This is a crime novel which is as much about RACE as it is about RAPE.

Zara Kaleel, herself a Muslim, left her prestigious role as barrister, to join Artemis House as an independent sexual violence advisor. and is representing Jodie Wolfe, a white teen who has suffered from neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder that has caused her to have a severe face deformity.

Jodie arrives at Artemis House with a compelling story of how four Muslim Boys have raped her.

Should Zara put religion ahead of the fact that she is a woman?
Does she owe more loyalty to Islam than to a girl who has been Victimized?
Will it be possible to stay in the background? Should she?

What starts out as one girl vs four boys becomes a flashpoint in race relations, as the community chooses sides and turns on those who don’t see things the same way.

Who is telling the truth?
Jodie or the boys?
The truth is rarely black and white.

Is Zara really the best woman for the job or is she haunted by too many demons of her own?

This is intelligently written, S L O W burn, Crime Fiction which takes 55% to set up, and then turns to the trial for the second half of the book. You won’t know the whole truth till the very LAST page.

Though not particularly riveting, it is thought provoking, for those patient enough to invest in a story, which I could easily see, in today’s headlines, provoking protests and riots in communities already reeling in pain.

TRIGGER WARNING: Sexual Assault is examined and cross examined so it cannot be avoided

I would like to thank HarperCollins Publishing for the invitation to read this. Once I accepted, I was provided a digital ARC through Netgalley in exchange for a candid review.

This title released in the UK in paperback on Aug, 8, 2019 and will be released digitally in the US on Dec. 8, 2020.

It took a few chapters for me to get into this book but OMG, once I did: the twists and turns, the flawed characters, the lies, betrayals.... it had everything and with an ending that blew me away.

This book is about sexual assault case that is brought before Zara Kaleel, and she fights for Jodie encountering different situations during the course of the book.

What worked for this book was the characters and the story line. Zara is an imperfect but compassionate and strong human being. The storyline has twists and turns, limited third person perspectives from Zara and other characters. Furthermore, Kia Abdullah ensures to show the racial, and social impacts during the case; she lays it all bare, the racial tension and prejudices, the social constructs , sexual assault reports, community support and backlash.

Although the book did have an intriguing storyline, I found that it was a slightly ambiguous ending and would have wished to hear a tighter conclusion.

Overall, it was a really good read, and I would say this book is for those who love to read crime novels. Also cannot wait until to read another book by Kia Abdullah

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

#TakeItBack #Netgalley

If you read the publisher’s book description you know that this legal drama/thriller is built on bleak subject matter. This is also a book that deals with some serious issues in modern society, and it is thought provoking.

I liked that this takes place in London, and found the differences between American legal and courtroom procedures interesting. The biggest draw of this book, for me, was waiting to find out what really happened on the night of the claimed rape and who was telling the truth.

This book tackles a lot, and it felt overwhelming at times. There were many side issues and stories which sometimes took away from the courtroom drama and weighed down the flow and story down for me.

I received a complimentary copy of Take It Back from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

HEART. BREAKING. Wow! This is an amazingly written novel about Jodie Wolfe, a naive girl with a condition causing facial deformity. With slow reveals and a few plot twists, predictability was limited--which I appreciate. Jodie's unrequited love for a popular boy leads her to a vulnerable situation with four adolescent boys, leaving her ruined and devastated. The characters were so real, and I was so invested that I believe I will continue thinking about them for some time.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Such a terrific book! Riveting and even disturbing at times. Fantastic writing, kept me on the edge of my seat and some shocking twists I did not see coming! Brings out a lot of emotions! I'm recommending it to anyone who will stop and listen!

I finished this and had to sit with it for a little bit. I needed time to take in all that I had read before I reviewed it. It covers a lot of difficult topics such as rape, sexual exploitation, identity, race, and, well, much more honestly. In fact, I maybe thought it tried to do too much, but as I sat with it I decided that overall it is a fantastic thriller.

This is a compulsively readable book. It is demands that pages keep being turned. There were times I thought I would not like it, but still I could not put it down. I think there is a sequel or going to be a sequel? I am very interested as I think Zara is a fascinating protagonist. She is sometimes unlikable, but the author does a great job of helping the reader understand her. She does a great job with this with regards to all her characters. All of her characters are well-drawn and complex.

