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abookdork's review against another edition
2.0
I really wanted to like "The Latte Rebellion", but the book just didn't do it for me. I originally got into the book thinking it would be an interesting read about girls banding together to make a difference in the world, but there seemed to be very little of this. It didn't really bother me that Asha and Carey's plan stemmed from a marketing scheme to help them plan a summer trip, the fact that they did believe in what they were putting on the shirts made it okay for me. What I didn't like was how Asha and Carey fought the entire book. I get not wanting to lose an important friendship, but when your friend only has contact with you when it is beneficial for them, then that is a one sided relationship. I kind of felt like Carey was only Asha's friend to bum rides off of her to school, help her study for tests, and so she had somewhere to sit at lunch. Asha's character was also driving me nuts. She kept ignoring her schoolwork and then was shocked when she got back grades. It was also annoying because she kept whining about how unfair her parents were being, but she is the one who let her grades slip. There was a lot of time spent on Carey and Asha's friendship, on Asha's grades, and on love interesting- this just really detracted from the overall story to me.
Another thing I really didn't like was the portrayal of adults in the book. Almost every single adult thought the Latte Rebellion was a terrorist group or that teenagers were wasting time on something that wasn't important. I have to say that if my child were to start a group to raise awareness of important social issues, I would be so proud of them. I would not be ashamed and disappointed. I would of course warn them that sometimes acting on your beliefs could cause trouble, even if you have the best of intentions, but I would still stand up for them if the school tried to expel them. I can't believe no parent stepped in to talk to the school about how exclusive they were being to groups of students. I know this is a teen book and maybe teens wouldn't like adults taking charge, but that is usually what happens. Especially in a circumstance such as this where the school system is overreacting to a peaceful group trying to bring social awareness about mixed races. The schools reaction was actually pretty disgusting; I'm surprised more wasn't done in this area.
Overall, the book was okay, but honestly I could have skipped reading this one. Even though Asha did seem to want to bring awareness about mixed races to the world, I just thought "The Latte Rebellion" would have been a more successful book if more focus had been spent on the issues instead of Asha's personal life. I know that other people have really enjoyed this book, but I'm just not one of them.
Another thing I really didn't like was the portrayal of adults in the book. Almost every single adult thought the Latte Rebellion was a terrorist group or that teenagers were wasting time on something that wasn't important. I have to say that if my child were to start a group to raise awareness of important social issues, I would be so proud of them. I would not be ashamed and disappointed. I would of course warn them that sometimes acting on your beliefs could cause trouble, even if you have the best of intentions, but I would still stand up for them if the school tried to expel them. I can't believe no parent stepped in to talk to the school about how exclusive they were being to groups of students. I know this is a teen book and maybe teens wouldn't like adults taking charge, but that is usually what happens. Especially in a circumstance such as this where the school system is overreacting to a peaceful group trying to bring social awareness about mixed races. The schools reaction was actually pretty disgusting; I'm surprised more wasn't done in this area.
Overall, the book was okay, but honestly I could have skipped reading this one. Even though Asha did seem to want to bring awareness about mixed races to the world, I just thought "The Latte Rebellion" would have been a more successful book if more focus had been spent on the issues instead of Asha's personal life. I know that other people have really enjoyed this book, but I'm just not one of them.
brandinh's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
It took me a while to get interested in The Latte Rebellion. I'm not sure I can pinpoint the reason, but it was slow going there for a while. When I read the synopsis on the back I was sure that this was a book I would love (I'm really interested in novels that address social issues) so I was surprised to find it took me so long to get through it. Eventually I got more invested in the story (about 3/4 of the way through) and by the end I felt overall it was an enjoyable read. I will also say the ideas behind The Latte Rebellion and the awareness this novel could bring to young readers certainly makes it worth the while.
It took me a while to get interested in The Latte Rebellion. I'm not sure I can pinpoint the reason, but it was slow going there for a while. When I read the synopsis on the back I was sure that this was a book I would love (I'm really interested in novels that address social issues) so I was surprised to find it took me so long to get through it. Eventually I got more invested in the story (about 3/4 of the way through) and by the end I felt overall it was an enjoyable read. I will also say the ideas behind The Latte Rebellion and the awareness this novel could bring to young readers certainly makes it worth the while.
heykellyjensen's review against another edition
3.0
3.5.
