Truth be Told (Zara Kaleel #2) by Kia Abdullah

I'm sitting here in front of my computer -- a bit dazed and feeling quite emotional after reading this second book in the Zara Kaleel series in a matter of hours. Not only could I not put it down, I was glued to the pages wondering how this author was going to handle the subject of male rape.

At first, the premise and likely trajectory seem clear -- two boys at an elite same sex boarding school, a drunken party, a sexual encounter, and one of them says it was rape. The prosecutor's case is that Finn Andersen had sex with Kamran Hadid without his consent. Zara Kaleel, former barrister now an independent sexual violence advisor, becomes involved in supporting and helping Kamran before, through, and after the trial. But there is so much more to this book than courtroom drama or legal maneuverings. Within the pages there are themes of culture, religion, identity politics, family, privilege, and both physical and emotional trauma. NO SPOILERS.

The main character is Zara -- I can't help but love her for so many reasons. Yes, she's fierce but has paid a very high price for her strength. She is someone I wish I knew in real life. How she deals with all the things that happen in this story is beyond admirable in my eyes. But the way the author depicts Kamran is the real heartbreaking aspect of this novel. The writing is excellent and the author gives Kamran his own voice, sharing his reaction to all that happens. It's very powerful and definitely timely in our current social climate.

If you choose to read this -- and believe me there are a lot of triggers -- please read TAKE IT BACK first as it introduces you to Zara which makes this follow-up even better. What a fabulous selection for a book group that likes to dive deep as there would be so much to discuss.

I highly recommend this one and can't wait to meet Zara again so I hope there's another book in the works. 

This is the second book in a series and definitely read the first one before this.

Genre - courtroom thriller, family drama, male rape, taboos, Muslim, Society