This will be my favorite book of the year. It is an amazing debut book. It is very much a book of the times. Jade is the daughter of a Korean mother and Turkish father. I loved how we learned a little about these cultures. Jade is a lawyer at a prestigious law firm in London. It is a cut throat business, expecting you to nearly give up your social life, to always go to the firm’s parties, to always drink alcohol. At one party Jade did drink a little too much, or maybe she didn’t. She remembers very little of that night but eventually suspects she was sexually assaulted. The story covers consent, racism and corporate power but as it relates to Jade and the impact on Jade. This is a powerful story very thought provoking.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book gutted me. It was emotional and unfortunately, will be too relatable for too many people. It is a complex story of racism, sexism, and a young woman just trying to find her own path in a world where there are obstacles around every corner.

I was first drawn to this book because it featured a young lawyer trying to make a name for herself among a sea of white suits. Being part of the legal profession myself, I'm always drawn to books where I can find parallels.

Jade was so relatable. She was kind and ambitious and wanted nothing more than to have a happy and stable life, make her parents proud, and be with the man she loved. All reasonable and seemingly attainable requests, but at what cost?

When Jade is sexually assaulted and she has no real memory of the event, it was deeply troubling. Jade moves on with her days as though nothing has happened and I wanted to shake her for ignoring the signs and not listening to her body. But, as a woman myself, I sadly know that this situation is all too common.

Jaded takes a hard look at victims of sexual assault and the aftermath of an attack. I appreciated how Lee handled this traumatic event - she was sensitive but pragmatic and I think the essence of Jade's experience will speak to and validate many women.

This book was at many times very hard to read. I was angry for much of it - angry at Jade's family for their reaction, angry for Jade's boyfriend for making the assault about him, angry at the abuser for being in a situation of privilege and power and taking advantage of that, and angry at a system that creates the opportunities for such violence and at times, even condones it. I was grateful for strong emotions this novel evoked though, because we need these stories and we need the space to have these difficult conversations. These stories are too common and too powerful and too important not to share

This is an impressive debut. Lee's writing was fantastic and she handled many difficult topics with expertise. I absolutely recommend.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the copy.

“Jaded" by Ela Lee is a gripping and emotionally charged novel that takes readers on a rollercoaster ride through the complexities of love, loss, and self-discovery. Lee's storytelling prowess shines as she weaves a narrative that is both poignant and suspenseful. The characters are vividly drawn, each carrying their own burdens and secrets that unfold with a compelling sense of urgency. The novel explores themes of resilience and the transformative power of healing, creating a narrative that resonates with authenticity. Lee's prose is evocative, drawing readers into the intricacies of the characters' lives. "Jaded" is a captivating exploration of human relationships, filled with twists and turns that keep the reader hooked until the very end. It's a testament to Lee's ability to craft a story that is not only entertaining but also emotionally resonant.

First of this book is not for the light hearted. Did I enjoy it? Yes. But did I also feel impacted in a way that made me take anxiety medication and relive what she went through? Yes.

This book took me on an emotional rollercoaster ride that will probably take weeks or days for me to recuperate from. The evident rape and culture appropriation on almost every single page was coming back to haunt me even when I put the book down. Did I want to put the book down? Yes. But I also wanted to chunk my kindle across the room due to the blatant abuse these women went through.

Overall, great book. But will I read it again? Absolutely not. I love horror. But not the “real life this happens everyday to women horror.”

Jade Review

I feel so much after reading this that I honestly do not know where to begin with my review. It was heartbreaking and took my breath away in the aspect of how angry I got. I felt my blood boiling and wanted to scream at every single character.

I feel first I must point out that there are triggers in this novel and that Ela Lee writes it all in a very eloquent not graphic disturbing way.

A horrible thing happens to Jade and the aftermath is gut-wrenching. As one card started fumbling down they all fell. And the more she tried to move past the awful event, things became worse and her life crumbled down.
I am not usually one for this subject matter, but as I pushed through, I’m glad I did.
We, readers, get a firsthand viewpoint on not only the difficult event she goes through but also how it leads to her finally being ready to ask for help. Jade has her eyes opened up to all of the ways she sidesaddles herself, who she is, and what she wants to be for those she loves:

Her parents… as a daughter of mixed-heritage, immigrant parents, she’s always trying to be enough for them and make them proud of her. Becoming a lawyer, working hard, going to the best schools.

For Kit… she wants to be the perfect girlfriend, drama-free, independent, understanding, and always ready for a good time.

For work… always available and willing to put in extra hours because a client needs something. Putting aside the sexism because no one wants to work with someone troublesome.

For friends… making crude racist, insensitive comments (“But Jadey, it’s just a joke)
Ugh

Jade has to truly decide throughout this story if she is going to continue biting her tongue or finally speak up for herself and make the extremely difficult decisions that will alter her life further. She has to accept that it is all up to her and let go of the fear of the what-ifs. If she continues allowing the things that continue festering inside of her to go on she won’t have room for the good what-ifs. There is a lot of real-life fear inside of her and Ela Lee did write this story in a truly compelling way. I am happy I stuck it through.

Thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read this thought-provoking ARC in exchange for my personal thoughts and opinions.

Wow, this book is as compelling as it is powerful. The author is a talented writer with perspectives I want to take in. Full disclosure: I'm a lawyer too, but you don't have to be to devour this novel that wrestles with consent and power. Highly recommend.

Jaded explores so many deep themes including: navigating white privilege, racism, cultural identity, SA, misogyny, and power dynamics.
Ceyda’s inner battle as her story progressed and as she began to understand what really happened to her is so heartbreaking. But is the unfortunate truth of many individuals with similar experiences.
This novel is so well written and is such a powerful piece. I truly felt for Ceyda and her ability to “play twister” with her personality when trying to fit into new spaces not made for diversity. As well as her instinct to make those around her feel comfortable before herself. Being able to see myself in bits and pieces of Ceyda's personality and experiences makes this story that much more powerful to me.

Another great book from @simonbooks! Jaded by Ela Lee is a complex book that I could never do justice in a short IG post, but I have to share. It’s the type of story that as soon as you finish it, you want others to read it too.

At it’s core, it is a personal story of a woman who has always tried to fit into some idea of perfection- the over-achieving immigrant daughter, the lawyer who works 70 hours a week without complaining, or the cool, understanding girlfriend that doesn’t bristle at your friends inappropriate jokes.

Jade isn’t the type of person who rocks the boat or breaks the rules, so when she wakes up from a high profile party with her firm a with a raging hangover and no memory of how she made it home, she has to try to piece together the events from the night before. Putting together what happened tears her apart and challenges all the important relationships in her life. Jade has to figure out what she is willing to give up to be who she wants to be.

I read a review of this book on NetGalley, where the reviewer explained that it only took three chapters to know this was a five star read, and I couldn’t agree more. It wasn’t the focus on romantic relationships, rather Jade’s dynamic with her parents that was my favorite part. Accepting some of the implications of how she was raised and the attempt to unpack the generational trauma was beautiful. Without giving too much away about the plot, it delicately depicts the difficult process of reshaping success and happiness after trauma. It shows how to find power in the broken. It is truly an amazing story. It’s rare to depict such difficult topics in a way that’s enjoyable to read. It’s truly art. This book will be available March 19th.

Jade has spent her life trying to do everything right; obeying and pleasing her immigrant parents (Korean and Turkish) by becoming a lawyer, being a good girlfriend to her boyfriend, a hard worker and trustworthy. She is required to attend an after work office party for clients and her life changes. The next morning she is bruised and knows something terrible has happened though she has no memory after leaving the party. She begins to have flashbacks and becomes paranoid with terror and fears. Jade is limited with who she can tell about her situation. As time goes on and the truth comes back to her she finds that help is limited for her.
This novel presents insight of a woman’s limitations due to color, racism, cultural differences, and the legal system dealing with sexual assault, plus the corporate culture dealing with nepotism.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster
#SimonBooks

Well written and gives an insight for social issues such as: ethnicity, corporate world, politics, complicit racism, misogyny,

Jade, a more Westernized version of her Turkish name Ceyda, gives an insight of how stressful the corporate world is. On top of that, also becoming a victim of sexual assault.

I like the story and the minute details of the book.

What a beautiful novel. Every aspect of this book was a stunning reflection on personal relationships, career, the immigrant experience (set in London), trauma and grief. This story was filled with extremely heavy topics yet managed to create a space for healing and growth within our MC. Overcoming sexual assault, learning to reevaluate herself in a predominantly white/male industry, the relationships between female friends, the connections to parents. It was all done so masterfully. I couldn't recommend this enough.

***Strong trigger warnings for sexual assault.

Thank you to the publisher Simon & Schuster for providing an ARC via Net Galley!

Thank you NetGalley and to the publisher/author for the early reader's copy. I thought this book was great. Well-written and touched on some important topics. I especially loved reading the parts about the protagonist's mixed-race background and thought it felt really authentic. Overall a great read. Would recommend.

Summary:
Jade, the daughter of immigrant parents, is thriving. She has a stable job as a lawyer, a nice place to live, a long-time boyfriend, and supportive friends. Until she wakes up one morning after a work event, in a compromising state, and has no idea how she got there.

TW: racism, sexism, sexual assault

My thoughts:
Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
Jade is a woman who is torn between pleasing her immigrant parents, and conforming to societal expectations and those of her boyfriend, Kit. As she says, she is playing twister with her personality, going with what best fit the situation. This could even be seen in how she goes by Jade, when her legal name is Ceyda. The assault, however, starts a journey of self-discovery that challenges her previous mindset.
I love how well this book is researched. Jade comes from a Turkish father and Korean mother, and she seemingly adapts to both cultures very well. I also noticed how her Baba and Omma’s individual backgrounds shaped their personalities and how they responded to Jade’s plight.
I also admire how the author is not afraid to tackle difficult and controversial subjects like sexual assault and gender inequality in the workplace. Jade is a woman I came to root for in all aspects of her life, from her relationships to the assault. While at times this book could get heavy, it was thought provoking and handled its difficult subject matter delicately.