I really liked what the story did here, but I don't think that the execution worked as strongly as it could have, and I pit that on Asha. At the beginning of the story, she's into the entire idea of selling shirts to make money for a vacation with best friend Carey. She sticks with this plan and mentality for a long, long time, even when secondary characters suggest she pursue the Latte Rebellion as something much stronger and more significant. But it's too little too late for her, and she waffles too long for me to buy the significance of what she does at the end. She had a backbone at the very beginning of the book -- the whole marketing campaign and the money making scheme were, in fact, on her -- but then she loses it and never quite regains it.
I think the book was a tad too long. A little bit of a tighter story and a little more strength of voice in Asha, even in her confusion/unsteady feelings toward what she intended/actually does would have made this a stronger read.
That said, love a book raising the, if you will, gray areas of race.
I really liked what the story did here, but I don't think that the execution worked as strongly as it could have, and I pit that on Asha. At the beginning of the story, she's into the entire idea of selling shirts to make money for a vacation with best friend Carey. She sticks with this plan and mentality for a long, long time, even when secondary characters suggest she pursue the Latte Rebellion as something much stronger and more significant. But it's too little too late for her, and she waffles too long for me to buy the significance of what she does at the end. She had a backbone at the very beginning of the book -- the whole marketing campaign and the money making scheme were, in fact, on her -- but then she loses it and never quite regains it.
I think the book was a tad too long. A little bit of a tighter story and a little more strength of voice in Asha, even in her confusion/unsteady feelings toward what she intended/actually does would have made this a stronger read.
That said, love a book raising the, if you will, gray areas of race.
katiecoops's review against another edition
4.0
I really liked this book. It's an awesome and unique premise and I loved how completely realistic everything was in the book. I can totally see the idea getting out of hand the way it did.
bibliocatts's review against another edition
3.0
This was my first choice for the 2011 Debut Author Challenge hosted by The Story Siren. I picked it because I needed something quick and I knew Amazon would have it on my doorstep just in time for me to have something to read at work.
The Latte Rebellion centers around Asha, a high school senior of mixed race who, with her friends Carey and Miranda (also mixed-race), launch a website to sell "Latte Rebellion" t-shirts in hopes of raising enough money to go on vacation after graduation. What starts as messing around with a thrown-out idea soon turns into situations none of them envisioned.
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Although I didn't care for the jumping-around with the timeline (which always irritates me to no end) I thought that the book as a whole had some substance to it. The issue of mixed-race ethnicity certainly needs to be addressed and is sure to become a talking point of the book. However, I did enjoy many of the sub-plots even though they could have been developed a bit more.
I would recommend this to teens who are into realistic fiction, but don't like Gossip Girl-type drama.
Note: This is my first book review in quite a while, and for once it is not for a class. If anyone has tips on how I can improve my review, I will gladly take them!
The Latte Rebellion centers around Asha, a high school senior of mixed race who, with her friends Carey and Miranda (also mixed-race), launch a website to sell "Latte Rebellion" t-shirts in hopes of raising enough money to go on vacation after graduation. What starts as messing around with a thrown-out idea soon turns into situations none of them envisioned.
I was pleasantly surprised by this book. Although I didn't care for the jumping-around with the timeline (which always irritates me to no end) I thought that the book as a whole had some substance to it. The issue of mixed-race ethnicity certainly needs to be addressed and is sure to become a talking point of the book. However, I did enjoy many of the sub-plots even though they could have been developed a bit more.
I would recommend this to teens who are into realistic fiction, but don't like Gossip Girl-type drama.
Note: This is my first book review in quite a while, and for once it is not for a class. If anyone has tips on how I can improve my review, I will gladly take them!
byonk's review against another edition
5.0
Thank you National Novel Writing Month for inspiring Sarah Stevenson to write this great piece of art.
engpunk77's review against another edition
2.0
I didn't finish this. The narration of this spunky protagonist was amusing and could've kept me interested, but the book wasn't what I expected. Based on the back cover, I thought I'd be able to relate to this passionate high school student who tries to do something idealistic and profound (meet my high school self). Her project gains momentum, goes viral, she can no longer control its impact, and she then gets busted. This sounded like a successful version of me as a teen (whose projects never left the idea stage) and it sounded great.
