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thepetitepunk's review against another edition
4.0
I adored this. I think too often YA contemporary novels with LGBT+ characters have a very angsty, hopeless tone for a majority of the story (or maybe coincidentally most of the books in that genre that I’ve read just so happened to have that vibe). Leila’s humorous narration was incredibly refreshing and entertaining. I listened to the audiobook and thought it was fantastically done. There are certainly some heavy topics in here, including homophobia, discussions about parents kicking out their child, stereotyping, and boundary pushing, but the humor was present at the right times so that being queer wasn’t solely portrayed as an entirely doom and gloom experience.
fantasynovel's review against another edition
3.0
Enh. Idk. I guess I wanted more from this book. I'm glad this book exists, because I've never read a book before with an Iranian narrator, or if I have, I don't remember. Representation is important!! I've still never read a book that I felt really represented my life, so reading books with representation the YA world doesn't often see is important to me. But...
This is going to sound odd, but have any of you guys ever read a fiction book printed by a religious Jewish printing press? There are a bunch of books printed for teens to read, mainly so those super-religious teenagers wouldn't read *shudder* secular books. I would read them in my Hebrew tutor's house before my lesson, I'd read them at friend's houses, and they all had this certain style of writing that seemed amateurish. These books aren't so terrible--they provide rep to kids and teens who otherwise wouldn't be able to find it elsewhere--but it is a problem how they're presented as an alternative rather than a supplement to secular books. And most of them are written in an odd, stilted style that doesn't quite ring true.
And that's the style of this book. A lot of the characters' conversation isn't so in touch. Because the writing is so stilted, it's hard to get into the character's minds. I mean, I did get pretty into my ship. And there were some passages that genuinely made me tear up. I am in no way saying this is a terrible book--it just felt lacking to me.
This is going to sound odd, but have any of you guys ever read a fiction book printed by a religious Jewish printing press? There are a bunch of books printed for teens to read, mainly so those super-religious teenagers wouldn't read *shudder* secular books. I would read them in my Hebrew tutor's house before my lesson, I'd read them at friend's houses, and they all had this certain style of writing that seemed amateurish. These books aren't so terrible--they provide rep to kids and teens who otherwise wouldn't be able to find it elsewhere--but it is a problem how they're presented as an alternative rather than a supplement to secular books. And most of them are written in an odd, stilted style that doesn't quite ring true.
And that's the style of this book. A lot of the characters' conversation isn't so in touch. Because the writing is so stilted, it's hard to get into the character's minds. I mean, I did get pretty into my ship. And there were some passages that genuinely made me tear up. I am in no way saying this is a terrible book--it just felt lacking to me.
leafblade's review against another edition
2.0
I get both the author and the MC come from a more conservative culture but so do I and the amount of BULLSHIT about lgbt+ people in this book was bamboozling
stephen_arvidson's review against another edition
5.0
Sara Farizan follows up her heartrending debut with a hopeful and realistic coming-of-age tale of a closeted lesbian grappling with the potential consequences of being gay in a conservative community. Written in naturalistic, deceptively simple prose that keep the pages turning, Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel is a light and concise read populated by relatable teenage characters, endearing banter, and buckets of charm.
Being true to one’s self isn’t always easy, and few understand that better than sixteen-year-old Leila Azadi, an Iranian-American toiling to blend in at Armstead Academy, a private high school in the Boston suburbs. Leila likes girls and she’s desperate to keep her secret from everyone—including her best friend Greg, with whom she shares a mutual interest in zombie films and comic books. Greg is sweet on Leila, but his adoration is decidedly one-sided. Leila isn’t part of the “in-crowd” like her estranged friend Lisa (who hasn’t been the same since her brother’s untimely death). Leila's sexuality seems all the more precarious by her Persian heritage. An Iranian family friend was recently ousted from his family upon unveiling his true self, which plays to Leila’s crippling fear of being burned from the family tapestry. Yet Leila is compelled to deal with her feelings when Saskia, the newest addition to her elite school, sets her sights on Leila. Will Leila break out of her shell? Or will she follow the values and traditions laid out before her by her parents?
With her self-deprecating humor and self-imposed outsider status (the latter of which is likely a response to her suppressed same-sex proclivities), Leila is a loveable bundle of insecurities and her first-person narration rings true. Readers won’t have to be gay or Iranian to understand Leila. Regardless of sexuality or ethnicity, her emotional dilemma will resonate with anyone who’s felt the pang of toxic relationships, acute peer pressure, or periods of estrangement from family and friends. We’ve all been there.
