3.5 Stars

Heiress Apparently is the first book in a planned YA series following the fictionalized descendants of the only officially recognized empress regent of China. It’s a great concept that brings history right to the fore.

There’s a lot going on in Heiress Apparently. What you think is the main plot, is Gemma getting a lead role in a movie being filmed in China. Her parents don’t want her to go there, so she keeps them in the dark. But the acting part is more of a sub-plot that focuses on stereotypical casting of Asian actors as well as the stereotypical characters themselves. It was nice to see the author give these issues weight in a way that felt natural.

But while it’s acting that brings Gemma to China, it’s the things that take place there that really drew me in. It turns out Gemma’s long-lost extended family isn’t so long lost. And expectations and consequences of them run deep.

Gemma is a likeable character who comes across as a mixture of naive and self-assured. She knows what she wants. She knows her mind. But she can sometimes be more than a little clueless.

Author Diana Ma does a great job setting the scene, although her pacing can sometimes suffer from the details. And while this book is not perfect, it has me wishing the next installment would come out soon.

I really wanted to love this but I unfortunately did not. The writing felt very juvenile and the pacing was all off. The premise in itself was very interesting but I just did not care enough about Gemma to read the entire book to find out what happened.

I really liked the look at Hollywood through the eyes of Asian Americans and Hollywood itself is interesting to me but the actual making of the movie seemed unrealistic. Two weeks after the lead role is cast, they are already on location and filming in hair and makeup? No rehearsals or line run throughs? Would a brand new actress really get that much say in a major motion picture with two renowned directors?

I loved seeing Beijing as a setting and liked that the book talked about its history but it felt very forced and info-dumpy at times.

Overall I'm glad this representation is out there but I think I would recommend other things to folks looking for that instead of this.

Okay, I have THOUGHTS. Let me just first say that I had the best of intentions going into this one. The premise sounded cool (going to Beijing to film a movie and finding out you look like a famous person?!) and I am ALL about more fun Chinese American stories in YA literature. However ... this was a flop for me. (Please, Diana Ma, do not read this!!! I feel bad about writing it already ... but I just need to verbalize my feelings somewhere 😩) Also, I recognize that this is a book written for teens and I am not one. For any reviews from Asian teens I come across, I will add links here [on Goodreads].

1. CLASSIC CASE OF TELLING, NOT SHOWING ... Yes, I want to know there were sparks between you and your love interest, but I want to SEE THEM too. When I can experience this alongside a character (the emotional connection, the feelings, the yearning, etc.), it adds to my level of investment and joy. I did not feel this with any of the "romantic" elements in Heiress Apparently. The insta-love was *so* bad—and usually, I don't mind this trope! IF I can see the chemistry. I don't care if he looks like Simu Liu and looks like a snack in a suit—GIVE ME GOOD BANTER AND CONVERSATION!!!

I also felt like all the Chinese history parts were presented in such a random way. There was a lot of it brought up towards the beginning of the book, when we don't know how it all connects to Gemma, so it was just ... a lot of info-dump. I know that it was intended to set up the mystery of ~why her parents don't want her to step foot in China~ but it was so out-of-place that I knew exactly the reason as soon as all this information dropped. And then Gemma spends the entire story trying to figure out this big secret while everyone dodges her questions, so it's not fun. I think it would've been much more interesting if she encountered some truths right away and confronted her parents about it. Then they could have a discussion of sorts ... Anyway, at least I figured out that one of my biggest pet peeves in books is when the plot moves from person to person saying, "It's a secret, I can't tell you ......." It just makes no sense to write in circles like this.

2. I *really* didn't like the way Gemma's white roommate, Camille, was written. First of all, there's not much that's said or described about her. But every single time Camille was brought up in conversation or thought, Gemma always had some back-handed comment or criticism about her, specifically as a white person. Ex: Their other roommate (part Japanese, part Samoan, part white) talks about a past girlfriend (who happened to be white) who secretly went around her apartment collecting her hair (which, by the way, truly what the heck?) Gemma responds with, "I do not understand white people's obsession with Asian women's hair," then looks at Camille and says, "No offense." And Camille says, "None taken ... On behalf of my people, I apologize." ???????

Another example: "Once Camille catches her breath, she asks, "Is Taiwan where your parents are from?" This is the kind of "where are you from" question that I don't mind. Camille's not asking because my Asianness makes me foreign in her eyes—she's just a new friend who genuinely wants to get to know me." I felt like Camille was written as a character to tell white readers, "Look—this is what you should and should not say to Asian people." And it just rubbed me the wrong way. Does it need to be spelled out this way, like, "This is right because ______ and this is wrong because _____"? I think the worst part about it is the fact that there is NO REASON to hate Camille. We literally don't know anything about her!!! I mean, it would be different if Camille was racist and rude to Gemma, but she's not.

