Sajni Patel's The Knockout was an exciting and unique book. It perfectly blended elements of family life, navigating your teens, and Muay Thai with ease. All of these things put together made for a great story that many will find relatable. With a great leading character and powerful messages, The Knockout was great from start to finish!

➳ Rating: 4.5/ 5 stars

I did not expect to like this book this much. I rarely read YA these days but omg this book reminded me just how good this genre can be! I absolutely loved Kareena and Amit.

The romance in this book had me so giddy omg. They were so cute. Their flirting and innocent kisses. The friendships and the immense support people should Kareena. All the feels.

Amit was such an incredible guy. Nerdy, genius, cute, sweet, super supportive. I just loved him so so much. Kareena was a fighter and not just because she did it for sport. This girl was so insecure and yet she was so badass and strong. My heart hurt for her. And I was just so excited to see her thrive in all aspects of her life.

I really really enjoyed this one. Super recommend!

This book was excellent. I did not want to put it down. Firstly, it is full of well-represented diversity, and the main character is focused on something; in Kareena’s case, it is Muay Thai, other than boys, boys, boys.

Kareena is a strong character, intelligent, and does well in STEM courses where she ends up tutoring and falling for a classmate. She is dedicated and loving to her family, and even though she feels disconnected from her community, that does not stop her from doing what she loves and changing herself.

A must-read!

As a martial artist myself, I love this premise but struggled with the writing style. Karenna’s narration is this weird mix of super casual teenspeak and thesaurus-level vocabulary. She overdescribes somethings, like minor character appearances, but completely skims over important moments like asking local businesses for sponsorships. Plus, having her tutor Amit when he is clearly the better student just plain doesn’t make sense.

I enjoyed learning about Indian culture, and I sympathized with Kareena’s concerns about her family’s finances and her father’s health. But too many elements just didn’t fit for me.

A really great book! Loved the feminist aspects, and I love to read about a kick-ass main female character!!

One Line Review: Kareena isn't your typical Indian girl, she's a Muay Thai fighter, with a real shot at going places with her sport, only catch is no one at school knows. At least she's got her family.

"I'm not saying that's all an Indian is. You can't quantify an entire race by a few abstract things. And I'm not saying all Indians view me that way, it can't be. But I'm saying there are enough Indians in this community to make me sorely aware that I'm not...what...good enough?" -Chapter 10


I like how this story starts differently than many of the diverse sports books I've read before. Usually the story goes that the family doesn't accept/ know that our main character is playing their sport. However, not this time. Kareena has total support from her immediate family. Even with money being tight they continue to support her and encourage her not to give up.

That being said, I knew early on that this was going to be a book I would really enjoyed. I'm a sucker for a good sports story, even better if there is a bit of romance in it. What really hooked me for this book is it had a different take and it gave me a glimpse at a sport I'd never heard of before. Kareena gets invited a big fight for Muay Thai that could open up the possibility of her going to the olympics one day, but first she has to get there and unfortunately in order to attend this big fight it is a lot of money, money her family doesn't have and especially with her father being sick Kareena worries going could mean her family won't be able to afford medical treatments. Thankfully once Kareena confides in a friend about her sport doors start to open including getting the support of all the female athletes at her school who rally behind her and help to brainstorm ideas to fundraise in order to be able to fight at USMTO (United States Muay Thai Open). Thanks to the support of all the badass females athletes Kareena is able to go to USMTO. But just when things are looking up for her, her dad has fallen ill again and is in the hospital. But all isn't lost, her family finds hope because of an unlikely source.


