOC communities?" and "what does it look like to have a reciprocal friendship rather than a transactional one?" The way the cooking and wrestling came together felt really unique and I love both those things in a book, so that was great for me. This book reminds me of "Interstellar MegaChef" by Lavanya Lakshminarayan for its exploration of South Asian cuisine and the ambition and pressures of South Asian daughters; and "Ringmaster: Vince McMahon and the Unmaking of America" by Josephine Riesman for the commentary on the politics of wrestling, the history, the behind the scenes stuff, and the gender performance aspects.
NetGalley gift = honest review
CWs - Bullying, Racism, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Dysphoria, Body shaming, Cursing, Infidelity, Transphobia, Classism, Stalking
NetGalley gift = honest review
CWs - Bullying, Racism, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Dysphoria, Body shaming, Cursing, Infidelity, Transphobia, Classism, Stalking
September 11, 2026
I was excited at the beginning because the descriptions of Bangladeshi food were so appetizing and drew me in. Unfortunately, that excitement didn’t last. As the story progressed, the descriptions started to feel increasingly dry, and for roughly three-quarters of the book, I felt like there was very little actual plot progression. It became difficult to stay invested because there wasn’t much tension or anything that made me want to keep turning the pages.
The last quarter picked up a little, especially with Zarina’s dream of opening her own restaurant, but even then, everything seemed to fall into place FAR TOO easily. There were absolutely no obstacles or setbacks (how come??), so the whole process felt unrealistic and lacking in tension. I kept waiting for something to go wrong or for Zarina to really have to fight for what she wanted, but things just seemed to work out.
I had a hard time with some of the character and plot choices. Zarina blamed her lack of dedication to her job almost entirely on Sierra Myst, but I didn’t think that was completely fair. She still had responsibility for her own choices. And I really couldn’t understand why Sierra, who is supposed to be such a huge celebrity, kept coming back to Zarina, after Zarina repeatedly put her down. The amount of access Zarina had to Sierra also felt very unrealistic. She was essentially a random fan, yet somehow she was able to become a confidante to this major celebrity (again SO EASILY), and the extravagant gifts from Sierra only made the whole situation feel even more absurd.
Another major issue for me was the writing style. The entire book felt quite emotionless, almost like a young adult casually chatting with her friends. I personally enjoy descriptive writing because I like being able to picture the characters, their surroundings, the food, and the atmosphere in my head as I read. This book didn’t give me much to work with. There wasn’t enough good description of the characters or settings for me to really visualize what was happening, which made it difficult to feel transported into the story.
Overall, a lot of the plot just didn’t make sense to me, and I found myself questioning the characters’ decisions rather than getting immersed in the story.
The last quarter picked up a little, especially with Zarina’s dream of opening her own restaurant, but even then, everything seemed to fall into place FAR TOO easily. There were absolutely no obstacles or setbacks (how come??), so the whole process felt unrealistic and lacking in tension. I kept waiting for something to go wrong or for Zarina to really have to fight for what she wanted, but things just seemed to work out.
I had a hard time with some of the character and plot choices. Zarina blamed her lack of dedication to her job almost entirely on Sierra Myst, but I didn’t think that was completely fair. She still had responsibility for her own choices. And I really couldn’t understand why Sierra, who is supposed to be such a huge celebrity, kept coming back to Zarina, after Zarina repeatedly put her down. The amount of access Zarina had to Sierra also felt very unrealistic. She was essentially a random fan, yet somehow she was able to become a confidante to this major celebrity (again SO EASILY), and the extravagant gifts from Sierra only made the whole situation feel even more absurd.
Another major issue for me was the writing style. The entire book felt quite emotionless, almost like a young adult casually chatting with her friends. I personally enjoy descriptive writing because I like being able to picture the characters, their surroundings, the food, and the atmosphere in my head as I read. This book didn’t give me much to work with. There wasn’t enough good description of the characters or settings for me to really visualize what was happening, which made it difficult to feel transported into the story.
Overall, a lot of the plot just didn’t make sense to me, and I found myself questioning the characters’ decisions rather than getting immersed in the story.
August 6, 2026
Every time I heard something about this book I became more intrigued and felt I needed to check it out! I am so glad I did because I really enjoyed it! Also, i'm completely obsessed with the cover of this book!! It's so fun and unique!
As someone with FOUR tattoos for my favorite singer 😅, I strongly related to Zarina and her love and idolization of her favorite wrestler. I know the feeling of being sucked into fandom. How it can take over your life and ruin it at the same time. The attention is addicting. I really felt Zarina's struggles and pain when they realized their fave wasn't who they thought she was after all. The disappointment is real and often heartbreaking.
I loved seeing Zarina pick herself up after several things go wrong and without hesitation, start working toward her dreams. And all the people around her that were willing and ready to help.
The food descriptions in this book are very detailed and sound so delicious, I recommend having snacks with you while reading because you'll be starving when you're done!!
This was such a delightful debut. Identity, belonging, ambition are core themes of the story. I found it to be sweet and and full of heart and of course super relatable. I would recommend this to anyone that's ever been a part of a big, passionate fandom. This was a super quick and easy read and I loved it so much!
As someone with FOUR tattoos for my favorite singer 😅, I strongly related to Zarina and her love and idolization of her favorite wrestler. I know the feeling of being sucked into fandom. How it can take over your life and ruin it at the same time. The attention is addicting. I really felt Zarina's struggles and pain when they realized their fave wasn't who they thought she was after all. The disappointment is real and often heartbreaking.
I loved seeing Zarina pick herself up after several things go wrong and without hesitation, start working toward her dreams. And all the people around her that were willing and ready to help.
The food descriptions in this book are very detailed and sound so delicious, I recommend having snacks with you while reading because you'll be starving when you're done!!
This was such a delightful debut. Identity, belonging, ambition are core themes of the story. I found it to be sweet and and full of heart and of course super relatable. I would recommend this to anyone that's ever been a part of a big, passionate fandom. This was a super quick and easy read and I loved it so much!
October 4, 2026
2.5 stars
Appetite has a unique, promising premise but falls short in terms of delivery. There was a sort of Netflix Bollywoodness about this in that, the plot has no real stakes and everything conveniently falls into place.
I liked some of the author's descriptions of deshi food and occasional reference drops (never imagined Madchef and Muza would appear in a work of literary fiction yet here we are, LOL.) Overall though, this felt rather undercooked.
Appetite has a unique, promising premise but falls short in terms of delivery. There was a sort of Netflix Bollywoodness about this in that, the plot has no real stakes and everything conveniently falls into place.
