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amyappy's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
ju_harue's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A leitura é cativante, a narrativa é bem construída e os personagens são muito bem ambientalizados, tornando a experiência de leitura bem imersiva. Eu adorei o recurso utilizado para a viagem temporal. E ver a compreensão e empatia que Sam vai tomando ao longo da história, os acontecimentos e reviravoltas, até o final, tornaram a leitura extremamente prazerosa.
Embora seja mais voltado ao público juvenil e recém adulto, não impede que nós, da faixa etária mais velha, goste muito dessa história. Sem dúvida, há reconhecimentos, compreensão e reflexão, seja a idade que tiver.
Embora seja mais voltado ao público juvenil e recém adulto, não impede que nós, da faixa etária mais velha, goste muito dessa história. Sem dúvida, há reconhecimentos, compreensão e reflexão, seja a idade que tiver.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Xenophobia, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: Emotional abuse, Grief, and Death of parent
lada_bu_joreads's review against another edition
3.0
This is a cute and easy read. A life lesson of books I should say. Especially for those who are not mothers and don't know the difficulties of being a mom to a daughter.
kota19's review against another edition
4.0
I took a deep breath. “It’s essentially about how the past never leaves you. For better or for worse.”
How far would you go to help solve your family's problems? 1995? That's what Sam is forced to do after a fight with her mom sends her all the way back to her mom, Priscilla's, senior year of high school during homecoming week. There, Sam feels like it's her job to make sure Priscilla wins homecoming queen, doesn't get into a fight with her mom, and grows up to be less of a hardened, distant mother to Sam because of it.
This book was so cute, I loved the way that it depicted even well-meaning parents passing down their issues from their own parents to their kids. It was nice seeing Sam understand that there are reasons behind the way her mother acts and what Sam sees as distance and Priscilla not wanting a daughter like her was actually just a response to the way that Priscilla's own mother treated her and the pressure she put on Priscilla as an immigrant and single parent living in America.
Seeing Gen Z Sam try to understand life in the 90s and being shocked by how different things were (in a good way and a bad way) was so funny. I loved the time travel function in this book and I felt like it was a really cute twist on being sent to the past that tied current technology in, but also added a layer of challenge to the story for Sam being stuck in 1995.
In the end of the book, I liked that all the loose ends were tied up as far as the things that Sam changed in the past and even her befriending Priscilla during high school had a cute explanation.
The main thing I didn't like about this book was the romance -- I really feel like there are a lot of books (especially YA) that have a random romantic storyline tossed in even where it isn't necessary and this was one of them. At first, the romantic interest was kind of weird because
Spoiler
he's literally her mom's classmate, meaning he is her mom's age in the present day, even though they're the same age in 1995?lindseycrouch's review against another edition
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This was really fun! Back to the Future meets Freaky Friday. But also about generational expectations/issues between Korean American women and their daughters.
adriannasophiabookss's review against another edition
5.0
Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Children’s Group for this ARC! I knew I was going to enjoy this but it completely surpassed my expectations!
This is a YA contemporary/romance with magical realism. Samantha Kang is in her senior year at high school and has just been nominated for homecoming queen. Her mother Priscilla is ecstatic but Samantha couldn’t care less and after Samantha’s beloved grandmother goes into a coma she and after a big fight with her mother concerning their fraught relationship, Samantha finds herself quite literally thrown back to 1995. Her mission: Make sure Priscilla Kang wins homecoming queen. While in the 90’s however Samantha starts to develop a life and romance of her own and with the clock ticking down to homecoming she finds herself not only learning more about her mother but also more about herself.
This was just so WHOLESOME. I found myself tearing up multiple times both happy and sad tears. Maurene has created such a beautiful story about the complex relationship between mother and daughter but also what it means to be a first generation Korean-American and the expectations placed on them. The struggles of their parents and how no matter how hard they may try to do the best for their children it’s not always what their children need. Watching Sam develop a real friendship with her teenage mother was so heartwarming. I also really enjoyed the relationship between Sam and Jamie, I was rooting for them the whole time.
