Cover Image: You Truly Assumed

You Truly Assumed

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Member Reviews

Okay. So there's a lot of thoughts I have about this book and most of them...are not extremely positive, I'm not going to lie to you guys. However there were definitely some great elements:

* Interesting concept - as a blogger myself I loved the idea behind the novel; three young women taking action through a blog and telling their stories, it's unique and I really liked this element as it also gave a plausible reason or platform for the main characters to connect and become empowered and impassioned together.
* Highlighting the voices and individual stories of young Black Muslim women - loved that we got three unique perspectives from three Black Muslim girls, from all different walks of life and based in different areas across the US.
* Exploration of Islamaphobia, Racism and Microaggressions - There were a lot of points I could relate to and felt painfully true and I think many readers will be able to connect to the various characters anger, hopefulness and desire for action in the face of these issues. Black Muslim voices, especially that of women in the community need to be amplified and I'm happy to know that this book will make readers in the community feel seen and heard.

Despite the truly great basis the novel has and the authors natural writing talent - which is clearly there and I'm looking forward to whatever Laila Sabreen writes in the future, but this whole novel felt woefully underdeveloped, simplistic and lacked that emotional pull or draw to the characters.

While I related to Sabriya, Farah and Zakat and appreciated them as characters - I thought they were so two dimensional - we were constantly told things about them rather than letting this unfold on the page and there were a lot of moments that felt so awkward. We're led to believe that the girls have this great friendship and connection but we don't really see this developing on the page in a way that felt believable to me- it's like they get in touch for the blog, have a few facetimes and text conversations and are magically close friends? it just felt lazy considering not a whole lot actually happens in the book and there are sections which are unnecessary in my opinion.

I think the representation of Islam is also a bit off at times - I fully understand that every Muslim has an individual connection to faith and how they choose to practice but I have to be honest on my feelings purely based on whats in the book. In a novel where being Muslim is central to the plot, there were a lot of things that just didn't sit right and felt uncomfortable to me as a Muslim reader. I've seen other readers pick up on these elements already and mention them in their reviews so don't want to rehash it all again but basically it's a whole load of inconsistencies and things which are not actually permissible within the religion but this is never addressed either so may give an uninformed reader the wrong idea. Also items like necklaces and rings were given so much significance rather than actions like praying salah (the five daily prayers) and abstaining from other actions which is more commonplace in a practicing Muslims daily life.

Overall, for me I think this was a case of great concept with not so great execution - I think with some more editing and a stronger sense of the characters and fixing the pacing issues it would have been a five star read for me. However, I know some readers will enjoy this and it's important to have books exploring such key issues in the Y/A market, I appreciate that this probably just isn't the book for me.

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You Truly Assumed is the kind of book that can only be described as brilliant in every single way.

I was utterly transfixed by this book. It radiates such power and nuance in a way that is sure to kickstart such important conversations. Representation is so profoundly important and it’s wonderful to see the voices of Black Muslims being uplifted. In particular, I loved how three-dimensional and full these characters felt. They deserve to be more than the issues they deal with, though these are discussed with nuance and sensitivity. We also get to see their passions, hopes and dreams explored on page. I personally resonated a lot with the discussion around pursuing an artistic talent and that feeling art can create within you.

Sabriya, Zakat, and Farah are connected by the creation of this blog, which becomes their sounding board for discussion of their identity and issues. This led to some amazing articles within the book that were excellent think pieces and full of such emotional strength that really moved me. I loved following all of them as they navigated their own paths, dealing with Islamophobia, racism, family and fledgling sparks of love. They all had such distinctive voices that I completely fell in love with.

While I adored the blog, it was really their stories that kept me glued to the page. I really appreciated how much time Sabreen spends with their thoughts and feelings on these issues, the focus is really on how it impacts them and the full effect of hate on their community. Also, I loved how key the theme of friendship was in this book. This is a book fundamentally about community and the power friendship can create. Though these friendships are not perfect, they are ultimately wonderful and supportive. It is only with the support of their friends that they can fully use their voices.

You Truly Assumed is a moving book that reminds you of the despicable realities of Islamophobia in our society, but it is ultimately a hopeful book full with love, community and friendship.