Jade has everything she dreamed of but after one night everything changed that. This is a raw and interesting book that address’s many things. This story will have you thinking after reading.

The daughter of a Korean mother and Turkish father, Ceyda, known as Jade, spends long hours as an attorney for a London firm that fancies itself pro women and pro diversity. After too much to drink at a firm gala, she wakes up naked with no memory of how she got home. Slowly, she realizes she has been the victim of a sexual attack by a co worker. Struggling to deal with the trauma of the event while balancing career, a boyfriend who seems less than understanding, her traditional parents, and a complicit workplace, her life soon spirals out of control.

This is a skillful debut novel and one I hope will receive a lot of attention. There is much here for reflection and discussion including the treatment of people of color, cultural misunderstandings, cultural identity, racism, consent, the legal system as related to sexual assault, and the misogyny, bias, nepotism and false benevolence of the corporate culture. While difficult topics, they are presented with intelligence, realism, and empathy.

And how beautiful and symbolic is that cover?

This was beautifully written, brutally honest, and at time painfully hard to read. You will feel a lot of emotions reading this, particularly rage, likely empathy, and hatred for some of the characters and their despicable behavior.

This was TOUGH to read but important, honest, and beautiful.

I requested this ARC after hearing compelling reviews of this new publication. While very triggering for me personally, this book is multi-faceted, honest, and a total rollercoaster that exposes the sexist, patriarchal society we live in.

The plot follows Jade after a work function, which she doesn’t remember getting home from. She slowly endures flashbacks that indicate she may have had a nonconsensual sexual encounter, which is confirmed by the assailant himself, a coworker. What follows is the story of millions of women, what happens when they decide (or don’t) to tell their story, feel their emotions, and try to heal.

Jade represents so many women that have had nonconsensual sexual encounters, and the author is so nuanced in the way she positions Jade’s internal monologue, constantly questioning herself, minimizing her emotions and what she knows to be true, and internally gaslighting herself. I recognized many of my own thought patterns in the ways in which Jade tries to compartmentalize her reality in order to stay alive.

The writing in this book really descriptive, but also very accessible. As Jade discovers the truth and comes to terms with her new reality, the author mirrors our world and all the possible types of people that will support you or call you a liar. As a character, Kit was extremely well-written, coming off as a supportive, feminist partner in the beginning but quickly turning into an intolerable, hypocritical white savior character. You cannot help but cheer for Jade as she attempts to put her life back together.

I highly recommend this one, but want to again stress the trigger warnings: sexual assault, rape, and domestic abuse. Thanks again to NetGalley for an advanced readers copy. This publishes March 19th!

Ela Lee’s debut novel is impressive, heartbreaking, and poignant. We follow the protagonist, Ceyda, better known as Jade, as she navigates the complicated world of corporate law. From the onset, you are faced with demanding circumstances from her employer as they expect excessive work hours, as well as presence at social events, and the expectation for partaking in quite a lot of alcohol consumption. This novel centers around the events that take place after one such company social event.

Lee skillfully explores the topics of power, politics, misogyny, race, and consent while keeping a focus on the profound impact on Jade’s life. The writing is intelligent, powerful, and thought-provoking, making it a memorable and emotionally charged read. The novel skillfully examines the aftermath of trauma and societal expectations, leaving a lasting impression on the reader.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Ceyna goes by the name of Jade as it is easier for her to go by her Starbucks name. She is mixed race with a mix of Turkish and Korean. She is a lawyer in a prestigious law firm in London.

She is at a work event when she has too much to drink. She wakes up with no idea of how she got home. She realizes too late that she was sexually assaulted by a work associate. She has guilt over what to do and how to to handle the situation.

The author does an excellent job of portraying Jade's inner turmoil onto the pages. There are so many emotions and thoughts going through your mind on how the workplace handles the situation and makes you wonder what would you do? The diversity in the workplace meetings where Jade was put on the spot would be great for bookclub discussions. Just enjoy these diverse thought provoking reads.

Jade is a young mixed race lawyer pushing ahead to become a valuable partner in England. She straddles multiple cultures, classes and the ever present sexism that all women face. Everything sharpens when Jade wakes up the day after a holiday party at her firm. She doesn't exactly remember what happened or how she got home. The flashbacks and feeling of dread heighten as rumors fly at work threatening her good standing and her long term relationship. What can Jade do, what should she do, and what can she live with?

A harrowing story, part thriller, part common story. The different is that Ela Lee presents a different perspective, one that is not of a young white woman suffering from misogyny and violence, but that of a person of color. In this book, it makes all the difference and a familiar story seems brand new. #Jaded #ElaLee #SimonSchuster