3.5 stars
HEIRESS APPARENTLY is a story following Gemma, a young actress traveling to China to film her first movie while also discovering more about her family’s secrets and herself. This was a light-hearted and really enjoyable read. Gemma as a main character was a good narrator, but I didn’t have a real feel for her personality; I didn’t feel as connected to her as I wanted to, seeing as she is the main character. That being said, I did really love our side characters and the relationships built over the course of the book. The element of family and heritage was so strong in this book, which was something I wasn’t expecting but enjoyed so much. The romantic relationship wasn’t my favorite but the development for it was present. There was also a good bit of Chinese history and a lot of culture sprinkled throughout this book and it made the setting so much more authentic. This book also focuses on Gemma wanting to make a difference in the movie industry by changing her character in the movie she’s acting in, which allowed for a lot of time on set. There is discussion of many different stereotypes in the film industry (especially regarding Asian actors and characters), and I liked seeing Gemma challenge these with her acting throughout the book.

Shoutout to Amulet Books for providing me with an arc via Netgalley.

The first twenty percent of this book I was enjoying myself, but not fully convinced that it was going to give me the vibes I had assumed I was going to get based off of the synopsis. I have to say that once they story was firmly in Beijing I was far more invested and the vibes that I had thought I was going to get started to really shine through the text.

I appreciated Gemma’s connection to her parents back home, but also her desire to find out why it was that her mother never wanted to go to Beijing. I appreciated getting to see Gemma discovering more about her parents and all of the messy situations being in Beijing brought her. Even her dynamic with Eric was more enjoyable than I thought it was going to be based solely on their first interaction.

The only real low point for me was how little the movie became after that first meeting with Eric. It started to feel like Gemma’s passion as an actress and that whole subplot was more a vehicle to execute this particular family reconnection story than something that was really important. Which might not even be the correct phrasing seeing as how important it was in shaping Gemma’s outlook in regards to her family life. Whatever the phrasing it did feel neglected for essentially the entire middle portion of the book only to come back into play late in the third act for a moment that didn’t quick click as believable even if it was for a character moment that felt earned.

Overall I enjoyed the book, it delivered on all the things I thought I was being promised by the synopsis and what I enjoy in a contemporary read. I look forward to continuing on with the series and I appreciate how this first book managed to still tell a complete story while getting me invested enough in the characters to see where they go from here.

Gemma Huang’s biggest desire is to be an actress in L.A. She only needs her lucky break. What she doesn’t count on is landing her dream job only because she’s the doppelganger of a famous Chinese Influencer, Alyssa Chua. Despite the “why,” when offered the leading role, she embraces the opportunity to launch her career and work alongside her idol, Eilene Deng. But when she finds out the movie is filming in Beijing, she’s thrust right into another dilemma—her mother has forbidden her to ever go to the city of her ancestors. Read more....http://booksuplift.com/heiress-apparently/

I found this book to have a pretty slow start but there were some highlights. I enjoyed the focus on family in this story. I also enjoyed the presentation of Chinese history and found myself wanting to look things up and research to learn more. I enjoyed the characters and plotlines and found this to be a fun, light read.

I love love love an alternate future. Similar to Katarine McGee's American Royals series Heiress Apparaently follows the modern day descendant of a Chinese Empress. This reminded me again and again of Princess Diaries (the movie obviously not the book series). Gemma isn't necessarily anything like Mia, but it had similar moments of fish out of water and trying to get used to something you have no way to prepare for.

The look into Chinese culture and the looks we get on the Empire in the past was really interesting and definitely made me want to do some research on discovering the difference between fact and fiction within this story. This book also deals a lot with family in a way that doesn't just push everything to the side, but shows a whole image of what this girls life could be like if she were real.

This was a fun summer YA read. I flew through this book and I loved watching Gemma discover her voice both in her career and within her family. I did think the pacing was a little slow - a lot of time spent with very little information about the secrets in Gemma's family history. That said I loved the discussion of Chinese history, the attempts to breakdown cultural LGBTQ+ stereotypes and the message of female empowerment. I would be interested in reading the next book in the series to see where things go.