I liked some of the author's descriptions of deshi food and occasional reference drops (never imagined Madchef and Muza would appear in a work of literary fiction yet here we are, LOL.) Overall though, this felt rather undercooked.
August 3, 2026
A fun debut from an author whose career I’m excited to follow! I really appreciated the themes of this book — especially as a (self-aware) love letter to fandom. I was always engaged in the story and endeared to the protagonist, but the pacing felt off and the ending felt overly sweet. Zarina turns her life around and achieves her dreams so quickly that it was a little unbelievable. But at the same time, real life is hard enough — what’s wrong with a little suspension of disbelief to see an immigrant woman succeed?
Overall, Appetite is a fun, quick, summer book.
Thank you to Dial Press for the arc!
Overall, Appetite is a fun, quick, summer book.
Thank you to Dial Press for the arc!
August 25, 2026
A fun and fast novel about fandom culture in both its toxic and nontoxic forms. As a Bengali writer and a semi-retired kpop stan, this novel resonated with me a lot.
I went to a Bengali boi mela (book fair) a couple days ago and bought a signed copy of Appetite. It was kind of funny how excited I was to have a book signed by a Bangladeshi author, given that this book dives so deeply into fandom culture and parasocial relationships.
One aspect I loved about the novel was authentic food writing. I was so happy to have some goat curry in my fridge to chow down on afterwards because I was HUNGRY. The social media feuds in the novel are also so entertaining and anxiety-inducing; I usually hate social media in books, but this was so fun.
I wish the queer elements of the book were more thoroughly explored and the happy ending didn’t come as easily— but, ngl I loved it all the same. I just love seeing Bangladeshis win and being represented in creative fields!
Overall, this was an amazing read. I’m a huge fan.
I went to a Bengali boi mela (book fair) a couple days ago and bought a signed copy of Appetite. It was kind of funny how excited I was to have a book signed by a Bangladeshi author, given that this book dives so deeply into fandom culture and parasocial relationships.
One aspect I loved about the novel was authentic food writing. I was so happy to have some goat curry in my fridge to chow down on afterwards because I was HUNGRY. The social media feuds in the novel are also so entertaining and anxiety-inducing; I usually hate social media in books, but this was so fun.
I wish the queer elements of the book were more thoroughly explored and the happy ending didn’t come as easily— but, ngl I loved it all the same. I just love seeing Bangladeshis win and being represented in creative fields!
Overall, this was an amazing read. I’m a huge fan.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2026
4.5 stars!!!
This one really hooked me. I loved the writing and how everything was written. The writing style was really appealing to me.
It portrays a lot of real issues and hardships; the anxiety and emotion that Zarina feels and how she deals with it felt so real and I felt the writing is very relatable to many people, which I loved!
Overall, I loved this book- especially the detailed descriptions of some of the cuisines and food/ flavors, wrestling and internal struggles.
I love how, towards the end, she learned about herself and her aspirations.
It’s such a beautiful book!
This one really hooked me. I loved the writing and how everything was written. The writing style was really appealing to me.
It portrays a lot of real issues and hardships; the anxiety and emotion that Zarina feels and how she deals with it felt so real and I felt the writing is very relatable to many people, which I loved!
Overall, I loved this book- especially the detailed descriptions of some of the cuisines and food/ flavors, wrestling and internal struggles.
I love how, towards the end, she learned about herself and her aspirations.
It’s such a beautiful book!
August 4, 2026
I always enjoy a book that is filled with food, especially if i can picture the dishes in my mind. This book does that well, and now I want to try Bangladeshi food, it sounds delicious.
The story follows a young chef who has bucked family expectations and is following her dreams. Her one enjoyment outside of cooking is watching professional wrestling. I have never gotten into wrestling, but can appreciate the story it tells, and the many fans who support this sport. However, Zarina lets it get a little out of hand and it affects her life. However, because she doesn't have any friends in real life, getting caught up in a fan group for her favorite wrestler is a good and a bad thing. She has great intentions, but she lets it take over her life. But considering she is mid twenties, this isn't too surprising. After all, I can understand the appeal of friends who appreciate this sport.
There were times when I liked Zarina, and other times when I could see her going off the cliff, and not surprised at the results of her actions. But she manages to turn her life around and rediscover what is important to her, cooking and food.
The story does wane in some places and I just wanted to get through those sections. Other sections seem a little unlikely, but who am I to judge what might or might not happen for this character.
It is a delightful story, and we give it 4 paws up.
The story follows a young chef who has bucked family expectations and is following her dreams. Her one enjoyment outside of cooking is watching professional wrestling. I have never gotten into wrestling, but can appreciate the story it tells, and the many fans who support this sport. However, Zarina lets it get a little out of hand and it affects her life. However, because she doesn't have any friends in real life, getting caught up in a fan group for her favorite wrestler is a good and a bad thing. She has great intentions, but she lets it take over her life. But considering she is mid twenties, this isn't too surprising. After all, I can understand the appeal of friends who appreciate this sport.
There were times when I liked Zarina, and other times when I could see her going off the cliff, and not surprised at the results of her actions. But she manages to turn her life around and rediscover what is important to her, cooking and food.
The story does wane in some places and I just wanted to get through those sections. Other sections seem a little unlikely, but who am I to judge what might or might not happen for this character.
It is a delightful story, and we give it 4 paws up.
August 14, 2026
This was a very well written story following Zarina, a Bangladeshi chef in navigating her own identity, familial expectations, her love of female wrestling (think WWE), and her own culinary aspirations. I loved the tales of being part of a fand, wrestling here, and navigating both the highs and lows amongst fans. THE FOOD; I legit stopped reading this before bed because I’d get so hungry! Zarina’s relationship with the people close to her; how she mentally processed each interaction was very realistic and gave further insight to her own fears and hesitations.
I loved this story, and it handled so many heavy moments quite well!
Thanks to the author and publishers for the eBook!
I loved this story, and it handled so many heavy moments quite well!
Thanks to the author and publishers for the eBook!
September 13, 2026
reminds me of home cooking because this book was clearly made with love. and it's fun! haven't read a paperback in one night in forever but I DEVOURED this (pun intended). fascinating peek into worlds I'm not familiar with (pro-wrestling, fandom twitter) with some BOH sweat and tears thrown on top. 3 Dollar Bill mentioned! Jackson Heights mentioned! and wow I was hungry when I started reading 5 or 6 hours ago and now I'm craving a MILLION fuchkas. loved the scene when Z watches Anna pop one in her mouth for the first time, made me remember my first time assembling/eating one. so much fun that I was smiling by the end.
Appetite companion cookbook with recipes when?
Appetite companion cookbook with recipes when?
