June Chu is the “just good enough” girl. Good enough to line the shelves with a slew of third-place trophies and steal secret kisses from her AP Bio partner, Rhys. But not good enough to meet literally any of her Taiwanese mother’s unrelenting expectations or to get Rhys to commit to anything beyond a well-timed joke.
While June’s mother insists she follow in her (perfect) sister’s footsteps and get a (full-ride) violin scholarship to Northwestern (to study pre-med), June doesn’t see the point in trying too hard if she’s destined to fall short anyway. Instead, she focuses her efforts on making her relationship with Rhys “official.” But after her methodically planned, tipsily executed scheme explodes on the level of a nuclear disaster, she flings herself into a new relationship with a guy who’s not allergic to the word girlfriend.
But as the line between sex and love blurs, and pressure to map out her entire future threatens to burst, June will have to decide on whose terms she’s going to live her life—even if it means fraying her relationship with her mother beyond repair.
A modern Judy Blume meets Jenny Han, Boys I Know is a raw and realistic look into the lives of teen girls. June Chu is an authentic if imperfect protagonist, and her journey of self discovery is as uncomfortable as it is cathartic.
Teens & YA
Publication Date: 26 Jul 2022
-
Advance Praise for Boys I Know:
"Gracia employs a whirlwind pace that complements June's myriad triumphs and failures; a large, vibrant cast; and a true-to-life teen voice to explore societal gender roles, racism, and sexuality while artfully depicting one teenager's search for herself amid cultural and familial pressures."—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
-
"The panoply of supporting characters in this story that explores sexuality, gender roles, and relationships is finely drawn, and June is a winning protagonist with a lively, appealing voice that renders the repartee between her and her flinty, anxious mother simultaneously infuriating, hilarious, and poignant. A fresh tale about a teen’s struggles to define herself."—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
-
"Fresh, funny, and fearless—a knockout novel about finding the courage to declare your place in the world." –Sarah Kuhn, From Little Tokyo, with Love
My Review:
3 Stars:
📖Book: Boys I know
⭐️Rating: 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
✍🏼Author: Anna Gracia
📚Genre: YA & Teen
🗏 Pages: 337
⚠️Warnings: Racism, Toxic Relationships, Culture Appropriation, Drug use, Misogyny, Alcohol, Racisms, Pregnancy, Abortion.
✍🏼First Line: "Aiya. You go to school all day looking like ji nu?
Things to expect:
✨Teens discovering their sexuality
✨Outlook on teen relationships
✨Growth
This type of YA novel should be read by most young teens trying to figure themselves out in the American Lifestyle. June Chu is a high school senior who is trying to figure herself out. She has some messy relationships and an identity crisis. Anna Gracia wrote about the Asian-American teen life in such a meaningful, impactful way. As a White Woman, I was able to see how much of the issues that most Asain-American faces are caused by my ancestors, and it takes reading novels like this to open our eyes and see things from others' perspective. The only reason it is not a 4-star book is for accessibility reasons. Italic font is present and for the dyslexic community being able to access books is half the battle; not everyone has access to e-books and audiobooks. so when you publish in a font that is not accessible to 10% of the population, you get a star knocked. Regardless I think this book should be read by teens in a classroom setting in either 11th or 12th grade.
Thanks to Colored Page Book Tours and Peachtree for the advance reader copy.
PRINT LENGTH PAGES
AVERAGE REVIEW RATING
HARDCOVER COST
E-BOOK COST
AUTHOR
Anna grew up biracial in the Midwest, spending her formative years repeatedly answering the question “What are you?” Before finding her way as a young adult author, she was a CPA, a public school teacher, a tennis coach, and for one glorious summer, a waitress at a pie shop. She now lives on the West Coast, raising three kids and writing stories about girls navigating a world full of double standards.
PUBLISHER
Penguin Random House is the international home to more than 300 editorially and creatively independent publishing imprints. Our mission is to ignite a universal passion for reading by creating books for everyone. We believe that books, and the stories and ideas they hold, have the unique capacity to connect us, change us, and carry us toward a better future for generations to come.
Let's Get Started!
Subscribed to my notebook!
