Lovely YA contemporary, I enjoyed it from start to finish. The characters were an absolute highlight for me. I will be recommending it to readers both young and older.

Something More by Jackie Khalilieh, a young adult contemporary debut, is witty and nostalgic and shines a spotlight on two groups of people who are sorely underrepresented in the book world. One of the best kinds of books is one that teaches the reader while also entertaining, and Something More fulfilled that for me quite satisfactorily.

When the book opens we meet Jessie Kassis, a Palestinian-Canadian teen, who is about to embark on her first year of high school after just being diagnosed as autistic. She’s determined to hide her diagnosis from anyone outside of her family, and after encouragement from her therapist, she creates a list of goals to help keep her focused on what she’d like to achieve her first year of high school.

What makes this story shine is Jesse’s voice. I’ve seen several other reviewers use the word authentic, and it’s spot-on. The author, who also identifies as an autistic, Palestinian-Canadian, uses her own experiences to bring life to Jesse, and she’s created an unforgettable character. Jesse’s aware of the things that make her seem different from her peers, and she wears so many different masks, sometimes it’s hard for her to know who the real Jesse is. She knows she’s uncomfortable in social situations, that she says unexpected things, and that she’s obsessed with all things 90s. But she yearns to be accepted, have real friends, and to fall in love, just like most teenagers. Her journey is messy, but oh so rewarding.

I was especially impressed by Khalilieh’s ability to illustrate that what may seem obvious and predictable to the reader, is not so for Jesse. She did this graciously by showing and not just telling, a perfect reminder that we may all see the world differently and shouldn’t expect uniformity.

I had an unexpected nostalgic reaction while reading this book. Khalilieh did a good job of placing me back in my high school years. It may have been that Jesse is obsessed with all things 90s, which is when I attended high school, but many of Jesse’s successes and heartbreaks during her first year brought back memories of my own experiences. I was surprised by how much Jesse’s story made me revisit those emotions.

Jesse has a wonderful supporting cast, as well. From her boisterous, loving family to her new friend-group to her love interests. While much of the book does focus on Jesse’s love interests, the relationships are deftly woven into Jesse’s life, only enhancing her story.

And if you’re a follower, you know I can’t end a review without mentioning all the music that was included throughout these pages. I was thrilled to find Jesse’s playlist at the end of the book.

Joyful, authentic, and nostalgic, make sure you add Something More to your summer TBR!

Something More perfectly encapsulates the plight of an autistic teenage girl who is trying to come to terms with what that means in her life, while also trying to become the best version of herself, all while entering high school. Jessie was so freaking relatable it hurt. From the special interests, to not understanding teen social interactions, to overcompensating, to not being able to figure out situations with the people you're attracted to, to the feelings of knowing you must've done something wrong, but what? There's almost too much to name. The amount of times I wanted to knock advice into this sweet little 9th grader's head was so high, and yet I couldn't help but empathize with her, because learning about your diagnosis and then starting high school while trying to make friends must be HARD.

I would totally be interested in following Jessie's story throughout high school as she learns more about herself and autism, and goes through changes and decisions. There's a lot of heart in this book, and I really loved it.

Thanks to Netgalley and Tundra Books for the e-ARC!

A really sweet coming-of-age ya contemporary featuring an autistic Palestinian-Canadian girl. The main character, Jessie, gives us an engaging narration of navigating the high school experience of finding yourself, friendships, and relationships. This really feels Jenny Han vibes. I can see young patrons loving this book.

Thank you to netgalley for the ARC!! This is probably my favorite book I’ve read this year so far. As someone who doesn’t really enjoy the love triangle trope, I was rooting for both ships at some point. Jessie was such a lovable protagonist! It’s so incredibly important that women on the spectrum get represented especially young women of color. An amazing debut from Jackie Khalilieh

Following Jessie through her freshman year of high school, with a new Autism diagnosis and a notebook full of her biggest goals, Something More is a sweet story about identity and finding yourself.

I really enjoyed this story! It was light and enjoyable and full of heart. It was so very genuine and raw at times that I couldn't help but see parts of my younger self in Jessie - boy crazy (not that I had the confidence Jessie has about it) but anxious about friendships. Wanting to do the right thing because it seems like the only solution, but not understanding that there are nuances to situations in high school that you don't understand. I remember, in the same way Jessie experiences, not getting why things were the way that they were - the heirarchy of high school, the importance of keeping secrets because the truth mght hurt someone - and the difficuly of having to learn that. The sense of missing the handbook that everyone else seems to have read for teenagedom. I think it's why I am so drawn to studying and learning about youth culture these days, because it gives me the understanding that I lacked when I was that age.

