Scan barcode
laflormorada's review against another edition
4.0
Parvin Mohammadi has just started her freshman year of high school. She actually had an amazing summer at the beach with cute boy Wesley who (squeal!) is also starting at the same school. But things go south quickly when Wesley promptly dumps her on the first day for blonde-haired, polished Teighan. After crying her eyes out, Parvin embarks on a new mission: Be more like the girls in Rom Coms by changing everything about herself and make Wesley jealous by finding a new date for Homecoming. Though her best friends and Ameh Sara try to dissuade her, she is laser focused... I mean how could this plan not work?
This book is so much fun and Parvin is hilarious. She tries so hard throughout the story to be the "perfect, quiet" girl but her witty comebacks and pranks make her completely adorkable ;) I love how passionate Parvin is about her plans to get a date with Matty, but also just how full of life she is in general. Readers will get a good sense of the challenges a 1/2 Iranian, 1/2 white American might have trying to straddle two worlds, and I loved the depth these struggles added to the story. This is a great romance pick for middle school and younger high schoolers.
booknerdery's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Islamophobia, Xenophobia, and Deportation
katiegrrrl's review against another edition
5.0
There were a few times i found Parvin tiring, but I think that comes as an adult who knows she doesn’t need to try to be someone else. Overall I really liked how Parvin tried to figure out how her differences with her mom played a role a
in how she viewed herself and the ways she knew to care for herself. I kind of doubt that neither her mom or herself figured some of it out but I think it is an important part of the conversation of a white mom raising a child of different race.
YMA 2022 Odyssey Award honor
in how she viewed herself and the ways she knew to care for herself. I kind of doubt that neither her mom or herself figured some of it out but I think it is an important part of the conversation of a white mom raising a child of different race.
YMA 2022 Odyssey Award honor
lebishop13's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Oh my goodness. I loved this. I'm 32 years old and this took me right back to being in junior high and high school again. Olivia Abtahi perfectly captured the feelings of being an uncomfortable teen trying to fit in while still writing a love letter to what makes growing up so challenging but worth it. I wish my 14-year-old self could've read this. Such a beautiful and important story filled with strong characters and relationships that feel like warm hugs.
thenextgenlibrarian's review against another edition
5.0
“Just be yourself. I know people always say that, but only you get to decide what that means.”
fatfemmequeer's review against another edition
5.0
Hidden Jewel
I found this book while looking for an upbeat and fun read for Arabic Heritage month. I had no idea this would become one of my all time favourite books. The writing is so genuine, funny and heart warming. I loved Parvin and both her biological and chosen families. The author does such a phenomenal job of weaving in serious subject matter and a humanistic way that is so authentic. I also love how real these characters felt. The author was able to take the sometimes cliche message of “be yourself” and made it feel refreshing and current. This book should be on the reading list at every school.
I found this book while looking for an upbeat and fun read for Arabic Heritage month. I had no idea this would become one of my all time favourite books. The writing is so genuine, funny and heart warming. I loved Parvin and both her biological and chosen families. The author does such a phenomenal job of weaving in serious subject matter and a humanistic way that is so authentic. I also love how real these characters felt. The author was able to take the sometimes cliche message of “be yourself” and made it feel refreshing and current. This book should be on the reading list at every school.
saidtheraina's review against another edition
4.0
Loved:
- The representation here. Plenty of queer characters, a good amount of skin-tone and cultural variety in the characters, with Parvin's Iranian heritage front and center.
- Farsi school
- The gut punch near the end where everything gets real. It's not like you don't see it coming, at least to an extent, but I appreciated the (again) representation in something this breezy (in lots of other ways).
- The depiction of actual school life (video class, music)
- The sweet romance!
Meh:
- That cover! That person is NOT 14, and doesn't have the nose that Parvin describes on herself. I ended up flipping to the author pic on the back flap a bunch of times and imagining the character with that face (but younger) so I could stay engaged with the story.
- I mean, I just don't read pink fluffy het romances very often. They're not my thing. Read this explicitly thinking of my school visit audiences. So all of my critical point(s) can be taken with a brick of salt.
- I'm a grumpy grownup now and I always have been because pranks ... have never been my favorite thing. If I go on you'll probably like me less.
- Hot cheetos?
