I received an audio ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Ellen Sung is a senior at her small town Minnesota high school, sticking out as the only Korean student among an almost exclusively white student population.  She just wants to be like the rest of her classmates.  The pressure from her parents to get into Harvard and the racism she experiences from others at her school make it difficult, though.  When popular, blond Tomkin Sandel falls for her, Ellen hopes that she can spend the rest of her senior year acting like a normal teenager.

The blurb made it sound like the story was primarily focused on Ellen's relationship with Tomkin.  However, there was so much more going on in this book.  <i>Finding My Voice</i> was originally published in 1992 but has been republished in 2020 because the story stands the test of time.  The narrator on the audiobook did a fantastic job bringing the story to life.  I enjoyed the story, but I felt like, contrary to the title, Ellen never really found her voice.  By the end, however, it seemed like she was getting close to that place.  3.5/5 stars

3.5 Stars

I think this is a very realistic look at how small towns tend to treat people who are different from the "norm". The way Ellen was treated by classmates and even teachers was so disgusting and appalling. Being from Minnesota myself, I was taken aback that someone could be so discriminated against in a place so close to home for me, but I can recognize that those around me are still being discriminated against similarly, 30 years after this book was originally published. The actual plot of this wasn't super exciting, but it was a good representation of what people of color go through in small town America unfortunately. I think this is a timeless novel that could help white people understand life as an Asian American and everything they go through with society and their families.

This was such a hard book for me to finish. I think the main issue was the narrator. For whatever reason, I did not like the narrator :(. The book had too much of a young reader feel for me as well. The book was written as if it was a middle grade or lower, not YA as the subject and protagonist demanded. I think the premise of the book was great, but the audio was just not a good way to read this book.

Going into this novel, I was unsure if it was going to be a memoir or a fictional novel, as I went on, it definitely showed itself as a little bit of both. This novel covered some really important topics such as racism, immigration, and finding one's voice to stand up for themselves. I did not realize this book was released for the first time in the 1990s, they way it handled the topics and how it read, made it seem like it was published recently.

The overall plot for me was ok, nothing super special - a girl in her senior year trying to figure out what school to go to and figuring out her friends, love life, and family. It was great to see the big topics intertwined but I wish there was more to them. I wasn't the biggest fan of the writing in spots, but in others it was great.

3.5/5 stars

🐻 Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this e-arc!


✨The audiobook was fascinating tho unfortunately boring at times

Finding My Voice tells the story of "Ellen" Sung, a Korean girl living in Arkin, Minnesota. Ellen struggles with being 'different' (read being Asian in an all-white community), racist people, and the academic expectations of her parents. She tries to find her voice when facing bullies, as well as her parents.
I think that there's a lesson in this book that everyone can and should learn, and that's how to use your voice, to speak up when something upsets you, to learn that you don't have to sit back and be quiet when you have an opinion. I think everyone can relate to aspects of this book, Asian or not. I found myself relating to not knowing where you belong.

Ellen Sung is part of the only Korean American family in a small Minnesota town and wants to fit in at school even when her peers won't let her. She falls for the very blond football player Tomper Sandel in her senior year, and he likes her back. Pursuing a romance leads to disappointment from her strict parents, dismay from her friends, and racism from others at school.

This coming of age story involves balancing the strict obedience of East Asian heritage with the freedoms of a "typical" American teenage life. I noticed that the lower-rated Amazon reviews of the book come from those that don't connect with the characters; I suspect they've never been subject to the racism and needling comments that can come from even well meaning people that have no idea how to approach those of different backgrounds. Other races and cultures are only too used to that kind of subtle racist remarks and microaggressions, and it's a reality that still exists no matter how much people want to deny it. The sense of shame that Ellen feels in response to those comments will feel familiar to anyone who had received such comments.

The audiobook is narrated by Jaine Ye, who sounds dead-on as a teenager worrying about fitting in. There are many small details about Ellen's day and life as a high schooler trying so hard to be "normal" yet still make her family happy with her. That should be a fairly universal feeling for any teenager, regardless of racial or ethnic background. The details in each chapter really brings back the feeling of high school, and being the younger sister of a prodigy adds to a lot of her stresses and feelings of inadequacy.

This was a refreshing and enjoyable read that details the experience of an Asian American reconciling and learning to love her integrated culture. I actually didn't know that this was previously published but I'm so glad I stumbled onto this title the second time around. Getting to listen to the audiobook also made the overall experience more impactful, the narrator did a wonderful job articulating the character's emotions and struggles and just made everything seem more alive. As an Asian American, I felt connected to Ellen even though we come from different backgrounds (Korean vs. Taiwanese) because her struggles were so vivid and universal to my own reflections of self-identity. Definitely worth a read if you're looking for an exploration and coming-of-age novel!

"Finding My Voice" authentically narrates the experiences of a first-generation immigrant Asian-American student as she navigates two very different worlds: that of her home and family and that of middle school, where fitting in is everything.

I would use this book in a mid-level ESL class or any middle school Language Arts class, though I would preface it by exploring some of the dated and offensive terms relating to race and ethnicity in the book before sharing it with students.

Despite being a sequel this is an easy stand alone read. Very enjoyable, written at a beautiful pace the story unfolds wonderfully. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. I'll be posting my review on Goodreads and Amazon

I really enjoyed listening to this audio book.  Like most, I listened at a speed of 1.5.  I did enjoy the narrator.  

I did not realize this book was written back in 1992.  It was nice to listen to a YA novel that is not choked full of characters on cell phones.  There is something wonderfully simple about those times.  Hopeful.  

I will be ordering this book for my students.  The length was great for reluctant readers and the story was accessible.  It can be challenging to get our students to read anything from different perspectives, but I think they would enjoy this story.

