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The Knockout
When seventeen-year-old Kareena Thakkar finally admits she is a top-level Muay Thai fighter, knowing that might further alienate her from her Indian community, her classmates, especially handsome Amit, enthusiastically support her.
311 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 26, 2021
21 people are currently reading
4843 people want to read
About the author
Sajni Patel
10 books1,653 followersSajni Patel is an award-winning author of women’s fiction and young adult books. Her works have appeared on numerous Best of the Year and Must Read lists from Cosmo, Teen Vogue, Apple Books, Audiofile, Tribeza, Austin Woman, NBC, The Insider, and many others.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 233 reviews
February 28, 2021
Into the first chapter, I was like 'okay! Calm down! We all want to stay alive while reading this book!'
Into the second chapter, I was like 'whoa! Did she just turn mellow and all girly? Is there an insta romance happening right there? Are we even talking about the same person from the first chapter?'
Then into the third chapter, I was like 'Okay I am so not buying the emotions. Is something wrong with me?'
Into the fourth chapter, I was wishing the 'too-hyped-up-character-vibes' to die down a bit. Because it was like I was running uphill without getting a break in between. I can understand the coach vibes, the dream vibes, the family-parent vibes but I just couldn't join in their vibes. Maybe I am not a sportsperson much eh? (But I do enjoy other sports fiction and I have cried over them.)
No, I am not going chapter wise thoughts anymore because the next few chapters just gave me similar vibes. The writing style is just too 'hyped' for me. I can understand that it's a sports fiction meant to make the character appear stronger amidst all the difficulties she faces but it just seems like a bit too over-enthusiastic and the writing seems a bit too repetitive and sounds a bit like every other chicklit novel. And I do feel that the cultural background representation is being represented poorly instead of letting the readers see or know a bit more about the culture. No, it just cannot be done with 'An Indian thing.'
As for the romance, I just couldn't get the connection.
Now and then so many cultural issues are brought up which have been dealt with poorly or represented rather insufficiently.
For the later half of the story, I completely lost the desire to get motivated. I just followed the characters. It's so Bollywood I would say! But not in a happy way.
Thanks #NetGalley for the book #TheKnockout
Into the second chapter, I was like 'whoa! Did she just turn mellow and all girly? Is there an insta romance happening right there? Are we even talking about the same person from the first chapter?'
Then into the third chapter, I was like 'Okay I am so not buying the emotions. Is something wrong with me?'
Into the fourth chapter, I was wishing the 'too-hyped-up-character-vibes' to die down a bit. Because it was like I was running uphill without getting a break in between. I can understand the coach vibes, the dream vibes, the family-parent vibes but I just couldn't join in their vibes. Maybe I am not a sportsperson much eh? (But I do enjoy other sports fiction and I have cried over them.)
No, I am not going chapter wise thoughts anymore because the next few chapters just gave me similar vibes. The writing style is just too 'hyped' for me. I can understand that it's a sports fiction meant to make the character appear stronger amidst all the difficulties she faces but it just seems like a bit too over-enthusiastic and the writing seems a bit too repetitive and sounds a bit like every other chicklit novel. And I do feel that the cultural background representation is being represented poorly instead of letting the readers see or know a bit more about the culture. No, it just cannot be done with 'An Indian thing.'
As for the romance, I just couldn't get the connection.
Now and then so many cultural issues are brought up which have been dealt with poorly or represented rather insufficiently.
For the later half of the story, I completely lost the desire to get motivated. I just followed the characters. It's so Bollywood I would say! But not in a happy way.
Thanks #NetGalley for the book #TheKnockout
December 27, 2020
An Indian-American athlete and aspiring Olympian, who is bound to devote her limited time to the household too, finds herself in the middle of clashing aims: to land a chance at a prestigious competition and to belong in a community she isn't attached to much.
Refreshing in the manner it diverges from the typical perspective of a diaspora teen always chasing a sense of belonging and instead focusing on how an identity shouldn't be boxed, the conflict arising amidst struggles and dreams is a wonderful aspect of this contemporary that highlights supportive parents against a commonly conservative community.
The hardworking, proud, and stubborn personality of Kareena—a Muay Thai champion—is amusing in contrast to the love interest, Amit—an ideal Indian boy, and their romance, while cheesy and cliché at instances, is adorable for a competitive premise. Different in terms of storyline and diverse in terms of a benevolent friendship with Lily, a Filipino-American, this YA sports fiction is invigorating and gives a kickass desi heroine, despite the dissatisfactory pacing and underdevelopment of side characters.
March 7, 2020: My desi heart is flipping right now because I'm genuinely so excited to read this! A brown sports-romance is what I needed in life and now it's here.
Refreshing in the manner it diverges from the typical perspective of a diaspora teen always chasing a sense of belonging and instead focusing on how an identity shouldn't be boxed, the conflict arising amidst struggles and dreams is a wonderful aspect of this contemporary that highlights supportive parents against a commonly conservative community.
The hardworking, proud, and stubborn personality of Kareena—a Muay Thai champion—is amusing in contrast to the love interest, Amit—an ideal Indian boy, and their romance, while cheesy and cliché at instances, is adorable for a competitive premise. Different in terms of storyline and diverse in terms of a benevolent friendship with Lily, a Filipino-American, this YA sports fiction is invigorating and gives a kickass desi heroine, despite the dissatisfactory pacing and underdevelopment of side characters.
↣ an early digital copy received via netgalley but review remains uninfluenced. ↢
blog | ko-fi | twitter
March 7, 2020: My desi heart is flipping right now because I'm genuinely so excited to read this! A brown sports-romance is what I needed in life and now it's here.
December 27, 2020
Thank you to the author and Flux Books for providing a physical copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This book was EVERYTHING! Kareena Thakkar, a badass Muay Thai fighter, tells her story in raw fashion. She often worries about sharing her passion with others in fear of being judged. When given the opportunity to attend the US Open, she begins to rethink her current strategy. We watch her navigate through friend breakups, a school crush, and even overwhelming debt. This gave me all the Dimple and Rishi vibes.... but BETTER! I can’t wait for more from Sajni Patel.
This book was EVERYTHING! Kareena Thakkar, a badass Muay Thai fighter, tells her story in raw fashion. She often worries about sharing her passion with others in fear of being judged. When given the opportunity to attend the US Open, she begins to rethink her current strategy. We watch her navigate through friend breakups, a school crush, and even overwhelming debt. This gave me all the Dimple and Rishi vibes.... but BETTER! I can’t wait for more from Sajni Patel.
August 30, 2021
*I received a free copy through LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review.*
I'm just heartbroken that I didn't love this as much as I thought I would; the blurb had completely sold me and I was hoping this novel would be something like Made in Korea, which totally stole my heart.
Unfortunately, there were several things in The Knockout that just missed the mark for me. I think the biggest one was that the book was so little Muay Thai and so much petty teenage drama. Saanvi was a character that seemed to exist just to be annoying and terrible and make Kareena's life difficult, but having all their history happen prior to the book's events just made all their interactions seem like out-of-the-blue plot devices, focusing on petty arguments that I didn't care much to read about.
I also didn't feel the romance at all. It was unclear whether or not they were close or if they were more like strangers or just acquaintances, and I honestly just fail to see when and why they started liking each other. It felt a little bit like insta-love.
The little side plots with Amit's coding projects and Kareena's father's condition were nice, but I also just wish they had felt more cohesive with the rest of the story. Especially when it came to Kareena's coding abilities, I felt like these little habits and side stories were compartmentalized and it was hard to reconcile them with the overarching plot.
The writing style just did not click with me at all. It was a little too energetic, and even the direction some of the plot points went made me feel like I was watching a kid's show where the answer was "the power of friendship". In addition, as much as I liked the internal conflict surrounding Asian-American identity and feeling "not Indian enough", it was brought up over and over again and phrased in the exact same way — it just got to be very repetitive, along with the subplot of Kareena assuming the worst of people constantly.
In the end, this just didn't click with me, at least not me as a 22-year-old. I feel like fifteen-year-old me would've enjoyed it more.
I'm just heartbroken that I didn't love this as much as I thought I would; the blurb had completely sold me and I was hoping this novel would be something like Made in Korea, which totally stole my heart.
Unfortunately, there were several things in The Knockout that just missed the mark for me. I think the biggest one was that the book was so little Muay Thai and so much petty teenage drama. Saanvi was a character that seemed to exist just to be annoying and terrible and make Kareena's life difficult, but having all their history happen prior to the book's events just made all their interactions seem like out-of-the-blue plot devices, focusing on petty arguments that I didn't care much to read about.
I also didn't feel the romance at all. It was unclear whether or not they were close or if they were more like strangers or just acquaintances, and I honestly just fail to see when and why they started liking each other. It felt a little bit like insta-love.
The little side plots with Amit's coding projects and Kareena's father's condition were nice, but I also just wish they had felt more cohesive with the rest of the story. Especially when it came to Kareena's coding abilities, I felt like these little habits and side stories were compartmentalized and it was hard to reconcile them with the overarching plot.
The writing style just did not click with me at all. It was a little too energetic, and even the direction some of the plot points went made me feel like I was watching a kid's show where the answer was "the power of friendship". In addition, as much as I liked the internal conflict surrounding Asian-American identity and feeling "not Indian enough", it was brought up over and over again and phrased in the exact same way — it just got to be very repetitive, along with the subplot of Kareena assuming the worst of people constantly.
In the end, this just didn't click with me, at least not me as a 22-year-old. I feel like fifteen-year-old me would've enjoyed it more.
