It was difficult for me to get into this novel. I put it down several times. The opening pages just did not interest me. I came back to it after having read some of the reviews, and yes, I did like it better. It became more interesting and made a little more sense. Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

This book brought me straight back to high school. Even though I'm not Chinese, I could relate to a lot of things David lives through because my high school rhythm was similar to his - I graduated with honors and spent most of my time studying. Well, thankfully, I didn't have to work evenings after that as David did! Being a straight A's student is already hard enough, without the added work.

And although I don't normally enjoy being brought back into my teen memories as it wasn't my best time, I enjoyed this book - because David seems to be handling things much better than I did. I really liked his character, and sometimes I wondered how things would be now if I had it in me to get out of the situations the way David managed.

I liked the story, and it wraps up very nicely, and reads quickly. It doesn't have very big dramatic events - just regular things in the life of a Chinese teen, growing up in America - but all the better, because daily struggles are just as real as life drama. So I can definitely recommend this read.

I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.

I recently learned that the Asian population is the fastest growing people group in the US. So, sticking with my intent to diversify my shelves, I was thrilled to find David Tung Can’t Have a Girlfriend Until He Gets Into an Ivy League College on @netgalley. The cover is so cute, I love the long emo-song-title length title and it is set in NJ! 😍😍😍

The title pretty much sums up the synopsis. It’s definitely more of a character driven novel than an action driven one. I appreciated the look into life as an immigrant in the US, particularly that from an Asian perspective, but it was clear early on that I was not this book’s target audience. Lin’s writing is humorous and youthful, and I would 💯 recommend this for actual middle or high school students (these contemporaries are always hit or miss for me since I fall no where near that actual demographic anymore 😭😅😂).

I was really glad to read this one, particularly since I’ve seen nothing on booksta about it. So, thank you @edlinforpresident and @kayapress for this early look and happy belated pub day!!

I only got about 25% through before I realized that I was bored and that it felt like a chore to read. I particularly didn't care for David's hyper-critical voice. His inner monologue was very long-winded, which I find will deter readers, especially males. Less thinking, more action.

We are deep in David’s day to day existence as the book starts. He’s got some stealth moves and secret tactics to help him squeeze every last bit of juice out of the grade grapes. It’s dog-eat-dog at his school and he’s going to go up in the standings whatever he has to (legally and ethically) do. I enjoyed settling into his head and watching him maneuver his way through a day. Since the book is actually more of a coming of age rather than a YA romance (though it does have a romance thread that begins about half way through the book) I didn’t mind the focus on him. The plot meanders a bit as David’s whole world is slowly introduced but as there are many things for me to learn about ABCs and FOBs, I found most of it interesting.

One thing is made clear – Asian Americans (and here specifically Chinese Americans and immigrant Chinese) are not a monolith Borg. Despite his parents being “Northern Chinese,” his mother made the decision to send David to a Chinese school that is predominantly Cantonese. As David freely admits that his spoken and written Mandarin isn’t as good as it should be, much less knowing any Cantonese, his mental translations of words not only makes sense but is helpful to readers who don’t know any Chinese languages.

David is the intersection between the Crazy Sorta Rich Asians and the hard working immigrants trying to establish themselves. Through his eyes, we get to see both populations. A few are only one note (bitchy Jean the Mean Girl) but most are more well rounded and show a variety of backgrounds and viewpoints. I might not have liked all of the characters but they felt real. For the most part, David just tries to keep his head down, works hard, and attempts to not make his mother mad. I do wish that there had been more background about his parents but since this is a first person POV, it could have seemed weird for David to know every detail about them.

The slow romance that develops is very low key but seems to be in keeping with what the Chinese community feels is appropriate and acceptable. David might chafe at some of the restrictions but he never thinks to go outside them. His mother might strictly lay down the law but there are also little moments that show she cares deeply for him and not just about how well he does.

