This was an engaging own voices contemporary that kept me interested from the beginning. The characters were enjoyable to get to know and the plot moved along at a solid pace. I really enjoyed the relationships that were explored throughout the story, particularly with some of the main character's family. Overall, I highly recommend picking this one up.

5 stars. Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children’s for sending me this arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

American Betiya is an own-voices realistic novel about Rani Kelkar, An Indian-American high school girl who finds herself in a cross cultural relationship.

Rani begins a relationship with Oliver, a white boy that screams absolute no to her mother. The forbidden romance definitely is thrilling and pushes you to read more.

The author did an amazing job with portraying this story so realistically and seeing the difference with an innocent and abusive relationship. This book was real, realistic and raw and I am so glad to be able to have read this. So beautifully written.

AMERICAN BETIYA pulled me in from the very first pages. The writing so beautiful and assured, the prose pitch-perfect, and the world so crisply and intimately built.

Rajukar deftly explores the immediacy, the pain, and joy of first love so beautifully, while balancing it against the demands of family, tradition, and the need of a teen to rebel, When HS senior, Rani falls in love with Oliver, a talented, if a bit dangerous artist, she begins to cross boundaries she never thought she would. The only daughter of Indian immigrants she has been raised with the expectation that she keep her eye on her studies, and off of boys, But with Oliver Rani begins to push herself artistically and emotionally. It's intoxicating to be the object of first love. But as Rani begins to blossom under the light of Oliver's adoration, she also begins to realize that being adored brings with it complications that border on the obsessive.
The novel explores issues of racism, micro-aggressions, fetishism and othering in a truly heart-wrenching manner.
Rani's eventual development into a strong, independent and wise young women was so deftly handled, and I loved how it was her family - the very people she tried to keep at bay so she could grow — that were the ones who ultimately were there to guide and support her.
This is a beautiful book and I am so happy for the young readers who will have this story to help them navigate their lives - to explore what is okay, and what crosses the line, both in love, friendship and across cultures.
Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for the opportunity to read an advanced reader copy.

It's rinas galley art showing. I liked the characters,dialogue, descriptions. I loved how Indian culture was included. Great quick read. Fast paced. Cute.

Beneath this breathtaking cover, these pages contain a heartfelt, realistic book about Rani Kelkar, an Indian-American high schooler finding herself through a whirlwind cross-cultural relationship.

Rani begins a relationship with Oliver (a white boy) who is certainly what her mother’s nightmares are made of, and they date in secret. The forbidden romance feels thrilling, transporting you to a time of youth where you feel the need to sneak around and live life on a rush of adrenaline unlike any other. Oliver makes Rani and her creative aspirations feel important, worthy of attention. I felt so much like her.

At certain points while reading this story, I felt such anger towards the author. Oliver would fetishize Rani and her Indian culture, calling her “exotic,” “his Indian goddess,” “Princess Jasmine,” or “sexy Indian Princess.” These comments seared my skin, for I’m all too familiar with these microaggressions. And I related so much to Rani’s internal struggle in wanting to call Oliver out for his insidious comments versus being unsure of what to make of these comments and wanting to acquiesce to his softer, agreeable, sweeter side. Oliver’s demands of Rani and her culture felt so unfair, painfully close to home, and I was furious at Rajurkar for writing a love interest who was so callous, so toxic and abusive, because I feared the story would end with Rani losing herself in Oliver’s manipulations. I was dead wrong. Rajurkar wove an incredibly complex story of first love, betrayal, cultural taboos, racism, gaslighting, emotional abuse, and an awakening of self. I cannot begin to express my admiration for the author’s ability to tell this story so realistic, with an absolute sense of urgency and seamlessness in her portrayal of an innocent first relationship to an abusive one.

Something I’d never seen before, but reflected my personal fears and reservations, was Rani’s reluctance to share her culture with anyone who wasn’t close to her. It’s strange having to explain the elaborate details of an entire culture with someone who is so new to it all. How does one accurately explain a whole culture? Is it our job to make our customs seem palatable to others outside of it? What if I explain something incorrectly? Through all her questions and concerns about sharing her identity with Oliver, Rani manages to find the boundaries of cultural exchange and discovers where she stands and what she is willing to disclose, and it was incredible being witness to that journey.

Few books in the Young Adult space discuss sex and sexual pleasure so frankly, not to mention how taboo these subjects can be in the South Asian community, so it was extremely refreshing to see those conversations unfolding on the pages. I also appreciated reading the banter between Rani and her best friend, Kate, as well as Rani’s relationship with her cousin, Shalini. All of these relationships, no matter how many or how few pages they got, felt fully developed and wholesome. In this vein, the story of Nilesh really highlighted the kind of pressure that comes with being perceived as a model of excellence within a community, and Rani’s relationship with him as a reflection and an extension of his story was important to see.