Farizan’s ancillary characters are at once familiar and wholly original—from Tomas, the gay and narcissistic taskmaster of the middle-school play, to Lelia’s fiercely devoted mother; to Tess, a brainy and talented introvert secretly pining for Greg; and yes, even the glamorous and ultimately unstable Saskia. Interestingly, when Saskia is revealed to be a manipulative bitch, the well-crafted narrative takes a revelatory shift as Leila’s preconceptions of her family and peers prove wholly unfounded. Farizan upends expectations with a diverse cast of supporting characters that are more complex than their appearances suggest, including Leila’s childhood friend Lisa, with whom she (Leila) discovers the possibility of meaningful romance.
Family dynamics are a cornerstone of this novel, and there’s no dearth of funny, tender moments between Leila and her kin. Despite her use of simplistic language, Farizan is finely attuned to the tensions and subtle complexities between Leila’s conservative Iranian family and her more liberal American upbringing. Her father’s lofty expectations are only met by her high-achieving sister Nahal, while Lelia herself struggles to make passing grades in science class. More to the point, Leila’s fear of disappointing her parents is a powerful and universal emotion to which nearly all teens can relate. Leila’s family life is portrayed positively, with respect and nuance that’s not always found in YA books. Farizan brings exceptional insight to the topic of both internal and external cultural struggle, the feelings that come with being subjected to othering by the culturally insensitive. Case in point, when Leila wittily describes her past experiences with micro aggression and racism on page 41: “Mostly, people think I’m Latina and speak to me in Spanish. When I tell them I don’t understand, they think I’m denying my heritage or something…Then I say ‘No, Middle Eastern,’ and the response is always ‘Lo siento,’ like I’ve got it really bad.”
Adorable, funny, and chock full of rom-com delight, Farizan’s sophomore effort is a heartfelt contribution to contemporary YA LGBTQ lit. Although the story is short and largely predictable, readers will see past such imperfections because of how much fun they’re having.
Being true to one’s self isn’t always easy, and few understand that better than sixteen-year-old Leila Azadi, an Iranian-American toiling to blend in at Armstead Academy, a private high school in the Boston suburbs. Leila likes girls and she’s desperate to keep her secret from everyone—including her best friend Greg, with whom she shares a mutual interest in zombie films and comic books. Greg is sweet on Leila, but his adoration is decidedly one-sided. Leila isn’t part of the “in-crowd” like her estranged friend Lisa (who hasn’t been the same since her brother’s untimely death). Leila's sexuality seems all the more precarious by her Persian heritage. An Iranian family friend was recently ousted from his family upon unveiling his true self, which plays to Leila’s crippling fear of being burned from the family tapestry. Yet Leila is compelled to deal with her feelings when Saskia, the newest addition to her elite school, sets her sights on Leila. Will Leila break out of her shell? Or will she follow the values and traditions laid out before her by her parents?
With her self-deprecating humor and self-imposed outsider status (the latter of which is likely a response to her suppressed same-sex proclivities), Leila is a loveable bundle of insecurities and her first-person narration rings true. Readers won’t have to be gay or Iranian to understand Leila. Regardless of sexuality or ethnicity, her emotional dilemma will resonate with anyone who’s felt the pang of toxic relationships, acute peer pressure, or periods of estrangement from family and friends. We’ve all been there.
Farizan’s ancillary characters are at once familiar and wholly original—from Tomas, the gay and narcissistic taskmaster of the middle-school play, to Lelia’s fiercely devoted mother; to Tess, a brainy and talented introvert secretly pining for Greg; and yes, even the glamorous and ultimately unstable Saskia. Interestingly, when Saskia is revealed to be a manipulative bitch, the well-crafted narrative takes a revelatory shift as Leila’s preconceptions of her family and peers prove wholly unfounded. Farizan upends expectations with a diverse cast of supporting characters that are more complex than their appearances suggest, including Leila’s childhood friend Lisa, with whom she (Leila) discovers the possibility of meaningful romance.
Family dynamics are a cornerstone of this novel, and there’s no dearth of funny, tender moments between Leila and her kin. Despite her use of simplistic language, Farizan is finely attuned to the tensions and subtle complexities between Leila’s conservative Iranian family and her more liberal American upbringing. Her father’s lofty expectations are only met by her high-achieving sister Nahal, while Lelia herself struggles to make passing grades in science class. More to the point, Leila’s fear of disappointing her parents is a powerful and universal emotion to which nearly all teens can relate. Leila’s family life is portrayed positively, with respect and nuance that’s not always found in YA books. Farizan brings exceptional insight to the topic of both internal and external cultural struggle, the feelings that come with being subjected to othering by the culturally insensitive. Case in point, when Leila wittily describes her past experiences with micro aggression and racism on page 41: “Mostly, people think I’m Latina and speak to me in Spanish. When I tell them I don’t understand, they think I’m denying my heritage or something…Then I say ‘No, Middle Eastern,’ and the response is always ‘Lo siento,’ like I’ve got it really bad.”
