This is the realistic coming-of-age story we have been waiting for.

My only recently comparison are XOXO and To All the Boys I've Loved Before trilogy, and this has nothing to do with the fact that each lead MC is an Asian America (which is a factor I really enjoyed in these books) but purely because these are the only coming of age stories I have picked up in recent memory. I personally felt that Boys I Know didn't quite compare to these books in my opinion however if you like XOXO/TATBILB you will 100% enjoy Boys I know. They all feature girls struggling with both their identity, boys, and their future, what university is best for them? Are they in love?.

One thing is for sure, this book isn't as wholesome and sweet as the counterparts I am using for comparison. It is much more real. The story follows a Twanaises-American, June, who is more focused on Misson: Boyfriend than on what university to go to, she always comes in third place, never first, she is good but feels she is never good enough so she has always put herself in this don't get your hopes up box.

One thing I really enjoy about books that focus on Asian or Asian America MC is, of course, the cultural differences, especially when it comes to school and achievements. However, I found June's mother so frustrating to deal with probably because I never felt that level of pressure when it came to school and choosing my university.

So not only is June struggling with the pressure from her parents, feeling like she will never live up to her sister's achievement but she is also dealing with some serious d*ckhead boys. Anna Gracia writes these encounters so well, from a boy who just physically can't communicate his feelings, a boy who is overbearing, a boy that thinks it's okay not to mention that he is in a relationship, boys that make June think is she Asian enough? or to American? and boys that are just racist... I still think about them, the subtle racism that I don't even think these characters understood was low-key racist?

I would actually like to read a book maybe post-college when June gets older, see how she is doing, navigating the dating world with a little more age to her. I like the realist romance vibes, but I would love June to find a man (not a boy) and find a good/healthy relationship.

Either way, I think this is a very promising debut for Anna Gracia.

First off, the cover of this book is absolutely gorgeous. I had a really good time reading this. The protagonist June is an amazing character, she’s likable, relatable and acts realistically. Her motivations come through and her struggle between family expectations and her own wishes are very interesting to follow.
This book also one of the most realistic depictions of first sexual experiences I’ve ever read.

Every Asian family has experienced this kind of mom that June Chu has in one way or another and in every family, they usually had that golden child that they are always proud of and they had the black sheep that always bring bad luck in their family. We all had that in every family, I guess.

I had so much to tell for this book but then I don't want to spoil much for the other readers.

I love how this book touched the life of an Asian girl trying to fit in and find the belonginess she wanted, the recognition she’d always wanted to have but then she misunderstood everything, her mother’s way discipline her and all the things she comments on her was only for her own good. She met three men in her life and only to realize they doesn’t deserve her, she deserves someone better to will see her value without her making an effort to show it.

I do love this book and I want to thank Anna Gracia for bringing this book to the world.

Boys I know by Anna Gracia was a treat to read. It tells us the story of all the boys our protagonist met and felt for. It might seem like something inspired from To all the boys I've loved before, but it is very different. You need to read in order to fall for this protagonist.

But before I delve into anything else, I want to point out how gorgeous the book cover looks. I was completely in awe and stared at the cover for days before I actually began reading this book.

The writing style of the book is beautiful and continuous, demanding from the readers to stay awake at night instead of sleeping. The book is a young adult romance but along side this light topic it covers the issues of minorities especially Asian minorities in America.

There is high school, assignments, college essays, musical instrument, and display of a normal Asian family trying to maintain their own culture and standing. The casual comments and the effect they have upon the individuals has also been discussed.

I enjoyed reading about the experiences of the protagonist. I also enjoyed that the author has kept the story realistic and what most of all have faced instead of trying to tie all knots in rush and end it in happy couple ending.

Overall, I absolutely loved reading this book. I will give this book 4 out of 5 stars. The story is somehow closed and yet open ended in this book. If the author wants, there can be a sequel but if not, even then the end doesn't leave readers on cliffhanger. (On a personal note, I would love to know more about June and her experiences in college).