Anyways, I really enjoyed this book. Not every little moment was perfect, but that's okay! That's what life is all about. Jessie's story was so fun, and I kind of wish I could follow her through the rest of high school. I'll have to settle for waiting for the next of Jackie Khalileh's books.

This book. The author has beautifully represented a neurodiverse character. It's funny because while not autistic myself, I know someone who is who is so similar to Jesse, even right down to her love of the 90s. I am obsessed with this book, not just for the stunning writing but for the fact that this book is doing what we need in publishing, bringing underrepresented characters to the forefront for people who deserve to see themselves in fiction. I also love that it's a Palestinian Canadian main character as well!

This book is a book of firsts and in many ways will be the book best friend to any teenager and young adult no matter their background as they navigate the often confusing and troubling times of the path to adulthood.

This book should be on the shelf of every high school and college library. I am in awe of how wonderful this book is and how so incredibly important this novel will be to all that read it!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book has been on my radar for a while so I'm so glad I got the chance to read it and needless to say it did not disappoint. The representation in this book was everything. Being able to see an Asian and neurodivergent person as the main character made me really happy.

In terms of the love interests at first, I was like "choose griffin already!" but I later realized that Jessie is someone who sees the world differently from me and I should be more aware that everyone sees the world differently. Jessie's growth throughout the book and the fact she was able to accomplish all the goals she written in her journal made me so happy!

I also wish Griffin was real, like please I need a Griffin in my life.

Overall, this book was so fun and I loved the representation and Jessie's growth as a character.

**Thanks, NetGalley, for this ARC. This review is my opinion**

I gave this a few chapters, but the story wasn't pulling me in. I think the way Jessie acts just grates on me. I understand she's 15, but for the love of god.... I've been on the hunt for more books with characters on the spectrum, and I just wish this had been better.

I got to read an ARC of this through Netgalley. It is being released in mid-June.

YA romance, first person, single POV, MC is a Palestinian-Canadian girl diagnosed autistic the summer before her first year of high school. While definitely a romance, it's also a novel of self-acceptance as Jessie learns to navigate her diagnosis and deals with high school social life and conscious decisions about masking and unmasking. The love triangle (yes, there is a love triangle) is in some ways fairly conventional, but I think very well executed-- even while there is a clear "right guy," the other one has his moments. I guess some reviewers have trouble believing that Jessie is oblivious to one boy's romantic interest for as long as she is. All I can say is those readers are (a) obviously neurotypical and (b) not internalizing what the novel clearly communicates about Jessie's reading of social cues directed at her that don't fit with a current paradigm. It's SUPER realistic.

The romance plot is cute and compelling, but the things that make this a great read are: (1) Jessie's narrative voice!!!! She is such a real and endearing teen narrator, and it is a delightfully voicey book. (2) The friendships, which are much more of an unconventional emotional rollercoaster than the romance plot, because Jessie has always been the weird kid and is trying to figure out how to make friends and sustain friendships, and it is hard and confusing and frustrating and ultimately mostly rewarding. (3) The autistic rep, by an actually autistic author, is so good, and autism is enmeshed in the story, but it isn't an autism story, it's a love story. She's just getting to be a teenager, with an extra layer of challenge. And I can't wait to get this book into students' hands.

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Random House Canada, Tundra books, and Jackie Khalilieh for this totally tubular ARC.

Dear Future Reader,
If you are looking for a book synopsis here, you won’t find one. You WILL find reasons I believe you should read this book.
All the best,
Tasha R.

I loved this book. Truly. It was bliss. It did all the things my favorite books do: feel deeply, connect to the characters, remember things, and inspire.

I felt happy, mad, and sad right along with Jessie. Throw some utter humiliation in there, too. I connected in that my own father was VERY strict, those crushes were really something, and the seemingly overnight growth of new parts during puberty really not rad. I remembered my own high school experience and how my main hs crush had traits of the boys in Jessie’s orbit. I want to linger here, but then I’d miss out on the most important part. This book made me want to return to an old work of mine and finally get the story written and to journal again.

