If you’re looking for the next good book you found it!!! I loooooved this story so much it was an interesting experience watching Soila’s journey to independence and the various challenges she faced while living in the United States. It was bold and beautifully-written, the beginning has a slow build but the deeper you get into the novel the more connected you become with the MC.

It follows Soila a young Kenyan woman from Nairobi who lived a sheltered life and was raised by a stern and dictative Catholic mother along with her aunts and grandmother. Soila always longed for independence and freedom after years of dealing with her mothers strong beliefs and controlling ways. When she finally made it to New York Soila realized the US was not all it claimed to be and begins to challenge all her beliefs about race, love, and family.

The author did a great job getting the reader emotionally invested in Soila’s life. Most of the book I sympathized with her character and found that she self-sabotaged a lot because of her mother’s behavior. So many times I wished she would finally stand up to her mother and do what was best for her own life. I really wanted her to tell her mother what Father Emmanuel did just so she would shut tf up. When her mother was diagnosed with early Alzheimer’s I hated watching Soila break off her engagement and move back to Kenya to care for her. Not because I didn’t like her mother because I didn’t lol but I felt Soila finally found happiness yet she still chose her mother over it.

Overall, the book was amazing it provided a fascinating exploration of finding independence and the cultural differences between countries. A few family secrets are also revealed and there are a few trigger warnings surrounding sexual assault, suicide, and abortions. The flow and atmosphere of the book also meshed well with the character development. Special thanks to the author & @thedialpress for my gifted copy!!!

Unfortunately, this one didn't quite work for this reader. It falls in the vein of other books I've read, like "Girl, Woman, Other" and "Behold the Dreamers", so perhaps it was that the content of the story felt repetitive for me. The biggest issue with my experience was the pacing--the beginning felt slow with a lot of explaining, and when it did pick up, it never really hooked me. While I did enjoy watching Soila's life unfold and there was plenty of dramatic/tense moments, I never really connected with her as a character, which made it difficult to make it through. The writing style was good, but I don't think this was the right book for me right now.

Soila grew up in Kenya, raised by her mother and aunts. As time goes on, she decides to move to NYC for university, which is not what her mother wants for her. In NYC, Soila finds a whole new life and way of doing things, and finding and discovering for herself what she wants to do in her life. With such a heavy presence of her mothers raising, it is hard for her to do as she wants without her mothers voice in her head.

I loved this coming of age and self-discovery book. It deals with the clash of cultures and the need to reconcile how one will handle living in a new place that behaves differently than you are used to. I really loved getting to "know" Soila and rooted for her in finding her way!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House, Dial Press Trade Paperback for the e-copy of this book.

Lucky Girl by Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu is the story of a Kenyan girl, Soila, who comes to college in America to escape her overbearing mother. As a young new adult living on her own she navigates many experiences of life and love as she learns her way in the world.

Prior to reading this book I read Maame, which is also about a girl from an African country coming into her own adulthood as she moves out for the first time. However, where Maama was more lighthearted, at least until the last third, I found Lucky Girl bittersweet throughout.

Soila experiences an assault early in the book at the hands of a trusted family friend that leaves her with emotional scars that affect her relationships throughout the story. She also struggles with her identity as a black woman, her perspective as a Kenyan being very different than the perspective of the black friends she makes in New York. Last, Soila struggles mightily to balance her newfound independence and separate life in America with the expectations of her mother and family in Kenya.

I enjoyed all the thoughtful cultural commentary and watching the ARC of Soila's growth. It felt very authentic and gave me insight into her experience and the differences in family life and expectations of African girls.

I did find this book quite heavy overall, but Soila finds bittersweet happiness and purpose at the end of the novel. I appreciated that she was given some lasting happiness in the end.

Overall I rate this book 4 stars. It was a lengthy but meaningful read. I'd recommend it to others who are up for a bit of heaviness or to read in conjunction with Maame. These two were very interesting together.

Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu has written a book that I found very thought provoking. This is a story that I found to challenge my beliefs about race and privilege and will stay with me.

Soila is a young Kenyan woman that desires to get out from under her mother's rule. As an only child of a widow, Soila dreams of a bigger life than her mother wants for her. Her mother wants her to stay in Kenya and get a business degree to take over the family business. Soila wants to go to America and study art but finally compromises with her mother and will study business in the US.

Soila thinks she knows all about race, class and privilege but finds her beliefs challenged and stretched.

