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A review by bookishbena
While You Were Dreaming by Alisha Rai
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? No
5.0
Thank you to Quill Tree Books and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is the third Alisha Rai novel that I have read, and it has firmly entrenched her as one of my favorite authors.
While You Were Dreaming is a wonderful debut YA contemporary story that highlights the lives and struggles of undocumented people and the lives of those around them. The StoryGraph description mentions fake dating and a love triangle in the very first few lines and I am here to tell you to throw that out right now. This book falls under the love triangle trope in the way that bad lemon-flavored sparkling water is actually lemon-flavored. The book has a bare essence of the trope, but to say it's a legitimate love triangle would be absurd. And the fake dating is more of a misunderstanding that two characters are dating than what I would characterize as fake dating.
Now that that's out of the way let me tell you what I absolutely love about the book.
I think this book is such an important read to understand how issues of immigration affect everyone involved. This is the story of what happens after families are torn apart, and its a story told so beautifully. I laughed, I cried, I swooned. I just loved this book so much.
This is the first time I'm reading something Alisha Rai has written in first person, and I think she executes it wonderfully. Sonia's thoughts and insecurities inform the prose. She is such a complex, three-dimensional character who shows so much growth throughout the book, and I felt like I was living inside her head I knew and understood her so well. On top of that, Sonia's connections are so meaningfully built or mended. I love her friendship with Hana, and I love how believable all reconciliations are.
The romance, though not the main focus of the book at all, was adorable. I love Niam as a character so much. He makes mistakes and he's so awkward, but he tries. And I just think he fits with Sonia so well.
Overall, I really really loved this book, and everyone needs to read it. 5 stars.
This is the third Alisha Rai novel that I have read, and it has firmly entrenched her as one of my favorite authors.
While You Were Dreaming is a wonderful debut YA contemporary story that highlights the lives and struggles of undocumented people and the lives of those around them. The StoryGraph description mentions fake dating and a love triangle in the very first few lines and I am here to tell you to throw that out right now. This book falls under the love triangle trope in the way that bad lemon-flavored sparkling water is actually lemon-flavored. The book has a bare essence of the trope, but to say it's a legitimate love triangle would be absurd. And the fake dating is more of a misunderstanding that two characters are dating than what I would characterize as fake dating.
Now that that's out of the way let me tell you what I absolutely love about the book.
I think this book is such an important read to understand how issues of immigration affect everyone involved. This is the story of what happens after families are torn apart, and its a story told so beautifully. I laughed, I cried, I swooned. I just loved this book so much.
This is the first time I'm reading something Alisha Rai has written in first person, and I think she executes it wonderfully. Sonia's thoughts and insecurities inform the prose. She is such a complex, three-dimensional character who shows so much growth throughout the book, and I felt like I was living inside her head I knew and understood her so well. On top of that, Sonia's connections are so meaningfully built or mended. I love her friendship with Hana, and I love how believable all reconciliations are.
The romance, though not the main focus of the book at all, was adorable. I love Niam as a character so much. He makes mistakes and he's so awkward, but he tries. And I just think he fits with Sonia so well.
Overall, I really really loved this book, and everyone needs to read it. 5 stars.