Rating: 3.5 Stars

Torn between the musical future her family doesn't approve of and her obligations to her family, Zuri attempts to do it all with complicated results. My heart went out to Zuri as she struggled with her family's disapproval of her dreams and living up to their expectations. This storyline runs in the background, but I was glad Patel gave it just the right amount of attention and resolution.

The standout elements of this story was the focus on family and the wedding. Patel did a wonderful job depicting each day of celebration for me - the colors, the music, the food were all vividly portrayed. I also felt the joy and love that surrounded this huge event. That little touch of romance worked well for me as well. I thought Zuri and Naveen were a great match and enjoyed seeing their friendship blossom.

Overall: A fun and heartwarming celebration of family and love.

Plot: Weddings are always a great setting for books, and I love that this book took place over a week of celebrations. Zuri trying to balance her time by participating in the events, while also sneaking away to compete, was a great plot.

Characters: I loved all the characters! Zuri was great, as was Naveen, Her family was big and loving, and I loved how big of a role they played in the story.

The Cover: I love it! it's bright and colorful, while also capturing moments from the book.

Overall: This was an absolutely wonderful YA novel, that I would definitely recommend to readers of YA books!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

This balanced the chaos of a big family wedding and the fun of a cute YA romance. I loved every minute of it and devoured the story. Naveen and Zuri had the sweetest romance and it was a delight.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was cute and fun. I think it could have been better if it focused on the family and the wedding and the music instead of adding in the romance angle. It would have helped to shorten the length. I really would have loved to have seen more scenes between the sisters and the cousins rather than the rather quick and forced/contrived love interest. I love that it was inspired by her brother's wedding and wish it could have been more of a family focused story rather than a love story. I really loved the cousins and sisters.

Oh my god. As a desi girl can I start off by mentioning how excited I was to finally be reading a book with representation such as this one. Its probably been over a decade since I’ve attended a desi wedding and reading "My Sister's Big Fat Indian Wedding" was the next best thing to actually being there. While reading about the food, clothing, events, and culture it made me wish I was there along with all the characters!!! The
main character, Zuri, is an incredibly stressed out teenager dealing with college applications and her sister's elaborate wedding at the same
time and things definitely get more difficult when she meets her brother-in-law-to-be's cousin,
who becomes her rival at a very important music competition. I loved to watch the relationship between our two love interests progress and blossom. This book provided a very accurate description as to what it’s like with a loving but exceptionally strict parents. I’m so grateful for NetGalley and Sajni Patel for giving me this opportunity!!!

My Sister's Big Fat Indian Wedding was pretty good. In some moments I found myself bored and in others I was interested. For the most part I was laughing out loud at the some scenes in the book. I found the family dynamic very important and heartwarming. Even though I'm not Indian I found myself relating to a lot of what Zuri was going through; especially with the family trying to write her future. The ending was giving 10/10 we love a sweet sentimental. I definitely recommend this book and will miss the characters so so very much.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Sajni Patel, and the publisher for the ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Zuri is a wonderful violinist who wants to study music in college, but her parents do not approve. They want her to study law just like they and her sisters did. Zuri is rejected from Julliard, her dream school, and now her only hope is a music competition where college scouts will be. The only problem? It interferes with her sister's wedding which she absolutely cannot miss. How will Zuri get there without ruining everything?

I LOVED THIS BOOK! I LOVED ZURI! I think this was a great book to break the stereotypes that a certain group of people are supposed to be in certain careers. I loved Zuri's love of music and her ability to speak for what she wants and for who she truly is!

I’ve probably read two YA contemporary novels in the past two years, which includes this current one. I just feel disconnected with the age group and have decided not to read them rather than not like them. But I couldn’t resist this book because that’s a lovely cover and who can say no to a full on desi wedding extravaganza. And I was not disappointed.

I can’t say I enjoyed my wedding because I was hardly involved in any aspect of it and it was such a tiring day that I don’t even like remembering it much. But reading or watching desi weddings play out like huge parties is always super fun and the author commits to it fully. Spanning only about 8-9 days, this book is fast paced and reads like a breeze but captures the chaotic and colorful atmosphere of our weddings perfectly. The pujas, the rituals, the decorations, the cooking and the food, the sweets, haldi, Mehendi, sangeet, the baaraat and ofcourse the crying - the author leaves out nothing and it all makes for an amazing and thoroughly entertaining but also emotional read. The premise of the main characters’ brother and sister’s wedding also reminded me of the classic Bollywood wedding film Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, and I felt the author was definitely giving a nod to the movie in the very elaborately executed shoe stealing sequence during the wedding. Just evoked so much nostalgia.

