Sixteen-year-old Jodie Wolfe who was born with severe facial deformities faces a courtroom drama because on a rare night out with a friend Jodie becomes a victim of rape.  She accuses four boys who are all from Muslim immigrant families and who are classmates from her school of committing the crime.  Jodie seeks help with her case from a rape counseling service where Zara Kaleel is assigned to take Jodie on as a client.  

Zara has experience as a skillful litigator because she was a successful barrister before she left her job to work for the counseling service.  However, Zara is also a Muslim and by taking on this case against the Muslim boys she is soon accused of being a traitor against her own people.  

Both Jodie and Zara are transported into the public spotlight by the case and things become ugly for both of them. In addition to the turmoil caused by the trial, their personal lives are not previously without trauma.  Jodie has no home life.  Her alcoholic mother is usually passed out from drinking too much and Jodie is mostly left on her own.  Zara is constantly trying to free herself from the expectations that she should follow the stereotypical life expected of a Muslim woman  Therefore, the pressure of the court case brings additional stress to both of them in their already troubled lives.  

The book, set in London, discloses the ugliness that results when a rape case is brought to court.  The emotional distress of a trial takes its toll on the victim and on the accusers.  The author successfully presents the affect it has on the individuals on both sides of the table.  It is a very emotional and disturbing story that flows around the courtroom drama itself. 
It becomes a case of deciding who is telling the truth and who is lying.

In addition to the topic of rape, the author explores religion, race, culture, family, immigrants, physical deformity, alcoholism, misogyny, and journalistic reporting.  The storyline conveys the regret and also the finality that comes with making a statement or accusation that one would like to but can’t take back.  

Kia Abdullah has structured the book so that the reader becomes like a member of the jury vacillating from one side to the other in an effort to determine the truth that lies at the root of the rape accusation.  Be sure to add this novel to your to be read pile for it is a timely read that comes with a twisted and thought provoking plot.

This review has been written from the egalley of the book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley.

Imagine yourself at a ping pong tournament or tennis match. Picture your head going back and forth, side to side, as you follow the ball. That’s what reading Take it Back felt like. I believed Jodie. No wait! I believe the boys! Oh hell, I don’t know who to believe!

Compelling and engaging from the beginning, Abdullah wrote a book that found this reader eager to know all the answers. Take it Back is a solid mystery that never let this reader really settle on solving the mystery, which for this reader one mark of an excellent story.

Goodreads indicates this is the first book in a series about Zara. Zara is flawed and I enjoyed getting to know her character in Take it Back. I’m eager to continue exploring her life in forthcoming books. And if her cases are as hard to figure out as this one was, I’ll have a new favorite series to follow.

I’m still shaking my head at the ending! A good twist that finally stopped the back and forth of my head seeking answers. You’ll have your answers and I hope you’ll enjoy the road to them as much as I did.

Take It Back is a character-driven courtroom drama that follows the story of a rape accusation and how we handle grief.

If you read and thoroughly enjoyed The Night Swim, I can't recommend this enough because they're very similar in concept and writing. While on paper this book sounds like my thing, I did find myself struggling to get through the entire book at times.

This is one of those books where you almost need to schedule when you read it because it's definitely a more deep reading experience where you should be taking your time through the pages while I almost found myself rushing through it to see what happens, which didn't mix too well for me.

An interesting story, Kia Abdullah is definitely an author who knows how to put together a well written and thoughtful book that is supposed to be thought about even after reading.

This is a story that could be in the news today.  Jodie Wolfe, who has facial deformities,  is the Victim and accuses 4 boys in her class of sexually assaulting her.  These four boys are from hard working immigrant families and of course the public outrage is great.  Jodie's lawyer, Zara is a muslim--and to make it worse so are the accused.  This story takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions seeing what Jodie goes through as well as Zara.  It's about much more thanjust the courtroom drama and is very powerful, emotional and thought provoking.  It’s a case of who’s telling the truth, who’s lying, who did what, and who didn’t! I highly recommend it.  Thank you netGalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I waivered when I went to download this book. Sometimes I have a feeling that I will either love or not love a book based on the synopsis. This was one of those that gave me pause. It sounded intriguing. But on the flip side, books that are meant to take your breath away don't always follow through. Sadly, this one didn't follow through.