This is definitely a slow burn romance, but it fits this story perfectly. Amit is the perfect counterpart for Kareena. At first I couldn't really see them as a romantic pair, but as the story went on and the couple grew individually and together I saw how they supported each other. Overall, this was a light hearted romance story with a strong female lead supported by both family and new found friends in order to find her way both as a teenager and a female athlete.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and Netgalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy! My review is not influenced by this!
I really enjoyed this book! I found Kareena Thakkar to be a protagonist that is really easy to root for. She is strong and firm but also insecure and relatable. Her feelings of being "not Indian enough" really hit home for me as a Desi person. I am not Indian, though, so I'm not totally Own-voices for this, but some of the South Asian aspects overlap with my experiences. I thought the romance in this book was so so cute. Amit Patel is adorable, and reading Kareena and him just be silly and cute was so fun. I also absolutely loved Kareena's parents and her relationship with them. It was refreshing to read about supportive Desi parents for once. Her dad's urgent medical condition brought a lot of heart to the story in how her family deals with it.
I will say that the middle chunk of the book did drag a bit. I found myself not exactly feeling the urge to pick up the book and read it sometimes, but when I did, I usually had a good time. I really wished Kareen'a actual Muay Thai fights were a bigger focus. There were only a few pages dedicated to the descriptions of the fights, which was a bit disappointing because those few pages were some of my favorite in the book.
Overall, this is a really wholesome, unique book that I really enjoyed!

I thoroughly enjoyed Kareen'as journey in this story. Her Indian family just might be the death of her, with their traditions that strangle the life of her dreams. Secrets fester and eventually unfold into reality. And in pursuit of her dream of wearing pink gloves, being a champion in Muay Thai, she meets an Indian boy and falls for him- the perfect, traditional Indian boy. Secrets fester and eventually unfold into reality.
Maybe I enjoyed this more as I'm the first born in this country on my mother's side (Korean.) It felt realistic and true, not overdone. The beginning had a little trouble with the flow of emotions, changing too quickly, but eventually it was corrected and became a story that was hard to put down.

The Knockout by @sajnipatelbooks is a YA book about badass Muy Thai fighter Kareena Thakkar, a seventeen year old Indian girl who is making a name for herself in the fighting world. Kareena has felt alienated from her Indian culture because she’s a fighter, but she hasn’t let that stop her! She now has the chance to go to the US Muy Thai Open but it’s very expensive. Her mom is the only one who works since her dad is very sick. How will Kareena make her dreams come true?

If you love reading YA books, then stop what you’re doing and grab this one! It was so great! Sajni Patel has written one amazing badass character in Kareena! Kareena can take down pretty much any opponent and is so disciplined with her training, but just like every other teenage girl, she has her insecurities. It was so awesome reading this one and seeing the amazing support system that surrounds Kareena when she thinks she is alone. The Knockout was such an empowering read that will make you feel good when you read it. This one gets 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫 and I definitely recommend if you like YA!

I was lucky enough to get an early copy of this from @netgalley, but I promptly ordered a copy off Amazon when I finished for my roommate. (She is a real-life Muay Thai champion!)

Kareena Thakkar is a 17-year-old high school senior, a Muay Thai fighter, and a really bad Indian. Her father has is sick, her family is in debt, and she has to tutor Amit Patel in computer science. Kareena hides her passion for Muay Thai from anyone outside her family and closest friends. When she is invited to US Muay Thai Open, Kareena is forced to open up and ask for help.

I loved The Trouble With Hating You, so I knew I’d enjoy this! I was familiar with Muay Thai through my roommate, so I know how much work goes into training for a fight. I felt like the book described the amount of dedication fighters have, and I respected Kareena’s drive. I am curious to see what Anna thinks - I’ll update with her review too. If you are looking for a young adult novel with a spunky heroine, this is your book!

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! 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 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.” It is a right of passage so I give it to Kareena. 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 loved the sporty, kick-ass female athlete vibes in this story. I was really impressed and almost wistful when reading about how all the female athletes came together to help Kareema with the fundraising. This book actually got me interested in learning more about Muay Thai.

This novel is written by a female Indian MMA fighter from Texas. She writes about her background in an introduction that notes some liberties were taken and that the book is not intended to represent the whole of Indian culture/community/diaspora.

Kareena is Not Like Other Girls™. She fights, she’s bad at calculus (even though she’s Indian) but good at computer science, etc. Also her dad might be dying. Also she recently lost two of her best friends to a fight. Also there’s this cute Perfect Indian Guy™ who might be into her, but she doesn’t have time for boys. Then she is invited to the US Muay Thai Open, which has prize money that could help her family with her father’s medical bills and might get her noticed for the upcoming Olympics.

