I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! Despite what the title, Eliza Quan, and her ‘principles’ say, I liked her a lot! She’s a headstrong character who knows what she wants and is not afraid to voice it out; especially her desire to be elected editor-in-chief of her school newspaper.

Her win seems set in stone until Len DiMartile, a Japanese-American ex-jock, runs against her for the position. Even though he is barely qualified, he wins. This sparks a series of events which leads to Eliza writing a rant-essay calling out the entire school. It goes viral, and leads to a feminist movement amongst Eliza’s peers, close-calls with suspensions, and a situation where Eliza and Len are forced to work together.

The enemies to sort-of-friends to lovers dynamic was something I loved! Len and Eliza were enemies because of the different ideologies they had on certain topics, which cemented their bond as they learned, unlearned, and grew. Their romance didn’t feel odd or forced to me, and I was squealing anytime they interacted.

The representation was also something I admired! Korean, Chinese-Vietnamese, and Japanese backgrounds, family dynamics which are tangible and realistic, unlikely friendships; ‘Not Here To Be Liked’ brought it all!

It surpassed all my expectations with the way it addressed heavy societal topics. Intersectional feminism, misogyny, double-standards, and sexism were all touched and brought to light. Many instances highlighted subtle jabs that go unnoticed in our everyday lives.

It’s a must-read, and I recommend it to everybody looking for something short yet hooking—regardless of age. It’s entertaining, impactful, and an all-round fun read bound to stick with you.

Full review will be posted on my blog (www.slimmwrites.wordpress.com) on 14th September, 2021.

Not Here to Be Liked is a wonderful YA contemporary romance which follows Eliza Quan, a Chinese-Vietnamese American who's the managing director of her school's newspaper. Eliza wants to run for the editor-in-chief next, and is the perfect choice with all odds in her favour until the ex-baseball star Len joins in and wins. He's inexperienced, good-looking and male so Eliza suspects that he got the role because of this.

Following her viral essay on inequality, she finds herself in midst of a feminist movement. In the course of this chaos, Eliza is forced to work with Len and she may or may not be falling for him in the end...

-This was such a brilliant book! From Page 1, I was hooked. Quach's writing was simple yet engaging, so perfect for a YA contemporary of my (and your) dreams.
-Though Eliza is not here to be liked you can't help but root for her. Her character development throughout the book was a pleasure to read.
-Another aspect I really enjoyed was the portrayal of intersectional feminism.
-Enemies to Lovers is definitely a overused trope in YA but I can't help but love it. This book carried it out really well with Eliza and Len.
-I also enjoyed the messy family dynamics here. They were complex yet realistic.
-Overall, Not Here to Be Liked is a solid debut with an important theme of feminism which is a must read for everyone who are looking for a diverse read.

Representation: Chinese-Vietnamese American, side Asian-coded MCs
Content Warnings: Racism, slut-shaming, sexism and misogyny, internalized misogyny, consumption of alcohol, public vandalism, bullying.

I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange of an honest review. This did not impact my thoughts or review in any way.

4.5★

not here to be liked is a beautifully nuanced, raw and real book that discusses timely issues like feminism, race, performativity and more through the lens of eliza quan as she goes through stages of friendship, love, self-discovery, and what she truly stands for.

i just . i loved this book so much i could talk about it for ages. and...i will.

so. i know the whole point of the book is that the main character is "unlikable" ... well. i liked her. i'm not sure whether she's meant to be unlikable by the other characters or the readers, because i as a reader loved following eliza along and definitely understood and got her narrative. she's one of the most well-written young-adult female protagonists and reading her story and where she came from made absolute sense to me. i loved reading from and about her, and i think questioning her "likability" is very both relevant to the story and highly ironic in a way, considering the themes the book dismantles.

other than eliza, i also found the rest of the characters to be enlighteningly interesting to read about as well as the different discussions brought to light through each dynamic—from eliza's family to her love interest and friends and colleagues and even the boba bros. i loved reading from every single one and having them so distinct from one another but also similar in ways really helped enrichen the story with deep layers and intersectionality. one of my favorite characters (if not the one) is definitely winona, eliza's best friend. not only does her being the only black girl start many things, but winona also seemed to me like the voice of reason most of the time and i anticipated her input whenever she was in a scene.

