Roses, in the Mouth of a Lion by Bushra Rehman

When their relationship is discovered by an Aunty in the community, Razia must choose between her family and her own future. At Stuyvesant, Razia meets Angela and is attracted to her in a way that blossoms into a new understanding. When Razia is accepted to Stuyvesant, a prestigious high school in Manhattan, the gulf between the person she is and the daughter her parents want her to be, widens.

They embark on a series of small rebellions: listening to scandalous music, wearing miniskirts, and cutting school to explore the city. She finds solace in Taslima, a new girl in her close-knit Pakistani-American community. When a family rift drives the girls apart, Razia’s heart is broken. Razia Mirza grows up amid the wild grape vines and backyard sunflowers of Corona, Queens, with her best friend, Saima, by her side. As Razia begins rebelling in small ways, Rehman adds a layer of emotional intimacy to Razia's conflicted feelings. 'Bushra Rehman performs her novel of a queer Pakistani American girl who is coming of age in the 1980s and '90s. 'ENCHANTING.' -Mira Jacob, author of Good Talk 'I LOVED EVERY MOMENT.' -Karen Russell, author of Swamplandia! For fans of On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous and My Brilliant Friend, an unforgettable story about female friendship and queer love in a Muslim-American community

Roses, in the Mouth of a Lion by Bushra Rehman