This book is quite unhinged. I liked the idea that Peter was able to find a resolution in the end; he got his happily ever after. But, I felt I needed to suspend my belief greatly to believe this conclusion. I felt Peter’s behavior could be relatable, as I am a professional late 20-something who often wishes to be free from hustle culture. However, consequences happen in real time. not just virtually. I felt as if Peter was able to somehow always come out on top in all these situations. From Robbie just deciding to help solve Toby’s murder with him to stealing his former classmate’s gun (which felt unnecessary because Peter could have easily looked up how to unload said gun) to Robbie being his alibi just for funsies, all of it felt very unrealistic. That could also be the point of the story: take life seriously but not too seriously. I just didn’t feel I could fully connect with that sentiment, though. As the reader, it would have felt more grounded with actual consequences or less miraculous get-out-of-jail free cards for Peter.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

I requested and received an eARC of Memoir of an Innocent Brat by Aaron Wang via NetGalley. Pete Chan's life takes a sharp turn after he hears BRAT by Charli XCX for the first time. He quits his job, dumps his cheating boyfriend Toby, and reinvents himself as a barista. Unfortunately, Pete’s barista dreams are abruptly interrupted by an encounter with a male Karen that goes viral, he pivots to embrace a future as a pop music critic. When his ex-boyfriend is murdered, Pete finds himself accused of the crime and must team up with his Internet nemesis to help unearth the identity of Toby’s killer.

I love the way this book drops you into the action in the very first chapter with Pete being arrested for Toby's murder. The combination of the mystery and Wang's humor had me hooked. I immediately queued up "Rewind" by Charli XCX and settled in for what I was sure would prove to be a fabulous mystery. Pete absolutely serves brat energy and while I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at some of his choices, I found him to be an endearing and funny character.

In Memoirs of an Innocent Brat, Wang shows that he knows his audience. The humor and references in the novel fully embrace both gay and stan culture. The mystery element of the novel was fun! And the pacing made this an easy book to breeze through, because I couldn’t allow myself to put it down until I discovered what happened next! The story took a couple of turns that I wasn’t fully expecting and allowed me to fully appreciate Pete’s character arc.

Thank you to NetGalley for an Advanced Reader Copy. All thoughts are my own!!

The premise of this book was so interesting to me. I went into Memoir of an Innocent Brat expecting it to be so unserious and a little camp, which it was.

With that said, there are some aspects of this book that I didn't particularly like. For starters, it is SO anti-fat!! I thought maybe this would be challenged towards the end, but it never is. Another thing I didn't like was the "twist". I clocked who it was very quickly. The romance.... ick!! I hate that we are supposed to root for a romance between these two characters when our main character <spoiler>literally stalks and then threatens the love interest!! And then the love interest, just out of the kindness of his heart, helps the main character try to solve a murder?? Ugh.</spoiler> The whole book had pacing issues like this.

I was left wondering if this was satire. If it was, I can surely understand and forgive a lot of my issues with it. I also want to add that I understand this is a love project between the author and their deceased friend, so my condolences to the author for that. I can't imagine how hard it must have been to have finished a novel your friend loved and was editing for you.

I did like some of the social commentary in this.

Overall, if you go into this with low expectations and ignore the anti-fat rhetoric, this could be a fun read for you!!

Memoir of an Innocent Brat is basically a campy take on what Fox News warned all of us would happen if we tried to have our own brat summer.

Pete Chan has become a corporate drone just autopiloting through his twenties...until 360 by Charli XCX blasting through his headphones one morning awakens him from his corporate haze, allowing him to break free and realize that he needs to live this next summer as brat as possible. What happens next is a fascinating combination of a murder mystery, a cute lil romcom, and some surprisingly nuanced takes on being chronically online and social media use in modern life. This definitely captured a moment in time, a snapshot of online trends and slang, and most importantly...brat summer 4ever.

This novel has range, swinging back and forth between being over the top and having its tender moments. Pete has a flair for the dramatic, which can be hilarious, but he also comes at you with unexpected moments of subtly beautiful wisdom and insight into being gay in the era of the all-powerful algorithm. Overall, I came for the vibes and the giggles, and walked away with more than I expected.
3.5 stars, rounded up.

Big thank you to Books in Color and Netgalley for giving me a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

“Was that too cliché and attention-seeking? Well. Let’s see.”

I was entranced by the brutal vulnerability of the way the main character is written. He is a chaotic, ridiculous, messy little donut you can’t help but root for even through his many, many flaws. It’s refreshing having a character being so self-aware that they know when they’re being (really) dramatic, and then internally call themself out on it.

