Meghna embodies the struggles of an insecure person. Instead of taking a hard look at herself, she channels her frustrations onto one person, even though that person doesn't have anything to deserve it. It was incredibly frustrating to be inside her head while she had this one-sided grudge against Rani, who didn’t do any of that. The book's only redeeming quality is the dynamic between the family and friends and how their cultural background influences their relationships.

Adiba Jaigirdar has a well-deserved reputation for creating charming sapphic YA stories featuring Bangladeshi girls, and "Rani Choudhury Must Die" is no exception. Meghna is tired of her parents always comparing her to "perfect" Rani, and of losing to her in the annual science fair. But after the girls discover they're being played by the same boy, Zach, Rani invites Meghna to team up in the European Young Scientist Exhibition. Their goal? Not only to beat Zach in the competition, but also to use their creation to expose him as a cheater. Just one problem: the more time they spend together, the more their feelings change from rivalry and grudging friendship to something more. Featuring unapologetically smart girls, loving references to Bangladeshi culture and foods, and the difficulties of going against tradition in order to be yourself, this latest book from @dibs_j will charm many YA readers.

(Note: I'd give this 4.5 stars - but since that's not an option...)

Another fun, easy novel with just enough of a punch from one of the most interesting voices in Irish YA fiction.

I was drawn in to this one immediately by the cover. Idk what it is about this one, but I love it so much! Two brown girls looking at each other in longing, and there’s books and a computer there? Ugh so cute. And the pages inside are just as cute. Trust me!

Ok so this starts off when two girls find out the dude they think they’re dating is also dating someone else. And the someone else is actually a certain someone they don’t like. This whole part of the plot was weird to me because even though they found this out, it seemed like neither one of them wanted to break up with the asshole. For the life of me I couldn’t figure out why. They both kept making excuses. And like I’m sorry, once I find out something like that, the very thought of them pisses me off. They were truly weirding me out.

They took FOREVER to get together too. I wasn’t as into as I could have been because they were fighting for so long. And that one girl was ANNOYING. I said like 7 times while I was reading it, Girl leave them both alone lol She was so insecure and mean and it made me hate her. And its usually hard for me to outright hate a character, but not this time.

The two of them together was cute tho. But we don’t spend enough time with them at all. By then its the end. I went into this thinking it was a romance and a little disappointed because it was not. Just like she said it they were giving him that if they went through with doing the project the way they originally were going to, I thought it was really ironic that she said that because that’s what the whole book ended up being about.

But overall I did like the messaging that girls can do what ever they want and of course the women in STEM overall thing. But to have it be about this and still mostly about how this stupid boy almost ruined everything for them and then didn’t even treat them right was a bit counter productive. I’m glad she talked about some of the struggles they were going through tho.

This was disappointing, but still good. Idk how to explain that, really. I think I was expecting something else. I wanted them to find the dude, break up with him and then find each other immediately. But we didn’t even get a variation of this. I hope if nothing else this review will put you in a different mindset so you don’t go in thinking you’re getting one thing and get something else. And just a reminder to everyone, I am not an enemies to lovers girlie, so this very well may just not have been my jam. Idk, read it and let me know what you think.

Adiba Jaigirdar is an amazing author. This book was well-paced, and I enjoyed the dual perspective between Rani and Meghna. I am excited to see what Jaigirdar writes in the future!

This was such a fun book to read. As you can tell from the title, this is a “John Tucker Must Die”-inspired story where girls join forces to get back at their serial-cheating ex, but with a queer Bengali STEM-inist twist.

I love that these characters are using science to get back at their scummy ex-boyfriend, and I appreciate that the story really leans into their app development process—the research they have to gather, the technology they have to use, the kinds of coding they have to learn. It’s a really great celebration of young women in STEM.

