Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Fantastic Flying Book Club, Netgalley, and Tor Teen for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.

So like I was saying in my introduction, the premise of this novel – or at least the cover since Olivia looked like she could be part Asian – gave me Michelle Kwan and Kristi Yamaguchi vibes and I hadn’t come across an ice skating plot book before. I won’t lie either, I was hoping that the diversity in this book was going to be super stellar and hopefully #OwnVoices but even though Fujimura isn’t Japanese (she married a Japanese man, hence the last name) she made her characters biracial like her children so they could see characters like them in novels. I understand that.

I also had to remember that Olivia is fifteen years old, her dreams ended and she is extremely bitter. I say that because there were some parts of her that really shocked me while I was reading it, thinking that some of the things she said to her best friend could have been as really hurtful and not something one would say to a best friend. Hopefully their relationship was strong enough that they either knew that Olivia was just blowing off steam, or could just brush it off. Either way, it kind of hurt to read it on my end.

I think that Fujimura did a pretty good job showing some of what Asian children have to go through with their parents even though it could be seen as a stereotype – albeit a pretty true stereotype nonetheless, that even I have gone through growing up. I wouldn’t say they were completely controlling to the point that there was absolutely no freedom, but it was pretty intense at some points, and I could see how Olivia and Jonah were able to bond with dealing with those similarities. Sometimes it’s good to be able to find someone you can bond with on things, whether it’s a love for the same competitive sport, or how parents raise you.

I don’t know why it took me MONTHS to read this. Obviously, I wasn’t thinking clearly because this book was so good.
I really liked the characters. They were well-developed and pulled me into the story. They each had their own story and journey and no two were the same. Mack was such a great friend for Olivia and also had an older-sis role too.
I would have liked to see more scenes with Mack at the roller derby. It seemed to be such a large part of their story and it was not mentioned really after the beginning.
For any of you who love watching the Olympics or any event in ice, you’re sure to love this one.

Rating: 5/5
Language: s***, d***, a**
Romance: some intense kissing, never goes further
Spiritual: n/a
Violence: n/a

*I received a copy of this book from the publisher but ended up reading a physical copy I got from the library. All thoughts are my own and a positive review was not required.

It took me about one third of the book to get hooked to the story. It was not because the story wasn't interesting. I did love all the practice sessions and the match scenes. They are written beautifully and very engaging for any reader to follow through the routine even if you have no idea of the terms of the sports. I liked to read the story of teenagers who are practicing their asses off to reach their goals and it is not a rosy picture at all.
Jonah's friendship with Olivia and the romance that follows is sweet and very fun read. It has all the sparks , the charms and butterflies in stomach kind of cuteness when they are together. It was good to see that side of both of them and that kept me going on with the story.

But when we you start digging into the smaller details , the book also disappointed me. My biggest issue was with Olivia being very inconsistent in her behave and she was mostly very bitter and stubborn for her own good. I could understand her frustrations most of the time but the way she looked down upon other people around her was not fair either. I felt her bitterness was more from being jealous than being upset about where she was at that given point and it was not anyone's fault.

She has all the chances to improve but it keeps getting sidelined by her family & personal drama. Together Jonah & Olivia are not good to other kids in her school while their friends are quite nice and appreciative of their achievements. Stuart was supposed to be the best friend / brother to Olivia but he was not at all considerate or respectful to Olivia most times.

The book definitely could have been better but it was still a decent read for weekend if you want to read of sports related YA.

Olivia’s parents own a skating rink where she spends most of her time. She used to be a figure skater until something happened to end her career. Enter Jonah Choi, skating prodigy who starts training at the rink. Sparks fly as they clash.

The synopsis gives the impression of a rivalry, an opposites attract vibe between Olivia and Jonah but I didn’t see it. Even the title hinted at it but it was missing from the story. Their first meeting was a volley of barbs but after that the relationship did a rapid 180. Trust me, I do like when relationships progress fast but the segue lacked a smoothness that felt wrong to me.

There were quite a lot of things about the story that annoyed me, the exchanges between Olivia and Jonah, Olivia’s volatile and juvenile reactions. I understand that teenagers have the constitution of a ticking time bomb but the way Olivia reacted to some of the things in the story just irritated me.

I did empathize with Olivia’s plight over what she went through with her mother and how she had to deal with stuff on her own.

