Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
I wish the tone was more consistent in this. I felt like I was in a weird land between Middle Grade and Young Adult, crossing into YA when the characters cuss and falling back into Middle Grade when they say "Gahhh!"
Don't Ask Me Where I'm From was overall an enjoyable read and I would recommend it. I particularly liked Lili as a main character, as well as her family dynamic.
Don't Ask Me Where I'm From was overall an enjoyable read and I would recommend it. I particularly liked Lili as a main character, as well as her family dynamic.
Giving this a 3.5
The ending was beautiful, the representation was nice, but there was something missing. I wasn’t crazy about the writing. I guess this would have been a great book for a younger me :)
The ending was beautiful, the representation was nice, but there was something missing. I wasn’t crazy about the writing. I guess this would have been a great book for a younger me :)
A very easy read, kept me interested but I feel like there could have been a bit more done with the storyline. But then again, I had to keep reminding myself that it's a YA book so I was a bit more understanding.
I loved this. Liliana was so fun and real. It was great seeing both undocumented and Central American representation! I learned a lot. CW for racism, xenophobia, border crossing trauma, depression, anxiety.
I enjoyed the audiobook! It lands firmly in the category of solid young adult novels. That being said, it’s not one that I’d recommend to readers of all ages, because it transcends its genre. But, for what it was, it was good!
And it also ABSOLUTELY gets a gold star for representation!
And it also ABSOLUTELY gets a gold star for representation!
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Unfortunately, I did not like this novel as much as I thought I would.
It wasn't a totally painful read for these reasons:
It wasn't a totally painful read for these reasons:
- The book does a good job of explaining the sorts of issues people of color face by providing the reader with many realistic experiences.
- As a Latine, I’m so happy to see a Young Adult novel that represents many different Latine cultures.
- After reading books by authors who think all teenagers talk like walking thesauruses, it was cool to read a book about teenagers who act and talk like teenagers (though I will add the use of slang was a bit unnatural and cringy at times).
- It's a very fast-paced novel, which was helpful for me considering I'm getting back into regularly reading for fun after years of not doing so.
No matter how much I wanted to like this book, however, it was very boring to me. One thing that I love about books is the way that one can connect with the characters because they feel so real. When it comes to this novel, De Leon’s characters are so two-dimensional that I was left not really caring what happens to them. The characters and the sorts of issues they face didn’t draw me in as much as I thought they would. It seems like De Leon wrote this book simply to address the social issues each character faces while not bothering to give any of the characters the depth that would make them seem human. Also, the book reads more like a stream of consciousness, with Liliana going through her day almost as if writing in her diary, so it lacks scenes and dialogue for the most part. I wish that De Leon would have followed one of the basic rules of writing: Show, don’t tell. But De Leon’s general lack of interesting dialogue, concrete imagery, and moving scenes added to my already lack of interest in the novel. There were more problems I had with this book but to keep this short(ish), I'll only mention those.
This book does have some really good elements that made it worth reading and I really appreciate what De Leon was trying to do with this novel, but I don’t think it was executed to the best of its ability. The important message gets lost because I can’t get past the bad writing. I will probably not be rereading, honestly.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Racism
Rating: 4
I enjoyed this book a lot more than I expected; in the past, I have struggled to read contemporary books because I lean more towards fantasy. This is one of the books that makes me glad that I can win books on Goodreads that are out of my comfort zone. I think the characters and situations presented in this book, while a little over the top at times, are well fleshed out and I found the plot to be thought provoking and important in these times when there has been such an emphasis on equality. This book was fantastic from start to finish and made me wonder what more I can do to work towards a country and world where this is more diversity. I am so glad I won this book and I would highly recommend this book!
I enjoyed this book a lot more than I expected; in the past, I have struggled to read contemporary books because I lean more towards fantasy. This is one of the books that makes me glad that I can win books on Goodreads that are out of my comfort zone. I think the characters and situations presented in this book, while a little over the top at times, are well fleshed out and I found the plot to be thought provoking and important in these times when there has been such an emphasis on equality. This book was fantastic from start to finish and made me wonder what more I can do to work towards a country and world where this is more diversity. I am so glad I won this book and I would highly recommend this book!
