I decided last year to expand my reading from the deliciously fun backstabbing frenemy series like Gossip Girl and Beauty Queens to a group diverse YA standalone book so here are my reviews. They’re a bit short since I wrote it after I read all the books, which again was over the year, so it’s not as detailed. Also all are non spoilery.

Come On In by Adi Alsaid and others: B

Anthologies are a bit of a touch and go and this was no exception. Though I liked the topic at hand which were stories centered around immigrants, whether it be the journey or being first generation, the culture clashes etc. etc. Some stories were more interesting and others less so. I particularly like A Bigger Tent which was about the clash of a daughter with her Korean parents, and The Trip where a student gets detained at the airport on the way to a school competition just based on the suspicion of the color of her skin/last name.

Pulp by Robin Talley: B

The concept of 50s lesbian pulp fiction was interesting since the only thing I knew about pulps were that they were the basis for those 50s B-horror movies. At least that’s what I assumed they were but apparently they had their own subsections. Unfortunately I found the execution to be a little meh. It has a dual narrative and while I liked the narrative of Janet, a girl in the 50s realizing her feelings for her friend but having to stay in the closet because of the Lavender Scare, I also could predict those beats. Abby, the modern girl who is researching 50 lesbian pulps and looking for the author of one of those books. . . I found her whiny, self-absorbed, annoying which lessened the enjoyment so even though her journey was less predictable than Janet’s, I didn’t really connect with her.

Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas: A

For anyone who is a fan of Angie Thomas’ previous two novels, will definitely enjoy this prequel to the Hate U Give featuring Mav, Lisa, Iesha, King and all the others from that older generation. It is filled with her great prose and thought provoking passages about racism and black manhood and fatherhood. Though I do feel like she retconned a bit of Maverick’s reason for going to jail. Yes, it’s still because he took the fall for King, but I felt she wrote it in a way that it made it less Maverick’s fault than that he really got into gang life compared to how he seemed to describe it in THUG.

Saints and Misfits by S.K. Ali: A+

I really enjoyed this book as someone who doesn’t know anything about Arab culture as it felt informative without info-dumping and depicting the various facets of the muslim religion and the diversity within the community. It wove seamlessly into the greater narrative of Janna’s story dealing with sexual assault committed by her friend’s cousin and a man who is considered a “saint” by the rest of the community. It really hits home that memorizing the holy book, doesn’t make you a good person.

Misfit in Love by S.K. Ali: B+

The sequel to the above Saints and Misfits, was almost on par. It felt a bit disjointed at the beginning since it was all the same characters but two years later so everyone felt strangely in character yet out of it at the same time. Plus there were so many characters that I sometimes lost track of who was who. But that may have been because of the months long break I took in between. Now as you can guess from the title love is in the air at Janna’s brother’s wedding and Janna has three potential crushes to choose from. But the book wasn’t so much about the love triangle but Janna going through a difficult time of transition in her life as each boy offers a specific path she can go through in the future. Also it gets more topical as the melding of families and crush options reveals racist biases and prejudices. It was ambitious and I think it handled the topics well, but considering how much was fit in it made the book feel a bit longer than it was. Which was a bit surreal compared to the short three-two day time frame the book takes place in. Overall, it is a worthy sequel in my opinion. 

I’ll be the One by Lyla Lee: A+

Oh this was such a happy book. I mean I was literally smiling like an idiot and really rooting for the main couple which never happens. But I really enjoyed Skye and Henry together, I felt their connection despite finding the regular girl falls for rich teen heir boy trope boring. But it is more than just the romance. What really drew me into it, and made me reread it again was the Kpop competition. I don’t know anything about Kpop but this book made me almost want to start listening to it. Furthermore, I just enjoyed Skye and how unapologetically herself she was and her determination to become a Kpop star despite her weight which is a huge obstacle in the fat-phobic Korean culture and with her mom who was dealing with her own issues of the past. It was pure fun and good character development across the board. But moreover, I want a sequel. I mean it ended nicely as a standalone but I want more of all of the characters. 

Hearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith: A+

Recently moved from Texas to Kansas, the Wolf family have settled in, Louise is dating the ppular quarterback and her little brother tries out for his school’s Wizard of Oz. However, Lou’s BF is a jerk, and there are already parent protests against ‘revisionists theatre’ aka the colorblind casting. It’s a timely enjoyable novel that I enjoyed more the second time around as Louise’s interest in journalism allows her to dig deeper into the issue and gave her ample opportunity to see the rampant dismissiveness and stereotypes living Native people are still treated with. Lou also gets her own boost of growth too but I don’t want to spoil too much. However, because of the setting, the book didn’t get too much into Native American life off the rez or on the rez besides some offhand comments of their original home in Oklahoma with their grandparents. In fact, I forgot sometimes what tribe Louise was part of because as important as it was to Louise’s identity, it felt like a generic importance, I didn’t learn how the Muscogee (Creek) Nation is different from the Ojibwe nation (which comes from her maternal side) or the Cherokees who were the original Natives in Kansas even as Lou stated they are not a monolith.

A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Taheran Mafi: A

This was such a bittersweet book taking place after 9/11. Shirin is pretty cynical about people, understandably considering everyone’s hostility, physical violence and prejudice towards her hijab, her religion etc. So she finds an outlet in breakdancing and soon a love with WASP blonde football star, Ocean. But that’s the bittersweet as for how much Ocean and Shirin do connect, Ocean just won’t get how hard it is for them to be together, how much privilege he has and that love doesn’t always conquer all, especially in the face of a community that doesn’t want them together. It was a compulsive read and I enjoyed it. 

With Fire on High by Elizabeth Avecedo: A- 

Another great book by Elizabeth Avecedo, the chapters are short but they’re compulsive so I sped through it. Theres a lot going on as the MC, Emoni is juggling many things from her estranged relationship with her father in the DR, her baby daughter, her senior year and wanting to pursue her dreams for cooking. That’s the main conflict as she’s torn between what she dreams and her duties to her family. I really enjoyed Emoni as a character herself, her resilience, her dedication, the walls she put around herself, the melting as she accepts help, her passion for cooking, she really was a great character. 

If I had your face by Frances Cha: B

The plot sounded interesting, all about the culture around Korean beauty and plastic surgery, but I didn’t feel like it delivered. It was revolving between four characters but none of them were dealing with plastic surgery. One had multiple surgeries for the sake of her escort work but she had stopped during the book time span. The others wanted it or didn’t need it, so it felt a bit disappointing. The one character who did get plastic surgery was bedridden most of the time. Rather it was more about their personal lives and how beauty mattered to them, and their connection was only fully came together in the last few chapters or so.

American Street by Ibi Zoboi: B

If you like magical realism, this book would be a good choice as it weaves in magical spirits with the harsh grind of assimilating to a new country. I, however found I don’t like magical realism very much. For me, I can do all realism or all fantasy, not toeing between the two. Though, I will say the magical realism here was intriguing if only because it was Haitian mythology/mysticism. I don’t know anything about it so it offered some novelty and big twists for me.

American Panda by Gloria Cho: A-

This one was a surprise to me because we all have heard some variation of the story of an American-born child doesn’t want to be the doctor their immigrant parents want them to be, and this is sort of that, but it was funny. It subverted my expectations just like how Mei’s (the MC) roommate and crush subvert her expectations. Also Mei’s rebellion doesn’t only come because she’s in college and wants to set her own non-doctor path, but were seeded well before the story as the family cut off contact with her older brother for marrying an infertile women and Mei has been questioning that choice ever since. So very good book, very fun even as it gets into Taiwanese family values and the generational struggle it causes.

