The Victim: A sixteen-year-old girl with facial deformities, neglected by her alcoholic mother. She has accused her classmates of rape.

The Defendants: Four handsome teenage boys from immigrant families. All tell the same story.

Someone is lying.

TAKE IT BACK is the first installment in Kia Abdullah’s series about Zara Kaleel, one of London’s brightest legal minds who works for Artemis House where she defends victims of sexual assault. She is the epitome of a dedicated, committed, badass lawyer. Zara has been assigned to Jodie Wolfe’s case. This teenage girl has faced many hardships in her young life due to her physical appearance and the neglect she receives from her alcoholic mother. She shows up at Zara’s office describing a horrific sexual assault by four peers. What unfolds from here is a master class on a roller coaster of emotions that Abdullah expertly crafts.

I was absolutely blown away by this book! I walked in thinking this would be another legal thriller and closed the last page in awe and with tears in my eyes. This book hit me hard. I should have known this was going to happen when the first chapter knocked me off my feet. It’s hard to describe the way this book takes you on a journey without giving anything away, but just brace yourself. There’s tension, distrust, sorrow, anger, and a million other emotions. Long story short...read this one immediately!

@stmartinspress was kind enough to reach out about this one, and I had just read a review that mentioned this was one of their favorite thrillers of the year, I decided to give it a chance, and I’m really glad that I did.

Take it Back is not a book I would generally pick up. I generally like my thrillers to be domestic, and don’t typically enjoy legal thrillers. But this one was truly amazing.

Take it Back is the story of Jodie, who suffers from a severe facial deformity, and has just accused four Muslim boys of sexual assualt. We meet Zara who is also Muslim and is helping Jodie through this ordeal.

This thriller is heavy. It’s going to make you want to cry, and it’s gonna break your heart. But it’s not short on wonderful. You will feel all the feelings for Jodie and Zara. It will keep you guessing til the end. I listened to this mainly on audio and it was phenomenal, the story was super easy to follow along, and there were multiple narrators who all were fabulous. If you need a new audio book or were thinking of picking this one up do it, you won’t be disappointed!

After reading this book and doing research I found out we will be hearing more from Zara in the future, I will def be on the look out for the follow up! This one is available now!

Thank you @stmartinspress for my DRC and @macmillan.audio for my audiobook.

Let me begin this review by stating that normally I do not like social issues covered in my fiction. If they are lightly touched upon as part of a plot, that’s okay, but otherwise I prefer to read about social issues in a nonfiction book, keeping my fiction reading purely for entertainment.

Take it Back by Kia Abdullah covers several social issues, from racism to sexual assault, but it did it in such a way that it was so integrated into the plot that it didn’t feel at all like was trying to preach a certain position.

The story is about an alleged rape. A rape made even more complicated by the fact that the victim is a 16 year old white girl, named Jodie who was born with a facial deformity. The alleged attackers are four muslim boys.

Jodie enlists the help of a sexual assault center lawyer named Zara. Zara, who was once a highly successful lawyer has given that all up to help victims of sexual assault. She is also muslim.

There are no winners in this story. Many people find it hard to believe that 4 attractive boys would even be tempted to rape a girl that looks like Jodie - and even her mother doubts her story.

Zara is facing pressure as a muslim to stop prosecuting the boys. Her family, friends and the muslim community feel she is a traitor.

The boys, most with bright futures ahead of them, are facing charges that could ruin the rest of their lives.

This is a very well done legal thriller, showcasing both what happens in the court and outside the court.

Already a bestseller in the UK, TAKE IT BACK now makes its American debut, introducing a whole new world of readers to Kia Abdullah’s taut plotting and brutal themes, all seen through the eyes of protagonist Zara Kaleel.

