This was a super fun YA story. I loved the music aspect and the focus on Indian and Trinidadian tradition. I really enjoyed the main characters and the family aspect as well as the romance.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me a free eARC of this book to read in exchange for my review!

DNF 50% ish

Felt like I've read this book before.
Couldn't get away from the feeling I had read this before and it affected my enjoyment, until I couldn't continue.

Writing, plot, mc voice all felt like they were the same from another book I read Ssadly.

This book has all my favorite things like good South Asian representation and of course, Indian weddings! This book was cute and chaotic and had me in my feelings the whole time. Of course it's cheesy and it's meant for a YA audience, but I still enjoyed my time reading it.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for giving me access to the advanced copy of this book to read.

This book had a lot of potential with a fun concept, but it seemed to miss the mark regarding pot development.

My biggest issue with the book was the lack of conflict as the book progressed. The initial problem was definitely introduced, but it felt like very little was done to raise the stakes outside of one or two plot points. While I enjoyed learning more about Indian wedding traditions through this book, There were times it felt more like an informational text then a fun, romantic comedy.

This is still a book I would recommend, especially for someone who is not familiar with Indian wedding traditions and would like to be.

It's always interesting to see author's cross genres. This is the second YA book I've read by local Austin author Sajni Patel - the first being The Knockout (which I absolutely loved). This rom-com was a hit for me. It has a likeable cast, a great storyline and a sweet beginner romance.

The characters really made this story extra special. You follow along with them as they prepare for an extravagant wedding. The main Damani family is fantastic. I really loved seeing the interactions amongst the sisters. Zurika has two older sisters and one younger. They each had a realistic dynamic where they tease yet had one another's best interest at heart. Neha gave off a total Kitty vibe from To All The Boys I Loved Before. Loved her meddlesome snark!

I'll never forget staying in a hotel in downtown Houston and witnessing a groom arriving on a horse surrounding by family celebrating. It was my first introduction into Indian weddings and it looked like a blast the entire weekend we were there. From the gorgeous attire the women wore to the meticulous decorations and endless dancing, it was a three day extravaganza that just emitted pure joy for the newly weds. I loved catching a glimpse into the detailed prep that went on in this story for the wedding. I learned about a few new traditions: a Haldi ceremony and the wedding party guarding the groom's shoes or sitting on the car the couple drives away in. Also the food descriptions were endlessly enticing. The author's notes at the end of the book shared how she was inspired to write this story after being a part of her own brother's huge wedding.

Aside from the wedding prep, Zurika has an intriguing story where she hopes to pursue her passion for music. She is caught up in auditioning and hoping to catch the attention of college scouts. I loved the idea of a violinist with a rocker twist. Her passion was evident in her descriptions of how music made her feel. It was also another great way to include family expectations into the story since her parents urged her to study law.

The romance was super light, a definite slow burn and just adorable to watch unfold. Naveen was a great love interest. I enjoyed watching the two connect over music, dodge matchmaking family members and start to show an interest in one another. I wouldn't mind seeing a sequel so I can catch up with these characters again and see how they evolve as college students!

Whats more important, traditions or your passion? Zurika Damani has to make this choice when her older sisters wedding falls on the same day as a prestigious music competition. Will she ruin the wedding or will all her dreams come true? My Sister's Big Fat Indian Wedding takes a light hearted look at tradition and forging a path of your own. The plot followed a very typical structure and was highly predictable but the traditions and culture the book was based on elevated the overall story. A light, fluffy, rom com.

I liked a lot about this YA - love a deadline for a compettion or opportunity that makes the future, love a big annoying but still loving family wedding.

I love this authors other books so much! They have all been 5/5 stars for me. But I dnf’ed this one unfortunately.. i felt like the story was too slow and there wasn’t enough plot to keep my attention.

Every book I read by Sajni Patel makes me feel like I'm injecting drugs directly into my bloodstream because I swear I feel the high for days on end. Out of all of her books, this one brought me the most joy. The book was lighthearted, featured some adorable musical rivalry, the love Zurika and her cousins have for each other, and of course, the romance.

South Asian culture varies vastly depending on the region, and I especially love that Sajni Patel highlighted West Indians who had been displaced from their culture generations ago, and also highlighted the desi diaspora from places that aren't just America: Naveen is from South Africa, and his extended family has been there for years.

Despite this being a fun, lighthearted read, the author finds ways to talk about the darker parts of having a large desi family, including when Zurika is gifted skin lightening cream from an aunt, and the mentality between generations is highlighted through her sister telling her not to yell at the aunt, Zuri wanting nothing but to go off on the aunt, and the aunt confused on why Zurika wouldn't want lighter skin.

I was expecting this to have more traditions in it. I did really enjoy it I just wanted MORE! the characters were super cute and I really loved the family dynamic.