January 18, 2022
Super adorable and badass and I really enjoyed reading/learning about Muay Thai!! (HOW is it not an Olympic sport, wtf)
Not going to lie, a few things hit close to home (a hatred of math and having a chronically ill parent). But I am very happy this book exists and Kareena is a wonderful and memorable character. (I know the name is a coincidence but gonna pretend she's related to Liya. 😆)
Content warning: sexism, chronically ill parent
Not going to lie, a few things hit close to home (a hatred of math and having a chronically ill parent). But I am very happy this book exists and Kareena is a wonderful and memorable character. (I know the name is a coincidence but gonna pretend she's related to Liya. 😆)
Content warning: sexism, chronically ill parent
August 5, 2020
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
I'm absolutely in love with so many things about this book. The diversity (her best friend is Filipino!), the characters, the sweet romance, and the inspiring sports and STEM aspects.
I absolutely adored Kareena's character. Even though she is so young, her confidence and self-awareness and perseverance is so inspiring, yet still believable for someone her age. She still has a lot to learn, but I appreciated how NOT annoying it was to be in her head. She didn't always make perfect decisions, but it was refreshing to read about a teenager who understood her strength and intelligence, despite outside influences.
Amit is also not your typical hero. He's a little nerdy, super-smart, seemingly the perfect Indian boy who is dealing with his own teenage struggles. Kareena and Amit are an unlikely pair, but they work so well together.
I also adore Kareena's parents. They are such a strong support system and remind me so much of my own parents - willing to give up everything for her dreams.
This book is not only entertaining reading this as an adult, but I'm so excited to think about all the young people who will pick up this book and see things through Kareena's eyes. I hope she inspires them as she has inspired me.
I'm absolutely in love with so many things about this book. The diversity (her best friend is Filipino!), the characters, the sweet romance, and the inspiring sports and STEM aspects.
I absolutely adored Kareena's character. Even though she is so young, her confidence and self-awareness and perseverance is so inspiring, yet still believable for someone her age. She still has a lot to learn, but I appreciated how NOT annoying it was to be in her head. She didn't always make perfect decisions, but it was refreshing to read about a teenager who understood her strength and intelligence, despite outside influences.
Amit is also not your typical hero. He's a little nerdy, super-smart, seemingly the perfect Indian boy who is dealing with his own teenage struggles. Kareena and Amit are an unlikely pair, but they work so well together.
I also adore Kareena's parents. They are such a strong support system and remind me so much of my own parents - willing to give up everything for her dreams.
This book is not only entertaining reading this as an adult, but I'm so excited to think about all the young people who will pick up this book and see things through Kareena's eyes. I hope she inspires them as she has inspired me.
January 27, 2021
Wow! That story was very compelling, I’m not gonna lie. The main character has a very distinct voice which I loved! At no point did it come across as boring or slow. Indian-American Muay Thai fighter teen, Kareena Thakkar experiences an extraordinary coming of age through friendship, cultural experiences, family, romance, and fighting. She struggles against sexism and questioning the appropriateness women to partake in such a sport. Not only that, but she also has to overcome identity struggles. Readers need more inspiring, diverse books like this one.
Even with all the positive things there are to say about this book, there are also some criticism I have about for it. There was needless backstory dumping and excuses as to why things were to satisfy the reader. We can live without knowing the smallest of unnecessary details that’ll take up paragraphs and we don’t need excuses.
I highly recommend this book to anyone that loves sports-related MG/YA or Manga/Graphic Novels.
**Thank you Netgalley, Sajni Patel, and North Star Editions for the opportunity to read digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.**
Even with all the positive things there are to say about this book, there are also some criticism I have about for it. There was needless backstory dumping and excuses as to why things were to satisfy the reader. We can live without knowing the smallest of unnecessary details that’ll take up paragraphs and we don’t need excuses.
I highly recommend this book to anyone that loves sports-related MG/YA or Manga/Graphic Novels.
**Thank you Netgalley, Sajni Patel, and North Star Editions for the opportunity to read digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.**
August 28, 2022
So I'm super confused about what to rate this book.
On one hand, I loved this book. I loved Kareena as a character, I deeply related to her. I loved the story and the message in this book. If this book had existed (and I had read it) when I was in middle school, it probably would have changed my life. I would have based my entire personality off of this book.
Also shoutout to the author for acknowledging that this book will probably not resonate with everyone nor should it be considered as a sole representative of Indian culture.
On the other hand, the writing quality of this book wasn't the greatest, in my opinion. There were a lot of abrupt skips between scenes. In certain scenes, it was very obvious to me that an adult was trying to write in the perspective of a teenager. I don't know how to explain this accurately but I feel like the way Indian parents are portrayed in this is book is not how they are, in the current generation. So it felt like the Indian parents who are supposed to be around my parents age were acting out the expectations that their parents would have had of them. So that disconnect made me very confused.
So, I'm gonna go with three stars. It was good book just not excellently written.
On one hand, I loved this book. I loved Kareena as a character, I deeply related to her. I loved the story and the message in this book. If this book had existed (and I had read it) when I was in middle school, it probably would have changed my life. I would have based my entire personality off of this book.
Also shoutout to the author for acknowledging that this book will probably not resonate with everyone nor should it be considered as a sole representative of Indian culture.
On the other hand, the writing quality of this book wasn't the greatest, in my opinion. There were a lot of abrupt skips between scenes. In certain scenes, it was very obvious to me that an adult was trying to write in the perspective of a teenager. I don't know how to explain this accurately but I feel like the way Indian parents are portrayed in this is book is not how they are, in the current generation. So it felt like the Indian parents who are supposed to be around my parents age were acting out the expectations that their parents would have had of them. So that disconnect made me very confused.
So, I'm gonna go with three stars. It was good book just not excellently written.
Want to read
June 9, 2020my MMA loving heart needs this book
August 18, 2021
actual rating: 3.5 stars
Received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.
Badass Kareena Thakkar is a fantastic Muay Thai fighter. The future ahead of her promises an invitation to the US Muay Thai Open and maybe the Olympics. Between school and her Muay Thai trainings, Kareena has no time to deal with any romantic connections. Inconveniently, though, Amit Patel appears in her life and she’s moved.
The Knockout is about Kareena feeling conflicted about her detachment to her Indian community and struggling with her insecurities as an Indian girl athlete. Though she might say that she isn’t affected by her community’s perceptions or their opinions, the fact is she really cares about what they are saying. It’s driven into the readers so much that I felt that it got a little too repetitive after a while.
Kareena’s father has advanced renal disease which, without proper care, might lead to the worst scenario. Throughout The Knockout, Kareena’s parents continuously pushed her to continue with her Muay Thai trainings and everything that went along with it even when money was tight. They wanted the best for her and they did their best to provide it. The relationship in this loving family brought tears to my eyes whenever her parents refused for her to give up and insisted that she shouldn’t care if other people didn’t think that Kareena’s Indian enough or that an Indian girl shouldn’t be participating in such a “violent” sport.
Love interest, Amit Patel, is a sweetheart and super smart. Despite his appearance as a perfect Indian boy, Amit is dealing with his own problems and insecurities. Lily and, subsequently, the other girl athletes were such great support system for Kareena who needed their push once in a while.
Overall, The Knockout was an interesting read about an Indian girl who doesn’t connect with her own community and who is fighting against the norm about how an Indian girl should be like. Kareena’s independent and mature whenever it came to her family but she can be extremely stubborn when it came to romance and Amit. Still, I enjoyed the book and had fun.
Received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.
Badass Kareena Thakkar is a fantastic Muay Thai fighter. The future ahead of her promises an invitation to the US Muay Thai Open and maybe the Olympics. Between school and her Muay Thai trainings, Kareena has no time to deal with any romantic connections. Inconveniently, though, Amit Patel appears in her life and she’s moved.
The Knockout is about Kareena feeling conflicted about her detachment to her Indian community and struggling with her insecurities as an Indian girl athlete. Though she might say that she isn’t affected by her community’s perceptions or their opinions, the fact is she really cares about what they are saying. It’s driven into the readers so much that I felt that it got a little too repetitive after a while.
Kareena’s father has advanced renal disease which, without proper care, might lead to the worst scenario. Throughout The Knockout, Kareena’s parents continuously pushed her to continue with her Muay Thai trainings and everything that went along with it even when money was tight. They wanted the best for her and they did their best to provide it. The relationship in this loving family brought tears to my eyes whenever her parents refused for her to give up and insisted that she shouldn’t care if other people didn’t think that Kareena’s Indian enough or that an Indian girl shouldn’t be participating in such a “violent” sport.
Love interest, Amit Patel, is a sweetheart and super smart. Despite his appearance as a perfect Indian boy, Amit is dealing with his own problems and insecurities. Lily and, subsequently, the other girl athletes were such great support system for Kareena who needed their push once in a while.
Overall, The Knockout was an interesting read about an Indian girl who doesn’t connect with her own community and who is fighting against the norm about how an Indian girl should be like. Kareena’s independent and mature whenever it came to her family but she can be extremely stubborn when it came to romance and Amit. Still, I enjoyed the book and had fun.
January 31, 2021
Full Review on The Candid Cover
3.5 Stars
The Knockout by Sajni Patel is a book I had been anticipating as I have never read anything about the sport of Muay Thai before. This one contains feminist messages and a main character who gains self-confidence, and I enjoyed the themes of cultural identity. While the concept of the book is excellent, I found most of the characters to be one-dimensional, and there are certain aspects I would have liked to see developed further.
This book follows Kareena, a Muay Thai fighter who gets the opportunity to compete in the US Muay Thai Open and overcomes many obstacles to get there. At the same time, she finds herself getting closer with a boy she tutors in computer science at her school. I have never read a book about Muay Thai before, and learning about the sport was interesting to me. I am also a big fan of books featuring women in sports and women in STEM, and the feminist messages in this one are strong since Kareena falls under both categories.