However, Asha really wasn't very passionate and had only mercenary motivation to start the "Latte Rebellion", and she maintained that for the first 100 pages at least (that's when I quit) while sometimes mildly implying that it may have been something grand, but she couldn't really put her finger on its grander purpose other than to get money. I didn't really care about the Latte Rebellion, because it really wasn't anything admirable for such a significant portion of the book. I can assume that it will become rather meaningful and unifying, I guess, and that she will try to make herself out to be some kind of martyr for a cause at her expulsion hearing, but how is the reader supposed to care when that wasn't the intent?
The flaws of this book are not the writing; it's just that it didn't mesh with what I was looking for.
However, Asha really wasn't very passionate and had only mercenary motivation to start the "Latte Rebellion", and she maintained that for the first 100 pages at least (that's when I quit) while sometimes mildly implying that it may have been something grand, but she couldn't really put her finger on its grander purpose other than to get money. I didn't really care about the Latte Rebellion, because it really wasn't anything admirable for such a significant portion of the book. I can assume that it will become rather meaningful and unifying, I guess, and that she will try to make herself out to be some kind of martyr for a cause at her expulsion hearing, but how is the reader supposed to care when that wasn't the intent?
The flaws of this book are not the writing; it's just that it didn't mesh with what I was looking for.
icameheretoread's review against another edition
2.0
After hanging with the vampires, angels, and what-have-you I decided I was excited to read a DARING contemporary read. This was not it. The back promised a shake up of the world of people who did not recognize people of color. The title promised a "rebellion". The word terrorist was thrown around in the first few pages-whoo, I thought, "This one will be a thought provoking, discussion starting blaze of a novel!" Nope.
The main problem here, for me, was Asha. I didn't like her. The reason I did not like her is that she is miserable. She has something negative to say about everybody-for someone who is going to start the fight against labeling people perhaps Asha should learn that not every cheerleader is part of the Bimbocracy and not every skater is a stoner. Asha also hates herself, and that is so obvious.
The other problem I had, and could not get over, is that the entire "rebellion" is a marketing ploy devised by greed. The point is to sell t shirts. The Latte Rebellion never really goes anywhere or does anything. Yeah, there is a rally and a poetry slam. For what? To sell t shirts!!
I didn't understand the Carey character at all. The entire time I was reading this I kept thinking...these characters are very book smart but they are clueless socially and ethically. Asha can not even bother to pay attention at a meeting in which a group is trying to build a clinic-here is a real effort to exact change, and she can't be bothered.
What a shame. I had such high hopes, too high. I think I thought I was holding the multi-ethnic Fight Club in my hand. Instead, it was just a cup of decaf.
zanzarr's review against another edition
3.0
This book (and also this review) was refreshing. Lately I've read far too many depressingly dull, tiringly rigid YA novels for comfort. I've written far too many bad reviews to find any encouragement as a writer myself. But The Latte Rebellion did not disappoint and for that I am grateful. Sarah Jamila Stevenson managed a great, well paced plot; realistic characters; and believable relationships all in one try. I loved Asha, the heroine of this breath-taking novel, for her intelligence, determination, and wit. I loved the idea and execution of this novel.
The only complaint I have is the whole concept of different shades of brown and the clear exclusion of African-Americans in this category. Yes, there was a character with African-American ancestry, but she was also Welsh and a lot more. I feel as though African-Americans should have been included in the “brown” skin category, because we do have skin of varying shades of dark brown. Not black as Asha so confidently claimed with the declaration that “not everything is black and white!”
Other than this minor discrepancy I enjoyed reading the Latte Rebellion and will be definitely be looking for more books by this author.
The only complaint I have is the whole concept of different shades of brown and the clear exclusion of African-Americans in this category. Yes, there was a character with African-American ancestry, but she was also Welsh and a lot more. I feel as though African-Americans should have been included in the “brown” skin category, because we do have skin of varying shades of dark brown. Not black as Asha so confidently claimed with the declaration that “not everything is black and white!”
Other than this minor discrepancy I enjoyed reading the Latte Rebellion and will be definitely be looking for more books by this author.
briannastw's review against another edition
3.0
Actually, I would give it 3.5 stars if that were an option. A refreshingly honest look at ethnicity in the U.S. and free speech - and whether or not adolescents have the same rights as adults.
Full review here: http://slatebreakers.com/2012/02/09/review-the-latte-rebellion-by-sarah-jamila-stevenson/
Full review here: http://slatebreakers.com/2012/02/09/review-the-latte-rebellion-by-sarah-jamila-stevenson/