I can’t give it stars if I dnf it… 🤷🏼‍♀️

I was SO hyped to read this book (arc) from a friend close to mine that made me think I would definitely finish it after a reading slump but…

I ended up not being able to finish it because of the main character. She made me so nervous that I couldn’t keep on going with the story because I wasn’t enjoying it. I felt so bad because of this, but I guess that it’s not a book for me, seeing that a friend did enjoy it so much!

I guess this proves that you have to get different things because we don’t all have the same type of taste!

I feel bad that I didn’t like it as much as I *should*. While it’s a much needed exploration of Asian-American identity, June is a really frustrating main character to read about with her lack of accountability and priorities in life. She did show some growth at the end of the book but overall it was really frustrating to read her.

I just reviewed Boys I Know by Anna Gracia. #BoysIKnow #NetGalley. I really enjoyed reading this book. The book revolves a round a teen age girl who is exploring her identity but has very strict parents who don’t really wanted her seeing boys.

"boys i know" was an enjoyable read with a solid premise, but the execution lacked that special something to pull it all together. while the book has an important message, it felt disjointed at times, as it followed june on her self-discovery journey, dealing with boys, and her parents' expectations of what her future should look like against what she seeks for herself. the early section of the story, in particular, felt like a collection of events thrown together with nothing linking them, so we'd jump from scene to scene. this improves dramatically in the second half of the novel, which i much preferred, but it does not compensate for the lack of coherence in the beginning.

because the book was so centered on june, all the side characters felt one-dimensional, lacking a distinct personality, that at some point they all blurred together. june herself wasn’t a particularly likeable character as she tends to victimize herself so much that it becomes unbearable after a while. she’s constantly complaining about her mom’s judgement, but is very quick to judge her friends or her sister when the occasion arises. the boys in this book were walking clichees and it was so funny to me how every single guy she encountered was instantly smitten with her. the way they behaved was almost caricature-like, as most of them had one personality trait and that’s it.

i have to say that rhys was the best of the bunch and i kinda wished the book explored their relationship a bit more as it felt very superficial while it claimed to be the most “serious” relationship june was in – based on how deep her feelings were. also the miscommunication trope was poorly utilized, since it left so many questions unanswered that i didn’t quite see the point of their relationship. i get that the book is supposed to be about june realizing how badly she had been treated, but it got to the point she just let the boys walk all over herself, while constantly fighting her mother and her sister. i also didn’t really get why tommy kept calling her covey or why he thought she was a mistake for rhys.

as this book is very character focused there isn’t much plot up to around 60-70% of the book, which i didn’t particularly care for. i wish there was a balance between plot and character development. the ending was rushed, in my opinion. june’s revelation came out of nowhere and at the final moment. as if she suddenly woke up wiser, so it ended very abruptly. i wished it took a bit more time to properly let us watch june come onto herself and figure out who she truly wants to be.

spoiler here! there is a pregnancy scare in here that wasn’t dealt with properly. i truly hated how everyone just moved on after a few pages and i had hoped the book approached this subject in a different manner. there’s also a sex scene with questionable consent that’s just never mentioned again.

all in all, i’ll definitely be checking this author’s future works, as i did read this book rather quickly, since it’s got a fast pace and the writing wasn’t overly-complicated.

𝘉𝘖𝘠𝘚 𝘐 𝘒𝘕𝘖𝘞 is a coming-of-age story which follows a "year in the life" of high school senior June Chu as she navigates sex, love, and Planned Parenthood in her small Midwestern town, while clashing with her Taiwanese mother's expectation that she will follow her older sister to Northwestern on a music scholarship.

- ~ -

They say if it's a negative(ish) review start off with the positive bits first so here goes:
The cover is simply gorgeous!
The colours? The gradient? The details? Stunning

Now for the actual review, I'd like to clarify that in no way was the story bad, it just felt problematic in certain spots and rushed.
I mean the message it delivers - knowing your worth and putting yourself first - is appreciated but if you're going through the effort of writing a whole book might as well include a proper ending? Or at the very least a conclusive inner monologue? I was so confused by the abrupt ending that it ruined all that I actually enjoyed.

