Kate, Krishna, and Nasreen are young women coming of age in Illinois. The author does an excellent job describing the challenges of growing up with different backgrounds, religions, and beliefs. Their visit to India and Pakistan only highlights the differences of culture and expectations. Rape, hate crimes, and parental expectations affect their relationships in unexpected ways.

I received this book through a random LibraryThing member’s giveaway. Although encouraged as a courtesy to provide feedback, I was under no obligation to write a review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. ( )

Front CoverSet on the shores of the Arabian Sea, Mehendi Tides, by Siobhan Malany, follows Kate McKenna who is discovering the beauty of India and Pakistan. She becomes so enthralled with the culture and the history of this area as she travels with Nasreen, a childhood friend, and Krishna, as she visit family.

Along with the rituals which surround an arranged marriage, Kate becomes aware of feelings inside of her. Many years later, she reflects on this time while she looks for her own meaning of life and struggles with secrets that her friends have.

I love how this book is written. I have never traveled in this part of the world so to see it through the eyes of this young one was splendid. The descriptions of the places placed me right there. I also loved the friendship between the three girls. It was so much fun.

I received an autographed copy, from the author, in exchange for an honest review.

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Mehendi Tides is a coming of age story of three girls told from the perspective of one of the main protagonists, Kate McKenna. Through Kate's friendship, we get to see her and her two friends, Nasreen and Krishna, lives unfold as they enter womanhood.

What makes this story interesting and a bit different from other coming of age novels is that this follows the friendship of three teenage girls from different cultures and religions who grew up in America: Indian, Pakistani, Caucasian, Muslim, Hindu, and agnostic. However, it focuses mostly on Indian and Pakistani culture, and the main character, Kate, immersing herself in the different cultures when she travels to India and Pakistan with her friends.

As most coming of age stories, this one focuses on the characters going through the ups and downs of transitioning between a teenager to an adult with the added pressures and expectations that comes within their own cultures. All three girls struggle throughout their journey in different aspects, but find a resolution in their own way by the end of the story. They are able to do so with the support of one another and their friendship throughout the years.

The majority of the plot takes place either in Chicago or various cities in India and Pakistan. Throughout the book, readers are flip-flopped between the past, 1987, when the girls were still in highschool and the present, 1998, where they are all adults. The last chapter takes place in 1999 where readers learn what became of the decision the friends made the year before.

Learning about Indian and Pakistani culture interested me the most. Readers who don't know much about these countries and cultures can learn a bit about some of the historic cities the girls visited, the customs, and language through the author's vivid imagery. However, as someone who doesn't know the language, whenever a word was written in its native tongue, it was frustrating to flip to the back of the book for the definition. It definitely took a bit away from the immersion and reading experience. I would have preferred having the translation as a footnote on the page it was written. A minimal issue, but still annoying for me personally.

Another small issue I had, was that first off the bat, I found an error on the first page. I found a couple more spelling and capitalization mistakes later on. Not enough to really distract from the story, but these are just little nitpicky things.

I thoroughly loved the artwork on the cover and texture of the covers. I love when a cover is artistic or grabs my attention; it's sometimes plays a big role if I decide to pick up a random book and buy it. The covers were very smooth and soft, probably a matte finish. I loved the detail that went into its presentation.

Overall, I definitely enjoyed this book. In fact, I became more interested in learning more about Indian and Pakistani cultures and ended up searching documentaries. However, I found myself frustrated with the main character, Kate, so I would often pause and continue the story whenever I was in the mood. I just personally found her selfish and self-absorbed. She does become more enjoyable once her personal problem is resolved. Again, this is just my personal opinion. Also, the plot twists/endings were too predictable for me. I figured out one of the plot twists of one of the main characters very early on, so I found myself wondering when it would finally be revealed. So it wasn't a big surprise whenever they occurred. That being said, it still is an enjoyable read and I would recommend it.

I received an early review copy of this book. ( )

Spanning across two timelines, this debut novel tells the story of three best friends as their lives and experiences intertwine. Nasreen is a Muslim of Pakistani descent, Krishna is a Hindu with family in India, and Kate is a fiery-haired agnostic Chicagoan.

The story begins in 1987 as a coming of age adventure, as the three girls travel to India and Pakistan together. The story moves into 1998, as they navigate adulthood, discovering themselves as individuals, while continuing to stregthen their relationship with each other. The author weaves a lovely tapestry of their lives, seamlessly transitioning between the two time periods, following their friendship as they encounter numerous challenges, while exploring their cultural traditions.

The story is especially relevant in today's world, and it's refreshing to see three culturally and religiously diverse women grow their friendship, while continually striving for understanding.

What I enjoyed most about this book were the well-researched and rich descriptions of India and Pakistan. Having traveled to India, I recognized many familiar colors, sights, sounds, smells, and textures in Ms. Malaney's immersive and vivid prose.

This gem of a novel would be a terrific book club selection and would generally appeal to readers who enjoy stories of female friendships, travel, and cultural diversity. It was an enjoyable read, and I finished it in one sitting, reading late into the night.

[I received an early review copy of this novel.] ( )