pickLife is tough for ethnically Japanese Sana living in basically all-white Wisconsin. But then her parents uproot her to California. Suddenly she‘s in a mixed# race environment, which is both great and challenging, as she learns to maneuver through her own prejudices and falls for an amazing Latina. I thought this was great! I didn‘t want to put it down.
panI wanted to like this so much, but it just ended up being very disappointing for me. The Main character Sana is kind of a hot mess and I‘ll leave my spoilery thoughts down below.
When the MC keeps saying things that sound a little fishy but won‘t stop talking and keeps digging herself a bigger hole.
"And I remember that hiding the truth doesn‘t stop things from being true. Not talking about things doesn‘t stop them from happening. Pretending that a thing is something else doesn‘t change its true nature."
3❤️ - It's Not Like It's A Secret
9/52 #TBRDeckofCards
@Clwojick
panI almost bailed twice, but 1.5 hours away from the end it was hard to just give up. The first 30% of the book was cute and fluffy, but then the author tried introducing what should have been two concepts to explore outside of the romance, and then she poorly executed all of the plots she had created. Sana was way too whiny, even by YA standards. Poorly executed storyline + whiny annoying protagonist = 2⭐️ review
pickThis was a hard book. It‘s not perfectly happy, and the character at the center of the book has some serious issues with trust, lying, hiding, and love - as do her parents, for reasons that are eventually, and brilliantly, revealed. But despite the pain and the various issues for her, it is well worth a read. (Wisconsin doesn‘t come off very well, but ... yeah.)
pickWhile I was hesitant about this #YA novel chosen for my #lesbian book club—especially as it‘s described as “sweetly romantic” on the cover—it didn‘t take long for me to give myself over completely. The characterization is nuanced and the dialogue is highly realistic. Sympathetic portrayals of clashing mother/daughter viewpoints make this novel about racism & the immigrant experience in America thought-provoking. #NotSoFluffy #Asian #LGBTQ
She cuts me off “Chotto! Be quiet & listen to me. In Japan, be gay is not a sin like in America. Just different—you cannot deny that gay is different from most people. But in Japan, too different is uncomfortable for the other people. It‘s disrespectful to make the other people uncomfortable. Even if you can‘t help being different, it‘s your duty to become like others. It‘s your duty to fit in. So in Japan, the gay can‘t be out of the cabinet.”
The MC writes about Wild Geese by Mary Oliver in her Honors American Literature journal. “I love this poem for a lot of reasons. First of all, the first line: ‘You do not have to be good.‘ We are who we are, and we shouldn‘t have to suffer for it, or prove anything to anyone.”
#LGBTQ #YA
(Mary Oliver is showing up in books that I‘m reading concurrently: this one plus Maryanne Wolf‘s Reader Come Home.)
“This is America, Mom. Let me express myself a little!”
She snorts. “Hah! That‘s the problem with America. Be different is cool, express yourself is cool, and don‘t care how the other people feel. It‘s so selfish.”
Right. How could I have forgotten? For Mom, different equals disrespectful.
One afternoon, Mom gives me a book of poetry written by Japanese courtiers, way back in the year 1000. She says that nobles back then used to have poetry-writing contests to see who could best express a certain feeling, or describe a certain scene, and they would send poems called tanka to each other instead of letters—or even instead of talking.
(The world of #Genji is everywhere I turn today.)
pickI love this book soo much!! It was very substantial and memorable. The author was even able to incorporate Japanese culture and poems, that tied in with what was happening in the story.
(´ε｀ )♡
#recommended #YA #adorable #cute #memorable #fiction #pink #hardcover #family
pick❤️⭐️❤️⭐️❤️⭐️❤️⭐️❤️⭐️
Poetry, lesbian romance, family traditions, and culture clashes are some of the things that make this YA romance a gem.
pickLovely YA story about falling in love, making mistakes, making friends, finding your tribe, making amends, letting go and holding on tight. I also enjoyed the narration. Recommended! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
pickSana has a lot going on in her life. Her family is moving to California, she‘s fairly certain her father is having an affair, & she thinks she has a crush on her best friend. It doesn‘t get easier after the move when Sana has to navigate a new school, new friends, & a crush on a new girl. Sana makes a lot of mistakes along the way but that makes her a more relatable character & you‘ll root for her. Great supporting cast of characters & fun story.
“Daniel is a big-shot football player, with a face like your favorite love song and a body like fireworks on the Fourth of July; sadly, though, he doesn‘t have the brains or a personality to match.”
The great thing about cold, grey weekends is that it gives me plenty of incentive to stay inside previewing books for the library. On to the next one.
Loving this one so far! A nice change of pace from the darker books I've been reading lately, but still tackling some weighty subjects. Plus, queer bbs falling in love over Emily Dickinson?! I'm dying of cuteness over here.
#currentlyreading #queerbooks
pickThis was AWESOME. It's one of those #YA books clearly written by an adult who actually spends time with teens. The characters were messy and made LOTS of mistakes, perhaps most of all the main character Sana. I LOVED the queer girls of colour romance and I really appreciated the book's complex look at racism, stereotyping, relationships, and culture. And Sana's journey to learn to stop lying and hiding from the problems in her life was too real.
Omg, the queer girls of colour in this #YA are just so adorable. #QueerBooks
Hoo boy, this character's personality is really hitting close to home. She's so socially awkward and is always having these adorable fantasies about the girls she thinks are cute. It feels really authentic teen girl but also maybe authentic Pisces, like me. #YA #WeNeedDiverseBooks #QueerBooks
so-soBook 67. This was a cute coming out story and a good look at some race issues. I liked how the MC found some new friends and sort of found a place for herself in the process. The couple sort of irritated me with their fights, it just seemed immature but they were teenagers and I guess I was dumb as a teenager too.
My first Litsy post! I still don't know what I'm doing on here (help) but I'm excited to see what it has to offer. Currently reading It's Not Like It's A Secret which is a v. cute f/f romance ❤️
This month's #mylitbox unveiling! I haven't heard of this book but it sounds great.
This one is coming home with me. #ReadDiverseBooks #LGBT
It's Not Like It's a Secret | 
