This is promising coming of age, thought provoking immigrant story slowly grows on you but you got to be patient enough for getting into Ivy’s world, her family dynamics, reasons behind the shame and motivations triggered her wrongdoings, her dreams to jump to her upper social class and her desire to have a wealthy life which makes her a liar and a thief.

I have to admit at first: I had hard time to get into the story and live inside Ivy’s mind to connect with her life but after a few attempts later, I get really happy to give more chance to this read. As I said before as long as you read the story and the characters make you root for them. At the second half: I start to dislike choices Ivy made and I didn’t approve some of her decisions but I still get the reasoning behind them even though I didn’t like the consequences she created.

At first she hides behind the shadows to be invisible to accomplish her mission. And she was so close to reach her dreams. Gideon Speye, coming from wealthy politician family is hooked by her charm. When she got the golden boy, she may change her own life, getting rid of poor Chinese family but a ghost from her past is so adamant not to move on her life. She can lose everything she perfectly built and worked so hard to earn. She may get extreme decisions or she may give up and face her life consisted of lies and secrets. What she is going to choose?

I liked the story telling and even though at some parts I truly dislike Ivy, I still wanted to know how her journey will shape. The final twist is predictable but it was the best conclusion we get. It was promising, exhilarating and realistically developed story which stays in your mind and after you close the book, you keep thinking more and you like the taste it left in your mind. It was still unique, original and a great start for a debut author! I’m looking forward to read her future works as well,

Special thanks to NetGalley and Simon&Schuster for sharing this interesting ARC in exchange my honest review.

I was so looking forward to this novel and its exploration of identity and obsession. I enjoyed the beginning part of the novel, although a slow burn, as it steadily built up the layers of Ivy’s identity and fleshed out the immigrant Chinese American experience in human and plausible detail. When we return to Ivy after she’s graduated college, I expected a more developed human being, but still felt lacking on who she was as a character, and she didn’t appear to have many redeeming qualities. I stopped reading at 40% because I found that Gideon, the centre of Ivy’s obsession, was a very two-dimensional character and I couldn’t get a good sense of who he was, and why he was the object of her desires and the person upon whom she pinned all her hopes and dreams. There also wasn’t any real chemistry between the pair so I found it hard to believe the relationship, which was central to believing the trajectory of the story. Unfortunately, this one wasn’t for me.

This was a quick read - the story was engaging, almost thriller-like in a way. While I'm not sure some events were necessary, I suppose they serve a point.

The characters seemed fairly one-dimensional. I can tell a lot of thought went into Ivy and her background, but she seems so... unrelatable and one-minded (or many-minded, in that she doesn't really stand for anything). Ivy's characterization reminds me almost of Casey's in Free Food for Millionaires.

Gideon fell flat, miserably. Sylvia speaks "coldly" a lot and has a lot of anger shooting from her eyes. But that wasn't really touched on, beyond Roux's comments to Ivy. Felt like the Speyer family had a lot of skeletons, in addition to the last reveal, that could have and should have been explored further. (Why is Sylvia so, seemingly, anti-Ivy sometimes, but so normal other times? The reveal doesn't quite explain that.)

I think the ending was fitting.

Overall, this was intriguing. To go back to the thriller comment - at times, I could see Sylvia turning into a serial killer or something, with her fiercely angry eyes.

Thanks to Simon Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy!!

I enjoyed this book, but really disliked the main character Ivy. A story of a family of Chinese Immigrants. Ivy the oldest child is the focus of the story. She has low self esteem and struggles to figure out who she is. She does a lot of bad things, but portrays herself in a different light. When she gets the opportunity to reconnect with her childhood crush, she will do anything to get the happy ending she is looking for. I enjoyed the family dynamics in this story and related with it somewhat growing up with a Chinese mother. Some twists and turns I didn't expect. Loved that the author wrote it so well I really disliked Ivy and a couple of the other characters. I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Wow, what a great debut! If you’re interested in reading an intriguing, coming-of-age story that turns the usual stereotypes about working-class immigrants, old money WASPs, and the nouveau riche upside down, you need to read this book.

