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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
This book had themes of helping a loved one through tackling their mental illness. It also provided me a different look into the cultural impact of Chinese families and the shame that comes with that.
This beautiful book discusses how mental illness is still very much a taboo in Asian communities. It weaves a very realistic story around culture, family, and first love. It’s an emotionally heavy read but it’s also uplifting, I swear.
The only thing a little
The only thing a little
I loved this so much. Sometimes YA is just pure comfort and this is one of those times. Teen hardships, blossoming love stories and just pure escapism.
This book was fantastic and really tackled mental health in a realistic way. Excellent read.
Sweet, sad, but also a little cringy at times. Good, but not great.
What a beautiful story about family, mental health, navigating culture, and charting your own fulfillment. What a beautiful, heart melting sibling trio! WHAT A CUTE BABY BROTHER. What mouth-watering mentions of Chinese food (the powers of good dumplings are known!!!). What a cute cast of restaurant aunties and uncles! And what a sweet, supportive (ahem, illegal??) romance. (I mean, he's 19 to 20 and she's 16 or 17...I don't get why Wai Chim didn't just make her a senior and him a year younger?)
Ok, anyways. This book is a bit on the nose with its microaggression conversations, but does a good exploration of mental health, its impacts on family members, cultural stigmas, and the ongoing nature of treatment and management. The family's dynamics and struggles are well written, as are the romance (wholesome outside of the age dif) and the discussion of conventionally accepted career and education paths. I loved the characters; they felt like real people. Anna's internal use of emojis felt a bit annoying and immature, but then, maybe that's appropriate for her character.
This book made me feel reminiscent for the [a: Dessen|2987|Sarah Dessen|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1372181953p2/2987.jpg] books I loved in high school, but with dumplings and mabo-tofu. I love it so much, but why do Asian books always have to make you hungry? Just kidding, I'll never be mad about that. Overall it's a great book!
Content warnings for mental illness, discussion of suicide, racism, ableism, parental neglect/verbal abuse, animal death (gross)
Ok, anyways. This book is a bit on the nose with its microaggression conversations, but does a good exploration of mental health, its impacts on family members, cultural stigmas, and the ongoing nature of treatment and management. The family's dynamics and struggles are well written, as are the romance (wholesome outside of the age dif) and the discussion of conventionally accepted career and education paths. I loved the characters; they felt like real people. Anna's internal use of emojis felt a bit annoying and immature, but then, maybe that's appropriate for her character.
This book made me feel reminiscent for the [a: Dessen|2987|Sarah Dessen|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1372181953p2/2987.jpg] books I loved in high school, but with dumplings and mabo-tofu. I love it so much, but why do Asian books always have to make you hungry? Just kidding, I'll never be mad about that. Overall it's a great book!
Content warnings for mental illness, discussion of suicide, racism, ableism, parental neglect/verbal abuse, animal death (gross)
A heartbreaking book about family and mental illness.