A fabulous YA read about family, music, romance, and a love letter to Indian culture. I loved this book so much and not even for the romance (although that was adorable). I definitely recommend this one to anyone looking to read a book about a loving family and wants to explore new cultures.

A fun, laugh aloud rom com that offers a window into the South Asian diaspora, and a vibrant family wedding.

I've always thought that Indian weddings were beautiful. The celebration, family gathering, and even the clothing have always seemed so beautiful to me. I really enjoyed this book. I liked all the information that I learned about Indian food, culture, clothing, and celebrations that I got from the book. Seriously, don't read it if you're hungry, the descriptions of food sound so amazing. I also really enjoyed the story itself.. Like Zurika, I wanted to be a musician and study music when I was in high school, so I really identified with her. I loved the dynamic between Zurika and Naveen, it was perfect. I also loved the camaraderie of all the female characters in the book. The way they all looked out for one another and had each others backs was great to see. This was a really fun quick read that had me laughing along the way with all of the craziness that comes with big family gatherings. I really enjoyed this book and hope to read more from the author.

4.5 stars
I had so much fun reading this book. I loved learning about the huge wedding event and Indian customs and traditions. I felt like I was there experiencing it with the characters. The author was very descriptive and it really pulled me in. I swear I was able to hear that violin rocking to Dream On. I highly recommend this novel.

Thank you NetGalley and ABRAMS Kids, Amulet Books for this digital arc in exchange for my honest review which is not affiliated with any brand.

This is a cute rom-com featuring an Indian wedding, a music contest and navigating familial expectations. I loved the whole vibe of the Indian weddings. The food, clothing and music are always over the top but in a good way.

Ms. Patel excels at creating characters that are smart, charming and witty and this book was no different. I enjoyed the budding romance between Zuri and Naveen and was rooting hard for them. I also liked Zuri's sisters and loved her relationship with her dad.

Overall, this is a fun read for those cold winter evenings with a warm drink in hand and a fire in the hearth.

a fun read! as a brown girl i love stories with brown rep, especially shaadi-centered ones. i love seeing myself and my culture so well represented in fiction

The description above pretty much covers most of what's going on in this book. There is so much culture packed into this one book. And honestly, most of it went over my head. But I enjoyed it nonetheless. I have become increasingly interested in Indian culture through contemporary books focused on Indian characters. And My Sister's Big Fat Indian Wedding was super immersive into all of the things I find fascinating about the culture.

Zurika is struggling. Because her heart is in music. Music (any form of the arts really) isn't considered a worthy career pursuit by her family or culture. She didn't apply to colleges that she had any hope of getting into, and so Zurika's future feels like it is very much hanging on whether or not she can get a music scholarship from a competition that just so happens to be held the same week as her sister's big wedding. Zurika has been repeatedly warned not to mess with any of the wedding events. Anything going wrong during one of these events is a bad forecast for the couple's future. Yet Zurika's cousins are determined to help her reach her goals. Or at least have the opportunity.

Naveen is a cousin of the groom. He lives in South Africa but also dreams of pursuing music in college and for his career. And he's in competition with Zurika for the scholarship. While the two could have easily been rivals, they quickly strike a deal to help the other. They practice together and begin to develop an interest in the other. Zurika is hesitant because if Naveen can't move to the states, the distance between America and South Africa is vast. And even if he does come to the US for college, that is still months away. Yet Naveen wasn't hesitant at all to know that he wants to get to know Zurika better.

Had I written my review for this book when I finished it instead of waiting until I'd read FOUR other books, I probably could have written a better review than this one. But if you're enjoying Indian culture, then My Sister's Big Fat Indian Wedding should be right up your alley. It was right up mine. I did wish for a little more romance since I always prefer the romance to drive the relationship, but honestly, what occurred felt genuine and not forced.

Favorite quote:

-If I were in my eighties and had spent nearly twenty hours on a flight from India to Atlanta, I'd be the walking dead, too.
Nice, subtle pop culture reference to The Walking Dead which takes place and was filmed in Atlanta and surrounding suburbs.

The other pieces I highlighted were grammatical issues that I'm sure were corrected in the final copy.

My Sister's Big Fat Indian Wedding was an immersive look into Indian/Hindu wedding culture and I loved it. It wasn't without romance, although I wouldn't have minded a little more. These wedding events sound like a total mix between exhausting and a huge party. I enjoyed every minute of My Sister's Big Fan Indian Wedding and Sajni Patel hasn't let me down yet. This book gets 4 Stars. Have you read My Sister's Big Fat Indian Wedding? What did you think? Let me know!

I received this egalley as part of the ALAN conference and it is kept on a kindle in my classroom. My rating is based on the fact that my students have enjoyed this title and I look forward to when I get the chance to read it.