I was unable to finish this book in time but wish I would have! This looks stunning.

I will be purchasing this book instead and will give a review once I've finished.

I am at a loss for words having just finished Defiant Dreams. To say this book touched me would be a gross understatement.

This book is so beautifully written. I was cheering for Sola and crying when things seemed dire.

This is an incredible story of one girl fighting against expectations to define the life she wanted to live. Her courage beams off the page with inspiration. My heart ached with her disappointments and trials, and I felt her conflicting feelings.

This will be one of the best books I will have read for a long time.

Defiant Dreams by Sola Mahfouz; Malaina Kapoor is a wonderful, riveting, and uplifting true story. An inspiring tale of perseverance and strength, for this young woman reaching very far-fetched dreams by attaining an education and her freedom, despite the enormous constraints of her culture. Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

Kapoor and Mahfouz have woven a fascinating narrative about personal journeys, self-motivation, and the powers of education in Defiant Dream. Following Sola’s life from early childhood in Kandahar, Afghanistan, to her collegiate career at ASU and Tufts University in the United States, Kapoor and Mahfouz elaborate on the challenges of girls’ education in Afghanistan around the rise of the Taliban and the ensuing cultural changes from her mother’s life in the 1970s and Sola’s in the twenty-first century. Focusing on personal memories and specific moments from Sola’s life with her large family in Kandahar, readers grow to understand the cultural, social, and familial situation that Sola was raised in and the impact that these factors had on the development of her life. The book, following Sola and her family, heavily focuses on the family dynamics -- between her parents, her siblings, her grandmother, and her large extended family -- all of which adds a personal element to this memoir. Mahfouz and Kapoor’s powerful, personal, vibrant narrative draws readers into Sola’s journey toward education, safety, security, and self-fulfillment, an inspiring story for readers around the world and an empowering one for those in similarly difficult circumstances on similar personal journeys.

4.5 stars raised to 5 stars for Goodreads.I really enjoy memoirs of of girls/women who end up overcoming their restrictive culture to make something of themselves that no one thought was possible.

This book will take you on an emotional journey that will educate, upset, inspire and motivate you all at the same time. This book takes you on a journey of the life of Sola and showing the history of her parents and her growing up in Afghanistan. This story will show you how war can change so many things especially it's impact on women. This book will really open your eyes to what has and is taking place in other parts of the world and leave you with a sense of gratitude. This book will always be in my memory.

Sola Mahfouz paints her life for us to bear witness to her tenacity and deepen my understanding of human rights. Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books.

Sola Mahfouz’s story is one of unremitting drive to escape the stricture of Afghan society, a noose that tightened to choking under Taliban rule. There was no future for her in Kandahar, where gender apartheid strips women of independent means of survival and of self. Her life, a daily pattern cloistered in the family compound or moving about the city only when chaperoned by a male relative, hidden beneath a burqa. She discovers Khan Academy in a magazine, and this escape path becomes an obsession. An impressive intellect and capacity for learning will carry her to a future in the West, but it comes at a price to her family. In many moments, the question of whether the ends justify the means might come to mind as she betrays her parents’ trust, jeopardizes their safety, their very lives through a Western media interview. But, there is no doubt that Mahfouz is to be admired for her unwavering efforts, for shouldering aside the sheer weight of obstacles before her. She is a light for those, like her, who hope for a different end.

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine and NetGalley for providing this eARC.

This inspiring memoir is one I will never forget. Sola Mahfouz grew up in war-torn Afghanistan, in a highly repressive society in which the lives of women were severely constrained. Unable to leave the house unless accompanied by a male relative, their world was limited to the inside of their homes, where they were forced to serve the men of the household without question. Female children were treated like animals, beloved pets perhaps, but without rights and only valued for their service to men. After puberty, there was intense pressure to marry a man chosen solely for the benefit of the family. Once married, a woman would move into her husband’s family’s house and have even fewer rights, at that point serving as a drudge to the whims of her husband’s family.
This was the bleak future that Mahfouz, with dread, saw rapidly approaching as she entered her teens. Denied local schooling, and desperate to escape this dreary existence, Mahfouz launched a project to educate herself with the hope that she might one day get a scholarship to college and escape to another country.
Despite her exceptional intelligence and iron-willed drive, this goal was unlikely to come to fruition without help. The powers at play in the society were just too strong. Fortunately, a variety of factors worked in her favor as well. Her mother had gone to university during a brief period of more liberal political rule, and some other older relatives were also educated, which led them to tolerate her push to become educated. One sister, married and living in England, was able to send her a laptop. This, with new access to the Internet, opened up opportunities for her that eventually led to a scholarship to a U.S. university and, after graduating, a prestigious and soul-satisfying career. Unfortunately, the only visa she could obtain after receiving her scholarship offer was one that would ban her from ever returning to Afghanistan. She gave up everything to follow her dreams.
It was wonderful to read of her success against unimaginable odds, but also heartbreaking to think of the many women like her trapped in this disheartening situation who do not have advantages that might allow them to follow in Mahfouz’s footsteps. Although I knew intellectually of the apartheid against women in Afghanistan, this book made it real to me and deepened my sadness for the suffering of so many women and the wasted talents of their restrictive lives.

