This was a quick, fun read that was definitely enjoyable and heartwarming. 

Americanized is the memoir of an Iranian undocumented immigrant growing up in California during the 90’s. This premise is what drew me in, but although that’s the main hook of the book, it definitely isn’t the focus. 

Americanized  is more of a traditional memoir about coming of age with the same teen angst issues of boys and acne and teen drama. I know that the point is that these things affect people of all cultures, that isn’t really what the book was promising. While the fact Sara and her family are immigrants is always present, it isn’t often the focus of the memoir, at least not until the very end. The book isn’t told sequentially either, and is more broken up by segments, centered around clips from her actual childhood diary. 

While the author was an engaging writer, I also felt like she tried a little too hard with references that are ultimately going to make her book very dated and not age well — things like quoting a line from “Formation,” making a Beyoncé and Becky with the good hair joke, and referencing Gwen and Chris Martin’s conscious uncoupling. 

Despite that, it was a fun, quick read and I really did enjoy hiding from the cold weather and reading it. If you’re looking for something that deals more in depth about the experience of being an undocumented immigrant, than maybe this isn’t the book for you. If a funny, pretty well written memoir is what you’re looking for, I would definitely recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley for the book in exchange for an honest review.

Saedi does a good job of balancing memories of her life as a normal teenager with the practical details of living without papers--so many of the things that kids do together are risky for undocumented kids, for whom underage drinking or possession of small amounts of marijuana could mean being deported to a country whose language they might not speak and where they might not have been since they were babies. The tone is a bit more aimed toward people with documents who don't understand the complexity of the process of getting papers and citizenship, but undocumented teens might also find Saedi's story relatable.

Sara takes portions of her actual diary and then fleshes them out over the chapters to narrate her life in the 90's as an illegal Iranian immigrant. Her story of being a first-generation American with parents who worked tirelessly to keep up with their new American lifestyle will appeal to teens who like the show My So-Called Life or who may even have parents or older sibs who grew up at that time. I loved all of the nonfiction info about Iran that helped to defeat some stereotypes. 

I didn't like the regular teen angst parts, but- I think for sheltered teens it is important to note that all cultures go through awkward angry times and that in that way as so many others we humans are all alike. The back story of each of her grandparents was interesting, as was her struggle to get a green card. I know from my in-law's experience that getting a green card has never been "easy".

Verdict- Borrow

This book started off as a merger of Judy Blume meets Steve Sheinkin. I was really liking the history lesson and middle-school angst. While I wanted to enjoy this book, I sadly found myself skimming chunks of it. Sara’s voice was so strong that I felt she was nearly screaming at me as I read the book. The content and level would have been perfect for middle schoolers but she pushed the envelope just a bit too much with the cursing, drugs, sex, etc. I wasn’t quite sure of the reasoning behind this - to show how vulgar Americans can be, to validate Iranians, or maybe it is just her voice. I will still purchase it, but it could have been edited better.

I wanted to like this more. It dragged on and wasn't that interesting. Liked the premise, but just wasn't a good read for me.

I requested this title on NetGalley because I thought it would make a good YA tie-in with my library's 2018 One Book, One Community selection, which is [book:Refuge|33113289]. I was not disappointed, and I'm quite sure we'll put it on our list of tie-in books for teens. 

Sara Saedi is less than a year older than me. Her teenager-in-the-nineties memories are easily recognizable to me, yet she throws in enough contemporary equivalents that I think a teenager today would have no trouble grasping them. In fact, I worry that the constant references to pop culture and our political moment will cause this book to have an awfully short shelf life. I'd imagine it was a conscious decision on the part of the author, editor, and publisher to aim for a wide, immediate impact rather than a deep, protracted one. And given how briefly the limelight shines on any YA book these days, perhaps that's wise.

Finally (and randomly), I adore the sibling relationships in this family, and I'm so glad the ARC included the sweet dedication to Saedi's brother and sister.

A light memoir on the heavy topic of growing up undocumented in America. The author discusses her family and their long road to legal status. Written for the YA crowd, it is a good read for anyone looking to learn more from a first hand perspective.

🍪🍪🍪🍪🍪
5 Cookies

I was giving this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

First off. This book was amazing. I honestly should end it at that and call it a day but... I won't allow myself! This book is the first ARC I have rated 5 full cookies. That is saying something! I was in absolute love from page one.

This book is about one teen's experience growing up in America without a green card. I wanted to start with the overall book first then work my way into the characters. So here goes: This overall story was incredible. (I still don't understand some of the bad reviews! This book was flawless.) I usually don't go for this genre of books but I'm really glad I did. It was hilarious. I was able to relate to some of the things she went through as a teenager.

This book also was sad. The things this family went through was extreamly sad. But they were an awesome family together. (I'll get into this later!) I really like the way she put in little history tid bits. This was important to me because I really wanted to learn more on this issue specifically. So I give these books two thumbs up. (I would give it more if I actually had more thumbs...)

Now let's address the characters. All the characters that Sarah used in this book are real, and they did influence her life. Now I'm not going to anylyze these characters like in a fiction novel because of this. Now! My favorite character in this book is... Well I technically should say characters but whatever. The family! Why you ask? This family loved each other so much. The parents gave up everything, just so that their children grew up living in America in freedom. There love for their children in this book was apparent. It's really how they showed their love that made my heart melt. This sister relationship was GOALSS!?? Am I right! Loved this relationship as well... Ok. I really liked every single relashinship that involved family and there are too many so I'm just going to leave it as that.

Gosh. Well I think I hit all the points I needed to hit. So that's going to be the end of this review but I cannot stress enough of how much I really love this book. I would totally reccommend this book and everyone should read it!