Many are already raving about this book. I can see why. This book hits the hot topic of racism at its core. It's real and raw in many parts. The story itself speaks to one on a level most books really don't. The author doesn't hold back when it comes to the characters and their actions. She doesn't give any of them a break. They are who they are... or at least who they want you to think they are.

For me, this moved slow. While I admit, most of the book is at a high point due to the story itself, I felt bored with it. Maybe it's the writing. Maybe it isn't. I can't really say. As much as I wanted to know the truth, I was also just wanting to be done with the book.

I have seen many say they didn't see the ending coming. Truth: I saw it just as it played out. The ending, then the final ending. (If you read this, you will know what I mean.) It's actually what I expected. And that was disappointing on a certain level. I mean, it's the perfect ending. But at the same time, I had hoped it wouldn't end the way I thought it would.

I can’t quite put my finger on what didn’t work for me. There were aspects I liked but I felt like they came secondary to the main story. I thought the dynamic between Zara and her family, as well as with her community, was the book’s strongest point. I recognize that the conflict came from the court case but the case itself didn’t make as strong as impression as I think it meant to. The story would have been stronger, I think, if just told from Zara’s perspective. I found I couldn’t connect to her most of the time and I think more focus on her, with more subtly, could have made everything work better.

It's a very interesting crime thriller novel. A  shocking, twisting courtroom thriller. It  keeps you engaged until the last page of the book.

Jodie Wolfe accuses four immigrant boys in her class of something unthinkable.

This book is a definite page turner, hits many major sore areas, and has finally gotten me out of my book slump! 

Jodie, a young high school caucasian girl with terrible facial deformities has accused 4 muslim boys that go to school with her of rape at a party she went to with her best friend one night. Jodie’s had a hard life growing up with an alcoholic mom and being bullied by classmates.

Jodie ends up heading to Artemis House where she meets Zara, an independent sexual violence advisor. Zara is also muslim, which creates problems with her family, the accused, and the public as she is representing Jodie over the 4 boys.

You go through this book learning as much about Zara- Jodie’s legal advocate. Jodie- the accuser. And the 4 boys who were accused. 

It will keep you guessing until the end, which the end will have a huge twist that will leave you angry but thankful for the truth in the end.

This crime novel is as much about race as it is about rape. I highly recommend.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.  This storyline was intriguing.  I enjoyed the cultural aspects that were weaved into the story.  The premise is that a disabled white girl reports that she was sexually assaulted by four Muslim boys.  I was guessing about who was telling the truth all the way to the end.  I enjoyed this book and will look to read more from this author.

A twisted and intense story that takes a look at race relations between Muslins and Whites in England. Zara is a Muslim lawyer who struggles with her faith and her family traditions. A disabled white girl accuses four Muslim boys of rape and it causes a deep chasm in the society. The story looks at the family issues each of the characters struggles with and how it affects the decisions they make. The issues of mental health and drug use is dealt with in an way that focuses on the hidden pains. It is an emotional roller coaster as the story swings from one end to the next. The ending is unexpected and will surprise you.

This is a courtroom thriller full of intense situations that may make you feel angry or uncomfortable, but I think that heavy emotioms are the sign of a story that resonates. The book was not as fast paced as I prefer my thrillers to be andit also started incredibly slow. I had a difficult time getting into it.

This book by Kia Abdullah, published by St. Martin's Press is book one and a stand-alone in a new series by this author.
Meet Zara. She's a successful lawyer, driven, but left her old life behind and works now as an advisor.
TiB is a story that deals with sensitive subjects, a suspenseful read, well written.

This is a tense, sometimes brutal, courtroom thriller that doesn’t let up until the very last page. 

Zara Kaleel is a Muslim woman who left her job as barrister to work as a legal representative at a sexual assault center. Her current case involves Jodie Wolfe, a disfigured 16-year old who claims four male classmates raped her. Jodie is white, and the classmates are Muslim. While Jodie’s mom and best friend don’t believe her, Zara quickly finds that she does. 