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The premise of this is what truly sucked me in. It was off to a REALLY slow start and I couldn't enjoy it. I was really excited for this and I'm disappointed that it didn't reach my expectations. DNF @ 35% I will finish it and update this review in 2022

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First and Foremost, this was at times a very difficult read because I identify as Muslim myself. Although I live in an Islamic state and haven't had the experiences that unfortunately many of the Muslims face abroad. Islamophobia is real and a book addressed to it was brilliant and I thank the author for shining light on a very important issue.
I live in an Islamic state but I know and feel everyday how much Islam/Muslims are hated and that takes a toll on us all. Everytime there's an unfortunate incident, we all ask, WHAT WAS HIS NAME/ HIS RELIGION? AND MANY TIMES OUR HEARTS DROP WHEN HE TURNS OUT TO HAVE AN ARABIC NAME OR IS A MUSLIM.
So I really connected with the protagonists of this book, I felt each and everything that was discussed in this book, this book isnt fictitious for us muslims, its a reality.
I loved the characters and this coming from me means alot because I avoid reading about muslim protagonists/ characters. The reason is they are never done right, there're always two extremes, either they are shown as backward as in from the stone ages who are hungry for blood or they are shown as a complete modern individual who is so far from Islam and its practices, a westernised Islam if I may. Both these depictions are utterly wrong but the characters IN THIS BOOK, were muslim teens navigating through life, making mistakes, feeling things like love, hurt, regret and fright. And it felt real, it felt right.
The story was a simple one, three muslim teens who are already in minority because of their faith but feel even more isolated because they are Black and honestly that was eye opening.The plot was straight forward, showing just a glimpse of how three muslim teens are affected, how their lives come to a standstill, how their dreams take a backseat because of a blast and the resultant Islamophobia. All the while they are trying to navigate through life where they are being threatened, trying to find themselves as individuals and trying to understand why they are loathed because of just a name or a religion.
A must read for everyone because this is a phenomenal book that is about a very sensitive subject, which in this day and age needs alot of attention!
Once again, thanks to netgalley and the author for providing me with this arc in exchange for an honest review.

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This review will go live on The Wellesley News on January 5.

Do you ever just know that something is going to wow you upon first glance?

I’ve written a lot in my column about books that have surprised me, but sometimes, you can just tell when a book is going to rock people’s worlds even before you pick it up. That couldn’t be more true for Laila Sabreen’s debut novel, “You Truly Assumed.”

The novel follows three Black Muslim girls from around the United States who form a blog together after a terrorist attack sparks increased Islamophobia throughout the country. Sabriya, from Washington, DC, is at the head of it all, the one who formed the blog and the one who writes the posts. Zakat, a resident of the Atlanta suburbs, does the website’s artwork, though her parents don’t approve of her internet presence. Farah, a Californian staying at her father’s house in Massachusetts for the summer, writes the website’s code. 

As the three of them become friends and their blog grows, so does the hate being thrown at them in the comments of their posts. And then one of them is directly threatened, and the three of them must figure out who’s behind all of it and decide what to do with the website before the situation gets worse. 

Throughout the story, each character also gets their own individual storyline, navigating situations ranging from friend drama to first love. Sabreen shows quite well that there’s no one way to be a Muslim teenager, and the book balances these three characters’ points of view seemingly effortlessly. It was very easy for me to distinguish between perspectives, which is often hard to do when you’re writing in the first person. 

I find myself in awe of how everything was tied together, the way that Sabreen wove themes of girlhood, family and Black Muslim identity. I, of course, don’t come from the same background, but I can still know that this book comes from Sabreen’s heart. The girls of this book seem much more realistic as teenagers than a lot of YA books I’ve read recently — their feelings jump off the page, but they aren’t quite as childish as YA protagonists can sometimes be. 

And I can’t end this review without talking about the blog itself. The way the internet was depicted, from Twitter virality to internet friendships, was done in a way only a member of Gen-Z can, and it absolutely cemented my belief that we should be publishing more books written by teens and young adults. 

I simply think that everyone should read “You Truly Assumed.” It offers a window into the minds of three teenagers with vastly different but impressively similar lives, and I can’t wait to see what else Sabreen has in store.

“You Truly Assumed” comes out on Feb. 8, 2022. I received an advanced copy from the publisher, Inkyard Press, in exchange for an honest review.

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This was a well-written, interesting look at three Muslim girls who are experience racism in the wake of a terrorist attack and how they confront it.
Following a terrorist attack in Sabriya's hometown, Sabriya, Zakat, and Farah work together to create and maintain a blog, making it a safe space for young black Muslim women. At first the blog is a welcome addition to their lives and the lives of their readers, but soon the young women start experiencing the ugly side of online life.
The book explores how the attack affects these young women in their real lives and online. It's a good read.

