Books

Book Review: Serena Singh Flips the Script by Sonya Lalli

Serena Singh is a strong, independent woman. She’s intelligent, considerate, and has a kick-ass job at an advertising firm in Washington D.C. She’s tired of being constantly told by her parents and aunties that she should get married and the dreaded, I can introduce you to someone I know! she usually gets. Her younger sister is getting married and her mother wants her to be more like her sister. Serena doesn’t want to get married and doesn’t see herself ever having children. Serena can’t comprehend why her parents are so insistent that she’ll never be satisfied if she’s not married to some guy.

When Serena is introduced to her new co-worker, Ainsley, she starts to reassess her own beliefs on the significance of being self-reliant. She’s always been so career-driven. She’s even pushed her hobbies and old friendships aside to focus on her career. As Serena rekindles her friendships and even reconnects with an ex she starts to realize that maybe she has it all wrong. Letting people in isn’t such a bad thing and maybe Serena just needs to flip the script. Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for this copy of Serena Flips the Script!

Trigger Warnings: Domestic abuse, alcoholism, racism, sexism, microaggressions, and family tensions.

Highlights

  • Serena Singh is a strong, rebellious Brown woman.
  • She’s thirty-six and has an incredible career in D.C.
  • She’s on a self-discovery journey to figure out her main purpose in life.
  • Her friendship with Ainsley.
  • The South Asian rep was well-written and as a South Asian, I resonated with parts of it.

Lowlights

  • I wasn’t a fan of the fact that she reconnected with her ex. In my opinion, an ex should stay in the past, unless it’s for closure. The breakup happened for a reason.
  • There was a scene towards the end that dragged on for a bit, but overall, I enjoyed it!

 

Final Thoughts: Overall, this was an enjoyable book. I loved reading about a young Indian woman who was working at an advertising firm. There were a few things I wasn’t a fan of, but I loved how I was finally reading a book about a young, South Asian woman who didn’t need to be married to be satisfied. It’s not something that’s mentioned in books and this was refreshing to see! You can follow Sonya Lalli on Twitter here and purchase a copy of Serena Singh Flips the Script here!

Amani Salahudeen

Amani is pursuing a Master's in Teaching (Secondary English Education) and enjoys writing about YA books in her free time. Her favorite authors include S.K. Ali, Chloe Gong, Sabaa Tahir, Hafsah Faizal, Sandhya Menon, Angie Thomas, Lamar Giles, Nic Stone, John Green, and many others!

Recent Posts

Exclusive Interview: Stephanie Hsu and Zosia Mamet on ‘Laid,’ Chosen Family, and Redefining Representation in Storytelling

Peacock’s new original comedy Laid is anything but your typical rom-com. When Ruby (Stephanie Hsu)…

3 days ago

Exclusive Interview: Michael Angarano and Andre Hyland on How ‘Laid’ Balances Comedy, Drama, and Everything In Between

Romantic comedies have long grappled with the question, “Why can’t I find love?” But in…

3 days ago

Exclusive Interview: Nahnatchka Khan and Sally Bradford Talk ‘Laid,’ Female Friendship, and Guest Stars

What if the search for love revealed an unsettling truth—that the problem might actually be…

3 days ago

Exclusive Interview: Writer-Director David Fortune and Stars William Catlett and Jeremiah Daniels Talk ‘Color Book’

Every so often, a film comes along that transcends art, offering not just a story…

4 days ago

Win Tickets to a NYC Screening of Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Pop Culturalist is excited to be partnering with Paramount Pictures to give away tickets to…

6 days ago

Win Tickets to a NYC Screening of The Fire Inside

Pop Culturalist is excited to be partnering with MGM to give away tickets to a…

6 days ago