i liked how every character is flawed in their own way, especially len dimartile whose character surprised me a bit. the romance was cute and i wish we had more depth into that but i'll take what i get! i'm not a big fan of the entire cast though and i believe there was intention behind that from the author; i don't think all readers will agree on who's self-righteous and who's performative or who's there to be there, and that brings us to the heart of the story.

as much as i loved the characters and their dynamics since the story is character-driven and really focuses a lot on their decisions and thought processes, i also appreciated how nuanced the issues described in the book were. it's not your basic guide to feminism for dummies or anything, it didn't dive deep into all the controversies and take down the patriarchy, but it wasn't surface-level either in any way.

the book asks eliza and the characters as well as it asks the reader a lot of seemingly simple questions but ironically not everyone finds them easy. because, what is "feminism," really? is it antagonistic to be a feminist? what draws the line between exclusion and inclusion when it comes to a movement like feminism? what's the real difference between activism and performative activism? is it possible to be a feminist, even if you actively reject the idea?

not only on feminism, but the book also explores a lot of important themes like racism, the "white gaze" and how that hinders poc creativity and growth, expectations for art to be personal being different for men and women and particularly for black women, american feminism having a history of middle-class white women erasing poc voices, having ambition or no ambition and chasing the "american dream" against the backdrop of an immigrant family, internalized misogyny, intersectional feminism, etc etc etc.

saying that, it doesn't mean that the book handles itself too seriously or tries to tackle too much at once. i laughed out loud a handful of times; the character are hilarious, they call themselves out and it's hilarious. the exploration of different themes are written deliberately and with great care and thought. although, some conversations, especially with eliza and her family, felt kind of forced and awkward; like they were placed there to be there and add something to the conversation—which i get. i just wish it could've been a little more natural, but thankfully that didn't really bug my overall enjoyment of the story.

essentially, it's not like by the end of the book eliza is a superhero who shifted how people think and changed the world forever and ever. (i mean, i wish.) in fact, it's interesting how the book is concluded; it's not pessimistic but hopeful and it's exactly what makes this story deeply realistic. it's done extremely well, with excellent execution in my opinion, and i applaud michelle quach for writing this fantastic debut novel. i cannot wait to read more from her!

i highly recommend not here to be liked if you like "unlikable" characters, thought-provoking discussions, rivals-to-lovers romance, and a good time! i thoroughly enjoyed this book and i hope everyone picks it up. ♡

content warnings: racism, slut-shaming, sexism and misogyny, internalized misogyny, consumption of alcohol, public vandalism, bullying.

— digital arc provided by usborne publishing via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Eliza Quan has wanted to be editor-in-chief of her school paper for years and years. And she has put in the work. But at the last second, the new guy, Len, sweeps in and gets voted in, as boys/men do. She is devastated and pissed off. She can't focus on anything and writes a manifesto to get it out. She's pretty much ranting to herself and never wanted to publish it but when it does end up being publish, everyone is ready to shun her. Until a popular girl decides to side with her and together, with the help of Eliza's best and only friend, they start a feminist movement. Except maybe Len, "the face of the patriarchy" isn't exactly the worst?

This seems to be an unpopular opinion but I LOVED Eliza from the start. I loved that she took no shit from anyone, that she was driven and ready to do anything to get what she wanted. I loved loved loved her. I loved her throughout the entire book despite her never being here to be liked.
I was enthralled by the plot and just had an amazing time reading this. I got angry a lot but it was in the best way, the rightful way. It really made me feel so much. I cried a bit too and laughed and really really really got so very angry. (Yes, I'm repeating myself but I had to insist.)
I also had to underline some passages cause they were just so good and that doesn't actually happen to me that often.
The rep is the book was also on point and there's really nothing I didn't like.
It's truly an amazing book and the fact that's it's a debut is mind-blowing and I cannot wait to read more from Michelle Quach.

thank you so much to Netgalley for giving me an ARC of this book!
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not here to be liked is a fantastic book that for me felt sort of like sex education meets moxie. eliza was such a dividing main character because although i could see why people wouldn’t like her, she was still a character i resonated with a lot and i found myself agreeing with a lot her ideas. i loved the concept of an “angry feminist” fighting back and not being quelled by people telling her she was too much - every time eliza started to believe she was being irrational but then recovered herself or was proven right, it felt like all the times i’d been told my opinions were too strong was being seen, heard, and understood. i loved the focus on intersectional feminism, and although i know it is not my place to speak on if the representation of asain culture was accurate or not, i did find it really interesting to learn more through the eyes of an asian teenage girl with a blend of cultures in her life. this book is a must-read for any girl who’s been made to feel like their anger over sexism is unjust, i promise it’ll make you see you were right all along.

