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Not the Girls You're Looking for by Safi

Not the Girls You're Looking for

Safi

Square Fish · Paperback · June 11, 2019

Debut author Aminah Mae Safi's honest and smart young adult novel is about how easy it can be to hurt those around you even if—especially if—you love them.

Friendship for TeensDiverse YA FictionMuslim YAteens
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realisticcontemporary
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Who it’s for
A spirited YA story about friendship, family, and the damage love can do without meaning to.
Genres
Muslim YA, Friendship for Teens, Diverse YA Fiction
Published
Square Fish, June 11, 2019

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About this book

Debut author Aminah Mae Safi's honest and smart young adult novel is about how easy it can be to hurt those around you even if—especially if—you love them. Lulu Saad doesn't need your advice, thank you very much. She's got her three best friends and nothing can stop her from conquering the known world. Sure, for half a minute she thought she’d nearly drowned a cute guy at a party, but he was totally faking it. And fine, yes, she caused a scene during Ramadan.

Continue reading

It's all under control. Ish. Except maybe this time she’s done a little more damage than she realizes. And if Lulu can't find her way out of this mess soon, she'll have to do more than repair friendships, family alliances, and wet clothing. She'll have to go looking for herself. Praise for Not the Girls You're Looking For: "Safi’s prose style has a lively staccato rhythm that captures Lulu’s spirited nature. . .In addition to Safi’s focus on multicultural identity, her story provides a candid perspective on female friendships that are full of conflict, love, and angst. . .Safi offers a refreshing perspective on conformity and the path to self-actualization." —Publishers Weekly, starred review "Safi’s debut novel offers Arab and Muslim readers a teenager they can relate to as they too learn to navigate racial and religious tensions in a predominantly white society. Delightful and funny but still giving voice to serious issues of sexual consent and xenophobia." —Kirkus Reviews

Love, With Edges

A spirited YA story about friendship, family, and the damage love can do without meaning to.

Come here for

  • Lively, messy friendship dynamics
  • A teen’s sharp-edged path toward self-understanding

Expect

  • Humor alongside serious questions of identity and belonging
  • Conflict among friends and family, with no easy fixes

Where it sits

Friendship for Teens40%
Muslim YA34%
Diverse YA Fiction31%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • YA Stories About Girls & Women
  • Muslim YA
  • Friendship for Teens
Authors
Safi
Publisher
Square Fish
Published
June 11, 2019
Format
Paperback
Reading lane
YA Stories About Girls & Women