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To be clear—I think the topic of this book is incredibly important, and I’m grateful to Sabreen for creating space in the YA world to discuss Islamophobia. If anyone picks up this book and learns to be more inclusive, that is absolutely a win. My qualms and review come from the craft of this book, but absolutely not the subject matter.

You Truly Assumed follows the stories of three Muslim teenagers as they react to a terrorist attack and the personal impact of bigotry against their communities. Sabriya, Zakat, and Farah all end up coming together to stand up for themselves and what they believe in, while also facing the typical teenage drama along the way.

My problem with You Truly Assumed is that the writing simply isn’t engaging. It’s clunky. I felt like I was hovering over what should be an engaging novel but is actually an uncomfortable collection of three tales forced into the same book. Sabriya, Zakat, and Farah have no real personality. Most of the conflict, excluding the terrorist attack that brings the girls together, is solved in three sentences. To be truthful, if I weren’t reviewing this novel, I wouldn’t have finished.

I am so glad that these types of stories are being published and made accessible for all readers! But I am also looking for the quality of the storytelling to match the importance of the content.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkyard Press for an advanced reader copy in each change for an honest review.

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Great topic. However, the character development was lacking. I was still getting the 3 girls confused in over 60% of the book. Although they had different interests, they're personalities seemed to be the same. Also, it just seems like the plot was a bit more fast paced than necessary. Like things were almost "miraculously " happening. I think that the authors message about Black Muslim young ladies kind of got jumbled up in all of the stories and wasn't as strong as I expected it. Yet, some YAs or teens would value this read

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We need more diverse books, especially within Islamic rep stories.  So I was so excited to receive an arc of this 352 page YA/Teen Black Muslim authored and featured OWN voice story.  I was prepared for rawness and grit and insight and all the feels.  Sadly to say, it is not that.  It is surface level plot points that are unexplored, disjointed, emotionless, and overshadowed by poor writing, contradictory details, and errors. Admittedly I saw an early copy and there is hope that the spelling errors, continuity mistakes and numerous contradictions can be fixed, but I highly doubt the narrative, character arcs, and holes, will or can be rewritten.  It is such a shame, because every time I was ready to put the book aside and claim I could not finish it, a shiny beautiful paragraph or sentence would pull me in and give me hope that the book would turn around and be what its own blurb claimed the book set out to do: "shatter assumptions" and "share truth."

SYNOPSIS:

Sabriya, Zakat, Farah: three Black female Muslim 17-year-olds in different parts of America, with different passions, different life experiences, and different dreams, take one alternating chapter at a time to tell their stories with occasional blog posts scattered between.  A terrorist attack in the in the D.C. metro, lots of serendipitous technology events, and a need to find community and the girls come together to create a blog that gathers followers and haters alike in the summer before their senior year.

Sabriya "Bri" is a ballet dance, and often one of two black ballerinas in class.  The book opens with her preparing for the summer intensive audition process when news of the nearby metro attack makes time stand still.  Her mom cannot be reached, and multiple people are killed and many more injured.  Bri and her younger sister Nuri identify like their father, as Muslim, but their mother is not.  It doesn't seem to be much of an issue, except in that Bri's mother often cannot relate to experiences her daughter is going through.  Bri asks Allah swt to keep her mom safe, but throughout the entirety of the book it does not mention her praying salat or actively showing she is Muslim aside from wearing an Allah swt necklace and her sorting through her desire to prove to others she is a Muslim versus eventually being content to be enough for her own self.  She does at one point refuse to cook bacon, but she does have a love interest, and Islam reads more of a label to her, than a practiced way of life.  Bri journals as a way to let off steam, and her younger sister Nuri encourages her to move to an app to blog.  Reluctantly Bri agrees, after being reassured that she can keep it private, she names her journal/blog 'You Truly Assumed' and accidentally sets it to public.

With the city reeling, the family commits to volunteering every day to provide food to those directly affected.  Bri is placed in a group with her father's new boss and Hayat, a Muslim boy that she thought was a popular showoff, but is quickly falling for.  The micro aggressions from her father's boss, who is also the volunteer group leader elevate, and the more she learns about him and his connection with an alt right group, the more she writes about in her journal.  By the time she realizes that it has all gone public, she decides based on the comments that she should keep it up, recruit more contributors, and get someone on board that is tech savvy.