David Tung has a wry sense of humor and a deep sense of honor. He’s hard working yet likes to goof off at times. He helps his friends, obeys his parents, and puts in effort to achieve what he already knows he wants. I actually wouldn’t mind reading about David 2.0 to see if he does get into an Ivy League College. Hint, hint.

David Tung Can’t Have a Girlfriend Until He Gets Into an Ivy League College is a fantastic and fast-paced coming of age novel that follows David, a first-generation Chinese American, through his everyday life of competitive high school, weekend Chinese School, and daily work at his parents’ restaurant. David deals with balancing his own goals and ambitions, as well as those of his parents, with being a teenager and all that comes with that.

This is a well-written book, fast paced and has some interesting characters. I sympathized with the character of Betty a lot, she was definitely my favourite. This book realistically depicts the pressure that some students are under, often because of their parents. If I had a mom like David, I probably would never visit her after I’d gone away to college. I mean it is one thing to want your kids to do well, but the pressure she put him under, and the rude things she said to him… that is no way to treat your child. Also the father was too passive, he just stayed silent and ran along with whatever his wife wanted.
When David got the interview for the internship (and then the internship) I was so excited, and every time he was nervous about something I felt so empathetic about it, as if I myself were about to take a test or do an interview.

Did not finish. I was willing to let the very bland writing style go and keep giving it a chance for at least a chapter or two, but not even 3% into the book and the main character/narrator is talking about how he can't believe there's a girl ahead of him in the class rank who is not only extremely smart, but very attractive as well, and how he can't believe she may be smarter than him. Nope. Not doing it. Sorry, Ed Lin.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

When David isn't studying for his high caliber classes, he is either working in his family restaurant or attending Chinese school. What he's NOT doing is dating, because David Tung can't have a girlfriend until he gets into an ivy league college. David may understand this, but his heart might not have received the message.

I really enjoyed getting to know David. Though this story was told from the point of view of a first generation American born Chinese young man, I still found many aspects of his life relatable. When David talked about the pressures of his coursework and juggling his work and school life, while trying to live up to his parents' high expectations, it was easy to understand to some degree where he was coming from.

I breathed a sigh of relief for David when Saturday rolled around, and he went to Chinese school. Instead of attending the local school, he traveled to China Town in New York. There, he was able to escape many of the things that constantly pressed upon him. This was his haven. A school, where he didn't have to worry about how well he performed. He was free from his responsibilities and could just enjoy the time with his peers.

Though Chinese school offered a respite from school, work, and familial obligations, it was another place where David felt like a bit of an outsider. The students in the school all lived in China Town and shared a common background, and there were times he felt disconnected from them because he didn't. I thought he was more at home there than he was in his own town though. He lived in a town with a large Chinese population, and though David's family were residents, they did not enjoy the economic success of the other inhabitants. He found it difficult to fit in with his schoolmates. I think so many could relate to David's general feelings of otherness more than anything.

I know I have you feeling sad for David, but I have to say, all these things were explored with so much humor. Seriously, I laughed a LOT as I read this book. David's voice was fantastic, and his observations were witty and wry, and well, really dead-on at times. There were so many things I adored, but one of my favorite things was the friendship between David and Betty.

Betty was a bit of a Chinese school outsider too, due to her being biracial. Despite that, she was the best student at the school, and initially resented David and his slacker friends. Circumstances brought them together, and a beautiful friendship blossomed between the two. Their exchanges made me smile until my cheeks hurt, and I loved how much David learned about himself via his friendship with Betty. He experience a tremendous amount of growth in his time spent with her, and I was as enchanted with Betty as David was.

This was such a wonderful coming-of-age tale. It was told with lots of humor, which delighted me, and also a lot of honesty and heart. The ending left me all sorts of warm and fuzzy and I found myself really proud of David.

