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bookishmillennial's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
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
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I enjoy most books for what they are, & I extract lessons from them all. Everyone’s reading experiences are subjective, so I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me on Instagram: @bookish.millennial or tiktok: @bookishmillennial
Something I love about young adult coming-of-age is how much the characters really grow over the course of the book 🥹 It’s so lovely to watch them navigate new feelings and experiences so vulnerably!
Jesse Q Sutanto knows how to make you giggle with sheltered, ignorant 17-year-old Sharlot, who goes to Jakarta, Indonesia for the very first time with her mom, who is from there. She has her own not-so-flattering predispositions about what to expect, and the reality of Jakarta completely blows her expectations out of the water.
I thought the premise of how Sharlot & George get set up by their parents (&by Eleanor, George’s 13-year-old sister) was hilarious. George’s potential business, One Liner, was a really wholesome idea too, and it just made me love George more lol! Their connection was a bit of a slow burn but I had so much fun with the fake dating plot!
I am always a sucker for the fraught mother-daughter relationships, especially in Asian immigrant households. I loved that Sharlot and her mom continued to unpack more layers from the other, and eventually held space to get to know each other beyond the roles of “daughter” and “mother”.
I will pretty much read anything JQS writes, & this fluffy romcom was a silly goofy, sweet lil reprieve.
Something I love about young adult coming-of-age is how much the characters really grow over the course of the book 🥹 It’s so lovely to watch them navigate new feelings and experiences so vulnerably!
Jesse Q Sutanto knows how to make you giggle with sheltered, ignorant 17-year-old Sharlot, who goes to Jakarta, Indonesia for the very first time with her mom, who is from there. She has her own not-so-flattering predispositions about what to expect, and the reality of Jakarta completely blows her expectations out of the water.
I thought the premise of how Sharlot & George get set up by their parents (&by Eleanor, George’s 13-year-old sister) was hilarious. George’s potential business, One Liner, was a really wholesome idea too, and it just made me love George more lol! Their connection was a bit of a slow burn but I had so much fun with the fake dating plot!
I am always a sucker for the fraught mother-daughter relationships, especially in Asian immigrant households. I loved that Sharlot and her mom continued to unpack more layers from the other, and eventually held space to get to know each other beyond the roles of “daughter” and “mother”.
I will pretty much read anything JQS writes, & this fluffy romcom was a silly goofy, sweet lil reprieve.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexism, Grief, Death, and Racism
dari's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, and Death of parent
shector1's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Homophobia, Misogyny, and Grief
imstephtacular's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism and Misogyny
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Bullying, Fatphobia, Death of parent, Sexual content, and Body shaming
Minor: Pregnancy
katiemack's review against another edition
funny
informative
inspiring
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
4.25
I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I've enjoyed Jesse Q. Sutanto's adult and middle-grade books, but I think her writing is best suited for YA--it's silly and fun while also pointing out social issues and highlighting cultural aspects.
Like her other books, Sutanto sets up some madcap situational irony to kick things off. In Dial A for Aunties, for example, we had an accidental murder and the hiding of a dead body; here, George and Sharlot's parents (and, in George's case, sister Eleanor) catfish their own children. Hilarity ensues.
Sutanto's description of Indonesian food, locales, and Indo-Chinese culture (including the conservatism and bias against LGBTQ+ folks) is the strongest aspect of her book. I didn't know much about Indonesia before reading this--aside from what I've seen on travel shows--so that was the most engaging part for me. While Sharlot is mildly annoying in the beginning, her character growth is visible throughout the novel, and her relationship with George (which, of course, involves both of their families too) feels as organic as it can for the set-up.
If you haven't picked up a multicultural YA book in a while (or ever), it might be good to start with this one.
I've enjoyed Jesse Q. Sutanto's adult and middle-grade books, but I think her writing is best suited for YA--it's silly and fun while also pointing out social issues and highlighting cultural aspects.
Like her other books, Sutanto sets up some madcap situational irony to kick things off. In Dial A for Aunties, for example, we had an accidental murder and the hiding of a dead body; here, George and Sharlot's parents (and, in George's case, sister Eleanor) catfish their own children. Hilarity ensues.
