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dreaming_ace's review against another edition
5.0
A challenging honest book. A story of the complexity of life and finding your own way when the adults in your life are horrible examples. This book is for mature young adults (and covers possibly triggering concepts) but which is relatable for many young adults.
draculaura21's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
While this wasn't quite the book for me (it has literally almost all the content warnings), it truly is a love story. And a beautiful one at that. This story is about a transgender teen of an alcoholic real estate agent mogul and an orphan forced into prostitution to provide for her siblings and the love and acceptance they find for each other and for themselves. Considering author Sonia Patel is a family psychiatrist currently living and practicing in Hawaii (where Jaya and Rasa takes place), it makes the trauma her characters experience all the more heartbreaking.
lesbrary's review against another edition
2.0
This was a four star read for me until the ending. Obviously, this is dealing with traumatic, horrific life experiences, but they're told in a simple writing style which kept me hooked. I can't speak to any of the representation, since I'm cis and white. I do think it's especially worth warning about the ending, though, which ruined Jaya for me and Jaya and Rasa's relationship:
[trigger warning for suicide, guns]
Also, it ends with them going to the police, but with no closure about whether her siblings will be safe. I guess we're just supposed to assume that of course everything will be fine once she goes to the police, and she should have done it all along?
[trigger warning for suicide, guns]
Spoiler
When Jaya finds out Rasa is sleeping with other men, he immediately just thinks she's cheating on him. (With wealthy men who are 25+ years older than her.) When she explains that Xander is her pimp, he laughs and says she must have liked it to keep doing it. When she says he's threatening to hurt her siblings if she tries to leave, he scoffs. But to top it off, he is standing there with a gun pressed against his head this whole time, threatening to kill himself. And it's after she tells him that she is being held prisoner and forced to have sex with these men against her will that he says that now he can't stop picturing her with other men (because that's really the biggest concern here) and pulls the trigger. He tries to shoot himself in front of her. It's only a fluke that it doesn't work. She then apologizes and coaxes him back.Also, it ends with them going to the police, but with no closure about whether her siblings will be safe. I guess we're just supposed to assume that of course everything will be fine once she goes to the police, and she should have done it all along?
bookedbyfaith's review against another edition
going to put this on hold for a bit
mindfullibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
Powerful, raw and completely unfiltered mature YA that deals with incredibly complex topics
Thanks to Cinco Punto Press for providing me with an advance copy for review - all opinions are my own.
This is a BOOK. You know, the kind of book that gets under your skin and makes you wonder.....did I really want to read about all of that? You know......sex trafficking, rape, drugs, child abandonment? Oh, and parental unacceptance of a teen's gender identity and bulimia? And racial and cultural identity and colonialism? I mean, it's not happy. It's not pretty. It makes you FEEL things. And THINK about things. Things you don't want to believe exist. It makes you squirm and hate the world for letting these things happen to our children. So, do you really want to read it? Should there be YA books about these topics?
Well, the answer is yes. Yes, I want to read about all of that. And yes, there should be books about these topics. First of all, as a teacher, these issues need to be in front of me. Books need to open my eyes to what teens in our world are dealing with - and Patel knows this firsthand through her work as a psychiatrist working with teens. She knows what she writes. And yes, there are teens who need to read stories like this one. There are teens going through these exact struggles and needing to know they are not alone.
JAYA AND RASA certainly isn't a book for every teen (because what book is??), but I do recommend that every teacher, administrator and guidance counselor read it. It should be in library collections and guidance offices because even if there is just ONE student who needs it in any given population, it should be available. And as Rasa shows us in the book, we don't know which teen needs it. I appreciate the terseness of the writing style and the readability of the text, making it accessible to virtually all levels of YA readers.
I thank Patel for having the bravery to write this story and go where the majority of YA authors don't (won't?) go.
Thanks to Cinco Punto Press for providing me with an advance copy for review - all opinions are my own.
This is a BOOK. You know, the kind of book that gets under your skin and makes you wonder.....did I really want to read about all of that? You know......sex trafficking, rape, drugs, child abandonment? Oh, and parental unacceptance of a teen's gender identity and bulimia? And racial and cultural identity and colonialism? I mean, it's not happy. It's not pretty. It makes you FEEL things. And THINK about things. Things you don't want to believe exist. It makes you squirm and hate the world for letting these things happen to our children. So, do you really want to read it? Should there be YA books about these topics?
Well, the answer is yes. Yes, I want to read about all of that. And yes, there should be books about these topics. First of all, as a teacher, these issues need to be in front of me. Books need to open my eyes to what teens in our world are dealing with - and Patel knows this firsthand through her work as a psychiatrist working with teens. She knows what she writes. And yes, there are teens who need to read stories like this one. There are teens going through these exact struggles and needing to know they are not alone.
JAYA AND RASA certainly isn't a book for every teen (because what book is??), but I do recommend that every teacher, administrator and guidance counselor read it. It should be in library collections and guidance offices because even if there is just ONE student who needs it in any given population, it should be available. And as Rasa shows us in the book, we don't know which teen needs it. I appreciate the terseness of the writing style and the readability of the text, making it accessible to virtually all levels of YA readers.
I thank Patel for having the bravery to write this story and go where the majority of YA authors don't (won't?) go.
breadedbookpages's review against another edition
4.0
catladyreba's review against another edition
3.0
Wow, this was an intense read. And there was a lot going on here. A lot. And while I am appreciative of Patel tackling several tough topics, I felt like the ending was rushed and unsatisfactory, and some of the loose ends drove me nuts. Not to spoil anything, but what happened to Rasa's siblings? Especially her younger brother. I also felt like I got to know Rasa much better than Jaya, and I would have liked to feel more of a connection to Jaya.
Things I liked? I did love the range of diverse characters in the story. I also really felt connected to many of the characters, especially Rasa. Also, the nods to Nirvana and 90's music was much appreciated. I enjoyed the way Patel portrayed the ugly as well as the beautiful parts of Hawaii and it's storied past.
A slight caution, this book deals with some very heavy topics including drug use, rape, domestic abuse, suicide, bullying, sexual situations, strong language, transphobia, prostitution, and more. Definitely a read for more mature, or older readers. But, an important one that takes an unflinching look, no sugar coating, at the realities many people deal with every day.
Things I liked? I did love the range of diverse characters in the story. I also really felt connected to many of the characters, especially Rasa. Also, the nods to Nirvana and 90's music was much appreciated. I enjoyed the way Patel portrayed the ugly as well as the beautiful parts of Hawaii and it's storied past.
A slight caution, this book deals with some very heavy topics including drug use, rape, domestic abuse, suicide, bullying, sexual situations, strong language, transphobia, prostitution, and more. Definitely a read for more mature, or older readers. But, an important one that takes an unflinching look, no sugar coating, at the realities many people deal with every day.
dancingprince's review against another edition
4.0
Very intense - deals with lots of triggering real life issues. Incredible representation of mental health, culture, and queer identities.