The Knockout
Books | Young Adult Fiction / Diversity & Multicultural
4.4
Sajni Patel
A rising star in Muay Thai figures out what (and who) is worth fighting for in this YA debut full of heart. If seventeen-year-old Kareena Thakkar is going to alienate herself from the entire Indian community, she might as well do it gloriously. She's landed the chance of a lifetime, an invitation to the US Muay Thai Open, which could lead to a spot on the first-ever Olympic team. If only her sport weren't seen as something too rough for girls, something she's afraid to share with anyone outside of her family. Despite pleasing her parents, excelling at school, and making plans to get her family out of debt, Kareena's never felt quite Indian enough, and her training is only making it worse. Which is inconvenient, since she's starting to fall for Amit Patel, who just might be the world's most perfect Indian. Admitting her feelings for Amit will cost Kareena more than just her pride--she'll have to face his parents' disapproval, battle her own insecurities, and remain focused for the big fight. Kareena's bid for the Olympics could very well make history--if she has the courage to go for it.
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More Details:
Author
Sajni Patel
Pages
360
Publisher
North Star Editions
Published Date
2021
ISBN
1635830591 9781635830590
Ratings
Google: 5
Community ReviewsSee all
"“To all the Upper-Cuts, Roundhouse Kicks, and Flying Knees...Kareena Thakkar was coming for y’all.”<br/><br/>Thank you to NetGalley and Flux Publishing for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.<br/><br/>The Knockout by Sajni Patel is, for lack of a better word, adorable. I loved the main character, Kareena, with all my heart. Her passion and emotion were infectious, and I was constantly desperate to know the next part of her story. <br/><br/>Sports romance is my favorite sub-genre of literature, so when I received this ARC, I was ecstatic. The love story between Kareena and Amit is so, so, so cute! The Boy Genius being paired with the Girl On Fire was such a good decision of Sajni Patel’s part. Kareena and Amit had me screaming into my pillow for the majority of the book because I just couldn’t take how adorable they were.<br/><br/>Up until about halfway through the book, I was sure it was only going to be a 3-4 star read, however the end of the book blew me away. I was so entranced with the story, the shocking twists, and the passionate love for sport that I ended up staying up until almost 5 in the morning to finish it. The writing leans toward middle-grade writing that is comparable to the whimsical style of Percy Jackson and The Olympians, and would be the perfect read for kids aged 11-14. Heck, I’m 20 years old and I enjoyed it! I absolutely recommend The Knockout to anyone looking for a fun, fast sports fiction book with the perfect amount of romance."
Hali Dinwiddie