I really wanted to like this book but I didn’t like Olivia and there were plot holes in the story. Some important matters were glossed over which dissatisfied me. This story had potential and could have been much better.

Every Reason We Shouldn't finds Olivia Kennedy attempting to transition into being a "normal" teenager at a public high school, after years of training as an elite pairs skater. Once the reigning junior pairs champions, she and her partner hung up their skates after a disappointing first season on the senior pairs circuit. Now Olivia is working at her parents' failing ice rink Ice Dreams and helping her mom who has a nagging back problem brought on by competing as a world champion skater. When speed skating hopeful Jonah Choi books time at Ice Dreams for private lessons, he and Olivia become friends. He understands what it means to be a competitive teenage athlete and encourages her to rediscover her passion for skating. As their relationship heats up, Olivia gets back on the ice, working to build the confidence for a comeback. Witty banter, well-developed secondary characters, a charming multicultural romance, as well as the exploration of the sacrifices required to be an elite skater, make this novel a delightful read.

3.5 stars

every reason we shouldn’t is an adorable novel about ice skating, love, dreams and family. if i were to rate this book solely in terms of enjoyment, i would have given it a higher rating. i liked the story, but i felt that some parts could be changed to make it even better.

i have never participated in sports competitively, and have only done a little bit of figure skating for fun when i was younger, so olivia’s story and perspective are both pretty new to me – her parents are former olympians, she’s an aspiring olympic figure skater, her boyfriend speed skates competitively, and her family runs an ice rink. reading this book gave me a glimpse into the lives of professional athletes (especially skaters, whose olympic performances i’ve always enjoyed watching) and how devoted they are to their training – olivia and jonah both have incredibly strong work ethic, and i really admired how they spend hours and hours practising, rewatching their own videos, and gritting their teeth through excruciating muscle pain, just so they can get better at skating. as much as i liked their dedication, though, there were some parts that really bothered me. at school, olivia and jonah act obnoxious and stuck-up, and whenever their friends ask them about “normal” things out of concern, they simply dismiss it, always saying something along the lines of “oh, you wouldn’t understand” and “we’re not like other people”. this annoyed me to no end!

as for the food, the characters in this novel all seem to have a habit of gifting sweets and desserts to each other, and that is honestly the sweetest thing ever (both literally and figuratively). i especially liked the parts where brandon brings treats to the lunch table to cheer his friends up, and that reminded me of how some of my own friends would sometimes bring homemade cookies for everyone. jonah and olivia also gift each other desserts from their own culture, which is so heartwarming and wholesome! However, there are, again, some parts that can definitely be handled better. olivia and jonah both seem to have some issues with food which are left unaddressed in the book. olivia throws away the cookies her friend makes for her, just because she is trying to fit into the skating costume she used to wear, and jonah often complains about “simple carbs” and refuses almost everything that has carbs in it. i don’t know if it’s a skater or athlete thing, but to me this seemed unhealthy and problematic.

to sum up, every reason we shouldn’t definitely has its flaws, but it’s a cute, fun book with a lot of potential and great ideas (i.e. i have very mixed feelings), which i hope will be further explored in its sequel.

The chemistry between Olivia and Jonah was unbelievable.

Honestly, the genre and title mislead you. You would think it’s an allusion to Olivia and Jonah’s relationship but it’s not. It deceives you so badly. But so so good.

I would go so far as to calling it an amazing coming of age story. Olivia and Japanese American teenager, lives in the shadow of her two Olympic Gold Medal winning parents and her botched attempt to go up the ranks in the championships. Enter going to public school for the first time in a long time, money problems, parents, and a really cute new guy at the rink and at school.

Honestly, that poor girl. Despite all that though, she still manages to silence all the haters. Including herself.

Jonah, an Olympic hopeful speed skater and afore mentioned cute guy, plays off Olivia so well. The way that the two of them bounce off each other and get better at whatever just because the other one is pushing them to remarkable.

It’s told in first person with Olivia as the narrator. Would I have preferred other POVs included? Yes. Is it a deal breaker? No. Olivia and her friends and family are all so relate-able, it’s amazing. There’s a small bit in each of us in each of the characters. The cast is predominately Asian and I loved it. There were so many words that I could in no way pronounce and now I also want to try a hotteok.

If you’re looking for a teen romance with no unnecessary drama and angst, I would recommend Every Reason We Shouldn’t to you. The warning or disclaimer of this books really delivered, it did include delightful banter, sports and all the feels.

