Four young Muslim men are accused of sexual crimes against a classmate, 16 year old Jodie, who suffers from a horrific facial deformity. Zara, a former successful lawyer, is the assigned counselor who promises to support her through the upcoming trial. As the story progresses, Jodie’s reliability is questioned and the leader of the accused young men has demonstrated questionable behavior towards women. The trial brings racial divisiveness and eventually the principal trigger becomes neither the accuser nor the accused; rather, Zara becomes the whipping post for both sides. She is a Muslim woman working for the other side; she abandoned a successful legal career, her brief marriage and now her community. Violence erupts: a murder and a vicious beating. Threats are made by both sides. Can this schism ever be mended? Kia Abdullah has written a tragic story involving heavily flawed characters, leaving the reader to determine whether justice has been served.

I received a copy of TAKE IT BACK on NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to the author and publisher for this opportunity.

Five stars and here’s why:

HOLY MOLY. I was hooked from page one and it became a twisted tale of he said/she said, and in all honesty, my heart was beating so fast. It is very applicable to what could happen in today’s society. If you love excellent writing with a side of drama, and plot twist after twist, then this book is for you. Riveting tale. Total book hanger. Highly recommend!

Take it Back by Kia Abdullah is a very interesting read. It is a courtroom drama. Who do you believe? - Four high school boy's who grew up Muslim or one disformed white girl, Jodie Wolfe The book is fascinating to learn about the Muslim culture from the boy's perspective as young males, the lawyer and social advocate, Zara Kaleel, who is a Muslim woman, Zara's brother's control over the family, and how the community banded together and the town torn apart. This book touches on so many social issues about rape, race, culture, poverty, privilege, alcoholism, disabilities, religion, mixed races.

The book engaged me from the beginning and I finished it in a couple of days. The storytelling keeps you moving along and there are a few surprises at the end of the book. It is worth reading! I think this book would make a good book club discussion because so many issues are raised in this book. The release date on this book is December 8, 2020 and I received an advanced copy of this book for an honest review.

#TakeItBack #KiaAbduliah #NetGalley

Zara is a former Barrister who is now a Caseworker working with victims. She is of Southeastern Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, etc.) decent and was raised Muslim. She is divorced from a brief arranged marriage, drinks and tends to abuse opioids. Jodie is a 16 year old girl with facial deformities who has been victimized her entire life. Her father left when she was a toddler and her mother is a drunk. She comes to Zara as a client and tells her that after a party where alcohol and drugs were available she was sexually assaulted by four classmates. She describes the assault in detail. The four boys are also Muslim, but drink and use drugs. The novel is about the trial and the trials this major case has for those involved. It is very well written and the complex plot is one you will not soon forget. The climaxes are amazing and allows you to come to your own conclusion. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC for an honest review.

This is a shocking ride. It grabbed my attention right from the first page and never let go. What seems like a pretty open and shut case becomes a tangled mess of he said, she said. Literally. I went from moments of believing the stories of both Jodie and the boys accused, to not believing a single thing anyone said, to finally being shocked speechless.

My favourite part is the second half of the story - when the court room drama begins. I love watching court proceedings that are broadcasted for high profile cases and this feels like the reader is watching a living, breathing court case. I can’t begin to describe how realistic this is, with so many relevant and hard hitting points on rape, women in male dominated work environments, race and religion, cultural gender roles, and violence.

This is really well-written and so applicable to many things that happen in today’s society. A definite must read for investigatory crime enthusiasts.

Take It Back is full of thorny issues that constantly leave you wondering what the truth is, and what people are willing to believe because it fits their preconceived notions, or because it challenges their perception of their own culture. Zara, a former high-powered lawyer, now works for a group that defends sexual assault victims. She's handed a doozy of a case when a young white girl with a physical deformity comes in and claims she was sexually assaulted by her four Muslim classmates. Zara herself is a Muslim, albeit one that doesn't conform to traditional norms, and the case quickly spirals into a media circus with not just the question of what happened between Jodie and her four classmates but also whether Zara is a betrayal to her "own people". This story is constantly intriguing because the reader doesn't actually know what happened, just the interpretation of the different people involved - and there isn't much murkier than the he said, she said that goes on in regards to sexual assault. It's clear throughout the book that all the of the young people are selectively sharing information and so the reader is forced to try and make their mind up based on what they learn about each one's character as it's revealed. Then there's several twists that bring everything into a whole new light at the end. There were times that I felt like it ping-ponged too much between POVs, and it felt like there were almost too many personal demons that Zara was dealing with that made it difficult to focus on what I felt like was her true essence - doing what she felt was right, despite having a culture and an upbringing that taught her to acquiesce. That being said, overall I felt this book was really good, and did a great job of showing how a situation like this can get very complicated, very quickly.

