Review: Gloria Buenrostro Is Not My Girlfriend by Brandon Hoàng
Vietnamese-American MC. Teen popularity. Romance. And a tandem bike.
A contemporary YA debut about a Vietnamese-American boy who tries to attain popularity by befriending the most beautiful girl in school, inspired by the Vietnamese-American author's teen experience.
Gary Võ is one of the few Vietnamese kids in his school and has been shy for as long as he can remember—being ignored and excluded by his classmates comes with the territory. So when the most popular guy in his grade offers Gary the opportunity to break into his inner circle, Gary jumps at the chance. All he needs to do is steal the prized possession of the most beautiful and untouchable girl they know—Gloria Buenrostro.
But as Gary gets to know Gloria, he’s taken in by her authenticity and genuine interest in who he really is. Soon, they’re best friends. Being part of the “in crowd” has always been Gary’s dream, but as he comes closer to achieving infamy, he risks losing the first person who recognizes his true self. Gary must consider if any amount of popularity is worth losing a true friend.
YALSA 2024 Best Fiction for Young Adults List
SCBWI Golden Kite Award Finalist
Publisher: Square Fish
Publish Date: June 25, 2024
Pages: 304
Audience: Young Adult
Meet Brandon Hoàng
Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Brandon grew up coveting The Baby-Sitters Club books and slurping pho noodles. Before he was a writer, Brandon spent 10 years as an animation executive. Now a television writer by day and novelist by night, he currently resides in Portland OR with his wife and two daughters.
My Review
I was honored to be sent a book by the author Brandon Hoàng in exchange for an honest review through the Read Your World organization.
I absolutely devoured this book. It had me smiling and laughing the entire time and was just one of those teen romances that I enjoy. The MC was awkward, made some bad choices, and gave me a lot of laughs. The ending was also a really great one and I think the overall message will resonate with teens-but I can’t say what it is because…spoilers!
I hope you grab a copy and read it for yourself.
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