Zara is one of the best legal minds in her peer group, and was once on track to become one of the most successful barristers of her generation. But when she was coerced into an arranged marriage that quickly turned sour and cost her the esteem of her beloved father, Zara threw her posh life away. Now, instead of the high-profile career she once coveted, she works as a sexual assault advocate, someone who guides victims of rape through not only the complicated and often harmful legal process of achieving justice, but also the gossip of communities and the emotional trauma that comes from both the initial assault and its aftermath. Zara takes pride in the meaning of her work and her ability to bear witness to justice taking place in real time, but she is still battling her own dark demons: loneliness, fear and addiction.

When we meet Zara, she has just taken on a new case and is reviewing materials while she waits for the young woman to meet her. When Jodie Wolfe walks into her conference room, however, she is not prepared for what she sees: a 16-year-old girl with facial deformities and a horrific tale of abuse. Jodie was born with neurofibromatosis, a condition that causes tumors to form on otherwise healthy nerve tissue. And now she has been raped.

As Jodie tells it, the weekend before meeting Zara, she attended a party with her friend, Nina. She wore one of Nina’s lacy red tops and tried her best to conform, but found herself feeling out of place and left the party to sit in the park behind the house. It was there that a handsome young man, Amir Rabbani, approached her. He called her pretty, a compliment that Jodie had never received before, and spoke out loud about wanting to kiss her, another first. He then led her to an abandoned building nearby where his friends, Hassan, Mo and Farid, were waiting. After teasing her, calling her ugly and dehumanizing her, they sexually assaulted and raped her.

Any reader can recognize how hairy a case like Jodie’s can be: a young, disabled white woman accusing four young brown men of rape, in a world that devalues not only those from different cultures but also women. Zara, too, can immediately see the dangers of Jodie’s case, but as an advocate for victims, she feels that she must help her find justice. As Jodie prepares to make a statement to the police and undergo painful testing in search of evidence, Zara starts her own investigation, using a freelance private investigator with whom she has worked before.

Jodie’s case unfolds slowly at first and then at breakneck speed as the local gossip publications become involved, and her identity (as well as those of the suspects) is leaked to the press. Unpacking the early beginnings of the case, Abdullah writes from the perspective of each of the boys’ parents, all hardworking, devout immigrants who are as shocked by the accusations as they are protective of their sons. On the other side of the case, we have Jodie’s mother and her best friend, both of whom are often cruel to Jodie, either blaming her for lots in life or mocking her disability.

Neither Jodie nor her attackers are viewed as entirely innocent: the young men are seen as crude, savage immigrants, and Jodie herself is labeled a stalker, who had a long-term unrequited crush on Amir. With so many layers, not to mention Zara’s own role as a Muslim woman leading a charge against four boys from her own culture, the case quickly gains traction, with voices from all sides chiming in, laying blame and attacking the victim and perpetrators.

As Jodie and the boys go to court, TAKE IT BACK takes on the taut, tension-fueled pacing of some of the best legal thrillers. Abdullah deftly unpacks the courtroom drama with stunning reveals and brutal questioning, always careful to leave the door open to imagination and perception. Were the boys raised in misogynistic cultures, taught to view women as conquests? Or are they merely nice young men who took a chance on spending time with a troubled girl who had long been cast out of her peer group and harbored a crush that bordered on obsession? With Zara handling her own investigation, the barrister poking holes in lies from both sides, and the local hunger for a resolution, her life starts to unravel. Her addiction and her own unanswered traumas pull her focus away from what is sure to be her most high-profile case ever.

TAKE IT BACK is a shocking and powerful novel, both for its subject matter and for the ways that Abdullah circumvents and upends her readers’ expectations of what a courtroom drama should be. She writes the legal aspects of the story with clarity and confidence, but more than that, she forces her audience to consider the many divisions humans face long before a crime is committed: those of class, wealth, gender and race. The case at the heart of the novel is an undoubtedly tricky one, but Abdullah pushes her narrative even further by considering the complicated background of Zara and her colleagues. At the height of the case, Zara is asked by relatives, friends and strangers how she, a Muslim woman, can take the side of one misguided girl, and she must consider whether her allegiance is to Islam or to her fellow women. As a victim of abuse herself, Zara’s search for an answer comes with its own difficult and thought-provoking questions. When juxtaposed with Jodie’s case, her journey turns this already disturbing and brilliant legal thriller into something much more.

