That's right, I have the Rona! I got a positive test result on Sunday and since then can do nothing but lay in bed and read or watch TV. I've read a Lot of books so far. Since I'm only at my computer when no one else is home to spread my germies to, I'm just going to put all of my reviews in this one long blog post.
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There's Something About Sweetie by Sandhya Menon
Since I loved the first book set in this world so much, I had to read the second. And now I find out there are some novellas as well, which I am definitely going to look into.
In this story, I really appreciated the author's use of weight and body image as a struggle or an issue for young people to be facing. I could not stand Sweetie's mom for most of the book, I was very triggered by almost everything she did and said. I will say though, that she seemed to redeem herself at the end. In addition to the body image issues, there were also the issues of dating and the cultural differences that Sweetie and Ashish have that other students their age don't necessarily face.
Speaking of Ashish, I found his parents to be amazing. I think all teenagers hope for parents like that. I also found their dating ideas and especially the reasons why they chose them to be endearing. Obviously, if you've read When Dimple Met Rishi, you've sort of met these parents, but you get to really see them in this story.
While the body image issues that Sweetie is dealing with are paramount to the story, so are the breaking up and moving on issues that Ashish is facing. Learning to be confident under both circumstances plays heavily into this book, and I think it is a very positive story for teens to read when dealing with these things.
I loved the story so much, but I'm also really enjoying learning about this culture and expanding my knowledge in this area. I think that fans of the first book, fans of Indian culture and stories, as well as fans of adorable YA contemporary romances are going to love this book.
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Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr
Big mistakes in our past can help change and shape us into the person we are today. This can be either a positive or a negative thing, but in most cases I think it's a little of both. In this story, the main character, Deanna, has made a major mistake when she was young but is continuously dealing with the fall out from not only her school mates, but her father as well. Deanna's father is unable to forgive and move on and this causes a lot of tension and heartbreak for the family. I love that in the story, Deanna and her brother are trying their best to become different people than their father. There's a lot to be said for forgiveness and being able to move forward after any big mistake or tragedy.
The one big negative I see in this book, other than the fact that the father is so unreasonable, is that neither parent decided to press charges. As a parent myself reading this book, I simply can't imagine not doing something to show how wrong what happened was and to show my child how much I supported them.
This was a one sitting read for me, and I learned that there is a film version on Netflix that I definitely want to watch.
This is the third book in this series and I have to say that I can't even choose a favorite! I love them all so much. I love all the characters, and how they are recurring throughout each book. I adore the strong, powerful female friendships that are involved, but even more than that, I love that the author has included some very strong male friendships as well.
It took me way too long, again, to clue into the inspiration for this book. I was near the end before it finally clicked and given the title that's a tad embarrassing! This is sort of like a gender-bent retelling of Grease, but then again not really. The reason it took so long to make the connection, is that it's also uniquely it's own story.
With both main characters, there are some things they are working on to better themselves and it's so much easier for them to see what the other needs than themselves. Sanders is dealing with grief and how to handle that in a safe and productive way. Roxy is dealing with letting go of her past and learning that it's ok to lean on others sometimes. Roxy and I have that in common, actually. Through their relationship and realizations of what they truly want out of life, they are able to overcome the obstacles in their path and move forward.
I absolutely loved the "grand gesturing" at the end of the book. It was so sweet and so true to the characters themselves. I also adored how supportive all of the friends ended up being.
There is a little side story hinted at throughout the book and since I follow this author on TikTok, I happen to know that we will get that story soon! Piper Sheldon is a new favorite for me and I can't wait to read the next one!
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Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean
If Princess Diaries went to Japan, that would be this book! Imagine all the struggles that Mia Thermopolis had to endure, but at the same time facing a graduation, learning a whole new language and a new culture.
Izumi finds out in her Senior year that she's actually a royal daughter of Japan. After finding her father, she accepts an invitation to spend a few weeks in Japan learning about her culture and heritage. Through not so nice cousins, and some seemingly innocent faux pas, she is torn apart by the tabloids. Being Japanese-American has always been a struggle for Izumi, but going to Japan makes her think she really doesn't fit in anywhere.
I loved this story, there were some truly laugh out loud moments and also times where I wanted to cry for the princess. I think every teenager will relate to Izumi, because who among us didn't feel as if they didn't belong when they were a teen? I also enjoyed all the Japanese culture and the things I learned while reading this book. I not only learned some Japanese words, but some history that I was previously uninformed of.
I was very excited to see that this is the first in a series and I can't wait for book two to come out!
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