'Boys I Know' by Anna Gracia - Blog Tour & Review

7/18/2022

Boys I Know by Anna Gracia - Tour Schedule

Continue below to read my review of the book and be sure to follow this link - [TOUR SCHEDULE] to check out the rest of the stops on the 'BOYS I KNOW' blog tour brought to you by TURN THE PAGE TOURS, PEACHTREE TEEN, and ANNA GRACIA!

Boys I Know
Anna Gracia

Published by: Peachtree Teen
Publication date: July 26th, 2022
Genres: Young Adult Fiction - Contemporary, Romance
TW/CW: Microaggressions, On-Page Sex

Synopsis:

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.

r e v i e w
rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ (4 / 5 stars)

Something about the premise of this story reached out to me the moment I saw it. I suppose I love the potential of a good underdog story and to a degree, that's most stories of marginalized people.. isn't it? As a member of the AAPI community, truly contemporary tales told from our various unique perspectives are still a bit rare.

From the opening pages I adored the main character, June Chu. She's realistically imperfect, hilariously sarcastic at times, and extremely relatable. It's nice to read an imperfect character that comes across naturally for once, as opposed to the overly dramatic reactions and gestures I've become accustomed to seeing.

I love that she's a character, not a caricature. She's not the 'shunned' girl at school who gets lucky with the most popular boy around. Gone are the cliches. She's just an average teenager with some above average skills and intelligence, that still aren't seen as quite 'good enough.' Not for her parents, her sister, the boy she likes, or especially herself.

Struggling with a tense relationship between herself and her mom, a woman who is a Taiwanese immigrant, traditional in her ways and perspectives, June is trying hard to reconcile her familial expectations what she sees as her reality in a more modern setting. Despite the push and pull between them and the way her mother comes across as constantly critical, it's not a loveless environment, but it isn't always easy to see either.

One of my favorite things about this book is actually her mom's relentless proverbs. Some are downright humorous, but they're often ill-timed. Though they may seem appropriate to her and may even be coming from a place of concern, they often only serve to make things more frustrating for June.

We all know intimate relationships are complicated, but that's even more true for teenagers.. and Gracia did a wonderful job recreating some of the most stressful situations one can imagine. There's actually a lot to unpack here, even 'good-natured' coercion.. if there is such a thing.

Overall, it's a great story, with some lovable characters, and a lot of food for thought. I'm so happy that I got to experience Gracia's easy writing style, it's fluid and deeply enjoyable. I can't wait to read more of her work.

About the 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.

AUTHOR LINKS: ANNA-GRACIA.COM | GOODREADS | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION

Up for grabs is ONE (1) signed copy of Boys I Know by Anna Gracia. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only, and will run from July 17th to July 25th at 12 AM CST. To enter, click the (link/button) below!

GIVEAWAY LINK

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