Ivy Lin has been ashamed of her poor Chinese-American family since she was a young child. After several failed attempts at finding a career that will give her the lifestyle she desperately desires, she puts her efforts into landing a wealthy husband instead - specifically, Gideon Speyer, the golden boy of a prominent political family. Just as she’s close to achieving her goal, a ghost from her past resurfaces that could derail all of her carefully cultivated plans.

There is much more substance to this story than Ivy trying to get a wealthy husband, but I don’t want to give anything away. I could talk for hours about this book though, I loved it so much! The story has a little bit of everything, and I was hooked from the very first page. Unfortunately, the story starts to drag a little at the midway point, but you’ll still keep reading because this is when you begin to see what Ivy is actually getting herself into if she ends up becoming part of the Speyer family. The best part is the author trusts the reader enough to come to his or her own conclusions about things, including determining who the actual grifters are in this story.

Disclaimer: I received a digital ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

A coming of age story with a multi-layered protagonist - thought-provoking and insightful.

Ivy Lin steals and lies to get what she wants. She is the ultimate striver, hoping to to build a perfect, moneyed life and hide her humble immigrant upbringing. When she reconnects with Gideon Speyer, a former prep school classmate, she sees her opportunity to join his Boston Brahmin family, with their Cape house and loads of antiques. But all that glitters is not gold, and appearances can be deceiving...

There's a lot going on in this book - an immigrant story, commentary on ethnicity and class, deception and trickery. I wouldn't call this a true thriller - it's more of a coming of age novel with some suspense elements. Each time Ivy appears to be down for the count, it's never clear exactly how she'll get back up again, but the author managed to surprise me with a few twists. I was pleasantly surprised by the varied fates of the characters at the end of the story. I would recommend this book to those interested in coming of age and #ownvoices novels.

Many thanks to Simon & Schuster for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Chinese American coming of age. I enjoyed the first half the most. The Lin family dynamics were fascinating and captivating. However the second half of the novel just didn’t hold my interest. I didn’t feel that Gideon was well developed and I couldn’t understand what really drew Ivy to him. The twist at the end was flat.

Chinese American #ownvoices literary thriller.
Synopsis that starts with Ivy Lin is a thief and a liar.
Posh high society, immigrant experience, AND an ambitious AF MC.

Yes, yes, YES I am self-centered enough to think this book MUST have been written for me! Now excuse me while I spend today screaming and squealing because I'VE BEEN APPROVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

UPDATE: OKAY I'VE READ IT. And OMGGGGGGG I am so so so thrilled that this actually lived up to my extremely (and unreasonably) high hopes! This story was clever and well-layered. Full of terrible, ambitious people with secrets. An absolute joy to read. I had insomnia last night and decided to start the book, thinking I'd read a few chapters and then go to bed. WELP. Let me tell you, this book did NOT help with insomnia because soon enough, I was wide awake and reading as fast as I could. Finished the book up around 4am and then just sat there thinking about the ending! Because OMG.

I loved the cynical look at wealth gaps. The subtle nods and little details, especially regarding the Chinese American identity. As a Chinese American woman myself, I appreciated so many of those little things. I don't even know if everyone would notice them, but I did, and they were incorporated in such a clever way! For example, at one point, teenaged Ivy goes to a Caucasian American boy's house and he says she can keep her shoes on. She blushes and then follows him in. It's things like that. They're not spelled out plain and clear. If you get that it's a Chinese thing, you get it. I just... loved that so much. (Maybe because it helped me feel like I was in on a clever little secret.)

I think some will likely find parts of the story slow, but I loved every second of it. I am happy to savor writing this good! This is a slow burn thriller. We follow Ivy through her entire childhood and then her adulthood up to one pivotal moment.

Since I only got four hours of sleep, I don't think I'm doing this book justice with my review, but I couldn't wait another minute to write down how I felt. The ending was powerful and interesting. At first, I wasn't sure how I felt, but then I realized how much it made me think. How well it fit. And the more I think about it, the more I love it. This isn't a story meant to be neatly tied up with a bow. This is the kind that provokes thought and discussion. It would actually be quite an excellent book club read!

