Can’t-Wait Wednesday | Parachutes

Can’t Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings where bloggers share the books they can’t wait for. I use it here on my blog to highlight an upcoming release I’m excited for and tell you why it should be on your TBR!

Title: Parachutes

Author: Kelly Yang

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Release date: May 26, 2020

Goodreads Summary: “Speak enters the world of Gossip Girl in this modern immigrant story from New York Times bestselling author Kelly Yang about two girls navigating wealth, power, friendship, and trauma.

They’re called parachutes: teenagers dropped off to live in private homes and study in the US while their wealthy parents remain in Asia. Claire Wang never thought she’d be one of them, until her parents pluck her from her privileged life in Shanghai and enroll her at a high school in California. Suddenly she finds herself living in a stranger’s house, with no one to tell her what to do for the first time in her life. She soon embraces her newfound freedom, especially when the hottest and most eligible parachute, Jay, asks her out.

Dani De La Cruz, Claire’s new host sister, couldn’t be less thrilled that her mom rented out a room to Claire. An academic and debate-team star, Dani is determined to earn her way into Yale, even if it means competing with privileged kids who are buying their way to the top. When her debate coach starts working with her privately, Dani’s game plan veers unexpectedly off course.

Desperately trying to avoid each other under the same roof, Dani and Claire find themselves on a collision course, intertwining in deeper and more complicated ways, as they grapple with life-altering experiences. Award-winning author Kelly Yang weaves together an unforgettable modern immigrant story about love, trauma, family, corruption, and the power of speaking out.”

• I loved Kelly’s middle grade novel Front Desk and recommend it to readers at my library all the time! I’m so excited for her YA debut!
• It’s been pitched as Speak meets Gossip Girl 
• It’s intersectionally diverse! According to reviewers it includes many POC and queer characters, which I’m always here for!
• It deals with privilege, trauma, identity, and immigration–all subjects that we need more of in YA! I can’t wait to add this to my library’s collection.
• I live in California and love reading books set here!

• Because you should be supporting #OwnVoices books by Asian and Asian-American authors
• Kelly has already proven her writing chops with Front Desk, so you definitely don’t want to sleep on her YA debut
• Look at that gorgeous illustrated cover! How can you look at that and not immediately want to buy it?
• This book deals with sexual assault, trauma, and survivorship. We should all be boosting the stories of survivors.

 

Is Parachutes by Kelly Yang on your TBR?