❀ STRONG MAIN CHARACTER
Kareena herself is an incredibly strong main character, both physically and mentally. She is a talented Muay Thai fighter who is also dealing with her father’s illness. However, she never complains about this or uses it as an excuse. Further, Kareena’s character sparks discussions of cultural identity. She doesn’t feel “Indian enough,” and feels alienated from the community, partially because of her involvement in Muay Thai. I loved how Kareena continues to do what she loves regardless of judgment from others, and it is easy to feel her passion for Muay Thai.
❀ FEMINIST MESSAGES
While I enjoyed the concept of this book, there are a few elements that fell flat for me. Many of the characters are one-dimensional, and I would have especially liked to see more of Amit, beyond him serving Kareena. I also found that as I kept reading, the focus of the story leans more towards romance and drama, which didn’t really interest me. However, I did enjoy the Muay Thai aspects and the feminist messages, so I continued reading for those.
❀ A UNIQUE STORY
The Knockout by Sajni Patel is a unique story about working hard to achieve your dreams. I loved learning about Muay Thai, and the main character is strong. However, there are some aspects of the book that I believe could have been developed further. That being said, this is still an entertaining read that I would recommend to fans of MMA.
3.5 Stars
The Knockout by Sajni Patel is a book I had been anticipating as I have never read anything about the sport of Muay Thai before. This one contains feminist messages and a main character who gains self-confidence, and I enjoyed the themes of cultural identity. While the concept of the book is excellent, I found most of the characters to be one-dimensional, and there are certain aspects I would have liked to see developed further.
This book follows Kareena, a Muay Thai fighter who gets the opportunity to compete in the US Muay Thai Open and overcomes many obstacles to get there. At the same time, she finds herself getting closer with a boy she tutors in computer science at her school. I have never read a book about Muay Thai before, and learning about the sport was interesting to me. I am also a big fan of books featuring women in sports and women in STEM, and the feminist messages in this one are strong since Kareena falls under both categories.
❀ STRONG MAIN CHARACTER
Kareena herself is an incredibly strong main character, both physically and mentally. She is a talented Muay Thai fighter who is also dealing with her father’s illness. However, she never complains about this or uses it as an excuse. Further, Kareena’s character sparks discussions of cultural identity. She doesn’t feel “Indian enough,” and feels alienated from the community, partially because of her involvement in Muay Thai. I loved how Kareena continues to do what she loves regardless of judgment from others, and it is easy to feel her passion for Muay Thai.
❀ FEMINIST MESSAGES
While I enjoyed the concept of this book, there are a few elements that fell flat for me. Many of the characters are one-dimensional, and I would have especially liked to see more of Amit, beyond him serving Kareena. I also found that as I kept reading, the focus of the story leans more towards romance and drama, which didn’t really interest me. However, I did enjoy the Muay Thai aspects and the feminist messages, so I continued reading for those.
❀ A UNIQUE STORY
The Knockout by Sajni Patel is a unique story about working hard to achieve your dreams. I loved learning about Muay Thai, and the main character is strong. However, there are some aspects of the book that I believe could have been developed further. That being said, this is still an entertaining read that I would recommend to fans of MMA.
January 26, 2021
2.5
CWs misogyny, bullying
Rep Indian American mc, Indian American li, Filipina American side character, Indian side characters
I received an early copy of this from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
I rarely read the blurb of a book before starting it but I don't know why with this one I did and it was exactly that that drew me in, I'd never read a book where the main character did martial arts, Muay Thai in this case and it seemed like an original story.
I always say this but I love when novels have author's notes explaining the how and the why of the story so I was pleased to find one at the beginning of this one, it helped me ease into the story.
Unfortunately if the first 20% was easy and enjoyable, after that the story got gradually more boring and repetitive (especially the drama between the mc and the li), I often found myself reading without reading, I would literally start thinking about something else and realize after 4/5 pages.
And this was mostly because the narration wasn't engaging enough: yes, the mc was training for a big competition, her father had some health issues and she was starting to catch feelings for this boy but was in denial; what kept me from enjoying fully the story was that all these elements were like items on a grocery list, listed and alternated over and over again in a kind of emotionless and unenthusiastic way and this leads to my second problem with the novel: the characterization, the characters were sadly one-dimensional, most of their actions didn't feel natural but forced, like puppets on a string, they didn't really come to life.
Now let's talk about the characters in particular: the main character Kareena is a Muay Thai fighter who's very unsure about her Indian identity and has a weird fetish about her Filipina best friend's natural hair (which.. no), the main problem with her was that she was the embodiment of the expression "ahah just kidding.. unless?", she was constantly repeating how she didn't care what people thought or said about her, didn't care that they judged her because she was a girl who did Muay Thai, didn't care other Indians didn't consider her Indian enough, except she did, her thoughts focused only on others' perception of her, she was always worrying about that and nothing else and it got kind of annoying after a while.
What I liked about her: she was independent and mature when it came to her family problems, she always tried to help and didn't want to be kept in the dark.
The love interest Amit was just as poorly characterized, he was only there to start "drama" with Kareena and not even the good kind, instead of being his own character he was only there because of her, to support her story.
Kareena's parents were the only characters I actually liked: they felt more realistic, I like that they weren't too traditionalist and I found their relationship with their daughter refreshing.
The romance was okay, a bit tepid, it was well-paced but again, there was a lot of repetitive back and forth between Kareena and Amit and I think it could've been avoided.
The story had great potential, I really wanted to enjoy it and it's a pity I did not.
CWs misogyny, bullying
Rep Indian American mc, Indian American li, Filipina American side character, Indian side characters
I received an early copy of this from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
I rarely read the blurb of a book before starting it but I don't know why with this one I did and it was exactly that that drew me in, I'd never read a book where the main character did martial arts, Muay Thai in this case and it seemed like an original story.
I always say this but I love when novels have author's notes explaining the how and the why of the story so I was pleased to find one at the beginning of this one, it helped me ease into the story.
Unfortunately if the first 20% was easy and enjoyable, after that the story got gradually more boring and repetitive (especially the drama between the mc and the li), I often found myself reading without reading, I would literally start thinking about something else and realize after 4/5 pages.
And this was mostly because the narration wasn't engaging enough: yes, the mc was training for a big competition, her father had some health issues and she was starting to catch feelings for this boy but was in denial; what kept me from enjoying fully the story was that all these elements were like items on a grocery list, listed and alternated over and over again in a kind of emotionless and unenthusiastic way and this leads to my second problem with the novel: the characterization, the characters were sadly one-dimensional, most of their actions didn't feel natural but forced, like puppets on a string, they didn't really come to life.
Now let's talk about the characters in particular: the main character Kareena is a Muay Thai fighter who's very unsure about her Indian identity and has a weird fetish about her Filipina best friend's natural hair (which.. no), the main problem with her was that she was the embodiment of the expression "ahah just kidding.. unless?", she was constantly repeating how she didn't care what people thought or said about her, didn't care that they judged her because she was a girl who did Muay Thai, didn't care other Indians didn't consider her Indian enough, except she did, her thoughts focused only on others' perception of her, she was always worrying about that and nothing else and it got kind of annoying after a while.
What I liked about her: she was independent and mature when it came to her family problems, she always tried to help and didn't want to be kept in the dark.
The love interest Amit was just as poorly characterized, he was only there to start "drama" with Kareena and not even the good kind, instead of being his own character he was only there because of her, to support her story.
Kareena's parents were the only characters I actually liked: they felt more realistic, I like that they weren't too traditionalist and I found their relationship with their daughter refreshing.
The romance was okay, a bit tepid, it was well-paced but again, there was a lot of repetitive back and forth between Kareena and Amit and I think it could've been avoided.
The story had great potential, I really wanted to enjoy it and it's a pity I did not.
November 27, 2020
This book stood out to me as something I had to read since I trained in Muay Thai for a few years, and Patel has perfectly captured the love for a sport, for training, for technique. I always had to navigate people seeing martial arts as violent and it really touched my heart to read about Kareena's passion for the strategy and elegance of the sport.
I didn't expect this story to also resonate with me as Kareena worries about her sick father. There's often side plots with sick relatives in books or movies. This complex conflict was written in a way that feels like your best friend is looking to you for comfort. It's not overdramatized. It is what it is and it sucks. That's life. That's what Patel has captured.
Kareena also must navigate her relationship with the desi community in Texas: not being feminine enough for what's expected of her, not being devote like others around her, and her parents not wanting to pressure her to be a part of that community.
All these complications and how one person's dream can bring people together made for such an incredible, inspiring story about a girl who discovers that being true to yourself is the strongest thing you can be.
...and I'm always weak for flirting that's mostly bickering 😂
I didn't expect this story to also resonate with me as Kareena worries about her sick father. There's often side plots with sick relatives in books or movies. This complex conflict was written in a way that feels like your best friend is looking to you for comfort. It's not overdramatized. It is what it is and it sucks. That's life. That's what Patel has captured.
Kareena also must navigate her relationship with the desi community in Texas: not being feminine enough for what's expected of her, not being devote like others around her, and her parents not wanting to pressure her to be a part of that community.
All these complications and how one person's dream can bring people together made for such an incredible, inspiring story about a girl who discovers that being true to yourself is the strongest thing you can be.
...and I'm always weak for flirting that's mostly bickering 😂
January 24, 2021
Thank you Flux and Netgalley for providing me an ecopy of this title for honest feedback.
I feel like sharing a pretty large secret with you that many don't know. I LOVE boxing. I adore it. I like doing it. I like watching it. If I had a dream job, boxing would be it!
When I was asked to review this I jumped at it! This book didn't disappoint.
In my copy I was immediately drawn in by the foreword. Patel shares a very emotional aspect of why this book is important and I adored that.
I enjoyed that the Kareena had a passion that was viewed as something outside of her culture and yet her parents supported her 100%.The family dynamics in this were #goals!
The friendships in this were typical high school with a dash of class. I thought Patel showcased beautifully the harshness of high school while also showing that one or two solid friends can make life divine.
