Ten Steps To Us by Attiya Khan - [Blog Tour]

Book Tour: Ten Steps To Us by Attiya Khan 

Synopsis

What if you meet the boy of your dreams but loving him is forbidden?

Aisha Rashid has always felt invisible, so no one is more surprised than her when Darren, the hot new boy in school, takes an interest. But Aisha is a devout Muslim and Darren is firmly off limits. Will she follow her heart even if it means losing her own identity? If only there was a way to keep the boy and her faith. Maybe there is... all it takes is ten steps.

Review

The perfect teen romance that covers religion, romance, and diversity!

I think this is an incredibly well written teen romance that really highlights important topics of religion, diversity, sexuality all whilst intertwined with teenage hormones. This book is very well written, I was engrossed from the beginning and loved finding out more about Aisha's culture and religion. The book really pinpoints how Aisha is bullied for following her religious customs and how people judge her as a terrorist solely based on that she is a Muslim. It is clear that these daily challenges she is faced with frustrates Aisha but she is proud of her religion and tries to stay ahead of the torment. It's also interesting to see how Aisha's parents also worry about Aisha's wellbeing and are concerned that by Aisha wearing the hijab that she is making herself more of a target and so despite what they believe, they try and convince Aisha to go without her hijab. The author Attiya also ensures to include how Aisha's parents views western teenage boys and how they are not a suitable boyfriend for Aisha, I really thought that Attiya did an excellent job highlighting these issues and I thoroughly enjoyed learning about it. 

Initially, Aisha is naïve and often looks to others for guidance, however as the story progresses, she really starts to crack through her shell and start to explore who she really is and what she wants. You can picture the inner turmoil as Aisha explores her sexuality whilst worrying about failing her religion, it really felt like Aisha was torn into two different worlds that were vastly different.  Aisha starts to question people's intentions more often instead of just going along with it and starts to set boundaries with those who betrayed her. By the end of the book Aisha was strong and independent but also wise enough to know that there may still be challenges ahead. 

I thought this book was perfect for a teenager and can hopefully enlighten many teenagers around the world about different cultures and respect. I would have loved to have read this as a teenager as I always put romance on the back burner as I tend to find them all too similar, this really brings romance and education about different cultures in one. 

Thank you to Literally PR for inviting me to take part in this tour!

About The Author

Attiya Khan is a British Indian and grew up in Kent. She is a GP by profession and has three teenage children. She also holds an MA in modern Literature (with merit) from Birkbeck University and was longlisted for Undiscovered Voices 2020. She has had a number of articles published in medical journals and General Practice newspapers.
Attiya works as a GP in East London and is involved in medical education and training junior doctors. Her hobbies involve reading, writing and she is part of the Muslim women's cycling groups Joyriders and Cycle sisters which help keep her fit and happy. Attiya identifies as a moderate Muslim and a feminist and is passionate about having the voices of BAME authors heard.

Essential Information

Title: Ten Steps To Us

Author: Attiya Khan

Genre: YA, Teen Romance, Coming Of Age, Fiction

Publisher: Hashtag Press

Publication Date: 9th September 2021

Availability: Paperback, eBook, International distribution

ISBN: (paperback) 978-1-913835-10-1 (ebook) 978-1-913835-11-8 

Page count: 256

Price: £8.99

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