Eliza Quan fully expects to be voted the next editor-in-chief of her school paper. She's the perfect candidate: experienced, hardworking, and someone who respects the facts. That is, until ex-jock Len DiMartile decides on a whim to run against her. Suddenly her vast qualifications mean nothing because inexperienced Len- who is tall, handsome, and male- just seems more like a leader.
When Eliza's frustration spills out in a viral essay, she finds herself inspiring a feminist movement that she never meant to start. But as Eliza and Len get get know each other, she feels trapped by the horrifying realisation that she might just be falling for the face of the patriarchy himself.
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Where to start with this review? Well I loved it. Every second. It set my feminist heart alight. I picked it up yesterday afternoon and didn't put it down again until I'd finished it that night.
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I just can't believe that this is Michelle Quach's debut novel, it was so unbelievably well-written and I fell in love with every character she introduced us to. We're warned that Eliza is unlikeable, but I loved her from the very first page (I'm a sucker for an awesome, take-no-prisoners protagonist okay). The interactions between every character were spot on, and the relationship between Eliza and Len was just perfect! Enemies-to-lovers (when done well) is my favourite trope on the planet, and it was executed perfectly in this. And they acted like actual human beings! They did normal things and didn’t do that super frustrating thing when they fall out because they're unable to communicate with each other. Honestly the romance element was absolutely perfect (and that’s coming from someone who is notoriously picky about romances in books).
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Michelle Quach clearly isn't afraid to cover big topics in her stories, as NHTBL tackled racism, sexism, life as a child of immigrants, feminism, and many more. This was the perfect blend of fun romance YA and important discussions, all from an Asian lens. I especially loved reading and learning more about aspects of Asian culture that I was unfamiliar with.
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I could honestly go on for hours about how truly fantastic this book is. If you're a fan of YA then you need to check it out (even if you're not a fan of YA- this felt like "older YA"- I'm 25 and loved and related to a lot of it!). If you enjoyed Moxie or You Should See Me In A Crown, then you'll love this. I couldn’t recommend this book any more, it was absolutely superb.

My favourite YA contemporary of 2021!
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I received an eARC from NetGalley in return for my honest review.

It's another mixed review!

I love the new wave of feminist fiction for teens, highlighting important issues in society. It's a really important topic, and any book that brings attention to it is good. However, there's definitely a spectrum, and for me personally this book is somewhere slightly below middle.

It's not awful! I was engaged and I wanted to find out what would happen at the end. Our main character, Eliza, is (as the title says) not very likeable; she's cold, critical, and hyperfocused on her own goals, to the point of being dismissive of anyone who isn't as focused on theirs. It's hard to root for someone who's always judging other people. And I didn't find the romance very believable; they spent only a few hours together over a couple of weeks, but that's fairly par for the course in this kind of novel.

There was some good banter, though, and the story overall was fun. It definitely touched on some important topics. It was just hard for me to get past how mean Eliza was. But I think this will do well.

Not Here To Be Liked is the YA contemporary I needed! It follows Eliza Quan the hard-working managing director of her school's newspaper running for the post of editor-in-chief. And she's the perfect choice, until Len, the ex baseball star runs against her and wins. What follows is the start of a feminist movement in her school, questioning the sexist behaviour prevalent.

As the title suggests, Eliza is not here to be liked. She doesn’t care what others think of her, one quality I desperately wish I had, she’s driven, she knows what she’s worth and she wants to be acknowledged for it. I grinned so wide at her girlboss moments. She isn’t perfect by any means, Not Here To Be Liked very aptly incorporates the process of learning and unlearning, realising in a teen’s life through conversations with people around her. She has her uncertainties , she makes mistakes. I really admire Michelle Quach for including all the patriarchal ideas and microaggressions in an easy flowing writing style.

