DNF. I really tried to like this book as it was something different but I at the end of the day I couldn't get into it. I was so bored and felt like I was forcing myself to read it and honestly there are so many other books out there.

The cover sends such a strong message that I'm a little heartbroken to give its content just an "okay" rating. A 17-year-old Indian girl excelling in the male-dominated arena of Muay Thai, with a little side of romance? How promising! It did deliver on some important parts, such as in the cultural aspect and the "am I American/Indian enough" narrative—plus there's a mention of Filipino food culture (lol Pinoy pride), but something about the characters didn't feel quite right. It's not their fault, though. This book and I may just simply be a mismatch.

I really enjoyed this book, it’s not something I would normally read but the blurb caught my attention and once I started reading I couldn’t stop. I really enjoyed reading about Mauy Tai was something new to me.

I really enjoyed the main character Kareena, she is dedicated , loving and powerful and believes in her self and goes after what she wants, she deals with harsh judgement and the feeling of not belonging.

This book is well paced and kept my attention till the very end. I’m now very intrigued about the author and will be keeping an eye out for future books of hers.

My rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟

This. Book. Is. Amazing. 👏

A strong female high school athlete who knows exactly who she is and what she wants in life with amazingly supportive parents and a difficult family situation. I loved Everything! I want more! Amit, Lily, Kimmy! Do not skip out on this story!!

I was provided with an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Knockout is a story about seventeen-year-old Katreena, a Muay Thai fighter who gets the opportunity to fight at the USMTO (United States Muay Thai Open) that, I’d she wins, could put her on the path to be part of the first MT Olympic team and could get her family out of medical debt.

Imma be real, there were a number of moments where I was not a fan of Kareena, and that is valid. Sometimes she was repetitive and stubborn when she didn’t need to be, but I was on her side and I supported her the entire time. I laughed, I cringed, I cried. I would definitely recommend this book and I can’t wait til it hits shelves later this year.

I will be honest, it took my a few days to really get into this book, but once I was- I could nor put it down. I will enjoyed it. Kahreena is such a positive empowered female that can be a role model for girls. I can't lie, I got frustrated with her at times, but I realized that she is unapologetic in standing up for herself and her well-being. It is definitely a must-read.

This wasn't exactly what I was expecting. Fans of both YA romance and sports-focused books are likely to enjoy it, but I was hoping for something more political in nature.

I absolutely loved everything about The Knockout. Patel has created a fascinatingly unique and still universally relatable main character. The family relationship in the book was refreshing and wonderful. I loved seeing Kareena learn to accept support from those around her. And her relationship with Amit is something YA readers will complete swoon over. This is a phenomenal story that will have young readers cheering and begging for more from S.A. Patel.

Knockout
As a high school teacher, I’m always looking for books to add to my classroom that I know my students will enjoy. I’ve added a number of books that I felt would cater to student athletes, but a majority of them cater to male athletes. When I saw the cover of The Knockout, I knew this was something the young women athletes in my class might enjoy too.

The book starts with an author’s note from Patel that talks about her experience with Muay Thai, so I enjoyed reading this book and knowing that so much of it came from her own experience.

I personally don’t think this book was meant for me. This is definitely a story for younger readers, maybe 7th grade to mid-high school. As an adult, I felt the dialogue came across as something to move the plot along rather than realistic conversations that helped us get to know these characters on something deeper than the superficial level they stay at through the novel.

Despite that, the plot was enjoyable. I think this book’s biggest strength is Kareena’s relationship with her parents and the other female athletes at her school. Women supporting women is so important, and those scenes made this book worth the read.

Thank you to NetGalley for offering me this book in advanced for an honest review.

Into the first chapter, I was like 'okay! Clam down! We all want to stay alive while reading this book!'
Into the second chapter, I was like 'whoa! Did she just turned mellow and all girly? Is there an insta romance happening right there? Are we even talking about the same person in 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 I 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 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 us just too hyped up 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 I just seem like a bit too over-enthusiastic and the writing seem a bit too repetitive and sound 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!

Thanks #NetGalley for the book #TheKnockout

"Whatever sadness or anger or loneliness you might face, harness it."

That was such a promising ya debut and one of my most anticipated ones. The book follows Kareena, a 17-year-old Indian who's training in preparation for the US Muay Thai Open, while coming to terms with her father's illness, figuring out her place in the Indian community and navigating her way through her first relationship. As someone who loves learning about different cultures I was pretty excited to read about traditional Indian clothing, food and festivities. The chapter about Holi was one of my favorites. Look it up if you haven't heard of it, it's a riot of color and joy. Another thing I loved about The Knockout was how encouraging Kareena's parents were. Particularly in sports, gender stereotypes are pervasive. Therefore, it was refreshing to read about a young woman of color establishing herself as a history-making martial artist, while having the full support of her family.