This book tugged at my heartstrings and put a lump in my throat. I highly recommend this book for anyone that wants to be challenged in their beliefs about race and privilege.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Possible triggers: Parental loss, suicide, abortion, molestation, sudden loss, 9/11

Thank you Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu, Penguin Random House, and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my honest review! Thank you to PRHAudio for the gifted audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

This book is beautifully written! I was swept away by the story. While I wouldn’t necessarily call this a coming of age story, Soila really comes into her own. She craves her independence and once she has it, she takes it into her hands and finally makes her life her own. “Lucky Girl” discusses topics like racism, cultural differences, and family dynamics. I loved the way the author had the characters navigate and discuss these topics through the book. “Lucky Girl” is insightful and beautifully written. If you have the opportunity to listen to the audiobook, I highly recommend it! The narrator does a fantastic job at conveying the emotions of the characters.

Rating: 4.5 stars

Thank you for the opportunity to read this novel. It's not a fit for me at the moment so I will put it aside for now.

Soila is a young woman who wants to leave her home in Nairobi and follow her dreams in NY. She is smart, her family has money and she wants more opportunities. Only problem is her conservative mother doesn’t want to let her go. Doesn’t want to see her go. She believes Soila should stay with her and follow the family business. You see Soila’s father passed away and her mother has kept it all together since he died. She is fiercely independent and doesn’t believe Soila has to leave her home to find the same independence.
Soila though can’t be convinced and plans her exit, by taking the prep tests and applying to her dream college, without her mother knowing. When it’s time to tell the truth her mother, the the help of her aunts, allows Soila to go. Soila immediately loves her new city, school and her best friend. It’s all different, fun and scary. She isn’t as lonely as she thought she might be. She excels at school, finds so many cultural differences and actually finds love. All while her mother hopes she is living according to her faith. Although the city isn’t paved in gold there are as many opportunities as there are problems. Racism is so new to her. The economy in the 90’s is shaky as best. Things aren’t always as they seem. As Soila balances all of these things she makes a life for herself. She makes friends, has some losses and has to decide how and when she will explain this all to her mother. This was a well written story. Soila is definitely a character that is pushing all the limits. I loved the story between her and her mother and how everyone had opinions. The banter was realistic, when personalities are so different. I kept reading to see how Soila’s life played out and I wasn’t disappointed.. this was a four star read for me. I want to thank Netgalley and Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu for my copy of Lucky Girl for an honest review. It was my pleasure to read and review this book. I hope you enjoy it as munch as I did.

This book made me sad, but it was beautifully written. I loved learning about a culture different than the one in which I was raised, from a new perspective than one I've yet been exposed to.

Lucky Girl was a look at how a Nigerian woman views life as she moves to New York to pursue her dreams. With the strong beliefs that she grew up with at war with her trying to live her life to her desires, Soila has a hard time knowing what to do. Through the ups and downs of life in the big city, she finds what she should do and what she wants to do are two very different things. This book was emotional, intelligent, funny, and heartwarming, all rolled into one. Soila's story will leave you with a desire to live to your heart's fullest. 4 stars. Thank you, NetGalley for the eARC.

This is a coming of age story about a Kenyan woman who comes to the US. It spans several decades (the 80s, 90s, and the aughts) and deals with a LOT of themes and some of them are discussed in ways that seem heavy-handed occasionally. Despite that, this is the type of story that starts with you.

What stood out for me was that the MC's beliefs, upbringing, and culture were not the same as other people's. As she starts to understand her own prejudices, she understands others better and her relationships become less stereotypical. This is a debut author to watch.

Let me just start by saying this would make an excellent book club selection as there is so much to unpack and digest in this beautifully told story of Soila navigating life between two different cultures. While this is a love story, it is so much more and I love that I was able to get a glimpse into another culture while considering different perspectives along the way.

Good book. I read it about 6 months ago and I don’t have a lot of details. I am so sorry! (Life got in the way.)

Lucky Girl is a beautiful debut novel - it addresses so much but it is somehow not too much. And despite all of the ups and downs - you are left with such a hopeful feeling at the end. Moving to the United States for college, Soila realizes how sheltered her upbringing has been as she meets new people and is confronted with racism and privilege in a way she never considered before growing up in Kenya. You see her struggle with her mother's expectations and her own dreams for her future. Soila is an amazing character - her story easily draws you in. And all of the side characters are so well-developed - I loved Atkenaten and Leticia. A truly beautiful novel - definitely recommend! Excited to read more from Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu in the future. Thank you to Dial Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this novel.

For years, Soila has lived under her imperious mother's rule, but she breaks out in spectacular fashion in Lucky Girl by Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu. After a disturbing incident occurs, she decides to leave her homeland and go to college in New York City, Although it sounds like a dream come true, the Land of the Free is anything but a dream or free. She learns what it's like to live as a Black American in 1990s America and evolves from her experiences during this time away from home.

I really loved this book because Soila is a thoughtful and relatable character. I could relate, especially, to the overbearing mother who means well but many times oversteps her bounds and makes impossible demands on her daughter. It made me think of my own mother. Soila goes to college for business, but her heart belongs to photography. She struggles to come to terms with what she should do with her life.