I was afraid this book would be too sad to read, but I'm so glad I read it. It was sad at times, but also funny, poignant, and up-lifting. I spent a few really late nights staying up to finish this book.

Sola Mahfouz tells the story of her life from Kandahar to the US. As a child she had to struggle with her own personality and desires as well as the culture she lived in and even many people in her family. It was interesting to see how different parts of the country fared under US and Taliban occupation. It was incredible to see how she managed to keep trying for her dreams.

I would compare this book to "I am Malala", but this one focuses a lot more on Afghanistan and not Pakistan (where Malala was from, in a Taliban-strong area). This one also goes into more recent events such as the pull-out of US troops from the country.

I would say it is appropriate for high schoolers and possibly some mature upper middle schoolers. There is no graphic violence/sex/language.

I would also recommend this book as a Book Club Pick.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. #sponsored

Sola Mahfouz was born in 1996 and grew up in very unsettled and restrictive conditions in Afghanistan. She was determined not to follow in her sisters' footsteps with an arranged marriage. Though girls were denied schooling, she carved out her own education through online classes and any other resources she could find. Her ultimate goal was to be able to come to the United States to get a college degree. This was such an inspiring story. It really made me appreciate the everyday freedoms we take for granted. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House-Ballantine for an advance copy to read and review.

An inspiring memoir, We might know the basic outlines of the story- the impact of the Taliban on women and girls- but this first hand account is well written, thoughtful, and informative, Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. I'd urge this on the YA crowd.

#Defiant Dreams, #netgalley

While the background and beginning of the book seemed tedious and might turn off young readers, it soon becomes apparent how necessary it is to stay with it. Sola's life experience as a girl in 21st century Afghanistan is eye opening and somewhat soul crushing. Every American teenager should read this book and hear this story to appreciate our freedom and opportunity, especially for girls. Sola's story is not only about the limitations put upon the yound people of Afghanistand, but about her constant struggle against those limitations and the support she received along the way. At any time, she could have just accepted her fate, but she didn't let her dreams die. She made enormous sacrifices to acquire the ediucation she wanted, but it is so inspiring to read of her sturggle and accomplishments.

Here is an amazing story of a courageous woman, Sola Mahfouz, who grew up in Afghanistan and became a quantum physics researcher in America. She tells a riveting and eye-opening tale of her life in Afghanistan and the plight of being female. The restrictions and attitude towards women that were accepted by most are overwhelming and deplorable. Sola was lucky in one regard to have parents who were intelligent and wanted their daughters to be educated although it was not an acceptable practice. Born to a mother who taught at the Kabul University, and a progressive thinking father, Sola was allowed privileges that other girls could to even think of. However, as her brothers were allowed to go off to the university on scholarship, Sola's only way out of Afghanistan would be by way of marriage to a European Afghan like her older sisters. But Sola had dreams, defiant dreams, of getting an education herself. Such courage as she self taught herself the English language, to read and do math through Khan Academy. Online, she connected with an American, Emily, who became a great support to her and helped her realize that perhaps her dream was possible. Sola strove to one day go to America to learn. all this amidst the discouraging remarks of family, and the bombings and gunfire and threats from the Taliban in their town. An enlightening read, I found this story of Sola's life interesting and admire her fortitude to reach her dream and to survive. Once started, I couldn't put it down. This is a story that many who read this, would have a greater appreciation for all the freedoms that we enjoy as Americans. Sola is a true inspiration.
Many thanks to #netgalley #randomhouse #solamahrouz,malainakapoor, #defiantdreams for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Wow! Sola’s life story is beautiful, inspiring, and heartbreaking all at the same time. What a powerful memoir! Sola’s life journey is so unlike most of ours who have grown up in western countries where education is freely accessible. Malaina’s descriptions of Sola’s struggles with the political climate in Afghanistan, family and cultural pressures, and the fight to access education will stay with me for a long time. Sola’s story makes me want to help others who are going through this same struggle in today’s world. I highly recommend this memoir!

Wow, this book was everything to me. I was informed, educated, heartbroken, inspired, upset, and emotional when reading this. This book takes us on a journey into Sola's life with the history of her parents and growing up instability-ridden in Afghanistan. I'm so glad that she gave the background into the state of Afghanistan when her parents were growing up and how the climate shifted when she was born.

This book shows how war changes people and how it hinders Sola and Afghan girls' ability to get an education. We see her emotional/mental state and how she filled that void at home, and how her family inspired these changes. It was so inspirational to see this young lady find ways to educate herself despite all the barriers in her way. The ending broke my heart for Moor, and it was quite emotional.

Reading this book reminded me of my privilege and how I was lucky to grow up in a society with parents that put a lot of effort into girls' and women's education and how different my life would be if I weren't afforded that privilege. I will never take that for granted especially because it wasn't always like that in my country. I am now even more inspired and motivated to push and advocate for education for all girls and women because not everyone will have the same story and opportunity that Sola had. I would recommend this book to middle and high schoolers and everyone else.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for this arc for an honest review.