Rating: 4 for cute drama and an obvious feel good ending

My Thoughts:
Sometimes, readers want drama without the negative aspect of being dramatic. So in this one, no spoiler alert, but the parents are not as harsh or unforgiving as they should be. And of course, in the end, all will be forgiven. Still, the ride itself is just raucuous. If drama were a llama, this would definitely be a llama.

The whole thing about a huge opportunity coming into play against a major family event is not a new premise. As humans, we often try and figure out can I be a Hermione and be at two places at once? How close can I cut it? What time do I really have to leave? Then when you realize this is not going to work out, I think we have all been there. Zuri may need to sacrifice her desire for being present for her sister. That is the mature thing to do and she does it. For that, despite all her shenanigans, Zuri is proven to be a good little sister. Cousin/love interest Naveen is also both talented and seems smitten with Zuri while also looking out for himself, so points there too because this seems like both a family match and a love match. Still, I am proud of Zuri for being independent. It shows a depth of character that is not always present when the tropes are so familiar.

From the Publisher:
Zurika Damani is a naturally gifted violinist with a particular love for hip-hop beats. But when you’re part of a big Indian family, everyone has expectations, and those certainly don’t include hip-hop violin. After being rejected by Juilliard, Zuri’s last hope is a contest judged by a panel of top-tier college scouts. The only problem? This coveted competition happens to take place during her sister’s extravagant wedding week. And Zuri has already been warned, repeatedly, that she is not to miss a single moment.



In the midst of the chaos, Zuri’s mom is in matchmaking mode with the groom’s South African cousin Naveen—who just happens to be a cocky vocalist set on stealing Zuri’s spotlight at the scouting competition. Luckily Zuri has a crew of loud and loyal female cousins cheering her on. Now, all she has to do is wow the judges for a top spot, evade getting caught by her
parents, resist Naveen’s charms, and, oh yeah . . . not mess up her sister’s big fat
Indian wedding. What could possibly go wrong?

Publication Information:
Author: Sajni Patel
Publisher: Amulet Books (April 19, 2022)
Print length: 366 pages

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC and my honest review.


I have read a lot of Sajni Patel before but not one that has weddings. This was such a fun, lighthearted wedding YA book.
This book highlights both Indian and West Indian culture with a lot of extended family shenanigans.

There is a lot of cultural wedding moments and traditional rituals and reminded me of fun I had with my own cousins.
The book weaves a lovely tapestry of Indian culture, filled with joyful moments, family fun but also touching upon quietly on issues of generational gap and pressure of immigrant expectations.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

I had the delightful opportunity to read an eARC of My Sister's Big Fat Indian Wedding, and let me just say, this book is a vibrant tapestry woven with humor, heart, and cultural richness!

From the get-go, Sashahari pulls you into the whirlwind of wedding planning, family dynamics, and all the delicious chaos that accompanies it. The protagonist navigates the pressures of traditional expectations while trying to carve out her own identity, and I found her journey relatable and poignant. The way she juggles family drama, cultural nuances, and personal aspirations is a testament to how love and family can be both grounding and overwhelming.

The humor is on point, striking just the right balance between laugh-out-loud moments and heartfelt reflections. I often found myself chuckling at the quirky family interactions and relatable mishaps that unfold throughout the wedding preparations. As someone that was planning my own wedding when I read this, I definitely found it relatable when things would go wrong. The author paints an authentic picture of Indian culture, filled with colorful descriptions and lively characters that make you feel like you’re right there at the festivities.

My Sister's Big Fat Indian Wedding is a delightful read, perfect for anyone who loves stories about family, identity, and the joyous chaos of weddings. If you liked this, try When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon, The Marriage Game by Sara Desai, and So it's Up to You by Reema Patel. 🌟

This was a super fun YA story. I loved the music aspect and the focus on Indian and Trinidadian tradition. I really enjoyed the main characters and the family aspect as well as the romance.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me a free eARC of this book to read in exchange for my review!

DNF 50% ish

Felt like I've read this book before.
Couldn't get away from the feeling I had read this before and it affected my enjoyment, until I couldn't continue.

Writing, plot, mc voice all felt like they were the same from another book I read Ssadly.

This book has all my favorite things like good South Asian representation and of course, Indian weddings! This book was cute and chaotic and had me in my feelings the whole time. Of course it's cheesy and it's meant for a YA audience, but I still enjoyed my time reading it.

This book had a lot of potential with a fun concept, but it seemed to miss the mark regarding pot development.

My biggest issue with the book was the lack of conflict as the book progressed. The initial problem was definitely introduced, but it felt like very little was done to raise the stakes outside of one or two plot points. While I enjoyed learning more about Indian wedding traditions through this book, There were times it felt more like an informational text then a fun, romantic comedy.

This is still a book I would recommend, especially for someone who is not familiar with Indian wedding traditions and would like to be.

It's always interesting to see author's cross genres. This is the second YA book I've read by local Austin author Sajni Patel - the first being The Knockout (which I absolutely loved). This rom-com was a hit for me. It has a likeable cast, a great storyline and a sweet beginner romance.

The characters really made this story extra special. You follow along with them as they prepare for an extravagant wedding. The main Damani family is fantastic. I really loved seeing the interactions amongst the sisters. Zurika has two older sisters and one younger. They each had a realistic dynamic where they tease yet had one another's best interest at heart. Neha gave off a total Kitty vibe from To All The Boys I Loved Before. Loved her meddlesome snark!