The story centers around figure skater Olivia, who at a very young age already won gold for being a fantastic athlete. Olivia is biracial, very young, ambitious with an authentic teenage voice. She is the daughter of two highly known figure skater which also gave her some sort of pressure to exceed as an athlete. Let me just start by saying Liv doesn’t hate her parents, she just feels what every other teenagers would feel towards their parents. In short, she was being a teenager. This is what I liked most about her character, her voice are real. I also adore our “love interest” Jonah, an oppa to love (as Mack would say) Unlike a normal teenage boy though, Jonah doesn’t really have that rebellion phase going on. He doesn’t have time for that because like Olivia, Jonah is an athlete too. A hard-working one I might add. It's such a refreshing thing to read about the thought process of an athlete who juggles with peer pressure while keeping up with their social life or as Olivia would say, a normal life. But if you're gonna ask me who my favorite character is though, I'll 100% say its Mack. This girl deserves her own book. She's the most interesting supporting character I've read in a while. I really had no major issues with the characters.

Jonah and Olivia are biracial. This fact is really one of the reason why I was excited to read the book (along with that cute cover) and although it did deliver, I expected more. I feel like it focused on the sports which I'm not complaining about, but there was a lack of information or aspect that I though would be shown throughout the story. I didn't feel the #OwnVoice enough and I would say that there was a lot of opportunity to explore that. Another thing, there was a scene (or chapters) of the book that I feel wasn't needed. It just turned out rushed and unnecessary.

Like I mentioned, skating is such a huge part of this book. I have no idea or background when it comes to roller skate derby or figure skating at all so that aspect was really interesting to me. For me, Olivias determination, fear and motivation towards her sports were penned perfectly by the author. I can say the same thing with Jonah's storyline and even with their parents too. It was fun learning and going through the ups and downs of their social and athlete life. The romance wasn't a big deal for me although it was there. I have one word for it: CUTE. I know some of you may say that you're too old already for this kind of teen romance, but it will still give you the feels (if you need more reason to read the book)

Overall, I recommend Every Reason We Shouldn't if you're looking for a light read with a heavy sports plot line. Spend some on the rink and get to know more about skating through Olivia's eyes.

Every Reason We Shouldn’t is a young adult contemporary romance by auhor Sara Fujimura. Every Reason We Shouldn’t is a skating romance that felt different than previous skating romances that I have read in the past. In the past, the books centered around skating focused on one kind. Either hockey, or figure skating mostly. But Every Reason We Shouldn’t centers around a skating rink and the people that own and use it. The cool part of Every Reason We Shouldn’t is that so many different kinds of skating are showcased.

Our main character Olivia was a once semi-famous pairs skater that had hopes of an Olympic Gold, but instead found herself (maybe?) washed up at the young age of 15. Jonah is a speed skater that shows great promise, and has tons of Gold medals from various competitions to show for his hard work and dedication. And Olivia’s best friend, and Ice rink co-worker Mack is a roller derby girl. Though this story is mainly centered on Olivia and Jonah’s romance, there is plenty of spotlight for the whole cast of characters, which I loved. Mack is my favorite by far. She is smart, a hard worker, hilarious and a wonderful friend to Olivia. I am really hoping that she gets her story told in the next book.

Olivia is a young main character, and because she is younger than most young adult heroines at just 15 vs. 17 or 18, I think she was very age appropriate. She had a different than most upbringing. She was homeschooled secondarily to her primary goal of figure skating. After one too many disastrous performances at a senior level, she is taking a break from professional skating at the start of our story. She is grappling with the idea of trying to adjust to life as a normal teenager, all the while asking herself the question, “is she really a has been skater at just 15?” I felt for Olivia. I can’t relate to her skating talent, but having to deal with normal teenage desires like fitting in at school and with your friends, and also juggling not so normal desires, like should she get back into the world of competitive figure or pairs skating? And if so, does she have what it takes to make it?

In the middle of this internal struggle, speed skating hotshot Jonah shows up at her parents Ice Rink and a really adorable romance ensues. I loved watching them bond of skating, and even watching them skate together. I loved the whole cast of characters, including Jonah’s parents. I thought they were what parents should be like. I was most disappointed in Olivia’s mom. I thought she could have been a whole lot more supportive of Olivia overall. Jonah and Olivia were supr sweet. I enjoyed watching them bond and watching their romance bloom. They got each other in a way that most other kids couldn’t relate. Skating is such a huge part of each of their lives that it makes up a big chunk of who they are.