One more: "And I don't want Camille to give me a knowing look and mentally file the information away in a "Gemma's tiger mom" file. I'm probably being unfair to her. Camille should get some credit for being the only white person in our little friend group."

3. The movie. Gemma is chosen to play the main character in this Americanized(?) version of M. Butterfly, which a distinguished Chinese actress (Eilene Deng) is co-directing. Basically, Eilene wants Gemma to help her change up the movie to play less on Asian stereotypes. Sounds good, right? But tell me why the making of this movie felt like a high school group project 💀 Do actors/actresses have this kind of power??? Like the way Gemma, a new actress, can make all these suggestions while they're filming? This was interesting though—when she brought it up to her boyfriend, he thought Eilene was using Gemma to "prop up her career." But Gemma believed Eilene wanted her to learn to fight for herself.

I know it sounds like I despised this book, but there were some good things ... it's just that I feel way more passionately about the things that bothered me lol. It was a good concept, but it was trying to do a lot of big things all at once (the romance with a boy she just met, her mom's secret, making the movie, etc.) and it fell flat.

Note: Thank you to NetGalley and Amulet Books for accepting my request to read and review an early copy of Heiress Apparently.

This one wasnt quite for me. the book fell flat for me and i dnfed it after a few chapters. Im sure its just the timing of reading this but i couldnt get into this book at all sorry

Thanks to Netgalley and Amulet for the advance Kindle copy of this book. It’s out tomorrow! All opinions are my own.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. I loved this one. Aspiring actress Gemma gets her big break - a role in a film, co-directed by her idol. The only catch? It is filming in Beijing, the one place her mother has expressly forbidden her from traveling. Gemma, curious about her parents’ home country and dying to accept the role, takes off anyway. There she finds that she is a dead ringer for a famous Beijing socialite, and has a family (and secrets) she never knew existed. Recommended for grades 8+.

4 stars!

This was highly entertaining, fun, past paced and very light hearted.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Heiress Apparently follows Gemma Huang on a journey that takes her from living in LA with 3 roommates in a 2 bedroom apartment to her getting the lead role in a movie shooting in Beijing to her finally finding out why her parents are always so mysterious of their past. This is a whirlwind from the start and it quickly becomes addictive.

I believe going into this without knowing much about it is the best way to do it. Let yourself be surprised and let yourself try to assemble the pieces of this story. This is a fast paced entertaining read that will make you feel as if you're watching a happy film.

There are some really incredible historical parts in this book that provide authenticity to the story and just overall allow for the reader to learn more about China as a country and its culture.

It is a sweet read about love, betrayal, family secrets and hope. For anyone in need of a pick me up, this is definitely it.

This book was just not my cup of tea.

I don't believe it has anything to do with the writing style or premise, it just didn't capture my attention.

Once I passed 52% I had to DNF the book. I DO believe others will enjoy it.

Rating 3.5

I'm struggling on how to rate this book because while it is readable I'm not sure how enjoyable it is. I never once had a wow moment and I couldn't feel much emotion from the characters. The book felt very slow paced for me and the main character just fell flat. I was so excited to read this book based on the synopsis but the book overall didn't do anything for me. Who knows, it could have been me or when I read it so I will be giving it another try. I love the cover of the book though. 

**Received an advanced copy through NetGalley in return for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. **

What an intriguing story! Heiress Apparently follows Gemma as she pursues her acting career. She lands her first big break which leads her to Beijing, a place her mother has specifically forbidden her to go to. On her journey, she discovers many secret's about her family, her mother's past and forms a new future she never could have dreamed. I love the female relationships in this book, the healing that takes place and how they fight for one another in the end. This is a YA book centered around family drama with some interesting pieces of Chinese culture and history that I was really intriuged by. I appreciated that although there was romance intertwined in the story, that wasn't the main plot. I'm really looking forward to reading more in this series.

I do really appreciate Diana Ma’s style, she has a really nice voice throughout this book and with this book being own voices, of course this book has references that make this book feel genuine and originally told with little things dotted in that make this book feel authentic and Gemma is introduced well along with her friends and date.

However it does feel like everything is moving at a pace that feels strange. I do feel like in some aspects this book could be longer and sometimes it could be shorter - which is confusing I know! I feel like there’s no room for Gemma to grow and this book needs to explore that but also it move so fast in the first chapters with everything happening all at once.

A book at the beginning of a series with a lot of potential, Heiress Apparently is a good read with a lot of care dealing with issues such as racism and LGBT rights and the history that weaves into the book is good, the history especially when it came to her family which I feel is where the book really got going.

