Sanibel's writing is sharp enough to cut and the juxtaposition of the characters works extremely well. This all felt like a conversation being overheard in the best way. I can't wait to see what she does next.

To Have and Have More – Sanibel
A sharp, satirical take on ambition, privilege, and the never-ending hunger for more. Sanibel crafts a biting yet entertaining narrative that exposes the excesses of wealth and the consequences of chasing an insatiable dream. The characters are flawed yet compelling, and the prose is both witty and insightful. Whether you love stories about the ultra-rich or enjoy social commentaries wrapped in humor, this novel delivers both in spades.

ARC Review To Have and Have More by Sanibel

Publication Date: April 15/25

At first, I thought l this might be another “mean girls” story about privilege and I wasn’t sure this would resonate with me. But as Sanibel skillfully layered in issues like interracial adoption, racism, casual racism, micro aggressions, belonging, and the feeling of being an outsider, I found myself connecting to this story.

The story offers a deep dive into the complex world of privilege and hierarchy at Derrymore Academy, a prestigious boarding school. It revolves around the unlikely friendship between Emery, a Korean girl adopted by wealthy white parents, who shuns her Korean identity and all things Asian; and Lilah, a brilliant but insecure middle-class Chinese American student who is fascinated but overwhelmed by the wealth surrounding her.

Emery identifies as white, and has tried to shield herself from racism by distancing herself from anything that may highlight
her Asian background. However her worldview is shattered once she becomes aware of the stereotypes, micro aggressions and offensive remarks and questions surrounding her. Once her eyes are opened, she can’t return to her previous state of ignorance, but she also doesn’t feel comfortable embracing being Korean. This raises a compelling question, who is she now?

Lilah is a passionate student, who struggles under the weight of her parents high expectations for her to achieve academically, as a way to honor the sacrifices they made for her by immigrating. Without the privilege of wealth, she feels out of place and inadequate at Derrymore, and does not have the social status to be friends with Emery. However, their shared role on the tennis team brings them together, and their bond solidifies after the racist “Hug An Asian Day”.

Their friendship is a complicated one, marked by an imbalance of power and status, with Emery playing the role of benevolent friend smoothing a path for Lilah. Through Lilah’s family, Emery is exposed to her first authentic experience of Asian culture, including a memorable trip to Taiwan where they celebrate her adoption day.

As Emery’s friendship with Lilah deepens, she is forced to confront her privilege, and what losing her culture may have cost her. She starts questioning the superficiality of her previous friendships. However, as the balance of power shifts and Lilah begins to step into her own identity, eclipsing Emery. Emery’s jealousy, entitlement and privilege reassert itself. Ultimately proving that you can buy your way out of anything.

This is a dark, witty exploration of the privileged world of boarding schools through the lens of Asian students. At it’s core, it’s a thought provoking examination of friendship, identity, privilege and integrity with a honest portrayal of how identity and status can shape our lives in unexpected ways.

Thank you to NetGalley and 8th Note Press for the early copy of this book and the opportunity to provide honest feedback.

this satirical, drama-filled YA-ish book was such a compulsive read! i was drawn to the two vastly different main characters and how they navigated their worlds. perfect for anyone looking to indulge in some fun, teen drama. like many other readers, i found the second half of the book to be more my speed: faster paced, wittier, snarkier, more provoking. i wish these elements were more present throughout the entirety of the novel, but overall i enjoyed this read!
thanks so much to netgalley and the publisher for this advanced copy.

Gossip Girl but make it Asian American.

This was a good throwback to the days when Gossip Girl was popular. Fellow Millennials, iykyk.

The tone is matter of fact at times, with a bit of snark and introspection to pepper the narrative. I really liked the two FMCs, Emery and Lilah. They were both great foils to each other and provided a good contrast between the ultra-rich and the middle class at an elite boarding school. Can money really buy happiness? Does hard work lead to success, or is it all about the connections you have?

I won't lie. The first half of this book was standard fare high school drama. It wasn't really all too gripping, and I was desperately trying to find the satirical bent. I wanted more snark, in an "xoxo Gossip Girl" kind of way. The narration threw in bits and pieces of this, but it wasn't enough to whet my appetite.

The second half was miles better, since the story started to focus a lot more on Emery and Lilah's friendship, as Lilah helped Emery lean into her Asian heritage. It felt very true to life. (I'm saying this as a 1.5 gen Asian American who knows Asian American adoptees with white parents.) And even more true to life, the twist at the end regarding their friendship felt very real.