TAKE IT BACK is a great suspense novel so skillfully written that I truly wasn't sure who was telling the truth until the very end. The story focuses on Jodie, a teenager with a badly misshapen face and Zara, a barrister turned advocate for women who have been sexually assaulted. Jodie claims she was raped by four Muslim classmates. Zara herself is Muslim and well-versed in the callous way some Muslim men view women and she takes on Jodie's cause. Abdullah does a great job of showing the reader the strengths and insecurities of both Zara and Jodie, and the way their past experiences inform their reaction to the event. But when the Muslim community turns against Zara, branding her a traitor and the right-wingers start yelling "Justice for Jodie", things begin to unravel and situation spins far out of control with disastrous consequences. TAKE IT BACK is a great story, but it also made me think about how much the color of one's skin and one's physical appearance affect whether people will believe that what we are saying is true. And excellent read for the time we find ourselves in. I can't wait to read Abdullah's next book!

Take It Back is the story Zara, a strong Muslim woman that just happens to be a damn good lawyer.
Plus a young white girl with facial deformities that just might be her biggest case ever.
Add in 4 young Muslim men and a racial war just might ignite.

“Zara—and Stark—had worked enough rape cases to know a woman didn’t always say no. She may be scared of getting her head bashed in or a hip caved in. It was unbearably unfair that these crimes were tried by such broad brushes.”

This was a TRULY powerful story. Zara is a sexual assault lawyer working the case of 16-year old Jodie, a facially-disfigured white girl accusing four muslim men of rape. What follows is a story of truth, discrimination, racism, and court proceedings.

How could four boys from hard-working immigrant families be accused of such a malicious cry? The public is outraged and Zara is personally targeted being a muslim woman herself working “against her own kind.” We’re led through the trial and a whole lot of “who-dun-it” and I promise, you won’t see the end coming.

The writing was phenomenal. Abdullah has a way with storytelling that is captivating without dragging the plot along slowly. The only complaint I have is that I wanted the story to be even longer. You will feel all the feels with this one.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I read a little bit of this book and just wasnt feeling the vibe. The main character was hard to like. And yet she was written somewhat of a caricature of what a Muslim woman who didnt want to wear a hijab and abide by their rules of their faith....

Don't even know where to start here....my mind is spinning. Kia Abdullah brings a book so full of characters so real you cannot help but emphasize with them. The story is mainly about Jodie Wolfe a disfigured 16 year old white girl who after attending a party accuses 4 Muslin schoolmates of raping her. She does not immediately report the rape, but several days later brings herself to Zara - Zara was a successful barrister who left all behind to become a sexual assault counselor. After listening to Jodie, Zara brings her to make her statement with the police. Not longer after are the boys arrested. While the story is mainly about Jodie and the boys, the back story is Zara who plays a key role -- Zara is Muslim and is on the side of the prosecution which raises a lot of backlash for not protecting "her own". Through the author's words we feel tons of emotions ranging from sadness, empathy to rage. The book brings us into a world most of us have never entered nor can imagine.

The first part of the book prepares Jodie (and the readers) for the upcoming courtroom battle - the she said / he said and all the tricks included in any well publicized and emotional trial. After each witness is placed on the stand and you read their testimony and cross examination you don't know what to believe or disbelieve. Who is credible:? Who is not? It is who has the best attorney or the best looks?

Don't miss out on this one!!

I requested this book due to the reviews and recommendations of others. Unfortunately, I coild not get past the first page. The writing style was a bit overdone for me. Therer were too many unnecessary words in each sentence, which was distracting. It was like the author was trying too hard to use descriptive words and it took away from the story and I couldn't even figure out what was supposed to be happening. I know I didn't give it much of a try, but if the rest of it is written that way, it isn't for me.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing this book in exchange e for my honest review.

You know how I say that life is too short for boring books?

Unfortunately this is one of those times.

I'm not saying this book is bad. I only got 24% of the way in before I decided to give up. I just could not get into it. I wanted to like it - four Muslim boys accused of raping a white, handicapped girl. The book has differing viewpoints and is unique and diverse.