Farah Rose lives in California with her mom.  Even though she knows who her father is, she has never had a relationship with him.  When her mom decides that this summer she should go to Boston to meet him and get away from the tensions following the DC attacks, she reluctantly agrees.  With a passion for tech, Tommy, her father persuades her by registering her for an intro computer science college course and a chance to meet her siblings.  Farah is nervous to leave her boyfriend, and worries about being a summer babysitter, but out of love to her mother, agrees to go.  When she learns about the blog, she joins to help with the tech side.

Once in Boston she struggles to connect with her father and his wife, but is immediately drawn to the children.  Her story provides some insight into the concept of privilege within black communities.  Her father and his family are not Muslim, nor did they seem to know that she was. Presumably the only reason it even comes up is when they serve bacon at breakfast and she mentions she is Muslim and a pescaterian  Farah meets a lesbian Muslim girl in her college class and learns that there has a been a hate crime and taken the life of her new friend's friend.  Farah offers to help with the vigil and her commitment to the blog increases as hate crimes, and Islamophobes seem to be on the rise.

Zakat "Kat" seems to present the more "conservative" Muslim.  She lives in an idyllic town and attends an all girls Islamic school.  There is also an all boys Islamic school and they are big rivals of the public high school.  Kat loves art and often takes art classes in the Islamic school with music pumping through the halls, unfortunately her parents don't want her majoring in art at school.  They were the victims of predatory college loans and want her to be more pragmatic in her chose of school and direction of study.  She is more sheltered and even has to go behind her parents' backs to be a part of You Truly Assumed.  She shares her sketches and comics and art work and loves knowing that people are connecting with her work and messages.

When her quaint town becomes the victim of hate crimes, she has to decide if she is going to step up and use her voice, or blend in as she has always done.  Zakat prays regularly, often at the gender neutral mosque behind a female identifying imam, wears hijab, and deals with jealousy as her best friend becomes friends with a girl who years earlier bullied Kat.

The three girls' stories intertwine as they become friends, share their own personal lives with one another, and thus the reader, and create a space to be seen and heard through the blog.

WHY I LIKE IT:

The book honestly reads sloppy.  I don't know why it seems the growing trend is to not properly edit these Islamic OWN voice YA novels, but this is another book that indicates a troubling trend.  I love that these voices are emerging, but it sadly feels that editors are nervous or afraid to question things and demand better.  The book is so much telling and so little showing.  I don't want to be told that the blog posts are powerful, and moving, I want to read them and feel moved.  I don't want to read that you had to understand that you had to stop proving your religiosity to others and just live for yourself, I want to see the incidents and reflection that brought on that growth. I don't want to be told that you are becoming friends with the other two bloggers, I want to see that they understand you when no one else does.  The whole premise of the book is to connect with the reader, but the emotion isn't in the pages, so there is nothing to connect with unfortunately.  Saying there is a terrorist attack, saying that hate crimes are occurring, does not bring forth an investment to the story if details, context, and cathartic releases are not also included.

There are some basics errors.  Wudu is described in the wrong order, Zakat talks of living in Georgia in a fictitious town, but the landmarks and colleges are all accurate until she mentions looking out over Lake Erie.  I Google mapped it, there is no Lake Erie in Georgia (just the Great Lakes one on the Canada US border), it is only mentioned once, so presumably an oversight, not a fictitious landmark.  There are some spelling errors and grammar errors as extra words enter a few sentences (3%), dinner replace the word diner.  At one point it mentions the girls meeting on a Zoom call, and then the next line refers to it as a Skype call (54%).  The plushness of the Georgia mosque is often commented on, but they have to put down their prayer rugs to pray, this is pre covid, so a little off.

The book contradicts itself at 11% saying that they can drive to North Carolina or New York for auditions, while the rest of the chapter is convincing Bri to volunteer because they cannot. One of the reasons Farah left California was because of the tensions, but Boston is closer to the place of the attacks and also a large diverse bustling city.  When Farah is wanting to talk to Tommy and his wife about the vigil, she walks in to a room and comments on who is there, in the next line, it mentions that it isn't a good time to have the conversation since Jess is not there.  Jess was just mentioned as being there and the conversation does end up taking place (84%).  When Bri has a blow up with her dad's boss, Hayat is worried that she hasn't been delivering meals all week as a result, later in the chapter it mentions that the conversation happened yesterday (77%).   When Bri introduces her friend to Hayat she doesn't mention that the two girls know his little sister very well, and it seemed unnecessarily awkward.  Zakat stares off in to space and imagines a sketch and remarks that she has never shared a sketch before and it is something she wants to explore.  This is 81% of the way in to the book, she has been sharing her sketches on the blog since she joined.