July 24, 2026
Never meet your heroes, I guess. A wrestler lover and foodie’s dream. A story about obsession, seeking community and acceptance, and finding your purpose. I really enjoyed how this felt like 2 different stories that meld into each other. One following Zarina and her love of wrestling and the other her love of food. It starts off innocent enough and quickly goes obsessive. She’s not even fully to blame as the person she’s obsessed over feeds into the relationship. She makes friends in the wrestling world and loses them just as fast. Her love for food/cooking quickly gets pushed to the wayside and she has to find her way back to it. I really enjoyed this story and I hope others find it to be as interesting and entertaining as I did.
Did Not Finish
May 7, 2026This leaned way too YA for my taste. Also, I was hoping for more cooking and less wrestling. I picked it up multiple times to try and finish it. I ultimately determined that I actually just don't care to see it through. There are too many other books I rather be reading.
August 11, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, & the publishers who sent me this ARC to read & review! <3
This was a great read - the descriptions of the food and cooking in the kitchen were EVERYTHING! Zarina was such a compelling character and I loved seeing their journey in just a few short years. You could really see the way she developed, grew, and learned to fight for herself and follow her dreams. I LOVED the community she built in the final part of the book. Your mid twenties are nothing if not chaotic, and this captured that time of live perfectly. Now I need to go find some Bangladeshi food...
This was a great read - the descriptions of the food and cooking in the kitchen were EVERYTHING! Zarina was such a compelling character and I loved seeing their journey in just a few short years. You could really see the way she developed, grew, and learned to fight for herself and follow her dreams. I LOVED the community she built in the final part of the book. Your mid twenties are nothing if not chaotic, and this captured that time of live perfectly. Now I need to go find some Bangladeshi food...
August 14, 2026
The novel “Appetite” moves at a great pace and I was always excited to return to the book to see what Zarina, a 24-y-o Bangladeshi sous chef, was going to cook up next!
Since I don’t share the MC’s affinity for women’s wrestling, I was initially concerned that part of the storyline would turn me off, but it works really well in this novel.
“Appetite” asks “what makes you happy? Fulfilled?” Sometimes we feed on the wrong things with empty calories because of the dopamine rush. Crashing hard from such a high can force a person to eat crow and reevaluate their priorities.
Also - the food in this book will make you salivate!
Since I don’t share the MC’s affinity for women’s wrestling, I was initially concerned that part of the storyline would turn me off, but it works really well in this novel.
“Appetite” asks “what makes you happy? Fulfilled?” Sometimes we feed on the wrong things with empty calories because of the dopamine rush. Crashing hard from such a high can force a person to eat crow and reevaluate their priorities.
Also - the food in this book will make you salivate!
October 13, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
I really loved Zarina and wanted to be her friend. The descriptions of the Bangladeshi food made my mouth water. I enjoyed that this was more of a character driven novel and overall low stakes.
I really loved Zarina and wanted to be her friend. The descriptions of the Bangladeshi food made my mouth water. I enjoyed that this was more of a character driven novel and overall low stakes.
April 9, 2026
The character development really shined in this book. I loved how the main character Zarina figured out who she was and was able to figure out how to make her dream a reality. The anxiety rep throughout this book was written so well! I’m also glad Zarina was able to set boundaries and stick to them along the way.
(Note: I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher/author for the opportunity.)
POV: First Person
Sad Level: 💧💧
Would I Recommend? Yes
Favorite Character(s): Zarina
Emojis Based on Vibes: 🍳🤼♀️🍽️
⚠️ CONTENT WARNINGS
Graphic: Racism, Toxic relationship
(Note: I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher/author for the opportunity.)
POV: First Person
Sad Level: 💧💧
Would I Recommend? Yes
Favorite Character(s): Zarina
Emojis Based on Vibes: 🍳🤼♀️🍽️
⚠️ CONTENT WARNINGS
Graphic: Racism, Toxic relationship
August 9, 2026
I have just finished reading Appetite.
By the final chapters, I had forgotten everything else around me. I was completely immersed in the novel. My eyes welled up again and again—not out of sadness, but out of pride in Bangladesh.
The New Haven Independent wrote:
“P. Paramita’s debut novel Appetite is a love letter set in New Haven to Bangladeshi food and wrestling wrapped in an immigrant tale about ambition, belonging, and power.”
I would put it this way: Appetite is a love letter from Bangladesh to the world—with love.
I cannot remember the last time a book absorbed me so completely. Certainly not in the past two or three years.
One major reason is that this novel seems to have been written to celebrate Bangladeshi identity and pride. The protagonist, Zarina, eventually brings her wrestling idol, Sierra, down from the pedestal. One reason is that Sierra repeatedly identifies Zarina as Indian rather than Bangladeshi—a mistake Zarina simply cannot accept.
Zarina’s dream, from her youth onward, is to establish Bangladeshi cuisine in America under its rightful name: Bangladeshi. After enduring countless hardships, she finally succeeds. And when she does, if you are Bangladeshi, you will find it difficult to hold back your tears. Your heart will swell with pride.
Nearly a hundred reviews of Appetite, published by Dial Press, have appeared so far, and almost all of them have been written by American writers and readers. Why has this novel resonated with them?
1. It is utterly original.
Its language, style, subject matter, and form are unlike anything else.
After reading Humayun Ahmed’s Nondito Noroke and Shonkhonil Karagar, the distinguished scholar Ahmad Sharif famously remarked that Bengali literature was witnessing the arrival of a new Manik Bandopadhyay. I have always said that Humayun Ahmed was profoundly original. He was like no one else.
Paramita’s Appetite is like no one else’s work. Its language, subject matter, form, and narrative voice feel entirely fresh.
2. It reimagines women’s wrestling as a celebration of female strength.
At the same time, Zarina refuses to accept the racist conventions of professional wrestling, where scripts written under the direction of white male owners routinely ensure that Black, Brown, Asian, Arab, and Hispanic wrestlers lose. She protests. She refuses to be complicit.
3. The novel rests on a philosophical foundation.
Not on the surface, but deep beneath it.
It explores existential anxiety, the consciousness of being an outsider, and the quiet fear that never quite disappears: Do I belong here? Am I about to say something wrong?
Even after overcoming these fears, Zarina never fully escapes them.
4. It speaks in the language of a new generation.
It speaks in the language of Gen Z and Gen Alpha.
As Leslie Jamison describes it, Appetite is “a deeply modern story.”
Let me return to Bangladesh.
Ultimately, this novel is a hymn to Bangladesh—a tender love letter filled with affection for the country.
