e-Audio, 07:46:58
Narrated by: Bilal Baig
Release Date: January 2, 2024
Published by: HarperTeen
Read from: January 2-3, 2024
Stand-alone
Source: Netgalley (I received a copy of this audiobook from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for a just and honest review. This did nothing to influence my review.)
TW: Transphobia, Bullying, Cursing, Racism, Dysphoria, Classism, Ableism, Drug use, Sexual content
For Readers Interested In: Realistic Fiction, Racial/Ethnic Diversity, Religious Diversity, 2SLGBTQ (Trans Fem), Own Voices, YAIn this YA standalone perfect for fans of Tobly McSmith and Meredith Russo, the first out trans girl at an all-girls school must choose between keeping her head down or blazing a trail. Tara just wants to be treated like any other girl at Ainsley Academy. That is, judged on her merits—not on her transness. But there’s no road map for being the first trans girl at an all-girls school. And when she tries to join the Sibyls, an old-fashioned Ainsley sisterhood complete with code names and special privileges, she’s thrust into the center of a larger argument about what girlhood means and whether the club should exist at all. Being the figurehead of a movement isn’t something Tara’s interested in. She’d rather read old speeches and hang out with the Sibyls who are on her side—especially Felicity, a new friend she thinks could turn into something more. Then the club’s sponsor, a famous alumna, attacks her in the media and turns the selection process into a spectacle. Tara’s always found comfort in the power of other peoples’ words. But when it comes time to fight for herself, will she be able to find her own voice?
*MY THOUGHTS*
I have been anticipating the release of this book since I saw the cover of it. Idk what it is, but I LOVE this cover. I didn’t know anything about it but I needed to read it as soon as I could. When I finally did end up reading the synopsis, it made me more excited to read it. What I didn’t know is, that would be my downfall.
Ok, so what do i mean by that was my downfall? Well if you read the synopsis, you’ve basically read the book. There’s nothing that happens in this book that’s not in the synopsis. And that upset me. Whether you’re a character driven reader or a plot driven reader is what will make the difference of this book for you. I’m a little of both, so I was still into the story and I was invested because of Tara. (Yes, JUST Tara because everyone else in this book was terrible. Including the principal or who ever she was.) As a plot driven reader I was mad because why in the world did the publisher decide to let them tell the entire story in the synopsis? The only thing that’s not answered is the last question. And that’s because that would be giving away the ending. As a reader it annoyed me because there were no surprises, nothing to keep me in the book. But at the same time, I knew it was a coming of age novel and I knew there wasn’t going to be anything like random dragons flying in, but at the same time, I didn’t want to be able to say I read the book when all I read was the synopsis. Does that make sense?
Anyway, the characters in this were what interested me the most. And when I say interested I mean got annoyed at lol I disliked everyone in this book except Tara. Every single one of them was a tr*nsphobe and all of them were more interested in trying to save their own behind instead of looking out for her. I hated that she had nobody in this time where she was trying to figure everything out and trying to find herself. It just didn’t seem fair. I think the part that took me from thinking it was unfair to being outright pissed off was the person from the govt office coming to her house. Likeeeee really? I couldn’t imagine having to deal with them in my own home. And Tara is still a child. Like bffr. I was fuming so hard I had to go vent to my husband lol Like the Sybils were not that great at all. I was so confused on what it was about them that Tara didn’t think she had within herself already. But I knew she would have to find it. Nothing could have changed her mind.
But Tara herself was strong and independent. It was hard watching her not wanting to advocate for herself in the beginning. But I had to understand that she had to do things on her own time, when she was ready. It gave me a good lesson to remember not to jump to things in real life. We don’t always know what’s going on in the heads of those teens, maybe they’re just actually not sure yet. And I have to trust them to know what’s best for them but still let them know I’m in the background ready to help if need be.
I guess it wasn’t all bad because it taught me some things and brought so much emotion out of me. I liked it so much I also listened to the author’s note. I learned some things from Naomi also. Like after all the YA books I’ve ever read that had a trans MC, I never realized that they’re mostly all trans masc. I’m glad this book now exists to be more of that trans fem representation. AND I cannot talk about this book without mentioning the dedication. It was something like, “To the librarians who bought this anyway.” or something like that. And I’m sure she meant that she knew it was going to be an issue in some places and wanted to thank those of us that decided to buy it anyway with the risk of getting in trouble. And to that I say, we’re ready for the good, necessary trouble.
Though I wanted more from this book, I thought it was still very good. It taught me things and brought out some emotions I wasn’t expecting to get from it. May all who read this get more than just a story out of it and learn something new too. (Also, shout out to Naomi for knowing that we have a gap in collections for trans femme and writing this story!)
Overall, I give this