Perfect for readers of A GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD and THE NIGHT SWIM, TAKE IT BACK announces the arrival of an incredible new protagonist and will have readers desperate for TRUTH BE TOLD, Abdullah’s next novel, which will find Zara at the heart of yet another timely and divisive case.

This was such a fascinating, whirlwind read! Take It Back by Kia Abdullah revolves around an accusation and trial where four Muslim teenage boys from London are accused of assaulting a low income, white classmate with facial deformities. The book largely follows Zara, the victim's counselor/advocate who was formerly a successful lawyer. She is a Muslim who defies many conservative traditions in her community. Throughout the novel, it is unclear what actually happened and different perspectives are presented by those directly involved. What I found most fascinating was how the perception of culture and race play out in the Muslim and white communities, with clashing animosity and violence on both sides, exacerbated by local media. All in all, this was a compelling legal thriller/drama. I both listened to and read this book. The audiobook narration was excellent, and used a full cast for each of the perspectives.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing this ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of “Take It Back” by Kia Abdullah in exchange for my honest review.

“Take It Back” follows two women, each dealing with issues of class, race, and religion. Zara Kaleel is a muslim woman who has left the faith and focused on her career. Finding a lawyer job to feel purposeless, Zara takes on a role at a center that deals with sexual assault victims. Zara loves this job and finds she’s very good at it. Then Jodi Wolfe walks in, accusing four muslim boys of the unthinkable. Jodi’s facial deformity makes her an easy victim to sympathize, but when the four boys have alibis everyone begins to turn against her. How far will Zara go to prove this case true? And is it even true?

This book was a rollercoaster of emotions, passing from belief to disbelief over and over again. Shock, horror, distrust, my mind was reeling the entire book. Truthfully it was a very hard read. As a woman, I want to believe that no one would ever make up a false story, but as a human, I know that it’s possible. I like to believe that people are mostly good, but this usually isn’t true.

The highlight of this book for me was Zara. She has an interesting role in the case. She, as a muslim, understands the accusation being made on a deeper level. She also sees the legal side of things, as well as being a woman and seeing that perspective. Zara is our north star, showing us what is real and true. She shows us what things are worth fighting for.

Overall, I gave this book 4 stars. This book is definitely powerful, giving voices to victims and showing us that the world isn’t always as we perceive it to be. Give it a read, especially if you enjoy courtroom drama reads.

Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for a copy of Take It Back by Kia Abdullah for review. This legal drama is out now, content warnings for sexual assault on screen and discussed, alcoholic parent, racial slurs and bashing, drug abuse, and bullying. Please DM if you have any questions or concerns before reading if you need to!

Take It Back surrounds the legal case of Jodie, a teenager with facial deformities and an negligent alcoholic mother, who accuses 4 Muslim boys of sexual assault. Zara works for a crisis centre and takes Jodie’s case but she has her own issues with her Muslim family and her past to deal with at the same time. Racial tension and who to believe both bring the tension up in this book and make it hard to put down. The pace can be a little slow but I found the slower parts didn’t last long and didn’t affect my overall enjoyment of the book. Definitely a great choice for any legal fans.

Former lawyer turned sexual abuse counselor, Zara Kaleel, knows to trust her gut when it comes to believing people. So, when sixteen-year-old Jodie Wolfe shows up in her office and tells her that four Muslim boys from her school raped her, Zara's gut tells her that Jodie, who has a severely disfigured face, is telling the truth. It seems she's one of the only people who does believe her though... even Jodie's mom and best friend don't. Still, Zara stands behind her while everyone else turns on her, because she is telling the truth... right?

"Please, God. Please. I just want to take it back."

This was a powerful novel! I've read a lot of books that take on the topics of rape and/or race, and this one does it incredibly well. I was immediately invested in the story, and I kept second guessing myself. Some of the situations that are described in the novel (like riots and hate crimes) were hard to read but are so timely that they could have been ripped right out of the headlines. And that ending?! I need book two NOW.

