Tuesday, June 5, 2018

Not the Girls You're Looking For

Publication date: June 19, 2018

From the publisher:
Lulu Saad doesn't need your advice, thank you very much. She's got her three best friends and nothing can stop her from conquering the known world. Sure, for half a minute she thought she’d nearly drowned a cute guy at a party, but he was totally faking it. And fine, yes, she caused a scene during Ramadan. It's all under control. Ish.
Except maybe this time she’s done a little more damage than she realizes. And if Lulu can't find her way out of this mess soon, she'll have to do more than repair friendships, family alliances, and wet clothing. She'll have to go looking for herself.
Debut author Aminah Mae Safi's honest and smart novel is about how easy it can be to hurt those around you even if —especially if—you love them.

My thoughts:
I got to about 12% of this book and thought I just could not stomach any more of Lulu Saad. I realize now that maybe this cover threw me off because she acts much younger than she should as a junior in high school and the cover makes it seem like she is a junior in college. The character was just too immature and I could not stand her "voice."

However, I am glad I stuck it out. Like Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, this is a  no apologies chick book that will appeal to girls from middle school on. The fact that the main character is half Arabic/Muslim, half white and all American with a trio of friends that are not culturally similar to each other is a perk. It definitely makes the dynamic more interesting, especially in the fact that this story does not highlight or glamorize their differences. The problems are universal problems about growing up and growing apart, as well as what it takes to hold friendships together. Finally, although place does not play as strong a part in this book as it could, the fact that it takes place in Texas lends a little context to what is going on in the story.

This DAC was supplied by the publisher and Net Galley for an honest review.


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