Despite the warning of “this book contains an unlikeable female character” I loved following Eliza’s journey in addressing the school’s sexist history head on and how she questions what it really means to be a feminist. Only to realise that there’s no specific textbook definition for it. I loved her attitude, originality and her growth.

I loved the discussions of double standards, of the internalised misogyny—slut shaming, how a girl and guy can wear the same clothing but get judged for it differently, girl-girl hate—of the stigma and stereotypes existing in our society. The entire story starts off with Len, an inexperienced candidate being voted for the position of the editor-in-chief, simply because he seemed more like a leader from his speech. All the while Eliza, very qualified and experienced, was criticised for “not being too nice”, for “trying too hard” or “being overly critical” when she was just doing her job as a journalist and editor and even being just as intense, critical and with high standards as her male coworkers.

The fact this nuanced exploration of sexism, feminism, classism and racism is done from an Asian lens just made the book even better.

Okay hear me out: you bash an ex-jock who stole your position as an editor-in-chief in a manifesto which surprisingly got published and now there’s a feminist movement growing in your school. But turns out… you’re falling for the very same jock, the face of the patriarchy and that leaves you wondering if you’re really a feminist when you have feelings for the boy you’re against. It was lovely to see Eliza come to terms with her feelings as well as staying true to her feminist ideas. I love me a good romance, Eliza and Len are the perfect definition of rivals. Their interactions are so adorably entertaining and their dialogues are wonderful. I loved the slow build up into being friends, bonding over boba, baseball and reading and eventually into something more.

Not Here To Be Liked, set in an Asian majority area, sheds light on the lives of immigrant children and their relationship with parents and the pressure imposed on them to be ambitious and make their place in the foreign country. The relationship between Eliza and her sister, Eliza and her parents and her observation of the relationship between her parents and of course her friends Serene and Wiona were lovely to read about. I love that Quach included the POC diversity and showed their struggles too — Wiona for example, worried about a demonstration project at school as she doesn’t want to be the “angry black woman” or Serena wanting to be liked by people. I’m really glad they all came to understand each other and enjoy the company!

Not Here To Be Liked is a wonderful contemporary, a mix of light romance and important discussions. This is definitely debut to not be missed!

I'm obsessed with this book. It's a young adult feminist romance. The characters are great and the romance is cute! It's a such a fun and easy read, I read it in one sitting!

The main character, Eliza, accidentally starts a feminist movement at her school when an unqualified boy gets the role as editor in chief of her school newspaper instead of Eliza, who is infinitely more qualified.

It's nice to see more ya books tat focus on feminism/female empowerment and I really enjoyed seeing how Eliza's thoughts changed as different things were thrown at her.

His had enemies to lovers vibes which i loved, it has always been a favourite trope of mine. I though the author did this trope very well, it was more enemies on Elisa’s side Len didn’t really seem to see her that way but it was still good. There were times where Elisa was a little unlikeable, she was a bit annoying and in your face. She also dealt with things in a weird manner sometimes but that could just be that she handled them in a different manner than I would have. There are some cute friendships in this, especially ones that bloom once prejudices of that person have been put aside which was refreshing to read. I also loved the focus on feminism, it wasn’t in your face and it didn’t take away anything from the romance. It helped add character development for Elisa but and development for the environment of her school. I really enjoyed this and gave it 5 stars.

"Everyone loves a girlboss until she tries to tell you what to do"

What a great book! Eliza is, at first, an intransigent character who lives by a strict code and believes in what is right. She thinks wanting to look good and being interested in boys are not compatible with being a feminist. She doesn't care what others think of her because her focus is elsewhere: working hard and succeeding. When things don't quite go to plan, it starts a spiral of events and encounters that make Eliza question a lot of her pre-conceptions, and I think this is what is so great about this book. Similarly to "Moxie", it conveys that feminism doesn't mean you can be attracted to people, or want to look nice, or appreciate compliments. It is a really nuanced read, funny, with a fierce protagonist who might come across as unlikeable at first but takes readers with her all the way in her journey. With issues around social media, popularity, and being from immigrant and mixed-heritage backgrounds, there is a lot for readers to relate to, A really fantastic read!