Take It Back. Did Jodie tell a lie that has snowballed too far and needs to be taken back? Or is she telling the truth? So much is at stake here, it really would be a shame if she were lying...

I really liked the premise of this book. However, it was hard to root for anyone here. Zara is a strong, Muslim woman, but incredibly stubborn, to a fault. And the accuser and the accused. Who is telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Anyone? Overall, I really liked this book and would recommend it.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Take It Back by Kia Abdullah is the powerful yet controversial story of 4 teenage Muslim boys accused of raping a disabled teenage white girl. The girl's sexual violence advisor just happens to be Muslim which causes verbal and physical attacks from her own community.
A brilliant courtroom drama that could go either way.
Author Kia Abdullah gives us an extremely well-written story from the plot, to the characters, concluding with an unbelievable twist.
An excellent read that I highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Rarely do I read a blurb going into my upcoming read. For me, the less I know the better. I find it only adds to the anticipation and mystery of it all.

So let me start by saying the premise took me by complete surprise! And I mean that in the best of ways! I got so much more than I ever expected.

Zara Kaleel gave up her life as top-notch attorney to devote her time to a sexual assault referral center. In doing so she sacrificed so much more than just her brilliant career. She found it necessary to step away from her family as she realized she couldn’t continue living the life path they set out for her.

Her latest case to tackle is a teenage girl born with deformities, accusing four boys from her school with rape.

This book covered several issues including race, religion and sexual assault.

I’m going to keep my review vague in the event you want to enter this read blindly too. You’re welcome!

I’ll just say, if you enjoy legal thrillers that will have you questioning guilt - innocence and everything in between, then this one will more than hold your attention! Don’t miss this fabulous debut.
Already looking forward to the next release from this highly talented new author.

A buddy read with Susanne! (Great pick Susanne!)

Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC to read and review.

Review also posted on blog: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend.com/

A Highly Emotional Story that Packs one Hell of a Punch.

There are two sides to every story. The difficulty is determining wherein lies the truth.

In London, a young teenage girl accuses four teenage boys of rape. The victim is Jodie Wolfe, a girl with facial deformities. The accused are four Muslim boys who claim innocence.

No one is left unscathed. And I mean No One.

Zara Kaleel is a Victim’s Advocate and a former barrister who is on Jodie’s side, for better or worse. Zara, you see is Muslim and her involvement makes things tricky.

Assault, Gender, race, religion, discrimination, and misogyny are highly prevalent throughout.

Questions abound. Constant questions. The truth is never clearcut.

A Trial Ensues.

Complicated, Captivating, Disturbing, Emotional, Evocative.

The characters and the plot are so perfectly delivered, so heartbreakingly real. “Take it Back” by Kia Abdullah makes you stop, look, and listen and hopefully think before you act.

A buddy read with Kaceey that gave us much to discuss.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the arc.

Published on Goodreads on 12.22.20.

The ending of this one left me a bit cold. I'm still not quite sure how to process my feelings around it. Up until this point, though, this was a flash-bang of a read. The main character, Zara Kaleel, was at one time a successful barrister in London. To the dismay of her family and colleagues she gives it all up and lands as a counselor at Artemis House, a crisis center for assault victims. Everything changes when sixteen-year-old Jodie Wolfe walks in. Jodie has neurofibromatosis, which has left her face disfigured. She also has a heartrending and traumatic story to share. She claims that she has been attacked and raped by four Muslim boys. Interestingly enough, Zara, herself Muslim, doesn't flinch at the prospect of bringing to justice four teenage boys from her own culture. She doesn't consider the backlash she might receive from her own community. She believes Jodie. And she fights for Jodie. This legal thriller has plenty of thrills and as a reader you will be quickly turning pages to discover who is telling the truth. One thing for sure, once an explosive allegation such as Jodie's is presented...you can't take it back.