Absolutely nails the queer life experience, especially from a POC/minority perspective. There were so many moments that felt like inside jokes within our community, it felt like a wave from a friend saying “I see you!”

There are vastly layered truths about online presence and the dangers it can carry when it gets out of hand, all while reminding us that most of what we see from people online is a beautifully curated snapshot into what they wish their lives were rather than anything resembling how they are day-to-day. It’s been fascinating watching what happens when the illusion unravels.

The story is wild, over the top, and just this side of unbelievable in all the right ways.

Makes you want to go storm the world until you have a brat anecdote of your very own — but… maybe without the handcuffs.

3 stars, but I do hope you people know this is not a bad rating.

This was a quick, easy and fun read. When I read the summary of this book this is exactly what I expected.

Pete Chan decides to turn his life around after listening to the new Charli XCX album, "Brat". He quits his corporate job, breaks up with his cheating boyfriend and decides to build a new life for himself. However, this doesn't quite go as he expected. After going viral on social media by accident for throwing a coffee in the face of a rude employee, Pete's life turns into a rollercoaster of internet fame (and all that comes with it), an arrest for murder, and an unexpected alliance with the guy he claims is his sworn enemy.

Overall this book is exactly what is claims to be; a queen mystery that explores currently relevant topics with humor but also a realistic approach. It was nothing groundbreaking in my opinion, and there was some things within the book that brought my rating down (the unrealistic way the police were operating, and how the end of the book felt dragged out despite it being such a short novel), but overall I definitely recommend!

Unfortunately this was a DNF at 11%. The writing style just wasn’t for me, interesting premise though.

This book wasn’t really for me. The “BRAT” angle was a little corny, and a little bit dizzying paired with a murder mystery—which wasn’t realistic and WAY too convenient and predictable. The constant similes were distracting and annoying, and sometimes didn’t even make sense. I didn’t like that Frankie never apologized to Pete for the horrible, racist things he said to him, and at the same time it was REALLY weird that Pete stalked Frankie down to confront him (with a gun, “just in case.”) It’s always interesting to watch how the writer moves along a plot, especially when it’s poorly done to the point where they’re throwing in things that don’t make sense for the sake of patching holes.

Whoa this was amazing. So much going on ! I don’t know Charli,s music as far as I know but my sister and other people I know plus my best friend all saw her last week in concert so when I saw this book and read the synopsis I just had to read it.
Pete was a little pocket rocket, him and Frankie were sort of grumpy/ sunshine
I think frankie was my favourite though I loved Pete .
I was surprised Johnny betrayed him and Toby was awful but it was sad he was murdered. Who did it I was really surprised.

I didn’t see that coming.

I really liked this a sort of murder mystery. It was really extra but fun . A sort of cosy mystery but had dark elements.

Will I get canceled if I admit that I haven’t listened to the BRAT album beyond a few viral clips on TikTok and what I’ve overheard on my partner’s girlie pop playlists from the other room? I’m slow to adapt to new music so I’ll get around to giving this diva her due eventually. So even though I don’t have Pete’s direct connection to BRAT I fully believe in the power of music to give you new direction in life. Watching Pete stumble headlong into BRAT infused freedom (and a domino effect of bad decisions) brought me the same euphoria of blowing my own life up but without the consequences of the fallout afterword.

The murder mystery had some fun twists and dead ends that kept things moving, why still maintaining the book’s a fairly light tone. A difficult balance, but I felt that the murder was given the gravity it deserved without bogging down the tone. This could have easily gone in a much darker direction or could have treated the tragedy flippantly, but I was glad to see that it was handled with a lot more finesse than that.

A warning though, don’t try to get through this story without your favorite coffee at your side lest you end up like me, scouring my feed for a hip coffee place to grab a latte at in the middle of the day because the multitude of coffee mentions have clawed at my brain until I had no choice but to give in. Just my luck that I would read this on the week my coffee maker died, and this book is the push I needed to get a new one right away.

Though this is about a specific album and time period, this is the kind of cultural moment that will keep this book relevant no matter how many more summers pass.

Bold, B*tchy, and brilliantly chaotic
- Memoir of an innocent brat is a whip-smart ride trough queer culture, internet fame, and identity in the age of viral justice. Pete Chan is messy, loveable, and unforgettable in this darkly funny, twist-filled mystery that hits as hard as a Charli XCX beat.

“I had gotten so lost in the noise of everything, the endless push and pull of social media validation, that I barely recognized who I had become. There was a time when being reckless felt like freedom, like I was finally taking control of my life. But control is an illusion, isn’t it? One moment, you’re holding the wheel, and the next, you’re in a free fall.”