Zuri is sister of the bride and while she wants to major in music, her family wants her to go to law school like her sisters. She has to choose between attending a music competition on the same day as her sister’s garba night and while it was a difficult dilemma for her and I could really sympathize with her struggles, it randomly reminded me of an old Hindi TV serial called Sasural Simar Ka in which the bride is the one who wants to attend an audition on the day of her wedding and has to choose. I promise you, this book is way way better than that show but the random memory just felt hilarious. Coming back to the book, Zuri is a sweet girl who is very excited to ensure her sister’s wedding goes perfectly but is also worried about chasing her dreams. I’m glad with how she made her choices but sometimes I also wished she could speak up. But I also know it’s not easy to counter the arguments made me desi parents and elders, especially when you are a teenager.

Naveen is a cousin of the groom and an aspiring singer as well and an absolute cocky charmer. Their banter right from the first “accidental” meeting was super fun and I liked how the author developed their friendship and more. Thankfully, it’s not aiming for eternal love but feels very realistic for how two young teenagers might feel about each other. I was also absolutely glad that there is no miscommunication trope or a third act breakup.

The supporting characters are also all amazing. The aunts and uncles might only care about the kids being engineers, doctors and lawyers and always going on about matchmaking, it’s the cousins and friends who are the stars here. They bring all the fun to the wedding celebrations and are also there to support Zuri when she desperately needs it. I especially loved Krish for being an awesome cousin.

In the end, this was a romp and I was smiling throughout. The main character might have some small troubles about making the right choices but other than that, the book is all about love and family and everything that encompasses a desi wedding. It’s big and bold and bright and every description took me back to some memory. If you are a fan of lavish weddings and characters whose music touches the soul, then this book is perfect for you. This one promises every bit of fun that the gorgeous indicates.

Caveat: I am simultaenously absolutely and absolutely not the target audience for this book. I am Gujarati, but I'm in my mid twenties and generally feel a trepidation towards YA as a genre. As a result, Naveen and Zuri, while very sweet (I loved their bond around music) made me feel really awkward as I was more nervous about them being caught than anything else. Though I'm an only child, this did bring memories of cousins weddings and made me look forward to future ones in the post covid days. This did encompass the chaos, colors, food and joy of an Indian Wedding, the descriptions of outfits was lovely and the difficult colorism conversations with aunties was too real. Parts felt really awkward but that my have just been me.

loved, I loved zuri so much as a character and her growth over the story was beautiful to see, I personally have never been to an Indian wedding but I have heard they are an event and I love how this brought that to light within the pages, so easy to visualize the words on the page, overall a great read

thank you NetGalley for granting me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to see that Sajni Patel had a new YA book coming out as I love her adult books. While I'm not the target audience given that I'm a forty-something year old mom, I still enjoyed this read and I think that there's definitely an audience of teenagers that would love this book.

I appreciate the strong female characters and the family dynamics. It's not easy to have so many expectations weighed on youth these days, and the main character in this book, Zurika, had many of them. From marriage in the future to pursuing a more traditional career in law rather than the music career she dreams on, I thought this book did an excellent job of demonstrating the family dynamics that come with expectations.

The events of the wedding were so much fun, and I loved the detail that went into all the various events leading up to the main event. With Zuri's older sister getting married, we got a front row view (and social media) into all that goes into a big Indian wedding. From traditions to seeing the younger generation put a new spin on things, I really enjoyed all the wedding festivities.

What didn't quite work for me was the romance. Zuri was such a strong female character who knew exactly what she wanted, and adding Naveen (the cousin of the groom) didn't quite work. I wish they had just been friends.

I enjoyed all the music parts as that was a big part of my high school life as well. Though I knew it would never be a career for me.

All in all, a very solid YA novel with great representation that a lot of teenagers will love.

Wow, I’m not sure that I have ever read a more fantastically exuberant book! Reading “My Sister’s Big Fat Indian Wedding” is the closest many of us may get to such an extravagant, week-long event, and it is the next best thing to actually being there.. You will feel all of the emotions and sense the vivid colors and lively music of this story, and you will wish that you were eating all of the food described! The main character, Zuri, is a teenager dealing with college applications and her sister’s elaborate wedding at the same time….and then she meets her brother-in-law-to-be’s cousin, who becomes her rival at an important music competition, then her friend and collaborator, and finally, her love interest. I adored this fun, engaging, and heartwarming story. It brought back memories of the highs and lows of being a teenager, and exemplified the ups and downs of being part of a wonderfully loving (but perhaps exasperating?) family. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me experience this incredible wedding!

My Sister's Big Fat Indian Wedding tells the story of Zurika Damani. The biggest music competition of her young life is the same weekend as her older sister's wedding. Add into the mix a cute boy who is also the competition and you get a big fat mess.

