This was a really sweet story but with a definite political fire under its butt! What I mean by that, is that although this was a really cute romance, it wasn't all fluff and fun. There was also a really strong political storyline, indeed it provided the basis for the entire narrative. As a non-American I'm a step away from the political climate there, however safe to say that a lot of people were disheartened by the outcome of the 2016 election, and this book follows on from that. We see kids taking positive steps towards enacting change in their area and fighting for what they believe in, but perhaps most importantly, we see them grow from political indifference to actually caring about politics, even though they're not old enough to vote yet. This never came off as preachy to me, however it's worth noting that I agree with the viewpoints expressed so there's that.

I thought both authors did a great job, there were loads of great bits of representation including different faiths, and some nice little bits of LGBT rep too. I especially liked how the nuances of religion were represented - that not every person has the exact same relationship to their faith, there is no cut and dry way that a Muslim person (or any other faith) looks or acts.

All in all I really enjoyed this, I think it was a well-rounded, well-written YA book that would suit teen readers from the full spectrum of ages, from the lower end 12-13 right up to adult readers. Perfect for readers that enjoyed Red, White & Royal Blue and are looking for more cute romance with a political backdrop.

A cleverly written story that had many themes including non-traditional families, political activism, and multiracial cultural perspectives!

I loved how the book was written in the POV of both Maya, a muslim girl, as well as Jamie, a Jewish guy. It felt well-meshed and let me connect to both characters quite well. I did feel for Maya having a distant bestie, as that too happened to me at the end of high school, so that hit home. Jamie's perspectives were interesting, and I loved seeing how he got along with Maya.

Can I just say that I too want a Jewish grandma who's insta famous too?! The use of modern social media here was really clever.

Also, Gabe is a giant pain. 100%.

Rating: 4.5/5

(This review will go live on my blog on the 21st of Jan!)

Wow, what a way to start off 2020 - with an absolutely incredible and thoughtful book intertwining the complexities of politics, religion, discrimination and friendship.

Yes No Maybe So features a dual-POV from the characters Jamie, an awkward boy who spends his time volunteer-campaigning for an upcoming state election, and Maya, an outgoing girl facing problems with her friends and family at home. It’s not often that I find myself liking every character in a novel but these two managed to win me over within a few chapters. I loved everything about them - their contrasting personalities, the way they approached each challenge they faced, the way their relationship didn’t feel “forced”, and most importantly, the way they brought out the best in one another. Their chemistry made my heart warm and I loved reading all of their interactions.

Beyond the well-written characters, I think one of the best things about this book it tackles relevant issues of political activism and passivism, religious discrimination and cross-cultural relationships. I loved how the book did not focus entirely on the relationship between the characters, but also on small sub-plots addressing these (highly important) issues.

I can’t speak for the quality of representation in this book as I am neither Muslim nor Jewish, so please forgive me if my judgement is wrong - but in my opinion it felt as though cultural and religious issues were dealt with in a respectful way, so props to the authors for that. I also want to mention how well the book payed homage to the role of teenagers in a politically-complex climate. Being a teenager myself, I found that the way Albertalli and Saeed approached this element of the story - aka, the main character’s desires to make a difference in their community, and sometimes feeling helpless in this regard due to not being of voting-age, was very very relevant and well-written. It showed me that despite all the boundaries I might face, there are still ways to make a difference in the issues that truly matter to me - and this is just one of the many reasons why I enjoyed the book so much.

Overall, I finished this book feeling highly inspired and motivated to go out there and make my voice heard. I loved everything about it and recommend it if it sounds like something you’d be interested in!! I will definitely be on the lookout for more books from these two amazing authors in the future.

p.s. Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Australia for providing me with an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review :)