In the novel, Zarina writes the following in a proposal for a restaurant concept:
“Bangladesh is the country of six seasons. The changing weather heralds a different specialty food, starting with Grishmo, from April to June. It’s a sweltering-hot start to summer, with mangoes celebrated at village fairs known as melas. As a child, I would walk to the vendors’ stalls and buy clay fruits to take home to my pretend kitchen, complete with a toy stove and miniature pots and pans.
The food of Pahela Baishakh, the Bengali New Year, is panta bhaat (fermented rice), served with our national fish, ilish, and an array of bhortas—mashed vegetables, fish, potatoes, beans, shrimp, and eggplant. Even through summer storms, we savored the season’s first mangoes and lychees, which my father brought home from work. He would arrange them on the dining table like an offering to the family. I hated lychee seeds because they reminded me of bugs, so my mother removed every seed and served the fruit in a bowl so I could enjoy it without worry.
Borsha, the monsoon, arrives from June to August with torrential downpours. Children run through muddy streets, splashing passersby with water from their worn Bata shoes. It is the season for a hot cup of cha. At dinner, families gather around bowls of khichuri—rice and lentils—served with fish fried in mustard oil and beef or chicken curry.
Shorot, the first autumn, is the season of kashful, tall white reeds swaying beneath clear blue skies. This is when goru bhuna, my favorite beef curry, tastes best. The weather turns pleasantly cool, and tender meat, glistening onions, and rich gravy are perfect with steaming rice.
Next comes Hemanta, from October to December, the season of harvest. Farmers celebrate the new crop, and wedding season begins—which means kachchi biryani. Tender goat is cooked with fragrant rice, mustard oil, garlic, black pepper, saffron, cloves, cardamom, lemon, yogurt, and spices. Restaurants often add cream, raisins, peanuts, and cashews. As a child, I complained that wedding biryani never matched my favorite from Star Kebab. My mother would take me there, where kachchi came with giant potatoes and a hard-boiled egg.
Winter, or Sheet, brings single-digit temperatures to northern Bangladesh. It is also the season of cauliflower, bottle gourd, and pitha—rice cakes, often fried and soaked in syrup. On chilly afternoons, my mother and I would visit my aunts, where everyone gathered to enjoy patishapta pitha, delicate rice crêpes filled with creamy kheer.
Finally comes Bashanta, spring, from February to April. Everyone celebrates Pahela Falgun dressed in yellow. It falls the day before Valentine’s Day, and the Bangla songs we sing are full of romance and hope, celebrating flowers in bloom and the changing weather. The days grow longer, the nights shorter. Mustard blossoms paint the fields yellow, making it seem as though the whole landscape is celebrating with us. Mustard seed is a key ingredient in paanch phoron, the five-spice blend of mustard, fennel, fenugreek, cumin, and nigella that lends a distinctive flavor to vegetable dishes.
A restaurant inspired by the six seasons of Bangladesh would feature a rotating menu. Every two months, it would showcase the signature ingredients and flavors of a new season. Diners would discover something different on their first visit—and eagerly return to experience the next.”
Shouldn’t every one of the ten million Bangladeshis living overseas have a copy of this book at home?
Anisul Hoque
New York
August 5, 2026
By the final chapters, I had forgotten everything else around me. I was completely immersed in the novel. My eyes welled up again and again—not out of sadness, but out of pride in Bangladesh.
The New Haven Independent wrote:
“P. Paramita’s debut novel Appetite is a love letter set in New Haven to Bangladeshi food and wrestling wrapped in an immigrant tale about ambition, belonging, and power.”
I would put it this way: Appetite is a love letter from Bangladesh to the world—with love.
I cannot remember the last time a book absorbed me so completely. Certainly not in the past two or three years.
One major reason is that this novel seems to have been written to celebrate Bangladeshi identity and pride. The protagonist, Zarina, eventually brings her wrestling idol, Sierra, down from the pedestal. One reason is that Sierra repeatedly identifies Zarina as Indian rather than Bangladeshi—a mistake Zarina simply cannot accept.
Zarina’s dream, from her youth onward, is to establish Bangladeshi cuisine in America under its rightful name: Bangladeshi. After enduring countless hardships, she finally succeeds. And when she does, if you are Bangladeshi, you will find it difficult to hold back your tears. Your heart will swell with pride.
Nearly a hundred reviews of Appetite, published by Dial Press, have appeared so far, and almost all of them have been written by American writers and readers. Why has this novel resonated with them?
1. It is utterly original.
Its language, style, subject matter, and form are unlike anything else.
After reading Humayun Ahmed’s Nondito Noroke and Shonkhonil Karagar, the distinguished scholar Ahmad Sharif famously remarked that Bengali literature was witnessing the arrival of a new Manik Bandopadhyay. I have always said that Humayun Ahmed was profoundly original. He was like no one else.
Paramita’s Appetite is like no one else’s work. Its language, subject matter, form, and narrative voice feel entirely fresh.
2. It reimagines women’s wrestling as a celebration of female strength.
At the same time, Zarina refuses to accept the racist conventions of professional wrestling, where scripts written under the direction of white male owners routinely ensure that Black, Brown, Asian, Arab, and Hispanic wrestlers lose. She protests. She refuses to be complicit.
3. The novel rests on a philosophical foundation.
Not on the surface, but deep beneath it.
It explores existential anxiety, the consciousness of being an outsider, and the quiet fear that never quite disappears: Do I belong here? Am I about to say something wrong?
Even after overcoming these fears, Zarina never fully escapes them.
4. It speaks in the language of a new generation.
It speaks in the language of Gen Z and Gen Alpha.
As Leslie Jamison describes it, Appetite is “a deeply modern story.”
Let me return to Bangladesh.
Ultimately, this novel is a hymn to Bangladesh—a tender love letter filled with affection for the country.
In the novel, Zarina writes the following in a proposal for a restaurant concept:
“Bangladesh is the country of six seasons. The changing weather heralds a different specialty food, starting with Grishmo, from April to June. It’s a sweltering-hot start to summer, with mangoes celebrated at village fairs known as melas. As a child, I would walk to the vendors’ stalls and buy clay fruits to take home to my pretend kitchen, complete with a toy stove and miniature pots and pans.
The food of Pahela Baishakh, the Bengali New Year, is panta bhaat (fermented rice), served with our national fish, ilish, and an array of bhortas—mashed vegetables, fish, potatoes, beans, shrimp, and eggplant. Even through summer storms, we savored the season’s first mangoes and lychees, which my father brought home from work. He would arrange them on the dining table like an offering to the family. I hated lychee seeds because they reminded me of bugs, so my mother removed every seed and served the fruit in a bowl so I could enjoy it without worry.
Borsha, the monsoon, arrives from June to August with torrential downpours. Children run through muddy streets, splashing passersby with water from their worn Bata shoes. It is the season for a hot cup of cha. At dinner, families gather around bowls of khichuri—rice and lentils—served with fish fried in mustard oil and beef or chicken curry.