Overall, I had a decent time. But I wish it really leaned into the ridiculousness and absurdity of a satirical novel, one where I could snort out loud and share one-liners and particular details with a close friend so we could reminisce about our time in high school or college surrounded by rich kids.

Thank you to 8th Note Press and NetGalley for this arc.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

While this read more as a YA novel, I still very much enjoyed it. Set at an expensive prep school this shows the differences between the rich and middle class. Racisim, and how it is or isn't dealt with by both Emery (Korean born adopted as a baby into a wealthy white family) and Lilah (Taiwanese middle class), is a large part of this story. Their lives, and the way they deal with the microaggressions are vastly different.

Friendship and culture also come into play. Emery and Lilah do form a close bond but at the end it all falls apart. I had an internal debate about who was in the wrong- and really they both were.

This was a quick but insightful read and I look forward to more from this author in the future!

To Have and Have More submerges the reader into the priviledged world of private boarding schools. It touches upon themes of class, race, prejudice, and how different rules apply to those with wealth. Sanibel really nails the adolescent world of academia and teenage drama. It's clear this is a world she is quite familiar with.
While this book is at times funny and cringey, there were also moments I felt uncomfortable and even angry at seeing the different rules that apply to the wealthy.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a quick read and I was totally sucked into the world Derrymore Academy and all of it's drama.
This book reads more like a YA novel, this is a not a criticism, but an observation. I definitely recommend this book to anyone that likes some fun teen drama.
Thanks to NetGalley and 8th Note Press for the ARC of this book.

Sanibel’s To Have and Have More is a sharp, darkly funny debut that examines race, privilege, and identity through the lens of an elite private school. Emery, a Korean girl adopted into a wealthy white family, navigates the absurdities of Derrymore Academy, where casual wealth masks deeper issues. Her dynamic with Lilah, a Chinese-American student desperate to fit in, is fascinating—filled with tension, mutual curiosity, and uncomfortable truths. Their fragile friendship offers a complex exploration of the ways privilege both connects and divides.

The writing is witty, blending incisive social commentary with moments of humor that highlight the ridiculousness of excess—like sweet sixteens under tents or braces-free Mediterranean vacations. Yet beneath the humor lies a bold critique of power and consequences, showing how privilege shields certain actions from accountability. Sanibel’s storytelling is equal parts engaging and thought-provoking, leaving readers reflecting long after the final page. A must-read for those drawn to stories that balance depth with dark humor

Thank you to Net Galley and 8th Note Press for the ARC. This was such a great, fast paced, thrilling read. The author's voice is perfect for this kind of satire, while the racism, microagressions, and toxic behavior are uncomfortable and quite real, something about the author's voice makes this such a compulsive read. I really enjoyed reading about female friendships, the different family cultures, the privileges of being rich, the backstabbing and complexities of teenage life, this book was so well written.

This book was SO well done. I devoured the last half of it and couldn't get enough.

I loved the academia setting, the backstabbing, the fake friends, and the teenage angst. Reading almost like a YA but delivered in the best possible way, To Have and Have More would be a phenomenal book club choice.

From page one the casual racism had me cringing and while there were more than a few times I was uncomfortable, it felt good to embrace that discomfort. It gave me the merest glimpse into what so many individuals must face every day. It was eye opening and enlightening and Sanibel really nailed the delivery.

Emery and Lilah are such stellar characters. I think we've all known a Lilah and Emery at some points in our lives, and maybe in some ways, we're like them. Maybe we desperately wanted to fit in, or fit in but felt like a shell of our real selves, whoever that might be. Sanibel pushed the envelope in making us think inwardly, while keeping the focus on well-developed and complex characters.

I think what I loved most about this book is it throws away your standard arc. You expect one thing to happen and maybe it sort of does, but then it goes in an entirely different direction. I loved how everything played out. It all just felt so real. Sanibel, did you live this?!

If this book isn't on your radar, it needs to be. It's quick, it's witty, it's uncomfortable, a little bit shocking, and a whole lot brave. Don't miss it!

Thank you to 8th Note Press for the copy. Very highly recommend.

In her debut novel, Sanibel delivers a sharp and satirical story that dives into the exclusive world of private schools, highlighting the privilege and biases that thrive there. The cast of characters, although unlikable, feels all too real, crafting an atmosphere that's both unsettling and thought-provoking. A fantastic first effort!