This leads me to the next point. Nothing is black and white in this book. Everything is gray. It felt very true to the complexities of real life. There is still more I think can be explored here and I wished was explored. The author touches on so many things and does not fully explore them. Again, initially this bothered me, but knowing there is a sequel helps. Also, when I considered the genre, I think it felt appropriate to the pace of a thriller.

Man! I have complex feelings about this book! My main takeaway is this is a great read and full of surprises. I was never sure what to believe and was constantly guessing. I think the range of topics explored here could have been narrowed down to be more fully fleshed out, but overall this thriller had me hooked from beginning to end.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for this ARC.

“I mean, what is faith anyway? Would you say you’re a Muslim? Would I say I’m a Muslim? It’s one faith but we’re not all the same. The only actions I can represent are mine: a sixteen year old boy who lives in East London, who likes Formula 1, hates daytime TV, is secretly scared of spiders, and who dreams of being a designer. I’m one person.” He thumped a light hand on his chest. “And I represent my actions.”

This book was impactful. Powerful. Sobering. Heartbreaking. And so complex. I am having a hard time formulating sentences and summing up my feelings about this book. Take It Back is reality. It is the #metoo movement. It is xenophobia. It is sexism. Racism. It is ignorance. It is oppression. It is strength. It is so much. This was not what I expected when I requested to read this book. This was not what I thought I would ever read. I don’t want to tell anyone what to take from this book, but the quote I started this out with is what it is. What it should be. How the world should be. You, and you alone, responsible for your actions. This book has forced me to question how I think, how my thinking process is. It has forced me awake and I feel that I will be haunted by this book for a long while. Read at your own risk, but I cannot recommend this enough.

4-5 stars! This is one of those books that really kept my interest and was written in an unique way. It had plenty of fun thrills and chilling chills. Twisty twists and turns, were found quite a bit in these pages, but I didn’t feel like it was a full 5 star book for me. Something had me easily set aside for another, whereas my full 5 stars are impossible to do this with. I do think it was well written and for the most part pretty fast paced. There may be some triggers for some, so if you have any, check if this might contain it! Overall, I think most thriller lovers will truly enjoy this chilling read and get a few shocks throughout. Recommend to those who don’t mind reading about darker themes.

Will make sure to buzz this up on different platforms, as well as use my low amazon reviewer number on release date!

Interesting courtroom thriller once they get to the courtroom. Who is telling the truth? Not sure anyone really knows by the time all is said and done. I received an advance reader copy of this book but that doesn’t have anything to do with the review of this book.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: December 8, 2020
Four Muslim boys are charged with the sexual assault of a white, disabled girl. Zara Kaleel is hired to serve as an advocate for Jodie Wolfe, the accuser, once again going up against her community and her family in order to serve justice. After years of trying to overcome the expectations of her family and her culture, Zara again becomes the target of jests, harassment and excommunication just by choosing to represent Jodie. But she believes Jodie, and she is determined to serve justice. As the trial plays out, Zara begins to wonder if she took too big of a risk, and if Jodie was actually telling the truth.
Kia Abdullah writes a poignant, pertinent, and gripping legal thriller. Never has a novel like this been so relevant. “Take it Back” tackles stereotypes, profiling, and the #metoo movement in an eye-opening way that will definitely leave a mark.
From the very beginning of this novel it was unclear who was telling the truth. As the novel’s narration turned from Zara to the four boys in question, I bounced back and forth with who to believe. Zara’s experiences with racism and exclusion from her own culture were heartbreaking, and her struggles with sobriety and the desire to serve justice made her likable and the ultimate protagonist.
Abdullah’s powerful novel had me hooked from page one- I wanted to see justice served (one way or the other) . “Take It Back” speaks to the brokenness of our society, but it also helped me to understand the beliefs and values of other cultures, in particular the Muslim culture, which can only help to increase understanding.
A legal thrill-ride with the ability to provoke, encourage and touch your very soul, “Take It Back” will absolutely leave readers with a sense of heartbreak, and when the shocking ending comes? Well, hold on to your seats- you definitely won’t see it coming.

