The Not-So-Uniform Life of Holly-Mei by Christina Matula is a must read for middle schoolers.
Holly-Mei’s family move from Canada to Hong Kong during her 7th grade year. Holly-Mei has a bad habit of sometimes speaking before thinking. She also has to adapt to new rules and expectations in her new home. Will she be able to learn how to fit in and enjoy her 7th grade year? Read to find out!

Middle scholars will be able to identify with Holly-Mei’s situation and her challenges. This would be a great book for students who are facing a new school and/or a move to a new city. Also, middle school students can also identify with what it is like to fit in and make new friends. Christina Matula has done an excellent job of creating a story with characters that middle schoolers can relate to. I hope that we will see more stories by her.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This book was fine I guess. We follow Holly-Mei as she and her family move to Hong Kong. They have to start over in a new place which of course means new friends for Holly-Mei and her sister. Judging by the synopsis I was expecting some difficulty with the transition but there was very little. Every bit of struggle that Holly-Mei faces is solved rather quickly and without much effort. Things never actually get bad for HM even at the worst of her experiences when she moves or even for the duration of the book. The couple tiny issues that do come up are resolved super quickly without much thought and little to no effort.

As previously stated, this was fine. I just didn't get anything from it.

From Canada to Hong Kong, Holly-Mei has many lessons to learn. Holly-Mei decides moving to Hong Kong is the perfect chance to start over after losing her friends the summer before 7th grade. She quickly learns that to create lasting friendships, she has to think before she speaks, she must learn to apologize, and sometimes rules need to be adjusted. I enjoyed Holly-Mei's exploration of her new country, learning how to navigate a new friendship group that includes a frenemy, and dealing with the pressure of not embarrassing her mom in front of her new colleagues. A great addition to any middle-grade classroom!
Thanks, NetGalley!

This was a great middle school read. The descriptions of Hong Kong, from the landscapes to the food, make me want to visit.
I enjoyed watching the characters interact and grow throughout the book. Everyone has a story to tell, even if things look perfect on the outside. I thought the author did a great job showing you the "rich" side of life. There were times though where I felt they were oblivious of their privilege.
There were a lot of things to learn from Holly-Mei's story and it was fun reading about her..

12-year-old Holly-Mei Jones has friend problems, so when her mom gets a big promotion at work that requires a move to Hong Kong, Holly-Mei sees it as a chance for a fresh start. At her new school, she quickly learns that it’s not going to be as perfect as she thought. Will Holly-Mei be able to recognize what it takes to be a good friend, and to accept some well-meant advice from an unexpected source? Join in on a fabulous Hong Kong adventure as Holly-Mei learns some valuable lessons. A terrific middle-grade work of fiction!

I was quite excited about the character and the description of the book, but found the plot to be extremely predictable and lackluster unfortunately.

Holly-Mei is a character that middle grade readers will be able to identify with for many reason. I really enjoyed following along with her story! Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!

The Not-So-Uniform Life of Holly-Mei
by Christina Matula
Pub Date 05 Apr 2022
Inkyard Press
Children's Fiction | Middle Grade


I am reviewing a copy of The Not So Uniform Life of Holly-Mei through Inkyard Press and Netgalley:



Holly Mei-Jones is excited that they will be moving to Hong Kong for her Mother’s job. She will be attending a school right on the beach and her families new apartment is beautiful. Everything should be perfect right?



But not everything is perfect, it feels like everywhere she goes there are new rules to follow and expectations to meet. On top of that, the most popular girl in her grade is quickly becoming a frenemy. And without the guidance of her loving Ah-ma, who stayed behind in Toronto, Holly-Mei just can’t seem to get it right.




It’s going to take all of Holly Mei’s determination as well as her sparkle and probably even a tiny bit of stubbornness) to get through seventh grade and turn her life in Hong Kong into the ultimate adventure!



I give The Not So Uniform Life and Holly Mei, five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

This was such a delight to read. My younger self really connected with Holly-Mei because I used to move around a lot as a child and I remember the emotions that were involved. I also understand being Chinese and this great need to save face and the concept of showing your best self to the world. Christina Matula nailed the emotions in this novel and gave each character depth and dimension. I would gladly read another novel by this author, especially if it continues the adventures of Holly-Mei!