Fat Chance, Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonando: B

This was a solid book as it covers all it seeks to cover which are Charlie vega’s body image issues and how it affects her especially her low self esteem compared to her prettier, more confident and slimmer best friend, and  her fat-shaming Mom. However, that’s all it was, solid. I understood the beats, I got where Charlie was coming from but I never quite felt the spark of connection. Also the conflict that is cited at the back of the book doesn’t come until like 30 pages before the end so that made it feel like it dragged because it had felt pretty tied up beforehand. However, the issue with her mother felt like it went unresolved. I guess it was supposed to be meta because Charlie is writing a story on the same subject and she says she ended it ambiguously and unresolved like real life. Which I guess is realistic but unsatisfying to me.

You Bring the Distant Near by Mitali Perkins: B

Another solid book in that it does exactly as it says in the book flap, showing an intergenerational Bengali family from the 60s to modern times: From the fiery Sonia who splits from family tradition to embrace the diversity America offers even though her mother disapproves to Tara who follows her dreams to a more traditional route of Bollywood stardom even as she balks at arranged marriages. It then goes on to introduce their daughters who fit a similar mold. It’s sweet and it is worth at least one read.

Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson: B+

This came out during the same year as The Hate U Give and it deals with similar themes of race and a gifted girl feeling out of place in her wealthy majority white school. But it deals with more systematic racism such as Jade always being offered special SAT help or other opportunities even if she doesn’t need it; Her older mentor is from an upper bracket and so doesn’t get the problems she faces or how to best mentor her; Her white friend likes her but doesn’t quite know how to have a productive conversation about race without causing offense etc. It is quieter than Star’s fight against police brutality but still riveting and I think it should be more mainstream.

Off the Record by Camryn Garret: A+

This was a great book, the writer just sucked me in from the first sentence with Camryn hopes to get into her dream college. She is rejected. But even as that dream fails, she gets an amazing internship opportunity to interview a movie star. Her chemistry with Marius works even though it goes fast, but it makes sense considering the #MeToo bombshell Camryn gets herself in the middle of. The book covers a lot of topics including body issues, anxiety, sexual harrasment, separating art from the artist, sisterly estrangement and the fact that the world is an overwhelming crappy place. Though I’ll admit I found the ending a bit unrealistic in an over the top rom com way, it doesn’t detract from the important things the book discusses foremost.

Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender: A-

This was a great coming of age story as Felix does his best at summer art camp in hopes of getting a better chance for a Brown scholarship. However, Felix is trans and someone cruelly takes away his sense of safety and identity when a person hangs up pictures of his pre-transition life in the campus gallery for everyone to see. Felix is sure he knows who did it and wants revenge, however in texting with frenemy under an anonymous account, he ends up falling instead. Lots more is going on but it is an entertaining treatise of identity, art, self esteem, labels and more.

Next time will be different by Misa Sugiura: A+

Another great book discussing reparations and how the so called distant past always affects the present. While CJ is not initially that political active until her family’s flower shop (the one place she feels herself with her passion for flower arrangement) might be sold to the same man who helped send her grandparents/her mom/aunt to internment camps back in the 40s. It’s a matter of family pride even though CJ’s mom is willing to cut the losses. I won’t say more but CJ can be unlikable but that made me like her because it was relatable, she was impulsive, passionate, grudge-holding, and sometimes oblivious and it made me finish the book in one day because I wanted to see what would happen next. It’s personal, compassionate and full of the importance of family. Highly recommend it. 

Today Tonight Tomorrow by Rachel Solomon: A-

A classic rivals to lovers done right. It’s about seizing the day and transition to adulthood and just how scary graduation can be, leaving everyone and everything you’ve known. Furthermore, I highly relate to Rowen, having these big dreams of what I want to do, but never fall through because.. well life gets in the way and it’s never as perfect as it is in my/her head. Plus Neil was.. I liked Neil, he’s a very ideal leading man with a suitably tragic backstory. Though sometimes Rowen was so hardheaded I wanted to hit her. Plus it had a fun premise of them teaming  up in a scavenger hunt/assassin game, sort of like the hunt for the Yeti in Altebrando’s senior scavenger hunt book, The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life. Also I loved Rowen’s parents. And bonus, they’re both Jewish. I feel like I never read a contemporary Jew romance so bonus for those who want rep. A sweet rom YA.