This a light and faced paced read which was pretty enjoyable!

Finding my voice follows Ellen Sung, a Korean girl living in Minnesota with her family who struggles with racism and reaching the academic expectations of her parents.

Even though I don't listen to audiobooks very much, I think that this book was narrated brilliantly by the narrator which made me not want to stop listening to it.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advance audio copy in exchange of an honest review. This did not impact my review in any way

Representation: Korean-American MC, Side Korean characters
Trigger Warnings: Usage of racial swears, Racism

Finding My Voice gives a voice to every first-generation child of immigrants, and to all those trying to reconcile their ethnic background with the culture of the country they find themselves in. It’s a simple story, but timeless, evident in its initial publication in print in 1992 and being reissued as an audiobook in 2020.

Ellen’s experiences with racist classmates and professors and demanding parents on top of the pressures of school life, while also battling internalised shame and racism, all contributed to  the realistic representation that made me connect so easily with her. It also helped that the narrator, Jaine Ye, embodied Ellen’s youth and uncertainty in her tone.

Lee does a great job showing you the perspective of a young Korean American teenager who is not only falling in love for the first time but also coming to terms with her identity as an Asian American in small town America and more importantly, finding her own voice in combatting the racism she encounters. I could see ways that Lee could have amplified the story (more conflicts with friends, more nuanced parents other than the stereotypical STUDYING IS LIFE kind of parents, conflict with love interest, etc.) but I appreciated that it was kept simple to focus on the racial bigotry and ultimately her speaking up for herself with her parents, amongst her peers, and with authorities. My recommendation for this one: Pick it up because it’s short, sweet, and may remind you of your high school bestie.

I had no idea this was a re-release of a book written in the early '90s. I actually just thought it was refreshing for it to be set in a time when teenagers didn't have cell phones and social media...you know, like when I was a teenager!
But actually when I got to the end of the book, there was an author's note talking about the re-release. And I that made me like the book even more.
It is a simple story. A simple plot. But so much heart. The characters are beautifully portrayed and very realistically. One of my best friends is Asian, though not Korean, and it spoke to many situations that she has described to me from her own life as a Asian American woman. It is a very timely re-release, as so many people are wanting and enjoying reading about other cultures than there own. But also for the Asian American readers. I love how much more diverse publishing is becoming and how many readers are finally seeing characters like themselves on the page more regularly.

I voluntarily listened and reviewed an advanced copy of this audiobook. It is well written. It was a great listening experience. The author did a fantastic job writing this book.  The narrator did a wonderful job reading this book. The characters are enjoyable.  The pacing of this story is great. You are not just listening, to this book you are experiencing this book. I can't wait to read more books by Marie Myung-Ok Lee. I can't wait to listen to more books narrated by Jaine Ye. I highly recommend listening to this audiobook, it is in stores now for $19.99 (USD).

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. It has been published in December 2020.

"Finding My Voice" by Marie Myung-Ok Lee is the timeless coming of age story of Ellen Sung, a seventeen-year-old Korean American girl who attends an all-white high school in Arkin, Minnesota.
It was first published in print in 1992 and is now being reissued as an audiobook without any edits.
I must say I enjoyed this novel even more than I was expecting: it has a deliciously authentic feeling and it definitely stands the test of time.
The protagonist is extremely relatable, even though I don't belong to an ethnic minority myself, because this story speaks to the heart of anybody who's ever felt different for any reason at all, anybody who went through high school wishing they were more popular or struggled to meet parental expectations and to live up to an older sibling's unattainable achievements.
The plot is perfectly believable: it focuses on exams, sports, crushes... nothing so extraordinary that couldn't have happened to anybody else in the same situation.
The only thing I didn't appreciate was the presence of a few body-shaming remarks.
The narrator has a very pleasant voice, which suits the first-person narration protagonist perfectly.
Overall, I can definitely recommend this novel.

Finding My Voice had been originally published in '92 and was reissued this December.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~
Seventeen-year-old Ellen Sung just wants to be like everyone else at her all-white school. But the racist bullies of Arkin, Minnesota, will never let her forget that she’s different—the youngest member of the only Korean-American family in town.
~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Through the book, Ellen deals with racist classmates and professors, demanding parents, and the pressure of having to choose a university that will not disappoint her parents which is not very easy.

Although the book is called Finding My Voice, Ellen stood up to her bully just once and I don't feel like she found her voice.

"One day, I think to myself, I will figure out how to please my parents without silencing my own voice."

Ellen's problems are not simple, yet she treats them like they are. A little undeveloped for my taste, but ok.

I get it that she was afraid of standing up for herself against some classmates at the beginning and that she was afraid to complain about a racist professor because she wanted/needed a good grade but she didn't even want to press charges against a girl who broke a bottle on her head because 'that wouldn't change anything'.

Like, girl??? It's more important to stand for yourself against racist comments than to your demanding parents who just want you to go to a good school and be someone who will not be treated like they were.

Anyway, I'm glad she wasn't alone through all of this. She had such nice and supportive friends and the romance between her and Tomper was unexpected and cute. I'm glad that their relationship was more like a 'side plot' and that the problems she dealt with were the main theme.

All in all, I liked Ellen and this book, I just wish that she truly found her voice.

(Also, I listened to the audiobook, and Jaine Ye was the best Ellen we could get)

Finding My Voice - 3.5🌟

* Thanks to @netgalley and publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review *

I really enjoyed this book. Other than a few weird outdated references (no cell phones or email) it could still have taken place today in 2020. I think it is just a relevant today as when it was written. The main character seems a little naïve for today's world to be a senior in high school, but I think it would be very appropriate for a teen audience, especially middle schoolers.