(4.25 rounded down)

Constantly short of being “good enough” and constantly two places behind where she was expected to be; June Chu is a Taiwanese-American teenager trying to be “enough”. Whatever “enough” means to her overbearing Asian family, the schools on her college spreadsheet, the boys she knows and to herself.

Immediately, Boys I Know sets itself apart with the voice of its main character. Gracia wrote June with the sort of brashness that reminded me in many ways of Devi from the Netflix show, Never Have I Ever, and the titular character from the film Lady Bird. I was pleased to find out after reading that the former was recognised by the author herself to be similar to June.

Though her actions were of her own accord, June’s behaviour was evidently caused by the invalidating-nature of her home life. It was as if her impulsiveness was a means of getting the validation her family failed to provide her while her misadventures with boys specifically felt like June trying proving to herself: “I am good enough to be wanted!”

To read this book is to be June’s friend. I appreciated how authentically frustrating her journey was — at times making me feel VERY embarrassed, VERY uncomfortable and also VERY hopeful (though the last one only crashed and burned in my face, like it did for June.) Her emotional and sexual experiences were portrayed without much filter, making what she went through more relatable to the book’s audience of readers.

As an Asian myself, an aspect to this book I heavily enjoyed was its Asian representation, June’s evolving response to micro-aggression and, in general, the growth of her relationship with her own racial and cultural identity. I commend the author for tackling it in a natural and gradual way throughout the story. The issues June dealt with weren’t solely because she was Asian, it was more that her being Asian brought another set of layers to her issues as a teenager.

Overall, I hold this book in high-esteem! It read like an indie coming-of-age film with the realistic and slightly grittier themes it carried compared to other YA books I’ve read. Yet, it was also funny and heartwarming. A great debut novel from Anna Gracia! And wow, the cover of this is gorgeous! It reminds me of the hardbound cover of Michelle Quach’s Not Here To Be Liked.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Peachtree Teen and the author for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. I will be posting my review on GoodReads and Instagram a bit closer to the release date.

(TWS AND POTENTIAL SPOILERS: dubious consent and pregnancy scare)

I’ve been a victim of being the one considered as “good enough.” And it affects me more than I would like to admit. I find June’s awkwardness in managing her relationships with those around her relatable. This book completely gets me. All the cheesy things that teens go through might seem small. This is the coming-of-story that a simple girl like me needs. I enjoyed following June’s story as she journeys towards self-discovery.

Always 'just good enough', June is an Asian-American senior, constantly berated at home and barely able to manage a relationship at school. 'Boys I Know' tells the story of how June decides to embrace her 'eternal averageness' and navigates a whole host of awful boys and terrible relationships, mostly because her sense of self-worth is so low, thanks to constantly being berated at home; being unsure of her identity at school and around her friends; and having little to no hope or clarity about her future. Its wit masks the heart-breaking pain June is in for most of the novel, and I'm not sure if I wish it had been darker or lighter in tone.

Reading this book was like ticking off all the types of teenage boys most teenage girls have the unfortunate experience of having to endure, made worse by the racist element. Realistic would be my final verdict. I kept wishing for one of them in particular to 'change', to be someone better, but perhaps it's wishing too much him. June has quite a biting, bleak sense of humour, but overall I did find it quite a depressing read, just because I related to her so much at that age. I wanted so badly for June to have someone who would help her see she didn't need to accept the scraps these disgusting boys threw her way, but June is in a place where she won't be convinced of anything but her own 'meh-ness' and general unworthiness for most of the novel. It's one where 'she saves herself', which I thought worked well for a character like June. I was very pleased to see clarity on seeking the morning-after pill, and June coming to challenge some internalised misogyny surrounding sex, but I was surprised and disappointed that her first sexual experience with Brad wasn't ever clarified in the narrative for exactly what it was. June says no plenty of times, and the way the scene is written makes it clear to me how much pain she's in, and how he recognises her distress and discomfort but doesn't care. So I'd add a content warning for rape, which I think some readers might interpret as dubious consent.

I am grateful to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an eARC of 'Boys I Know'. These opinions are my own.

The other day they were giving away free ARC’s of this book and the cover looks amazing so I was like let me read it. I think this book is very universal and I loved the fact that everyone could find some piece of themselves in June. The story was very deep and over after reading I felt very influenced by it. Definitely a 5/5. Thank you to Netgalley and PeachTree Teen for allow to read and review this novel early!

Wow. This book felt so much like one of the quintessential coming of age movies I watched growing up. I could envision the whole thing in my head (including the soundtrack).