I really enjoyed seeing Rani’s growth with and without Oliver, and the way her relationship with herself and her family and friends evolved through everything. I’m also so grateful for this character that pursues art and science, as I am/want to. There’s a lot of messaging around studying science that comes from the South Asian/immigrant daughter side of myself, but there’s also the idea that I need to reject that part of me and embrace my love for art and literature and writing because maybe I only want to study science because of social pressures (which I really saw through how Oliver insisted Rani pursue her art). It took me a long time to be okay with owning my interests, for wanting to be tied to all these wildly different subjects, and seeing that portrayed here so wholly was beyond moving. I really appreciated Rani’s growth with and without Oliver, and the way her relationship with herself and her family and friends evolved through everything. I’m also so grateful for this character that pursues art and science, as I am/want to. There’s a lot of messaging around studying science that comes from the South Asian/immigrant daughter side of myself, but there’s also the idea that I need to reject that part of me and embrace my love for art and literature and writing because maybe I only want to study science because of social pressures (which I really saw through how Oliver insisted Rani pursue her art). It took me a long time to be okay with owning my interests, for wanting to be tied to all these wildly different subjects, and seeing that portrayed here so wholly was beyond moving.

Ultimately, I’m beyond thrilled to have had the opportunity to read this book, especially as an OwnVoices reader. This was a life-affirming, exquisitely-crafted debut and I cannot wait to read everything Rajurkar comes up with hereafter.

Book Review for American Betiya by Anuradha D. Rajurkar
Full review for this title can be found at: @fyebooks on Instagram!

This book! It pulled me in right from the beginning and didn't let me go until I turned the very last page! The main character, Rani, is bright, ambitious, and dutiful daughter who doesn't so much as glance at anything that might get in the way of her education––her future. And that anything includes boys. But when a charismatic tattoo-covered artist catches her eye, Rani finds herself sneaking behind her parents' backs. Her relationship with Oliver slowly deteriorates, leaving her trapped in a web of her own making. This is a powerful story of love, identity, friendship and betrayal that will leave readers asking for more.

Rajurkar's book pulls you in from the first pages with raw honest and emotional writing that tackles the complexities of first love when complicated with racism. toxic relationships, family and the pull of two cultures. What begins as a lovely romance with exciting and daring, Oliver, takes a turn that leads Rani down a dangerous path where she finds herself losing her own sense of self and identify. This book has so much to offer YA and adult readers and doesn't shy away from important themes. Rajukar's debut novel is authentically written and filled with well-observed details.

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf Books for Young Readers for this e-arc

Rani is part of a large, traditional Indian family. Tattooed Oliver lives in chaos with his dysfunctional mother and sister. Their relationship, which Rani hides from her family, is passionate and all-consuming. Until it steps into uncomfortable territory of fetishism and cultural appropriation. Rani, having lost herself, finds strength and direction during a family trip to India. Full of sensory details of Indian culture, religious beliefs and ties to extended family.

“Our worlds seem so different on the surface, but maybe they’re reflections of the same soaring sky—one shot at dawn, one at dusk.”

In American Betiya by Anuradha D. Rajurkar, high school senior Rani meets Oliver at a local gallery exhibit where they both have art displayed. Rani, the daughter of Indian immigrants and part of a close-knit Indian community, aspires to become a pediatrician but also enjoys photography. Oliver, a painter and student of the arts, is Rani’s mother’s worst nightmare: covered in tattoos, and brazenly staring at Rani from across the room.

Rani is intrigued by Oliver’s artistic talents, his charisma, his bold looks… and his intense interest in her. Rani has had little experience with boys in general due to focused academic studies and strict parents who forbid any dating or romance. Yet Rani and Oliver share instant attraction and chemistry, and soon enough, Rani is sneaking out at nights to spend time with Oliver.

But the romance drives Rani to tell more and more lies to her family, straining her relationship with her parents and her grandmother, who’s visiting from India. And the romance itself begins to sour as Oliver fetishizes Rani and her Indian culture, and also commits microaggressions—especially as Rani insists on keeping the relationship a secret from her parents. Rani is frustrated and hurt by the ways Oliver disrespects her culture and parents, but also feels guilty over what she isn’t able to give him, most of all when his increasingly dysfunctional family and home life takes a toll on his mental and emotional well-being.