Ah, fictitious Shark Beach, New Jersey (Spoiler Alert, it's Millburn/Short Hills). Harmony Health is Overlook Hospital in neighboring Summit, NJ. Midtown Direct trainline. Oh, and abundance of Asian Americans. All clues, all important to David Tung's existence that bridges the gap between child of immigrant parents and living in an indulgent suburb of New York City. And, oh yes indeed, the struggle is real. Between getting the grades, SAT scores, extracurriculars and internships, David still has to work at his family's restaurant and go into the city for Chinese School on Saturdays. The story gets so much right, like high school bullying and the pressure to be perfect and on point all the time, but the relationships with girls part . . . not sure about that. It's all so PG, hand holding and what not. A little too middle school. But, an insightful read, none the less. I appreciated the deep dive into the Chinese American immigrant experience and connected with the setting because it is where I live and work. And, Ed Lin gets setting right. Very, very right.

A delightful, Own Voices, coming of age novel following David as he navigates highschool, Chinese school, class, academics, and relationships. I love how the relationship with his parents was handled with such care, while not sugarcoating how hard it is to live with strict parents and high expectations.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this advanced reader copy.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for providing a copy of this book for me.

<i> David Tung Can't Have a Girlfriend Unless He Gets Into an Ivy League College </i> was not what I expected at all. In the best possible way.

I loved getting to know David Tung. He immediately felt like such a special character to me. He is driven and a little socially awkward (except in Chinese School when he's a right rebel). He is obedient and genuinely cares for his family. He has high hopes and high dreams and American Asian or not he is highly relatable.

I loved this insight into David as an American Asian character but since I am neither American or Asian, I will leave the analysis of this particular aspect to more capable reviewers.

I also loved his relationship with his friends at Chinese School, the way he is determined to see the best in people even though he doesn't have the best time at his high school. He is considerate and nice and he is falling in love for the very first time. And I feel very privileged to got to go on that wild ride with him.

I will heartily recommend David Tung's story to everyone who wants to read a comfortable and nice slice of life/coming of age story with a lot of heart and a lot of love.

This reminds me of all my Asian friends, and how they had to work so hard in college because of their parents. David Tung says, int he book, that yes, he had to do the same, but also because he wants to.

If you want a good look at life amongst the diaspora of Chinese living in the United States. We follow David as he goes to public high school, goes to work at his families Chinese restaurant, and goes to Chinese school in NYC Chinatown.

The details are interesting, but they don’t advance the story. Each time David, through the author, goes into detail, I’m thinking it will be something we need to know, and it often is not.

This is more a slice of life, chracter driven novel, more than anything. There is not much action. The big urgency is whether or not David can take Christina to a dance, and that is wrapped up in the first half of the book.

So, while it is a good slice of life, I kept hoping for something more to happen, and it never quite did.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

David Tung is only a sophomore, but he is fixated on his class rank. He lives in Shark Beach, NJ, an enclave or rich Chinese immigrants, where most of the families are Cantonese. His family, on the contrary, is from Northern China (his mother was from Shanghai and fled China for Taiwan as a teen), and his father claims Mongolian ancestry.
But their Cantonese neighbors are wealthy and David's family is not - they toil long hours at their Chinese restaurant, where David must spend all of his waking hours outside of school.

David also spends Saturdays at Chinese school in Chinatown, rather than attending the local Chinese school, as his mother had some sort of issue with them 8 years prior. David spends his time at Chinese school hanging out with his rough-around-the edges Chinese friends, from whom he learns about life in Chinatown and how it differs from his own. David lives a conundrum, too working class for Shark Beach, and too suburban for Chinatown.

Most of all, David is at his mother's beck and call. She has "trained him to battle for grades" and will not allow him to date until he is accepted into an Ivy League school. David, meanwhile, has internalized the academic pressure and does some hilarious things to work his way to the top, such as figuring out that one of his teachers gives pop quizzes when his socks are unmatched. But highest on David's list of priorities is a medical internship at Harmony Health Cancer Center -- David, who wants to be an oncologist (because he was inspired by Steve Jobs' story), obsesses about his candidacy. He watches every video that the oncology chief has ever produced, and because he obtained a high SAT score, jumps ahead to start studying for the MCAT every chance he gets.

