7 new May romance books to let bloom on your shelves and in your heart
By Sabrina Reed
The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar
Nishat came out to her parents and it did not go well. So much for her being able to be whatever she wants to be, apparently that doesn’t extend to being a lesbian. Muslim girls aren’t lesbians? Well, Nishat is a girl who is a Muslim who happens to be a lesbian so clearly that’s not the case but it has to be if she doesn’t want to lose her family. But then Nishat’s childhood friend, Flávia, walks back into her life and her plan to go along with her parents’ wishes begins to slip to the wayside.
Flávia is as charismatic as she is beautiful; Nishat’s heart doesn’t stand a chance of not falling for her. But things get complicated when the school holds a competition encouraging students to start their own businesses and Flávia chooses henna just like Nishat does. The problem? Henna is not a part of Flávia’s culture, she’s appropriating to turn a profit. Of course, the girls clash over this but despite sabotage and school stress, Nishat can’t seem to shake her feelings for Flávia.
Marketed as When Dimple Met Rishi meets Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, The Henna Wars by Adiba Jaigirdar is YA romcom that gets topical about culture, appropriation, and coming out while still leaving room for love to bloom between two girls figuring out their identities and what it means to take ownership of who you are.
The Henna Wars will be available May 12 in print, audio, and e-book format.