In terms of Islamic representation, Zakats mosque has one entrance and doesn't divide based on gender, there is a female imam, the steps of wudu are in the wrong order, the girls all seem to focus on their "islamic" necklaces or rings as if they are such an integral part of their faith.  The girls never pause or hesitate to have boyfriends, kiss them, bring them around their Muslim family.  Even Zakat who reads really naive and young and goes to an all girls Islamic school decides that a logical event is to have a mixed gender party with music and none of the parents have an issue.  It is even held in a Muslim girl's basement. There are very few salams or mashaAllahs or inshaAllahs, or bismillahs in the book.  There is music, dancing and dating.  Not naive to say that Muslims don't participate in all these activities, but to not offer any pause, reflection, or clarification, in a book trying to show the life of some one who identifies as Muslim is a little puzzling.  At the beginning it mentions that Black Muslims are "othered" in Islamic gatherings, and I really wish this thread would have been a larger part of the book.  To see where the larger community is racist and lacking, to see where the engagements occur and where they fall short is a very unique lived experience that the book seemed to tease, but ultimately abandoned completely. 

Plot points were not fully developed, a book of secrets was not built up or stressed and then became a huge issue without sufficient understanding as to why offered.  The hate crime in Boston that took the life of a young black Muslim girl was also not given enough weight in the story, or how she helped organize the galvanizing vigil.  The blog aspect was just not believable, so much happening by happenstance and then the material not being shown.  Show us the comics, the sketches, the passages.  Let us read the comments and show us your texts back and forth to see your friendship growing.  I loved the parts about Bri and her dad's boss, about Farah's father's family and her interacting, the parts that mentioned Juneteenth and bean pie.  I wanted more immersion in to these characters lives.  To know their back stories and their struggles.  I wanted to feel like I was seeing something that for too long has not been given the space to be authentic and real, but ultimately I finished the book just glad it was over and I no longer needed to exhaust myself trying to imagine the book that it could have been.

POTENTIAL FLAGS:

Domestic terrorism, hate crimes, death.  Relationships mentioned, straight and queer.  Transgendered and ungendered masjids, female imams.  Boyfriends both Muslim and non Muslim.  Mixed parties, dancing, music, art with faces, lying, cursing.

TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:

I don't think there is enough content to discuss in a book club setting, neither to relate to nor open ones' eyes to.  I would like to discuss the book if any one has read it, if I am simply so ignorant of the Black Muslim female experience that I don't get the book, I am happy to learn and listen and change, inshaAllah.

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Besides the absolutely beautiful cover, I struggled to like this book.⁠

The book is composed of three views of different Muslim Black Women- Sabriya, Zakat, and Farah. After an Accidental blog is formed (yes, these girls just keep pressing things on their phone by accident somehow), the girls connect online to talk about their experiences being Muslim in the aftermath of a terrorist attack. After email/comment threats are made (its unclear), the girls start freaking out. They run to their parents, who tell them they will take care of it. And then they get preached at to be better. They lament their struggles of life in the book but barely any details are mentioned to the reader to emotionally connect. The blog only actually has like three posts the reader can see (a book of secrets is thrown in at some point out of nowhere). The blog is hacked and taken down. Somehow the ending is all positive with a twitter takedown, the blog coming back up, and some flowery writing, but honestly it just left me feeling like absolutely nothing was resolved somehow, and toxic people stayed toxic.

And the Islamic inaccuracies: Wudu was described and mouth rinsing being last and the steps being wrong, the Masjid Minaret was described as having a Bell ring to signal prayer times, not to mention many wrongful uses of Islamic phrases.⁠

To top it all off, the writing read like a first draft with so many grammar errors and lack of depth. It was “telling instead of showing” the reader what to feel about the issues presented in the book.⁠ The errors included characters last names being changed mid-chapter, days and somehow settings changing eerily fast, wrong use of italics, formal unnatural language and dialogue, it goes on.

I think the author had good ideas, and there is authenticity in the statements said about the hardship of being a Black woman and being a Muslim. I wanted to like it. I just felt like it need a lot of editing.