The story immerses the reader into a place and time with so many small details of where and when but also how people spoke and made assumptions, and the struggle to fit in when race and privilege keep you an arms length away. I liked the story and wanted even more small moments where the reader would have been surprised by the harsh reality and experiences and missed opportunities that stick with people later in life.

title: To Have and Have More

author: Sanibel

publisher: Zando-8th Note Press

publication date: April 15, 2025

pages: 368

peppers: 1 (on this scale)

warnings: lack of justice, micro and macro aggressions, racism

summary: Emery was born in Korea and adopted by a VERY wealthy American couple. At Derrymore Academy, she meets up with Lilah, a Chinese-American girl on scholarship. The book follows their relationship from the beginning of high school, when they both become alternates on the Varsity Tennis team to Senior year, as they write their college application essays. 

tropes:

boarding school
the uber rich
scholarship kids
gay best friend

what I liked: There is no question in my mind that this pseudonym-using author went to Hotchkiss or Deerfield or some other NE elite boarding school. EVERY detail is drawn perfectly about the school, the administration, dorm life, friend groups, sports teams, publications, Chapel, race relations, etc.

what I didn’t like: 

overall rating: 5 (of 5 stars)

As a fellow boarding school kid (thanks for the Mercersburg shout out!), To Have and Have More engaged me on multiple fronts. I loved the nostalgia of boarding school in the late aughts and early 2010s. There were just enough cultural touchstones of the time included to help paint a picture without dating the entire story. I appreciated the author's subtle nod to themes beyond wealth and racial identity - sexuality (as represented by Noah), parent/child relationships (as represented by the Hoopers and Changs), gender norms (as represented by Errol, Jake, Ian, and Scott), female friendship (as represented by Candace, the quadruplets), among many others. Emery and Lilah's relationship covered so many fronts. I will be thinking about this book for a long time!

Sanibel writes a striking satirical tale set in the private school world of privilege and prejudice. With a group of unlikable yet sadly realistic caricatures found within this setting, it achieves the goal of creating an uncomfortable environment. Great debut!

I do wish the ending packed more of a satisfying punch.

This is the type of book that scratches a Mona Awad satirical itch!

Sanibel came out swinging with this as her debut. The prose is fun and paces quickly, the settings are nostalgic and places you right back into the early 2000s, and the characters are deliciously grotesque. Being a teenage girl already is a lot - add the nuances that these characters are facing and you get a recipe for mind tricks, ostentatious behavior, and feeling absolutely certain in every choice.

The social commentary was well delivered and I wont stop thinking about the last few chapters and the epilogue for a while.

Thank you to 8th Note Press for the advance copy for review!

I love that this book explores important themes of gender, race and class inequality. However, i think that most of the character are heavily unlikeable. Despite this, I still enjoyed the book overall, even if it was a bit hard to get through at times

As a Korean American who grew up in white America, I knew this book would resonate with me the second I read the blurb.

In white America, race is inextricably linked to class, money, and privilege. Sanibel masterfully explores these motifs through Emery, a privileged Korean American adopted into a white, wealthy family, and Lilah, a middle class Taiwanese American whose parents depend on her to achieve their American dream, as they navigate an elite boarding school.

Their dynamic mesmerized me, and I recognized so much of my own adolescent identity struggles in both main characters. Derrymore, the boarding school, serves as the perfect setting to dissect these issues—through did-you-hears, feigned sympathy, and unchallenged microaggressions.

Thanks to NetGalley for this wonderful ARC!

This is the debut novel by a Korean/Taiwanese author who grew up in Princeton and I liked it, I could tell how the authors own life inspired the complex ideas discussed in this novel, but I felt it was missing something. I didn’t feel I was really invested in the characteres until about halfway through. The story was an important examination of ideas about money, culture, privilege that are difficult to express in a short novel. While I enjoyed reading it, I wanted a little bit *more* depth the entire time.

I flew through this book in a day; it reminds me of "The Clique" series that I binged as an early adolescent but with more bite and more relevant social topics. I found myself drawn to the material culture of the book—the early aughts references bringing me into my own childhood flipping through Seventeen magazine and longing for the designer goods that Emery so casually sloughs off—as well as the relationship between Emery and Lilah.

*Spoilers*

I had such high hopes for Emery's journey to race and class consciousness, and just when she seems on the precipice of these realizations, she falls back into her reliance on whiteness, privilege, and wealth. The ending scene between Lilah's father and Emery at graduation felt like a needle in my throat.