The premise of this book was really interesting, the execution just fell a bit short for me. This book is advertised as American Royals meets Loveboat, Taipei, both books that I really enjoyed! This was possibly where I got my expectations a bit too high. I always find myself enjoying a plot line that involves a mix-up of identities, and as our main character, Gemma, finds herself getting off a flight in Beijing with a slew of fans waiting for her because she looks just like the crazy-popular celebrity, Alyssa Chua, this is just what we get.
I really liked all the different pieces of culture that were described in the book and I also loved the discussions of representation in throughout pop culture, the workplace, history and society in general.
While I really wanted to love this book, there were just some things that weren't for me. The pacing was quite slow at some points and the plot was fairly predictable, which meant that trudging through the slowness didn't really pay off in the end.
However, I did really like how wholesome this book was and things wrapped up well at the end so it was a solid 3-star read! If you're looking for a Hallmark movie-like book with Chinese American rep, this is one to think about reading.
Thank you to Netgalley, ABRAMS kids and Diana Ma for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This book was fun! I'm usually good at searching for the "twist" but I missed it here.
The first few chapters could easily be cut without losing much of the story. A few more hints as to why she was chosen and getting sent to China sooner in the story would've moved the story along better. I also did not care at all for the first boyfriend or the roommates; there were definitely too many names to keep track of before she even gets to China!
That said, I loved the way the storylines interconnected - the suits, the family back story, the acting. Some family trees or something could be helpful because it all got the point where too many characters confused me.

I think another 3 solid stars are coming up. The reason is obvious : I liked some parts but the entire concept and pacing didn’t work for me!

Funny thing about this book: it’s advertised as American Royals meets Loveboat, Taipei and I wasn’t a big fan of both books as well. But I liked to read more about Eastern culture and traditions and the blurb attracted my attention so I gave it a go.

I have to admit I loved Gemma Huang who is main protagonist, an aspiring, rising Chinese American movie star. After being casted for toothpaste commercial, she meets with Ken- a gorgeous future boyfriend- then she attends to the audition of M. Butterfly’s remake: they don’t choose her so she gets an offer to replace Constance Wu at Crazy Rich Asians! Okay, I lied, I just tested you to make sure you keep reading my review🙈🙈

Of course she gets the role and most of the scenes will take place in China which means there is a big conflict will occur: she has to go against her family’s first rule: “never set a foot in Beijing”

As soon as her plane lands to Beijing, she finds out she’s so popular and she already has her devoted fans. Her mind gets more confused: Then she finds her answer: she looks like celebrity societal Alyssa Chua’s identical twin. What a disappointment!

I’m not gonna give many spoilers about the book but I want to summarize what I liked and what irritated me deeply.

I enjoyed to learn more about the historical presentation about Chinese culture, a woman warrior’s history. I also loved the author’s approach to the sensitive issues like LGBTQ rights, racism.

But pacing was so slow, Gemma’s self interrogation about her priorities of her life turned into repeating spiral and the progression and conclusion were so foreseeable.

I still want to read more books of the author because the plot was interesting and cultural elements embellished the story’s structure perfectly. But so far that was not a right book for me! I wanted to read something more gripping and exciting.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Abrams Kids/ Amulet Kids for sharing this ARC in exchange my honest review.

This was such an unexpected yet thoroughly enjoyable YA read. It's sort of a "Crazy Rich Asians" meets "American Royals" story, when aspiring American actress Gemma Huang books her first acting gig as the lead in an upcoming rom-com movie. The film, on location in Beijing, is Gemma's first experience in China and almost instantly she's mistaken for big-time influencer and heiress Alyssa Chua. Turns out, there's more to the story and family secrets because Alyssa is her cousin and they are both descendants of royalty.

At first, we meet Gemma busy with auditions for toothpaste commercials and bit parts in a movie as the ex-girlfriend and doing anything it takes to pay her rent and follow her dreams. She meets a gorgeous Asian-American boy and their romance was like cheesy cute, except he's totally jealous of her immediate success in the field. Buh-bye! Also, her parents immigrated from China and haven't gone back nor allowed her to visit, that's a curious bit of mystery for the character's backstory and for the plot of the movie. This book reads quickly with its relatable tone and language. It's a coming-home story and one of pursuing her dreams. It's giving me major "Crazy Rich Asians" vibes with these heiresses lives as they try to figure out love and their purpose in the world and their family legacy. Once Gemma meets her doppelganger, she begins to discover a long-held family secret. This book is so intriguing, and if a full series is coming then I CANNOT WAIT!

Of course, what YA contemporary book couldn't be complete with a sweeping romance? Enter Eric Liu, a college graduate who literally rescues Gemma from hoards of screaming fans, and also the grandson of her grandpa's political rival. The book is full of drama, secrets, dreams coming true, and it's so captivating and engaging. It's a meaningful story about a family's, and specifically that of sisters, bond in this coming-of-age and coming into one's own story. It's more than just a YA story, it is so rich and wow, I loved it. Every single page, chapter, and character. Now, where can I get some of Mimi's fashion collection IRL???

It's so important to see books representative of a diverse population, and sharing diverse perspectives and stories such as this one is so impactful.

Diana Ma’s Heiress Apparently, the first book in the series, left me craving more of Gemma and her down-to-earth, hilarious, and inspiring voice at the end of the can’t-put-down first book. This book is one about identity, the facades we try to present to the world and the hidden ones we try to reveal. I adored Ma’s writing style throughout, and I was grateful to be reading about Asian characters that were representative of a wide range of personalities, hopes, and dreams. I can’t wait to put this book on my classroom bookshelf and have kids check it out from me. I would also totally consider using it as a book circle text in my identity unit. I can’t wait for the next one.

