Unfortunately this one was just not for me. I could not connect with the writing style and the story.

I do want to read something else by this author though!

I really enjoyed this story that focused on a coming of age story, and how confusing gender identity can be (especially at this age).

This is one of those books that has stuck with me over a year later, even though it was a short read. The character development was strong, the main character was so loveable and vulnerable, and I have recommended it to many friends since!

*Gifted by Netgalley & Farrar, Straus and Giroux (publisher) - thank you! All opinions are my own.

This book was terrible. I DNFed it. It was uncomfy. The writing's voice was pretentious. The talk about race and the use of slurs just wasn't sitting with me. I like the overall synopsis but this book let me down.

Alex Shapelsky is a Jewish, transgender teen who on the surface is happy and all smiles, but has a deep underlying sadness. After his friend moves away, he has a hard time grappling with who he is. When he starts having romantic feelings for l Tracy, an academic superstar, he starts to feel like a real person again. However, he still has a hard time opening up to her. Is something wrong with him? A personal view of self-discovery, the author brings to life diversity, equity, and racial privilege. The plot, however, slows in many places and the conclusion feels contrived. The characters are flawed, engaging, and help bring the story to life. Collections where books about self-discovery, LGBTQ+ novels, and diversity are popular will want to pick this one up.

The concept of the book is real good and of course is thought provoking as the young soul explores and learns more about his sexuality in this short coming of age story, that being said, I don't think this book will be for everyone else. I personally struggled with the author's writing and also felt the book needs more polishing overall because at times it felt like the plot is haphazardly put together making it seem underdeveloped.Overall a passable debut!

Sasha Masha is an exploration of gender identity through the eyes of our teenager main character. I really appreciated the use of first person perspective, because we experience the confusion, the pain, and the joy. There was also a wonderful found family that I wish we could have gotten more of. The book is a pretty short and quick read, which I think worked for it, but also left me wishing for more. A blessing and a curse.

This is the kind of story that is important for people of all ages to read, but I especially think it should be read in high school. I highly recommend Sasha Masha by Agnes Borinsky.

CW: transphobia

This book fills a hole in our trans literature for young children that i didn't even realize was missing. This story is about Alex/Sasha Masha, told entirely pre-transition. Almost most of it before even the realization of Sasha Masha's identity comes out. It's simple and so real to the feelings of being trans and of having pieces fall into place but I loved that it was all before any concrete labels or realizations came to light. Lovely.

This book took me by total surprise! The character development was absolutely astounding. I'm really glad I got a chance to read it through Netgalley. I don't think I would have picked it up on my own, but now I've recommended it to multiple people!

This was incredibly beautiful. The writing was magnificent, the story heartfelt and powerful, and so very emotional. This is one I know will stick with me for ages and one I hope many will pick up!

This book is extremely short but packs a punch. This is the story of a trans teen discovering their identity within the queer community, dealing with their conflicting emotions, and learning to embrace themselves. I will be on the look out for more from Agnes Borinsky.

Sweet short tale of a young boy find his true self "Sasha Masha". This is moving and up-lifting. I love how the writing is accessible to young readers who may be questioning who they are and where they fit in. By the end you're cheering for Sasha Masha!!

*I was gifted with an early copy from the publisher and Colored Pages blog tours, thank you so much :D*

I really don't know where to start... because this book literally blew me away. I didn't know I needed a book about a boy realizing he is trans and I swear this book gave me the feels 😱😱
At first I didn't know where it was going with everything it was telling, the narration seemed simple and it was kind of weird until I got used to it. And then I started paying attention to every single detail and was like "wow, this is really good." It really brings you inside the queer world, one I loved reading about thanks to my best friend, and it was such a refreshing thing to read about.
I think this is a must read for anyone who is having doubts about themselves. Alex/Sasha Masha was a simple person but with a million thoughts going through their head that made me feel more connected to them. When I reached half the book I couldn't put it down because of their thoughts and it left me wondering "do they go through the same thing? the same questions? I hate the world for making them feel bad about themselves". And it needs to be read so then people can have an open mind and understand more about it.
Until this date, I have only read Lord of Shadows that featured a trans character. Now I want to read more books with trans characters, not just because of representation, but because I really want to read more about them. I loved Sasha Masha's story, really 💜💜