Like Other Girls by Britta Lundin: B+ 

This is was light and fun as the protagonist tries to join her school’s football team. Mara’s accepted with some reservations from the guys but because she’s such a tomboy there’s less fuss. However, when other, more girly girls try to join, seeing it as a political act, that’s when things get messy. It was a cool book discussing sexism, queerness and what being a girl is without degrading other girls. Also I enjoyed Mara’s conflict not just with sexism and her new teammates but with how she wanted to lie low and how she doesn’t want to see it as a political act but soon comes to embrace it.

When my heart joins the thousands by A.J. Steiger: B+

This was a bit of a slow going book for me mainly as the character is autistic so I guess it took a while for me to get into her head especially as the beginning is just Alvie’s day to day life as her emancipation date approaches. This would allow her to be able to live life as an adult and not be sent back to the foster system. Now I do feel sympathy for Alvie as others don’t understand her and ostracize her, and her romance was sweet considering the two’s unique lives as her SO has a disease that makes his bones extremely fragile. However, stick with the book as Alvie’s backstory and why she sees herself the way she does. That’s all I can say without spoiling it. 

The silence between us by Alison Gervis: B

This was an interesting book to me because I never read a book with a deaf protagonist before. Maya lost her hearing after a fever, but after four years of deaf school, she is completely at ease with her life. But now her mom is transferred to Colorado where she has to go to regular school. The thing that is slightly weird about Maya is that she hates how people treat her differently because she’s deaf, ignoring her or speaking loudly at her but she is also suspicious when people actually try to learn sign language and be friendly with her. It’s a minor thing but it bugged me. Overall, there’s a nice romance, has some good discussion about deaf history and ability and it is worth at least one read.

Quiet Kind of Thunder by Sara Bernard: B 

This book that deals with a girl with mutism and extreme anxiety soon finds love with a deaf boy. But there is more to that as Laura tries to work on herself as she heads into senior year because she wants to go away for college. I think it has an interesting angle as it discusses how disabilities can make one feel helpless, and others see you that way as well and try to protect you. But to be in a relationship with others, you have to respect that neither is true, you have to work together.

Camp by Lev AC Rosen: A-

This was such an interesting book to me as I know minimally of gay culture and this was full of it. Randy goes to LGTBQ camp, one he has gone here plenty of times before but this summer is different. This summer, Randy’s going to get the man of his dreams and he is doing it by transforming himself into a jock. See, Randy’s crush only goes for masculine guys and previously Randy was a limp-wrist theater nerd. Everyone else knows what Randy is trying to do and calls it a rom-com setup which is what makes the book fun as you keep wondering when it will bite him in the ass but it also provides interesting commentary and thought of the gay community and the divisions within it. 

You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson: B+

Every year at Liz’s high school, prom is basically a beauty pageant/reality show. This was a fun book with a fun concept though I seriously question why prom has become so important that the whole town put so much money into it, it was like a reality show at times. But Liz is doing it anyway so she’ll win the money prize since she failed her music audition. It’s a bit of a book by numbers. She has one friend who is really into the campaign and will do anything to win because she has problems at home. She has a romance with the quirky new girl which of course causes problems down the line because small towns are primarily homphobic. But you know it will be fine. A nice light read.  

Running by Natalia Sylvester: A-

Marisol is the daughter of a longtime conservative Florida politician who is now running for presidency. However, Marisol has never liked the intrusion into her life and just wants to lie low especially as people in school seem to be targeting her for her dad’s policies. But things change when Marisol starts looking up how her dad’s policies that affect the lives of everyone she knows, and she starts rebelling. That was one nitpick because I found it a bit unrealistic that Marisol never even tried to find out what her dad’s policies were. But it is very timely and features a very powerful line when Marisol realizes even inaction is a political act. Overall, very timely.