But two nights in a row I chose to play games on my phone and watch reality TV over read this book. And that's when I knew I just couldn't continue. I just couldn't like it.

So I'm not saying this is a bad book. In fact, I think many of you may like it.

I'm just saying this is not the book for me at this time.

"Take it Back" is a 'must-read' for people who love courtroom drama. It is fast-paced and full of social-issues that really make this genre interesting to read about. AND it is set in Britain- what a fun bonus for an American reader like me who only has experience reading American court-room dramas.

I had a slow start with "Take it Back"-- this is the third book in a row that I have read that centers around rape and the heavy content can make parts of this book a difficult read. The rape itself is retold a few times, but it's not as explicit as it could have been- for which I am personally thankful. The beginning introduces our main character- Zara Kaleel- as a character that is difficult to relate to and is troubled and struggling. It took about 50 pages to get a feel for the book and WANT to keep reading it. Once I was past the slow beginning, the story really picked up.

Zara was starting to become a successful lawyer before she suddenly quit to become a social worker/legal advisor for a women's rape and abuse center. She meets Jodie, a young white girl with a physical disability. Jodie tells Zara her experience of being recently raped by four young Muslim boys from her school... and so starts the story. Race relations (obviously) make such a big part of this book- would the boys have been believed if they were white? How does the outlook of the case change since the main character is disabled and white? How does the media- both social media and news reporters- change the way that people view the case? I loved thinking about all of this as I read and would love to be involved in a book club that discusses this book because of these questions that can be related to problems in society.

I received an ARC copy of this book, so there may be some changes before it is released. As the book is, and without giving spoilers, the epilogue of the story completely changes the book. I was personally not a fan of it and would have likely been happier without it.

I loved this book-- or rather, 80% of the middle of it! ;)

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I highly recommend it!

Took me a bit to get into it but once I did I really enjoyed it. Though maybe enjoy is the wrong word to use. Disturbing subjects but very timely. This book will stir up all your emotions. St. Martin's Press consistently turns out great books with authors you want more of.

The start of this was a little tough and a little hard for me to get into but once I got passed the first few chapter I was sucked in. It might’ve been the layout the chapter seemed to be very spread out. It was different reading about another culture. Especially in these times where racism is clearly a major issue. It’s an eye opening journey. Court dramas aren’t usually my books of choice. This an absolute must read. Jodie’s story is heartbreaking. A disfigured 16 year old girl’s story of a rape. And Zara a string Muslim woman as a rape advocate.

This was a old book about stating up for yourself and what you believe in, in a culture where your voice is not necessarily supposed to be heard. This was a good read and had a descriptive plot that was sometime difficult to read due to the situation that was being dealt with. I feel this was a good book and had a very strong female protagonist that gave hope.
The book was well written and had a good character development.

When a young woman accuses 4 young men of a violent sexual assault, it will polarize a community where definite lines were already drawn. The young woman's lawyer is placed into the difficult position of pushing for the conviction of young men from her own Muslim neighborhood. As the girl's only protector, she will be as much on trial as her client. TAKE IT BACK weaves so many hot topics through the story that you are pulled into the controversy and are definitely invested in the outcome. A wonderfully written story full of characters you will want to know more about. Let's hope Kia Abdullah brings our young lawyer back for a second book.

Wow! What a gripping debut. This novel is so much more than a court room thriller. It deals with sexually assault, racism, and religious prejudice, all topics relevant in today’s world. Zara is the main character, a Muslim lawyer who is dealing with being disowned by her family. In walks Jodie a young white girl who was viciously attacked by four Muslim boys. The book keeps readers guessing and is suspenseful as Jodies story evolves. The shocking ending will leave some readers unsatisfied. Thank you Netgalley for review copy I look forward to seeing what this author does next!

I have never finished a book and started sobbing at the end... until now. Take It Back is one of the best books I’ve ever read. My heart broke for several characters at several places throughout the book. My jaw dropped over and over again.
What a phenomenal author able to yank me into a country and religion I am not accustomed to and make me understand and love and yet still manage to make it a psychological thriller without making it political. I would give a zillion stars but I’ll have to just give 5. I can’t wait to read everything else Kia Abdullah has written!

I cannot thank St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley enough for allowing me the extraordinary privilege of reading this book in advance.