I loved the language and personality in this story, and the perspective that the author writes from. The characters are very engaging, and it made the whole book exciting.

I ENJOYED…
☂️
- I’ve been in the mood for a fun, heartwarming contemporary in this, let’s face it, trash year and Heiress Apparently was absolutely perfect in that area.
- Gemma, the main character, was wonderful to follow. She’s an aspiring Chinese-American actress and manages to land an amazing role. The only problem? The filming location is in Beijing, a city her parents have forbidden her to go to for… aerm, a reason she can’t fathom. I have a weak spot for celebrities stories and… celebrities AND DRAMA? I’m SO in.
- I loved following Gemma’s adventures from the start and quickly grew fond of her as she grapples with her starting career, her family secrets and her own identity. I also loved seeing her grow thorough the story, speaking up for what matters and taking control of her own life and her own roles, too.
- Another thing I appreciated was the fact that Gemma is a recent high school graduate struggling with life after school. This book is classified as young adult, but with the main character’s age, it is more of an upper-young adult book and I’m always here for these stories!
- There is a whole mystery to this book that hooked me, right from the start. Why won’t Gemma’s parents let her go to Beijing? As we read on, we peel, little by little, family secrets, woven together with Beijing’s history itself and I loved that so much.

I HAD A HARD TIME WITH…
☂️
- I unfortunately found the pacing of this book a little… off? I feel like a lot happened, but it took its sweet time happening, too, if you know what I mean. Still, I was entertained from page one and, despite the slow pacing at first, wanted to know what would happen next so… still all good here!

OVERALL
☂️
- If you’re looking for a lovely contemporary read with movie sets and family secrets, I’d definitely recommend giving Heiress Apparently a try. I had so much fun reading this book and apparently it’s a series and.. well I’m curious to see the book releasing next!

Heiress Apparently, by Diana Ma, tells the story of Gemma Huang, an actor from Illinois now living and working (sometimes) in Los Angeles. When Gemma is cast as the lead in a big movie, it is a major breakthrough for her career. However, it also requires her to travel to Bejing -- the one place her mother has demanded she never, ever visit. In Bejing, Gemma discovers secrets she never knew, and has to struggle with work, family, and romance.

There was nothing actively bad about Heiress Apparently, by Diana Ma -- but there was nothing actively good about it either. It is fantastic to see a romcom that stars a nearly 100% Asian and Asian-American cast. Unfortunately, the characters are, for the most part, rather flat and one-dimensional. Gemma herself does not give much voice to the narration, giving the story overall a sort of lukewarm effect. Add into that the shoehorned history lessons, which feel copied off Wikipedia, and what should be a quick and exciting romcom turns into a slog.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amulet Books for the ARC!

Quick Review of Heiress Apparently by Diana Ma's debut novel, and the first in her Daughters of the Dynasty series. Thank you @abramkids/@piquebeyond and @netgalley for a copy of the eARC in exchange for review.

Gemma Huang an aspiring actress, had recently been cast in an updated movie version of David Henry Hwang's M. Butterfly. Once she lands in Beijing, where filming takes place, she's mistaken for socialite Alyssa Chua. This begins an unexpected adventure in Beijing.

This is a YA contemporary fiction novel, the writing style reflects that. This is something I hope that others will remember when they read, and/or review the novel. Adults are not the target demographic. When I had that thought, it allowed me to better enjoy the book.

My favorite parts of the novel were the behind the scenes aspects of making the movie. From why one person was made co-director to changes from the play to re-writing scenes. A lot of it points to how (East) Asians are represented in media. How there's not enough representation. This book has a lot of contemporary references. Particularly with how the adaptation of Crazy Rich Asians, To All The Boys I've Loved Before, Always Be My Baby, and The Farewell have made huge impacts.

Not sure if I'll have a chance to give this a full review. There are a few other storylines involved that I haven't touched on - Chinese history, stolen art, family feuds, family estrangement.

If you enjoy light hearted YA contemporary novels, I would recommend that you pick this book up. I for one am waiting for the next book in this series.