Although, regardless of the direction the plot took and it's many many issues (like the dubious consent?), I guess I can see how June's an authentic character with messy but genuine problems faced in real time.
So yes, June Chu while she might messy and flawed she's a real representation of teen life and all that it includes - the good and the bad.

- ~ -

But anyway, let's talk about what is actually there in the story; the boys she encounters throughout the length of the book, they're no heroes they are however, the usual ones we all meet then swear off dating for life, so I can say June's a real one for putting up with them.
But I kinda wish *spoiler* had some character development. He and June were sweet together.

The story also includes the sense of individualism in the Asian American experience and while I can't speak to how actual Asian Americans would feel regarding this novel's representation, the context was appreciated.

- ~ -

2.99 / 5✩

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘗𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘛𝘦𝘦𝘯 & 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 & 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘥. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

This was such a great read. I love the main character’s exploration of identity and being at odds with the traditional expectations of her family. I thought it addressed sexuality and age appropriate sexual behaviors without minimizing how teens act and feel.

Thanks to Netgalley and PeachtreeTeen for this ARC !

Just like the title, this book revolves around June Chu, a high school senior with messy boys relationships, strict and controlling parents, and navigates her life option as she has to decide if she willings to live her life through other people's lens and path instead of hers. Being an asian american is not easy, June had to learn how to cope and fit in while holding herself back from racist, mysogy and sexism jokes and insults just so she could be looked as 'cool enough' for them.

With her mother who always hovering future plans for her, and her 'perfect child' older sister throwing mean comments here and there about her life decisions, she decides that trying hard might not be that great when she's about to fall short in their eyes anyway.

And she was hell-bent on making things 'official' and plans to make Rhys finally gave her the title 'girlfriend', but things went south and she stumbled on someone that willings to give her that title instead.

Discovering that what kind of live she wants to have instead of the one planned out for her, June had to make difficult decisions to have her own narrative even if she had to sever her relationship with those around her.

Amazingly, this book captured my attention the moment I got invested after a few chaoters into it. The start is very slow, but things built up pretty quick after that. The way her mind works and the decisions she made was based on her controlling parents, her friends and Rhys. Seeing how the world treats her for being Asian, with nicknames thrown at her like 'china doll' makes me mad, like why people are so easy to throw nicknames that they know will offend the other party. I never experienced racism from others, so I wouldn't know how it actually feels like, but through the lens of June Chu, I got upset with how white society treats her when she tried so hard to fit in. Let me just say that to that character called Tommy, may you rest in hell, thank you.

I love how genuine and raw these characters (except for Tommy), and how their characters and the plot interwined together to give this message that you OWN your life. Despite making repetitive mistakes, June is relatable as any other real person has in real life situations. She is not perfect, like everybody else. She just wants to belong to something or someone, and she didnt get it from the people who claimed to 'care' for her, which is why my heart aches for her.

One character that really stood out to me is June's mother. No one understand how is it with Asian parents like how Asian kids do. And I could relate to her about this. Everything June's mom came out in the book, I have to hold myself from cursing. However, I couldn't feel the 'humor' in this book as much as the synopsis stated. I think this book deals with serious matter and I don't think it can be 'funny' when someone just being sexist or racist towards you.

Overall, this is a great book. I recon that if you read this, take your time to read them all. Do not blindly judge the characters too harshly, but rather try to put yourself in their shoes. This book is about navigating feelings and options, it's about making mistakes and learnt from it and please bear in mind that June is a teenager, and she was bound to screw up her life sometimes. If you can understand this, you will enjoy this book as much as I was.

ARC provided by @Netgalley in return for an honest review.

Boys I Know by Anna Gracia is a dramatic YA novel that explores sexual exploration and identity, early adulthood growing pains, and family and cultural expectations with a raw, introspective voice.

The story follows June, a Taiwanese high schooler who is in the middle of deciding what to do with the rest of her life. Her overbearing mom and "perfect" sister are pressuring her to attend the same college as the golden child on a violin scholarship, but June wants to explore her choices first. She finds herself drawn to boys and college parties more than academics and struggles to find a place that feels authentic to her.