In this book, Anuradha Rajurkar thoughtfully explores difficult questions about finding a balance among culture and heritage, family expectations, and personal identity and expression. As Rani experiences first love—cross-cultural love, no less—she must grapple with establishing healthy boundaries for herself, her parents, and Oliver, as well as taking a stand against obsession and appropriation, particularly when it’s rationalized away as interest and love.

Rani is a very layered, flawed, and real character, who makes mistakes along the way as she’s faced with a boy insisting that he loves her, though his actions don’t always match his words. Her story will resonate with teens who feel caught between cultures and expectations, struggling to honor their background while faced with pressure from people who claim to understand and appreciate that background, but sometimes behave in ways that are anything but respectful. Through all her struggles, Rani is strengthened by an incredible network of friends—her best friend Kate, her cousin Shalini, and a group she later meets in college—all who provide an alternate presentation of what love and support can and should look like.

Especially moving and insightful is Rani’s relationship with her grandmother, and their conversations and reflections on overcoming painful life experiences: “The best masalas use spices slow-roasted over the flame […] browned, even a little burned. We are like that only—we burn a little to attain the complex flavor […] And that burning, the pain… one must not avoid such pain. It is part of a… rich life.”

Anuradha D. Rajurkar’s debut is a well-written and powerful story that is not to be missed.

4 stars

For me, this novel had a bit of a slower start because I LOVED the main character - Rani - immediately, but I could not get behind the love interest. Fortunately, that all changed rapidly as the focus shifted and became much, MUCH more engaging.

Rani is a teenager who loves photography, has a fantastic best friend, is close to her family, connects with her culture and heritage, and falls for a pretty disappointing guy quickly. While I did not find the romance aspect of this piece particularly special or captivating, I love the conversation happening around Rani's changing willingness to deceive the people she loves, desire to face instead of overlook or downplay hurtful comments and abuses, and growing self-awareness and respect. Also, I really appreciate that there is some age appropriate processing of several relationships. Without feeling pedantic, these scenes promote a didactic purpose: modeling of healthy relationships - and identification of unhealthy relationships - for young readers.

I really liked the surprise substance I found along with the romance here and look forward to reading more from Rajurkar!

[Posted to Goodreads as well.] This book already won a prize before being published (the National SCBWI Emerging Voices Award) and it's easy to see why -- it's so beautifully written and exceptionally wise. Though it's about teenage characters and written for a teenage readership, the truth is that adults will get a lot out of this book, too, and possibly more. The narrator, Rani, is impossible not to root for as she navigates the high-stakes final months of high school. She's smart, compassionate, a good friend, and working very hard to balance everything, including her parents' expectations for her and the demands her first love makes of her. What makes this book incredibly powerful, though is seeing Rani how confronts racism -- both from sources she expects and, painfully, places she doesn't -- with strength and grace and hard-won wisdom. Rare will be the reader who doesn't stand up and cheer at the end of this book -- and immediately recommend it to everyone they know!

This is an unforgettable #ownvoices novel. American Betiya won the SCBWI YA Emerging Voices Award and after reading it, I wasn't surprised.. With a setting in Evanston, IL and India, readers will get a personal view into Rani's close-knit Indian family and Oliver's troubled world. Oliver is the boyfriend who desperately wants to fit into Rani's life, but goes about it in a toxic way.

This is a novel brimming with friendship, family, love, identity, culture, self-discovery, and self-esteem.
Highly recommend.

Anuradha Rajurkar's first book is about the excitement and pain of a cross-cultural relationship that breaks cultural taboos, a teen romance carried out beyond the view of parents and others who disapprove. The book expertly explores high-school interactions, and academic and social hierarchies, and the impact of difference on a new, young infatuation. It is moving and highly recommended!

First of all: I think the book description ruined parts of this book for me. It gives away plot points which occur over halfway into the book. I think I would have been more emotionally connected to some of the events which happened in American Betiya if the description had not given them away, and I think it's too bad that everyone who is in interested in this book will essentially have it ruined for them if they read the description before reading.

The main story of this book is a toxic teenage relationship. I think it's really important that books like this exist; I've read a lot of YA books where the relationship is clearly toxic, but it's not well addressed or is even romanticized. The way Oliver fetishizes Rani's culture is clear from the start, and it's difficult to read as the story goes on. There were times I was surprised Rani didn't stand up for herself and had to remind myself this is her first relationship and she is desperate to hold on to it, even when it hurts her. There is a sort of honest rawness in the way Rani clings to Oliver, unwilling to give up on first love despite recognizing the issues with the way he speaks to her even early on.

Overall, a worthwhile read with resolutions not often seen in YA books.