Sasha Masha explores great themes of friendship and the value of having a support network as LGBTQIA+ youth. I enjoyed the discussion of being considered a "real person" and feeling worthy of finding yourself. This narrative centers around the exploration of gender and finding your true self without focusing on pain. Instead the readers experiences the protagonist becoming Sasha Masha with the help of their community. Learning about the community and integrating themselves in it was an incredible aspect of this novel. I found it important because it shows other queer teens that they are not alone in their journeys, there are others willing to help them explore their identities. Short but full of joy Sasha Masha delivers an impactful narrative.

Thank you to Fierce Reads and libro.fm for providing ARCs of this novel.
Please note that I am not of the LGBTQIA+ community and I urge you to look up #ownvoices reviews of this novel.

I wish this book was longer. While there wasn't seemingly a plot, the character growth and traversal of identity of Sasha Masha was the star of the show. It was felt so real. While I haven't experienced the same things as Sasha, those relationships made with the other characters felt like high school. It felt like this was a person, someone real. There weren't big twists and turns and I think that lent to the story itself.
I do think people should read this story. It's short, but packed full of perspective that I think more people need.

While I appreciate the awareness brought by this read, I have to admit that it is pretty boring. I felt like it wasn’t merely a surface story with zero depth. I know it’s short, but I think there was still room for more development.

I hope you are ready to bawl your eyes out and have a lot of feelings. This book hits you right in the feels. It delves deep into what it means to be yourself and also finding that self. The development of the plot and character was well done. While this wasn't the happiest of books I feel it is a necessary book to read.

I first want to say a huge THANK YOU to Fierce Reads & Netgalley for gifting me a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

Y'all this book was amazing. You follow Sasha Masha as he discovers his identity. This was so adorable. And such an important read. It's very quick and can be read within one sitting.

I teared up a few times through this. There were so many times where I just wanted to hug Sasha Masha and tell him that everything was going to be okay.

If you're looking for a quick book about LGBTQ+/Trans then I'd highly recommend you pick this one up. My only complaint is that I wish it was longer. Although, even though it was short, Agnes did an amazing job at making you fall in love with all the characters. Really good book. Please do check it out!

In Sasha Masha, Agnes Borinsky writes a character-heavy coming of age story in which the main character struggles to feel out what his identity consists of and who he will ultimately become. For this reason, this is an important work - I cannot recall another YA book with a similar focus, especially with a male protagonist. Unfortunately, the novel is light on actual plot, with conflict relying on small clashes with parents and significant others to move the story forward.

So many of us go through our lives pretending to be someone that we are not. For some of us, it might be in small ways, like feeling the need to laugh because everyone else is laughing. For others, it is much bigger, like trying to fit into binaries or boundaries that they can't help crossing. In Sasha Masha, Alex is trying very hard to make himself fit in a world that is very happy with its own distinct labels.

Alex knows that there is a part of him that is not Alex. He discovers this part of himself when messing around with fancy clothes with a friend. He puts on a dress and suddenly feels "right." He isn't Alex anymore, but is instead Sasha Masha.

Agnes Borinsky does a beautiful job of describing how complicated it can be to be human. The process that Alex goes through illuminates an aspect of the human experience that many of us probably experience in some way, but fail to think about. Are we who other people want or need us to be or are we ourselves? Can we exist without boundaries when it comes to identity? These are all questions that young adults are dealing with today.

This one is remarkable story indeed. I felt the main character's feelings through the pages. It's unbelievable beautiful. I recommend it to everybody who likes a heartbreaking story.