This book was interesting and complicated but enjoyable to read. It gives the real-life rollercoaster feelings of young adulthood in all of its messy, emotionally driven glory. At times the main character seems a bit whiny and selfish but honestly who wasn't in high school? I would recommend this book to fans of Jenny Han or Angie Thomas or anyone who has struggled to figure out their place in the world.

Thank you, Peachtree and Netgalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

I’m rating this 3 stars because somehow, I liked the theme of the story. This book is totally relatable as an Asian and a teenager who undergone through high school and puberty. There are parts where it’s kind of chaotic with the lack of communication and stuff, also take note of the content that may appear triggering to some readers.

Overall, it’s a great read for young adults.

This book was exactly how I thought it would be. It followed a teenager with her life and her friends/boyfriend and family.

The plot was okay, but I could really feel for the character and how her family had shaped her as a person and could really relate to that. I feel like this book could really help a lot of teenagers realise who they are and the mistakes that could happen. And that what people read in books are what they appear and that is a good message.

Thank you netgalley and peachtree for allowing me to read this prior the publishing date.

„Boys I know“ was a fun read, but there was just nothing outstanding about it. It has nice characters and decent relationships, but nothing I will remember a week from now. It still manages to tell an interesting story, which a lot of readers will find relatable in some aspects, about growing up, leaving high school and building relationships. 3.5/5

thank you NetGalley for the arc !!

*3.5 stars rounded up*

so this was honestly a chaotic read—fast, confusing af but still fun. The book started out kind of rocky (with the lack of communication, casual racism that was unaddressed until later, etc) but the way the author wrote in a sex-positive book that handled 2nd-child w expectations + immigrants living in a predominantly white area experience was perfect.

I loved how the romance was handled and how it was an overall messy book with overcoming expectations and finding what the mc wanted for herself.

At its heart, this story was a narrative on the high school experience and the MC’s struggle in never feeling good enough. In general, I found this book rather anticlimactic and it was unclear what the point of the story was. The story touches on racism, identity, family pressure, sex, and relationships, but never gives any of those topics top billing in the story and it’s a bit difficult to determine what the goal of the story is. While I didn’t LOVE the MC, I enjoyed her voice, and I appreciated that her story is one that many high school students can relate to.

I was given an ARC of this book by NetGalley and Peachtree Teen. All opinions are my own.

Thank you so much to the author, Peachtree Teen, and NetGalley for the complimentary ARC!
This review contains my honest and unbiased thoughts and opinions. 🌸

An interesting book, it had it good moments but there was also a few times it didn't hold my attention, a few times it frustrated me.

I liked the MC June, liked the diversity and enjoyed going along on her journey to discover herself. There were times when I could completely relate to June and other times when I felt like... just... ugh! We all have those moments of being unsure, with ourself, around our close friends, we question probably everything but at times, it felt a bit too much doubting herself, her self worth, etc.

I'm a bit torn on this one. It was a good book but at times, I just wanted to reach in the book and shake June, get her to wake up and get it together.

Boys I know is a simple yet impactful coming-of-age story.
June was an extremely relatable main character. I felt connected to her on the aspect of being 'good' but not ' good enough. As a teenager, I related to the story and enjoyed it thoroughly and would overall recommend it to everyone.

"Boys I Know": 3 ⭐

Asian representation: ✅
Sex positivity: ✅
A main character going through a lot: ✅
A conventional family: ✅

"Boys I Know" is a story about hard decisions, falling in love and deciding what your future looks like.
I enjoyed this story, although it wasn't my favorite. I liked the sex positivity, even tho the main character made some dubious decisions. I liked the asian representation best, since some books lack of it.
The main character, June Chu, annoyed me slightly though. Everything she thought, she thought it was for her to feel bad only. Everything was about her. Her sister calling her out on it was well deserved.
I wanted a better ending as well. It left a lot of questions hanging and some loose threads. We need more answers, we need more story. This felt like something that was being told to me, not something I was feeling.

However, I would recommend to everyone who wants to get out of a reading slump and go for a lighter read. The writing was easy to understand, adding some whimsy with the chinese proverbs.