Sounds predictable and forgettable so far, to be honest, and after the first chapter (The narrative voice in the first chapter is. Really. Annoying. Fortunately, while still unpolished, it is less obnoxious in subsequent chapters.) I was more than willing to dismiss the book as being just that. Except, there were things I really liked.

I liked seeing that Kareena’s daily exercise and stretching depicted, and not simply glossed over. Too often books featuring martial arts like to talk about kata as if they’re mystical meditation activities (unlikely in a book about Muay Thai, but still) and everything else is just hitting bags (with hardly any detail given about what the goal is in doing so) or sparring (and always being the best). I practice karate, so I really don’t know anything about Muay Thai, but I do know that all martial arts require conditioning work outside the dojo and repetition of drills and basics daily. I also really like that Patel mentions the dietary changes Kareena must make as she prepares, because diet is also a huge part of serious training for any athlete.

I also really liked most of Kareena’s relationships. Her father is pretty amazing. He is so very loving and supportive and sweet. So is her mother. There is no bad guy parent here trying to force Karina into a box she won’t fit, and that’s refreshing. Actually, Kareena and her family are pretty removed from the rest of the Indian community in their town, which seems to have been a deliberate choice on her parents’ part. Kareena coming to terms with her identity as an Indian woman is an interesting facet of this book. A large part of that is because of Amit (the aforementioned Perfect Indian Guy™. (Amit really is weirdly perfect. Duckling dates, non-judgmental listening, possessed by computer code, nerding out over his love interest’s sport, etc.)

Add to that, Kareena has a great friend in Lily. She’s supportive and enthusiastic and has interests outside of boys, as well as a good relationship with her Filipina heritage (if not her hair), but is willing to listen to Kareena gush about this boy she’s “definitely not into.” Kareena’s other friend, Kimmy, who is on the weightlifting team and is an unapologetic athlete is also wonderfully supportive and encouraging, while still having her own life. She also helps Kareena find a community of female athletes who are also willing to help Kareena. The girl power in this book is really just great.

Patel may be an author to watch, or she may be a one hit wonder. We’ll see. And finding the exact audience for this book might be a bit of a challenge, because a book about an Indian Muay Thai fighter who is a high school girl is a bit niche, but I do hope that people read this book, particularly any female martial artists out there. It’s a fun read.

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.

My first young adult read of the year and it quite literally was a knockout hit!! I’ve been raving and recommending the author’s debut book, The Trouble with Hating You, since it was first released. I love her writing style and the fact that she’s local is an added bonus. Her switch to writing for a younger audience in this book was perfect. It gave me those same Dimple and Rishi vibes .... cultural challenges, an uber sweet romance and one heck of a strong female protagonist.

This is the first story I’ve ever read that includes a character involved in Muay Thai. I’m familiar with the sport, but the author seamlessly included small facts about it in the storytelling so it never felt overly descriptive. One of the main themes centers around the image of female athletes. Muscles and strength on any shaped body does not make you any less feminine!! This book included many positive athletes who developed such a wonderful bond and support system while also showcasing their amazing dedication.

While Kareena is working towards some major goals in her sport, she is also learning to control her self doubt, recognize true friendships, the struggles a family endures during a serious illness, and the pressures of fitting in amongst her community. This story showcases the judgement characters faced being Indian American and not conforming to conservative views and practices within their culture.

There was one heck of a sweet romance too. It was easy to fall for Kareena and Amit. It will definitely remind you of that young love that just leaves you smiling. Their scenes and chemistry were so cute together. Amit’s reactions were some of my very favorite moments.

Can’t wait to see what amazing story the author shares next!!!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - I LOVE Sajni Patel’s writing style. I can paraphrase this review by simply saying, I read this in one day (with mild irritation of being an adult that had to put the book aside to work) and absolutely loved it.

