This book has to be one of my favorites of the year. I'm so glad that I had the opportunity, through NetGalley, to read and review this one. It holds so many important lessons for women of all ages. A lot of books cover the topic of rape, but this book touched me a in way that no other book has done before. The actual event is not fully detailed, and I think that was intentional to show that it's not just the act. It's the feeling of a loss of agency, of a loss of power, and a loss of who you used to be. Thank you, Ela Lee.

As Lee puts it, "all children of immigrants have a Starbucks name", and so our Ceyda, is known throughout the book as Jade. Jade, as the daughter of Korean and Turkish immigrants, has always tried to pursue the dreams of her parents. A lawyer at a prestigious London law firm. A good boyfriend from an affluent family. But the world that Jade occupies is also full of immense pressure -- the pressure to swallow the inappropriate behavior of the partners she works under, the be fully present (i.e. drinking and hobnobbing) at outside work events while also putting in 120% for her clients. The pressure to move in with her live-in boyfriend. All the pressure. And then she is raped by a co-worker after a work function. Jaded follows Jade as she pieces together the events of that night, and the aftermath that falls on her, rather than her rapist -- first the physical pain, then the mental and emotional anguish of the event and her decision to tell her close friends, her boyfriend, and her workplace.

This one will stay with me for a long time. Five stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed reading Jaded. I appreciated the author's insight into expectations from society and family. I liked the play with memory

This was... a lot. I'd wanted to read Jaded very much ever since I first heard about it and feel privileged to have gotten to.

The prose was beautiful, raw, heartfelt and genuine. I found the portrayal of sexual assault and trauma to be very realistic, and my heart broke for Jade. I could (unfortunately) resonate with some of what she felt and went through. The book also does a fantastic job delving into race, gender inequality, class, privilege, family and other social issues in a sensitive yet balanced manner.

While the ending was not wholly satisfying, it felt right.

I felt like I was suffocated when Jade was saying how pressure inside her was building. I could feel the same pressure in my lungs and my heart. It shouldn't be this hard to explain people why you want to talk about something while you want to forget it all together or expect them to believe you even when you had the hardest time to figure out what to believe.

Ceyda, or as she was known to her friends Jade, was a half Turkish, half Korean girl, living in London and trying to find her way around in cutthroat law scene. She did all the right things to get her the "right" job but she lowkey was feeling out of place. She wasn't one of the white men; she was more of an assistant or "work horse" for them. She had to dress nice, speak intelligently, and get the job done when I asked. And of course she also had to ignore sexual advances and accept that it was part of the game. Until she was raped on those white boys... then of course her life came crashing down

I was impressed by the tension, heartache, and panic attack this storytelling was reflecting. It was small gestures, tiny reactions that made it way too realistic. Although I think this is a 5 star story, I could have lived without the epilogue. It's human nature. Eventually one perseveres and continues to live a life. Because right before epilogue started, Jade managed say the hardest words to say out there

You get some dark and gut-wrenching meat with Jaded. Ceyda (“Jade”) is an engaging narrator as she takes us through her journey from her hopes and dreams to the aftermath of dealing with her sexual assault, from the breakdown of relationships to those made stronger. There were times I wanted to high five Jade just as there were times I wanted to hug her and a few times when I just wanted to shake some sense into her. This was a beautiful literary debut with some hard hitting themes.

I attempted to read this book and managed to read only one chapter before I decided to not finish it. This book isn't for me and I don't plan on finishing it anytime soon.

"Jade" follows Ceyda, a talented lawyer in London, whose life unravels after a night of heavy drinking leads to hazy memories and suspicions of sexual assault. Struggling between pleasing her immigrant parents and maintaining societal norms, including her relationship with Kit, Jade’s world begins to crumble. This traumatic event propels her on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment.

The book addresses themes of identity, ambition, misogyny, and cultural expectations, showcasing Jade's internal struggle and growth. As she confronts her past and family, Jade learns to reclaim her sense of self.

"Jade" is a compelling exploration of resilience and personal growth. The story's superb writing and insightful examination of contemporary social issues make it a powerful read. Despite its difficult subject matter, the novel is beautifully crafted and thought-provoking.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

Jaded is a fabulous debut novel and deserves way more hype than it’s receiving! The book touches on so many important topics, including sexual assault, racism, immigration, sexism, and relationships and does so in a very thoughtful manner. The characters, though not always likable, are compelling, with the protagonist, Jade, being particularly relatable. Furthermore, as someone who loves London and has a partner who works in big law, I found the setting especially appealing. The flashbacks were also a nice touch and seamlessly incorporated the past and the present. Finally, the book ended on a hopeful note that was fitting for the story. Overall, this was an amazing novel that I recommend to ALL readers!

Following a young Lawyer after waking up not knowing what happened the night before, how she got home, and who brought her back. Jade has to grapple with the assault that took place and the victim blaming that ensues through different avenues of her life. After being sexually assaulted by a coworker, her professional and personal life are not sacred to her anymore. An incredible yet heartbreaking story that everyone should read in their lives.

Jaded by Ela Lee is the story of a young lawyer who wakes up after a work party, and she doesn't remember how she got home or what might have happened once she was home. As the days go by, she gets flashbacks, and her life starts to fall apart because of what happened. This story is such an honest look at what victims of abuse go through. Highly recommend, but please check content warnings. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

Hello, JADED! This debut blew me away.

Jade is a biracial daughter of immigrants who has high expectations for herself. She's got a career that she works hard for and a boyfriend she loves. But everything comes into question one night after a gala when she's pressured to drink too much and wakes up having no memory of what happened when she got home. Themes of identity, trauma, racism, sexism, friendship, and sexual assault. I highlighted so much-this is a great pick for book club.