The sad part is, we DO NEED more Black Muslim voices in literature. Hopefully future work is better!

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As a white, non-Muslim woman I really enjoyed spending time with these characters’ heads even if it took a little while to get into the prose itself. The first few chapters were very slow as we meet our cast of characters, and the term “online journal” feels very early 2000s - why not make an anonymous Twitter or Instagram account?

But the stories themselves of each girl are beautiful and powerful and absolutely worth working through the early chapters. Definitely a valuable empathy read for folks who haven’t experienced Islam or Islamophobia firsthand.
————-
A couple highlights from other reviewers:

Jordan F: “As a second gen Arab American woman who also happens to run Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion workshops, I can confidently say that “You Truly Assumed” paints a realistic portrait of intersectionality…. Bri, Kat, and Farah each have diverse voices with unique perspectives and families that affect them in realistic ways; they are not three different versions of the same stock character. They often express dissenting views on how to manage situations, and this rings true to how three teenagers would interact with each other”

Zainab B: “The Muslim representation felt like a part of me, I have barely read good Muslim rep in literature and when I come across a book like this I cherish it. Laila Sabreen created this beautiful book in a way that it not only gives Muslim voices specially black Muslim voices a platform but also makes sure it is a good one.”

Mariam S: “Firstly, as a Muslim girl who lives in a country which had a not-so-recent terror attack, I wish I had this book back then to comfort me. The confusion, the disappointment in the neighborhood that's supposed to protect you, the fear of being singled out because you belong to the minority was so relatable.”

Hafsah I: “This book is genuinely one of the best books with Muslim representation. The only thing I can nitpick is that I wish the book focused more on being a Muslim itself, rather than on what is it to be a Muslim after a terror attack, but again, the book is short, so it’s understandable. I loved the portrayal of a supportive, tight-knit Muslim community.”

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Part of my personal reading goal is to read more and more diverse books each year, and I’m really glad that I chose this book. The cover is gorgeous, and it was eye opening to read from the perspective of young, black Muslim women. Sabriya, Zakat, and Farah may have different personalities, but they were equally strong, resilient, honest, and relatable characters.
The author wasn’t afraid to tackle some hard topics, but since this is a YA book, nothing was overtly graphic. The girls are brave when it comes to tackling xenophobia and bigotry, although some of the resulting conclusions did feel a tiny bit unrealistic. I understand that more people are being held accountable for their actions these days, but there is also an equal amount of people who never learn from their behavior. It would have been interesting to see how one of the girls dealt with that reality & how it would shape her growth.

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Recommended for fans of “The Hate U Give” and “Internment.”

First of all, can we please admire this gorgeous cover? I would buy a print of this tbh.

“You Truly Assumed” is the title of a blog that Sabriya (Bri), a high school senior starts after a terrorist attack on the DC metro sends shockwaves through the nation. As a black Muslim young woman, Bri’s first thought is “Please don’t let them be Muslim.” Zakat (Kat) and Farah (Rose) are two black Muslim high schoolers as well who find a sense of community and purpose in assisting Bri with the site. Digitally connected despite the hundreds of miles separating them, they grapple with doing what’s best for themselves mentally and what’s best for the community they’ve created as it gets increasingly targeted by racists and xenophobes.

As a second gen Arab American woman who also happens to run Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion workshops, I can confidently say that “You Truly Assumed” paints a realistic portrait of intersectionality. (Approachable recommended reading on this topic: “This Book Is Anti-Racist” by Tiffany Jewell) One of the activities I have participants do during most workshops is write down as many of their identities (curly-haired, optimist, side sleeper, wife) as they can in 60 seconds and then share one of them with the group. 100% of the time, the identity shared is not related to their race. We talk about how reductive it is to make assumptions about someone based on how they look, especially considering that none of us have chosen to share that as the one identity we chose.

Intersectionalism is still a new concept for many people, and books like “You Truly Assumed” are essential to changing the status quo. Bri, Kat, and Farah each have diverse voices with unique perspectives and families that affect them in realistic ways; they are not three different versions of the same stock character. They often express dissenting views on how to manage situations, and this rings true to how three teenagers would interact with each other.

As for criticisms, when it came to the antagonists of the story—they were all obvious and acted in ways (when confronted) that felt a bit unrealistic. The first third of the book was pretty slow other than the first chapter, because we had to get to know each character’s circumstances prior to the blog. My main complaint is that the book frequently felt like it was pontificating. It was a bit on the nose at times, but maybe this will work well for the YA audience it’s intended for.