June Chu is the “just good enough” girl. Good enough to line the shelves with a slew of third-place trophies and steal secret kisses from her AP Bio partner, Rhys. But not good enough to meet literally any of her Taiwanese mother’s unrelenting expectations or to get Rhys to commit to anything beyond a well-timed joke.
While June’s mother insists she follow in her (perfect) sister’s footsteps and get a (full-ride) violin scholarship to Northwestern (to study pre-med), June doesn’t see the point in trying too hard if she’s destined to fall short anyway. Instead, she focuses her efforts on making her relationship with Rhys “official.” But after her methodically planned, tipsily executed scheme explodes on the level of a nuclear disaster, she flings herself into a new relationship with a guy who’s not allergic to the word girlfriend.
But as the line between sex and love blurs, and pressure to map out her entire future threatens to burst, June will have to decide on whose terms she’s going to live her life—even if it means fraying her relationship with her mother beyond repair.
A modern Judy Blume meets Jenny Han, Boys I Know is a raw and realistic look into the lives of teen girls. June Chu is an authentic if imperfect protagonist, and her journey of self discovery is as uncomfortable as it is cathartic.
Teens & YA
Publication Date: 26 Jul 2022
-
Advance Praise for Boys I Know:
"Gracia employs a whirlwind pace that complements June's myriad triumphs and failures; a large, vibrant cast; and a true-to-life teen voice to explore societal gender roles, racism, and sexuality while artfully depicting one teenager's search for herself amid cultural and familial pressures."—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
-
"The panoply of supporting characters in this story that explores sexuality, gender roles, and relationships is finely drawn, and June is a winning protagonist with a lively, appealing voice that renders the repartee between her and her flinty, anxious mother simultaneously infuriating, hilarious, and poignant. A fresh tale about a teen’s struggles to define herself."—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
-
"Fresh, funny, and fearless—a knockout novel about finding the courage to declare your place in the world." –Sarah Kuhn, From Little Tokyo, with Love
My Review:
3 Stars:
📖Book: Boys I know
⭐️Rating: 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
✍🏼Author: Anna Gracia
📚Genre: YA & Teen
🗏 Pages: 337
⚠️Warnings: Racism, Toxic Relationships, Culture Appropriation, Drug use, Misogyny, Alcohol, Racisms, Pregnancy, Abortion.
✍🏼First Line: "Aiya. You go to school all day looking like ji nu?
Things to expect:
✨Teens discovering their sexuality
✨Outlook on teen relationships
✨Growth
This type of YA novel should be read by most young teens trying to figure themselves out in the American Lifestyle. June Chu is a high school senior who is trying to figure herself out. She has some messy relationships and an identity crisis. Anna Gracia wrote about the Asian-American teen life in such a meaningful, impactful way. As a White Woman, I was able to see how much of the issues that most Asain-American faces are caused by my ancestors, and it takes reading novels like this to open our eyes and see things from others' perspective. The only reason it is not a 4-star book is for accessibility reasons. Italic font is present and for the dyslexic community being able to access books is half the battle; not everyone has access to e-books and audiobooks. so when you publish in a font that is not accessible to 10% of the population, you get a star knocked. Regardless I think this book should be read by teens in a classroom setting in either 11th or 12th grade.
Thanks to Colored Page Book Tours and Peachtree for the advance reader copy.
PRINT LENGTH PAGES
AVERAGE REVIEW RATING
HARDCOVER COST
E-BOOK COST
AUTHOR
Anna grew up biracial in the Midwest, spending her formative years repeatedly answering the question “What are you?” Before finding her way as a young adult author, she was a CPA, a public school teacher, a tennis coach, and for one glorious summer, a waitress at a pie shop. She now lives on the West Coast, raising three kids and writing stories about girls navigating a world full of double standards.
PUBLISHER
Penguin Random House is the international home to more than 300 editorially and creatively independent publishing imprints. Our mission is to ignite a universal passion for reading by creating books for everyone. We believe that books, and the stories and ideas they hold, have the unique capacity to connect us, change us, and carry us toward a better future for generations to come.
Let's Get Started!
Subscribed to my notebook!