Overall, I really enjoyed Every Reason We Shouldn’t. It was a really cute ice skating romance that felt different than the previous Ice Skating books I have read in the past .

3.5 Stars

An engaging story about two highschool students who share their passion for skating. I will be honest, the beginning of this book was dull. While I enjoy cliche, the book took a boring approach to introduce the characters, the only distinct trait wasthem being Asians. Despite of it, I believed the book had potential and it was improved when Olivia and Jonah's friendship bloomed. Their passion for skating, while everyone in school found them weird, and Olivia's strong determination to show everyone her worth was laudable.

The characters were interesting, but also often flat, in terms of expressions. I understand the fact that Jonah and Olivia, both, were focused on their skating careers and didn't have time to befriend people thus expressing themselves didn't come easily to them. Despite of it, I couldn't see much chemistry between the two themselves. I would have liked to read more about their deep, heartfelt conversations where they admitted to understanding each other's struggles and efforts.

I liked the ending a lot more, when it came to Olivia and Jonah's relation. They didn't make I'll-get-you-the-moon kind of promises and they liked each other but they knew they had other important things in their lives since they were just high school students.

I'm so glad this book wasn't just "The Cutting Edge" for teens. It was sweet and fun! It's also an interesting look into the lives of elite teen athletes.

Thank you to NetGalley and The Fantastic Flying Book Club for my copy of the book. Look for my full review on my blog at booksteahealthyme.home.blog.

I DEVOURED THIS BOOK. I finished this book in such a short amount of time I surprised myself, I was on a horrible reading slump. It was easy to get lost in the story and Olivia's thoughts.

I thought I would need the terminology I learned from Yuri on Ice! much more than I actually did. Still, the terms used for the ice skating sequences are not complicated and helped me visualize them better.

I'm going to start by saying that Olivia is not a perfect character, she is full of bitterness, jealosy and envy. And I'm also telling you now that by the end of this book, those things are not completely gone. But it's not what I would expect from a 15 year old whose career has crashed and burn the way hers has and has a full life ahead of her. Yet, what I liked about her was that while she is struggling with more than her dwindling ice skating career, she is able to find her passion and drive again. She behaved like what a 15 year old behaves nowadays.

Through the book she has to deal with adapting to her normal life as a teenage girl, which is difficult when her life is on the ice and that is as far as she has seen in her future while her group of friends at school are worrying about their grades and college. This is also why she feels connected with Jonah, because they are both skaters and their life revolves around their career and passion. She still longs to enjoy the experiences of a teenage girl, like going to prom and having a sleepover, but in the end she has to decide what is her priority.

I don't have much to say about Jonah's character... Although it was fun to read him, he has the jerk "I'm better than you" vibe in the beginning, but he soon turns into a dork. He recently moved from Arlington, where he had a "more better" ice rink to practice speed skating. His relationship with Olivia is such a pure thing. It's quick to develop but it's full of fun banter and cute moments. I just LOVE those moments where they are about to kiss, they're so soft and I'm a damn mess. His mother encourages him to have a normal life, and it's a little overenthusiastic about it, and I loved her. His father is more concentrated on helping him train and earn a medal, but this doesn't hinder their relationship.

The family situation for Olivia is not easy either. Her mother has always been more of a coach and now that she is not skating anymore Olivia is being completely ignored by her. Not in the "you don't exist" way but Olivia's mother doesn't even realize she does it. She suffers from back pain due to an accident and between the pain medication and visits to the doctor, Olivia is almost at the end of her list. I wasn't minding this as much and was understanding of her mother's side. But, after a particular incident where Olivia needed comfort from her loved ones I couldn't help but feel bad for her. With his father on a skating tour, Olivia only has her mother and her best friend with her. And even then, her mother is not always there to provide a shoulder to lean on.

Her mother is also doesn't believe Olivia has what's needed to earn an Olympic medal. This leads to Olivia making some decisions that few parents would even let slide.

Olivia's best friend, Mack, is probably my favorite character. She was valedictorian for her class and had helicopter parenOlivia's best friend, Mack, is my favorite character. She was valedictorian for her class and had helicopter parents, she is now the proud mother of a cute baby. She is such a fierce and optimistic person, I loved her and her enthusiasm everytime she was on the page. Mack strong persona may make you think that is all to her, but she is wick smart in many ways. When I saw her vulnerable side and the submissive role she had in her relation it felt eyeopening to the reality of her character.