Related to that, I think the story very thoughtfully explores the kinds of discrimination, sexism, and social barriers that women—especially women of color—face in those fields. And even though they don’t seem related on the surface, that beautifully compliments the thematic work the story is doing in exploring sexism in Bengali culture, especially the way that Bengali women are compared to each other and pitted against each other within their community’s inner circles. Not only does Meghna resent Rani because of the distance between their families and the way her family was ostracized after her father lost his job, but also because her family is always comparing her accomplishments to Rani’s accomplishments, as if there’s not space enough for both.

Overall, this is a fun sapphic second chance romance. There’s scheming and science-y shenanagins every which way you look. There’s humor, there’s heart, there’s a great coming-of-age story line running through that’s all about learning to uplift each other as opposed to outpace each other. I enjoyed it very much!

All the joy and angst you expect from Adiba Jaigirdar is present here and I was so down for this story! I'd kill for a netflix adaptation....

So far, for me, this type of rivals-to-lovers romance is the sweet spot of Adiba Jaigirdar’s books. The tension between the characters is perfect, the cultural themes are immersive and engaging, and the romance leaves me swooning. I loved The Henna Wars and Hani and Ishu’s Guide to Fake Dating, and I will gladly put this one on the shelf right next to them.

The plot of Rani Choudhury Must Die starts off slowly and winds through a bit of setup before it really gets going. We learn about Meghna’s secret dating relationship and Rani’s relationship with the boy her parents expect her to marry… the same boy secretly dating Meghna. Yikes.

We also learn that Meghna and Rani have history. It’s unclear at first what happened and who, exactly, is to blame for the rift between the girls. It’s pretty clear that Meghna’s mental image of Rani differs from her real self, though, and I found myself intrigued by the difference.

It highlights the way that unresolved conflict can leave us with a specific, hurtful image of a person that doesn’t at all match who the person truly is. Yet, while we’re still nursing that hurt and anger, we can’t see that there is a difference. This delicate mining of nuance in relationships is one of my favorite components of Jaigirdar’s books. She does this so well, and her characters are so rich because of it.

The romance between Rani and Meghna is a very slow burn. I loved that, too. It honors the history between the two girls and the complexity of the circumstances that brought them together. I think it would have been hard to tell a compelling story in which they immediately hook up after discovering they’ve been dating the same boy. This really worked and lets readers hope for and root for the romance as it begins to blossom.

All in all, I had a great time reading this book. Fans of slow-burn romance, rivals to lovers, and/or STEM girls definitely do not want to miss this one.

3.5 rounded up!!

This book was fun, catty, and surprisingly heartwarming. The story follows Rani and Meghna, who are former best friends turned bitter rivals. However, when they find out they are both being cheated on by the same slimey boy, Zak, they relucatancly agree to work together to bring him down. However, as they plot to embarrass Zak and win the science competition they begin to realize what’s burning between them might not be a rivalry, and it might even be more than friendship. Will Rani and Meghna realize their strength together before time runs out, or will Zak’s lying and golden boy charm prove to be too much for this twosome to expose? All the scheming revenge and more in, Rani Choudhury Must Die.

Adiba Jaigirdar is one of my favorite authors of all time and so when I saw this I knew I was going to love it. And although it didn’t turn out to be my favorite I am obviously still a big fan. The characters were the best part of this book, I absolutely adored Rani and empathized with Meghna. Meghna is a complex MC, which is even more impressive given this is a YA book. The plot was fun and whimsical but I had a hard time taking it seriously at parts, which took away from the overall experience. However, the revenge aspect was such a good time and I really wanted Zak to get what he deserved. Not to mention showcasing girls in STEM, which gave complexity to the stories as their Bangladeshi identities intersected with everything else. I think a lot of different people will be able to see parts of themselves represented in the characters because of that.

All in all this science-packed revenge story is a fun read. From the enemies to lovers subplot to the app coding frenzy you will not want to put it down, Not to mention wanting to download the app immediately to test it out. If you like revenge stories and light hearted rivalry then you are in the right place. Happy reading!