Shorot, the first autumn, is the season of kashful, tall white reeds swaying beneath clear blue skies. This is when goru bhuna, my favorite beef curry, tastes best. The weather turns pleasantly cool, and tender meat, glistening onions, and rich gravy are perfect with steaming rice.
Next comes Hemanta, from October to December, the season of harvest. Farmers celebrate the new crop, and wedding season begins—which means kachchi biryani. Tender goat is cooked with fragrant rice, mustard oil, garlic, black pepper, saffron, cloves, cardamom, lemon, yogurt, and spices. Restaurants often add cream, raisins, peanuts, and cashews. As a child, I complained that wedding biryani never matched my favorite from Star Kebab. My mother would take me there, where kachchi came with giant potatoes and a hard-boiled egg.
Winter, or Sheet, brings single-digit temperatures to northern Bangladesh. It is also the season of cauliflower, bottle gourd, and pitha—rice cakes, often fried and soaked in syrup. On chilly afternoons, my mother and I would visit my aunts, where everyone gathered to enjoy patishapta pitha, delicate rice crêpes filled with creamy kheer.
Finally comes Bashanta, spring, from February to April. Everyone celebrates Pahela Falgun dressed in yellow. It falls the day before Valentine’s Day, and the Bangla songs we sing are full of romance and hope, celebrating flowers in bloom and the changing weather. The days grow longer, the nights shorter. Mustard blossoms paint the fields yellow, making it seem as though the whole landscape is celebrating with us. Mustard seed is a key ingredient in paanch phoron, the five-spice blend of mustard, fennel, fenugreek, cumin, and nigella that lends a distinctive flavor to vegetable dishes.
A restaurant inspired by the six seasons of Bangladesh would feature a rotating menu. Every two months, it would showcase the signature ingredients and flavors of a new season. Diners would discover something different on their first visit—and eagerly return to experience the next.”
Shouldn’t every one of the ten million Bangladeshis living overseas have a copy of this book at home?
Anisul Hoque
New York
August 5, 2026
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
2.5☆
Big thanks to Netgalley, P. Paramita, Random House, and Dial Press Trade Paperback for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
This book was such a mixed bag for me!! I was initially attracted by the premise, as I'm a big fan of both wrestling and cooking, so it seemed tailor made for me. Unfortunately, I just didn't click with it the way I wanted to.
The food descriptions in this book are gorgeous. I'd love to try all of Zarina's different dishes. You can tell the author is also passionate about Bangladeshi cuisine. There's so much care put into all the different dishes, so much so you can almost taste them yourself.
I thought that this book was an interesting exploration of the way that parasociality can go both ways. Sometimes, your idols can become dependent on your attention as much as you are on theirs. I just wish there'd been more time and care put into Sierra and Zarina's friendship when it actually starts, when Zarina starts giving Sierra relationship advice, but it feels like from there the novel is rushing to the conclusion with no real time to let the conflict marinate. The ending also felt like it all fell into place way too easily, with everyone rushing to help Zarina complete her dreams. It felt more like wish fulfillment than a satisfying ending, but it was nice to see her restaurant opened.
Zarina, however, was also a really bad friend for 90% of this book. She's young, yes, and I was happy to see her reflect about it a little at the end, but she was so judgmental to everyone she met, and was unkind to most of the people she's supposed to want to be friends with. Their friendship with Aubrey felt like it came out of nowhere. A lot of Zarina's personality and the ways she's developing feel like they'd be better suited to YA than a contemporary adult novel. The writing is very quick to read, but also feels a little young for the target demographic. It's very tell-don't-show, which can get grating in an adult-centered novel.
I feel that this novel might be better for people who aren't familiar with wrestling, or at least are very casual viewers. The explanations in the start of the novel about wrestling were heavy-handed in a way that felt like being taken out of the story to read a wikipedia article. I feel that in the future, a glossary of terms might be a better option so everyone can read the story without feeling taken out of it!
Overall, this is a fun, quick read, but I found it rather frustrating especially after the 50% mark. I'll keep an eye out for this author's future works! And I'll definitely be trying Bangladeshi cuisine as soon as I have the chance.
Big thanks to Netgalley, P. Paramita, Random House, and Dial Press Trade Paperback for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
This book was such a mixed bag for me!! I was initially attracted by the premise, as I'm a big fan of both wrestling and cooking, so it seemed tailor made for me. Unfortunately, I just didn't click with it the way I wanted to.
The food descriptions in this book are gorgeous. I'd love to try all of Zarina's different dishes. You can tell the author is also passionate about Bangladeshi cuisine. There's so much care put into all the different dishes, so much so you can almost taste them yourself.
I thought that this book was an interesting exploration of the way that parasociality can go both ways. Sometimes, your idols can become dependent on your attention as much as you are on theirs. I just wish there'd been more time and care put into Sierra and Zarina's friendship when it actually starts, when Zarina starts giving Sierra relationship advice, but it feels like from there the novel is rushing to the conclusion with no real time to let the conflict marinate. The ending also felt like it all fell into place way too easily, with everyone rushing to help Zarina complete her dreams. It felt more like wish fulfillment than a satisfying ending, but it was nice to see her restaurant opened.
Zarina, however, was also a really bad friend for 90% of this book. She's young, yes, and I was happy to see her reflect about it a little at the end, but she was so judgmental to everyone she met, and was unkind to most of the people she's supposed to want to be friends with. Their friendship with Aubrey felt like it came out of nowhere. A lot of Zarina's personality and the ways she's developing feel like they'd be better suited to YA than a contemporary adult novel. The writing is very quick to read, but also feels a little young for the target demographic. It's very tell-don't-show, which can get grating in an adult-centered novel.
I feel that this novel might be better for people who aren't familiar with wrestling, or at least are very casual viewers. The explanations in the start of the novel about wrestling were heavy-handed in a way that felt like being taken out of the story to read a wikipedia article. I feel that in the future, a glossary of terms might be a better option so everyone can read the story without feeling taken out of it!
Overall, this is a fun, quick read, but I found it rather frustrating especially after the 50% mark. I'll keep an eye out for this author's future works! And I'll definitely be trying Bangladeshi cuisine as soon as I have the chance.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
July 9, 2026As I begin writing this review, it’s 2:55 am on July 9th. I finished P. Paramita’s Appetite at 2:40, my eyes watery with exhaustion from a long, hot day of work. As it often goes with me, I refused to allow myself actual rest until I finished this ARC. I’d been trying to finish it at work for two consecutive days, repeatedly interrupted by my job (don’t tell my bosses that I’d rather be reading, ok?), to no avail. I decided that tonight was the night, though – I would finish Appetite even if it killed me.