Holly-Mei and her sister Millie aren’t too thrilled about leaving their friends and grandmother behind in Toronto when their family moves to Hong Kong for their mother’s job. But they get on board when they see their gorgeous new home is on a beach and they’ll be going to an amazing school. And maybe Holly-Mei can leave her friendship dramas behind and start again in Hong Kong. Maybe! This was a delightful read, excited there are more books planned in this series. Perfect pick for middle-grade readers. Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for a review copy.

Thank you to #netgalley and #inkyardpress for a chance to read The Not-So-Uniform Life of Holly-Mei by @christinamatula (April 2022). This was a great read about friendships, fitting in, starting over, and societal expectations. A little bit of Mean Girls with a little bit of Crazy Rich Asians plus a whole lot of heart. Holly-Mei is that girl who doesn’t always have a filter and blurts out things she doesn’t mean to. This nasty habit messed up friendships in her home of Toronto enough that when she is told she is moving to Hong Kong for her mom’s job, she thinks of it as a way to start over. But there are new pressures in Hong Kong society. Matula excellently has Holly-Mei navigate these waters, mess up like a 12 year old would, but keep getting back up again. She isn’t perfect, which makes her relatable. While set in HK, middle grade readers will see themselves in this fun book.

Holly-Mei Jones is a middle schooler who jumps at the chance for a new beginning when her mom announces that an exciting promotion comes with a major move: from their home in Canada to Hong Kong! But, as her ah-ma (grandmother) says, the bitter comes first, and then the sweet. Holly discovers that her new life in Hong Kong is not without its pressures: her mother's new position comes with expectations and rules, and the most popular girl in her class is bossy and can be nice one minute, horribly mean the next. Determined to to get to the sweet part of her new life, Holly-Mei discovers that she has a lot to learn.

Holly-Mei has a big heart and a strong sense of justice which gets her into trouble and makes her such a lovable character. Kids will read all about her new life in Hong Kong with excitement and wonder - it's like Crazy Rich Asians for kids! - and realize that in life, you have to weather the storms, no matter where you are, as they see Holly-Mei buckle under her mother's shift into a more appearance and behavior-driven mindset. Supporting characters are there to move Holly's story along, but have their own definitive personalities. Gemma, popular girl and Holly-Mei's frenemy, has an interesting backstory that gives texture to her actions.

A compulsively readable book about middle school, rich with Chinese culture and likable characters, humor, and genuine feeling. Put this on your Newbery watch lists.

A light, highly readable middle grade novel. Holly-Mei is a Taiwanese-Canadian whose life is unexpectedly uprooted when her mother gets a two year promotion in Hong Kong. Within two weeks Holly-Mei, her mother, her sister, and her father have all moved to a luxury apartment in Hong Kong, leaving behind Holly-Mei's beloved grandmother an unresolved issues with her best friend in Canada. Holly-Mei and her sister attend an ultra elite private school where they make both new friends and accidentally step into a few rivalries. References to Pride and Prejudice abound, some rather less subtle than others. While enjoyable, there were times it was hard to believe that the main characters were middle school and elementary school students, as their behaviors (and dress sense!) often seemed more appropriate to high school students or 20 somethings. Nonetheless, I'd be interested in reading more about both Holly-Mei and her new friends -- this could be the start of an interesting series.

This was a really fun read. Holly-Mei reminded me a lot of Anne Shirley, both in her good heartedness and her ability to get herself into a variety of strengths. I also appreciated that all of the characters were well-rounded; even the main antagonist had a great deal of depth. I would definitely recommend this book for middle grade readers!

Holly-Mei has to make a big move with her family from Canada to Hong Kong. Her mom is worried about "saving face" and puts a lot of pressure on Holly-Mei. This is a great look at friendships and how they can develop and change. Holly-Mei is a fantastic character as she learns how to be a good friend and not always blurt out the first thing that comes to mind. I like that her mom realized that life is more than being apart of the top "in" crowd and to not put so much pressure on her children.
I liked the look at Hong Kong and the food and the culture.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!

A fun read while we see Holly-Mei navigate many changes as her family moves from Canada to Hong Kong for mom’s job. While there, mom tells her she will “meet all the right people, the best of society in Hong Kong” and that Holly-Mei must make a good impression. When her Ah-Ma (grandmother) tells Holly-Mei that the move will be hard at first but she will find happiness, Holly-Mei hopes she will make new friends. Holly-Mei is made fun of by the most popular and well-connected girl, and Holly-Mei wonders will she be able to fit in and be happy.