Each character felt like someone I’ve met before or could meet at any point in my life because they all felt like real human beings. I couldn’t even get mad at June when she was making mistakes (especially in regards to her parents and her guy problems) because I’ve made some of those mistakes too, and I know the mindset she was in because I’ve been there. I did get mad at other characters, but the fact I got angry just goes to show that they felt very real to me and that I grew to care about June and the others while reading.

I also loved the issues June faced in terms of her racial identity despite being unable to fully relate. I was however able to recognize certain things I’ve said/done in the past that were definitely not okay and were for sure microaggressions towards my friends, even though they never called me out on it. This book really made me think and reflect on myself which not many books do, and I truly did learn something from reading it.

Also, as someone who is about to graduate, I know I absolutely NEED to reread this book when it comes out because I’ll relate that much more after graduation (and I’m sure I’ll cry, but everyone needs a good cry sometimes).

!!!SPOILERS BELOW!!!

I’m very glad that June didn’t end up with any of the guys and stayed single in the end. Sometimes it feels like writers think that their characters need to end up with someone in the end when, especially at June’s stage of life, that’s just not the case. This book wasn’t a romance, it was June’s journey of self-discovery, and I love it so much for that. So thank you, Anna Garcia, because this was amazing.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an advance copy of the book in exchange of an honest review.
Keeping this sweet and short : it was good. It was cute and refrshing but i found myself frustrated with the mc and it lowed the score for me. I know that the protrayal of the mc was a realistic one but i just couldnt stand it and i truly dont know if i should praise her for it or not.
Also the end was a little bit rushd in my opinion. It felt like the author wanted the book to end quickly and just wraped it all up.

I loved this book! First of all the cover immediately had me desperate to read it and I was hoping that it lived up to the hype I built up in my head. Luckily, it did. June is very much a flawed character but we see her missteps and how they guide her to a clearer understanding of who she is. This book was one of the truest depictions I have seen of high school and all the pressures that come with it. I was glad many of the struggles June faced are discussed instead of glossed over like so many YA books out there. This was a great read and I would recommend it to anyone and everyone. I know I will be picking up a copy when it is released.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC.

This was lovely and I wished I had liked it more. Of course, I appreciate any form of POC representation we get in literature, but I think this book just wasn't for me. As an Asian myself, it is amazing to see the wave of own-voiced POC books hitting the shelves. However, a lot of them have the same issue I found in Boys I Know -- lack of nuance and subtly. I do acknowledge I sound pretentious (and that is because I am) but it doesn't hurt to hold back a little. I love that this was so genuine and had I still been in high school, maybe I would've adored seeing someone with a culture similar to mine who faced the same struggles I had as not only a teen, but as part of the minority in a white Western-centric society. Again, this book just wasn't for me. But my subjective opinions aside, I do want to give credit to this for how careful and honest the main character was portrayed, as well as how the themes in this book were handled. Often, sex and sexuality are not discussed in young-adult fiction, so it was lovely to see it portrayed in such a careful, educative way here. This honestly felt so series for a young-adult fic, despite the author describing it as having "all the ‘com’ of a rom-com”.

But I digress-- June felt so raw and real, for her as a character alone this would've been a five star.

I would absolutely recommend this to high-schoolers, specifically POC teens :)

After finishing this book, the word that comes to the top of my mind is authentic. These characters feel lived in and real, none more so than June which can sometimes be a double edged sword. Sometimes I wanted it to be a little bit more of a fantasy, to incorporate more of the wish fulfillment that you can get out of a YA novel. But that's not what this book is, and that's not a criticism. June can be extremely frustrating, but she is a teen girl who is grappling with life and making mistakes and rushing to judgement. As a reader, you want her to have answers to every question but that's not necessarily what life will actually give you.

That does sometimes make this feel a little abrupt, especially at the end, but Boys I Know feels very much like a slice of life at a very particular time in June's life and how she can cope with it. It's raw and refreshing, even if it isn't entirely satisfying.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and PeachTree for this e-ARC!

(4.5 rounded down)
Boys I Know was a complete emotional rollercoaster of a book and I loved every moment of it. First off, June Chu has my whole heart. She completely stole it in this book. She’s such a realistic and comforting character, and the journeying through the messiness of her life with her made me laugh and gush and yell in frustration. When I say it was an emotional rollercoaster, I really mean it. I felt happy, sad, confused, annoyed, all the emotions, at so many points of this story. I really feel that it so accurately represents the feelings of many teens. Would definitely recommend especially to older teens. (also I LOVE THE COVER FOR THIS BOOK, IT’S STUNNING)

This book was a lovely mirror into what it feels like to be a teenager trying to figure out who you are and how to be independent. I really appreciated the exploration of not being “Asian enough” and the cultural aspects that were explored throughout.