I’m not typically the kind of guy who reads anything that even really skirts the line of contemporary fiction, but I loved the pitch in the email I received from Will Lyman and was like… well, let’s give this one a go. And I’m so glad that I did. P. Paramita’s Appetite did a lot for me. It reaffirmed the opinion I have of women’s sports being superior to men’s, made me endlessly curious about Bangladeshi food (which, by the way, I learned that Bangladeshi and Indian foods are similar with their staples and have some overlap… this is great for me and anyone else who loves Indian food), and also made me miss home way more than I could have ever expected it to.
When you grow up white-but-not-really-but-also-still-pretty-white like I did, there’s always going to be some degree of Impostor Syndrome that you’ll need to face and attempt to overcome. I come from a German-Irish-Polish-Korean household, each of my grandparents becoming naturalized citizens after moving to the United States. It’s interesting that, of each of the four cultures I could have connected to, I wound up most involved with the Korean side of things. I never take offence when people look at me and see someone 100% white – my mother’s always said that I look like I’ve just hopped off an Irish potato boat, all freckles and fair skin. But then there’s the moment when I confess that I am Korean, even if only somewhere around a quarter percent, and one of several things happens:
1. Someone says, “Oh! Now I see it – in your eyes!” or
2. I’m accused of lying.
Whatever! Whatever. The middle name my half-Korean mother and Korean-born grandmother gave me is 천사, or Angel (cheonsa), and my poor halmoni would sooner die than let someone tell me I’m not Korean simply for the whiteness of my European ancestors. This is a topic I struggle with regularly. I said on Instagram, “too white for the Koreans, still too Asian for the whites.” White people are often comfortable with me and my whiteness until they learn of the Asianness, and Asians will never see me as anything but white. That is fine. I’ve come to terms with it, but it hurts no less.
What Paramita’s done with this novel – detailing the life of a young queer person with their own wants, dreams, and the lingering disappointment from their Asian parents – has healed a part of me. Food is and always will be one of the primary ways that humans connect. There’s love in cooking, stories in the way a dish is plated, and community in a kitchen. I will never know the kind of life someone like Zarina or Paramita have lived, but I am human, and food connects me to my umma and halmoni when words cannot.
Appetite is an absolutely brilliant novel. If you’ve ever been into wrestling, other women’s sports, cooking, The Bear, trying new cuisine, or have missed home a little more than words can explain, then I think it’s safe to say this book is for you. P. Paramita has healed more of me in the few days I’ve been reading this book than I have in the twenty-six years I’ve been alive. Zarina officially has a place just for them notched into my ribcage, just as a piece of me has nestled himself deep within Appetite’s margins.
Thank you to Will Lyman at Random House / Dial Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Appetite early in exchange for an honest review. This has been rated 5/5 stars across the three book review platforms I use (The StoryGraph, Pagebound, and Goodreads).
I’m not typically the kind of guy who reads anything that even really skirts the line of contemporary fiction, but I loved the pitch in the email I received from Will Lyman and was like… well, let’s give this one a go. And I’m so glad that I did. P. Paramita’s Appetite did a lot for me. It reaffirmed the opinion I have of women’s sports being superior to men’s, made me endlessly curious about Bangladeshi food (which, by the way, I learned that Bangladeshi and Indian foods are similar with their staples and have some overlap… this is great for me and anyone else who loves Indian food), and also made me miss home way more than I could have ever expected it to.
When you grow up white-but-not-really-but-also-still-pretty-white like I did, there’s always going to be some degree of Impostor Syndrome that you’ll need to face and attempt to overcome. I come from a German-Irish-Polish-Korean household, each of my grandparents becoming naturalized citizens after moving to the United States. It’s interesting that, of each of the four cultures I could have connected to, I wound up most involved with the Korean side of things. I never take offence when people look at me and see someone 100% white – my mother’s always said that I look like I’ve just hopped off an Irish potato boat, all freckles and fair skin. But then there’s the moment when I confess that I am Korean, even if only somewhere around a quarter percent, and one of several things happens:
1. Someone says, “Oh! Now I see it – in your eyes!” or
2. I’m accused of lying.
Whatever! Whatever. The middle name my half-Korean mother and Korean-born grandmother gave me is 천사, or Angel (cheonsa), and my poor halmoni would sooner die than let someone tell me I’m not Korean simply for the whiteness of my European ancestors. This is a topic I struggle with regularly. I said on Instagram, “too white for the Koreans, still too Asian for the whites.” White people are often comfortable with me and my whiteness until they learn of the Asianness, and Asians will never see me as anything but white. That is fine. I’ve come to terms with it, but it hurts no less.
What Paramita’s done with this novel – detailing the life of a young queer person with their own wants, dreams, and the lingering disappointment from their Asian parents – has healed a part of me. Food is and always will be one of the primary ways that humans connect. There’s love in cooking, stories in the way a dish is plated, and community in a kitchen. I will never know the kind of life someone like Zarina or Paramita have lived, but I am human, and food connects me to my umma and halmoni when words cannot.
Appetite is an absolutely brilliant novel. If you’ve ever been into wrestling, other women’s sports, cooking, The Bear, trying new cuisine, or have missed home a little more than words can explain, then I think it’s safe to say this book is for you. P. Paramita has healed more of me in the few days I’ve been reading this book than I have in the twenty-six years I’ve been alive. Zarina officially has a place just for them notched into my ribcage, just as a piece of me has nestled himself deep within Appetite’s margins.
Thank you to Will Lyman at Random House / Dial Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read Appetite early in exchange for an honest review. This has been rated 5/5 stars across the three book review platforms I use (The StoryGraph, Pagebound, and Goodreads).
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Appetite by P. Paramita is a delicious fusion of a Bengali Immigrant story, the spectacle of WWE’s Wrestlemania, and the underdog nature of FX’s restaurant TV show The Bear. Writing this all out on paper sounds like a too many cooks in the kitchen situation but Paramita deftly melds and combines the different flavors of her story into the perfect debut novel dish.
The highlight of the novel for me is the way that Paramita describes the Bengali fusion dishes that her wrestling enthusiast aspiring chef Zarina creates. From the crispy and bite sized Fuchka, the comforting and savory potato based aloo bhorta pancakes, mouthwatering beef kebabs with naan and jhura mangsho and the sweet dessert shahi tukra. The way that food is describes is done in a loving way and is a love letter to Bengali cuisine and Zarina and Paramita’s homeland. These descriptions were so good during reading they made me hungry while reading which is a testament to Paramita’s ability to translate food into written prose.