The 90’s vibes in this were on point as well. I was born in 1997 so I don’t really remember the 90’s past mashing food into my highchair and screaming the house down when my Mum wanted to sleep but the descriptions of the shops, clothes and “gadgets” from the 90’s gave me a kind of nostalgic feeling. I also really enjoyed seeing how certain “landmarks” had changed. It’s really sad to see that white people are still cluelessly racist even to this day and that the weird comments that are supposed to be compliments are still made.
Overall I would recommend this to anyone looking for a lighthearted and wholesome but also deep and emotional read. I honestly enjoyed every minute of reading this and can’t wait to check out more of Maurene Goo’s work! This was released on 11th April 2023 so check it out now!
This is a YA contemporary/romance with magical realism. Samantha Kang is in her senior year at high school and has just been nominated for homecoming queen. Her mother Priscilla is ecstatic but Samantha couldn’t care less and after Samantha’s beloved grandmother goes into a coma she and after a big fight with her mother concerning their fraught relationship, Samantha finds herself quite literally thrown back to 1995. Her mission: Make sure Priscilla Kang wins homecoming queen. While in the 90’s however Samantha starts to develop a life and romance of her own and with the clock ticking down to homecoming she finds herself not only learning more about her mother but also more about herself.
This was just so WHOLESOME. I found myself tearing up multiple times both happy and sad tears. Maurene has created such a beautiful story about the complex relationship between mother and daughter but also what it means to be a first generation Korean-American and the expectations placed on them. The struggles of their parents and how no matter how hard they may try to do the best for their children it’s not always what their children need. Watching Sam develop a real friendship with her teenage mother was so heartwarming. I also really enjoyed the relationship between Sam and Jamie, I was rooting for them the whole time.
The 90’s vibes in this were on point as well. I was born in 1997 so I don’t really remember the 90’s past mashing food into my highchair and screaming the house down when my Mum wanted to sleep but the descriptions of the shops, clothes and “gadgets” from the 90’s gave me a kind of nostalgic feeling. I also really enjoyed seeing how certain “landmarks” had changed. It’s really sad to see that white people are still cluelessly racist even to this day and that the weird comments that are supposed to be compliments are still made.
Overall I would recommend this to anyone looking for a lighthearted and wholesome but also deep and emotional read. I honestly enjoyed every minute of reading this and can’t wait to check out more of Maurene Goo’s work! This was released on 11th April 2023 so check it out now!
tootiemama3's review
5.0
I really enjoyed this book. Thoughtful, funny, and nostalgic, looking at family systems and dynamics, first generation immigrants, and loss, with a hint of magic thrown in. Loved it.
telltalepage's review against another edition
4.5
A very good story and exploration of women and their relationships with other women in their lives. I laughed. I cried. I enjoyed the focus on family over romance. Bumped down half a star because some of the sentences randomly were so confusing and didn't make sense.
ladykaylee's review
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I really loved this book! Though I am a millennial with a gen alpha child and not a Gen Xer with a Gen Z child, I still really felt for both of the characters of the book- the mother and the daughter. I really liked that instead of the traditional Freaky Friday body swap, it was instead time travel. I also really liked the stark differences between being a high school senior in 2025 vs. in 1995. I appreciated the representation in the book and the hopes for the future, where high school cliques aren't a thing. The characters were well-written, the plot kept me hooked, and the narration was lovely. It was a great look at growing up with immigrant parents, vs. growing up with American-born Korean parents, and the differences that life experiences have on child rearing.
kawaiikimmie's review against another edition
5.0
As a second gen daughter of an immigrant family in the US, I really appreciated how Maurene Goo does a wonderful job of telling the story of how different generations display love, gratitude, and the same desire for future generations to be happy and accepted in this country.