David is nerdy, hilarious, introspective and totally captures the reader's heart. His quest for love and self acceptance is heartwarming and inspiring. This book provides a close look at the academic pressures that many Chinese American children face. It also dives into the classism, bias and internalized racism within the Chinese community. While YA, this book is totally appropriate and entertaining for adult readers. Once I started reading, I was hooked! #netgalley #DavidTungCan'tHaveAGirlfriendUntilHeGetsIntoAnIvyLeagueCollege

I really enjoyed this book. It centres around David, a Chinese-American teenager, who feels pressure to live up to his parents high expectations of him education-wise.

It is a well-written and nuanced book. Ed Lin successfully manages balancing the vast differences in David's life between his school, his family's restaurant and his Chinese school in the city. This balance between the three locations provided a variety of well-developed Chinese characters. I mean, you can easily tell that a Chinese person wrote this book because the characters don't fit the stereotypical mould that a white person would write about. And all the characters are easily likeable, different and interesting in their own ways. It's so refreshing to read.

I also really loved the ending. It was perfect and injected with a little humour, just like the rest of the book.

I'd like to thank NetGalley and Kaya Press for providing me with an ARC for free in exchange for an honest review.

This book has a great premise, and instilled in its somewhat singular bubble of Asian-American students in high school there's a story that any of us can relate to. In much the same way that Crazy Rich Asians was a peek into the stereotypes of over-the-top wealth while still being a work that any of us could fall in love with, "David Tung...Girlfriend" has a very broad appeal.

Unfortunately, it is verrrrry slow. Make no mistake, the author does a fun job of storytelling, but too far into the book nothing of substance had occurred. It was all backstory (inexplicably happening in real time?) and very little action.

Even though this book was slow, I think it is a much need book for this day in age. It is important to read books from all different types of people. This story is about an immigrant. I think it really made me understand the life of an immigrant and the struggles they face. I would recommend to anyone looking for an inspiring book and for their eyes to be opened more.

This book was kind of disappointing. When I read the summary, I thought I would enjoy this, but there was a lot of focus on details that I didn’t think were interesting like David’s daily schedule as he went through his classes. The plot didn’t feel like it was building towards anything so there wasn’t really a climax and I could predict the ending as soon as one of the key characters was introduced.

Probably the strongest aspect of the book is how relatable it would be for immigrant or first generation teens. Even myself, as an immigrant with parents that wanted me to be a doctor, found a lot of David’s experiences relatable. My parents weren’t nearly as strict, but they also put a strong emphasis on getting good grades and not being distracted by dating or a social life. They thought any guy I talked to was my boyfriend and although they never explicitly said so, it was assumed that I wasn’t “allowed” to date until I at least graduated high school. I can imagine that for someone who hasn’t had these experiences, reading this book would be like culture shock, but for myself, it was too familiar to the point that I found myself completely unphased by anything that happened in the book.

I liked that It tackled different issues like class difference, the immigrant experience, racism and discrimination (from those within and outside of the Chinese community), but I wish more actually happened in this book. Some people may like that this book is more subtle and introspective, but that just didn’t work for me.

I know I've been giving Asian authors--especially in YA fiction--a hard time for writing predictable, bad stories, but today is a momentous day because I think I may have found the elusive Asian American YA contemporary I've been waiting for. This is the first Asian America YA novel that resonated with me because it wasn’t just a piece of fluff. (Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind the occasional cliched YA romance, Asian American or otherwise, but we need some variety. Let’s show the world we’re more than silent—or not-so-silent—rebels against our repressive, unreasonable parents before adding yet another Asian American author to the fake dating trope pile, okay?) Was this the most beautifully written or perfectly crafted novel? No, but sometimes heart matters more than execution.