Keeping with the fusion theme of east and west, a seemingly anachronistic choice in the narrative is to meld Zarina’s enthusiasm for pro wrestling into the story, which was done expertly. Through Zarina eventual friendship with her favorite wrestler Sierra Myst, we explore Zarina’s identity and growth as a POC character and her response to the white-washed and minority underrepresented industry of pro wrestling. In these interactions we see the positives and negatives of the online idol space and the best and worst of Twitter and online communities. Through this relationship Zarina is able to discern authentic friendships that genuinely build up others and recognize minority and LGBTQ+ allies. Paramita makes clear that and loud statements of the importance of providing voices and spaces for underrepresented minorities and to hold people accountable for their own views on race and understanding of their own privilege.
This book is a fast paced and propulsive read and the resolution of it all seemed a bit too tidy for my taste, but overall this was an excellent debut novel that will have me excited for the next 5 seasons of Paramita’s future novels.
Thank you Random House and Dial Press Trade Paperback for this advanced review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
The highlight of the novel for me is the way that Paramita describes the Bengali fusion dishes that her wrestling enthusiast aspiring chef Zarina creates. From the crispy and bite sized Fuchka, the comforting and savory potato based aloo bhorta pancakes, mouthwatering beef kebabs with naan and jhura mangsho and the sweet dessert shahi tukra. The way that food is describes is done in a loving way and is a love letter to Bengali cuisine and Zarina and Paramita’s homeland. These descriptions were so good during reading they made me hungry while reading which is a testament to Paramita’s ability to translate food into written prose.
Keeping with the fusion theme of east and west, a seemingly anachronistic choice in the narrative is to meld Zarina’s enthusiasm for pro wrestling into the story, which was done expertly. Through Zarina eventual friendship with her favorite wrestler Sierra Myst, we explore Zarina’s identity and growth as a POC character and her response to the white-washed and minority underrepresented industry of pro wrestling. In these interactions we see the positives and negatives of the online idol space and the best and worst of Twitter and online communities. Through this relationship Zarina is able to discern authentic friendships that genuinely build up others and recognize minority and LGBTQ+ allies. Paramita makes clear that and loud statements of the importance of providing voices and spaces for underrepresented minorities and to hold people accountable for their own views on race and understanding of their own privilege.
This book is a fast paced and propulsive read and the resolution of it all seemed a bit too tidy for my taste, but overall this was an excellent debut novel that will have me excited for the next 5 seasons of Paramita’s future novels.
Thank you Random House and Dial Press Trade Paperback for this advanced review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
🥘ARC review 🥘
2.75 ⭐️
Zarina is a young Bangladeshi chef just starting her career. She works in a high end restaurant but dreams of escaping the toxic work environment to start a fusion restaurant that honors her culture. The story follows her journey to make friends as an adult and to find her own identity and what is important to her. As well as developing a friendship with her coworker and her roommate, she becomes envolved in the women’s wrestling fandom online. When her favorite wrestler and idol Sierra Myst DMs her, her life seems to take a dramatic and exciting turn. The novel explores parasocial relationships and the toxic nature of fandom.
I honestly really struggled to like Zarina for the first part of the book. She was so selectively judgey of people for weird things. I found it super laughable that she immediately thought a white man was “performative” because he is a professor of woman’s lit. It felt like I had fallen into a silly TikTok and had me going “are we actually serious?” She would also get really testy about people using gendered terms around her but then not clarify how she wanted to be referred to. Expect of course when it was her idol Sierra who could do no wrong. As the story went on, she experienced some personal growth and I did appreciate that. (But no one ever challenged the idea that getting a whole PhD in a subject is super unlikely to be a performative act but whatever.) She learned important lessons about parasocial relationships, toxic fandom culture, and the importance of prioritizing our “real life” friends and aspirations.
On thing I loved about the book were the descriptions of Bangladeshi food that she would cook. Makes me want to find a restaurant near me to try! I was also really fascinated by the world of women’s wrestling and the online fan culture. It’s not a fandom I have ever been a part of and the author does a good job making that world come alive on the page. While I overall didn’t find Zarina super relatable, I did really appreciate her struggles to develop these grown up friendships. She would overthink the smallest things about her interactions both online and in person and that felt super real and relatable.
2.75 ⭐️
Zarina is a young Bangladeshi chef just starting her career. She works in a high end restaurant but dreams of escaping the toxic work environment to start a fusion restaurant that honors her culture. The story follows her journey to make friends as an adult and to find her own identity and what is important to her. As well as developing a friendship with her coworker and her roommate, she becomes envolved in the women’s wrestling fandom online. When her favorite wrestler and idol Sierra Myst DMs her, her life seems to take a dramatic and exciting turn. The novel explores parasocial relationships and the toxic nature of fandom.
I honestly really struggled to like Zarina for the first part of the book. She was so selectively judgey of people for weird things. I found it super laughable that she immediately thought a white man was “performative” because he is a professor of woman’s lit. It felt like I had fallen into a silly TikTok and had me going “are we actually serious?” She would also get really testy about people using gendered terms around her but then not clarify how she wanted to be referred to. Expect of course when it was her idol Sierra who could do no wrong. As the story went on, she experienced some personal growth and I did appreciate that. (But no one ever challenged the idea that getting a whole PhD in a subject is super unlikely to be a performative act but whatever.) She learned important lessons about parasocial relationships, toxic fandom culture, and the importance of prioritizing our “real life” friends and aspirations.
On thing I loved about the book were the descriptions of Bangladeshi food that she would cook. Makes me want to find a restaurant near me to try! I was also really fascinated by the world of women’s wrestling and the online fan culture. It’s not a fandom I have ever been a part of and the author does a good job making that world come alive on the page. While I overall didn’t find Zarina super relatable, I did really appreciate her struggles to develop these grown up friendships. She would overthink the smallest things about her interactions both online and in person and that felt super real and relatable.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you NetGalley and Random House for my e-ARC!
A heartwarming story about a Bangladeshi amateur chef who dreams of being truly seen by the people around her.
The novel follows Zarina Iqbal, a post-graduate prep cook working in an American restaurant who dreams of introducing Bengali cuisine to her small New England town. At the same time, Zarina is an avid professional wrestling fan who becomes deeply involved in the online fandom surrounding her favorite wrestler, Sierra Myst. As her involvement grows into a parasocial relationship with Sierra herself, Zarina's online life begins to overshadow her real one, straining her friendships, affecting her work, and pulling her away from her dream of sharing Bengali food with her community.