The relationships within the book, whether between Soila and her mother, her friends in NYC, her relationships with men and colleagues, all felt authentic. I felt the frustration that she feels with her mom. In becoming friends with Americans, she learns about racism and prejudice from a unique perspective. Her view coming from another country differs from her friends and her future boyfriends. It was interesting to see the juxtaposition of the perspective of Black Americans and Africans and how Soila forms some new opinions and understanding.

Many of the events that arise in the book ring true. I felt the emotions and felt the author captured some major events very well and in a thoughtful, respectful manner. The life events in Soila's life also rang true and really made you feel for her and root for her. Her life takes many turns--some good, some bad--but in the end, you want her to find happiness and get frustrated when she lets other things like her overwhelmingly frustrating mother disrupt her life path toward happiness.

If you're part of a book club, there are so many things that can be discussed. Racism, family relationships, cultural differences, and so much more. All the topics come off seamlessly in the book and the perspectives all come from different places. You can see where everyone is coming from even her mother who aggravated me throughout the book.

I was so impressed by this book and how well it was written. There are so many layers to the story without feeling bogged down with unnecessary details. The prose and storylines run so smoothly, and I hope this writer continues to put out thought-provoking stories that look at the human condition.

Lucky Girl" by Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu is a compelling and inspiring memoir that recounts the author's remarkable journey of resilience and triumph over adversity. From surviving a tumultuous childhood to overcoming numerous challenges as an adult, Muchemi-Ndiritu's story is a testament to the strength of the human spirit. Her candid and poignant narrative not only sheds light on the harsh realities faced by many but also serves as a beacon of hope, reminding readers of the power of determination and self-belief.

It was interesting seeing Soila adjust to life in America and her reactions to racism, while also becoming her own person beyond her mother’s control.

New York in the 1990’s was so totally different from Nairobi that Soila had no idea what to do. Though her mother grudgingly allowed her to attend college, it was with the stipulation that she major in Business Administration and come home immediately after graduation to run the family business. The courses that interested Soila the most, though, were art and photography classes, inspiring her to take out her old camera. Deciding to stay in New York rather than return home was a difficult decision for Soila, as it was rare she defied an order from her mother. Her job in the New York finance world was uncomfortable and unsatisfying, and she felt as though she didn’t belong. Being witness to the towers falling on 9/11 while knowing her friend and mentor had just left to attend a meeting there caused Soila to rethink her priorities and completely change her life.

Okay…where to start? The contrast between Soila’s life in Kenya and New York was clearly defined, and I liked how her boyfriends and her friend Leticia helped her understand the prevalence of racism and the lingering history of slavery. The book doesn’t hold back, in addition to the topics mentioned above, it talks about sexual molestation, abortion, religious conflict, Alzheimer’s, and your duty to your mother. Lucky Girl in a fascinating book that offers the reader different perspectives on wealth and privilege, cultural identity, and finding your voice in a world determined to silence you.

This is a bittersweet debut novel about Soila, a young woman growing up in Nairobi whose father committed suicide and whose mother tries to run her life. Soila is interested in photography, but her mother thinks she should have a more "useful" job so Soila goes to college and does what her mother asks. There are so many relevant topics addressed here: colonialism, abuse, abortion, racism, 911, marriage, and dementia. But it is so clearly a heart-felt look at this "lucky" girl who must navigate the world and all of its injustices! So lovely!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Lucky Girl is a debut novel by this author. She writes with such background involving living as a Kenyan woman both in Africa as well as New York City.
The main character, Solia, is Kenyan born and bred. She is raised not only by her fierce protective mother, but also by her extended family including her grandmother and her mothers’ sisters. Her father died by suicide on her birthday. In Kenya, she is privileged and her family has wealth.
Solia wants nothing more but to gain her independence without the watchful eye of her domineering mother. She wants to move to the United States to get her college degree. Her mother finally allows it when Solia is accepted by Bard College in New York City. She moves there all by herself, knowing no one at all. She becomes fast friends with a black college student named Leticia. They room together for years and have each other’s back though happiness and heartache.
Solia’s journey, as a black woman from Kenya, is much different from a black woman born in the United States. It takes years for Solia to see the difference.
Issues that the author tackled in this novel include race, privilege, poverty and wealth, discrimination, first loves.
This story takes place in the 1900s’ and the early 2000’s in NYC. Solia’s journey is a difficult one for her as she tries to gain her independence. Trigger warnings for Alzheimer’s disease, abortion, 911 bombings.
The author has created a wonderful cast of characters, and her writing flowed easily as you were reading. Highly recommended for readers of character based novels and women finding their own voice.