Mariam Sharma Hits the Road by Sheba Karim Published by HarperTeen on June 5th 2018
Genres: Contemporary, Fiction, Young Adult, YA
The summer after her freshman year in college, Mariam is looking forward to working and hanging out with her best friends: irrepressible and beautiful Ghazala and religious but closeted Umar. But when a scandalous photo of Ghaz appears on a billboard in Times Square, Mariam and Umar come up with a plan to rescue her from her furious parents. And what better escape than New Orleans?
The friends pile into Umar's car and start driving south, making all kinds of pit stops along the way--from a college drag party to a Muslim convention, from alarming encounters at roadside diners to honky-tonks and barbeque joints.
Along with the adventures, the fun banter, and the gas station junk food, the friends have some hard questions to answer on the road. With her uncle's address in her pocket, Mariam hopes to learn the truth about her father (and to make sure she didn't inherit his talent for disappearing). But as each mile of the road trip brings them closer to their own truths, they know they can rely on each other, and laughter, to get them through.
I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher. This does not influence my thoughts on this book or this review.
I’m a huge fan of contemporary YA and Mariam Sharma Hits the Road sounds like the perfect summer read. A road trip book is the perfect thing for the summer and Mariam Sharma Hits the Road will definitely
Mariam Sharma loves her life with her mom, but after finishing her first year of college ghosting her boyfriend, she’s curious to learn more about her father who abandoned her to see if she takes after him. With her friend Ghaz looking for a chance to escape for a little bit, Mariam and Umar team up on a road trip to New Orleans. Along the way, these friends will discover more about themselves.
I loved the friendship between Mariam, Ghaz and Umar. While the novel is narrated by Mariam, you really get a feel for all three characters and grow to love them all. While this is largely a summer novel that’s focused on an adventure, there are serious moments along the way. I really loved the different layers of the novel and I think that makes it perfect for any time of the year.
Overall, Mariam Sharma Hits the Road is a wonderful contemporary novel that focuses on a developed and complex group of friends. I loved all the characters and I highly recommend this one!
