#AmReading YA

This Is Not the Jess Show
Anna Carey
Series: This Is Not the Jess Show, #1
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Thriller/Suspense
Publisher: Quirk Books
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

Black Mirror meets My So-Called Life in this fast-paced, timely YA thriller about separating fact from fiction--and how far we'll go to create our own version of reality.

Like any other teenager, Jess Flynn is just trying to get through her junior year without drama ... but drama seems to keep finding her. Between a new crush on her childhood best friend, overprotective parents cramping her social life, and her younger sister's worsening health, the only constant is change--and her hometown of Swickley, which feels smaller by the day.

Swickley is getting weirder by the day, too. Half the population has been struck down by a mysterious flu. Conversations end awkwardly when Jess enters the room. And then one day, a tiny, sleek black device--with an apple logo on it--falls out of her best friend's backpack and lands at Jess's feet.

Jess was just an average teen dealing with school, a crush, and her ailing sister, but then things got weird. Her dog was acting strange, her friends were acting odd, and she was hearing voices too! Stressed and verging on paranoid, Jess was determined to uncover the source of all this weirdness in Swickley. 

This book was one fun ride! It started out just a day in the life. I was getting to know Jess and was totally eating up all the 90s references. Then, Jess started noticing some things that were out of the ordinary. Though I felt bad watching her paranoia grow, I loved collecting all the clues. I won't lie, I think I read an older description for the book, which revealed a bit of the plot, so I did see some things coming, but then the story took a turn I was NOT expecting. 

I want people to go into this story with as little information as possible, because unraveling the truth was half the fun. What I will reveal is that this book was 100% entertaining, and it had me thinking hard about some aspects of our popular culture. I found myself very sympathetic towards Jess and reveled in each new morsel of truth she discovered. I felt her pain and confusion, and I was rooting for her to come out on top the whole time. The ending was oddly quiet for me, but with the promise a sequel, I am taking it as the quiet before the storm. 

This is Not the Jess Story was a fun, thrilling, intriguing, and throughly captivating story. I couldn't help but be pulled into this world, and I cannot wait to see where this story goes. 

The Knockout
Sajni Patel
Age/Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Flux
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Goodreads

A rising star in Muay Thai figures out what (and who) is worth fighting for in this #ownvoices YA debut full of heart.

If seventeen-year-old Kareena Thakkar is going to alienate herself from the entire Indian community, she might as well do it gloriously. She’s landed the chance of a lifetime, an invitation to the US Muay Thai Open, which could lead to a spot on the first-ever Olympic team. If only her sport wasn’t seen as something too rough for girls, something she’s afraid to share with anyone outside of her family. Despite pleasing her parents, exceling at school, and making plans to get her family out of debt, Kareena’s never felt quite Indian enough, and her training is only making it worse.

Which is inconvenient, since she’s starting to fall for Amit Patel, who just might be the world’s most perfect Indian. Admitting her feelings for Amit will cost Kareena more than just her pride–she’ll have to face his parents’ disapproval, battle her own insecurities, and remain focused for the big fight. Kareena’s bid for the Olympics could very well make history–if she has the courage to go for it.

While the rest of her world was crumbling, Kareena earned the chance of lifetime - an invitation to compete in the US Muay Thai Open. This could be a door-opening opportunity, and Kareena could not help but see hope for more in her future. The related financial obligations, though, might derail her plans unless Kareena learned to open up and trust in others. 

I absolutely loved the premise of this book. Elite athletes intrigue me, and I love getting into their heads and seeing them in action. Their drive and passion is always so inspiring, and I am thrilled to cheer for them as they give their all for their dream. 

Kareena was an easy character to root for. She had been training in her sport for about a decade. I have no doubts about her dedication, but she had many obstacles in her way. First and foremost was the cost of the sport. Since her father's illness worsened, Kareena's family struggled with their finances. They never put that worry on her, but she knew her mother was working two jobs, and that they were essentially living paycheck to paycheck. Though this was a source of stress for Kareena, it was also a driving force, pushing her to excel and go further than she ever imagined in this sport. 

She also had to deal with the isolation of participating in a combative sport. I have said this before, I do not think there are girl-things or boy-things, but we all know this line of thought exists. Kareena knew she would be harshly judged for partaking in such a non-ladylike sport. Though her parents supported and cheered her on, she felt the need to keep this part of herself a secret. I really felt her pain there. Feeling like she had to hide a big piece of who she was in order to be accepted. 

One of my favorite parts of the book was when Kareena finally opened up, and realized there was this wonderful community simply waiting to be there for her. They really rallied the troops when she needed them. The outpouring of friendship and support was touching, and I was so happy Kareena was finally able to trust others and allow them to share in her dream. 

Though some of the community and girl drama didn't really work for me, I loved just about everything else about Kareena's story. I pick up sports based books, because they tend to be inspiring and feel-good. My heart was definitely filled with warmth and joy at the end of this book, and I enjoyed cheering for Kareena as she put her heart and soul into making her aspirations a reality. 

**ARCs received in exchange for honest reviews.

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