In this book, we meet our MC Eliza on her way to become the editor in chief of her school newspaper until a last minute contender Len bags the title instead. Which enrages her a lot and sends her into a spiral of writing a piece on misogyny in such elections, which ends up getting published by someone. All of it brings to light the deeper patriarchal problems that persist amongst the school student body.

Before I go into a deeper discussion of the issues I had, let's just quickly brush over the characters. I literally remember on Len and Eliza, both of whom were very uninteresting characters. The others really weren't as memorable. Eliza was, as the title suggests very prominently, not very liked. She is a hot headed and determined girl with goals. And she apparently wears the same old one single sweater, which becomes a topic of scrutiny for many haha wow. Len is a typical jock-turned-good-boy-and-has-mommy-issues dude. Seen him, read him, done that, which is why he didn't really make much of an impact on me. Len and Eliza's relationship was also something I couldn't really root for - while it being fast and having no prior tension, it felt forced.

I think the premise was nice and relevant. I liked the way the author challenged feminist discussion in the book amongst the students itself. But at the same time, pardon me for I wasn't very sold. For one, Eliza was unlikable. And that could have been the legit reason for people not wanting her as the lead. You know, that happens and it is not very uncommon to see about. But at the same time, I understand what they're coming from too. She deserved that position considering how desperate she was for it and how much she had worked on it. Having a last minute contender who isn't even halfway motivated or actually invested in the thing you love and then win it - that is harsh. So I understand that POV too.

At the same time, I think they book also could have done a lot more when dealing with the feminist debate. It started out well and actually challenged the double standards of people when it comes to feminism. I was also hoping that they'd at least mention at the end to the trolls how having and wanting to have a boyfriend doesn't make you any less of a feminist.

This book really had me confused, I won't lie. One point, I like the ideas it was trying to portray but another time, I'm trying to figure out myself how superficial and just on surface the discussions were. It was mostly an outrage to have Len's selection overthrown and have Eliza be the editor and all. Newspaper / magazine head elections have never been such a big contest for me and my school kids specifically. So it was kinda funny how the events in this book turned out. And Eliza's hard cold character erc just made it even more hard for me to like her or even feel an ounce of sympathy for her situation - I couldn't. It was an okay book for me.

Not Here To Be Liked combines a fierce and complex exploration of what it truly means to be a feminist with a heart-warming romantic contemporary. I guarantee you’ll end up falling in love with Eliza and Len.

I loved how Quach included these really nuanced discussions about feminism, the process of it and being more intersectional. Feminism requires constant education and a willingness to challenge your own misconceptions. In particular, I loved the discussion about being a ‘perfect’ feminist and not a ‘bad feminist’. Quach shuts down any notions of the latter, instead showing how allowing yourself to make mistakes and be just human in all your flawed ways is the way to be true to yourself. You don’t always have to change the world, instead you can just own your moment instead and change your own mindset. Notions of ‘bad feminists’ are also often linked to slut-shaming and other patriarchal ideas, which Quach really explores.

Eliza was a fantastic protagonist. She has a more unapproachable exterior, but this masks a deep love for her friends and family. There’s such warmth within her, but the layers around it have been built for her own protection. That’s why I really appreciated Quach still making her keep some of her more ‘unlikeable’ qualities at the end of the book. Eliza stays true to herself, but she also learns and grows over the course of the book. She is far from perfect, but that makes her all the more relatable. I also really loved her dedication and passion, with her heart and soul being poured into following her heart. Len was also an amazing character. I really liked as he slowly opened up to Eliza and the enemies to friends to maybe something more dynamic was so lovely to see. Their chemistry was incredibly tangible and their dialogue just sparkled.

Not Here To Be Liked is a book packed with humour and heart, but it doesn’t detract from the punch of its empowering central message.

This book was such a good surprise! I chose to read it because of... the cover! I was expecting a classic YA romance novel with the eternal enemies-to-lovers trope but I was pleasantly surprised. I personally really liked Eliza's character, with her coldness and stubbornness and I also really liked Len and his easy-going personality. Together, they formed a brilliant duo, and I was pleased to read their dialogues and encounters. I also really enjoyed the story itself which were actually covering pretty deep topics such as the place of women in society, growing as an Asian kid in US, and overall, feminism. It was really a nice read that I'm happy to have devoted time to.
Thank you so much to Usborne and Netgalley for the e-ARC!