The love interest here was adorable. It took awhile to get to but it was so fun once we got there.
I cried over the support that Kareena recieves in a few instances in this novel. Great job Patel!!
I feel like sharing a pretty large secret with you that many don't know. I LOVE boxing. I adore it. I like doing it. I like watching it. If I had a dream job, boxing would be it!
When I was asked to review this I jumped at it! This book didn't disappoint.
In my copy I was immediately drawn in by the foreword. Patel shares a very emotional aspect of why this book is important and I adored that.
I enjoyed that the Kareena had a passion that was viewed as something outside of her culture and yet her parents supported her 100%.The family dynamics in this were #goals!
The friendships in this were typical high school with a dash of class. I thought Patel showcased beautifully the harshness of high school while also showing that one or two solid friends can make life divine.
The love interest here was adorable. It took awhile to get to but it was so fun once we got there.
I cried over the support that Kareena recieves in a few instances in this novel. Great job Patel!!
June 9, 2021
Fast paced and kick ass - The Knockout is about an Indian American teen training to compete in the US Muay Thai Open while dealing with a father in failing health, friend issues, and boy troubles. Kareena Thakkar has a lot on her plate and the only thing keeping her level headed is Muay Thai. She revels in the training and clear mindedness she gets when she is in the ring. She's thrilled to have been invited to the US Open but at the same time, so stressed because her family is slowly drowning in medical debt and she doesn't want to burden her parents anymore. Kareena is a tough girl, but sometimes the toughest thing to do is know when to ask for help. She's got her best friend, Lily and Amit, the boy she's been tutoring - but how much can they really help? And is she even Indian enough for Amit? Kareena has a tough relationship with her local Indian community as they haven't been accepting of her mother or the tough sport she plays. A great read for teens that touches on a myriad of issues!
January 6, 2021
This book! No!! I had really high hopes for it and it just flopped so hard.
The synopsis had sounded so intriguing and I was so excited about this book. It really was a great idea going in, but just executed wrong. The biggest thing for me was the dialogue. It was awkward and sometimes, choppy and didn't have enough descriptions in it. I would oftentimes have to backtrack to figure out who was talking or would have to take a guess at what they were feeling while saying their lines. Without good dialogue, this book went downhill fast for me.
I tried to overlook the dialogue at first because I was just so intrigued by the idea of this book, but even that quickly failed me. It started off slow and pretty much kept a slow and steady pace throughout the whole story (and that didn't win the race for me).
One thing that I did like and was super appreciative of was the body positive-ness of the book. Our main character is very fit and has lots of muscles to show off, which she always felt made her look more like a guy than a girl. I liked seeing her confidence grow as she became friends with other people with strong and muscular bodies and just seeing as she came to love her body. It was a really nice character development.
Overall, this book was not too great, but one had the potential to be. I think that's what saddens me the most.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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The synopsis had sounded so intriguing and I was so excited about this book. It really was a great idea going in, but just executed wrong. The biggest thing for me was the dialogue. It was awkward and sometimes, choppy and didn't have enough descriptions in it. I would oftentimes have to backtrack to figure out who was talking or would have to take a guess at what they were feeling while saying their lines. Without good dialogue, this book went downhill fast for me.
I tried to overlook the dialogue at first because I was just so intrigued by the idea of this book, but even that quickly failed me. It started off slow and pretty much kept a slow and steady pace throughout the whole story (and that didn't win the race for me).
One thing that I did like and was super appreciative of was the body positive-ness of the book. Our main character is very fit and has lots of muscles to show off, which she always felt made her look more like a guy than a girl. I liked seeing her confidence grow as she became friends with other people with strong and muscular bodies and just seeing as she came to love her body. It was a really nice character development.
Overall, this book was not too great, but one had the potential to be. I think that's what saddens me the most.
Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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July 15, 2020
I received a free copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
This is it. This is the best, cutest, most powerful story you will read all year. Look no further, because Sajni Patel has written a stunning young adult novel after hitting it out of the park with her debut adult romance, The Trouble with Hating You.
This book is just amazing. Kareena is a Muay Thai fighter, and she's good at what she does. Good enough that she could make it to the US Open. If she can produce the money to enter and get there. Her parents are supportive, but her father is sick, and most of their money goes towards his treatments.
At school, Kareena is asked to tutor Amit in coding, but she quickly learns that he's a genius but has his own reasons for falling behind in class. The two of them spend more and more time together and Kareena can see herself falling in love, even though it's the last thing she has time for. Both of them have a lot going on in their lives, but they try to balance it out with the time they spend together.
I really enjoyed the romance because they were both such sweethearts and they were both always so kind with each other's hearts. I loved how they were there for each other and tried to support one another. I loved how Amit never blinked at the things Kareena did that weren't considered "typically Indian" and how he loved those things about her. They were just so great and perfect together. I loved their relationship to no end.
I really loved the support Kareena gets from the other girl athletes at her school and how they rally behind her to help her get to the competition. That was amazing and I loved the sisterhood. I also adored Kareena's best friend Lily and how sweet she was. I loved how she could see Kareena and Amit falling for each other and how she was totally shipping it from the start.
This was just a really incredible young adult novel that blended Indian culture with girl sports with women in STEM with sisterhood with positive family support with the cutest romance I have ever gushed over. This book just had it all and I loved every second of it <3
This is it. This is the best, cutest, most powerful story you will read all year. Look no further, because Sajni Patel has written a stunning young adult novel after hitting it out of the park with her debut adult romance, The Trouble with Hating You.
This book is just amazing. Kareena is a Muay Thai fighter, and she's good at what she does. Good enough that she could make it to the US Open. If she can produce the money to enter and get there. Her parents are supportive, but her father is sick, and most of their money goes towards his treatments.
At school, Kareena is asked to tutor Amit in coding, but she quickly learns that he's a genius but has his own reasons for falling behind in class. The two of them spend more and more time together and Kareena can see herself falling in love, even though it's the last thing she has time for. Both of them have a lot going on in their lives, but they try to balance it out with the time they spend together.
I really enjoyed the romance because they were both such sweethearts and they were both always so kind with each other's hearts. I loved how they were there for each other and tried to support one another. I loved how Amit never blinked at the things Kareena did that weren't considered "typically Indian" and how he loved those things about her. They were just so great and perfect together. I loved their relationship to no end.
I really loved the support Kareena gets from the other girl athletes at her school and how they rally behind her to help her get to the competition. That was amazing and I loved the sisterhood. I also adored Kareena's best friend Lily and how sweet she was. I loved how she could see Kareena and Amit falling for each other and how she was totally shipping it from the start.
This was just a really incredible young adult novel that blended Indian culture with girl sports with women in STEM with sisterhood with positive family support with the cutest romance I have ever gushed over. This book just had it all and I loved every second of it <3
April 10, 2020
I was given an early copy for a review, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. It did NOT disappoint. I LOVED it!
If you're a fan of Miranda Kenneally and YA sports romance, you do NOT want to miss this one! <3
Kareena Thakkar is a Muay Thai fighter (Thai boxing) who's raising money to go to the Muay Thai US Open. It'll give her a shot to be invited to the World Championship team with an eye toward the Olympics, and she is one determined, badass character who I was rooting for the entire time. Along the way, she meets Amit Patel, and during their budding relationship, she learns a lot about herself, her community, and friendship in general.
Most sports romances have a pretty basic formula: the character works hard, stumbles, but finally gets to the championship and the love interest. What made The Knockout different was how layered the story was. It's a coming of age tale in the truest sense--where she learns to stand up for herself, navigate the ups and downs of friendships and a romantic relationship, as well as juggle academic, athletic, and cultural expectations. Add this to her worries at home, and you have a richly paralleled story that had me turning pages well past midnight.
The thing that sets this apart from most YA sports romances is that Kareena Thakkar is not only a female in what most would consider a "male" sport (that's hard enough!), but she's an Indian-American girl who is struggling against cultural expectations of what is feminine and "appropriate." The author does an amazing job of layering this aspect of the story too. As an Indian-American myself, I identify with Kareena's cultural disconnect of not being "Indian" or "American" enough, but throw that in with the stigma of stepping outside your gender lane? I seriously wanted to punch a few people myself along the way.
The author handles each of these layers with wonderful world-building, an engaging voice, and excellent pacing. I can't wait to see if there'll be another book in this series...perhaps when she makes it to the Olympics??
This book would be awesome for anyone who loves Miranda Kenneally, wants an #ownvoices read, loves badass heroines, slow-burn romances, and a fist-pumping, heart-thumping ending. (Can you tell I loved this book?)
If you're a fan of Miranda Kenneally and YA sports romance, you do NOT want to miss this one! <3
Kareena Thakkar is a Muay Thai fighter (Thai boxing) who's raising money to go to the Muay Thai US Open. It'll give her a shot to be invited to the World Championship team with an eye toward the Olympics, and she is one determined, badass character who I was rooting for the entire time. Along the way, she meets Amit Patel, and during their budding relationship, she learns a lot about herself, her community, and friendship in general.
Most sports romances have a pretty basic formula: the character works hard, stumbles, but finally gets to the championship and the love interest. What made The Knockout different was how layered the story was. It's a coming of age tale in the truest sense--where she learns to stand up for herself, navigate the ups and downs of friendships and a romantic relationship, as well as juggle academic, athletic, and cultural expectations. Add this to her worries at home, and you have a richly paralleled story that had me turning pages well past midnight.
The thing that sets this apart from most YA sports romances is that Kareena Thakkar is not only a female in what most would consider a "male" sport (that's hard enough!), but she's an Indian-American girl who is struggling against cultural expectations of what is feminine and "appropriate." The author does an amazing job of layering this aspect of the story too. As an Indian-American myself, I identify with Kareena's cultural disconnect of not being "Indian" or "American" enough, but throw that in with the stigma of stepping outside your gender lane? I seriously wanted to punch a few people myself along the way.