Jade is a fully realized character -and if you want to read a book that will certainly piss you off, here you go!

Im looking forward to much more from this author.

Overall, just OK. I respect what the writer was attempting to do here, but it didn’t land with me.

I did like the main character, just wanted a bit more from her.

Thanks to Simon for the ARC.

This book was so heartbreaking and I felt the weight of the story throughout the writing .
Thank you for the eArc

Another book on how the system fails women over and over again. I hoped this wouldn't be the case. Everyone let Jade down: her company, boyfriend, friends, and family. After a work function that Jade has no memory of how it ended, we slowly unfold the details with her. The pacing is a little slow but I was definitely invested in finding out the truth. My heart went out to poor Jade who thought things would be different... this time. Seems like everyone wanted to play the blame game but place the blame where it needed to be. A solid debut from Ela Lee. I'm excited to see what's next for her.

(Actual: 4.25⭐, rounded up) This book was an absolute gut-punch and one I will never forget. Stories centering around tough topics such as rape, SA, and consent are hardly new, of course — and yet JADED felt so different & refreshing to me in comparison to both its predecessors and fellow contemporaries. I think where this book (and Lee) succeeds is in its engaging narrator, Ceyda/"Jade", who is far from perfect but is undoubtedly complex and layered as an individual in her own right. This can especially be seen when it comes to how she chooses to navigate, identify with, &/or even willingly blind herself to her mixed-race status (half Turkish/half Korean), as well as how it comes into play and conflict with her relationship with a [wealthy] white man. I also really liked how Lee portrayed the unique intricacies and difficulties often found between immigrant children and their parents, as it's something I myself can relate to and understand very well.

While there's definitely a lot happening in this book and it, at times, can feel a bit bloated given some of its heavier content, I will say that Lee manages to hold it altogether and tell a very cohesive, nuanced, and authentic story. I definitely would recommend this book to others and am excited for what Lee comes out with in the future!

"Jaded" by Ela Lee is a powerful and thought-provoking debut novel that delves into the complexities of modern society, addressing themes of sexual assault, misogyny, class dynamics, and cultural identity. Lee explores the emotional turmoil experienced by the protagonist, Jade, as she struggles to piece together the events of a night that has left her traumatized and questioning everything she thought she knew.

Lee's ability to intertwine multiple layers of societal issues within the narrative is commendable, as she effectively highlights the intersections of power, privilege, and prejudice that pervade Jade's world. The exploration of toxic work cultures and the pressures of corporate ladder-climbing add further depth to the story, emphasizing the often-overlooked challenges faced by women in professional environments.

Ela Lee is a talented writer, and her willingness to confront difficult topics with honesty and empathy makes this debut an impressive and compelling addition to contemporary literature.

4.5. This was a brutal read (in the best way). It covers tons of topics in a small amount of pages--sexual assault, racism, multiracial relationships and identity, etc. There's a rawness in the way Ela Lee writes that makes it clear that every one of these topics is personal, and the way she details the sexual assault and its consequences (or, for some, lack thereof) is so realistic that it made me incensed to read.

This book tackled some very sensitive issues, but I struggled with the writing and felt no connection to the characters. I feel like Jade was hyper focused on her sexual assault throughout the book, but still drank heavily without a care in the world which showed that she wasn’t as fearful as the book described her character to be.

This book wasn’t all about Jade and her battles; it was mostly about her friends, and the corporate world, which I found uninteresting. Others may enjoy this book, but unfortunately, it wasn’t for me.

This was really interesting book about jade. Her parents were immigrants.Her mother was from Korea.Her father was from turkey. They met when the mother was a young girl in london from seoul korea and she fell for this man from turkey who was also an immigrant. They tried to build a life together because she became pregnant with jade. It had a lot of hardships but they always stuck by themselves and they tried to get their daughter.Everything she wanted.Her mother used to make her special foods and stuff like that. Jade was working in a fancy lawyer office. S a lawyer. She had a boyfriend named kit who came from a very wealthy background. His parents were not very happily.Married and got divorced because his father had a second family. Kid had a lot of trust issues too. Jade was trying to fit in with this new upwards in mobile society and she found it sometimes difficult to navigate. She went to a fancy party on her lawyer firm. Things started to go south from that point on. Jade ended up being taken advantage because she was drunk.And this guy took her home named josh. She couldn't recall the night because she was blocked out and she did not know what to tell kip. Eventually she told him but was a sore subject in their relationship. She tried.
To get over it with her friends and stuff and went home for a while. She moved in with kit but this wasn't a really good idea because they had a lot of issues to air out. They talked about the rape and this book.It was interesting how everybody looked at it differently. Especially like the mother's take on it. Because she knew what happened in Korea when the Japanese took advantage of these woman. I think it's a really good book for women to see how it's such a struggle to be in a man's world. Everybody everybody, she thought was her friends.Ome of them turned against her. It has a very different type of ending and I think you're like it

Jaded
By Ela Lee

Jade is a young lawyer in London, in a long term relationship with Kit. She is of Korean-Turkish extraction. Her story is multi-faceted.

This is a book about a woman trying to "make it" in a man's world. But it is much more than that: it is about racial bias, both covert and overt; it is about rape and its consequences for the victim, the perpetrator, and others in their lives; it is about gender identity. Ultimately it is about love, family, friendship, loyalty and betrayal.

Obviously, Ms. Lee has much to say here. It is depressing to think that society has not made the strides in the areas of racism and sexism which we like to think we have made. The author has pulled back the curtain and shown us just how much further we have to go.