Lucky Girl: A Novel Paperback – May 2, 2023

Reading this book for my book club. It is an enjoyable read and a great love story. Can't wait for our discussion.

Heard about the book/author from my sister who lives in ATL and this was one of their book club picks. The book club was fortunate to meet and discuss the book with the author at one of their meetings.I started the book one lazy Sunday afternoon and read it in one go. I heard, laughed, feared, got angry, and cried with Soila as she went through life's experiences at home and in the US. Loved the Aunties, we all more of them in all our lives.Definitely recommending to all my reading friends.

A well written book with a plot that flows smoothly between the two continents. So realistic that I feel I should look for the family next time I’m in Nairobi. Very impressive for a first novel. Looking forward to reading more from the author!

A young woman's valiant attempt to marry her native culture and upbringing to her adopted culture. The story starts out gently but you soon find yourself borne along on a river that soon becomes a mighty current. The events seem a tad cobbled together in places but it always maintains coherent pattern, which made for enjoyable reading.

Although the story is fictional, it reads as if it could be a memoir. The main character, Soila, goes from Kenya to New York City for college. The story focuses on how she tries to integrate the culture of her homeland with American culture, with the further challenge of trying to honor and respect her mother and the values she has instilled while also trying to become her own person, which means questioning or even going against what she has been taught. Particularly interesting was the discussions between her (as an African immigrant) and black American friends about racism and obstacles to advancement by minorities.

I was drawn to 'Lucky Girl' sort of by accident, I heard about its coming release last fall and decided to pre-order a copy. I really didn't know what to expect since Irene Muchemi-Ndiritu is a first time author. I started reading and was enjoying myself but not exactly immersed. Until I was. She builds the characters very slowly, allowing you to live with them and get to know their strengths and their weaknesses and their quirks and qualms, before having them tackle some of the most serious issues and world changing incidents of early 2000's Kenya and the United States. It was exactly the care and patience Muchemi-Ndiritu takes to establish Soila, her family and friends, that makes the second half of the book absolutely sing. Very much looking forward to this author's next work.

Luck Girl, I loved seeing Solia managing through life from growing up in Kenya, to going to college in the US. Learning how to adjust and adopt to a completely new culture, and learn how to be successful with one foot in her country of birth and the other in her adopted homeland. Challenges that a lot of us who have lived this can truly relate too. A great and well written book, this is the first debut of the author, can hardly wait to see what masterpiece she write’s next. Highly recommend the book.

This story educated me on the differences between the African culture and black Americans. It’s an interesting story with many lessons and a satisfying ending. At times I felt the struggles of the protagonist were unnecessarily and repeatedly drummed into the reader to make a point. Overall a good read.