The author handles each of these layers with wonderful world-building, an engaging voice, and excellent pacing. I can't wait to see if there'll be another book in this series...perhaps when she makes it to the Olympics??
This book would be awesome for anyone who loves Miranda Kenneally, wants an #ownvoices read, loves badass heroines, slow-burn romances, and a fist-pumping, heart-thumping ending. (Can you tell I loved this book?)
November 20, 2020
3.5 stars
I think this was such a fun and powerful read! I loved the premise of the book, the storyline and the way it proceeded. There were parts in between where I felt the romance was kind of overpowering the main plot and it did get a lot cringy to my liking, but otherwise I enjoyed the friendship and the way the author handled culture and family. Overall, it was a really sweet story filled with strength of goals and dreams, and I loved that our MC was so well crafted. To see the dilemma of belonging and keeping hold of culture was very heartwarming. Also, this book really played out like a bollywood movie hehe - with all those lovey-dovey moments 🤭
I think this was such a fun and powerful read! I loved the premise of the book, the storyline and the way it proceeded. There were parts in between where I felt the romance was kind of overpowering the main plot and it did get a lot cringy to my liking, but otherwise I enjoyed the friendship and the way the author handled culture and family. Overall, it was a really sweet story filled with strength of goals and dreams, and I loved that our MC was so well crafted. To see the dilemma of belonging and keeping hold of culture was very heartwarming. Also, this book really played out like a bollywood movie hehe - with all those lovey-dovey moments 🤭
January 30, 2021
3.5 Stars! This was a very cute own-voices YA novel with strong romance themes even though it’s not an out and out romance. The premise is that Kareena is an Indian-American highschooler and somewhat of a prodigy Muay Thai fighter. Unfortunately, in her community this is perceived to be not quite the thing for a proper Indian girl as it’s not a feminine endeavor and she’s feels ostracized for her athletic pursuit. Add to this, she has some deep problems at home, making her senior year especially hard especially as it relates with coming to terms with her identity.
I think what’s good about this book is that it tells a universal story about feeling alienated, whether that is feeling alienated from your culture, from your friends, from your people, from your family’s expectations of you, I think all of us have at one time felt like we were on the outside. This book is very strong in communicating that message and in portraying the self-doubt and fear and bitterness that can come from constantly feeling the need to protect yourself from the hurt of being an outsider. I love how the author played with the theme of prejudging others before the judge you and having blind spots in our perspectives of the world and how it sees us. I think obviously Indian-Americans or people who identify as Desi would relate most to this book especially if they feel some distance from their ancestral culture. That said I think anyone who’s a recent descendant of immigrants or even living in their own country but far removed from their ancestral traditions, would also be able to relate strongly to this book.
This could have been a 5-star read for me but I must admit that at times Kareena’s “not-like-other-Indian-girls”-ing got a little much for me personally. We get it, you’re a fighter, you don’t wear traditional clothes and you’re not religious- you’re not like other Indian-American girls🙄. That said, as annoying as that got, it felt very true to how Kareena perceived herself and her alienation from her community and also how people are in high school on the cusp of college, and that obsession with finding your unique identity and understanding yourself in the world that can come across a little “special little unicorn flower.” I think for anyone who like Kareena has ever felt not Indian enough or not American enough will relate strongly to her as a character. I can’t help but wondering whether readers who identify more closely with practicing their culture and traditions more rigorously, might feel attacked by Kareena’s frequent generalizations and judgements of the community. On the balance, Kareena’s perceptions and prejudices come from how her parents were treated and how she has been treated when measured against cultural norms, and so clearly she has reasons for her beliefs.
Some of the drama in this book was also VERY high school appropriate and I think if I had read this as a young adult, I would have had a lot more patience with the juvenile level of drama. What I liked though, was that Kareena’s “high school” drama with her ex-friends Ranya and Saanvi, was nicely contrasted with some of the life-deep drama she was facing at home with her father’s health, her Muay Thai aspirations, and her family’s future. The contrast of those different levels of drama felt very authentic and true for a character coming of age in these circumstances, and having to balance the last bits of childishness with becoming an adult.
My favourite parts of this were the Muay Thai plot, the theme around the importance of community and girl-led support, and the love story between Kareena and Amit. You could definitely tell that the author was very experienced in Muay Thai as she brought the training and preparation and mindset and the fights to the page in a way that not only got you understanding the sport but also understanding why Kareena was so passionate about it. Yes there was A LOT of repetition of Kareena’s motivation in the sport, the prospect of World Championships, the fact that Muay Thai would potentially be becoming an Olympic sport, but I think it served to continue center the fact that at it’s heart, this was a novel about a girl in a sport disapproved of by her culture who remains dedicated to that sport and the empowerment it brings her. I loved the romantic elements with Amit because Kareena never lost focus on her goals because of her feelings for him. She didn’t need romantic love to soften her or heal something in her or to “find balance.” Her goals remained her goals and her dedication to her sport was untouchable. And Amit recognized that and supported that and understood that her goals were number 1. The coding bits seemed a little improbable to me but what do I know, maybe it makes sense in real life. I also loved the idea of the sisterhood of female athletes.
Overall, I really enjoyed this. It was fun, but also really thoughtful and inspiring and uplifting. Highly recommend to lovers of YA fiction or anyone interested in an own voices book about a young Indian-American Muay Thai fighter.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Flux Books in exchange for an honest review.
I think what’s good about this book is that it tells a universal story about feeling alienated, whether that is feeling alienated from your culture, from your friends, from your people, from your family’s expectations of you, I think all of us have at one time felt like we were on the outside. This book is very strong in communicating that message and in portraying the self-doubt and fear and bitterness that can come from constantly feeling the need to protect yourself from the hurt of being an outsider. I love how the author played with the theme of prejudging others before the judge you and having blind spots in our perspectives of the world and how it sees us. I think obviously Indian-Americans or people who identify as Desi would relate most to this book especially if they feel some distance from their ancestral culture. That said I think anyone who’s a recent descendant of immigrants or even living in their own country but far removed from their ancestral traditions, would also be able to relate strongly to this book.
This could have been a 5-star read for me but I must admit that at times Kareena’s “not-like-other-Indian-girls”-ing got a little much for me personally. We get it, you’re a fighter, you don’t wear traditional clothes and you’re not religious- you’re not like other Indian-American girls🙄. That said, as annoying as that got, it felt very true to how Kareena perceived herself and her alienation from her community and also how people are in high school on the cusp of college, and that obsession with finding your unique identity and understanding yourself in the world that can come across a little “special little unicorn flower.” I think for anyone who like Kareena has ever felt not Indian enough or not American enough will relate strongly to her as a character. I can’t help but wondering whether readers who identify more closely with practicing their culture and traditions more rigorously, might feel attacked by Kareena’s frequent generalizations and judgements of the community. On the balance, Kareena’s perceptions and prejudices come from how her parents were treated and how she has been treated when measured against cultural norms, and so clearly she has reasons for her beliefs.
Some of the drama in this book was also VERY high school appropriate and I think if I had read this as a young adult, I would have had a lot more patience with the juvenile level of drama. What I liked though, was that Kareena’s “high school” drama with her ex-friends Ranya and Saanvi, was nicely contrasted with some of the life-deep drama she was facing at home with her father’s health, her Muay Thai aspirations, and her family’s future. The contrast of those different levels of drama felt very authentic and true for a character coming of age in these circumstances, and having to balance the last bits of childishness with becoming an adult.
My favourite parts of this were the Muay Thai plot, the theme around the importance of community and girl-led support, and the love story between Kareena and Amit. You could definitely tell that the author was very experienced in Muay Thai as she brought the training and preparation and mindset and the fights to the page in a way that not only got you understanding the sport but also understanding why Kareena was so passionate about it. Yes there was A LOT of repetition of Kareena’s motivation in the sport, the prospect of World Championships, the fact that Muay Thai would potentially be becoming an Olympic sport, but I think it served to continue center the fact that at it’s heart, this was a novel about a girl in a sport disapproved of by her culture who remains dedicated to that sport and the empowerment it brings her. I loved the romantic elements with Amit because Kareena never lost focus on her goals because of her feelings for him. She didn’t need romantic love to soften her or heal something in her or to “find balance.” Her goals remained her goals and her dedication to her sport was untouchable. And Amit recognized that and supported that and understood that her goals were number 1. The coding bits seemed a little improbable to me but what do I know, maybe it makes sense in real life. I also loved the idea of the sisterhood of female athletes.
Overall, I really enjoyed this. It was fun, but also really thoughtful and inspiring and uplifting. Highly recommend to lovers of YA fiction or anyone interested in an own voices book about a young Indian-American Muay Thai fighter.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Flux Books in exchange for an honest review.
January 14, 2021
I feel slightly disadvantaged reviewing Sajni Patel’s, The Knockout – I’m not Indian American, I know nothing about Muay Thai, and I haven’t been a teenager in a long, long time. That said, I enjoyed The Knockout. I’ve had it sitting in my NetGalley queue for months because it was suppose to come out last year, but the pandemic pushed it back. I received this as an advance reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Once I started reading I realized that last year I read Sajni Patel’s debut, the decidedly not YA, The Trouble With Hating You. A lot of what I liked about Hating You is also present in The Knockout, but Knockout is more focused and kinder. Kareena Thakkar is a 17 yr old high school student in Texas. She feels separate from most of her peers because her focuses are Muay Thai, school, and her family. Her father has chronic kidney disease which takes a lot of the Thakkar family’s energy and resources. Her parents are not close with the local Indian community, but they are very supportive of Kareena. When Kareena has a chance to compete for a slot on the Muay Thai National team, which might lead to the Olympics, her parents never waver in their support. Kareena wavers though, because competing at the national level is expensive. She definitely doesn’t have time for boys, but her computer science teacher asks her to tutor Amit, and they begin to develop a romance with hefty dollops of flirtatious bickering and the secrets they keep from each other.