This was so, so good and an absolute pleasure to read. It was one of the books that reminds me of why I love psychological fiction so much. Aside from the outstanding storyline, the author touched upon the social issues of racism, sexism and how the disabled are treated (or mistreated). It was heartbreaking at times but also very inspirational. The characters were well-drawn and rawly real. The ending was superb and had me gasping out loud. It’s hard to believe that Abdullah is a debut author. I look forward to more from her.

I am still thinking about this book weeks after I finished (thank you St. Martin's Publishing Group and Netgalley for the ARC). It was an eye opening read that reminds us yet again how far we have come and how far we have to go,.
Jodie Wolfe is a 16 year old girl with severe facial deformities who says she was sexually assaulted by four classmates. The classmates happen to be Muslim immigrants in England where the color of your skin and your religion set who you are before people even know you. Zara, a former barrister, who was seeking MORE is now an advocate for victims of sexual assaults takes Jodie under her 'wing' as they prepare for trial.
The POV switches multiple times, including the alleged attackers. This truly made this book even more impactful as you see different versions of the whole event. You realize how people become 'sheep' and follow what their friends do and when their friends show their true colors, what do they do?
Zara is not without flaws and is struggling to find her place in the world and within her Muslim family. Her family is upset she is not speaking out for the accused boys and instead helping the white alleged victim. Jodie is someone you just want to hug and start kicking people for her.
The ending made me go WTF and put my kindle down to pick it up and re-read and go dammmmmmit,. This one will definitely make you think. I recommend putting this on your TBR and moving it to your READ list stat.

This was a nice change of pace, but don’t let that imply that the story was “nice” by any means.

A legal, crime thriller that gives you the feel of real-life. We’re basically the jury on a rape case involving a young woman and four young men. There are so many elements involved, race, religion, the things that make us different.

Right at the start Jodie meets with Zara, a former lawyer who works for Artemis House. Artemis House specializes in advocating for rape and abuse victims. Jodie tells Zara about her assault. She was raped by three of her classmates over the weekend. It’s upsetting to say the least.

Her own personal trauma and drama aside, Zara goes full steam ahead working for Jodie’s case.

Jodie is between a rock and a hard place. Here she’s just been raped, her mother and best friend don’t believe her, and she really isn’t sure if it’s worth the pain to go forward pressing charges,

And then we hear from the accused as well. What they’re going through, witnessing their personalities, etc.

These warring viewpoints will keep you on your toes, who are we supposed to believe here? And who is telling the truth?

The characters flip between likeable and not. They’re complex. Like I mentioned earlier, there are so many elements at play in this trial. Zara is in the Muslim community and the accused as well. This causes turmoil for her and her family as she’s seen as a traitor for trying to prosecute four young men of her own community.

It’s tricky and nuanced and an engaging read. Definite trigger warning for rape and assault!

**I received this book from St. Martin’s Press via Netgalley for an honest review**

This story is told through almost all of the main characters POV at different times. Zara, an ex-lawyer turned counselor for sexual assault victims. Jodie, the victim, a disabled white girl. The accused, four Muslim boys, Amir, Hassan, Farid, and Mo.

There is no escape from reality when it comes to Take It Back as it deals with sexual assault, sexism, race, and racism to name a few. I found myself waffling on what I thought was true. I went from believing the victim, to siding with the accused to being confused and then starting the cycle all over again. The shift of POVs was appreciated and crucial to this story in my opinion. Having a break from the case being the main focus and getting a little behind the scenes with Zara was cool. Being a Muslim woman herself, she has her loyalty and character unfairly questioned constantly. To see the things she had to deal with because of her job was insane. I felt protective of her which made me emotional on many occasions.

I was up and down on how I felt about the pace. There were so many wow moments with their lies and the lawyers. The accuracy that this could be a real case today left me resigned to the fact that there would be no winners which honestly made me sad.

The description for this book is very apt. I. Terrible subject material but a fantastic read. I was for sure left guessing until the last sentence. I really look forward to reading more from Kia Abdullah.

What a book. I’m so excited to have ended the year with this little suspenseful book! When you think you have a figured out you don’t and then when you think you have it figured out again you don’t. This book keep you guessing it kept you switching teams you didn’t know which way to go. In the beginning you’re rooting for one side at the end you’re rooting for the other and then you see that you’re wrong anyway.