I hope to whatever divine universe force you choose to believe in, that you fall madly for this book and that Jessie charms you with all her ups and downs in romance, school, family, and friends as she did for me.

✍️ Jackie Khalilieh
💬 English

⭐⭐⭐💫

When I found this book on NetGalley, I hit the request button without a second thought. First, the cover illustration was very attractive. It gave me a nostalgic vibe of my teenage years. Secondly, the description was promising.

The story follow Jessie Kassis, a teenage girl who medically assessed with autistic spectrum. She has just entered high school and was trying to blend in as a normal person (which she was not) by trying to cover up her autistic behavior. By medical advise, Jessie had a notebook filled with her short-term small goals she want to achieve during her school years to help her focus.

Jessie Kassis was an interesting character. Apart from her autistic spectrum, her background of being half-Canadian and half-Palestinian, made this book unique and different. As the only POV in the story, I learned a lot about how complicated Jessie's brain was.

Jessie had a severe obsession with small goals that she set for herself, that--eventually--restrained herself from moving forward, made her life chaotic. She also often ignore other things unrelated to her goals. For example, Griffin's existence. I found it hilarious that Jessie was fully aware about his presence after long-long time despite his genuine and constant kindness toward her. It was the same with Jessie's surrounding. Her people could change from friends to enemies and friends again in just a few paragraphs-- that, actually, it could happen in real life though.

Unfortunately, this book didn't explain much about the setting. The description of school and the atmosphere around her were vague. And Jessie's public speech? Not the best part of the book, I must say. It could have been better--something more.

In any words, It still a good book. It was perfect for a light, coming-of-age romcom.

Thank you Netgalley, Penguin Random House Canada for the e-ARC in exchange for honest review.

This book was so well written, I was pretty much hooked the whole time. The narration is really heartfelt and relatable, and I legit felt like I was back at high school - I relived all the pain, the awkwardness of fitting in, the changing friendships, and the growth I had during high school with this book. I found the endgame romance to be SO sweet, and I loved how the MC found her confidence at the end! It was very YA movie-esque.

TWs - cheating, bullying at school, death of a grandparent

-- ty to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

Something More chronicles Jessie's year in ninth grade as she comes to terms with her autism diagnosis while also navigating new friendships and feelings about boys. There's a perfect amount of drama and realism in this thoughtful coming of age novel that fans of Jenny Han will love-- I was completely invested!

I was so excited to finally get this ARC! I knew I had to read it and I am so glad I did. A BIPOC story of a young girl navigating her new life after being diagnosed with autism? This was absolutely wonderful. Being that I have just been diagnosed as neurodivergent myself, a story like this came at just the right time and I can't wait for other young girls to get the chance of experiencing Jessie's story as well. I don't know what I expected but I was so moved by how raw and genuine the writing for this book was. I haven't read a coming of age or YA romance in a little bit so that bit took me a bit by surprise but I have to say, this is what the genre should be: adorable, authentic, and just the slightest bit emotional.

I typically don't read contemporary romance books, so if I didn't know about the autism angle in Something More, I would have skipped this one up entirely. I would have missed this great story of Jessie navigating her first year of high school while trying to understand her recent autism diagnosis and reach her many goals and appear "normal". And of course, deal with her crushes and the love triangle she’s entangled in.

I loved Jessie so much, she always felt different from her peers, and now with her autism diagnosis, she has an answer. The first couple of chapters are mostly dedicated to her past history, getting ready for high school, as well as explaining what autism is without being too info dump heavy, enough to give those unfamiliar an idea of what it is, especially for females, who often get missed. Of course, Jessie still has to deal with her family, her Palestinian heritage (which was done well and not a stereotypical setup, the family happens to be Christian Arabs), trying to fit into her friend group, and growing independence (something nearly every teen deals with). I love that autism isn't a "character flaw", or "defect", or "less than", and that the story is about Jessie learning to accept her autism in the first year since diagnosis. There's a determination I appreciated about her, despite frustrations and setbacks, it takes a lot for her to give up. Many times, I wanted to give Jessie a hug when she makes a big mistake or is about to cry, especially since she's hyper aware of how she appears to her peers, because in some ways, I've been there. I also enjoyed her 1990's pop culture special interest, so much references took me back. She's super relatable to me at least.