Kareena is very guarded and as the book progresses she learns the benefits of letting people in and asking for support. I was occasionally frustrated with Kareena’s me against the world mindset, but I also appreciated that she has been on her own a lot. I loved her parents and the ways they supported and protected her, even when it frustrated her. I loved the way she focused on her sport and her future. I’m not a sports participating or watching person, but I do love reading about characters who are passionate about what they do. Kareena approaches her life with drive and passion and my enjoyment of that outweighed my frustrations.
Once I started reading I realized that last year I read Sajni Patel’s debut, the decidedly not YA, The Trouble With Hating You. A lot of what I liked about Hating You is also present in The Knockout, but Knockout is more focused and kinder. Kareena Thakkar is a 17 yr old high school student in Texas. She feels separate from most of her peers because her focuses are Muay Thai, school, and her family. Her father has chronic kidney disease which takes a lot of the Thakkar family’s energy and resources. Her parents are not close with the local Indian community, but they are very supportive of Kareena. When Kareena has a chance to compete for a slot on the Muay Thai National team, which might lead to the Olympics, her parents never waver in their support. Kareena wavers though, because competing at the national level is expensive. She definitely doesn’t have time for boys, but her computer science teacher asks her to tutor Amit, and they begin to develop a romance with hefty dollops of flirtatious bickering and the secrets they keep from each other.
Kareena is very guarded and as the book progresses she learns the benefits of letting people in and asking for support. I was occasionally frustrated with Kareena’s me against the world mindset, but I also appreciated that she has been on her own a lot. I loved her parents and the ways they supported and protected her, even when it frustrated her. I loved the way she focused on her sport and her future. I’m not a sports participating or watching person, but I do love reading about characters who are passionate about what they do. Kareena approaches her life with drive and passion and my enjoyment of that outweighed my frustrations.
January 24, 2021
"The Knockout" was one of the first books I requested on NetGalley almost an entire year ago, but I've put it off in favor of earlier deadlines and what I thought would be better books. But I LOVED this one, and I'm sorry I didn't pick it up earlier.
High school senior, Kareena, is a badass Muay Thai fighter who qualifies for the US Open. The only problem? Just about everything -- her father has been quite ill, her parents don't have the money, and she isn't comfortable being an non-comforming member of her Indian community. To make everything more complicated, her computer science teacher asks her to tutor the class valedictorian, Amit. Apparently he's been having trouble despite being the "perfect" Indian -- he attends Mandir, gets perfect grades, is a total hunk, and is basically a genius. But as you read, you'll realize that no one is perfect, and that's just fine.
This is your typical realistic YA writing -- it's definitely focused on the plot and character development, and less about the beautiful prose. Usually this makes me less interested in realistic fiction, but I found Kareena to be an interesting character to follow. She is strong and independent, who at times does struggle with receiving support. It was refreshing to read a female protagonist with a romantic interest not completely be overshadowed by masculine overprotection. But really I was in this for Amit. One of the most swoon-worthy characters in YA I've read in some time.
Did I find the conclusion predictable? Yes. Were the themes and main messages broadcasted loudly and clearly and repeatedly? Yes. But did I love every gosh darn minute of it? Yes. If you enjoy realistic YA, you'll love this one.
High school senior, Kareena, is a badass Muay Thai fighter who qualifies for the US Open. The only problem? Just about everything -- her father has been quite ill, her parents don't have the money, and she isn't comfortable being an non-comforming member of her Indian community. To make everything more complicated, her computer science teacher asks her to tutor the class valedictorian, Amit. Apparently he's been having trouble despite being the "perfect" Indian -- he attends Mandir, gets perfect grades, is a total hunk, and is basically a genius. But as you read, you'll realize that no one is perfect, and that's just fine.
This is your typical realistic YA writing -- it's definitely focused on the plot and character development, and less about the beautiful prose. Usually this makes me less interested in realistic fiction, but I found Kareena to be an interesting character to follow. She is strong and independent, who at times does struggle with receiving support. It was refreshing to read a female protagonist with a romantic interest not completely be overshadowed by masculine overprotection. But really I was in this for Amit. One of the most swoon-worthy characters in YA I've read in some time.
Did I find the conclusion predictable? Yes. Were the themes and main messages broadcasted loudly and clearly and repeatedly? Yes. But did I love every gosh darn minute of it? Yes. If you enjoy realistic YA, you'll love this one.
January 6, 2021
The debut contemporary romance The Trouble with Hating You by this author is one of my favorite books of 2020!! So, I jumped on the opportunity to read another book by her.
The plotline is very intriguing. But I am a little bit disappointed. Maybe, is just my issue with YA where my tastes are very specific and I rarely love that genre anymore.
I love everything that this book represents; diversity, female Muay Thai fighter, family dynamic, young love. I wish I cared more about it. Kareena's struggle with being an athlete and at the same time being a part of the community is very relatable. If you read YA contemporary definitely give this book a chance. Especially, younger readers..I hope they pick this book up.
* I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
The plotline is very intriguing. But I am a little bit disappointed. Maybe, is just my issue with YA where my tastes are very specific and I rarely love that genre anymore.
I love everything that this book represents; diversity, female Muay Thai fighter, family dynamic, young love. I wish I cared more about it. Kareena's struggle with being an athlete and at the same time being a part of the community is very relatable. If you read YA contemporary definitely give this book a chance. Especially, younger readers..I hope they pick this book up.
* I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
July 29, 2020
4.5 stars.
This was good. Really good. The premise of the book was so intriguing and it definitely ticked all the boxes for me.
The main character was so complex and she struggled a lot but her character arc is one of the best I have read so far.
The plot went in a direction I did not expect it to take but I definitely loved it.
The love interest in this novel was developed so well and I liked how the author delved into his situation and I really got to read both experiences of being an Indian American and I think that really helped to shape the story.
The representation was done really well in my opinion but I didn't really like a line in the story where the main character called herself exotic even though I think it was important to help show her growth throughout the story.
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and I look forward to reading more by this author.
This was good. Really good. The premise of the book was so intriguing and it definitely ticked all the boxes for me.
The main character was so complex and she struggled a lot but her character arc is one of the best I have read so far.
The plot went in a direction I did not expect it to take but I definitely loved it.
The love interest in this novel was developed so well and I liked how the author delved into his situation and I really got to read both experiences of being an Indian American and I think that really helped to shape the story.
The representation was done really well in my opinion but I didn't really like a line in the story where the main character called herself exotic even though I think it was important to help show her growth throughout the story.
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and I look forward to reading more by this author.
January 28, 2021
I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Knockout is an empowering story with great commentary on culture and acceptance. I absolutely adored how supportive Kareena's parents are despite Muay Thai being seen as too violent in their community. While it is sports fiction, the book also has a splendid portrayal of female friendships, good rep, and a body positive message.
Some parts of the story did get repetitive at one point but it was an entertaining read nonetheless.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
The Knockout is an empowering story with great commentary on culture and acceptance. I absolutely adored how supportive Kareena's parents are despite Muay Thai being seen as too violent in their community. While it is sports fiction, the book also has a splendid portrayal of female friendships, good rep, and a body positive message.
Some parts of the story did get repetitive at one point but it was an entertaining read nonetheless.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
May 15, 2022
3.5 stars
I really need to keep my goodreads more up-to-date, I actually finished this a week ago after listening to it in one day.
I liked the sports theme and the discussion about athletic girls and how it fits together with culture! The MCs family was amazing and after reading only books with toxic parents this month, it was refreshing to read.
What I didn't like was the insta love! Come on! The love interest was cute tho (maybe a bit tot perfect) and I liked how their relationship unfolded overall.
I really need to keep my goodreads more up-to-date, I actually finished this a week ago after listening to it in one day.
I liked the sports theme and the discussion about athletic girls and how it fits together with culture! The MCs family was amazing and after reading only books with toxic parents this month, it was refreshing to read.
What I didn't like was the insta love! Come on! The love interest was cute tho (maybe a bit tot perfect) and I liked how their relationship unfolded overall.
December 27, 2020
I really enjoyed this book!
It was packed with action, family, and a real exploration of struggle and trying to defy odds.
I found Kareena's character to be so relatable, thinking of her family, studies, but also wanting something so badly.
I found myself holding my breath for some of the scenes, I liked the descriptions!
It was packed with action, family, and a real exploration of struggle and trying to defy odds.
I found Kareena's character to be so relatable, thinking of her family, studies, but also wanting something so badly.
I found myself holding my breath for some of the scenes, I liked the descriptions!
January 25, 2021
Rating: 3.5 Stars
While the rest of her world was crumbling, Kareena earned the chance of lifetime - an invitation to compete in the US Muay Thai Open. This could be a door-opening opportunity, and Kareena could not help but see hope for more in her future. The related financial obligations, though, might derail her plans unless Kareena learned to open up and trust in others.
I absolutely loved the premise of this book. Elite athletes intrigue me, and I love getting into their heads and seeing them in action. Their drive and passion is always so inspiring, and I am thrilled to cheer for them as they give their all for their dream.
Kareena was an easy character to root for. She had been training in her sport for about a decade. I have no doubts about her dedication, but she had many obstacles in her way. First and foremost was the cost of the sport. Since her father's illness worsened, Kareena's family struggled with their finances. They never put that worry on her, but she knew her mother was working two jobs, and that they were essentially living paycheck to paycheck. Though this was a source of stress for Kareena, it was also a driving force, pushing her to excel and go further than she ever imagined in this sport.
She also had to deal with the isolation of participating in a combative sport. I have said this before, I do not think there are girl-things or boy-things, but we all know this line of thought exists. Kareena knew she would be harshly judged for partaking in such a non-ladylike sport. Though her parents supported and cheered her on, she felt the need to keep this part of herself a secret. I really felt her pain there. Feeling like she had to hide a big piece of who she was in order to be accepted.