I would say the book is as what the blurb says. Exactly. No exaggerations there. Nothing less than there. And I am so glad the book delivers as it promises.

Thank you, Peachtree, for the advance reading copy.

Will I keep looking at the cover of this book again and again?

Will I keep thinking about the characters again and again? Hello, June. Hello, Rhys. Hello, June's Mom. Yes, the other characters too. But these characters will live in my mind rent free forever.

And yes, yes to these questions! I love the cover so much!

The book is as it is. The plot is as it is. What I loved the most is how genuine the characters are and how effortlessly they have been developed and given a wholesome place in the plot.

I find the character of June so genuine and realistic that it's impossible not to keep on reading as to know what happens to her and who she chooses ultimately. The characters are not perfect which I truly appreciate reading about. We meet the good, the bad and the ugly guys. June, you deserve the best.

One character stood out for me. It's June's mom. Only Asian kids know how it is with Asian families and Asian parents. It's a lot. A LOT I would say. We are used to it. But no one can make fun of it.

I would say take your time with this book. Try to know and understand June keeping her age and situation in mind. You will enjoy it the most when you accept the characters as they are at the earliest.

it's official. i am in love with YA contemporary and more importantly, with june chu. it really brought me back to a younger me who was struggling with the multitudes of confusion that high school and being on the cusp of adulthood brought me. but this book really made me look back to four years in the past and if i could give high school self one thing, it would be a book like this. these characters were so real and achingly human and her journey was something i will hold so dear to my heart because it tackles so well themes and subjects like sex, college, race and her own sense of belonging in the world and how much of that she can actually control. it was so, so wonderful and i can't wait to read more of anna garcia.

I sat down and read this entire thing in one sitting, so I think it's safe to say this book definitely exceeded my expectations. it's wonderfully paced, engaging, and honest, discussing a lot of important issues and also just providing an amazing glimpse into the mind of someone who doesn't have their life together, and who learns to be okay with that. I especially appreciated the way this felt like a character study-- june was a wonderful narrator with an inner dialogue that was funny, genuine, and a lot of times hit a little too close to home. reading about her decisions, family pressures, experiences, and character development was a really great experience.

I also appreciated how this book kind of tossed aside the typical "YA couple endgame" in favor of messy, realistic high school relationships where nobody's perfect. it actually sidestepped a lot of YA tropes in favor of honesty and realistic experiences, which made it both hard to read and also really elevated the story. I was really rooting for june the entire time, and I loved seeing her discover who she was over the course of the book.

this is an important story. the friendships, the choices june is facing, the way she learns how to put herself first, the relationships we see her in and how she processes them. it was really amazing and such a new and unique take on the typical YA contemporary romances I've been used to reading. I hope this book gets the hype it deserves because it really does deserve it.

I really enjoyed this book !June was splendid character who went through a lot but I thought that she was a realistic teenager so that was really nice! Overall Boys I Know was poignant, interesting, sweet, sassy, entertaining and thoughtful.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 rounded down.

Boys I Know was a stunning debut by Anna Gracia. It was a solid read that I really enjoyed.

June Chu is messy. She makes mistakes, she's trying to live up to impossible standards, and sure, maybe she's a little bit of an asshole sometimes. But she tries. As soon as I started, I knew June was going to get a great character arc, one where she learns and experiences some growing pains, and gets to fuck up once - or a lot of times. Her growth and journey felt realistic and at a perfect pace, and that deserves some kudos.

June also was unapologetically herself when it came to expressing her sexuality. I think more YA books should share the awkward, uncomfortable, messy parts of sex. We don't need to skip from YA novels with barely a kiss to an Adult novel full of smut; teenagers deserve to see their sexualities referenced on-page.

There were some times when I was confused with the timeframe of what was happening, but it was a minor complaint. I also wanted more of an on-page understanding that 23-year-olds and graduate students should not be dating/having sex with high schoolers, as I feel that is an important message for any teen to understand.

I would recommend this book to people, especially current high schoolers. It's okay to not have all the answers right now.

Thank you to Peachtree Teen and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fantastic read for me. THE COVER. THE ART. The background, the colours, the car, and the BOOTS. BEING QUEER AND ASIAN. I adored June's voice, but I was especially taken with the story's pacing. Sometimes in contemporary books, the last few chapters feel like the character finding out their life lesson in one go to wrap it up, but June's character growth and realisations felt very genuine, and quite realistic. It's a very fresh and relevant novel that tackles a number of important topics in a very sincere and lived-in way. And, as previously stated, I adore June.

Overall good YA story, I enjoyed but it wasn’t all that but a solid 4 star review! I really enjoyed the main character.

A YA rom com that I ddin’t really care for that I ended up DNFing because I didn’t care for the characters.