I love this stunning book cover at first, you can pretty much get to know it a lot by just looking at it. The story revolves around the rivalry between Rani and Meghna. Both Rani & Meghna's voice is very distinct and clear throughout the novel and I found myself really enjoying both their narration. It was, of course, a bit juvenile, but that was something I had expected going into the story. The narration worked very well as the simplicity of it made it all the more beautiful. The friendship, family crisis, rivalry between two friends, everything explained well. I love some supporting characters as well. The author did excellent work in characterization.

The idea of a young girl discovering that she likes other girls had me sold pretty much from the start, but the execution of this was brilliant as well. The storyline pace is very good and it never felt rushed or the things were always happening at just the right moment. The book never felt like it dragged at all as it went super smooth.

Also I absolutely fell in love with both Rani & Meghna right from page one. Their courage, determination, all of it was just so inspiring to me that I couldn’t help but love them. I really enjoyed getting to know them better and their backstory.

Adiba Jaigirdar became an instant read author for me after I read Hani and Ishu! Needless to say, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book!

I truly loved *almost* every single thing about this book. The hardest part for me to get through was the beginning, I constantly found myself screaming at Meghna when she would be upset and blaming Rani for everything. Like seriously, my good sis would be minding her business and Meghna would be like “she’s after me!” Other than that, I truly loved every aspect of this book. The science was definitely my favorite part since it was my favorite subject in school!

Needless to say, I’m ready for the next Jaigirdar read already!

I really liked the subplots of science/tech competitions and the frank representation on the misogyny and difficulties women face in tech. The Bangladeshi representation and the nuanced discussions of the culture were amazing, and relatably written!

However, I found the extreme focus on cheating a little too raw (since it's one of my main triggers) - I was aware that the cheating would be the starting point for the MCs to start interacting, but I did not expect a majority of the book to focus on that -- so if this is a trigger for you, keep this in mind!

TWs - cheating, colorism, colorism that is brushed off as acceptable by the older generation, misogyny and sexism particularly in the context of science/tech

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

"I hate that something as simple as Meghna saying my name can sway me more than anything else."

**thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review!!**

first of all I just wanna say BENGALI SAPPHICS!! nothing will get me hooked faster than bipoc gay girls, and Meghna and Rani were everything I could ever have wanted. I loved learning about Bengali culture and dishes while enjoying a sapphic romance as delectable as Meghna's ammu's famous chingri malai curry. The dual pov was something I appreciated while reading because it really gave me a sense of each character’s distinctive personality and made it so much more fun to watch them slowly fall for each other. Them both being stem nerds was so fun as a stem girlie myself and seeing them develop their science competition projects was so enjoyable.

rani choudhury must die had some of my favorite tropes and utilized them seamlessly. the whole situation of two childhood best friends being inseparable and then breaking apart for unknown reasons is so undeniably sapphic and deeply relatable, and their shared history made the rivals to lovers DELIVER. The tension was impeccable.

I did feel like there were a couple moments towards the end that were more "tell" than "show". It made some of the scenes feel a little bit flat, since I was only experiencing them through dialogue rather than emotionally. I also don’t know how I feel about the outcome of the culmination, but I do enjoy how unexpected it was that it showed the rise in maturity/growth of both Meghna and Rani.

all in all, I had the BEST time reading this book. you should’ve seen me giggling over my phone and highlighting their little moments together in pink. thank you again to adiba jaigirdar for this beautiful story and NetGalley for the arc!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much Colored Pages Book Tours, Fierce Reads, and Adiba Jaigirdar for sending me a copy for tour! 🥰🫶
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After reading the Dos and Donuts of Love last year, I knew I needed to read more from Adiba, so I was super excited for Rani Choudhury Must Die! 😊 This was a quicker, dual-POV, YA read featuring 2 Benglai sapphic girls who live in Ireland. I really loved how the focus in this book was STEM and honestly just how smart these girls are as they work together to create an app for a scientific competition. I loved how the ex-best friends-to-enemies-to-lovers dynamic played in as the two worked together towards a common goal. I loved to see as the girls get close once again and apologize for things in the past. I think the romance was super cute and these girls definitely have chemistry! The only thing is I wish it was a little bit longer to show more of Meghna and Rani’s romantic relationship, however I still really loved the story we got! I definitely need to read more from Adiba’s backlist!
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Rep: Neither of the MCs uses any labels but Meghna is bisexual coded and Rani is lesbian coded. Meghna’s friends are also queer - a Nigerian person who uses they/them and a lesbian Filipina.