One of my favorite parts of the book was when Kareena finally opened up, and realized there was this wonderful community simply waiting to be there for her. They really rallied the troops when she needed them. The outpouring of friendship and support was touching, and I was so happy Kareena was finally able to trust others and allow them to share in her dream.
Though some of the community and girl drama didn't really work for me, I loved just about everything else about Kareena's story. I pick up sports based books, because they tend to be inspiring and feel-good. My heart was definitely filled with warmth and joy at the end of this book, and I enjoyed cheering for Kareena as she put her heart and soul into making her aspirations a reality.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
While the rest of her world was crumbling, Kareena earned the chance of lifetime - an invitation to compete in the US Muay Thai Open. This could be a door-opening opportunity, and Kareena could not help but see hope for more in her future. The related financial obligations, though, might derail her plans unless Kareena learned to open up and trust in others.
I absolutely loved the premise of this book. Elite athletes intrigue me, and I love getting into their heads and seeing them in action. Their drive and passion is always so inspiring, and I am thrilled to cheer for them as they give their all for their dream.
Kareena was an easy character to root for. She had been training in her sport for about a decade. I have no doubts about her dedication, but she had many obstacles in her way. First and foremost was the cost of the sport. Since her father's illness worsened, Kareena's family struggled with their finances. They never put that worry on her, but she knew her mother was working two jobs, and that they were essentially living paycheck to paycheck. Though this was a source of stress for Kareena, it was also a driving force, pushing her to excel and go further than she ever imagined in this sport.
She also had to deal with the isolation of participating in a combative sport. I have said this before, I do not think there are girl-things or boy-things, but we all know this line of thought exists. Kareena knew she would be harshly judged for partaking in such a non-ladylike sport. Though her parents supported and cheered her on, she felt the need to keep this part of herself a secret. I really felt her pain there. Feeling like she had to hide a big piece of who she was in order to be accepted.
One of my favorite parts of the book was when Kareena finally opened up, and realized there was this wonderful community simply waiting to be there for her. They really rallied the troops when she needed them. The outpouring of friendship and support was touching, and I was so happy Kareena was finally able to trust others and allow them to share in her dream.
Though some of the community and girl drama didn't really work for me, I loved just about everything else about Kareena's story. I pick up sports based books, because they tend to be inspiring and feel-good. My heart was definitely filled with warmth and joy at the end of this book, and I enjoyed cheering for Kareena as she put her heart and soul into making her aspirations a reality.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
BLOG | INSTAGRAM |TWITTER | BLOGLOVIN | FRIEND ME ON GOODREADS
January 22, 2021
I N C R E D I B L E
RTC
RTC
June 30, 2022
G-rated, multicultural, sports romance
Kareena Thakkar is a 17-year-old Indian-American girl who is highly skilled at Muay Thai, a form of martial arts that originated in Thailand. She has been formally trained in MT since she was eight years old, and she has become such a superstar at MT, her coach informs her that she has been invited to compete on the national level. He tells her that she might even have a chance to go to the Olympics if she does well enough in those competitions. Kareena is thrilled at this news, but the problem is, it will cost around $4000 for her competition fees and travel costs. Her family cannot afford it, and she has no idea where to get the money.
In addition to being a stellar athlete, Kareena is very smart and makes all A’s in school. She had enough credits to graduate high school at the end of her junior year, but she did not do that, because she is trying to reduce her future college tuition costs by taking as many publicly-funded AP classes as she can. By the end of this school year, she will have obtained a whole year of college for free, and she will enter the local community college as a sophomore. She will also save on college expenses by continuing to live at home. The main reason for the poverty of Kareena’s family is that her beloved father has a serious renal disorder which has almost proved fatal on several occasions. For some time now, he has not been able to work because of his illness, and her mother has been forced to work two clerical jobs to support the family and pay his hospital bills.
Kareena is an adored only child whose parents have mutually encouraged her passion for MT from the beginning, in spite of the fact that, among the members of the Indian-American community in their town in Texas, the values of traditional, patriarchal Indian culture prevail. Indian matriarchs (who go by the honorific, “aunty”) have judged her parents for allowing their daughter to practice MT. And they have judged Kareena herself as “unfeminine” and “violent” and therefore unworthy and unsafe to associate with their children. Long before allowing her daughter to shockingly pursue MT, Kareena’s mother was also stigmatized by the local aunties because she married for love, rather than having an arranged marriage, and also because she dropped out of medical school rather than becoming a doctor and, as a result, works as a lowly secretary. As a result of all this prejudice, Kareena’s family has for years avoided the Indian community, including its periodic festivals. This has led to a further criticism from the Indian aunties, that Kareena has not been raised to be “Indian enough.”
Kareena has only one friend, her BFF, Lily, a beautiful, charismatic, African-heritage Filipina-American who is the same age as Kareena. Unlike Kareena, Lily is filled with confidence in her personal relationships. The only self-confidence that Kareena has is in her MT skills. Among the students at her school, and especially among fellow Indians, she is extremely insecure, both because of the putdowns from the Indian community, and also because she is very introverted.
Early in the book, Kareena connects with her romantic interest in this novel, Amit Patel. He is her age and in several of her classes. He is also Indian-American, and Kareena has known him by sight all her life. Before her mother’s ostracism by the Indian aunties, Kareena’s parents actually used to be friends with Amit’s parents. However, that was before Kareena’s time, and she has never actually talked to Amit until their mutual teacher for AP computer science asks Kareena to tutor him in that class. Kareena doesn’t argue with the teacher, but she thinks this is a bizarre request, because Amit is a straight-A student, one of the most brilliant people in school, and in line to become class valedictorian. Though it is clear from the start that both Kareena and Amit are physically and emotionally attracted to each other, neither of them is allowed to date, and it is even a stretch for them to decide to spend time together as platonic friends, given their extremely busy schedules. Though Kareena’s parents are quite progressive compared to the rest of the local Indian-American community in terms of her MT, in terms of dating, they are not. However, they are progressive enough to encourage her to, as they did, find her own love match in college. In contrast, Amit’s conservative parents expect him to ultimately be matched to his future wife by them, with the assistance of an Indian matchmaker. So dating is never in the cards for him, according to them.
This novel is written entirely from the sole first-person point of view of Kareena. Inevitably, as an immature teenager, to a large extent, Kareena is an “unreliable narrator.” Other than the moments when, in a poorly motivated way, the author assigns to her self-insights that seems improbable, since she’s never received therapy of any kind or even been to a free support group. Kareena spends a huge amount of the book angsting about several main issues: (1) her father’s poor health, (2) her family’s poverty caused by medical debt, and whether she will be able to find a way to raise the $4000 she needs to be able to compete nationally with MT, and (3) the fact that she has a very muscular body—which she is simultaneously proud of for how much it helps her succeed at MT, and ashamed of because it is “unfeminine.” It is rather frustrating that, though Kareena frequently complains, both to Lily and to herself in her own thoughts, about Indian-American girls and women judging and shaming her, the truth is, she incessantly judges herself as much or more than any other Mean Girl/Woman antagonist in the book. This is most noticeable in that she suffers from a form of body dysmorphia, which involves her being embarrassed by the muscular legs, arms, and six-pack abdomen that she has purposely developed through years of regular weight lifting.
Given the fact that we never experience Amit’s POV, we only get to know him through Kareena’s perceptions, which are frequently skewed by her psychological issues. But overall, as objectively measured by his behavior on stage, he appears to be a fault-free romance hero. He is a brilliant programmer, who is well on his way to being exceedingly prosperous in the future. He is a good communicator. He is a liberated feminist—in spite of the antiquated, patriarchal beliefs he has been steeped in from birth. And, as all romance protagonists must be, he is gorgeous and well built, and he is intensely attracted to Kareena, whom he perceives as beautiful, inside and out.
It is never explained why Kareena has only one friend, Lily. You would think, given the fact that she has been taking MT classes for the past nine years and has spent half her life there, she might have made a few friends among her fellow, talented MT practitioners.
The portion of this novel having to do with Amit’s genius in computer science, and Kareena’s being capable of amazingly looking at his complex programming and instantly—and accurately—pointing out exactly what he needs to do to make his multi-million-dollar program succeed, is absolute nonsense. I told my IT husband about it and he practically fell over laughing at how unrealistic that little subplot is.
I personally find it frustrating that the author has based the entire central premise of the cause of Kareena’s family’s poverty on some crucial fiscal errors. It seems clear that her parents are both either citizens of the US or have a green card. Therefore, due to his long-term, serious illness, her father would definitely qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), which also automatically would cause him to be enrolled early in traditional Medicare (vs. the lousy coverage of the rip-off, private insurance, Medicare Advantage). The hospitalization portion of Medicare, Part A, would be free. Coverage for Part B, for office visits, is not free under SSDI, but the premium is only around $170/month, and it would be deducted from his monthly SSDI payment, as would the premium for drug benefits, Plan D, and supplemental insurance, Plan G, which pays for all medical expenses not covered by Part A and B (and which he would be insane not to sign up for). The cost of these premiums, altogether, would be about $3300-$4000 per year, and there would be no more money owed for any of his medical treatments other than the Part B deductible of $202/year. Therefore, the entire plot premise, that Kareena’s mother has to work two jobs because the family is burdened with $50,000 or more of her father’s medical debt is an invalid premise.
In addition, speaking of money logic, the author also fails to have Kareena attempt to apply for scholarships or financial aid to help her afford college. It is a relief, however, to finally read a YA novel in which the teen protagonist is willing to make the sensible choice of living at home and attending an in-state community college. This can save up to $100,000 or more of college debt.