There are more things that happen in the book, this is just a small scoop of everything that you will get. The ending of the book is on the happy side, but with more to see on the future than what we receive. But hopefully this is not the last we will see of these characters.

Olivia Kennedy's dream of being an Olympian is crushed. But she is trying to be a normal teen as much as possible. But its not that easy being the daughter of Olympians Michael Kennedy and Midori Nakashima. Enters Jonah Choi who is training at the Ice Dreams which belongs to Olivia's parents. Olivia connects with him instantly and he understands him in a way no one else does. But is that enough? What about Olivia's dream of achieving Olympic gold? Will Jonah choose Olivia before his own dreams?

Review-

The writing and the premise of book is really interesting. It keeps you hooked from the start. Characters are well thought and you can see them developed throughout the book. The title does not go with the book at all.

I like the side character Mack way more better than the protagonists. She is badass, caring, mature, fun, quirky and super intelligent.

Sometimes you really feel sad for Olivia because her family is not caring at all, they don't even have any idea what is going on in her life. But at times she is obnoxious and feels she is extra just because she is in sports and won a gold medal. The way Olivia and Jonah thinks normal teens do drama all the time is really wrong in so many ways and on the other side those teens were always kind and supporting.

Author is trying to discuss too many issues at one time but she has more miss than hits. Food habits of Olivia and Jonah is not normal and any sensitive person going through body issues can be triggered by it. Lockdown situation in school was deal with very casually. Like the next day no one is even talking about it. Even Olivia's own mother doesn't realize about it until next day and all she says is sorry and nothing else.

There are too many sports terms used in the book. I wish author could have simplified it or added any notes explaining them. Because of this the ending is just too confusing for me. I couldn't understand it and there were so many subplots that remain open. Ending was too rushed and felt author just want to wrap it up everything very quickly.

The premise of the book has so much potential because it deals with a lot of issues in teen life which can be relateable but author couldn't executed it properly. And in turn felt like Olivia and Jonah were actually very extra which was not needed at all.

What about kissing someone you actually thinks like a brother? Egg Olivia's rink partner was really negative in my opinion. Using a kiss to add drama to your performance and except that it has no purpose or affect in the overall story at all. Abandoning a minor in the other state and everything is just fine at the end I couldn't wrap my mind around it. Plus he was being total mean in that scene.

Even with all this issue the book is really good and has some really cute moments and I would recommend this book only for Mack. She is superstar of the book and she deserves all the praise. And I would really like a sequel based on the life of Mack.

There are a few things why I really want to read "Every Reason We Shouldn't." First, ice skating. This kind of reminded me of a sports anime 'Yuri On Ice.' Second, biracial and Asian rep. I join #asianreadathon this month that is why I was looking for books that has Asian representation. Lastly, I was in the mood for some YA contemporary. I actually had a good time reading this, but there are also some things I like and I was not very fond of.

The story follows Olivia, a 15-year-old figure skater who after had a disastrous performance, was adapting to a life outside the rink to be a 'normal teenager.' Her parents are both famous figure skaters, so Olivia's life revolved around skating. When Jonah Choi, a speed skater, came to practice to their rink Ice Dreams, Olivia and Jonah would motivate each other to achieve their dreams while the romance slowly developed.

Until now, I still had a mixed feelings about the plot. There were lot of things that happened, elements and events that needed more focus but unfortunately weren't fully resolved. I think the story would have been better if there were more satisfying resolutions or at least closures. The story had a steady paced not too slow nor too fast. The writing is also simple and very easy to understand.

I wasn't able to connect to any characters, maybe because I'm an adult now. However, the characters possessed characteristics and attitudes that I admired. Olivia had a fierce and determined mindset to become the best in her chosen field, even when others, especially those closests to her, thought she was not good enough. I like how Jonah was always focused pushed himself to his limit. I adored Mack and she was probably my favorite character in this novel. Even when life got hard, she didn't let it get to her. She was Olivia's best friend and even a mother figure when Olivia needed it the most. She showed Jonah to have some fun aside from achieving his goals. Of course, as much as they had admirable characteristics, they were still flawed. The only thing I didn't like was when Olivia and Jonah treat their friends as if they knew better than them. That their friends wouldn't understand what they had in mind.