Thank you, Inkyard Press for a free review copy! Opinions expressed are my own.

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I think that this is a very timely book. I liked the way the different narrators were woven together with the blog. Showing the intersections and divergences of Muslim girls is important in a world that likes to label people with such finality. I plan to add this to my classroom library and highly recommend it.

*copy provided by Netgalley

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You truly assumed is a book about three different girls from across America who find themselves coming together after a terrorist attack happens in Washington. All three girls share one common thread and find the courage to start a blog about it. Fearful yet angry at their circumstances they find a bond amongst themselves that help them to all face down their biggest fears and develop a friendship while doing it.
You Truly Assumed is a book that helps to put you into another's shoes and help see things from a different perspective.

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Honestly! Perfect from start to finish. Although, I may point out it takes until the end of the first chapter to grab and hold my attention but that’s alright though because the rest of the story is beautiful. I’ve never felt so seen…As a marginalized person I completely relate to our three main characters. The premise is bold and really makes you think. I can’t wait to read more from Laila Sabreen. I’m going to honestly recommend this book to all of my friends and family!

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This book was hard to get through, not because of bad writing or plot but because it felt so real , so own . The Muslim representation felt like a part of me , I have barely read good Muslim rep in literature and when I come across a book like this I cherish it . Laila Sabreen created this beautiful book in a way that it not only gives Muslim voices specially black Muslim voices a platform but also makes sure it is a good one .
This book is an honest, raw and real potrait of three Muslim girls who stand up against the systemic racism and Islamophobia that has been deep-rooted in today's world they show the people like it's too easy to assume , to easy to make comments or hate one one person without actually knowing them just on the basis of what people ' like ' them have done in the past .

Can't fathom how happy I am in being able to read this and be a platform through which people might find this book , will review it in details in all my socials , closer to the release date .

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Thank you to Laila Sabreen for gifting me an e-copy of You Truly Assumed. When I saw the book cover, I knew I had to read it and couldn’t have been more thrilled when I received an ARC.✨

I’m very cautious about reading Muslim books, because the characters are often religion-hating/ are Muslim just for token diversity. While I can’t speak for the Black representation, the Muslim rep was done very well.

This book wasn’t just about the big powerful moment like when Sabriya, Zakat and Farah bonded over their shared experiences in a blog, but also small things like how Sabriya, who has been facing criticism from both Muslim and non-Muslims alike, still proudly wore a necklace with an Allah charm on it and how Zakat went to an Islamic school for girls and loved it. We don’t really see this kind of thing in books and it made me so happy.

Laila Sabreen flawlessly captures how our lives, especially lives of minorities, gets disrupted because of hate and the fear that comes with it. The first thing Sabriya thought when an attack happened was ‘please don’t let it be Muslim’, and it hit too close to home.

You Truly Assumed is a powerful debut featuring three Black Muslim female leads and I can’t wait to read more books from the author. This book is up for preorder and I think everyone should read it, especially those who like books featuring strong female leads/ has good Muslim representation.✨🥀

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This was some of the best YA fiction that uncovered some tricky topics of intersectionality (teenage black muslim women) who are struggling to find representation and safety amidst discrimination and terrorist attacks. There is often so much to unpack in YA that a book that covers racism, discrimination, and BIPOCs can veer into the territory of preachiness. However, in Laila Sabreen's new novel, this doesn't happen. The characters' voices are authentic and uniquely theirs. The instances that happen feel very real and they are empathetic protagonists.

I really appreciated the shared circumstances that brings the three characters together, as well as their different environments and upbringings. Each character brought something new to the table and the author used current slang and cultural references without sounding like she was trying too hard.

This is a great read for everyone, no matter their background. I recommended it to my parents' social justice group to read for a book club.

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YOU TRULY ASSUMED is a beautiful read from start to finish.

I loved getting to know Zakat, Farah, and Bri. Watching them overcome personal and collective obstacles all while growing in undeniable strength over the course of the novel, inspired me to continue fighting for social change. Sabreen boldly tackles subjects such as racism, Islamaphobia, family dynamics, and how one can find strength in the midst of fear. YTA is sure to be a novel that sparks a fire of passion within its readers to look within themselves, find what gifts and talents lie within, and use them to spark a fire of change that won't soon die out!

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