Wow, Not Here to Be Liked is a powerful, thought-provoking read!

A brilliant look at feminism, what it means to be a feminist, and that not everything is straightforward, there are many grey areas and intricacies when it comes to being a feminist, some of which we see Eliza face.

I loved the discussions around the male gaze, double standards of behaviour, and even cultural and generational divides when it comes to beliefs around feminism and the role of women.

I thought Eliza was a great character and just as the title says, she is not here to be liked. She is part of the school paper team, she does her job and does it well. Sometimes this means being harsh and critical. I actually really admire her for not caring what others think, wish I could be more like that! I did feel sorry for her though, she is the best candidate for editor-in-chief, so justifibly believes she should get the job. Throughout her story we see the challenges she faces at school, the history of the patriarchy there, and how she tries to fight back against it.

The romance building with Len was lovely, they should hate each other but realise their views and beliefs aren’t so different. It added an extra layer of angst as well as areas for discussion, around hook-ups, relationships, even flirting, how men and women are viewed differently for the same actions.

I admire how this was written, the imperfections that were shown, the human nature, and the unsureness and uncertainty at times that Eliza displayed. I think this will help some teens understand feminism a little better and provoke them into discovering more about themselves and what their own views are.

The discussion questions at the end are brilliant! I will be adding Not Here to Be Liked to our book club list at school to read and discuss.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Usborne Publishing for the e-arc to review.

I got what it was trying to do and the message of the book but I struggled with the fact that the main character was so unlikeable. That aside there’s a lot that is good about this. Lots of diversity and I liked that the main character had a poorer background rather than a rich privileged one that is often seen in YA.

Not here to be Liked was a fun fresh feminist read that I absolutely adored!

The plot in itself was extremely enjoyable and it kept me wanting to read! Eliza was feisty, bold and everything a main character should be! The writing was brilliant and quite engaging!

Overall this was an amazing read and I would definitely recommend it!

I believe this is very important book out there.
Because if you're a girl with an opinion, and "backbone" you're not liked by many, and in this kind of world we need to find our voice with our truths.
Great YA, written by BIPOC author.

If you liked Moxie, you'll like Not Here to Be Liked.

We follow Eliza, a Chinese-Vietnamese-American teen who is the managing editor of her high school newspaper. She's not here to be liked and doesn't need to (spoiler: we like her anyway or maybe because of it). She knows she will be voted as next year's editor in chief, not only because there's no one better for the job, but there's also no one running against her. Until there is.

When the rest of the newspaper team vote for the guy who joined less than a year ago and who doesn't talk much but came up with a decent speech, Eliza can't wrap her head around it. To let the feelings out, she writes all her thoughts down... which somehow get published in the front page of the newspaper the next day. This starts a conversation about sexism, feminism and supporting each other instead of judging each other.

It's a great story that perfectly reflects the struggle to understand what you should stand for and what behavior you should call out, especially as a teenager. What does it mean to be a good feminist? Does falling for the guy who made you start this movement make you a bad feminist?

Michelle Quan handles such an important topic beautifully and rises all the right questions. Also, the rep in this is great. Bottomline: add this to your TBR and thank me later!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Usborne Publishing for the e-ARC in exchange of an honest and voluntary review.

This was such a great and important story which discusses the important themes of feminism and the inequality between men and women that can be seen in almost every aspect of life. Eliza is a strong, bold main character who fights for what is right with the help of her classmates when she is passed over for a role in her school newspaper that she has worked towards for years to a guy who has only just started. I loved the enemies to lovers plot of the story and I enjoyed seeing the rivalry she had with Len throughout the book start to turn into something more as they were forced to work together. As Eliza and Len develop their relationship and people end up finding out about it the book goes on to explore the reactions of the students and how women get compared to men when in exactly the same situation and how it’s almost always men that get a pat on the back while women get torn down and the unfairness of that.

This book also had lots of fun, cute moments within it between Len and Eliza and also had great friendships between the girls in this story and overall I really enjoyed this book and felt that it explored the important themes within it well!