Adorable, funny, and chock full of rom-com delight, Farizan’s sophomore effort is a heartfelt contribution to contemporary YA LGBTQ lit. Although the story is short and largely predictable, readers will see past such imperfections because of how much fun they’re having.
lbarsk's review against another edition
3.0
Ahh, this is one of those times I REALLY wish Goodreads would let us give half-stars, because this is a solid 3.5. There were parts that made me shake my head (Brown doesn't have a law school! Just do a quick Google search!) and there were some times when the teens REALLY spoke like adults. What mostly bumps this down from a 4 to a 3.5/3 is just how some of the passages are written; again, there were times when the text jarred me out of the narrative.
HOWEVER, it felt very True To Teenage Life and it was definitely a fun read. I'm really glad that this book was what it was -- a very realistic coming out/self discovery tale that had me tearing up at the end. I hope that lots of teen girls are reading this and that it helps them learn things about themselves. I also DEEEEEPLY appreciate how this sheds light on abusive relationships, and how abusive behaviors can manifest in friendships, because so often emotional/mental abuse is only talked about from a "teens dating" context.
HOWEVER, it felt very True To Teenage Life and it was definitely a fun read. I'm really glad that this book was what it was -- a very realistic coming out/self discovery tale that had me tearing up at the end. I hope that lots of teen girls are reading this and that it helps them learn things about themselves. I also DEEEEEPLY appreciate how this sheds light on abusive relationships, and how abusive behaviors can manifest in friendships, because so often emotional/mental abuse is only talked about from a "teens dating" context.
hosuday's review against another edition
3.0
Honestly it was a nice read. Easy to read and short.
/SPOILERS/
I thought that when Lisa character was introduced she would be Leila love interests. I was happy because I have thing for childhood friend to lovers, but when Saskia appeared i realized I was wrong. I kinda settle with it and thought "welp bestie helping with hopeless love"
When she first insulted Tess i had a wrong feeling and thought this would be the kinda of story where the main character changes the bad one.
However when Leila and Saskia were in the fitting room and she said “You should really do something about the blemishes on your back. I have a cream I can lend you.”
I completely lost it. I felt so bad for Leila (if i would have been here, those word would stung me my whole life, maybe I'm dramatic but I don't like ppl talking about my body unless I asked for their opinions/help)
I started disliking Saskia a lot and had a hard time believing this two will be the main couple but then, boom, Lisa confess and i get all my hope back.
I have a question though, with those harassment texts, can she takes it to the police?
Also I wished they would be more romantic moment between Lisa and Leila but i understand they were too highschooler trying to keep at bay.
/SPOILERS/
I thought that when Lisa character was introduced she would be Leila love interests. I was happy because I have thing for childhood friend to lovers, but when Saskia appeared i realized I was wrong. I kinda settle with it and thought "welp bestie helping with hopeless love"
When she first insulted Tess i had a wrong feeling and thought this would be the kinda of story where the main character changes the bad one.
However when Leila and Saskia were in the fitting room and she said “You should really do something about the blemishes on your back. I have a cream I can lend you.”
I completely lost it. I felt so bad for Leila (if i would have been here, those word would stung me my whole life, maybe I'm dramatic but I don't like ppl talking about my body unless I asked for their opinions/help)
I started disliking Saskia a lot and had a hard time believing this two will be the main couple but then, boom, Lisa confess and i get all my hope back.
I have a question though, with those harassment texts, can she takes it to the police?
Also I wished they would be more romantic moment between Lisa and Leila but i understand they were too highschooler trying to keep at bay.
sdraws's review against another edition
2.0
I loved parts of this book, others not so much. There’s an incredibly sweet lesbian romance building at the heart of this book (alas, with nowhere near enough time to develop or enough fluff for my liking), but the portrayal of some characters is just buzz are and stilted. The classmate with a drinking problem and the main antagonist are the most contentious characters in my mind (the antagonist is a little much), and they really dragged the experience down from a three to two stars.
crystalbee's review against another edition
4.0
Captured some of not so known/spoken negatives of coming out
lizawall's review against another edition
there was some fucked up stuff in here about mental health and some other stuff... it just really resonated with my hs experience in an extreme way, and i had forgotten all about that time!
kcmg224's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
i guess queer people have their shitty romance now? typical romance with horrible dialogue, a terrible high school depiction, best friend arguments, and pairings that would never survive the real world.
except this book is actually harmful. the main character has a lot of internalized homophobia that's never addressed, people of color are described as "exotic," and just overall not a lot of care being poured into the issues that are presented in the book. i'm astonished that this won awards from ALA and YALSA.
except this book is actually harmful. the main character has a lot of internalized homophobia that's never addressed, people of color are described as "exotic," and just overall not a lot of care being poured into the issues that are presented in the book. i'm astonished that this won awards from ALA and YALSA.