A harrowing tale well told. yet again. Having read Truth Be Told I realised I had an earlier title which is just as difficult a subject handled sensitively and with a very clever take. The language is not easy but is in keeping with the characters and the subject.. This is yet again well written with well developed characters which leaves me thinking about the book long after it is finished.

Many thanks to Netgalley/Kia Abdullah/HQ for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

i enjoyed this book even though i found it challenging at times. A story covering both rape and race. A courtroom drama that i only put down to give myself a break as the topic is grim but i did enjoy the book. Im not one for court room dramas as a rule as i find em long winded but this one i enjoyed and would recommend especially if your into this genre.

A brave and often uncomfortable read, Take Ot Back is a uncompromising story of sequel assault and racial prejudices. A girl with facial deformities accuses four boys from immigrant backgrounds of rape. Quickly the case becomes less about the rape itself and more about racism, misogyny and antireligion. One accusation could be the thing to ignite a divided city.

This kept me up to the wee small hours, it's a seriously tense read. I honestly didn't know who was telling the truth until the final reveal. A fantastic read, but often hard to read.

I absolutely loved this and couldn’t put it down. I do thoroughly enjoy a courtroom drama but this was so much more than this. It contains themes such as rape, bullying, discrimination, race, religion and misogyny among others so it’s very hard hitting but in such a good way. The main protagonist is a Muslim trying to find her way in a western way whilst still keeping her family happy and I found this struggle really interesting and actually educated me on a lot of things. The story itself was well written and keeps you guessing - the fact the story is from the POV of the accuser and the accusees makes you really wonder who is telling the truth.

There's been a lot of hype around this book so I was pleased to be accepted for it. I enjoyed it a lot and can see why it's been so well received

A well written story that explores current themes, sexual assault, racial tensions, prejudice, and poverty. And it is one of those books that offers so much more, it’s a book that’s thought provoking, a relevant if not disturbing tale of our times. This is one of those books that would make the perfect book club read, it explores current and relevant topics that will make for lively, thought-provoking discussions.

A well crafted book, the autor takes difficult subjects and explores them tactfully and well. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it.

IT’S TIME TO TAKE YOUR PLACE ON THE JURY.

The victim: A sixteen-year-old girl with facial deformities, neglected by an alcoholic mother. Who accuses the boys of something unthinkable.
The defendants: Four handsome teenage boys from hardworking immigrant families. All with corroborating stories.

WHOSE SIDE WOULD YOU TAKE?

Take it Back is a “he said, she said” story of rape and race that will keep you guessing until the very last page.

This book was reminiscent of the back and forth I felt when watching series one of Liar. Just when I thought I knew what the truth was another revelation had me questioning everything I thought I knew.

The characters are not particularly likeable and I found it hard to connect with them but it worked for this book.

This isn’t a story for the faint-hearted. It’s gritty and dark. Frustrating and infuriating.
I flew through it, desperate to discover the truth.

Having said that it wasn’t perfect, and there were things I found irritating, but it continued to build throughout and the ending caught me by surprise!

3.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (rounded up to 4)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher (HQ) for providing a copy of the book for review. All opinions are my own and provided willingly.

I do love a courtroom drama but Take It Back is so much more than that. It takes a real delve into British society, tackling rape culture and racial divides. The author, Kia Abdullah, manages to do this incredibly well, refusing to shy away from topics that are so relevant to modern Britain and highlighting issues a lot of people in Britain would like to pretend aren't happening.

I know it's a bit of a cliché to say this book was a rollercoaster but there's really no better way to describe it. The twists and turns in here were shocking yet never felt unrealistic.

I got this as an ARC and then picked it up as a hardback because the plot intrigued me so much and clearly my instincts were correct. I would highly recommend giving this a read!

Thanks to HQ and Netgalley for providing me with a copy for review.

I highly recommend this book. It has twist after twist after twist that keeps the book interesting and difficult to put down. Rape is a very hard topic to read about so it's best to mindful of that before you start this book.

This book was amazing. It was a very difficult subject and was expertly written about. I couldn't put it down and totally invested in the characters. It kept you on the edge of your seat the whole way through, I will definitely be looking for more books by this author.

Unfortunately I read this book a while ago and seem to have missed it when writing reviews. - sadly I cant remember enough detail to give a full review.
However, thanks to NetGalley for the ARC :-)

This book is compelling and kept me on the edge of my seat. It tackles difficult subjects head-on. Well-written which takes on all your emotions all at once. Recommended I look forward to reading more from this author

A totally absorbing read, a very difficult subject dealt with very well, gripping from start to finish, I lovws it

This was not a nice book to read.
The author appeared to be totally against Muslims with not a nice word to say.
The story itself has to many twist and turns which left it difficult to follow.
Not for me.

I loved this book, I raced through it. I would definitely recommend it and will be reading more from this author!

A dark and disturbing courtroom thriller that is a very difficult read. Unfortunately, I found the characters unlikable and the story slow to progress

This isn’t an easy lighthearted read so if you’re looking for that, it’s not for you!

But if you want a gripping thriller then it’s right up your street, what a tension filled novel this one was, very much a he said she said rape court room drama but a fantastic one at that

Loved it

If you are looking for a compelling legal thriller then Take It Back is definitely for you. A court case between a 16-year-old rape victim Jodie, and four Muslim boys who were the accused. I thought well this is going to be a book full of fluff, but ultimately, you know what’s going to happen because every time you see this on TV shows that's what happens. Now I am not going to say whether they are guilty or not, ahh that would spoil it for you but I Well, I am pleased to say I was wrong about the fluff. It highlighted lots of prejudices of religion, class status, gender and race as well as the actual rape. These are things that happen every day in the UK and I think the author did a great job with the writing.
It was an intense read, full of emotions and it that kept me guessing, I kept swapping my opinions on who was telling the truth. It had me up in arms at times.
This is the first book I have read by Kia Abdullah, it will most certainly not be my last.

If you are looking for a light easy read then this is not for you, however if you are looking for a highly emotive, explosive, thought-provoking, topical and powerful book then I would 100% recommend Take It Back.

Jodie Wolfe is a sixteen year old white girl living with her alcoholic mother in a council flat.  Born with severe facial deformities Jodie has spent most of her life hiding away and being bullied.  When she attends a local party with her best friend Nina she is subjected to a horrific, violent gang rape by a group of 4 well respected, popular boys, who also happen to be Muslim.  

Consumed by shame and hurt Jodie reports this crime to the police and is then thrown into the public arena and at the mercy of the press and social media as no-one can believe these 4 boys could commit such a crime especially to a deformed white girl.  

Zara Kaleel is assigned to Jodie's case.  She was a top high-flying barrister who walked away from a lucrative career in the City and became an independent councillor at a sexual assault centre.  Battling her own demons and being ostracised from her own Muslim family Zara finds herself in the centre of this controversial and very public case.

You can cut the racial tension with a knife throughout this book and it makes for some really uncomfortable moments.  With themes of violence, bullying, domestic abuse, rape, drug addiction and religion Take It Back is powerful and compelling, emotional and moving, thought-provoking and anger inducing.  With an ending that made me want to cry, this is a book that will haunt me for years to come.