A psychological/courtroom thriller that is a must read. Edge of your seat, emotional, gripping, a good you can put down.
Will recommend to readers who enjoy this genre

Brilliant and moving story of a Muslim woman who represents a young girl with severe facial deformities who claims she was raped by 5 Muslim classmates. The story was sometimes hard to read because of the content, but almost impossible to put down. Jodie who has had a rough life growing up with an alcoholic mother, no father, and sometimes cruel classmates goes to Zara for help after she claims she was assaulted by 5 young men who are the sons of upstanding immigrants in the community. While Zara is seen as a traitor for going after these young men, she does her best to help the young woman, even though it may have terrible consequences for herself. This book will have you guessing until the very climatic end. Definitely one of the best books I have read all year.

This was a really interesting, poignant story about a disfigured teen girl that accuses four of her classmates of rape. Much of the story takes place outside of the courtroom, and throughout the book there are many seeds of doubt planted as to which side to believe. Even with all those seeds of doubt, I did not guess what had actually taken place. Amongst all the legal drama is a thread of a hot-button issue: racism. It was hard to read those sections and draw parallels to everyday life, but I feel that conversation is an important one. We cannot believe that someone is guilty or innocent based on their skin color or background. Highly recommend this book!

In her quest to make a difference, Zara Kaleel, a former highly paid barrister, is now an individual sexual assault advisor at Artemis House. When teen Jodie Wolfe is assigned to Zara, a Muslim, Zara finds herself supporting a white girl deformed by "elephant disease"' against four upstanding immigrant Muslim boys. Racial tensions flair as the case goes to trial. Who is telling the truth?

Very high tennis suspense novel where 'he said, she said' makes the case difficult t prove the allegations of rape. Racial differences create community rage in the streets.

The subject matter is not pleasant to read but very thought provoking from both sides and has Zara in the middle being judged by both cultures. I struggled with some of the characters being 'flat' while others were well-rounded.

This thriller had a VERY though provoking theme that was so relevant to our world today. Actually quite scary for me as a parent of a teenager. I also live in a area with a a high population of Muslims and I learned a lot that I didn't know which makes me understand a so much more. Loved the court room drama.

This would make a great book club pick. Lots of topics to discuss.

Thank you St. Martin's Press, Kia Abdullah and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I am not sure how to review Take It Back, the authors character development is fantastic but the story itself was not a must read for me. I forced myself to keep reading to find out how it all ended and the ending did not satisfy. There are a few twists but quite a few plot holes in my opinion. I think the author writes passionately and for that reason i would recommend.

Thank you to Net Galley and publisher for the chance to read and review.

You need to read this book!!!

*****5 stars *****
Take It Back is an exploration of religious values clashing with a small community in London.

Zara had been at the top of her game. She was once a prominent barrister but unable to find her footing in the legal system Zara finds solace at Artemis House. She counsels women against sexual and predatory violence. It is also here she is free to express herself defending on principle rather than convention. But Zara finds her self in between two worlds colliding. Her Islamic family and her desire to be more than an adornment on a man. But her guard is so high she may not be able to know where she stands.

Jodie is a young woman who suffers from facial deformities and a world of cruelty. Jodie accuses four Muslim boys of an indiscretion. But it's her word against theirs. When Zara takes on Jodie's case, she would not have known the distress it would cause the community and the social media monster that ensued.

Take it back is a great read that stays with you. The author creates an atmospheric drama with masterful character development. In particular, the families of the main characters have a depth and dimension to them that you feel like you gain entrance to something intimate. The courtroom drama was not overplayed or over narrated. And the twisty "she said/he said" plotline intertwines with Zara's own personal trials. My only criticism of the narrative was that some parts were predictable. But that did not take away from my experience.

I compulsively read this story attracted to the courtroom drama and the desire to understand our protagonist Zara. I highly recommend this novel and look forwards Kia Abdullah's next masterpiece.

Take it back is a delicious, breathtaking read that feels particularly relevant today. I honestly couldn't put it down, and had a hard time between savoring every page and racing through them to find out what happened. Wow. What a phenomenal book!!!!

Wow, I started this book and really did not care for it. I think it was Zara. I see the good reviews and I thought maybe if I hang in there....but life is short. Moving on.