[ARC REVIEW] This adorable YA focuses on family, with a dash of romance and a splash of Hollywood movie glam!
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Heiress Apparently follows Gemma Huang, a recent high school grad, as she navigates auditions and lands what could be her big break in Hollywood. The problem? The movie is shooting in Beijing, and Gemma has been forbidden to visit China by her Chinese parents. Gemma heads to China in secret and unearths world-shattering news about her family and their past.
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Gemma goes through a lot in the course of this novel: struggles with her relationships, with her family, and with her career. I loved seeing each of these topics handled so well, but I would have also loved to see each of them a little more fleshed out, especially since this is poised to be a series. I really enjoyed the writing: the scenery and descriptions were beautiful, and I loved the attention to fashion throughout. I also loved the LGBTQ+ representation, and the exploration of government attitudes toward LGBTQ+ folks vs. cultural attitudes. Overall, this was a four star read for me! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Heiress Apparently is available now! Thank you to @Piquebeyond for sharing an e-galley with me in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 Stars

Heiress Apparently by Diana Ma is a story of family secrets that also touches upon the film industry’s perpetuation of harmful stereotypes. I enjoyed the Beijing setting, and the main character’s excitement for acting and desire to challenge offensive Asian representation was a pleasant surprise. The pacing is slow, but there are still many elements of the book that I found enjoyable that outweigh this.

This book tells the story of a girl who gets cast to play the lead role in a movie and travels to Beijing for filming, despite her mother’s ominous warning that she should never set foot in Beijing. When she arrives, she realizes she looks exactly like a famous socialite, and she doesn’t understand why the paparazzi are so interested in her. I always love to see books with a theme of family, so these aspects were engaging for me. This book also has a great setting, and I loved getting to experience the culture of Beijing along with Gemma.

❀ INTERESTING MAIN CHARACTER

Gemma herself is an interesting character, and I enjoyed her voice. It is easy to feel her passion for acting, and I loved how she follows her dreams despite what her parents, and everyone else, think. Through her character, there is an important commentary on the casting of Asian characters to fit harmful stereotypes. While she is working on the film, Gemma learns to speak up and question the representation within the director’s vision. I was not expecting this aspect, but I found that it was well done.

❀ PACING IS A BIT OFF

One of my main issues with the book is the pacing. To me, it is so slow, but also so rushed. There is a lot of filler as well as many info dumps, which I didn’t care for, and I had trouble focusing on this one. I also think the twists could have been better executed as much of the book is almost painfully predictable. However, I was willing to somewhat overlook this because of the book’s messages.

❀ FAMILY SECRETS AND CHINESE HISTORY

Heiress Apparently by Diana Ma is a story about family and challenging harmful representations on screen. I loved the setting and the main character’s passion for acting. However, I wasn’t a fan of the slow pacing, but while the book is very predictable, I was mostly willing to forgive this. I would recommend this to those who are interested in books about family secrets, and learning more about Chinese history along the way.

Loved this. This book was a fast, fun read. I didn't want it to end. I'll be recommending this to people of all ages, but especially my librarians and book club. Can't wait for more from this author!

Interesting and charming story. Tons of cultural references that I found very fascinating. It talks about family, secrets, traditions, independence and freedom. A light-hearted read with likeable characters

Heiress Apparently is the first book in the Daughters of the Dynasty series by Diana Ma. A great start to an intriguing series that is sure to grab your attention and keep you turning the pages as fast as possible.

Let me lead with this: the author’s stated purpose in writing this book was to create an ideal homecoming story for American-born Chinese readers where they could feel normalized and accepted. I cannot speak to how well she accomplishes that because I am your garden variety white woman. Even so, I have enjoyed reading this book.

That said, the plot meanders a great deal. Sometimes it’s about trying to make the movie Gemma’s filming less of an awful stereotype, others it’s about her relationship drama, others it’s about how she’s lying to her parents, and others it’s about her family’s history in Beijing. These are not woven together as seamlessly as a more seasoned author might manage, and so it feels like Ma isn’t quite confident where she wants the story to go or how to tell it.

I would have liked to learn more about this family as descendents of Empress Wu Zetian, but there is actually a great deal of cultural information about China woven into the text, both contemporary and historical, which is fantastic for breaking through stereotypes, but I think my favorite thing was the inclusion of the fact that there are historical instances of love poems between Daoist nuns. Another part of the culture on display that I enjoyed was the description of food: books like this and Crazy Rich Asians have made me a proponent of gastro-tourism.

LGBTQ issues are treated positively by all of the Good Characters, though the only actual LGBTQ character we meet until about 2/3 of the way through is one of Gemma’s roommates. There is a boy band, Gen XX, whose members are all girls but it’s unclear whether these are transwomen or simply girls masquerading as boys. On a somewhat related note, it is nice that Eric is a male with a real, professional interest in fashion and it is not once treated as an odd thing, as it allows for different interpretations of heterosexual masculinity.

Another thing that struck me is that Gemma is supposed to be eighteen, but she is an astonishingly mature, unflappable eighteen. I’d say unbelievably so, but a number of the eighteen year olds I’ve known have been really driven and put together, even though the majority of them have been pretty...not that.

This book is the first in a series, and while I’ve enjoyed reading it, I haven’t really been given enough promising detail about the other characters the rest of the series could follow to say whether I’d seek out and read any subsequent books.