I have been a fan of Adiba Jaigirdar’s books since her debut and Rani Choudhury Must Die may be one of my favorites. This is a story that blends rivalry, ex-best friends, cheating jerks, and science! Keep reading this book review of Rani Choudhury Must Die for my full thoughts.
Summary
Meghna Rahman is tired of constantly being compared to her infuriatingly perfect ex best friend now rival. Everyone, except, at least, her boyfriend Zak, seems to think that Rani Choudhury can do no wrong—even her own parents! It doesn’t help that Rani is always accepted into the Young Scientist Exhibition, while Meghna’s projects never make it. But this year, she finally has a chance at defeating Rani in something.
Rani Choudhury is tired of feeling like she doesn’t have much say in her life—not when it comes to how her mom wants her to look and act or how her parents encourage her to date incredibly charming close family friend Zak. She would much rather focus on her coding, especially once she places high enough at the Young Scientist Exhibition to go on to the European Young Scientist Exhibition
When Meghna and Rani figure out that Zak has been playing them both, they decide to do something no one would see coming: they team up. They’ll compete in the EYSE as partners, creating an app that exposes cheaters and a project that exposes Zak. But with years of silence and pressure between them, working together will prove difficult. Especially once each girl starts to realize that the feelings they had for the other may have been more than platonic…
Hey, no one ever said science was easy!
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
We love to see STEM girlies, ex best-friends turned rivals, and cheaters who get what’s coming to them. Rani Choudhury Must Die is a story that becomes impossible to put down. Not only does it deliver swoons and laughs, but also conversations about what a rivalry does to someone. When we feel like we are constantly never enough the pressure gets to us. Those feelings erode our relationships and we become insecure in our love. Both for Rani and Meghna they are both comparing themselves and being compared. And Jaigirdar examines rivalries and the impact in multiple ways.
There’s so much competition whether it be in an actual competition, how we feel we never measure up, or the colorism in the community. Rani Choudhury Must Die focuses on the pressure points within our lives. How we can allow our own fears to become reflected back at us and used to exploit us. Additionally, if we are always focused on revenge, on competition, does that no also change our lives? Take away from our own successes to create a single minded obsession?
Rani Choudhury Must Die also explores when we have to change our mind about someone – and when we shouldn’t! I also loved its discussion of sexism within the STEM field and how we can fight these attitudes. Find Rani Choudhury Must Die on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, Blackwells, & Libro. fm.
Tour Schedule
| Tour Date | Tour Hosts | Type of Post |
| November 12th | Chitti_reads | Bookstagram feed post + Reel |
| @lit.erallymoody | Bookstagram feed post + Reel | |
| @sydneys.books | Bookstagram feed post + Reel | |
| November 13th | @themoodylibrary | Bookstagram feed post + Reel |
| Yournexttbr_ | Bookstagram only | |
| @marybee.books | Bookstagram only | |
| November 14th | @the_booksnom | Bookstagram only |
| @fiction._.fuss | Bookstagram feed post + Reel | |
| November 15th | _perpetualpages_ | Bookstagram only |
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| November 16th | @whenreadingattacks | Bookstagram only |
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| November 17th | @bonggirlinabookworld | Bookstagram only |
| Melancholic Blithe | Bookstagram + Blog | |
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| November 18th | @metamorphodani | Bookstagram only |
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| Utopia State of Mind | Bookstagram + Blog |