I'm such a huge fan of Crazy Rich Asians and Loveboat Taipei, this seemed like a no brainer read to me. Seeing Asian characters be sexy and mean and ridiculous and complex is always such fun. Unfortunately, that's the most this book has going for it. I admire the ambition, but I didn't take to it.

Well, wasn’t this book a delightful surprise! Before reading this book I had read a few YA books that were OK, but just always seemed to be missing something that would take the story to the next level. I was starting to think that maybe I had simply outgrown the genre - and then I read this book!

First, I just really enjoyed reading an #ownvoices novel, and getting a chance to read about China in a way that we don’t usually see. Diana Ma tied in China’s history to what the modern country is like today, with themes of cultural identity, family bonds, and demolishing LGBTQ+ stereotypes, in a way that was so seamless and accessible. The story itself also kept me hooked until the end because I just had to know what Gemma’s mom was hiding!

This is still a YA novel, so I would definitely describe the romance as more cute than steamy, and I felt like some of the characters, especially the side characters, could have been developed a bit more. However, this was ultimately a quick read that I think will appeal to a lot of young readers!

This book comes out December 1, 2020. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a review copy of this book!

This book was definitely a page turner for me. I read it in a day and was hooked on finding out more. It reminded me of American Royals and I appreciated the storyline. Gemma was a like able character and I enjoyed her struggle, she had a lot going on in this story but I felt the plot was perfect. It was the perfect light read that I needed at this moment. I found myself laughing, shocked and even with tears in my eyes multiple times throughout this story. I know my students will be fighting over this book and I know I’ll have to buy multiple copies. I can’t wait to read more from this author. Thank you netgalley and publisher for this advanced read. I give this book five out of five stars.

I want to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and author Diana Ma for providing me with an ARC of this novel.

This was a nice, wholesome, refreshing read for me. The pacing was perfect and the story line was enough to keep me interested throughout. I appreciated the inclusion of LGBTQIAP+ rights, racism, stereotypes, etc. Also, being in a lesbian relationship myself, I loved that there was one in the novel. Although predictable, sometimes that is the kind of book that your brain needs as a refresher. Kind of got a few Anna K vibes while reading… Like Anna K’s little book sister, if that makes any sense. All in all, a good read.

Thank you again to those above for allowing me to read and review this novel!

“My parents didn’t rage or threaten. It was much worse than that.” I drop my voice to a theatrical whisper. “They were disappointed.”
This was a pretty smooth read. The plot is paced well, and there were enough twists to keep me interested. Though the story wraps up a little too cleanly, it was an overall wholesome read. The characters have multiple layers, and feel realistic. Gemma flounders, a lot. But, honestly, so would anyone, if they had to deal with everything that she’s going through. I absolutely cannot believe that Gemma had time to go on all these adventures while shooting a movie. She’s a literal superhuman.
Heiress Apparently talks about representation in Hollywood, women in the workplace, the art and history of China, all without getting preachy or heavy (The Always be My Maybe references were my personal favorite!).
The reason why Gemma’s parents fled China, though, is insanely heavy. As is the reason behind the family’s feud with another socialite family. It really felt out of place with the breezy attitude of the rest of the book. Though it was probably intended to add weight to the story and tie in China’s history, it really stuck out like a sore thumb.
However, the blend of cultural appreciation and ability to point out issues in government is one that is unique to second generation American immigrants. Second gen immigrants grow up in their parent’s culture, but are imbued with the American government values, which makes us likely to appreciate the culture and history of our parent’s homeland, but be able to see the flaws in its society and government. Heiress Apparently strikes and maintains this delicate balance throughout the novel.
Though it’s got a few bumps in the road, I’d recommend Heiress Apparently for its fresh take on Asian American women in Hollywood and its dramatic family saga.

The premise was just okay, the characters were one sided and a bit angsty, and the whole thing relied on that plot device of failing to tell the main character what everyone around her already knows. No thanks.

Heiress Apparently delighted me! I cannot wait to see what Diana Ma comes out with next, as I am hoping this is the start of a Daughters of the Dynasty series. I read this book in a single sitting.

They book centers on Gemma Huang and her journey to discover the secrets of her family. Her mother has always told her to stay away from Beijing, but when a fortuitous event takes her there, she uncovers more than she ever expected and gains more than she ever could have hoped.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Do you ever have one of those books so gripping and so perfect that you stay up until the sun rises to finish reading it? Well, Heiress Apparently was 100% one of those books for me! Loaded with drama and heart in equal measure, I could not put this story down! I can't wait until it comes out in December; I'm going to buy so many copies for my bookish friends!