Sutanto's description of Indonesian food, locales, and Indo-Chinese culture (including the conservatism and bias against LGBTQ+ folks) is the strongest aspect of her book. I didn't know much about Indonesia before reading this--aside from what I've seen on travel shows--so that was the most engaging part for me. While Sharlot is mildly annoying in the beginning, her character growth is visible throughout the novel, and her relationship with George (which, of course, involves both of their families too) feels as organic as it can for the set-up.
If you haven't picked up a multicultural YA book in a while (or ever), it might be good to start with this one.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia and Misogyny
Minor: Xenophobia and Death of parent
rather_b_reading's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Thank you to Random House Children's and NetGalley for a free eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts. I have read both books in Sutanto's adult romcom/murder series and loved those, but this was my first time reading a Young Adult book by her.
I was a little worried in the first 4 chapters because I was suffering so much second hand embarrassment (but isn't that how being a teen can be) This book was charming, cringey, and unputdownable. I love that it not only explored Sharlot and George's relationship, but also the bonds of siblings, cousins, exes, and long lost loves. I am a sucker for multigenerational stories and this had that feel while still putting you in the perspective of teenagers who are often embarrassed about their families.
The second half of the book flew by with fake dating, family drama, and societal/cultural conflicts and the last chapter had me smiling. I am giving it 4.5 stars because of the pacing at the beginning, but I can't recommend this book enough
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism
Moderate: Death of parent, Cursing, and Sexual content
Minor: Homophobia
cover2covertx's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
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
This was my first young adult book of Jesse Q. Sutanto. I fell in love with her writing style and characters after reading Dial A for Aunties and wanted to give this book a try when I saw that I could request an ARC.
It did not disappoint at all! Everything you love about the family dynamics, characters and humor of her Dial A series is fully in this book but through the eyes of a young teen girl named Sharlot, displaced for the summer when her mother takes her back to her home country of Indonesia.
Sharlot goes from having a very cynical, Americanized view of the beautiful country and the bustling city of Jakarta, to a growing fascination and love for her family’s birthplace after she’s thrust into a fake dating relationship with the handsome son of one of Indonesia’s most influential families.
The descriptions of the settings & cultures- specifically within Jakarta & Bali were some of favorite parts of the story. It opened my eyes to how beautiful & interesting the culture of Indonesia is. The love story between the two main characters was sweet and full of typical awkward teenage moments and experiences that brought back so many memories. And as always with Sutanto’s books, the relationship between the main character and her mother really stuck with me.
I really appreciated the discussions of heavier topics (specifically misogyny & LGTBQ+ equality and how it differs in different parts of the world) in such a light fun book because it adds more depth to an already amazing story.
Fantastic story overall and would highly recommend to any YA romance fan!
TW/CW: misogyny, sexism, homophobia
**Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for this ARC to review**
It did not disappoint at all! Everything you love about the family dynamics, characters and humor of her Dial A series is fully in this book but through the eyes of a young teen girl named Sharlot, displaced for the summer when her mother takes her back to her home country of Indonesia.
Sharlot goes from having a very cynical, Americanized view of the beautiful country and the bustling city of Jakarta, to a growing fascination and love for her family’s birthplace after she’s thrust into a fake dating relationship with the handsome son of one of Indonesia’s most influential families.
The descriptions of the settings & cultures- specifically within Jakarta & Bali were some of favorite parts of the story. It opened my eyes to how beautiful & interesting the culture of Indonesia is. The love story between the two main characters was sweet and full of typical awkward teenage moments and experiences that brought back so many memories. And as always with Sutanto’s books, the relationship between the main character and her mother really stuck with me.
I really appreciated the discussions of heavier topics (specifically misogyny & LGTBQ+ equality and how it differs in different parts of the world) in such a light fun book because it adds more depth to an already amazing story.
Fantastic story overall and would highly recommend to any YA romance fan!
TW/CW: misogyny, sexism, homophobia
**Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for this ARC to review**
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, and Sexism
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