If one can overlook the enormous plot issue of medical debt, the author does a good job with the MT plot and the romance plot. Unfortunately, the social-drama conflict with the Indian community is ultimately glossed over in the required HEA for YA novels. One main Indian Mean Girl and Amit’s parents are symbolically employed by the author as stand-ins for the whole Indian community. And once they have been summarily dealt with, the author obviously assumes readers will be satisfied that this major loose end has been neatly tied up.
Overall, in terms of multiple Indian-American romance novels, both YA and adult, that I have read recently, this one is an entertaining entry that many readers, of all ages, will enjoy. The concept of romantic vs arranged marriages is a frequent romantic conflict in that subgenre, and this author covers that trope fairly well. As an entry in the subgenre of YA sports romances, this book’s offering of a heroine who is a martial-arts virtuoso is quite uncommon. The only other novel with that theme I have encountered so far is Ninja Girl by Cookie O’Gorman, which I love.
I rate this novel as follows:
Heroine: 3.5 stars
Romantic Hero: 4 stars
Subcharacters Who Are Allies: 4 stars
Subcharacters Who Are Adversaries: 3 stars
Romance Plot: 4 stars
Martial Arts Plot: 5 stars
Computer Science Plot: 2 stars
Sick Father Plot: 3.5 stars
Family Poverty Plot: 2 stars
Indian Community Plot: 3 stars
Writing: 3.5 stars
Audiobook Narration: 3.5 stars
Overall: 3.4 stars rounded to 4 stars
Kareena Thakkar is a 17-year-old Indian-American girl who is highly skilled at Muay Thai, a form of martial arts that originated in Thailand. She has been formally trained in MT since she was eight years old, and she has become such a superstar at MT, her coach informs her that she has been invited to compete on the national level. He tells her that she might even have a chance to go to the Olympics if she does well enough in those competitions. Kareena is thrilled at this news, but the problem is, it will cost around $4000 for her competition fees and travel costs. Her family cannot afford it, and she has no idea where to get the money.
In addition to being a stellar athlete, Kareena is very smart and makes all A’s in school. She had enough credits to graduate high school at the end of her junior year, but she did not do that, because she is trying to reduce her future college tuition costs by taking as many publicly-funded AP classes as she can. By the end of this school year, she will have obtained a whole year of college for free, and she will enter the local community college as a sophomore. She will also save on college expenses by continuing to live at home. The main reason for the poverty of Kareena’s family is that her beloved father has a serious renal disorder which has almost proved fatal on several occasions. For some time now, he has not been able to work because of his illness, and her mother has been forced to work two clerical jobs to support the family and pay his hospital bills.
Kareena is an adored only child whose parents have mutually encouraged her passion for MT from the beginning, in spite of the fact that, among the members of the Indian-American community in their town in Texas, the values of traditional, patriarchal Indian culture prevail. Indian matriarchs (who go by the honorific, “aunty”) have judged her parents for allowing their daughter to practice MT. And they have judged Kareena herself as “unfeminine” and “violent” and therefore unworthy and unsafe to associate with their children. Long before allowing her daughter to shockingly pursue MT, Kareena’s mother was also stigmatized by the local aunties because she married for love, rather than having an arranged marriage, and also because she dropped out of medical school rather than becoming a doctor and, as a result, works as a lowly secretary. As a result of all this prejudice, Kareena’s family has for years avoided the Indian community, including its periodic festivals. This has led to a further criticism from the Indian aunties, that Kareena has not been raised to be “Indian enough.”
Kareena has only one friend, her BFF, Lily, a beautiful, charismatic, African-heritage Filipina-American who is the same age as Kareena. Unlike Kareena, Lily is filled with confidence in her personal relationships. The only self-confidence that Kareena has is in her MT skills. Among the students at her school, and especially among fellow Indians, she is extremely insecure, both because of the putdowns from the Indian community, and also because she is very introverted.
Early in the book, Kareena connects with her romantic interest in this novel, Amit Patel. He is her age and in several of her classes. He is also Indian-American, and Kareena has known him by sight all her life. Before her mother’s ostracism by the Indian aunties, Kareena’s parents actually used to be friends with Amit’s parents. However, that was before Kareena’s time, and she has never actually talked to Amit until their mutual teacher for AP computer science asks Kareena to tutor him in that class. Kareena doesn’t argue with the teacher, but she thinks this is a bizarre request, because Amit is a straight-A student, one of the most brilliant people in school, and in line to become class valedictorian. Though it is clear from the start that both Kareena and Amit are physically and emotionally attracted to each other, neither of them is allowed to date, and it is even a stretch for them to decide to spend time together as platonic friends, given their extremely busy schedules. Though Kareena’s parents are quite progressive compared to the rest of the local Indian-American community in terms of her MT, in terms of dating, they are not. However, they are progressive enough to encourage her to, as they did, find her own love match in college. In contrast, Amit’s conservative parents expect him to ultimately be matched to his future wife by them, with the assistance of an Indian matchmaker. So dating is never in the cards for him, according to them.
This novel is written entirely from the sole first-person point of view of Kareena. Inevitably, as an immature teenager, to a large extent, Kareena is an “unreliable narrator.” Other than the moments when, in a poorly motivated way, the author assigns to her self-insights that seems improbable, since she’s never received therapy of any kind or even been to a free support group. Kareena spends a huge amount of the book angsting about several main issues: (1) her father’s poor health, (2) her family’s poverty caused by medical debt, and whether she will be able to find a way to raise the $4000 she needs to be able to compete nationally with MT, and (3) the fact that she has a very muscular body—which she is simultaneously proud of for how much it helps her succeed at MT, and ashamed of because it is “unfeminine.” It is rather frustrating that, though Kareena frequently complains, both to Lily and to herself in her own thoughts, about Indian-American girls and women judging and shaming her, the truth is, she incessantly judges herself as much or more than any other Mean Girl/Woman antagonist in the book. This is most noticeable in that she suffers from a form of body dysmorphia, which involves her being embarrassed by the muscular legs, arms, and six-pack abdomen that she has purposely developed through years of regular weight lifting.
Given the fact that we never experience Amit’s POV, we only get to know him through Kareena’s perceptions, which are frequently skewed by her psychological issues. But overall, as objectively measured by his behavior on stage, he appears to be a fault-free romance hero. He is a brilliant programmer, who is well on his way to being exceedingly prosperous in the future. He is a good communicator. He is a liberated feminist—in spite of the antiquated, patriarchal beliefs he has been steeped in from birth. And, as all romance protagonists must be, he is gorgeous and well built, and he is intensely attracted to Kareena, whom he perceives as beautiful, inside and out.
It is never explained why Kareena has only one friend, Lily. You would think, given the fact that she has been taking MT classes for the past nine years and has spent half her life there, she might have made a few friends among her fellow, talented MT practitioners.
The portion of this novel having to do with Amit’s genius in computer science, and Kareena’s being capable of amazingly looking at his complex programming and instantly—and accurately—pointing out exactly what he needs to do to make his multi-million-dollar program succeed, is absolute nonsense. I told my IT husband about it and he practically fell over laughing at how unrealistic that little subplot is.
I personally find it frustrating that the author has based the entire central premise of the cause of Kareena’s family’s poverty on some crucial fiscal errors. It seems clear that her parents are both either citizens of the US or have a green card. Therefore, due to his long-term, serious illness, her father would definitely qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), which also automatically would cause him to be enrolled early in traditional Medicare (vs. the lousy coverage of the rip-off, private insurance, Medicare Advantage). The hospitalization portion of Medicare, Part A, would be free. Coverage for Part B, for office visits, is not free under SSDI, but the premium is only around $170/month, and it would be deducted from his monthly SSDI payment, as would the premium for drug benefits, Plan D, and supplemental insurance, Plan G, which pays for all medical expenses not covered by Part A and B (and which he would be insane not to sign up for). The cost of these premiums, altogether, would be about $3300-$4000 per year, and there would be no more money owed for any of his medical treatments other than the Part B deductible of $202/year. Therefore, the entire plot premise, that Kareena’s mother has to work two jobs because the family is burdened with $50,000 or more of her father’s medical debt is an invalid premise.
In addition, speaking of money logic, the author also fails to have Kareena attempt to apply for scholarships or financial aid to help her afford college. It is a relief, however, to finally read a YA novel in which the teen protagonist is willing to make the sensible choice of living at home and attending an in-state community college. This can save up to $100,000 or more of college debt.
If one can overlook the enormous plot issue of medical debt, the author does a good job with the MT plot and the romance plot. Unfortunately, the social-drama conflict with the Indian community is ultimately glossed over in the required HEA for YA novels. One main Indian Mean Girl and Amit’s parents are symbolically employed by the author as stand-ins for the whole Indian community. And once they have been summarily dealt with, the author obviously assumes readers will be satisfied that this major loose end has been neatly tied up.
Overall, in terms of multiple Indian-American romance novels, both YA and adult, that I have read recently, this one is an entertaining entry that many readers, of all ages, will enjoy. The concept of romantic vs arranged marriages is a frequent romantic conflict in that subgenre, and this author covers that trope fairly well. As an entry in the subgenre of YA sports romances, this book’s offering of a heroine who is a martial-arts virtuoso is quite uncommon. The only other novel with that theme I have encountered so far is Ninja Girl by Cookie O’Gorman, which I love.
I rate this novel as follows:
Heroine: 3.5 stars
Romantic Hero: 4 stars
Subcharacters Who Are Allies: 4 stars
Subcharacters Who Are Adversaries: 3 stars
Romance Plot: 4 stars
Martial Arts Plot: 5 stars
Computer Science Plot: 2 stars
Sick Father Plot: 3.5 stars
Family Poverty Plot: 2 stars
Indian Community Plot: 3 stars
Writing: 3.5 stars
Audiobook Narration: 3.5 stars
Overall: 3.4 stars rounded to 4 stars
Displaying 1 - 30 of 233 reviews