If you couldn't tell already, I highly, HIGHLY recommend pre-ordering this clever, brilliant book! Out Sept 8. Thank you Simon Books for providing a free advanced copy of the book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

It's hard to write feedback for a book you truly couldn't get into. I tried and I tried but I couldn't connect to the writing or the characters. I felt like I was plodding along for too, too long. I actually did not finish this title, sadly; with that being said, however, I would urge you to give it a try for yourself. Different writing appeals to different readers.. so please do not take this as a "one size fits all" proclamation. Read this title and decide for yourself!

Ughh I have such mixed feelings about this book. I absolutely loved the journey of reading it, yet I highly disliked the characters and the outcome. It's almost a book you love to hate. I was frustrated but could not put it down. I can appreciate that this book left me conflicted because it won't be a book I soon forget.

Thank you Netgalley for my copy of this debut novel. I give this review voluntarily.

An engrossing tale of obsession, vanity, and desperation. The main character, Ivy, is a Chinese American girl who is driven entirely by selfish desires. From a very young age, she wants nothing more than to move up in society. She views herself as lowly, ugly, and worthless, while she views her rich, white classmates as the embodiment of success, wealth, and beauty. Through discreet acts of deception and manipulation, Ivy inserts herself into the life of her childhood crush and proves she is willing to go to extreme lengths to protect her newfound place in life as the girlfriend of a successful white male. The author did an absolutely phenomenal job writing and developing Ivy’s character. I found myself empathizing with her and rooting for her despite her selfish nature and her many despicable decisions. White Ivy is an incredibly well-written and thought-provoking book that is full of tension and really gets under your skin. Highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this book prior to its publication.

What a wonderful debut novel this is! Ivy Lin is five when she re-unites with her parents who are chasing the American Dream. Ivy yearns to dissociate from her family who she regards as unworldly and uneducated. Ivy herself can't seem to find a career path that will yield the life she is exposed to, and desires, at her private school.
The characters are well drawn and interesting but the book does have an overall sad feel to it. There are a few 'twists' that I saw coming but in no way diminished enjoyment of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with an ARC to read and review.

I read this in one sitting. Susie Yang's characters come alive off the page in ways that will both enrage and utterly compel you because they're so devastatingly human. Showcases human weakness, shared but hidden family trauma, and the struggle for identity in such a beautiful way, and begs the question—if all you did for your whole life was struggle to survive and fit in in a world that was built to box you out, can you ever reach a point where you can thrive? I have to admire Ivy's doggedness to take ownership and reach that conclusion for herself.

I had mixed feelings about this book simply because the characters are so unlovable. Yet the story is intriguing and following Ivy as she grows and watching how she responds to life makes for an engaging read. The characters with their many blemishes, do ring true, so kudos to the author for that. All in all, I think it is a welcome and refreshing addition to the genre of Asians in America and it avoids many of the usual stereotypes we encounter. I'd look forward to seeing what the author will come up with next.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

Decent read. Not one of the great ones but nevertheless well written and interesting. Not just another poor girl looks to meet rich guy kind of a book. Much better than that.

Thank you Simon and Schuster for this wonderful advance readers copy! This story had so many twists and turns and the protagonist was always a mystery. The book was well written and I could not put the book down. Loved it!

I was pleased to receive an eARC of White Ivy after reading the intriguing synopsis. The cover is quite captivating, and I love a good love triangle, so I was all in.

Ivy Lin is a Chinese immigrant. She spends the first few years of her life being raised by her grandmother until her parents save enough to bring her to a small town in Massachusetts. There, she quickly realizes how different she is from her classmates and develops a preoccupation with gaining their approval. She strikes up an oil-and-water friendship with Roux based on their mutual pastime (stealing) but when her parents find out she lies about going to a party, they send Ivy to China for the summer and move the family to New Jersey. Years later, a chance encounter causes her to cross paths with her childhood crush's sister, and the two are reunited, kindling a romance that is everything Ivy's always dreamed of. From there, things steamroll, until a week getaway aligns a different set of stars, entangling her once again with Roux.