4.25 stars

This story was a fun YA contemporary romance! I loved the fact that women in STEM were highlighted, and I loved that both main characters were Bangladeshi. Rani in particular was my favorite character, as she was really kind and was an amazing coder and very hard science thinker (hard sciences being things like physics, technology, etc.). It took me time to grow on Meghna's character, as she is jealous of and is sometimes mean to Rani. However, Meghna's feelings are imo typical for a teenager, and I love how Meghna rekindled her previous friendship with Rani. I also love how Meghna shines a light on social sciences, a group of sciences not always appreciated irl. Lastly, I loved the fact that Meghna and Rani worked together in a science competition to take down their mutual, two-timing ex. Overall, fans of friends to lovers and sapphic slow-burn romances will enjoy this book involving a STEM competition and two friends rekindling their friendship, and maybe becoming something more.

Disclaimer: I received an eARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.

A fun sapphic spin on the noughties movie John Tucker Must Die. I love the integration of societal issues such as racism, colorism, and sexism.

This title is misleading. This is a fairly low-stakes story about two kids doing a group project. It's a fairly accurate representation of how teenagers can make a relationship their whole personality.

It was frustrating to see two female characters who started with promising independent science projects that actually could make a difference in the world... to working together to create an app solely for the purpose of exposing their cheating boyfriend. It's even more irritating that the story has an awareness of this, with a teacher that brings up this problem and the main characters discussing the way women are looked at in STEM, but still moves forward.

The social criticism touched on real issues faced by South Asian immigrants and their communities, as well as women in STEM. However, the criticism was superficial, left at merely being angry about it, without actually doing something to counter it or rise above it.

The sapphic love story was not believable and seemed to just be thrown in there.

I was really excited about the premise of this story. YA, South Asian representation, immigrant families, queer representation, and rivals-t0-lovers hit a lot of my favorite categories. I'm disappointed in the execution.

So I’m normally not a romance girly, but I fear I’ve discovered I am a romance girly when it’s sapphic romance (which makes sense, considering i’m queer).
I absolutely loveddd this book. It was so fun, I loved the whole concept of it (and the app the girls made was so cool!!). I loved the writing style, I loved the characters, I just loved this whole book honestly. Also the entire ending was 10/10. Honestly, no more notes, I have nothing to criticise I just love this book.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7008844590

This was so cute! I loved the ways the characters linked and got to know each other. I also love jaigirdar’s writing style.

I loved these characters! Adiba Jaigirdar strikes again with loveable sapphics! Every character is fleshed out and has a distinctive voice, I adored mostly Meghna's slow queer awakening and her coming out! 🥰

I am definitely here for the slow burn, the build-up is sweet and subtle, and the girls don't realize they are in love until the end. The payoff is definitely worth it!!

One thing I would have liked to see talked about more was their app, the girls make an app that is supposed to show you if your so is cheating and the ethics are a bit gray. It was shortly mentioned by their teacher towards the end and then brushed off, but it bothered me a bit 😅

Despite this I did enjoy the book, I loved that it deals with themes of family and society expectations and how everyone struggles in their own ways, nobody is perfect and what you see on the surface is no always the reality.

Overall this definitely goes on my Adiba Jaigirdar shelf next to Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating and The Henna Wars as an absolute favorite! 🥰