The power of social media. This book had everything from LGBTQAI+ POV, social media implications, an unlikely friendship to a who done it. It was a quick read that kept me on my toes. Was it outstanding? Meh. Worth the read? Absolutely.

Going into reading this, I don't think I truly knew what a Brat was, at least not in the sense of how the author meant it. This book was a little silly, not very realistic and at times utterly outrageous. I could see how people could love this book but it wasn't necessarily for me.

This book was something else. More than what I expected. From the description, it sounded like it was going to be a fun, very interesting read, but I wasn't prepared for so much fun, laughs, and such a lovable, well-developed cast of characters. The main character throughout the book, trying to find who murdered his cheating ex-boyfriend not only discovered who killed him, but also went upon a journey of self-discovery. I love how the book used social media and the crazy things that go on on there and modern sayings such as "Karen". Even the minor characters were very addicting and you felt for them. The book was a fast read....bite sized chapters...not too long, not too short. It gotten to the point and never lagged on. It gave just enough detail, description, and everything felt paced correctly. Also great character growth and development. 5 of 5 stars. I couldn't stop reading.

Sometimes you need to sit back and relax with a book full of chaos and humor. This book fits the bill. Those who are as chronically online as I am will love the pop culture references, it’s very timely. Some of the references like Lordes suprise GSC appearance JUST happened so idk how the author pulled that off lol. There’s a little bit of everything- detective work, revenge, pop music, sex, romance, murder, drag brunches, and TikTok. I love how this book didn’t take itself too seriously or try to fit into one box. I’d classify it as dark comedy if I haaaaad to pick one. I think frankie was my favorite character.

This book is a funny mystery to read in pride month! I am very happy to see Asian representation in queer stories, the more, the merrier. The pop culture references are fun. Thanks for Books in Color and the author for the ARC in exchange for a review.

The book starts with Pete working at his corporate job in NYC. As he listens to the new Charli XCX album, it awakens his inner BRAT, and in a whim, he decides to quit his job and break up with his boyfriend. Having no place to go, he hits up a friend to stay with them. He gets a barista job through his friend, and when met with a particularly prickly customer, Pete throws an iced coffee in his face and storms out in a bratty rampage!! Little does Pete know, the entire thing was filmed, and he becomes the infamous BRATista. Attempting to piggyback off of his newfound internet fame, Pete creates a TikTok to do music reviews. What happens next is a little cyberbullying, light stalking, catfishing, murder, detective work, and falling in love.

I really enjoyed reading Pete’s inner thoughts through Memoir of an Innocent Brat. Pete’s rationalization and thought processes are unhinged and a bit chaotic. It had me cracking up left and right. This book definitely targets a certain audience, and my worry is that it is a tad too niche. I do wish the “twist” was a little more drawn out. I found myself wanting more from it at the end.

I’m grateful to Victory Editing and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a review!

I can't say that I expected this to be good, but I did expect it to be entertaining. And it was! Utterly absurd, but I couldn't put it down. I did hit a block about halfway through where I got a bit tired of the conflicts, but the return to the murder plotline roped me back in. I'm not sure if I'll remember much of this one, but the pop culture references were fun and it'll be a silly one to recap to friends.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

How Aaron Wang managed to write a story that includes a mystery, a viral moment and the backlash from it and a budding romance in under 300 pages amazes me.

I'm happily seeing a recent trend in more stories written about LGBTQIA characters where their queerness isn't the point of the story. Or at least, it's not what gets the ball rolling for a majority of the events. When this happens, we get to read about queer people doing them while just also happening to be queer.

Pete is a very flawed character, and it was refreshing that he recognized that about himself. For him, he was just existing and going with the flow of things until hearing a Charlie XCX song slaps him out of his slump. From here we watch Pete make some arguably good decisions and then many bad/stupid ones. Despite watching him make very stupid decisions, I really enjoyed exploring how being online and thinking you're "safe" isn't a reality.

Although this was a murder mystery, it felt like a warning label for what not to do on the web and how easy it is to track people down.

I enjoyed Frankie's character and thought they meshed well with Pete. They were both on board with the shenanigans and often a voice of reason for some of Pete's bad ideas.

The big reveal at the end was completely unexpected but felt real and was definitely the most plausible outcome of going viral in this day and age. There are a lot of pop references in the novel so I'm not sure how well it'll age but I really enjoyed the inclusion of them and thought it was done tactfully and not cringe.

This is my first work by Aaron Wang and I'm definitely a fan and will look out for their future works. Thanks so much to Books in Color for the DRC!