Trigger warning: rape

I don't quite know how to feel about this. I think the author just overall attempted to do too much for one book? I didn’t find it as compelling as I thought it was going to be since the the author tackled huge matters such as islamophobia, the treatment of immigrants and Muslims in the UK in particular, a sensitive issue such as rape and how easily women are discredited, race/religion and what have you. A lot of sensitive issues were discussed and I don’t think the issues were given enough time to let it simmer just because the plot was so fast-paced. It jumped from one thing to the next. The way the faith was represented read distastefully to me as well. The fact that a clear distinction wasn’t made between the fuck-up that is culture and privilege/toxic masculinity and what the faith teaches left a bad taste in my mouth.

**Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review**

Title: Take It Back
Author: Kia Abdullah
My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Content Rating: 18+
Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Legal Thriller
Published: December 8, 2020, by St. Martin's Press

Take It Back by Kia Abdullah is an explosive novel that will test your feeling on the forefront of social issues in today's society. Take It Back examines and lies witness to the deep divisiveness that is so prevalent in our world. I commend Ms. Abdullah's direct approach to the issues of rape, race, religion, misogyny, and bullying, and exposing the truth no matter where it leads. These are not easy topics to tackle, but Ms. Abdulla does so with her captivating writing and her command of these issues.

"It started with one girl, four boys... The Papers had likened her case to that of Stephen Lawrence. 'A flashpoint in race relations,' said the pundits.'"

Take It Back grabbed me from the first page and kept me wondering what was going to happen. Filled with nail-biting suspense, Take It Back takes the reader on a journey filled with twists and turns. When you think you have figured out what is going on, Ms. Abdullah propels the story in a direction that you never saw coming—filled with lies, deceit, and hate but also moments of tenderness that are heart-wrenchingly beautiful. These emotional scenes will have you saying WTF while loving and hating some of the characters and feeling shocked and alarmed that this could and probably has happened in our society.

"It's not, Jodie wanted to tell them. It's not about race but rape. But the case was no longer about her. It wasn't a flashpoint it was a war and everyone had their own agenda."

Jodie Wolfe, a sixteen-year-old white girl with horrific facial deformities, has accused four popular Muslim boys at her school of raping her after a party they all attended. These four boys come from hard-working Muslim families that are trying to make their way in life. The four boys adamantly deny the accusations. Christine Wolfe, Jodie's alcoholic, abusive mother, doesn't believe her. Christine has beat down Jodie her whole life and has left her alone to deal with this situation. Even Jodie's best friend doesn't believe her and repletely implores her to recant her accusations. However, Zara Kaleel, a high-power lawyer turned independent sexual violence advisor working for Artemis House, fully believes Jodie. Jodie has spent her whole life being shunned, bullied, and mocked for her physical disabilities. Jodie is a sad, lost soul; she is just trying to be a typical teenager, and it seems she will do anything to make that happen. Zara throws her a lifeline by supporting and believing her.

"'Men rape women not because they are sexy, but because they want to exert power over them.'"

Zara, our heroine, is far from perfect, but that makes her all the more relatable. She struggles with her demons: her relationship with her deceased father, relationships with men, and her misuse of prescription drugs and cocaine. All this aside, Zara must deal with the fact that she is a Muslim woman supporting a white girl who has accused four Muslim boys of rape. This conflict adds a whole other level of controversy to this already tense situation.

I feel obligated to warn the reader, Take It Back is not a feel-good book. It delves into some pretty heavy topics. There are references to rape, drug, alcohol misuse, and multiple highly controversial societal issues. However, I highly recommend this book. It is well written and researched. It will have your mind and heart tied up in knots throughout the whole book and for weeks to follow.

* Please note the quotes in my review are subject to change once the book is published. *


** I kindly received this galley from NetGalley, Harper Collins Publishers, and Kia Abdullah. I was not contacted, asked, or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion. **