One of the questions I'd asked myself when I first started reading was this one: should I read books about realistic situations, problems and solutions (including the slightly problematic ones) or should I go with books that feature ideal relationships and a healthy environment? I can't say I have a definite answer (if only the world weren't so casually cruel..) but this book definitely took it too far. You see, we have Amit. Amit was so perfect he made me furious. Don't get me wrong, I love how he didn't judge people or diminish their feelings and there's definitely a lesson to be learnt there, but honestly his whole purpose was to serve Kareena. He had no life. Everything he did, eventually, benefited her. Also, what's the deal with him visiting her house super late at night and going to her gym uninvited? Is this supposed to be what love and devotion look like? I call this stalking behavior. Not to mention he was supposed to have an IQ of 160. I don't know, people. That seemed like a ridiculous thing to throw in. Further into the whole utopia issue, the majority of the people in this novel were saints, appearing when needed to help our protagonist. Do people in real life actually organize all these fundraisers? And since when are there companies that favor the poor?? Finally, I didn't like how the author handled Kareena's dad's illness and approaching death. If you're looking for a book with a similar theme I'd recommend Second Chance Summer. It was at times hard to read but utterly cathartic.

To end on a high note, I'd like to point out Patel's ability to make the ordinary seem extraordinary. I loved how she used scenery to set the tone of the scene and was rich in her descriptions. The cover is amazing as well.

Theme Song: Eminem - Guts Over Fear (ft. Sia)

These book was a great story about breaking race and gender norms about female athletes. I loved all the information I learned about Muay Thai and how passionate our main character was about it. I also REALLY loved the romance between the two characters. They didn't let their relationship or feelings get in the way of their dreams. Highly recommend this book!!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC!

I really loved this. I loved how it was both feminine yet sporty - which is something you don't really see a lot of in YA - the main character (Kareena) is so relatable and I love the insight we get into her family life. I love the supportive Mum and Dad and how the community reacts to her Muay Thai.

I loved that we got to read about Muay Thai as a whole. It's a sport I don't know very much about and this was a great introduction to it.

The book paces itself well but I thought the ending was quite rushed and the climax could have been lengthened.

Other than that, amazing!

I couldn’t put this book down. The main character is a freaking strong, caring, hard working, overall bad*ss young women. She has felt the crippling effects of her family’s situation and does everything in her power to help her parents while doing the one thing she loves (oh and having to attend high school and dealing with grades and navigating the issues of high school drama). Her story is one of everyday struggles and finding the will and power to overcome. I especially loved the community of female athletes who become her supporting base; a powerful connection that all girls (of any age need).

I really enjoyed this #ownvoices debut! It’s a classic YA novel through and through, so if you don’t like the language and structure of YA, maybe don’t pick this up. If you do though, get ready for a fun, moving read. I really enjoyed the maturity of the issues this book tackled. From cultural pressures, to health/financial concerns, to the stigma that female athletes face (especially in physically demanding sports like Muay Thai), this book really dug in to explore these very real life challenges in depth. I loved the maturity that Kareena and Amit had as characters, while still being fully high schoolers. Usually I struggle with character motivation in YA, but not in this book because Kareena and Amit were so fully realized!! Also, the romance was incredibly sweet.

_The arc of this book was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange of an honest review._

The story is about Kareena Thakkar, a seventeen year old Indian girl, who wants to participate in the US Muay Thai Open.

I really liked how the author explained a lot about Muay Thai and I learnt a lot of new things.

The Knockout Advance Readers Copy (ARC) by S.A. Patel

“Let's talk about the cover of this novel: a close up drawing of a female torso, where she is preparing for a fight, her brown arm flexed, her fist tight as she finishes wrapping her left hand with pink fabric, the Henna tattoos etched on her fingers like war paint. It’s an impressive image, one that would have readers buying the novel purely on the cover alone.” Cecelia Beckman, Sheaf & Ink

The Story

Kareena Thakkar is a fighter. But not just any fighter, she participates in the "art of the eight limbs," Muay Thai a combat sport. She practices day and night to be the best fighter in her region. When an opportunity of a lifetime arises, Kareena will do anything for a chance to earn a place on the first ever US Olympic team.

My Thoughts

The Knockout synopsis was a unique and intriguing one. It’s a story of a young Indian high school student fighting for more than just a national title, but a place in a sport dominated by men. And to see a fierce heroine, making a place for herself by pursuing her passions is always a refreshing and aspiring story to read.

Even though the story is an #ownvoice Young Adult debut with an interesting premise, the execution of the narrative was disappointing. As the reader, I had no emotional investment for Kareena Thakkar because she lacked identifiable characteristics. She didn't seem fully rounded with complex feelings or emotions that would endear her to the reader.

