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A review by looseleafellie
Something More by Jackie Khalilieh
5.0
This YA contemporary novel follows Jessie, a ‘90s-obsessed Palestinian-Canadian teen who receives an autism diagnosis shortly before starting high school. Determined to fit in with her classmates, Jessie creates a list of goals for the school year, but the attentions of two boys make her go off script.
I’m usually a reader who needs a high concept to get interested in a contemporary novel, and I’m also not a big fan of love triangles. So imagine my surprise when this book pulled me in, made me feel every emotion under the Sun, and ultimately left me wishing I could create a time vortex back to 2015 and give this book to my younger self!
A huge reason I couldn’t stop reading was Jessie herself. She’s one of the most charming, charismatic, relatable characters I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. The plot itself held my interest, but I’d read a book about her going grocery shopping.
This book joins the very short list of love triangle stories that don’t annoy me, and it’s largely cause it fits the themes so well. Plus, it was fun to see Griffin and Levi embarrass themselves over Jessie. I won’t spoil who Jessie ends up with, but it was who I hoped she’d choose in the end!
Fun fact: I read the last few chapters of this book on my local library’s patio, and I was so engrossed in finding out where Jessie’s story would go that I forgot the patio closed at 5pm, so I had to vault unceremoniously over a large planter in order to get free. So if that doesn’t tell you how gripping this story is, I don’t know what does.
Long story short, if you’re interested in a YA novel full of authentic teenage feelings, an engaging protagonist, and two boys being embarrassingly pathetic over said protagonist, you need to check this out!
CWs: Anti-Arab racism, ableism, toxic relationships and friendships, bullying, cheating, relationship between a minor and an adult, death of a family member, and underage alcohol and cannabis use.
I’m usually a reader who needs a high concept to get interested in a contemporary novel, and I’m also not a big fan of love triangles. So imagine my surprise when this book pulled me in, made me feel every emotion under the Sun, and ultimately left me wishing I could create a time vortex back to 2015 and give this book to my younger self!
A huge reason I couldn’t stop reading was Jessie herself. She’s one of the most charming, charismatic, relatable characters I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. The plot itself held my interest, but I’d read a book about her going grocery shopping.
This book joins the very short list of love triangle stories that don’t annoy me, and it’s largely cause it fits the themes so well. Plus, it was fun to see Griffin and Levi embarrass themselves over Jessie. I won’t spoil who Jessie ends up with, but it was who I hoped she’d choose in the end!
Fun fact: I read the last few chapters of this book on my local library’s patio, and I was so engrossed in finding out where Jessie’s story would go that I forgot the patio closed at 5pm, so I had to vault unceremoniously over a large planter in order to get free. So if that doesn’t tell you how gripping this story is, I don’t know what does.
Long story short, if you’re interested in a YA novel full of authentic teenage feelings, an engaging protagonist, and two boys being embarrassingly pathetic over said protagonist, you need to check this out!
CWs: Anti-Arab racism, ableism, toxic relationships and friendships, bullying, cheating, relationship between a minor and an adult, death of a family member, and underage alcohol and cannabis use.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Racism, and Alcohol
Minor: Death