I'll never forget staying in a hotel in downtown Houston and witnessing a groom arriving on a horse surrounding by family celebrating. It was my first introduction into Indian weddings and it looked like a blast the entire weekend we were there. From the gorgeous attire the women wore to the meticulous decorations and endless dancing, it was a three day extravaganza that just emitted pure joy for the newly weds. I loved catching a glimpse into the detailed prep that went on in this story for the wedding. I learned about a few new traditions: a Haldi ceremony and the wedding party guarding the groom's shoes or sitting on the car the couple drives away in. Also the food descriptions were endlessly enticing. The author's notes at the end of the book shared how she was inspired to write this story after being a part of her own brother's huge wedding.

Aside from the wedding prep, Zurika has an intriguing story where she hopes to pursue her passion for music. She is caught up in auditioning and hoping to catch the attention of college scouts. I loved the idea of a violinist with a rocker twist. Her passion was evident in her descriptions of how music made her feel. It was also another great way to include family expectations into the story since her parents urged her to study law.

The romance was super light, a definite slow burn and just adorable to watch unfold. Naveen was a great love interest. I enjoyed watching the two connect over music, dodge matchmaking family members and start to show an interest in one another. I wouldn't mind seeing a sequel so I can catch up with these characters again and see how they evolve as college students!

Whats more important, traditions or your passion? Zurika Damani has to make this choice when her older sisters wedding falls on the same day as a prestigious music competition. Will she ruin the wedding or will all her dreams come true? My Sister's Big Fat Indian Wedding takes a light hearted look at tradition and forging a path of your own. The plot followed a very typical structure and was highly predictable but the traditions and culture the book was based on elevated the overall story. A light, fluffy, rom com.

I liked a lot about this YA - love a deadline for a compettion or opportunity that makes the future, love a big annoying but still loving family wedding.

I love this authors other books so much! They have all been 5/5 stars for me. But I dnf’ed this one unfortunately.. i felt like the story was too slow and there wasn’t enough plot to keep my attention.

Every book I read by Sajni Patel makes me feel like I'm injecting drugs directly into my bloodstream because I swear I feel the high for days on end. Out of all of her books, this one brought me the most joy. The book was lighthearted, featured some adorable musical rivalry, the love Zurika and her cousins have for each other, and of course, the romance.

South Asian culture varies vastly depending on the region, and I especially love that Sajni Patel highlighted West Indians who had been displaced from their culture generations ago, and also highlighted the desi diaspora from places that aren't just America: Naveen is from South Africa, and his extended family has been there for years.

Despite this being a fun, lighthearted read, the author finds ways to talk about the darker parts of having a large desi family, including when Zurika is gifted skin lightening cream from an aunt, and the mentality between generations is highlighted through her sister telling her not to yell at the aunt, Zuri wanting nothing but to go off on the aunt, and the aunt confused on why Zurika wouldn't want lighter skin.

I was expecting this to have more traditions in it. I did really enjoy it I just wanted MORE! the characters were super cute and I really loved the family dynamic.

A fabulous YA read about family, music, romance, and a love letter to Indian culture. I loved this book so much and not even for the romance (although that was adorable). I definitely recommend this one to anyone looking to read a book about a loving family and wants to explore new cultures.

A fun, laugh aloud rom com that offers a window into the South Asian diaspora, and a vibrant family wedding.

I've always thought that Indian weddings were beautiful. The celebration, family gathering, and even the clothing have always seemed so beautiful to me. I really enjoyed this book. I liked all the information that I learned about Indian food, culture, clothing, and celebrations that I got from the book. Seriously, don't read it if you're hungry, the descriptions of food sound so amazing. I also really enjoyed the story itself.. Like Zurika, I wanted to be a musician and study music when I was in high school, so I really identified with her. I loved the dynamic between Zurika and Naveen, it was perfect. I also loved the camaraderie of all the female characters in the book. The way they all looked out for one another and had each others backs was great to see. This was a really fun quick read that had me laughing along the way with all of the craziness that comes with big family gatherings. I really enjoyed this book and hope to read more from the author.

4.5 stars
I had so much fun reading this book. I loved learning about the huge wedding event and Indian customs and traditions. I felt like I was there experiencing it with the characters. The author was very descriptive and it really pulled me in. I swear I was able to hear that violin rocking to Dream On. I highly recommend this novel.

Thank you NetGalley and ABRAMS Kids, Amulet Books for this digital arc in exchange for my honest review which is not affiliated with any brand.

This is a cute rom-com featuring an Indian wedding, a music contest and navigating familial expectations. I loved the whole vibe of the Indian weddings. The food, clothing and music are always over the top but in a good way.

Ms. Patel excels at creating characters that are smart, charming and witty and this book was no different. I enjoyed the budding romance between Zuri and Naveen and was rooting hard for them. I also liked Zuri's sisters and loved her relationship with her dad.

Overall, this is a fun read for those cold winter evenings with a warm drink in hand and a fire in the hearth.

a fun read! as a brown girl i love stories with brown rep, especially shaadi-centered ones. i love seeing myself and my culture so well represented in fiction