The synopsis makes it sound like yet another YA love triangle featuring an Asian American protagonist and his/her immigrant parents' unrealistic demands on their child's love life (or lack of, in this case,) but I gave it a chance because even though I've been burned before, I really want a win for the Asians. I was so pleasantly surprised. I'd thought I had the story figured out when I read the blurb, but this book is less about a boy choosing between two girls and more about an Asian American kid just trying to find his way in life.

Yes, the book's premise is that David Tung Can't Have a Girlfriend Unless He Gets Into an Ivy League College, but it's also David Tung is a Top Ten Student and Restaurant Kid. It's David Tung Wants to Be a Doctor and His Parents Do Too. It's David Tung Gets a Glimpse of Asian American Life on the Other Side of the Tracks.

This book is unapologetically Asian American. There's just something really genuine and relatable in the way Lin paints a picture of Chinese kids growing up in America and it's so refreshing. He's able to speak to the distinctly Asian idiosyncrasies--the polite dance of refusing and accepting anything, the unspoken food offering used to express love, the three rounds of waving goodbye to any guest--without making it feel like a stereotype, and he touches on some interesting points about the Asian American life that I wish were explored more.

Not every Asian American experience is the same, and that's what makes David Tung Can't Have a Girlfriend Unless He Gets Into an Ivy League College so great. Nuanced, relatable, flawed, Lin's characters prove growing up as an ABC (American Born Chinese) isn't a fortune cookie cutter experience. Asian Americans can be smart and driven. But Asian Americans can also be gangsters. Asian Americans can be crazy rich kids. Asian Americans can be hustlers.

And that's the beauty of this book; it brings kids together from different backgrounds. There are crazy rich Asian Americans, suburbian Asian Americans, overachieving Asian Americans, delinquent Asian Americans. There are FOBs and hapas and immigrants and second-gens. It's not a comprehensive look by any means, and a majority of the book is spent exploring David Tung's life as a restaurant kid, but I love the fact that Lin doesn't just clump us all into one generic group.

I appreciated Lin's attempt to create a more nuanced protagonist. David Tung isn't one-dimensional. He's driven and insecure and loyal and outspoken and decent. (I also have a bit of a soft spot for him because he wants to be an oncologist and has a bit of a dry wit.) He isn't just a stereotypical Asian American with tiger parents like many of his peers in the genre. The adults aren't painted as the big bad wolves out to stifle their children's freedom and independence with their backwards Chinese ways; instead, they're individuals whose own struggles and stories have shaped them into the people they are now.

That's not to say the book is without its flaws. The storytelling could use some work, the writing is a little dry, and the plot kind of meanders. The first act especially, drags on a bit, and the opening few chapters are literally spent following David from class to class with no real transition in between. Lin also throws in a few minor plot twists toward the end which feel particularly unnecessary since they're resolved so quickly. Still, when you write something the resonates with readers like Ed Lin did in David Tung Can't Have a Girlfriend Unless He Gets Into an Ivy League College, you deserve to be commended. So 4.5 stars it is! (Also, remember that I'm reviewing an ARC, so some of this stuff might get cleaned up before the pub date.)

I was expecting a somewhat generic story, so this was a pleasant surprise. Ed Lin gives me hope for the future of Asian American YA. So to all the Chinese YA authors out there, 加油！

Thanks to NetGalley and Kaya press for the ARC!

I loved this book! YA reads are not my normal genre but the title and the cover had me interested enough to read it. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

David Tung is a Chinese-American teenager who is trying to live up to his parents expectations. His culture allows for nothing but perfection and there are no excuses in his life. It is such an endearing read about the struggles of an Asian-American who is trying to fulfill his parents wishes but also live his life.

My favorite line that I have read in any book so far this year is...”everyone is a superstar to someone”. I think this is a lesson for all of us to live by in the way we treat other people!!!