I stewed on this review for a few days because I wanted to figure out my thoughts. First, I was expecting this read to be much more nefarious than it was. There's a lot of exposition and storytelling, and I appreciated the depth that Yang brought to Ivy's character. Her troubles go beyond insecurities. Ivy is deeply troubled and fixates on the construct of white beauty. She emulates her classmates behaviors, models her appearance after the "popular" girls, and goes to drastic lengths to achieve her preconceived idea of happiness. There's an edge to Ivy that often crosses the border to disturbing, but she never really manifests as a creepy individual. More than anything, Ivy's story feels tragic, and the love triangle that unravels feels poetic, Shakespearean to some extent. Yang's prose is literary and elegant with a dose of solid unease underlining her words.

Roux and Gideon are two interesting fellows, let me tell you. Complex in their flaws, yet polarized as two prime "objects of affection," Yang expertly weaves the love triangle to have you rooting for one or the other. I'm not sure I was ever really rooting for Ivy to end up with either, but my penchant for triangles is more in the execution than the result. I wanted Ivy to acknowledge her own extremes, and in a way, she does, with the quiet yet loaded conclusion.

But. I wanted more. I wanted more suspense, I wanted more of a sinister nature to emerge in Ivy's desperation to please her parents, herself, her fiance, her fiance's parents. I wanted to be glued to my seat as she encounters an ultimatum, but ultimately, I wasn't surprised by Ivy's actions. While there's more at work here in a literary sense, I was hoping for one super unnerving scene that would leave an impact and was instead given a mildly-climatic scene.

In terms of its place in the current market, I think White Ivy is layered and full of things to unpack. Identity, particularly as its concerned with immigrants. Beauty standards and how they differ depending on region. Where is the line drawn between determined and problematic? How much do ours pathologies dictate the course of our lives? Yang's prose is wrought with social commentary and insightful critique of how we approach the concept of the Other. I particularly appreciated the micro-moments where we're acutely aware of how much Ivy has been affected by her own obsession with acceptance. The cat in the beach house, the wardrobe, the daily beauty regimens. This made me reflect on my own internal gaze-markers and re-examine the assumptions I make about beauty and identity.

Overall, this is a dense read that covers relevant issues through Ivy's interactions with the people in her life, but I wanted more in terms of suspense. I'd recommend this to anyone who's looking for an issues-heavy fiction with beautiful language. Strange and slightly disturbing, White Ivy will be a good addition to your TBRs.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.

Starting in middle school Ivy has dreamed of a life lived among the waspy swells that she sees personified in the form of her childhood hero, and aptly named, Gideon. Fast forward to post college and he, by some serendipity, appears back in her life. Ivy’s story is a bit of a Scarlett O’Hara tale in that as, a reader, you want to direct her away from foolish choices but what is it they say about “the heart wants what the heart wants”. I loved the book! Thank you Netgalley and Simon Schuster. I cannot wait for everyone to read it so that I can discuss the book and it’s leading lady from beginning to end.

White Ivy by Susie Yang
(⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
This book follows the story of Ivy a young Asian American who steals and swindled deals for her grandmother. Her dealings lead her to be obsessed with a young man, son of a politician, who allows her a taste of the privileged life. Once her mom finds out about her thievery Ivy is sent back to China. Years later Ivy returns she finds a connection to Gideon through his sister and soon swindled her way back into his life as she pretends to be more than what she is.
This novel has many twists and turns as the author provides a character driven mystery. As I read this story I found it difficult to like any of the characters as Ivy seems more of an antagonist than the protagonist of her story. This is Susie Yang’s debut novel which you would never guess as she has a mystical way with words as she captivated me from pages one. I look forward to reading more from her in the future and hope that she continues to write about the integration efforts of Asian American families. *

Thank you @netgalley and @simonandschuster for this ARC. *

I could not put this book down! Literally read in 2 days! To say that this book was not what I expected would be an understatement. The author did a great job of making me both root for, and abhor the main character at the same time. The circle of relationships in this book was well written and the characters (while at times deplorable) were descriptive. The best parts about this book are the twists it takes along the way. Thank you so much for the advance copy, I will be reading more from this author!