A sweet book about a Jewish bisexual protagonist who is trying his best not to implode from overworking through college with messages about how stress is literally physically and mentally dangerous and our school systems are not designed, and our teachers are not seemingly interested in understanding how screwed students are. Excellent. Even in first person and with all the badly aged "Harry Potter" references.

The POV was for the first 1/4 or so a very difficult thing to wade through, but I generally don't enjoy first person, so that's not really Silverman's fault. Nonetheless, the story outshone the POV.

I intentionally limited myself to two AP courses a year due to fears of overwork and hurting my grades, on top of practicing for orchestra (which I didn't do anyway), so even though I definitely didn't do as much work as Ari, this book did a good job of bringing a lot of that anxiety back. These classes are not designed for people, and crush children, and the expectations from college and the "complete college to get a good paying job" system are garbage. The mention of removing 5th grade recess was a nice touch, too, about how industrial-designed school systems do not have the best interests of children. The focus on how academic stress is destroying children was just... it was very well done.

I did cry near the end of chapter 16, where Ari asks... he says a small speech to his parents and it just rang so deeply within me. I've been there. I'm still there. So much of my life was 'complete the list of requirements' because that's how I show I matter and then... feeling like I was nothing without it. Feeling bereft when I didn't have a System to fall back on because my one skill was being good at the System.

The romance was also sweet, and I love all the characters. It was bittersweet because even watching Ari explode from taking on too much, I'm reminded of how much I missed while I was in high school for various reasons. I should have talked to my Rabbi more, too, and I honestly skimmed through the holiday stuff because it's Yom Kippur today and I'm just not in a good place with all that and the state of the world. But the book definitely captured what it's like to live in a Jewish household that throws the big holiday parties. We never celebrated Shabbos like that - we really just lit candles - but I actually cringed to see Ari checking his phone during synagogue. Although I definitely also read sometimes, but just out of boredom lol.

Overall, it's a very enjoyable read, with a very hopeful ending, with good messages about being honest and supporting your loved ones, working for institutional change to help the most vulnerable, finding help for mental health issues, and focusing on what matters, and not what society tells you matters. ( )

Ariel has always been a straight-A student, but now it’s senior year.

For this overachiever, that means taking a kajillion AP courses, practicing violin, and making everyone think he’s a perfectionist to whom it all comes easy. But Ariel’s dream of Harvard begins to waver when he fails a calculus quiz. Thankfully, Amir comes to the rescue by agreeing to tutor him. Gay Amir is Pakistani Muslim, and bisexual Ariel comes from an observant Jewish family; the boys have been in the same school for years and their families are friendly, but it is only now that they really notice—and quickly fall for—one another. With AP exams approaching, college applications due, a violin recital and numerous family events looming—not to mention Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur—Ariel begins to realize that effortless perfection requires quite a bit of effort after all. As their romance grows, Ariel finds himself unable to keep up with the various elements of his life: the stresses of school, romance, and family. Ultimately, he learns the importance of stepping back, seeking help, and admitting to weakness. Silverman (Girl Out of Water, 2017) writes a coming-of-age novel that will charm readers with its relatable and diverse characters, quirky storyline, and interweaving of faith, queerness, and the everyday lives of seniors navigating the pressures of college applications, grades, and relationships.

Heartwarming and engaging. (Romance. 14-18)

It’s mostly a 3.5.

I have been excited to read this book for a long time because it seemed so adorable and the kind of YA book I would enjoy. And this was definitely what I was hoping for.

The story is completely told through Ariel’s POV, so we see everything thats going on in his head and that’s not comfortable at all. He is constantly struggling with keeping up his grades and extracurriculars in preparation for his Harvard application and just doesn’t have enough time in the day for managing everything. But he also doesn’t want to admit his problems to anyone and that just exacerbates all his issues. I will not say I related to Ariel completely but I understood him very well. His character is a lived in experience for many young students these days and we get a very realistic picture of the stress and pressures and expectations that are put on young people and how it affects them physically and mentally.

There is a whole host of characters in the book who are all wonderful and supportive and diverse and I loved them all. The romantic dynamic that develops between Ariel and Amir may come across as sudden, but I kind of enjoyed how realistic it felt as a teenage romance. It has all the elements of sweetness and wonder and joy of young love and I think it was written very well. I’m also very glad that it’s just written as two young boys deciding to date and there are no declarations of eternal love. Despite this romance in the book, I think it is definitely more about family. YA books feature a lot of absent/problematic parents, so it was very refreshing to read about completely present and supportive parents and siblings. Ariel’s relationship with his mom dad and his sister Rachel is so healthy and amazing. Their dinner time conversations felt authentic, their religion/faith is depicted as an important part of their life but something that’s also personal and not something that they use to preach. I obviously can’t comment on the Jewish representation but it’s ownvoices for the author, so I think it’s really authentic for her own experiences. Amir’s family is Muslim and Pakistani and it was great to see both these families be very supportive of their kids’ sexualities. I also loved the whole friend group - Sook, Malka, Pari, Issac, Rasha - everyone has their own issues and is dealing with them in their own ways but no one really understands what the others are going through because they don’t feel comfortable sharing their problems.

This is my first read by the author and I really enjoyed her writing. The book has a very diverse cast which feels very realistic and not tokenism at all. I also liked that it’s quite a positive representation and these kids have families and friends who are supportive and don’t discriminate at all because of their religion or sexuality or anything else. The author also does a great job of showing us the consequences of our very competitive education system and how it adversely affects the kids. There is obviously no easy solution for this but the book really stresses on the importance of being open about issues and having a support system to be able to cope. Religion is also depicted as something positive that brings peace of mind and maybe provides perspective for young kids when dealing with such life changing issues like college and future - I thought this was very refreshing and so rare in YA.

If you like YA with great diverse family and friend dynamics and an adorable couple, you should definitely check this out. It also has some great representation of the anxiety that young students face in these hyper competitive times, and I think everyone who has been in these shoes before or is going through high school or college right now will find something relatable in this story. ( )

It's really cute and is a breezy, enjoyable read but other than that it's not a page-turner for me. I'll still read another book by same author because I like the writing style which is not too hard to get into. All in all, this was a perfect book for my book-gap. ( )

I was never a super-dedicated student, but I had friends who were. (I’m looking at you Kim and Val). Ariel is super dedicated. He has his life scheduled to the moment: quizzes, extra projects, orchestra, volunteer work, planning to become Valedictorian and contemplating his answers for his interview with Harvard.

Ariel is out (he’s bisexual) to his loving Jewish family…but he hasn’t got time for dating or having a relationship! There’s no place left for having fun.

Then the unthinkable happens and Ariel fails a Calculus quiz. After a panic fueled visit to the guidance counselor, he asks family friend and classmate, Amir to tutor him. He’s known Amir most of his life but they’ve never hung out; it’s just one of those things.

It only takes a couple of study sessions for Ariel to realize there’s a spark between them. The problem is that Ariel’s life is already full and things are starting to fray at the edges. He gets a C on an English paper, lets down his best friend then forgets to go to his new boyfriend’s art show. When his little sister Rachel ends up in the emergency room because of stress, things truly begin to unravel.

The short of it is that there isn’t enough of Ariel to go around. While he does his best to hide it, he’s ashamed, frantic and spiraling out of control.

This story is a reminder that there are much more important things in our lives than schools and grades. We all have to fight our way through things to measure what’s of value to us.

Is it family? Friends? Music? Playing soccer with your little sister?

This is a book about finding your way back to the things that are truly important, the things that make us who we are. ( )