Patel writes such lovable and multifaceted characters and her books remind me of why I love reading so much. The Knockout is characterized as “Romance and Teen/YA” but I feel like the world I was pulled into by this book was so uniquely infused with familial love, hope, and the real pressures of the world that cause us to fear for our loved ones and have doubt in ourselves.

Pros: I never root for a romantic couple the way I do for Patel’s; a realistic family who is trying to focus on the silver lining while facing a horrible situation; Muay Thai was wonderfully expressed to someone who, honestly, doesn’t have much experience in the world; it is considered “own voices” and the depiction of Kareena’s struggle to feel that she fits in her own culture and therefore any social/cultural group comes across genuinely; and the main character does not come across young to me and honestly I forgot that she was supposed to be in high school instead of college several times

Cons: I have to wait for more from this author

This title was officially published TODAY! I hope that you enjoy this book as much as I did. I sincerely want to thank NetGalley, Flux Books, and North Star Editions for providing me with an ARC of The Knockout in exchange for an honest review.

I was so thrilled to read this book for multiple reasons (that cover, for starters) after rediscovering my love for YA novels last year.

I had high hopes and The Knockout did not let me down!

There’s a badass female character with lots of growth, awkwardly cute first love, and a look at how gender roles play into sports and Indian culture.

Read it because it's cute and fun. Read it because it takes a jab at important issues.

Just read it!

Many thanks to Flux Publishing and NetGalley for the advance copy!

From beginning to end, I LOVED The Knockout and the journey that it takes you on!

An #ownvoices novel that touches on pride in yourself and fitting in with your culture, The Knockout is about Kareena Thakkar whose choice in sports - Muay Thai - is far from being ladylike and acceptable to her Indian community. Not only does she struggle with feeling like she doesn't fit in, but Kareena is also trying to juggle her father's illness, losing some friendships, and a lack of funding for the US Muay Thai Open that she has been invited to compete in. Add on discovering the possibility of feelings for Amit Patel, her brilliant, perfect Indian classmate, and all the drama that goes with that, and you've got a packed premise for a novel.

What I appreciated so much about this book was the pacing and tone. As a former competitor, when you are getting ready for an important competition your whole life seems to fly by. Everything is fast, everything is important, and your adrenal and energy skyrocket. It means that your responses to relationships and school and everything else is also heightened, because this preparation of your body and mind impacts everything else you are doing. This book felt like that. Through the pacing and the crazy energy and the go=go-go tone, I felt like I was back getting into competition mode with Kareena. It made the pitfalls and traps in her life feel that much more emotional and exhausting, and the wins were thrilling.

This is definitely a book I'd put in my 8th grade classroom - it's clean and fun and the conversation around relationships - both romantic and friendly - are important ones to have, and they are discussed well in the novel.

To be honest, the first half of this one was such a slow burn for me. I find that YA books that don’t immediately pull me in are a bit more difficult to get into. That being said – stick this one out. As soon as I got to the 50% mark I became invested and the rest of the book flew by.

The book follows seventeen year old Muay Thai fighter, Kareena, who has alienated herself from the entire Indian community with her “non-traditional, not-so-feminine-enough” sport. She kept her passion a secret from everyone she knew, until one day she joined a Facebook group for the female athletes at her school and let them know. She was immediately met with the kind of encouragement, support, and praise that pulled at my heart strings. Their online community actually reminded me so much of the support in the Bookstagram community. As soon as the gals found out that Kareena couldn’t afford to go to the US Muay Thai Open and compete, they put their heads together and figured out how to fundraise for the money to send her there. It was truly beautiful to read about and may have been my favorite part of the book.

The other major plot points are that her father has been sick for years and his never ending medical bills are a part of the reason she couldn’t afford to go to the USMTO. I loved reading about the relationship between her and her parents. They were so supportive of each other and always made sure to put each other’s needs and wants first. Then there’s Amit, who just may be the world’s most perfect Indian (no really – he’s an actual genius). Their friends to more relationship is adorable and he is such a good guy. If he wasn’t seventeen, he would reach book boyfriend status too.