I can't decide:
- I almost put the central premise in the meh column. As I was reading, I found it very hard to believe that someone who's so confident about herself in some ways would also be willing to try to change to attract a man. But let's be honest, we all contain multitudes of contradictions and inconsistencies, insecurities. Especially at 14. So I should probably let that slide.
- That Bassoon Plotline
Extra star bc of that first thing I loved.
- The representation here. Plenty of queer characters, a good amount of skin-tone and cultural variety in the characters, with Parvin's Iranian heritage front and center.
- Farsi school
- The gut punch near the end where everything gets real. It's not like you don't see it coming, at least to an extent, but I appreciated the (again) representation in something this breezy (in lots of other ways).
- The depiction of actual school life (video class, music)
- The sweet romance!
Meh:
- That cover! That person is NOT 14, and doesn't have the nose that Parvin describes on herself. I ended up flipping to the author pic on the back flap a bunch of times and imagining the character with that face (but younger) so I could stay engaged with the story.
- I mean, I just don't read pink fluffy het romances very often. They're not my thing. Read this explicitly thinking of my school visit audiences. So all of my critical point(s) can be taken with a brick of salt.
- I'm a grumpy grownup now and I always have been because pranks ... have never been my favorite thing. If I go on you'll probably like me less.
- Hot cheetos?
I can't decide:
- I almost put the central premise in the meh column. As I was reading, I found it very hard to believe that someone who's so confident about herself in some ways would also be willing to try to change to attract a man. But let's be honest, we all contain multitudes of contradictions and inconsistencies, insecurities. Especially at 14. So I should probably let that slide.
- That Bassoon Plotline
Extra star bc of that first thing I loved.
muffinjessica's review against another edition
5.0
I needed a nice, light-hearted read with some substance, and this book was a total delight! The characters are all wonderful, and the author does a great job incorporating issues of sexuality and race. I listened to the audiobook production and loved hearing all the pronunciation of the Farsi words.
adammm's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 rounded up.
At first, I was a little skeptical about Perfectly Parvin since (most of) the characters are 14/15 - freshmen and sophomores in high school. I tend to prefer YA with juniors/seniors since younger then that tends to read a bit too juvenile. I was quickly surprised to discover that, although Perfectly Parvin does read slightly juvenile, it is also astonishingly mature. Parvin is a fascinating character: a half-Iranian, half-American girl who enters her freshman year of high school at the beginning of the novel. She tries to fit in but struggles to do so - she stands out no matter what she does, for reasons ranging from her appearance to her interests to playing the bassoon in her school band. This book covers a lot of ground: we see racism, xenophobia, deportation, issues with friends, struggles with coming out and more all at the forefront of the story. That being said, its strength comes from author Olivia Abtahi's ability to juggle all of these issues with the incredible characterization of Parvin, whose irrepressible love and delight in life itself is indescribably appealing. Parvin is the best friend any teenager would want. I do want to be clear: you can see much of this book coming from far away, but it is such a positive, feel-good experience that it doesn't matter. It's just a good book. Highly recommended.
At first, I was a little skeptical about Perfectly Parvin since (most of) the characters are 14/15 - freshmen and sophomores in high school. I tend to prefer YA with juniors/seniors since younger then that tends to read a bit too juvenile. I was quickly surprised to discover that, although Perfectly Parvin does read slightly juvenile, it is also astonishingly mature. Parvin is a fascinating character: a half-Iranian, half-American girl who enters her freshman year of high school at the beginning of the novel. She tries to fit in but struggles to do so - she stands out no matter what she does, for reasons ranging from her appearance to her interests to playing the bassoon in her school band. This book covers a lot of ground: we see racism, xenophobia, deportation, issues with friends, struggles with coming out and more all at the forefront of the story. That being said, its strength comes from author Olivia Abtahi's ability to juggle all of these issues with the incredible characterization of Parvin, whose irrepressible love and delight in life itself is indescribably appealing. Parvin is the best friend any teenager would want. I do want to be clear: you can see much of this book coming from far away, but it is such a positive, feel-good experience that it doesn't matter. It's just a good book. Highly recommended.
kaylareadsbooks's review against another edition
3.0
This was a very sweet and meaningful read. I really liked Parvin and her friends. It was fun to see Parvin grow and become so confident in herself. This handles sensitive topics such as the Muslim ban and finding how you fit in. I loved the writing.