One of the novel's greatest strengths is its exploration of different kinds of relationships. Zarina's friendship with Anna is genuine, reciprocal, and grounded in mutual care, while her connection with Sierra (Jenn) is inherently transactional and shaped by the unequal dynamics between celebrity and fan. The contrast highlights how easy it can be to mistake attention and validation for true friendship.
The novel also offers an insightful commentary on online communities. The wrestling fandom Zarina immerses herself in is often hostile and toxic, with anonymity encouraging bullying and unhealthy behavior. In contrast, the people in Zarina's everyday life—her coworkers, roommate, and Anna—consistently show kindness, support, and genuine concern for her wellbeing. Ironically, while Zarina searches for acceptance online, she overlooks the people who already value and care about her.
Ultimately, this is a warm and thoughtful story about identity, ambition, and belonging. By balancing Zarina's passion for Bengali cooking with her struggle to navigate online fandom and parasocial relationships, the novel delivers a timely reminder that authentic human connection is built through reciprocity, not admiration from afar.
A heartwarming story about a Bangladeshi amateur chef who dreams of being truly seen by the people around her.
The novel follows Zarina Iqbal, a post-graduate prep cook working in an American restaurant who dreams of introducing Bengali cuisine to her small New England town. At the same time, Zarina is an avid professional wrestling fan who becomes deeply involved in the online fandom surrounding her favorite wrestler, Sierra Myst. As her involvement grows into a parasocial relationship with Sierra herself, Zarina's online life begins to overshadow her real one, straining her friendships, affecting her work, and pulling her away from her dream of sharing Bengali food with her community.
One of the novel's greatest strengths is its exploration of different kinds of relationships. Zarina's friendship with Anna is genuine, reciprocal, and grounded in mutual care, while her connection with Sierra (Jenn) is inherently transactional and shaped by the unequal dynamics between celebrity and fan. The contrast highlights how easy it can be to mistake attention and validation for true friendship.
The novel also offers an insightful commentary on online communities. The wrestling fandom Zarina immerses herself in is often hostile and toxic, with anonymity encouraging bullying and unhealthy behavior. In contrast, the people in Zarina's everyday life—her coworkers, roommate, and Anna—consistently show kindness, support, and genuine concern for her wellbeing. Ironically, while Zarina searches for acceptance online, she overlooks the people who already value and care about her.
Ultimately, this is a warm and thoughtful story about identity, ambition, and belonging. By balancing Zarina's passion for Bengali cooking with her struggle to navigate online fandom and parasocial relationships, the novel delivers a timely reminder that authentic human connection is built through reciprocity, not admiration from afar.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
[I received an advance review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley]
This was definitely an interesting read! There’s a combination of such highly specific topics within the pages that worked to make this a layered story. My biggest takeaway is that I need to find somewhere near me that has authentic Bangladeshi food because oh my god, the food descriptions!!! I don’t even have a full grasp of the flavors described, but every time Zarina was cooking I could practically taste the dishes through the descriptions. The food and restaurant storylines were the main drivers of this book, and those were the parts that I found the most heart of the story and characters. Food can be such a powerful thing and I think Paramita’s writing captures that phenomenally.
The parts of the story that I found less compelling were the wrestling elements. There was something about the way that all the characters around that environment were portrayed that always felt a bit stilted and that there was a piece missing. The highlights of those portions of the book were how Zarina was able to connect to the backgrounds of some of the wrestlers and find inspiration and links to their own story of immigration. While that and the social media elements felt so real (often painfully), a lot of the focus on the wrestling began to feel quite dry in contrast to the other sides of the story.
There is a definite and identifiable heart to this story, but it’s a bit of work to get to it. Throughout reading it, there were quite a few sections of the writing that felt more on the mechanical side and removed from Zarina and the other characters. There are a lot of great elements in this book that don’t end up all mixing together well in the execution; so much of it just being conveyed to the reader through explanations by Zarina in a way that takes some of the punch out of the story.
3.75 rounded up to 4.
This was definitely an interesting read! There’s a combination of such highly specific topics within the pages that worked to make this a layered story. My biggest takeaway is that I need to find somewhere near me that has authentic Bangladeshi food because oh my god, the food descriptions!!! I don’t even have a full grasp of the flavors described, but every time Zarina was cooking I could practically taste the dishes through the descriptions. The food and restaurant storylines were the main drivers of this book, and those were the parts that I found the most heart of the story and characters. Food can be such a powerful thing and I think Paramita’s writing captures that phenomenally.
The parts of the story that I found less compelling were the wrestling elements. There was something about the way that all the characters around that environment were portrayed that always felt a bit stilted and that there was a piece missing. The highlights of those portions of the book were how Zarina was able to connect to the backgrounds of some of the wrestlers and find inspiration and links to their own story of immigration. While that and the social media elements felt so real (often painfully), a lot of the focus on the wrestling began to feel quite dry in contrast to the other sides of the story.
There is a definite and identifiable heart to this story, but it’s a bit of work to get to it. Throughout reading it, there were quite a few sections of the writing that felt more on the mechanical side and removed from Zarina and the other characters. There are a lot of great elements in this book that don’t end up all mixing together well in the execution; so much of it just being conveyed to the reader through explanations by Zarina in a way that takes some of the punch out of the story.
3.75 rounded up to 4.
August 25, 2026
What a delectable and intersectional story about fandom and culinary identity. It's absolutely one of those stories I didn't know I needed until I read it. While I haven't followed scripted wrestling since I was a child (something oddly common in Bengali kids of a certain generation), it's not difficult to relate to Zarina and her slippery slope journey into a parasocial relationship with her idol in a fandom that details her life and reinforces self-sabotaging tendencies. The real hook (pun intended) for me personally was the focus on Zarina's passion for Bangladeshi/Bengali foods. Add to that their gendequeerness, their love of BTS, and the very specifically Bengali relationship with her mother affecting how they form interpersonal relationships, and it became one of the gentlest, most affirming books I have read in a long time. There is no major romance in this and that is by design -- it makes space for a sneakily powerful story about learning to take up space and trusting the right kind of love that doesn't feast on your own erasure. It can be frustrating to watch Zarina lose herself to online clout and pinning her self-worth to obviously racist figureheads, but I know from experience how difficult it can be to call out when you're trying to make it in a racist and queerphobic institutions, with few allies. Dinging one star because how dare this make me SO hungry every time I read it. Not really, haha. There's just some obvious debut author clunkiness and repetitiveness to the pacing, and there could be a deeper an emotional arc development with some of the secondary characters who end up making a lot of impact towards the end, kind of like a magic wand. But hey, I was happy to escape to a world where all of that led to the food of my people, so central to our identity, get to play a starring role. So excited to see what the author puts out next. Time to go make some Aloo Bhorta and Shorshe Salmon.
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