Adiba Jaigirdar

ya know what? 5 stars. this book fits perfectly into the niche it’s going for. it has realistic feelings and reactions and troubles. i can’t speak for the specific cultural pressures the characters went through, but as far as i could tell, they seemed really realistic too. i could actually feel my heart breaking for the people who unfortunately go through these consequences of being first generation citizens. the idea of your parents abandoning you because you don’t meet the hopes they had for you (hopes that definitely started as love) is just so saddening :(

anyway, i think this is definitely a book worth reading. it’s a overdone trope that is pulled off very well :)… (more)

I really enjoyed Nishat's story - there were tense, stressful, uncomfortable moments shot through her life, but they were all beautifully handled and never did it leave me in emotional straits too dire. (The few moments I desperately grimaced and hoped something would not come to pass as I suspected . . . were brought around well rather than crashing.)

Nishat's bond with her sister is wonderful - from their ups and downs - and her struggle with her school, and her friends, and the rest of her family . . . very real, as well as very well done. The anxiety, fear, anger, and upset of dealing with racism, homophobia, bigotry and assumptions, and all, were equally real while not being torturous to read.

I loved the ending, in several senses, and I was most pleased with the way the story drew to a close.… (more)

Fieldnotes:
Dublin, Ireland, Contemporary (p.2023)

1 Bangladeshi-Irish Teen with Big Baking Dreams
1 Irish Baking Competition Reality Show
1 Rival Ex-Girlfriend (Secret Variety)
1 Potential Whirlwind Romance

3 Judges with Names Cringily Close to Cooking Personalities
Punny Donut Names
1 Food Fight (with Fingerpointing)
1 Saboteur
Racist and Fatphobic Bigotry on Social Media
Mostly Supportive Parents

The Short Version
Shireen Malik is wallowing in her break-up watching reruns of GBBO and stuffing herself with donuts from the family store. But no time for that! She has been selected to take part in a teen baking competition show and gets to show off her skills on TV (and help save the struggling family donut store with her winnings). Upon arrival, it turns out her recent ex-girlfriend Chris (daughter of the rival donut shop across the street) is ALSO taking part and they are paired together for the first challenge.

Shireen is eager to share her desserts - and bring more attention to Bangladeshi cooking, but faces nasty comments about being a "token" with Padma Bollywood (yes, the name used *sigh*)'s vote in the bag because they're both "Indian". There are saboteurs and ugly competitiveness, but all in all, this is a happy, cute book full of puns (Shireen's naming specialty) and very sweet sapphic romance - as well as donuts. Obviously.

This made me so eager to re-watch Nadiya's GBBO season as Shireen has a similar playful warm energy (and also because she gets name-checked). Would recommend picking up some donuts before starting this one, for sure.… (more)

I'm irked that this book didn't address the art theft issue at all. It's totally fine and understandable that the focus is on cultural appropriation, but there's an especially odd moment where a character justifies her cultural appropriation of henna by saying, "being inspired by different styles of art is how art works, and I would know because I'm an artist." I just wanted to scream at little miss Artiste that by own logic she should ALSO know better than to steal an original henna design, which is exactly what she did. It never came up!… (more)