I think the main concern I had was the writing itself. There was so much potential for this novel to be as powerful as its title. Where Patel could have explored, in much more detail and depth, the Indian culture, emotions of the main character, her drive to fight, why she started fighting, and more.

Given that this was a story about fighting, literally and figuratively, for so many reasons: family, friendship, and self, Patel could have made a more lasting impression had the dialogue sounded more natural and not a torrent of words with little to no inference. But most importantly, writing more vivid and elaborate descriptions of Kareena’s culture, her emotions, feelings, surroundings, and interactions to add to the fullness of the story.

Happy Reading ̴ Cece

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Below is my honest review.*

**I don't spoil what happens in the story or how it ends, but I do mention some of the overall concepts.

~~SPOILER WARNING~~

🥊𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝖪𝗇𝗈𝖼𝗄𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝖺 𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗒 𝗀𝗈𝗈𝖽 𝖻𝗈𝗈𝗄. 𝖨𝗇𝗂𝗍𝗂𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗒 𝗐𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖽𝗋𝖾𝗐 𝗆𝗒 𝖺𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗍𝗈 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖻𝗈𝗈𝗄 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖼𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋. 𝖨 𝖺𝗆 𝖿𝖺𝗆𝗂𝗅𝗂𝖺𝗋 𝗐𝗍𝗁 𝗆𝗂𝗑𝖾𝖽 𝗆𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗂𝖺𝗅 𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗌, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗂𝗆𝗆𝖾𝖽𝗂𝖺𝗍𝖾𝗅𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗈𝗇𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖿𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗌𝗍𝗒𝗅𝖾𝗌 𝗂𝗇𝖼𝗈𝗋𝗉𝗈𝗋𝖺𝗍𝖾𝖽 𝗂𝗇𝗍𝗈 𝗂𝗍, 𝗌𝗈 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗐𝖺𝗌𝗇'𝗍 𝖺 𝗌𝗎𝗋𝗉𝗋𝗂𝗌𝖾. 𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝗆𝖺𝗂𝗇 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝖻𝖾𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖨𝗇𝖽𝗂𝖺𝗇 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗀𝗁, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖨 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾𝖽 𝗂𝗍!

𝖨 𝖿𝖾𝖾𝗅 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗂𝗍 𝗂𝗌 𝗂𝗆𝗉𝗈𝗋𝗍𝖺𝗇𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝗁𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗅𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖺𝗎𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗋'𝗌 𝗇𝗈𝗍𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋, 𝗐𝗁𝗂𝖼𝗁 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗍𝖿𝖾𝗅𝗍 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗏𝗂𝖽𝖾𝖽 𝖺 𝗅𝗈𝗍 𝗈𝖿 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗅 𝗅𝗂𝖿𝖾 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗅 𝗅𝗂𝖿𝖾 𝖾𝗑𝗉𝖾𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖻𝖺𝖼𝗄𝗀𝗋𝗈𝗎𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗋𝗒. 𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝖺𝗎𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗋 𝖽𝗂𝖽 𝖺 𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗒 𝗀𝗈𝗈𝖽 𝗃𝗈𝖻 𝖽𝖾𝗌𝖼𝗋𝗂𝖻𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖬𝗎𝖺𝗒 𝖳𝗁𝖺𝗂 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖼𝗎𝗅𝗍𝗎𝗋𝖺𝗅 𝗂𝗆𝗉𝖺𝖼𝗍. 𝖨𝗍 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝖺 𝗀𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗍 𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗋𝗒 𝗈𝖿 𝗉𝖾𝗋𝗌𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗋𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾, 𝗋𝗈𝗆𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾, 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾, 𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗀𝗂𝗏𝖾𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗌, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗆𝗎𝗅𝗍𝗂𝗉𝗅𝖾 𝗍𝗒𝗉𝖾𝗌 𝗈𝖿 𝖺𝖽𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗌𝗂𝗍𝗒 (𝖼𝗎𝗅𝗍𝗎𝗋𝖺𝗅, 𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗂𝖺𝗅, 𝖿𝗂𝗇𝖺𝗇𝖼𝗂𝖺𝗅, 𝗅𝗈𝗐 𝗌𝖾𝗅𝖿-𝖾𝗌𝗍𝖾𝖾𝗆, 𝗉𝗈𝗈𝗋 𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗅𝗍𝗁, 𝖾𝗍𝖼.).

𝖨 𝗀𝗂𝗏𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗋𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝖾 ➄ 𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗋𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗂𝗍 𝖽𝖾𝗌𝖾𝗋𝗏𝖾𝗌.

This is a super fun YA romance. I loved Kareena's focus on Muy Thai, and it definitely made me remember what it felt like to be in high school and participating in a sport that not everyone understands. The romance with Amit is really sweet, and does a great job understanding the tension between being serious about a sport and trying to date as well. It's a great book, and I really enjoyed reading it.