Overall, Every Reason We Shouldn't is a good read. It showed a relationship where understanding one's goals became a foundation.

3.5/5 stars!

I was drawn to this book because of the ice skating incorporated into it. Living in the south, there are no ice rinks in my state, so I thought it would be an interesting read on a sport I don't get to experience firsthand. While I found the story to be very cute and enjoyed all of the ice skating scenes and training efforts, I felt like there were some flaws in the writing. Some of the characters, such as the school friends, fell flat with little to no development, and I found Olivia to be self-centered, especially on issues with her family. I was also surprised to read about the school lockdown scene because for me it would've been traumatizing but it was never referenced again by any of the impacted characters. There is also the issue of triggering scenes with food for both Jonah and Olivia, which could be an issue for potential readers. Overall, I did like the dynamic between Jonah and Olivia and finding your place in a competitive sporting world where everyone is trying to win.

This book was a delightful way to spend an afternoon. I just wanted to immerse myself in the story and the characters. I loved their relationship so much and rooted for them from the very beginning.

I was worried going in that having such young main characters would feel too childish for me and there were times that I just had to roll my eyes but all in all I did enjoy this book quite a lot. I loved the ice skating the most and hope to read more from this author in the future.

This was absolutely the best cutest story I’ve read this year, like I couldn’t get enough of this story. In the beginning it was a little slow, but once the story picks up it’s really an amazing read.
It was so quirky and just what I needed after having a slump for a few months. After the quarantine I was going a little crazy but this brightened my day and made everything feel slightly better. I’m looking forward to reading anything else this author writes.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley.

A sweet, fun story about skate culture, olympic dreams, and fighting for your passions.

This reads a little like an updated Cutting Edge, with characters who are younger and more fun. The cast of characters include Asian families of various national identities, and skaters of every kind: figure skaters, speed skaters, injured athletes, kids in it for fun, and derby girls.

It explores that knife-edge between dreams, possibilities, and letting go, with a protagonist who is trying to understand whether she is washed up or just beginning; and with a community around her of folks who really muddy her own view of herself and where she stands.

From time to time, I was a little uncomfortable with how the protagonist viewed her weight, and she seemed to lean toward an eating disorder from time to time; I think this is all very realistic for teenagers in this world, but it felt a bit fat-shamie and self-hating in a way that wasn't resolved.

There's a really interesting thread exploring potential vs choices, and whether people are obligated to put all their talents to work.

I really enjoyed the characters. The love story was cute but not overwhelming, but the sense of community was strong and sweet. All told, a really fun, happy read that doesn't dwell deeply in darkness.

Every Reason We Shouldn't is about Olivia, a biracial former Olympic-hopeful figure skater. She had big dreams of making it to the Olympics, but now she's trying to be a normal teenager and works at her parents' struggling ice rink. Then, she meets Jonah, a speed skater who is aiming for the Olympics. Among navigating her relationships with her parents and friends and attending school, Olivia starts to learn from Jonah that it's not too late to give up on her dreams.

I have some mixed feelings about this book. The writing and dialogue are pretty good, but the plot jumped around that it's hard to capture what the main overarching theme is. There was quite a bit going on and I think this book could have benefited from focusing on fewer issues. There were also a couple of serious issues that were glossed over and used as a plot point to propel Olivia's life.

Many reviews have mentioned that Olivia is an unlikable character. I agree that she is selfish and reacts by thinking herself most of the time. However, I actually think that she is pretty realistic as a character and I don't personally fault her for this.

As many other readers have noted, the main character is biracial (Japanese and American) but the author is white, so this isn't an ownvoices book. I wouldn't really consider this a "race" book (not that it needs to be). As a half-Japanese biracial person, I do not think that the writing really captures any of the nuances and experiences that come with being biracial. This being said, I know that the author is writing this book from a good place (she wrote these characters so her children can see themselves represented and keeps a running list of Biracial Asians Teens in YA books on her website). Yes, the characters' stories might not be the most representative of what living as a biracial Asian teen, but I think that this representation is doing more good than harm and this should not be a main critique of the book.

Overall, I enjoyed this book enough to finish it, but it isn't anything special for me, personally. The story won't stay with me. I probably won't read the sequel, but I wouldn't discourage anyone from picking up this book.

Thank you to Tor/Forge and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read and review this title. I will review this title at a different date.