The other characters were fleshed out and I enjoyed what they brought to the table, and that a lot of them had character arcs playing out on and off page, adding another layer to Jessie's complicated life.

Yes, this does have a love triangle dynamic with Levi (the bad boy) and Griffin (the cinnamon roll), but both characters are fleshed out and go beyond the stereotypes. The love triangle does play out differently than the typical setup, and I really enjoyed the journey and the resolution. In fact, the whole romance arc doesn't play out typical, since Jessie is not neurotypical. It was refreshing, and oddly, relatable in a way, falling hard all at once and getting so obsessed over someone (like special interest level obsessed) that she doesn't notice much else.

The ending was just perfect, especially the last few pages, which you'll understand once you get to them, I smiled inside.

This was a fun surprise in a genre I don't often read, and found relatable characters and an interesting freshman year. If you're looking for something a little different in your YA contemporary romance, or looking for an awesome story starring an autistic character that's not a stereotypical white boy (instead a Palestinian girl), I highly recommend this one!

Quick premise of this is that recently diagnosed autistic, Palestinian Canadian 15-year-old Jackie starts high school and makes friends with three girls, Mel, Ofelia & Cat. She has older siblings but they are only briefly in the story. This takes place over an academic school year, from August to May in mostly high school campus settings and at friends' homes and is told in first-person POV of Jackie, who I found very sweet but constantly frustrated by others' questionable actions/motivations. This is definitely a coming-of-age with some romance splashed in! At the recommendation of her therapist, Jackie makes goals for the school year, which sometimes change, but mostly grow as the year goes on, which are closely related to friendships and romantic relationships. She wants Levi, a boy she has class with, to be her first kiss and to make Griffin her first male friend. She also wants her parents to stop being so overprotective when it comes to boys and she is adamant about never crying at school, or ever letting someone see her cry.

While I found Jackie to be so endearing and rooted for her, I also grew frustrated with her and pretty much everyone else in this book. I recognize it's teen fiction and the level of angst is expected. However, the pettiness, especially between the girls, was so saddening and disheartening. Yes, most of them had a happy lil ending but it was disappointing to see the girls gossip and treat each other so horribly out of such selfish motivations. Do I think that rings true to real life sometimes? Absolutely, but I ended up thinking that none of these people were worth Jackie's time! I wanted her to go into sophomore year with completely new friends to be honest.

As far as the romances, oh my goodness lol. The hard part for me is reconciling with the fact that these are 14/15-year-olds (minors) that are so openly discussing sexual activity and then the chaos of the multiple love triangles in this book. That's also representative of what my high school experience was like but sheeeesh, it was a LOT. I didn't love the multiple love triangles and it was also hard because this could have easily been middle grade to me without the making out and almost-statutory situation... Overall, I enjoyed Jackie's POV and her ruminations on what it's like to be a young autistic girl but I think the author should try exploring middle grade next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Jessie is an Arab Canadian girl starting high school just weeks after being diagnosed with ASD. She has goals that include a magical first kiss and a spot in the drama club, but what she doesn't expect is for two different boys to capture her heart.

This is a bit of a love triangle, but at the same time, the triangle doesn't really "appear" right away, so if you don't like them, it isn't that big of a factor. Jessie is funny and you care for her quickly. I don't personally know what it's like to be autistic, so I can't speak to Jessie's experiences with ASD, but the author does mention in the acknowledgements that she is autistic, so it's an own voices story!

This was lovely! A heartfelt romcom with an autistic WOC as a main character. That’s something I’ve never read or seen done at all! I really appreciated the autistic rep in this. I thought the experiences were relatable and well portrayed. I adored many of the side characters as well.

*Thank you to NetGalley for a free ecopy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.*

Jessie is a high school freshman, she has an obsession with the nineties, and she's just been diagnosed as autistic. Determined to have a fresh start in a new school, Jessie creates a number of goals for herself that include everything from getting a cellphone to having her first kiss. Enter Levi, the bad boy who fulfills all her nineties teen heartthrob fantasies. But things don't go the way Jessie imagines they will.

Something More is a beautiful, OwnVoices YA novel about trying to fit in and learning it's okay to stand out.

Was there some cheesiness mixed in there? Of course there was! But, Jessie and all the high school drama that she deals with felt authentic and had me finishing this book in one day. I absolutely loved it!