You Truly Assumed by Laila Sabreen: Book Review

Laila Sabreen’s debut novel, You Truly Assumed, looks into the lives of three Muslim teens trying to find their voice in the light of a terrorist attack. Released in February 2022 by Inkyard Press, You Truly Assumed is a YA contemporary novel that introduces readers to Sabriya, Zakat, and Farah.

CW/TW: Islamaphobia, racism, bigotry

Synopsis from Goodreads

Sabriya has her whole summer planned out in color-coded glory, but those plans go out the window after a terrorist attack near her home. When the terrorist is assumed to be Muslim, and Islamophobia grows, Sabriya turns to her online journal for comfort. You Truly Assumed was never meant to be anything more than an outlet, but the blog goes viral as fellow Muslim teens around the country flock to it and find solace and a sense of community.

Soon two more teens, Zakat and Farah, join Bri to run You Truly Assumed, and the three quickly form a strong friendship. But as the blog’s popularity grows, so do the pushback and hateful comments. When one of them is threatened, the search to find out who is behind it all begins, and their friendship is put to the test when all three must decide whether to shut down the blog and lose what they’ve worked for or take a stand and risk everything to make their voices heard.

Positives

While the subject matter isn’t easy to read, the way it is written makes it easy to digest. And that doesn’t take away from the serious nature of the topic.

Negatives

Honestly, the only negative I can think of concerning this book is that some characters seem naive. But that can be forgiven due to the age of the characters.

My Opinions

You Truly Assumed is a book that piqued my interest as soon as I learned about it in October 2021. I am so happy that I finally got the opportunity to read it. Sabreen told the story of Sabriya, Zakat, and Farah beautifully. She could have taken the opportunity to push an agenda, but she didn’t. Instead, she focused on how we are all the same, how teens have the same worries, no matter their background.

Sabriya used her words to figure out her emotions after the terrorist attack and, in doing so, found a strength she didn’t know she had. Zakat discovered her voice through her art, and Farah found hers through the friendships she had created through You Truly Assumed. Each girl came from a different background but was drawn together with a common cause.

While this is a YA book, I feel this is one that everyone should give a read. Why? Because it is a beautiful story of friendship and self-discovery! I am looking forward to reading more from Laila Sabreen in the future.

Looking for some more books to read? Check out my other book reviews and my monthly reading wrap-ups.