I thought this book was very cute. I enjoyed the romance aspect as well as Zuri's struggle to find her way in life. I especially enjoyed learning about all the customs and traditions that make up an Indian wedding. My only complaint is the warp speed in which Zuri and Naveen fell in love. Talk about insta love. Overall, though, I would recommend this book.

I received this novel as an advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This was a fun book and I loves learning about big Indian weddings and culture. It was an interesting look into Indian culture and how important rituals and family are. Fun read!

And here I thought we went "all-out" for my wedding! I would love to attend an Indian wedding- the decorations, the food, the preparations, the food, the pre-party parties, the food... The descriptions were vivid, but unfamiliar to me, so I was intrigued enough to google what the foods and traditions were. Zuri's anxiety about her violin audition as well as being present for her sister's wedding, was palpable. I loved the witty back-and-forth between Zuri and Naveen, and thoroughly enjoyed the teenagers being intelligent and focused on their futures, yet still able to have fun and be just a tad bit sneaky. I am a high school librarian and will definitely be purchasing this titles for our collection.

The third of four sisters Zurika Damini seems to be the only one in her family who didn't fit with the rest. Where her older sisters all seemed to kick butt, becoming great lawyers and her cousin Krishna had found her life's passion in medicine - earning love and respect from the adults of the family - Zuri's life passion is music - definitely not parent or Indian family approved. When her dream music school gives her one last chance at admittance, Zuri is forced to balance her auditions with the week long wedding ceremony of her sister Maitri in this adorable coming of age novel by Sajni Patel.

My Sister's Big Fat Indian Wedding is a modern coming of age novel about a 21st century Desi girl in America struggling to find her way through life as she tries to pursue her passions and understand romance all while holding on to her family and roots. The plot of the book is charming - bringing to life the quirks of desi life while showing representation across a variety of Indian-origin cultures, illustrating the beauty of female friendships, sisterhood and cousinhood, and hitting upon more serious topics of colorism- but errs on the side of telling rather than showing. Zurika, who serves as the narrator for the book brings to life a lot of the feelings and frustrations of the Desi teenagers who struggle to balance the cultural and generational gap between their own American born and raised selves and their immigrant parents - evoking the views presented by Devi from Never Have I Ever or Radha from Radha & Jai's Recipe for Romance. However, Zuri has a caricature teenage voice that seems to vent out her narrations with little processing or perspective, and I was disappointed to note that Patel lost an opportunity to present a more rounded, perceptive view of both Zuri and her siblings, and the immigrant generation - choosing instead (for most of her narrative) to default to a boiled down caricature.

Overall, the novel is a happy, quirky, rom-com that serves to introduce people to the beauty and pizzazz of American-Desi culture. Naveen, the main love interest, is charming and the sweet teenage crush between the main characters is endearing. Fans of Never Have I Ever and Radha & Jai's Recipe for Romance are likely to find amusement at this new take on an art-loving Desi girl just trying to find her place in the world.

I give this book 2.5 stars for its attempts at representation and its desire to bring the grandeur and craziness of an Indian wedding to the masses.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me early access to the book in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

This might be the first desi book I didn't totally relate to but only because no one in my family has had a proper indian wedding. I think big sisters being anxious/controlling/equal parts loving and cousins being ride or die is universal. I was wholly invested in the music competition and whether the wedding would be 'ruined' or not in the end.

I liked Zurika immediately. She is a fun, confident protagonist and admired her dedication to pursuing her goals and empathized with her pain as her family dismissed her dreams as frivolous and pushed her toward a career she didn't want.
I really liked that she was sneaking out to go to musical competitions rather than meet a boy and the high stakes of the competition added a nice thrill to counterbalance the fluffy romance and family drama of the wedding storyline.
And I especially loved the way everything was resolved at the end.
However I did not like Naveen, or the romance between him and Zurika. I wanted to like him at the beginning. But I found his arrogance and insistence that Zuri like him to be annoying. I didn't see any chemistry between them and I just wanted to roll my eyes when Zuri went from being annoyed by him to falling for him.
But overall it was an enjoyable read and a really fun and detailed look into a traditional Indian wedding.

This is such a great YA book. I will say this is more of just a standard fiction or coming of age story than a romance. Yes the setting was a wedding but it was mostly about the family.

There were some interesting topics brought up like skin lightening creams. I love the stance the author took about them and how she spoke of loving your skin and curls as they are. Also, as a girl with very curly hair I smiled at the hair washing day comments because I completely got it.

Overall this is a book about family, chasing your dreams and finding your place in the world. I would definitely recommend this book.

A delightfully cheesy rom-com centered around a very elaborate wedding. It was an interesting look into Indian culture and how important rituals and family are. This is also a story about following your dreams and not settling for what others want for you. An extremely fun read, if your into romance and a witty main character.