What follows is an emotional, powerful, taut legal thriller that focuses a strong lens on rape and race (and racial tensions). Zara’s own family tells her to withdraw from the case, as she shouldn’t be working against Muslims...especially this group of teenagers who are seen as respectable. 

Zara asks at one point, “Am I supposed to put my religion ahead of the fact that I’m a woman? Do I owe more loyalty to Islam than a girl who has been victimized?”

The case sparks rage and cultural divides, leading to protests and danger. Who is lying? Who is telling the truth? Who wishes they could take it back?

Author Kia Abdullah does not mince words. Her writing is fantastic, and you’ll feel the heated tension as if you are in the courtroom. Zara is an intriguing character with many facets, and I’m glad to see she returns for the follow up. This is a powerful, thought provoking read that could have been ripped from the headlines. 

TW: Detailed descriptions of sexual assault and derogatory language. 

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Kia Abdullah, and NetGalley for a widget of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A real old fashioned courtroom thriller meets 2020. A lot of thought provoking points about rape, religion, being a teenager and even disability in this one. It's much deeper than the usual "thriller" and a little dark.

This psychological thriller gives the reader a lot to ponder after the last page. It's a courtroom drama of a high school sexual assault case, where the victim is a 16 year old white girl with facial deformities and the accused high school boys are all Muslim, with histories of immigrant parents doing everything in their power to give them a better life. Adding to the complexities of the case and trial, bringing more insights and challenges into the racial conflict is the lawyer/advocate, Zara who is also Muslim, facing her own demons with her upbringing, culture and how she chooses to live as an independent adult woman. Zara's story and her personal conflicts are what really draw the reader in, so it's not surprising that this seems to be the first in a series of crime thrillers where "Zara the Great" is the advocate and sleuth. She is definitely a character that we want to see more of after this twisty story takes the reader on the journey of the trial and unexpected ending. Zara's ethical dilemmas leave us thinking about her choices - on this case and in life. The more I I think about this story, the more I think about this story - it's that kind of novel. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book shines a light on all those different topics that we have a hard time talking about, the ones that we need to be talking about. Topics like Race, religion, Rape culture, rape itself, gender, class, and how the media affects things. I went into this book knowing that it was going to be a courtroom drama that would go over the case and kind of put me into the seat of those in the actual stor. What I didn't expect was to feel the range of emotions I did. There was anger, shame, outrage, suspicions. Honestly this is one of the best books I have read this year. Kia Abdullah is a master of her craft and I can't wait to read more from her.

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The writing style on this was great but goodness, the content was tough. This is one I was invited to read and just when I thought I'd figured out who was telling the truth, the entire story shifted. 
One lonely 16 year old girl's word against the word of 4 other male teens on a rape charge is something you never hope to come across, especially when they girl has a deformity that she's had to deal with her entire life.  Poor Lydia has had the toughest life. . . but is that life enough to make her fabricate a story against her peers for attention?

Jodie Wolfe is accusing four Muslim classmates of raping her after a party. The four boys continue to insist they are innocent. Everyone is lying about certain aspects of the evening, but will the courts be able to break down what really happened?

Wow this book. You start by immediately of course believing Jodie, however then there are a few things that make you question her story. Meanwhile the boys don’t exactly seem like a truthworthy group either. This was a great book that really broke down a rape court case, and showed you the effects on everyones life, not just the victim or the accused. This one kept me flipping pages to find out what had actually happened that night.  It wasn’t an easy read by any means, no book with rape ever is, but I really enjoyed (that doesn’t feel like the right word either?) this book!

Kia Abdullah presents a well-written courtroom drama that draws on several delicate subject matters. Race, religion, and sexual abuse all play key factors in this storyline and are approached with consideration. The plot is a bit sluggish and slow to build but fits with the entire pace of the storyline itself as this is not a fast-paced thriller. The characterization is well put together but left the reader wanting more. Overall a decent read. 3 stars.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC of #TakeItBack which was read and reviewed voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own. 

#readmorebooks #bookish #netgalleyreviews #offtheshelf #bookstagram #bookblogs #booktweets #wayward_readers