Don't ask me where I'm from.
I'm a person of colour, but I'm not Latinx. I won't pretend I know the struggles of being Latinx or that I can relate to everything in this book. This book is for Latinx people. It is not mine to claim. Regardless, I enjoyed the hell out of it.
There's something about this book being narrated by a 15-year-old that makes it so poignant. We know that older teens experience racism, that they have their entire lives, but it's so rare to see an example like this given of someone who's still just barely a teen experiencing the harsh reality. De Leon does a phenomenal job with Liliana's narration, and it truly felt like I was in the mind of a smart, funny, shy, introspective girl who just doesn't want you to ask her where she's from-from.
The novel is a good length- 328 pages on my device- and it flies by even quicker. The fast-paced, plot-driven writing style really hits the nail on the head and tells the reader exactly what they should be focusing on.
I really enjoyed how, although there are elements of your typical teen experience (schoolwork, friend drama, romance, etc.), De Leon wrote this book about a Latinx experience and racism. So often, YA books that are about racism put it on a back burner. It's easily drowned out by romance or a different, shinier plot. De Leon didn't let that happen here, and that, in my opinion, is what the Latinx community deserves.
Let a YA book be about racism, for goodness's sake. Stop drowning it out. I care more about Liliana's struggles as a first generation Latinx girl than who she ends up dating, and for the first time I can remember, I actually got that.
Beyond this, I enjoyed the writing style and characterization incredibly. I laughed, cried, and threw my device across the room because I truly connected with Liliana and her friends. She was relatable, fun, and multifaceted, as were all of the other characters. Paired with the elegantly-handled real issues, important yet not overbearing other plot points, and stellar writing, De Leon really outdid herself for a debut novel.
All in all, Don't Ask Me Where I'm From is a touching, important, memorable OwnVoices novel that tugs at your heartstrings and represents an underappreciated community.
Recommended to anyone and everyone. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.
To quote Genesis, if someone asks you where you're from, just say "my mother's womb." What an icon.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I'm a person of colour, but I'm not Latinx. I won't pretend I know the struggles of being Latinx or that I can relate to everything in this book. This book is for Latinx people. It is not mine to claim. Regardless, I enjoyed the hell out of it.
There's something about this book being narrated by a 15-year-old that makes it so poignant. We know that older teens experience racism, that they have their entire lives, but it's so rare to see an example like this given of someone who's still just barely a teen experiencing the harsh reality. De Leon does a phenomenal job with Liliana's narration, and it truly felt like I was in the mind of a smart, funny, shy, introspective girl who just doesn't want you to ask her where she's from-from.
The novel is a good length- 328 pages on my device- and it flies by even quicker. The fast-paced, plot-driven writing style really hits the nail on the head and tells the reader exactly what they should be focusing on.
I really enjoyed how, although there are elements of your typical teen experience (schoolwork, friend drama, romance, etc.), De Leon wrote this book about a Latinx experience and racism. So often, YA books that are about racism put it on a back burner. It's easily drowned out by romance or a different, shinier plot. De Leon didn't let that happen here, and that, in my opinion, is what the Latinx community deserves.
Let a YA book be about racism, for goodness's sake. Stop drowning it out. I care more about Liliana's struggles as a first generation Latinx girl than who she ends up dating, and for the first time I can remember, I actually got that.
Beyond this, I enjoyed the writing style and characterization incredibly. I laughed, cried, and threw my device across the room because I truly connected with Liliana and her friends. She was relatable, fun, and multifaceted, as were all of the other characters. Paired with the elegantly-handled real issues, important yet not overbearing other plot points, and stellar writing, De Leon really outdid herself for a debut novel.
All in all, Don't Ask Me Where I'm From is a touching, important, memorable OwnVoices novel that tugs at your heartstrings and represents an underappreciated community.
Recommended to anyone and everyone. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.
To quote Genesis, if someone asks you where you're from, just say "my mother's womb." What an icon.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!